Geotechnology and Sustainable Development

This book provides an overview of the research related to sustainable development conducted at Delft University of Technology in the Department of Geotechnology. Geotechnology is the science and engineering of physical processes on the surface and within the subsurface of the Earth. Among the contributions are a broad range of academic investigations that address both short-term issues and long-term challenges associated with building a sustainable society.

Substantial attention is paid to carbon sequestration, capture and storage as these methods may result in dramatic reductions in emissions during the transition period to a sustainable society. Furthermore, as both geothermal energy and secondary mining processes provide long-term solutions for resource management, they are the focus of contemporary research and therefore play a role in this book. The final section addresses the way in which the responsible conduct of applied geoscientists and engineers is challenged by issues of sustainability in their efforts to provide society with the resources required for daily life.

Dirk-Jan Peet worked at Delft University of Technology for ten years in the field of sustainable development. One of his last projects, of which this book is a part, was to integrate the topic of sustainable development into the research and educational programs of the Department of Geotechnology. This book is his final work and has been published as a tribute to him and his devotion to making sustainable development an integral part of the university’s curriculum.