Site Investigation and Site Conceptual Models. The Link between Geology and Engineering

The civil engineering industry has long ruminated on the causes of cost and programme overruns. Ground characterisation has been a significant factor. The problems with characterising ground conditions are well articulated but fundamental change is difficult to achieve. It is unlikely that clients will either increase budgets and programmes, or that new investigatory techniques will appear which will significantly improve the quantity and quality of data available.

There are few post construction ground failures; this indicates that in the long term, site investigation practice is serving industry adequately in the low cost and fast track environment in which it operates. Complacency is not advocated as the trend is for this environment to get tougher whilst engineering applications become more demanding.

Site investigation forms the information link between source geology and engineering application. Clients, designers, constructors and regulators use ground data for different purposes. The preparation of a Site Conceptual Model, the link between geology and engineering, is advocated as an appropriate mechanism for the different stakeholders to characterise and use ground data for their different purposes.

• Historical Context

• Ground Characterisation and the Site Investigation Process

• Conceptual Models

• Managing Geotechnical Risk

• Towards a Better Use of Geotechnical Data

• Conclusions

• Acknowledgement

• References