Our Site Investigation service is tailored to meet your specific needs. Often it will include any or all of the following:
Desk Study - Consulting historical maps and other records to discover the history and general geology, topography, vegetation and drainage of the site.
Walk-Over Survey - To determine the topology of the site, and detail of the vegetation, filled areas and other hazards, the condition of existing structures on and adjacent to the site, water features, positions of services, and ease of vehicle access. It may also include local enquiries of residents, builders, and planning, and building control officers.
Test-Pit Investigation - Excavation of test pits by mechanical digger to maximum depths of about 4 metres. Detailed recording of strata, groundwater, and other underground features encountered. Samples recovered for laboratory examination and testing.
Borehole Investigation - To determine soil conditions at greater depths if construction is to go below 2-3 metres, or if suitable founding strata are not found at this depth.
Contamination Survey - Recovery of samples from a grid of test pits, and laboratory testing to determine the presence or absence (and in the former case, the type and distribution) of any contaminants.
Topographical Survey - Detailed survey of the site and its surroundings with modern surveying instruments to provide large scale, computer generated drawings showing all the features and ground levels.
Infiltration testing - Full-scale testing to provide data for designing soakaways where other means of storm water disposal are not available.
The size and complexity of the project and the site will normally determine which type(s) of survey would be appropriate. An incremental approach can often be employed using the results of each part of the investigation to determine the next step. On a small greenfield site, a few simple enquiries at the start may indicate that a test-pit investigation is all that is required. A desk study on a large site may reveal a complex history of development, which would require a detailed walk-over survey to enable a test-pit investigation to be planned. This could indicate a necessity for boreholes and/or a contamination survey. Full factual and interpretative reports giving recommendations are provided at each stage and include all the data collected and risk assessments for any contamination discovered.