FAQs

Why would you need I need a soil classification (geotechnical) report for my infrastructure?

Geotechnical assessments determine the reactivity of soil; this is important to ensure your building’s foundations are as strong as possible. Soils are classified according to their stability. Poor site investigations can lead to foundation failure and over-engineered building designs, which can potentially unnecessarily cost you thousands of dollars. Soils are classified according to their stability. Engineers use these data for their building designs.

Australian Standards require a soil test to be completed to measure the composition, condition and structure of the soil you’re building on. A civil engineer, or geotechnician, should be compiling and signing off on your report to ensure you have the best quality advice. These are essential steps in understanding your land and how to build the most structurally sound home.

Why do I need a monitoring well installed?

Groundwater is an important environmental and ecological resource. It is used as a source of water for both large and small scale commercial and industrial operations, it also provides valuable source of recharge for lakes, dams and rivers. Groundwater contamination can have severe implications for the environment.

Monitoring wells are necessary for the observation of groundwater and the detection of contamination. They are a low impact device designed to allow in situ access to the saturated zone below ground level. Monitoring wells provide an insight into the properties of soils through which the water seeps, access to groundwater for measurement of its level, physical and chemical properties. They also allow samples to be easily taken for further laboratory analysis. When combined with other monitoring wells, they can be used to define the spatial extent of contamination within a specific area.

How can SPT benefit my geotechnical assessment?

The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) is a simple and low cost in-situ dynamic penetration test designed to provide an indication of relative density of granular deposits such as sand and gravels. Undisturbed samples are virtually impossible to collect from such materials making lab analysis difficult, expensive and sometimes unreliable. Soil strength parameters inferred from the SPT can be used to understand in ground conditions where borehole samples are insufficient due to poorly structured strata. The SPT provides valuable data for geotechnical assessment and reporting.

What does an EM survey show me?

An EM (Electromagnetic) survey provides conductivity measurements of the layers beneath the earth’s surface. EM survey equipment measures the electrical conductivity of the subsurface. The data provided as a result of these measurements gives information about the material underground and its properties. The resulting data can be shown as a graphical representation giving detailed information on groundwater, soil types and salinity. This type of survey is best teamed with a geotechnical investigation to reference.

What does a topographic map mean?

Topographic maps illustrate information about the shape and features of the land. They provide a detailed accurate representation of the earth’s surface. The main components shown are contour lines and any existing features such as buildings, dams, banks and fence lines. Contour lines are lines of equal elevation and are used to depict a change in slope of the surface. A topographic survey is required to physically measure all information that is to be presented on a topographic map. The three dimensional depiction provided by a topographical map is then used to aid in accurate drafting and design.