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Geologists belong to a technical expertise that deal with rocks. This technical expertise is branched into many aspects, among others, environment, geotechnical engineering/engineering geology, seismology, volcanology, exploration geology, geoinformatics, geo-statistics, structural geology, petroleum geology just to mention but a few. All these aspects of geology may be applied in the construction/ building industry using geology as the fundamental basis for such tasks. Infrastructures like road construction, bridges, foundations to buildings, railways, tunnels, housing settlements, dams, mine construction require the services and input of a geologist.

• Environmental geology is in one way also associated with Geohazard mapping among others to help in decision making and planning of housing units and settlements.
•  Engineering geology involves application of geotechnics/ geotechnical aspects by identifying geological factors that could affect construction projects.
• Seismologists are concerned with earthquake and seismic studies as in assisting in planning for settlements. They also make decisions based on attenuations of seismicity of an area where they may deduce the return period hence careful planning. Similarly they also work in areas where seismicity is the order like inducing them in oil exploration/petroleum to locate the position of wells, during design and construction of dams,
•  In road, tunnel, railway construction, engineering geologists are very important in analyzing the geotechnical aspects. For example in a tunnel construction a geologist is engaged to determine the type of rock where the railway might pass that will provide a good roof in avoidance of collapsing in and such knowledge may be accompanied by blasting technology to ascertain the blasting pattern that does not cause damage to the existing rocks and gives minimal negative or no impact at all

In mineral exploration geologists are required to do geological mapping, reconnaissance surveys, geophysical surveys, drilling, geological logging, sampling, resource estimation, geotechnical evaluations, geostatistics and in mine geology they are important in ore delineation by controlling the grade, sample analysis, geological mapping as in face mapping, stockpile analysis, ore blending, mine to mill reconciliation etc.

               1. Aspects of geology in Infrastructure Development/Construction

In construction Industry engineering geologist form the basis of foundation in determining say the type of rock to source quarry stone which may be used for building houses or roads. They may aid in planning for the choice of a site for construction of buildings to determine structures like faults. This type of geology analyses the geological and geomorphological techniques and knowledge at the pretext of aiding and facilitating infrastructure planning, geological mapping etc. The foundation of houses or buildings may be on top of these structures and may be underlain by underground drainage or an active spring. Engineering geologists here analyse ground materials to assess the risk factors and offer advice to the best procedures for the development and sustainability of such. They undertake field investigations by collecting and analyzing data where decisions can be made from. The importance of a geologist in infrastructure developments go beyond hydrogeology, petrology and geochemistry, rock mechanics, geohazard analysis  just to mention only but a few..

                2. Importance of Geology in Civil Engineering

Geology plays significant and crucial role in civil engineering discipline since it studies the structure of the earth.

• Geology tries to identify areas that are prone to structural failures arising from geological hazards like landslides, mudflows, debris flows, earthquakes etc.
• Knowledge of hydrogeology helps to understand groundwater where this is connected to water supply etc. A geologists assesses groundwater conditions that can affect the stability of a structure like dam construction. In this case, hydrogeological maps provide distribution of groundwater and the associated depth through groundwater modelling, mapping etc.
• Geological survey is also important because it tries to reduce the risk of incurring a huge cost to the project. In this regard a geologist may be required to make risk assessments of future construction sites.
• Foundation problems of buildings, bridges, roads, dams, excavations occur in direct relationships with the areas in which they are built
• The knowledge about the properties and nature of rocks and rock mass is very important to determine slope and cut stability of say road and tunnel construction.
• Geological maps help in planning by civil engineers. It provides information about structural depositions, faults, folds, joints, bedding planes that have to be carefully analyzed to increase the slope/structure stability.
• If civil engineers know the rock properties they can consider a specific rock type for a particular purpose or use such as aggregate, foundations, building stones, roofing materials since they are able to know the structure of the earth through geology.

      3. Challenges faced by geologists in Malawi

1. Geologist scope is not recognized and appreciated.
2. Lack of knowledge and exposure to work that requires the services of a geologist and constructions where contractors do not feel the need for engagement
3. Lack of understanding of technical language, digital data and interpretations of geology by the people.
4. Limited job market locally.
5. Working in various harsh environments.

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