School of Technology

Programme: FdSc Built Environment:

(Architecture and Construction)

Module Title: Construction Technology 2

Module Code: 5BU017

Module Leader: Roy Parker

Assessment: Site Investigation and

Foundations.
Project: Watermead Business Park, Leicestershire

Reference:
http://www.detail.de/rw_5_Archive_En_HoleArtikel_6022_Artikel.htm

Weighting: 50% (of whole module. Other 50%, examination)

Aim
This assessment requires the student to analyse the structure and fabric of a recently
constructed building.

Brief
The Watermead Business Park is a recently developed site on the outskirts of Leicester that
has a number of plots available for development, the site is brown field.

See the attached link to start your research

http://www.watermeadbusinesspark.co.uk/index.php?cat_id=1

This project shall form the basis of this assignment.

Learning Outcomes
On completion of this assessment, students should be able to:

Select appropriate and economical sub and super structure systems to satisfy the
functional requirements of a building.

Determine the functionality of common fabric materials and techniques.

The student shall research and answer the following questions based on the project within the
brief. It is not required that you make contact with the project’s designers. The aim is for you
to answers the following questions based on your own knowledge and reasoning.

1. Briefly introduce the salient features of the building that could be used on the site to your
reader (Not more than 100 words and is inclusive of the total word count – see below)

2. Identify the context of the site conditions that will have an impact on the solution to
question 3.

3. Explain, using illustrations where appropriate, the likely sequence of the technology
employed to construct an appropriate foundation system for this project. This question
includes excavation, soil retention, ground water control issues etc.

Questions 4 and 5 to follow

Word Count
Questions 1 – 5 inclusive shall not exceed 3 000 words in total. You will be penalised 10%
of the grade for every 100 words over the count. It is suggested that the word limit for
questions 1 – 3 inclusive shall not exceed 1 500 words. Likewise, for questions 4 and 5.

Reading Materials
1. Chudley R. and Greeno R. ‘Building Construction Handbook’ Oxford Butterworth-
Heinemann, 2006. (NB: Also available as an e-book Electronic Books are accessible from the
Online Library Catalogue (Prism): http://talis-prism.derby.ac.uk/TalisPrism/
When you find the book in the catalogue, select the Dawson’s, NetLibrary or Taylor & Francis
link & login with your University username & password.
2. Riley M. and Cotgrave A. ‘Industrial and Commercial building’ Basingstoke
Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
3. Emmitt S. and Gorse C. ‘Barry’s advanced Construction of Buildings’ Blackwell’ (2006).
4. Taylor, Geoffrey D. ‘Materials in construction : principles, practice and performance’
Harlow Longman 2000.
5. Building Research Establishment digests.
6. We have an electronic resource within the University which is invaluable across all
subjects which you need to be aware of. It's called the Construction Information Service
(CIS). To access the system, follow these links:
https://ulib.derby.ac.uk/library/homelib.html
and then click on 'Information Resources'. Then access 'Technical Index Databases' at the
bottom on the right. Then log on with your username and password.
7. Various You Tube construction projects: http://www.youtube.com/results?
search_query=construction&search_type=&aq=f

These sources are guides only to commonly available material. Students will be
expected to consult other relevant source material.

Assessment Criteria

All grades given for assignment work are provisional until confirmed or otherwise by the
relevant examinations board.

Performance Criteria

For a FIRST (A- to A+), students will have analysed the building selected in detail and
produced the information established in the submission requirements in such a way that all
areas of construction technology are fully identifed and the functions and material choice
determined. The submission will demonstrate that the student has carried out extensive
independent research from a variety of sources to underpin the submission and which are
fully referenced.

For an UPPER/LOWER SECOND (C- to B+), students will have analysed the nature of the
building in question and produced the submission in a workmanlike manner which identifies
the required form of substructure and superstructure works although the quality of
communication and overall presentation will be to a reasonable standard. The analysis will be
rather tentative and less robust than for a FIRST award.

