Aspects of geology in planning

Abstract

AbstractThe planning of man’s environment is a complex operation which requires the interaction of many disciplines. Generally speaking, the physical development of society occurs by the implementation of a series of separate, but converging, aims which may be expressed in terms of, for instance, improvements to living conditions, public health or mobility. A development plan usually attempts to achieve these aims at minimum financial cost while reconciling many conflicting influences.So far as the use of land is concerned, since some land is inherently more suitable for some purposes than for others, there are clear cost implications in implementing a particular development plan and savings may be possible if the ground conditions are considered at an early stage. However, problems often arise with quantifying this cost due to a lack of appreciation of all the effects of a plan, including unexpected and undesirable ones.Since many natural systems pose threats to society, they should be taken into account during planning. The monetary costs may be less tangible, but security of life, disruption to production and destruction of property all reduce the well-being of society. Whether the causative hazards are the result of either planned or unplanned changes to the environment, or due to natural processes, they can only be successfully predicted or avoided if their mode of interaction with human activities is understood.In this paper the opportunity is taken to explore some of the more important geological factors which may significantly influence the planned use of land. Both natural and man-made geological hazards are considered. In addition, attention is given to the sources and interpretation of geological information in the context of planning.