Abstract
Summary: Although in the early days of the science geology was closely linked with civil engineering, in the second half of the nineteenth century and first half of the twentieth their paths unfortunately diverged. The modern development of large, complex engineering works shows how necessary is a full, early assessment of all the geological factors in and around the site, together with the provision of modern, detailed geological maps. Lack of such field knowledge may be extremely expensive in effort, money, and in extreme cases, human life. Examples are drawn from the siting of new towns, motorways, reservoirs and spoil tips; geological problems of the last are illustrated from the Aberfan disaster of 1966.

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