DCN40172 GEONEVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING- MZJ

DCN 40172- Geoenvironmental

engineering
Lecture 4
4.1 GEO-ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SITE
INVESTIGATION

Learning Outcome of this lecture:

1. State the principles of site investigation for
contaminated land
2. Explains the Investigation phases
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Site Investigation
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Ground
Investigation of
investigation :
the physical
on site and
characteristics
laboratory tests

Documentary
studies & site
surveys

Definition
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Site Investigation

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Site Investigation
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Purpose of Site
Investigation

Design sampling Data

strategy interpretation

Quality Data quality

assurance objectives
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Recommended approach to site investigation

Review existing data – preliminary site study and inspection

Establish conceptual model and data quality objectives

Determine detailed site investigation sampling design and strategy

Collect soil samples

Analyse soil samples

Interpret data

Revise conceptual model

Report data
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The Data Quality Objective Process

Establish the
condition of a
site before
sale, purchase
Benchmark the Redevelopment
contamination and determine
status of a site environmental
following clean- liabilities
up Data Quality
Objectives
(DQOs)
Assess the Determine the
applicability environmental
of a particular or health risks
remediation Determine if posed by
option hazardous contaminants
substances in the in the soil
soil pose a hazard
to an ecosystem
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Conceptual Site Model

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Conceptual Site Model

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Example: Site Conceptual Model

Source

Sources Pathways Receptors

Primary People
Secondary Soil
Tanks Animals, Fish
Residual NAPL Vapors
Piping Ecosystems
Ground Water
Spills Resources
Surface Water 9
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Site Conceptual Model

The factors of contaminant distribution

at a site:

The nature The type and

of the Pathways for physical nature of
contaminant migration the soils/geology
source and and and any physical
contaminant dispersion, disturbance of the
type contaminants

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Investigation phases
USEPA and
Ministry of Zealand
• Common alternative descriptor
Environment
guideline
• Preliminary site study, stage 1
Preliminary site • Phase 1 desk top study
investigation • Phase 1 background information study
(study) • Phase 1 contaminated site audit
• Phase 1 environmental site assessment (ESA)

Preliminary site • Site walkover survey

inspection • Phase 1 site inspection
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USEPA and Ministry of

Zealand Environment • Common alternative descriptor
guideline

• Phase 2 field investigation

Detailed site • Phase 2 ESA
investigation • environmental benchmarking

Supplementary site • Additional phase 2 ESA

investigation • Phase 3 ESA

Site validation • Remediation validation investigation

investigation • soil benchmarking
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LEVELS OF INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE

MANAGEMENT OF CONTAMINANT LAND
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LEVELS OF INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE

MANAGEMENT OF CONTAMINANT LAND
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LEVELS OF INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE

MANAGEMENT OF CONTAMINANT LAND
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Preliminary site investigation (study)

main objective of provide background information

relevant to the DQOs

involves gathering and compiling information about the

site to form the initial conceptual site model

information on the present and past uses of the site

• identify the nature of potential contaminants
• location and significance, and potential pathways for
migration within the site or off-site
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Preliminary site investigation (study)

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Site identification

The site must Information on The land area where

be identified, site contaminants may
including the identification be present, or
site name, can be obtained suspected, may not
address, legal from the site correspond with
description, site owners/occupie legal boundaries,
boundaries, a rs, maps, rates and site
map reference demands and identification should
and geographic from current establish the
co-ordinates certificates of boundaries of the
title study
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Site history

A chronological history of the site and previous

site uses should be traced from the present day
back to the initial use (if possible).

The previous activities and processes on the

site, and the chemicals and products used,
stored or disposed of at the site, should be
identified.

Any previous investigation and remediation

work should be reviewed and gaps in the
information recorded.
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Site history- source information

interviews with site personnel and neighbors (usually undertaken

during the preliminary site inspection), covering questions relating
to site history, any known incidents, management practices, waste
disposal, and any chemical storage areas

a review of discharge permits, consents or licenses (eg, land-use

consents; consents to discharge to air, water or ground; trade
waste consents; and dangerous goods [hazardous substances]
licenses)

a review of available environmental reports, environmental

incident investigation reports, tank removal records, process
descriptions, waste disposal and chemical inventories, material
safety data sheets and newspaper articles
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Site history- source information

local authority record reviews, including land information

memoranda (LIM) and regional council databases
a review of historical society records, and any relevant
literature relating to the site

certificates of title

the layout of current and historical facilities, and site

drainage plans

Photographic records, including aerial photos.

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Preliminary site Inspection

The objective in this phase is to augment or confirm the

findings of the preliminary site study and identify any
information that may assist with the design of the detailed
site investigation

Preliminary site Inspection
General site condition, current use, local topography and
surrounding environmental setting
Location of former
buildings, processes or
activities undertaken on
the site.
Adjacent, surrounding,
or up gradient land uses
and the potential for
contamination from
these sources
Visible signs of areas of
fill, stockpiled material,
ground disturbance, burnt
areas and former building
foundations
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Location and condition of
surface watercourses,
local surface drainage
systems, ponds and
springs, and information
Information on groundwater use, wells
in site and drains
inspection
Visible signs of
contamination or
potential contamination
Location of chemical storage and
transfer areas, bunding, waste storage
areas, discharges to ground and
existing tanks, pits, drains, pipelines
and sumps
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Topography and hydrology

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Topography and hydrology

Nearest surface
watercourses

information on surface site Location of

water discharges and hydrology stormwater
abstractions and
assessment drainage channels
flooding

location of surface
water drains
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TOPOGRAPHY MAPS
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Geology and hydrogeology

Published geological survey maps and

memoirs

Soil classification publications

Information from previous environmental

or geotechnical investigations
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Geology and hydrogeology

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GEOLOGY MAPS
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Detailed Site Investigation

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Preparing For Fieldwork And Soil

Sampling For Site Investigation
First stage in soil investigations
 Intrusive Ground
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Investigation

Objectives and the

technical
requirements

characteristics of
the ground

The selection of ground investigation methods

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Investigation
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Supplementary Site Investigations

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SITE VALIDATION