Guide To Geotechnical Assessment

September 5, 2017 Off By Alexandra Chambers

Geotechnical assessment or soil investigation is a very important procedure when it comes to determining the properties of soil in a construction site. This determines the type of foundation that will be sued in the building as it provides information about the bearing capacity of the soil.
This investigation has to be done whether it is a small or large scale project as it ensures the safety of the occupants as well as the stability of the building substructure. If you’re in the initial stages of a building project, a geotechnical investigation Brisbane is crucial to find out more information about how to proceed. It is a very important part of the construction process. What happens during this procedure is that there is an investigation below ground which accesses the properties of soil strata. The characteristics of the soil sample will be examined and the results will make a big impact on the project. Once you obtain the assessment from the company that will be investigating the samples, you can then use the results to plan, design and build the structure on the site. The building will perform better when the design is based on an accurate assessment.

The accuracy determines the safety of the building site as well as the designing of the building. People tend to underestimate the importance of correct soil assessment in the initial stages of the project. This can in turn lead to costly mistakes such as foundation failure. This will halt the entire construction process. Depending on ground condition, the foundation is modified. For example, in soil with good bearing capacity, a shallow foundation will be sufficient while there is a need for deep foundations such as piles in the case of poor soil conditions. Once the soil assessment has been carried out, the engineer can proceed with designing structural details that will ensure the safety of the building. In some ways, proper assessment will aid in making cost-effective decisions regarding the structure as well.

The selection of building materials will also be based on this investigation. You can further survey the site to obtain valuable information about it by the use of an aerial drone. The main objective of geotechnical assessment is to examine the soil conditions of the site and provide recommendation in terms of designing a building on site. This assessment includes on-site exploration, testing soil samples in laboratories, tube sampling, mapping the site etc. The samples will be analysed and will provide the basis for site drainage, foundation, retaining walls etc. This information will be relayed to all professionals of the project such as architects, structural and civil engineers, contractors etc.