Learn how to describe and classify materials that come from the earth with this free online geology course.

This free online course explains how to classify geomaterials. We address the major issues concerning the usage of industrial byproducts as a man-made geomaterial and the stabilization of the soil using fly ash, which is produced by the burning of coal. You can study the course material on offer at your own pace as we take you through the intricacies of arranging extracts from the earth in their proper categories.

We outline the process of dealing with industrial byproducts through handling, utilizing, disposing and transporting them. The course then demonstrates the need for geomaterial characterization and illustrates how it can help protect our environment. We examine the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to understand the surface features and composition of soil. 

Finally, we show you how the chemical composition of geomaterials can affect their characterization. We discuss the influence of cation-exchange capacity (CEC) on soil and the various direct and indirect methods for analyzing its contamination. This course can help students, researchers, aspirant civil engineers and anyone who wants to know more about the ground beneath their feet.