Engineering Geology (HMIE 512)

Lecture 4:

Site Investigations
Dr. A. Mamuse

Midlands State University

Department of Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering

February 2017

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 What is site investigation?
• Site investigation is the process by which geological,
geotechnical, and other information relevant to the
construction or performance of an engineering project is
acquired.

• The purpose of site investigations is to:

– Evaluate the impact of construction on existing site conditions
– Evaluate impact of existing site conditions on construction
– Develop criteria for design and construction based on site-
specific parameters

• Site investigations are at the core of engineering geology

practice

• Objectives of site investigation are spelt out in codes of

practice
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 Objectives of site investigation
• Site selection
– For major projects such as dams, consider various geotechnical merits/
demerits before selecting site
• Foundation and earthworks design
– Site investigations to collect data for safe and economical design
• Temporary works design
– Construction may impose greater stress than the actual structure and
must be subjected to serious site investigations
• Environmental impacts of proposed project
– All projects have associated environmental impacts which must be
investigated and documented.
• Investigation of existing works/ construction
– investigation of existing works can be particularly valuable for obtaining
data for use in proposed works on similar ground conditions.
• Design of remedial works
– To obtain design parameters of failing/ about-to-fail engineering works
• Safety checks
– Regular checks of engineering works
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 Stages of site investigation
• Project conception
• Preliminary investigation
• Main investigation
• Construction investigation
• Post-construction investigation

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Stages of site investigation

Source: Price,
D. 2009.
Engineering
geology.
Principles and
practice.
Springer-
Verlag Berlin
Heidelberg,
450pp.
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 Stage 1: Project conception
• Project conception/ formulation consists
of:
– Identify question investigation has to answer
– Establish scope of the investigation
– Establish amount of information/ detail
needed
– Establish a time-frame for the investigation

• Investigation lacking proper formulation

may not collect the right information
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 Stage 2: Preliminary investigation
• This is preliminary collection of relevant data to identify potential
geotechnical problems in relation to proposed engineering work,
involving:
– Desk/ office study, which collects information on:
• topographic maps,
• geological and hydrogeological maps and articles
• aerial photographs
• records of natural hazards such as earthquakes, hurricanes, avalanches etc.,
• site investigation and construction reports for adjacent engineering projects
• articles on the geotechnical properties of the geological units to be found on the
site
• records of any past, present and future human activities which have, are or could
influence the geological environment.

– Field study: aims to fill gaps found from desk study and gather additional
data for design of main investigation. Methods are relatively simple and
inexpensive techniques, such as:
• geological and engineering geological mapping,
• geophysics
• some boreholes.
– boreholes could be drilled as an experiment to determine the best method for the boring,
sampling and in situ testing to be undertaken in the main stage of investigation.
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 Stage 3: Main investigation/ exploration

• Intensive investigation/ exploration of a site to:

– Determine and interpret surface/ subsurface
conditions that influence the design/ construction of a
project
– Evaluate the behaviour/ characteristics and
engineering significance of ground and construction
materials
• Results of site exploration influence:
– bidding of project
– Final cost of construction

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e.g. Site exploration in road construction
• Identification of areas that require special
designs:
– Wet areas needing drainage
– Streams needing bridges or large fills
– Rock outcrops requiring blasting
• Behaviour of earth materials along the route may
influence:
– height & steepness of cut slopes
– required amount of excavation
• Identifying sources of road construction materials
– Determine suitable aggregate source

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 Stage 4: Construction investigation/
implementation studies
• This stage reveals any
discrepancies between
ground conditions forecast (a)
and ground conditions
encountered (b)
Source: Clayton • Ground conditions
C.R.I., Mathews,
M.C., Simons N.E.
encountered must be
1995. Site monitored, recorded and
investigation.
Blackwell Scientific
assessed
Ltd., Oxford – All significant surprises
(‘changed condition’) warrant
additional investigations
• Many contracts allow for extra
billing for changed condition

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 Stage 5: Post-construction investigation
• Monitoring of behaviour of the constructed
engineering project and comparison with predicted
performance is crucial for all engineering works

• Any discrepancy between observed post-construction

behaviour and anticipated behaviour may indicate that
– the properties of the ground are affected by some
unforeseen/ undetected factor.
• cause of this anomaly must be established and
• remedial measures must be undertaken before damage/ failure

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 Stages 1-5: Interpretation
• Any stage of site investigation is incomplete without data
interpretation
– Interpretation should occur throughout all stages

• Data analysis/ interpretation is the basis for developing

recommendations/ conclusions

• Data interpretation/ analysis

– Reduce raw data to manageable form
• Tables, graphs, profiles, cross sections, maps
– Apply appropriate analysis techniques
• Statistical analyses
• Spatial analyses
– Evaluate results
• Verify whether a perceived trends or relationships are significant
• Compare appropriate factors to some criteria to indicate suitability or
unsuitability
• Evaluate/ quantify uncertainty in the results/ trends

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Stage 6: Communicate research results
• Reports
• Oral presentations
• Public meetings
• Court proceedings

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 Bibliography
• Bell, F.G. 2007. Engineering Geology. Elsevier, Amsterdam,
581p.

• Clayton C.R.I., Mathews, M.C., Simons N.E. 1995. Site

investigation. Blackwell Scientific Ltd., Oxford

• Johnson, R.B. and DeGraff, J.V. 1988. Principles of

Engineering Geology. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 496p.

• Price, D. 2009. Engineering geology. Principles and practice.

Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 450pp.

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