Before any major civil engineering project can get underway, experts have to be brought in to look at the properties of the land in question and to determine the best approach to take in terms of design and implementation. Yet there's a lot more to this than may meet the eye, and it is important to look at the surrounding land as well as the area where any structure may be introduced. What do these engineers need to take into account?

Geotechnical Work

Experts in this field are known as geotechnical engineers, and their job is to look for any issues before work begins and determine how geological hazards might impact the project once it is complete. This approach is particularly important in areas that are prone to seismic activity or where the soil is known to be rather loose.

Scope Analysis

To begin with, they will need to look at the site and understand the scope of the project. In particular, they will need to know what type of structure is planned, how big it will be scale and also which materials that will likely be used during construction. They will then have a look at the base to determine the qualities of the rock and soil and to find out whether there are any fissures or known faults.

Project Viability

This is very detailed work and is crucial for the long-term viability of the project. The engineers will need to determine whether the building site itself is adequate, and they will also need to look at the surrounding area to see whether it could impact on the structure in the future with negative effect.

Detailed Calculation

Many different factors are taken into account when looking at the area below the surface. For example, the experts will need to know how porous the soil is and how many voids may be in place relative to the total volume of the soil. They will then calculate the ratio of those voids (or empty space) to the soil in terms of its ability to shoulder the weight above.

Furthermore, they'll also want to know what happens during consolidation, when the water content of the soil may be compressed following building work. This will be crucial to determine what type of structure may be built and how much weight it will impose on the soil beneath.

Crucial Experience

There are many other factors to consider in terms of not just the building site but also the surrounding area. This is why it's important to bring in geotechnical engineers and civil engineering consultants to help you with your project.