Chapter 92: Introduction to Section 9

Construction verification can be described as the process of providing test or monitoring results to contribute towards design or management of the works, or to confirm that construction work is being carried out in accordance with the proposed design, specification and appropriate standards.

In no other area of construction is the interrelationship between design and construction so pronounced. Ground is inherently variable so the main construction material can never be known in advance with enough precision. Additionally, design parameters are often dependent on the methods of construction, so can be easily invalidated by minor changes in technique or in soils encountered. Hence construction verification has a much higher significance in geotechnical design than it does in most other areas of construction. Additionally, there is much to be learned from observing construction, and most innovations in geotechnical engineering have their roots in watching and understanding construction taking place. Hence there is a long-term virtuous circle in improving the links between construction and design. Designers must understand how geotechnical works will be enacted and constructors must understand the significance of the design assumptions underpinning the methods they are using.