An Introduction Phase 1 &

Phase 2 Site Investigations and

Contaminated Land
CPD Presentation by
Geosphere Environmental Ltd at Basepoint Business
Centre, Ipswich
on 25 January 2012

Why Undertake A
Land Investigation?
o To comply with Regulatory requirements
(necessary)
o To minimise exposure to risk (loss)
(desirable)

Types of Land InvestigationGeotechnical

o Generally undertaken as a result of a proposed
development on any land
o Generally not Regulatory driven (and as such
may not be undertaken)
o Exception Sites with difficult ground conditions
or larger structures

Types of Land InvestigationEnvironmental

o Assess risks posed by former and current uses of
a potential site
o Protect End Users of developments

o Protect the wider environment

o Manage risks identified on sites.

Definition of
Contaminated Land
Section 78A(2) of Part 2A of the Environmental Protection
Act 1990 defines contaminated land as:
any land which appears to the local authority in whose
area the land is situated to be in such a condition, by
reason of substances in, on or under the land, that:
(a) significant harm is being caused or there is a
significant possibility of such harm being caused; or
(b) pollution of controlled waters is being, or is likely to
be, caused.

EXAMPLES OF QUOTE
SPECIFICATION VARIATION

RECEIVED QUOTE VARIATION

The first example specification
was a request for a Desk Study.
The second specification was far
in excess of what was actually
required for the site and a waste
of money for the Client but the
Consultant was constrained by
the specification document.

SUGGESTED SPECIFICATION
Ensure the following
The site boundaries are clearly marked as below.

Ensure the reason for the investigation is understood

o Ensure the reasons behind the requirement for the investigation
is understood.
o Is the investigation a planning requirement (Now often pre
planning)?
o Is the investigation being carried out for Due Diligence?

o Is the investigation geotechnical or environmental if both, can the

elements be carried out together reducing costs?
o Does the overall Client understand the process?

Provide clear time scales for the return of the

quotation and the reports

Are there any specific health and safety requirements

Does the site have access constraints

Provide any service information

Supply of proposed development plans if available.

OVERVIEW OF PHASE 1 DESK STUDIES

Phase 1 Preliminary Risk Assessment

o Environmental Objective: To produce Initial
Conceptual Site Model
o Geotechnical Objective: To assess the likelihood
of the presence of any geo-hazards and allow for
the design of intrusive investigation
o Usually involves Desk Study and Site Walkover
o Rarely sufficient on its own to satisfy Local
Authority Planning requirements

Desk Study
Information Sources
o Historical Mapping (OS, Insurance, Tithe)
o Environmental Data Searches (Water Quality,
Environmental Permits, Landfills, Abstraction
Licenses etc)
o Petroleum Officer Reports
o Geological and Hydrogeological Maps and Records
o Coal Authority Reports
o NRPB Radon Reports
o Ecological and Archaeological Sources
o Industry Archive Records

Information Source Examples

Desk Study Geotechnical

and Other Information
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Landslip (BGS)
Compressible/Collapsible Ground (BGS)
Shrinkable/Swelling Clay Hazards
Running Sand Hazards (BGS)
Likely Presence of Made Ground (BGS)
Flood Risk (EA)
Subsidence due to natural/man made voids
(BGS/Chelsea Speleological Society/LA)
o UXO Risk

Information Source Examples

Site Reconnaissance Visits

o Verify the findings of the Desk Study and note
additional information about the site and its
environs.
o Site observations include: Topography, Geological
Exposures, Evidence of geohazards, Water
Features, Vegetation, Ecology, Contamination,
Buildings and Services.
o Site staff interviews to include: history,
processes, incidents etc.

Initial Conceptual Site Model

o Based on the Desk Study and Site Reconnaissance
formulate a CSM including.
Sources (Made Ground/UST).
Pathways (direct contact with soils/off-site
migration of groundwater).
Receptors (current/future site
users/occupiers/nearby river).
o Decide which pollution linkages are active and
whether the potential for harm or pollution
exists.

