How calling a geotechnical engineer will help your building project

26 March 2018
 Categories: Business, Blog

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Do you need an environmental assessment carried out on your site before you can begin work? Are you concerned about geological hazards or possible contamination of groundwater? Calling in a geotechnical engineer to examine the situation on the ground is the best way to ensure that your works will proceed in the right way without endangering your workers, causing any contamination issues for the natural environment or creating a building which will become unsafe.

What can a geotechnical engineer do for you?

In most cases a geotechnical engineer will begin their work by looking at the integrity of the ground. They will assess the soil, the rocks and the groundwater before discussing the best way to move forward with your project. Their examination will enable them to advise you on the most suitable construction materials and the best methods of construction to complement the existing ground conditions, minimise the environmental impact and ensure the long-term stability of your building.

What is involved in geotechnical services?

If you are waiting to work on a site then it is natural to want the geotechnical engineer to complete their work as quickly as possible so you can get started. The difficulty is that until the engineer gets on site and starts their assessment they will have no clear idea exactly what problems could present themselves. Every site is unique and while on some sites the investigation and analysis may be completed quickly, there are going to be other locations where more in-depth study is required.

Your chosen geotechnical engineer will need to drill around your site and collect samples for later analysis. It is only when that analysis is completed that they will be able to talk to you about any problems they have noted in the rocks or soil, and what this might mean. They will be looking for potential hazards including subsidence, and groundwater contamination. If the engineer identifies a possible problem he will be able to explain how you could modify your building techniques to ensure that you stay safe, and that anything you build will remain stable and secure.

If you have any concerns about a site you are planning to build on then talking to a geotechnical engineer and arranging a full site inspection is the best way to ensure that all your building work will be safe and that you work in accordance with all environmental regulations.