SITE INVESTIGATION (SI)

Definition
The process of determining surface and subsurface conditions
of engineering (or study) area. This include both rocks and
soils as well as their associated properties.
How details? How deep? How big of the area? How long?
It depends upon what type of project, size of area, how
important of the project as well as how complexity of the
subsurface conditions?
However, one of the big constraint is the budget? 1
What, How, When, Where, Who
❑ Mining Engineering
❑ Civil Engineering
❑ Environmental Engineering
❑ Petroleum Engineering
❑ Geohazards
❑ Coastal Erosion
❑ Waste Disposal
❑ Geothermal
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Purpose
The purpose of the site investigation is to determine, within
practical limits, the condition and engineering properties of the
geology underlying the site. The principal properties of interest
will be the strength, deformation, and hydraulic characteristics.
Suitability of site for the proposed construction.
The program should be planned so that the maximum
amount of information can be obtained at minimum cost.
Many engineering failures could have been avoided if a
proper site investigation had been carried out.
Site Investigation VS Exploration? 3
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Stage of site investigation
❑ Desk study
❑ Reconnaissance
❑ Site Exploration (Pre, During, Post)
o Preliminary
o Semi-detailed
o Detailed
• In-situ Testing
• Laboratory testing
• Instrumentation and Monitoring 6
 Desk Study

•Initial assessment of ground condition and

identification of potential of problems.
•Examine available archival records,
literature, maps, imagery and photographs.
•Reduce time and cost of subsequent
activities and prevent duplication of effort.
•Topographical, geological and soil maps can
provide valuable information.

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 Desk Study

•Hazard maps, environmental geology maps,

engineering geology maps and groundwater
maps are more understandable by the non-
geologists.
•A desk study should not be regarded as an
alternative to a ground exploration.
•Remote Sensing – remote imagery and aerial
photographs
•Geographical Information System (GIS)

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 Reconnaissance
•The reconnaissance involves a walk over the site.
•Record or make note from a site visit.
•The inspection should not be restricted to the site
but should examine adjacent areas.

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http://www.dmr.go.th/main.php?filename=index_geo

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 Site Exploration

•Depend upon the size and the importance of the

construction operation.
•Direct method – Pitting, Trenching, Drilling,
Sampling, Testing
•Indirect method – Geophysical Survey
•Field Testing or In-situ Testing
•Field Instrumentation and Monitoring

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 Drilling Plan
Top View
100m Hole Area = 10 cm2
Influence Area = 1002 m2
100m

0.1 x 0.1/100 x 100

= 0.000001
10cm
Only 0.0001% !!!!!!

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การสารวจโดยวิธี Geophysical Wireline logging

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❖ Boring Log
❖ Sampling
Disturbed
Undisturbed
Volume
Size
❖ Reporting

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 GROUND WATER TABLE LEVEL

Groundwater conditions and the potential for

groundwater seepage are fundamental factors in
virtually all geotechnical analyses and design
studies. Accordingly, the evaluation of groundwater
conditions is a basic element of almost all
geotechnical investigation programs. Groundwater
investigations are of two types as follows:
Determination of groundwater levels and pressures.
Measurement of the permeability of the subsurface
materials.

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 Geotechnical Instrumentation and Monitoring
• Review geotechnical engineering – in, on, or with earth
materials.
• Earth Materials (Soil and Rock) VS Other construction
materials.
▪ Isotropic ?
▪ Homogeneous?
▪ Linear Elastic?
• Excavation in soils or rocks is subject to a variety of
uncertainties.
• Soil or rock’s properties change from place to place
horizontally and vertically. Sometimes change with time.
• The data are never completed and are sometimes not
accurate due to sampling and testing. In the worst case, it is
extremely difficult or may be impossible to do investigation.
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Reasons for Installing Instrumentation
Site Investigations : Instruments are used to characterize
initial site conditions. Common parameters of interest in a site
investigation are pore-water pressure, permeability of earth
materials
Design Verification: Instruments are used to verify design
assumptions and to check that performance is as predicted.
Instrument data from the initial phase of a project may reveal
the need (or the opportunity) to modify the design in later
phases.
Construction Control: Instruments are used to monitor the
effects of construction. Instrument data can help the engineer
determine how fast construction can proceed
without the risk of failure.

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Reasons for Installing Instrumentation (cont.)
Quality Control: Instrumentation can be used both to enforce
the quality of workmanship on a project and to document that
work was done to specifications.
Safety: Instruments can provide early warning of impending
failures, allowing time for safe evacuation of the area and time
to implement remedial action. Safety monitoring requires
quick retrieval, processing, and presentation of data, so that
decisions can be made promptly.

Legal Protection: Instrument data can provide evidence for a

legal defense of designers and contractors should owners of
adjacent properties claim that construction
has caused damage.

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Reasons for Installing Instrumentation (cont.)
Performance: Instruments are used to monitor the in-service
performance of a structure. For example, monitoring
parameters such as leakage, pore-water pressure, and
deformation can provide an indication of the performance of
a dam. Monitoring loads on tiebacks or rock bolts and
movements within a slope can provide an indication of the
performance of a drainage system installed in a stabilized
slope.

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Choosing Instrumentation

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Choosing Instrumentation(cont.)

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Choosing Instrumentation(cont.)

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Choosing Instrumentation(cont.)

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