site investigation in construction
CE1203 Geotechnical Properties & Construction Methods
AN INTRODUCTION TO SITE INVESTIGATION
Site investigation is the study of the local environment and ground conditions on and around a specific piece of land.
This is used to ascertain the suitability of a site for a proposed building project:
The condition & strength of the soil
Details of any man-made or natural hazards present on the site
The economic viability of the site
There may be three components, the walkover survey, the desk study and the ground investigation.
1. Walkover Survey
Purpose
A Walkover survey reports on the appearance and the characteristics of the site. It involves exploring the site for any obvious features that would affect the use of the site for a proposed building development. It is not possible to list every detail that should be recorded on a walkover survey, much of it is down to common sense.
For example, at a site on the side of a hill in Dorset it was found that fifty or so years ago it was used as a excavation, so a trial pit(whole in the ground) and deep bore holes were required. However the only way onto the site was on foot down steeply paved steps. The result was two-fold. The machinery to carry out the investigation was unable to enter the site, and secondly the construction company needed to buy an adjacent house and obtain permission to demolish it to build an access road. The company should have been made aware of these simple facts by the walkover survey before they committed themselves to the expense of a full ground investigation.
Local Knowledge
A brief history of the site can be found using a variety of methods. For example many local people may remember how the land has been used in the past. Also the name of local roads and towns give an in site into the surrounding landscape. A road known locally as ‘Watery Lane’ may be prone(flat) to flooding, and an estate known as ‘Brickfields’ may be built on the site of some filled in
AN INTRODUCTION TO SITE INVESTIGATION
Site investigation is the study of the local environment and ground conditions on and around a specific piece of land.
This is used to ascertain the suitability of a site for a proposed building project:
The condition & strength of the soil
Details of any man-made or natural hazards present on the site
The economic viability of the site
There may be three components, the walkover survey, the desk study and the ground investigation.
1. Walkover Survey
Purpose
A Walkover survey reports on the appearance and the characteristics of the site. It involves exploring the site for any obvious features that would affect the use of the site for a proposed building development. It is not possible to list every detail that should be recorded on a walkover survey, much of it is down to common sense.
For example, at a site on the side of a hill in Dorset it was found that fifty or so years ago it was used as a excavation, so a trial pit(whole in the ground) and deep bore holes were required. However the only way onto the site was on foot down steeply paved steps. The result was two-fold. The machinery to carry out the investigation was unable to enter the site, and secondly the construction company needed to buy an adjacent house and obtain permission to demolish it to build an access road. The company should have been made aware of these simple facts by the walkover survey before they committed themselves to the expense of a full ground investigation.
Local Knowledge
A brief history of the site can be found using a variety of methods. For example many local people may remember how the land has been used in the past. Also the name of local roads and towns give an in site into the surrounding landscape. A road known locally as ‘Watery Lane’ may be prone(flat) to flooding, and an estate known as ‘Brickfields’ may be built on the site of some filled in