GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING [jee-oh-tek-ni-kuh l] (noun):
a science that deals with the application of geology to engineering; a sub discipline of Civil Engineering.

Geotechnical engineers use soil as a construction material to build the foundation for the infrastructure of society (the built environment). For example, geoengineers design, analyze, and construct road, bridge, and building foundations, retaining walls, landfill liners, embankments, levees, and tunnels, just to name a few. Geotechnical engineers also research and create solutions to protect society from natural hazards like earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis, and from manmade hazards like contaminants in soil and groundwater.