MUHAMMADHAMZA.

FARHAN
GEOTECHNICAL SITE
INVESTIGATION

WITHOUT SITE INVESTIGATION GRO

ASSIGNMENT NUMBER 01
Introduction
Ground is a vital element of all the structures resting on it and the knowledge of its properties
is must to reach an economics and safe design. A review of various reports shows that the
largest element of technical and financial risk usually lies in the ground leading to late
completion and high-cost overruns on national scale (G.S. Littlejohn., Cole, K., & Mellors,
T.W. (1994 May))

1. Discuss the essential aspects of site investigation reviewed in the article

Site investigation or geotechnical site investigation is a set of activities ranging from field
testing like Standard Penetration Test (SPT), Cone Penetration Test (CPT), FDTs etc. Later,
laboratory testing and analysis of the two carries out to reach a safe geotechnical design. In
different civil engineering projects, the scope of geotechnical site investigation varies to a
greater degree. Following are some essential aspects that have been categorized based on the
nature of project as discussed in the paper.

Ground Related Problems

Sites might contain buried man-made obstructions such as foundations and services, and their
nature and location were missing or inaccurate, or had not been pursued with sufficient
determination. Other Ground problems included soft spots in recycled ground and industrial
waste, waterlogged ground, rock in ground, methane pollution and colliery waste which
required deep compaction.

Commercial Buildings

For commercial buildings; old underground chambers, tunnels and shafts, unknown spring, or
site flooding, underpinning of adjacent buildings, rocky ground and existing massive
foundations (unremovable) should be considered.

Small buildings of shallow depths

In such structures soft spots in clay, growth or removable of vegetation on shrinkable clays,
floor slab heave on unsuitable fills, slope instability, groundwater attack on foundation
concrete, reaction to chemical waste, increase depth of footing, or piling to overcome soft
spots and the need for dewatering should be taken care of.

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Underground Projects

Cave-in or overbreak of slabby rocks, groundwater ingress leading to instability and washout
of materials, poor tunnel machine performance for the rock encountered, unforeseen
difficulties in handling and removal of soils due to lack of data and inappropriate rock
support system are the challenges in underground projects.

2. Explain the recommendations made to improve the geotechnical site

investigation practice and to obtain better value for money.

1. Planning of Investigation

Planning is the most important phase in site investigation since proper planning results into
greater benefits for the client. Considering how crucial site investigation is, planning, design,
and execution should have enough time allocated because they are crucial to the project's
final lines and levels.

2. Relevance of Planning

Civil engineering projects are subjected to changes due to political and environmental
conditions. Road and tunneling projects are realigned often; therefore, the site investigation
planned for original project may not be relevant.

3. Flexibility of Planning

Ground is a complex matrix. Planning of geotechnical investigation should be flexible so

inconsistencies in strata can be acknowledged and addressed. Site investigation should be
proceeded in a logical sequence that will ensure the change in scope in light of fresh
information.

4. Desk Studies

Desk studies are low-cost solution to get valuable information related to geology,
geomorphology, aerial photographs, and archival data. It can provide guidance on the design
of the ground investigation.

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5. Use of High-Quality Equipment Handled by Skilled Labor

Use of high-quality equipment which is handled by skilled labor results in a better

investigation both technically and monetarily. These high-quality investigations won't always
be more complex or take longer than ones purchased for the lowest price, but they will yield
reliable information.

6. Use of Selective Competitive Tendering

For site investigation work, the use of selective competitive tendering is recommended
because lengthy open tender lists can result in dramatically variable pricing and quality and
discourage serious bidding by trained expert contractors. Pre-selection of tenderers should be
based on uniform standards across the board to assure fairness.

7. Clear Identification and Definition of Responsibilities

Site investigations are regularly conducted in accordance with ICE requirements of contract,
but only about one-third of employers do so. No matter the format of the contract, it is crucial
to clearly identify and define the roles and duties of each party to avoid any doubt about
responsibilities.

8. Hiring of a Geotechnical Specialist

If the principal technical adviser, usually an engineer or architect, is not suitably qualified and
experienced, then a geotechnical specialist must be hired for the project from conception to
completion. This specialist may be independent appointment or from principal technical
adviser’s own firm. The geotechnical specialist is usually responsible for preparing the
interpretative report. Often, site investigations and subsequent geotechnical design require
input from geotechnical specialists with different skills and expertise (e.g. geotechnical
engineer, engineering geologist, groundwater hydrologist, etc.). Site investigation is
interdisciplinary, and the different but complementary roles of such specialists must be
recognized if site investigation is to cover all aspects of a complex site adequately.

9. Clear Definition of Contract Specifications

Quality of site investigation works and their adherence to planned scope can be improved by
nationally designed contract specifications and their adequate enforcement through
supervision.

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10.Communication between Various Disciplines

Site team works in remote area, so there is a possibility of lack of communication between
site staff and those who involve in designing and construction. The importance of links
between site investigation, planning, design, and construction should be recognized and a
continuous thread of responsibility should be maintained for the geotechnical input of a
project, starting with the feasibility studies, and extending right through to project
completion.

11. Groundwater Monitoring

Ground water levels, pore pressures and their seasonal variations should be monitored
through proper instrumentation. To put results into perspective, consultancy services can be
taken from a hydrologist.

12. Supervision of Work

Supervision of geotechnical investigation projects are different from construction projects. In

construction projects, supervision is required at the end of an activity to check any defects in
finished works; however, in geotechnical investigation continuous supervision is required
during site investigation. The supervisor of a ground investigation should have geotechnical
expertise and experience, as well as practical knowledge of the different exploration
techniques, so he can amend the scope of work according to situation at site.

13. Interpretation and Dissemination of Data

Ground details obtained through boreholes provide information of specific site of boreholes.
It demands correlation and interpretation of data to get a clear picture of site conditions. The
interpretative report should be prepared by a geotechnical specialist and should describe the
ground conditions and groundwater regime, together with a summary of the engineering
properties relating to the materials present. This report and all other relevant data should be
made available to all the parties involved in planning, designing and construction of the
project.

14. Quality Mmanagement

A well-planned quality management system encompassing everyone from driller to client is

necessary to ensure proper implementation of all procedures of site investigation.

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15. Financial Risk

The full extent of the ground conditions cannot be fully revealed by a site investigation, but if
the data are properly processed and interpreted, investigation can minimize the residual risk
posed by unforeseen conditions to a level that is deemed bearable within the project budget.

Although the implications of a poor site investigation are frequently detrimental to the design
and construction phases of a project, they can become considerably more detrimental when
they persist into full-life costing.

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