For a THIRD (D- to D+), students will have considered the main elements of the submission
requirements. However, the student will have produced a solution that is limited to the
analysis of construction technology. There will be little evidence of independent research and
the submission will rely mainly on the material provided by the tutor or standard construction
texts.
To FAIL (Z To MP), there will be no evidence that the student has understood the subject
areas and the submission will contain fundamental errors which clearly indicate that the
student has not understood the basic concepts of the topic. There will be no logical approach
to the problem and no workable solutions produced. Any solutions provided will not be
adequately justified but merely suggested answers based on standard construction texts and
tutor notes.
Q3)
NAME OF THE PROJECT : WATERMEAD BUSINESS
PARK.

PROJECT ACTIVITY: FOUNDATION SYSTEM

The Various sub activities linked with the foundation system are as
listed below in the flowchart:

Site Investigation

Excavation

Dewatering if GL is
likely to reach
during excavation

Slope stabilization

Rebar work

Formwork

Concreting
The list of technologies associated with the foundation activity is as
follows: Deshuttering
and Curing
Soil investigation: A geotechnical investigation will include
surface exploration and subsurface exploration of a site.. Methods
of observing the soils below the surface, obtaining samples, and
determining physical properties of the soils and rocks include test
pits, trenching (particularly for locating faults and slide planes ),
boring, and in situ tests.

 Soil sampling: Borings come in two main varieties, large-

diameter and small-diameter. Large-diameter borings are
rarely used due to safety concerns and expense. Small-
diameter borings are frequently used to allow a geologist
examine soil or rock cuttings or to retrieve samples at depth
using soil samples, and to perform in-place soil tests.
 Soil samplers: Soil samples are taken using a variety of
samplers; some provide only disturbed samples, while others
can provide relatively undisturbed samples. These include
shovel, split spoon sampler, Machine driven auger, shellytube
sampler etc..
 In -Situ tests: Standard penetration test, cone penetration
test, Full flow penetrometers
 Laboratory tests: A wide variety of laboratory tests can be
performed on soils to measure a wide variety of soil
properties. Atterberg limits , California bearing ratio , Direct
shear test , Expansion Index test

Excavation: As the project site is on the north of Leicester where

the soil texture is usually red loamy soil . No much difficulty will be
encountered during the excavation. Bulldozers and power shovels
will be sufficient to carry out the project.

Dewatering: It’s a process by which water encountered during the

excavation process is removed using mechanical pumps.

Type of Foundation: The technology employed in laying

foundation differs from one to other. It varies with type of
foundation. For example in laying Pile foundation (bored piles) a lot
of Mechanical equipment is required for penetrating the piles into
the ground. For an isolated foundation, it’s more of common
methodology where it starts with fixing rebar and ending with
concreting. In this project as it is brown field Contaminated land the
type of foundation best suited is Pile foundation if the soil is
untreated and isolated foundations if soil is treated.

Formwork: Depending on the scale of formwork handled, cranes

are usually employed for lifting operations.

Concreting: The concreting operation starts with the Pumping of

Concrete into the formwork using Pneumatic concrete placers
.Pumping equipment consists of truck mixer concrete pumps,
peristaltic pump. In this project a normal moving concrete pump
can serve the purpose.

Deshuttering and curing: Curing concrete is the term we use for

stopping freshly poured concrete from drying out too quickly.
Depending on the Climate and availability of water the methodology
of curing can be varied from ponding to Concrete curing compound.

Q2) Impact of site Conditions on Solution:

Site Conditions Impact on solution :

1.Site near to residential area
2. Site is of brown field
 Pile foundations are unlikely to
be allowed because of the noise
that’s going to be generated.
 Isolated Foundations are
possible only if brownfield
site is the removal of all
known contaminants to
levels considered safe for
human health

Piling and Penetrative ground improvement methods are commonly

used for foundations in Brownfield sites .Such systems are likely to
pass the site contamination and are more likely to come in contact
with any contaminated ground water , therefore the materials used
should be sufficiently durable to resist degradation.

Q1) The salient features of the building that could be used on the
site are:
 Air conditioning
 Fire alarm.
 Door entry system.
 Stairs and passenger lift.
 Suspended ceilings.
 Aluminum double glazed window system.
 Heating and ventilation system.
 Stairs and passenger lift.