Book review

This book is a welcome addition to the literature on the geotechnical properties and engineering behaviour of glacial soils and complements EGSP28 (Griffiths & Martin 2017), which has a greater engineering geological and geomorphological focus. What I like most about the book is the way the author has assembled a range of diagrammatic, tabular and graphical information to inform and illustrate the discussion. This combines published observations and recommendations, codes of practice provided in British Standard and Eurocode guidelines, and the author’s own data and knowledge, to present the reader with a consolidated source of information. Even if your interest is not with glacial soils per se, you may still find much of value in this book, and for two reasons. First, as the author states, glacial soils are among the most variable soil types known to geologists, and by addressing this variability he covers a wide range of soils in his analysis and discussion. For example, there are properties of alluvium, colluvium, landslide debris and non-glacial clay soils to which much of the discussion might apply. Second, the text provides a detailed review of techniques of ground investigation, soil characterization, and the design and construction of earthworks and geotechnical structures, much of which is not necessarily restricted to glacial soils alone. Early chapters set the scene of glacial phases and timescales, and describe how glacial geology, as a specialist discipline, has evolved. Models are used to outline the formation of glacial soils and explain how these soils vary in composition and structure. Glacial soils are categorized into primary and secondary materials, the former comprising sub-glacial traction and melt-out tills and the latter glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine deposits. Mechanisms of deposition are outlined in each case and the typical landforms associated with each are described. Till is further classified into matrixand clast-dominated material and the engineering distinction between these various categories is emphasized throughout the book. The pervading message is their inherent variability, and recommendations are made on how best to accommodate this variability in sampling, in situ and laboratory testing, analysis, design and materials-handling during construction. Detailed consideration is given, for example, to the effects of fissuring in glacial tills, anisotropy in glaciolacustrine materials and the difficulties of sampling in glaciofluvial deposits. Guidance is provided on the most suitable approaches to strength and stiffness determination and the assessment of soil structure, fabric and permeability. The behaviour and performance of glacial soils in natural slopes, earthworks and tunnelling are covered in detail, as are techniques of ground treatment and slope stabilization. The discussion is wide-ranging and well-illustrated and combines soil mechanics with engineering practicability to provide an informative review. The use of glacial soils as foundation materials is examined in detail, with 55 pages, for example, dedicated to piled foundations. The design and construction of retaining structures and ground anchors are also covered, considering earth pressures, design and limit state. Useful case studies are provided from Europe and North America that illustrate the complexities of ground engineering in glacial soils and describe the design and construction techniques employed to overcome some of the difficulties encountered. To summarize, this book delivers what it says on the cover: the engineering of glacial deposits. The composite nature and inherent variability of these soils are emphasized throughout, and practical guidance is provided on how to assess their properties and behaviour for ground engineering purposes.