Towards a Mobile Application for an Engineering Geology Course

A Contribution to Improved Student Learning

ao Paulo Barros

1,2

, Pedro Caixinha

and Soﬁa Soares

1,3

ESTIG, Instituto Polit

ecnico de Beja, Beja, Portugal

UNINOVA-CTS, Monte de Caparica, Portugal

Geobiotec, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

Keywords:

Engineering Geology, Ubiquitous Learning, Education, Rock Mass Description, Mobile, Computer Support,

Software.

Abstract:

One of the subjects studied on engineering geology courses is the description of rock masses and the applica-

tion of geotechnical classiﬁcations. Field information is collected and organised in order to make possible to

apply rock mass classiﬁcation systems and analyse stereographic projection data. The present work proposes

the use of computer supported ubiquitous learning to collect and treat ﬁeld data. It presents work in progress

towards the creation of a mobile application suitable for Engineering Geology courses. A ﬁrst prototype for

the Apple iOS system is presented.

1 INTRODUCTION

Engineering geology, where students deal with lab-

oratory and ﬁeld information in order to understand

and learn how to classify rocks and rock masses, is a

core subject in several higher education study cycles,

most notably civil engineering. In fact, ”During the

feasibility and preliminary design stages of a project,

when very little detailed information is available on

the rock mass and its stress and hydrologic character-

istics, the use of a rock mass classiﬁcation scheme can

be of considerable beneﬁt” (Hoek, 2006).

One of the used learning strategies is to give stu-

dents a selected rock mass site and ask them to char-

acterise and classify it. Students should be able to

collect ﬁeld data, analyse those data, and make a ﬁ-

nal report summarising all the information, as well as

applying Bieniawski classiﬁcation system to that rock

mass (Bieniawski, 1989).

Based on theoretical lectures and literature, stu-

dents are exposed to the initial approach, to the clas-

siﬁcation system, and to needed parameters. Yet, it

is during the ﬁrst ﬁeld observation that the real prob-

lem is presented and effective learning occurs. Each

group, composed by three students, has to character-

ize a section of a rock mass. To that end, they use a

template to classify a list of ﬁeld observations. Study

methodology starts with the geographic and geologi-

cal location of the rock mass, the identiﬁcation of rock

type, texture, colour, weathering degree, discontinu-

ities (faults, folds, schistosity, factures), presence of

water, and other relevant factors to the stability of the

rock mass.

Recording these data from the rock mass, forces

students to use several devices like compass, maps,

camera, as well as pencil and paper. Yet, nowa-

days, with the available technology, it should be pos-

sible to collect and record all data in a simpler and

more integrated way. Inspired by some related liter-

ature (Ho et al., 2012), this paper presents work in

progress towards the creation of a computer applica-

tion for mobile devices, namely tablet computers. The

app will allow a simpler and structured way to col-

lect and assemble ﬁeld information, allowing a more

ﬂexible data collection and treatment. Hence, this ar-

ticle presents the motivation for the development of

an application to collect ﬁeld information in order to

understand and learn how to classify rocks and rock

masses.

The paper is structured as follows: after this intro-

duction, Section 2 presents some background infor-

mation that contextualises the app functionalities and

Section 3 presents the results of a student survey re-

garding the perceived importance of the tool. After,

Section 4 presents the developed prototype and Sec-

tion 5 concludes.

Barros, J., Caixinha, P. and Soares, S.

Towards a Mobile Application for an Engineering Geology Course - A Contribution to Improved Student Learning.

In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2016) - Volume 2, pages 421-426

ISBN: 978-989-758-179-3

421

Figure 1: Rock Mass Rating System (after (Bieniawski, 1989)).

2 BACKGROUND

Rock mass characterisation is an important part of en-

gineering geology practice. It is relevant that engi-

neers learn how to obtain and read data related to rock

mass characterisation.

Even with several limitations, rock mass classiﬁ-

cations can be very useful during feasibility and pre-

liminary design stages of a project. Although quite

a few classiﬁcation systems are available, one of the

most widespread is the Rock Mass Rating System

(RMR), proposed by Bieniawski, originally in 1973

(Bieniawski, 1973).

RMR is obtained through the sum of the different

weighing of six parameters (see Figure 1): (1) Uni-

axial compressive strength; (2) Rock quality desig-

nation; (3) Spacing discontinuities; (4) Condition of

discontinuities; (5) Groundwater conditions; (6) Ori-

entation of discontinuities.

The ﬁnal value obtained will classify the rock

mass through ﬁve classes, from a very good rock mass

(class I) to a very weak rock mass (class V).

Parameters describe the quality of intact rock

and the conditions of the discontinuities. Uniax-

ial compressive strength describes rock resistance.

