How strong is the soil on your building site?
When you select a site for your building project what factors are uppermost in your mind? It may be that you have been thinking about the geographical location. Perhaps, you are considering the exact size of the plot of land, or its nearness to other local amenities? Maybe, it is the enthralling view that attracts you to building there? Whatever the reason may be, before you can start building anywhere you should take the time to call in a geotechnical engineer.
The geotechnical engineer will be able to examine the soil in your chosen location and see whether it can support the proposed construction. He will determine how well the soil there can percolate and how stable the surrounding slopes may be. It doesn't matter whether you are building a commercial development, a private home, a military installation, or expanding a mining operation. If you don't work with a geotechnical engineer then you could be endangering the whole project.
1. What will the geotechnical engineer do?
If you see a geotechnical engineer at work on a building site they are likely to be drilling down into the soil to collect samples. They will take samples from across the site at a range of depths so that they can determine the strength of the soil. They will analyse the samples to see what mechanical, physical, and chemical properties they possess and what type of foundation may be needed to support the weight of your building in that soil. They will also look at issues of soil contamination to identify any issues that could impact on your building schedule or where remediation work may be necessary.
2. Looking beyond the soil
In addition to looking at the soil on your site, a geotechnical engineer will be able to help you spot any hidden dangers that could be lurking below the surface of your land. Perhaps, your site has been used before and there are the remnants of pipes laying in the ground that could obstruct your work. Maybe, the area where you plan to build is situated above a natural cave system could create problems when you want to lay a foundation? Whatever problem you are facing a geotechnical engineer can be tasked with helping you find a solution. They will be able to develop an engineering solution that will allow you to build whatever you need safely.
Learn more by contacting a local consulting geotechnical engineer.