ANY QUESTIONS

Phase 2 Site
Investigation and
Generic Risk Assessment
Objective - To review and update Conceptual Site
Model by:
o Determining ground and groundwater conditions
with respect to contaminant movement and
engineering properties
o Determine the presence, concentration and
distribution of contaminants
o Characterise any potential migration pathways,
including those to structural receptors
o If contamination known to be present, allow
delineation and design of future remediation

Utility Avoidance
o Responsibility
o Obtaining Utility Drawings - Cost and Timeframe

o On Site Avoidance/Clearance Techniques

o Visual Appraisal Scarring, IC, Marker Posts
o Hand Excavation

o CAT and Genny

o Site Utility Survey including GPR
o Vacuum Excavation

Sampling Techniques
o Hand augering

Sampling Techniques
o Window/Windowless Sampling and Dynamic
Probing

Sampling Techniques
o Window/Windowless Sampling (Continued)

Sampling Techniques
o Trial Pitting

Sampling Techniques
o Cable Percussion Drilling

Sampling Techniques
o Rotary Drilling

Other Site Techniques

Water Sampling Techniques

Sample Collection
and Preservation
o Use right container and sampling method
dependant upon expected contaminant or type of
analysis
o Take enough sample (env ~ 1kg, geo up to 25kg)
o Keep cool, but not frozen (and sometimes dark)
o Get to Lab ASAP avoiding samples laying over at
couriers depot over the weekend
o Inform lab in advance of any special sample
requirements

o The above are MCERTS/UKAS requirements

Sample Collection and

Preservation

Generic Risk Assessment

o Confirmation of active pollution linkages.

o Assessment of the measured contaminant concentrations
against relevant screening criteria for soil and groundwater
(SGV, GAC, EQS).
o SGV (and GAC) describe concentrations of contaminants in soil
at which (in the Governments view) there would be no
appreciable/minimal risk to human health in three modelled
generic land-use scenarios. Measured concentrations above
SGV (GAC) indicate potential for unacceptable risk.

o SGV, GAC, EQS only applicable to one pollution linkage, others

require separate assessment.
o Non aqueous phase substances cannot be assessed using
guideline values and again require separate assessment.
o SPOSH (Part IIA) Assessments differ from minimal risk approach

Geotechnical Reporting
o
o
o
o
o

An account of the fieldwork

Exploratory hole logs
Laboratory test results
Outline of the ground and groundwater conditions
Engineering recommendations
Indicative foundation type, depth, allowable loading and
any special requirements
Floor slab type and void thickness
Chemical aggressiveness of the soil
Highway design
Retaining wall design
Earthworks
o Recommendations for further work

ANY QUESTIONS

Phase 3
Detailed Risk Assessment
o Firstly may include additional site work e.g. a further
groundwater monitoring visit incorporating hydraulic
conductivity testing.
o Involves the running of commercially and freely available
environmental fate and transport models, using site specific
input data, to derive site specific assessment criteria or SSAC.
o Comparison of SSAC with contaminant concentrations
assesses the potential for unacceptable risk at the site. If
remediation is still required, SSAC may act as clean up targets.
o Most common (and freely available) models are CLEA and
SNIFFER for risks to HH from soils and Remedial Targets
Worksheet for risks to water receptors from soils and
groundwater (simple aquifer systems only).

Options Appraisal
o The process to select the most effective
remediation method(s) with respect to the
following criteria:
The degree in which risks need to be reduced
and controlled
Available timeframe
Practicality and maintainability of the technique
Technical effectiveness
Sustainability
Cost
Additional benefits of the strategy
Legal, financial and commercial issues
o Often undertaken using an algorithmic approach

Remediation
o Objective: To break or modify active pollution
linkages to mitigate the unacceptable risks
presented to sensitive receptors
o Broadly 3 categories:
Engineering based methods
Process based methods
Natural attenuation

Engineering Based Methods

o Soils

Excavation with off- and on-site disposal

Excavation with ex-situ processing
Soil stabilisation/solidification
o Soils and Liquids
Containment

Process Based Methods

o Soils
Soil vapour extraction/bioventing

o Liquids
Product and groundwater extraction (P + T)
Air sparge
Permeable reactive barriers
o Soils and Liquids
Dual phase extraction/vacuum enhanced
recovery

Natural Attenuation
o Soils and Liquids
Phytoremediation
o Liquids
Monitored Natural Attenuation
Enhanced Natural Attenuation

Any Questions?