Rock Quality Designation Index (RQD) estimates

rock mass quality from drill core logs. RQD is deﬁned

as the percentage of intact core pieces longer than 10

CSEDU 2016 - 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education

422

Figure 2: Table to record ﬁeld data.

cm in the total length of core drilled. When no core

is available, RQD may be estimate, for instance, from

the number of discontinuities per unit volume of rock

mass (Palmstrøm, 1982). Spacing discontinuities de-

scribe the partitioning of the rock mass. Condition

of discontinuities deﬁnes the importance of weak sur-

faces. Groundwater conditions show if there can be

any water pressure on discontinuities. Orientation of

discontinuities can control slope stability.

2.1 Geological Data Collection and

Treatment

Different classiﬁcation systems place different em-

phasis on the various parameters. Hence, at least two

classiﬁcations should be applied to obtain reasonable

results. As our focus is the learning strategies adopted

to familiarize students with data recording from the

ﬁeld, from the teacher point of view it is adequate to

use only the RMR System.

The ﬁrst approach is the observation of the rock

mass. This is divided into several structural regions

so that each group of students works on estimating

parameters for a deﬁned region.

Based on RMR system parameters, a table was

built to record data from the ﬁeld (Fig. 2). Students

have to identify the site, take its GPS location and cat-

egorize it on its geological environment. The use of

geological maps, a GPS equipment, or a suitable app

in a mobile device is required for determining loca-

tion. A draw from the rock mass and its environment

is convenient and photographs of all relevant aspects

should be taken. Hardness of intact rock can be cal-

culated either in situ, using a Schmidt Hammer, or by

bringing rock samples to the laboratory and testing

them with a uniaxial compression or point load com-

pression equipment. Discontinuities spacing, aper-

ture, and length are measured with a tape measure and

values written on the table. Discontinuities spatial ori-

entation (dip and dip direction) are read using a com-

pass with clinometer (Fig. 3). Groundwater, weath-

ering degree, and quick friction angle are determined

in the ﬁeld by local observation and inscribed in the

table. Treated data will allow to archive RMR value

and classify the rock mass. Values from dip and dip

direction of fractures will be placed in stereographic

projection (Wulff net) allowing the identiﬁcation of

the main planes of fracturing. The ﬁnal report will use

all ﬁeld information to recognise eventual geological

variability and conclude about rock mass quality.

When preparing future engineers to succeed in

solving problems in their professional life, the learn-

ing process should also include the use of adequate

technologies. Drawing, photographing, GPS locat-

ing, accessing digital maps, recording data and using

a compass can perfectly be done with a single com-

puter application accessible in a tablet. This solution

will help saving time, permit that difﬁculties emerged

on values management to be overcome (bad values or

Towards a Mobile Application for an Engineering Geology Course - A Contribution to Improved Student Learning

423

Figure 3: Students collecting ﬁeld data.

errors due to poor handwriting for instance), and al-

low an easier data treatment. In the next section, we

present the results of a survey applied to a set of geo-

logical engineering students.

3 SURVEY

To access to students feedback about the use of a com-

puter application for rock mass assignment a ques-

tionnaire was applied. Within an universe of 21 stu-

dents, a total of 15 answers where received, 6 females

and 9 males, most with ages between 20 and 25 years.

The questionnaire included the following questions:

1. Rate the importance of the following between 1

(not important) and 6 (extremely important):

(a) Importance of a tablet based application for

data collection;

(b) Importance of another application for data

treatment;

(d) Use the tablet to take photos, replacing the

photo camera;

(e) Use the tablet compass instead of the geological

compass;

(f) Use the tablet to draw instead of the paper note-

book;

(g) Use the tablet supported maps instead of the pa-

per topographic maps.

2. Specify other relevant data to be included in the

application.

The answers to the ﬁrst two questions show that

students ﬁnd the use of a mobile application for data

collection slightly more important than the use of a

new application for data treatment (Fig. 4). Usually

students use excel spreadsheet to treat data and after

a speciﬁc software to do stereographic projection.

Regarding speciﬁc functionalities, all the ﬁve

identiﬁed functionalities were considered very impor-

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Figure 4: Average importance given to support data collec-

tion and data treatment.

5.3$

4.6$

4.4$

4.5$

5.0$

Data$ Photos$ Compass$ Drawing$ Maps$

Figure 5: Average importance given to support for several

functionalities in the mobile application.

tant, with average values between 4.4 and 5.3 (Fig.

5).

Figure 6 illustrates the minimum, median, and

maximum values for the answers to each question. It

is interesting to notice that the use of the tablet as a

compass and for drawing are the only ones where a

respondent gave the lowest score (1 – not important).

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Figure 6: Minimum, median, and maximum values for each

question.

Regarding the open question about additional

data, the suggestions were the following:

• Support for Excel spreadsheet to register the data

related to the taken measures (directions, slopes,

and others) allowing they export to other applica-

tions (Dips, stereonet or other).

