ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on geological descriptions of glacial soils highlighting the relevance to engineering. Glacial geologists start by considering glacial dynamics, how they create glacial soils and landforms leading to a description of the various types of glacial soils. Improvements in instrumentation and numerical methods have created a better understanding of the glacial geological processes and therefore a better understanding of the geotechnical characteristics of glacial soils. All civil engineering projects start with a desk study, which is normally followed by a ground investigation to develop geological, hydrogeological, geotechnical and topographical models to create the ground model for the site. Glacial soils, or glaciogenic sediment, are soils derived from glacier ice. The soils are formed of glacial debris, which is soil transported by ice and water. Engineering soil descriptions are based on samples mostly taken from boreholes and trial pits.
