Materials & Construction Technoogy

Site Selection
In selecting a land for a project several factors are considered. Some of the general
factors are given below;

1. Safety
• Proximity to High-Voltage Power Transmission Lines
• Presence of Toxic and Hazardous Substances
• Hazardous Air Emissions and Facilities Within close proximity
• Other Health Hazards
• Noise, etc

2. Location

3. Soil Conditions
- Soil type
- Stability of soil

4. Topography

5. Size and shape

6. Accessibility
• Public Infrastructure
• Roads

7. Utilities
• Water supply & pressure
• Sewer collection system
• Electricity supply

8. Cost and business value.

9. Availability

10. Public Acceptance

11. Drainage

12. Local Government Regulations

13. State Regulations

 Materials & Construction Technoogy

Site Investigation
Importance of Site Selection

The design of a structure should be;

• Economical
• Safe to Construct
• Durable
• Has low maintenance cost

Achieving of these will depend upon an adequate understanding of the nature of the
ground. An adequate and properly structured site investigation is therefore an essential
part of construction and maintenance.

Figure No.01 – Effects of inadequate site investigation prior to construction

Objectives of Site Investigation

The principal objectives of the site investigation are as follows,

• Suitability – Are the site and surrounding suitable for the project ?
• Design – Obtain all the design parameters necessary for the work
• Construction – Are there any potential ground or ground water conditions that
would affect the construction?
• Materials – Are there any materials available on site? What quantity and quality ?
• Effect of changes – How will the design affect adjacent properties and the ground
water?
• Identify alternatives – Is this the best location?
 Materials & Construction Technoogy

Procedure for Site Investigation

The basic steps in site investigation procedure are given below;

• Desk Study
• Site Reconnaissance
• Exploratory Investigation
• Laboratory testing
• Report

Desk Study

• The work involves researching the site to gain as much as possible geological
data.
• Topographic maps, Survey maps, Geological maps, Arial photographs etc should
be examined.
• Geologic information is generally obtained from Geological Department,
Agriculture Department, Mining companies and organizations performing Soil &
Geological studies.

Site Reconnaissance
Site Inspection

• This means going over the site and surrounding areas. Important evidence to look
for is hydrology, slope instability, mining, access to site etc.
• The observations will give idea about structure and texture of soil, cross-section
of formation, ground water condition etc

Arial Reconnaissance

• Main features like General topography, drainage, erosion, soil patterns and texture
can be examined closely from the air.
• Photographs can be taken for subsequent detailed study
• Furnishes more details within a short time.

Geophysical Methods

These methods are used to locate the boundaries between different strata of soil. It does
not produce the properties of the strata. They need supplementation by other methods.
 Materials & Construction Technoogy

Exploratory Investigations
Aim is to get accurate and sufficient information of the soil conditions. Data like type of
soil, depth, thickness of soil in each stratum, location of rock, location of water table,
strength and compressibility of the strata etc can be obtained. To obtain details of soils,
two types of samples can be used;

• Disturbed Samples
A disturbed sample is that in which the natural structure of soil gets partly or fully
modified and destroyed although with suitable precautions the natural water content may
be preserved.

• Undisturbed Samples
Sample in which the natural structure and properties remain preserved.

For Sample collection, mainly two methods can be used;

• Open Trial Pits

• Boring