CSEDU 2016 - 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education

424

• The application should automatically generate

data to be inserted in an Excel spreadsheet to be

latter treated in the laboratory and make a geo-

graphical projection with no need for manual edit-

ing.

• Insert data in digital format, allowing a faster and

more reliable data register

• It would be wonderful to be able to export the re-

trieved data to pdf, or other, for printing; these

data should include meteorological conditions and

access to the local.

• Possibility to draw in a vector based format.

• The application could have a table with all the cri-

teria to be assessed on the ﬁeld for the classiﬁca-

tion and characterisation of the rock . Besides the

ﬁeld data, it could contain the formulas for data

treatment.

It is interesting to see that students ﬁnd important

not only to have an application allowing them to insert

all data collected in the ﬁeld, but also that the appli-

cations allow data treatment in other kinds of support.

Nevertheless, formulas and data treatment should be

done by the users/students as one of the courses learn-

ing strategies.

4 THE APP PROTOTYPE

Presently, an app for the Apple iOS system is be-

ing developed. For this project only ﬁeld informa-

tion was considered; the strength of intact rock, one

of RMR parameters, was not taken into account be-

cause it results from laboratory determination. Based

on the data collected in the survey and the teaching

experience, the prototype includes support for the fol-

lowing:

• Store all ﬁeld data in digital format;

• Take photos and record videos;

• Use the tablet compass;

• Use the tablet supported maps;

• Create several ”projects” each one with several

”sites”;

• Creation of a text ﬁle (comma separated val-

ues) readable in any spreadsheet program or other

more speciﬁc programs, thus allowing simple and

versatile data treatment.

All the data is collected for each site, which be-

longs to a single project. Hence, the user starts by

creating a new project with one site. The data is then

collected for this site, including photos. After, the

user can add more sites to the project to collect the

respective data or a new project with the respective

sites.

The app still lacks the possibility to draw and has

no formulas for data treatment, which was a student

suggestion.

Compared to other existing tools, e.g. (Ho et al.,

2012; Terrasolum, 2013; Midland Valley Exploration

Ltd, 2013), the tool being developed has two main

advantages:

1. It allows for the speciﬁcation of a speciﬁc set of

geological data;

2. It offers an integrated support for the registration

of all types of data, namely, classiﬁcations, mea-

sures, photos, and geographic information.

The ﬁrst functional prototype already developed

will allow a preliminary evaluation of its user in-

terface and functionality. Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10

show the more important screens, respectively (1) the

project and site screens, (2) the data insertion screen,

(3) the clinometer and compass screen, and (4) the

photo and video screen.

Figure 7: Project screen.

The present tool assumes that the data can be col-

lected for each site in each project. This means that

each project can have one or more sites each one with

its own data, photos, and videos. Using a tablet com-

pass in a scientiﬁc context may be questionable due

to its usually bad accuracy. During the project de-

velopment process various readings were performed

with geologist’s compass to adjust the application’s

compass. Preliminary measures seem quite good but

future readings should be carried critically in order to

ascertain the accuracy.

Towards a Mobile Application for an Engineering Geology Course - A Contribution to Improved Student Learning

425

Figure 8: Data insertion screen.

Figure 9: The clinometer and compass screen.

5 CONCLUSIONS

It is a natural consequence of the increased sophisti-

cation of mobile devices that an increased number of

activities will be more efﬁciently performed ubiqui-

tously based on those devices. Hence, the learning

strategies must adapt while taking signiﬁcant advan-

tage in terms of student efﬁciency, motivation, and

preparation for latter professional activities.

The related existing tools, e.g. (Ho et al., 2012;

Terrasolum, 2013; Midland Valley Exploration Ltd,

2013), the survey results, the anecdotal evidence col-

lected along several editions of engineering geology

courses taught by the third author, and preliminary

testing with a non-functional prototype, have clearly

demonstrated that mobile devices and applications

will have a pervasive and important role as tools for

Figure 10: The photo and video screen.

engineering geology students. Although the mobile

application is still in a prototype stage the authors are

already enthusiastic with the perspective of its use in

a very near future.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work is partially supported by National

Funds through Portuguese Agency FCT – Fundac¸

para a Ci

encia e a Tecnologia in the frame-

work of projects PEst-OE/EEI/UI0066/2011 and

UID/GEO/04035/2013.

REFERENCES

Bieniawski, Z. (1973). Engineering classiﬁcation of jointed

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Bieniawski, Z. (1989). Engineering rock mass classiﬁca-

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Ho, A., Bekele, K., Malinconico, L., Sunderlin, D., wai

Liew, C., Rimal, P., Tillquist, C., and Hoang, K.

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Hoek, E. (2006). Practical Rock Engineering. Available at

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