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10/1/2019 Site Investigation - Civil Engineering
A site investigation simply is the process of the collection of information, the appraisal of data, assessment,
and reporting without which the hazards in the ground beneath the site cannot be known.
— British Archaeoligical Jobs and Resources.
Site investigation is carried out in order to enable a geotechnical and geoenvironmental assessment of the
ground conditions and analysis of the engineering and environmental considerations related to the
proposed development.
— RSA GEOTECHNICS LTD
The design of a structure which is economical and safe to construct, is durable and has low maintenance
costs, depends upon an adequate understanding of the nature of the ground. This understanding comes
from an appreciation of the distribution of the materials in the ground, and their properties and behaviour
under various influences and constraints during the construction and lifetime of the structure. An adequate
and properly structured site investigation is therefore an essential part of any civil engineering
(https://civiltoday.com) or building project.
— Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists.
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10/1/2019 Site Investigation - Civil Engineering
Site investigation should be organized to obtain all possible information toward a thorough understanding of the
subsurface condition and probably foundation behavior.
Where the depth of investigation cannot be related to background information, the following guidelines are suggested.
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10/1/2019 Site Investigation - Civil Engineering
It is good to have at least one boring (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borehole) carried to bedrock, or to well below the
anticipated level of influence of the building.
For light structures, insensitive to the settlement, the boring should be to a depth equal to four times the probable
footing width or to a depth of 6m below the lowest part of the foundation, whichever is deeper.
For more heavily loaded structures, such as multistory structures and for framed structures, at least 50% of the
borings should be extended to a depth equal to 1.5 times the width of the building below the lowest part of the
foundation, and
Bedrock (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedrock) should be proved by coring into it to a minimum depth of 3m.
For any project soil investigation is usually performed in several stages, i.e., during feasibility and planning stage, before
construction and during construction (if required). These are termed as:
1. Preliminary investigation;
2. Detailed investigation;
3. Supplementary investigation and construction control.
Considerable savings in the exploration program can sometimes be realized if the geotechnical engineer in charge of the
project thoroughly reviews the existing information regarding the subsoil conditions at the site under consideration. Useful
information can be obtained from the following sources.
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10/1/2019 Site Investigation - Civil Engineering
1. Any special features such as the possibility of each quake or climatic factors such as flooding, seasonal swelling
(http://core.kmi.open.ac.uk/download/pdf/386982.pdf), and shrinkage, permafrost
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permafrost), or soil erosion (http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/12-
053.htm).
2. The availability and quality of local constructional materials such as concrete (/concrete-material) aggregates,
building and road stone, and water for constructional purposes.
3. For maritime or river structures information on normal spring and neap tide ranges, extreme high and low tidal
ranges and river levels, seasonal river levels and discharges, the velocity of the tidal and river currents and other
hydrographic and meteorological data.
4. Results of laboratory tests on soil and rock samples appropriate to the particular foundation design or construction
problems.
5. Results of chemical analysis of soil, fill materials (http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/fillfinal.cfm), and
groundwater to determine possible deleterious effects on foundation structures.
6. Results of chemical and bacteriological analysis of contaminated soils, fill materials and emissions to determine
health hazard risks.
References
Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Site Investigation (October 2006) (http://www.bajr.org/Documents/GeoTec.pdf)
Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists
"Foundation Engineering"- Peck-Hanson-Thornburn
RSA GEOTECHNICS LTD (https://www.rsa-geotechnics.co.uk/site-investigation/what-is-site-investigation-2/)
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