The GeoExplorer is a game designed to teach fundamental topics in field geotechnical engineering. Field geotechnical engineering is that aspect of geotechnical engineering that involves on-site activities which include subsurface exploration, assessment, and even the monitoring of already existing earth infrastructure. Given the geography-dependent nature of this endeavor, field instrumentation has become an important aspect of geotechnical engineering, as a slight variation in the representation of existing parameters can lead to significant design differences and cataclysmic disasters if these fluctuations are not observed. Teaching geotechnical field instrumentation (at the undergraduate level) is particularly challenging, as there is only so much that can be accomplished with field trips, hence the need to bring the field experience into the classroom. It is this void that the GeoExplorer game aims to accomplish.

The game simulates the key elements of a game-learning environment. A Mixed Reality & Mobile game, incites the students to think critically about issues which will likely arise in real-life field operations. The game elicits the evocation of the player’s engineering sense of judgement and teaches the student important processes in field tests and the monitoring of geotechnical structures. The game currently comprises of two elements: Cone Penetration Tests (CPT) and Levee Monitoring. Currently, the major aspect of the game is the CPT+. CPT is one of the most common field testing techniques implemented in geotechnical engineering. A geotechnical engineer is most likely to carry out a CPT test or interpret the results therefrom, at one point or another in their carrier.