Construction Technology 2

Unit 1: Site Investigation

Semester 2
 Construction Technology 1 & 2
Synoptic Module
• First semester - syllabus dealing with
– Function of buildings
– Building Conservation and existing structures
– Design and interpretation of the built environment
– How we interpret buildings
– Drawing and sketching

• Second semester - remaining syllabus dealing

with
– Technical aspects of small scale construction
– From the site we build on, to the construction process
and materials used
 Site Investigation
• Type of site may influence what can be
built
• It may effect the cost of construction (and
possibly the project viability)
• It may effect the ease of construction /
buildability
• The more you know about the site the less
the uncertainty about performance matters
and design that should be encountered
Topographical features influencing building:
Types of sites
Level sites

Woodland sites
Topographical features influencing building

sloping sites

Hills & Mountains – sloping sites

Topographical features influencing building

Bogs, wet grounds, flood plains and locations

with generally high water tables

Coastal
Unusual locations and access issues
Main reasons for site investigation
• Assess the ground composition and
characteristics
• To ensure that a foundation is chosen
which is compatible with the load to be
carried and the strength of the ground
• To ensure safety, efficiency and economy
in the design of the building
• To assess the continuity of strata
 Site investigation tells us:
• The nature of the soil
• The thickness of the layers of different types of
soil at the test location
• The strength of the soil
• The existence of contaminants in the soil
• The degree of moisture present
• The existence of a water table (def: the upper
limit in the ground to where saturation of the soil
is occurring)
• The location of existing services
 Geological nature of site
• Geological make up –
• What soil strata exists in the ground?
• Are these strata typically associated with problems i.e. peat
and shrinkable clays etc
• Strata – Soil composition
• Soil formation – decomposition of rocks
 Classification of soils
• Cohesive
– Capable of being moulded
with small particle size (clay
soils)

• Non Cohesive (granular soils)

– Sandy with relatively large
particle size not capable of
being moulded

• Rock
Establishing the soils ability to resist loads

• Measured in kN/m2
• Typical strength range from 50kN/m2 – 600kN/m2

– Soft clay - 50kN/m2

– Firm clay – 150kN/m2
– Stiff clay – 250kN/m2
– Very stiff clay and hard chalk - 500kN/m2

• Typically domestic construction loads (2 storey) not

greater than 30kN/m2 per m run of wall
Code of Practice for foundations: BS 8004
 Combined Building Loads
• Proposed structure:
– What area will the building
cover?
– What load is anticipated
Heavy - Light?
– Is instability anticipated?
Might the soil create
differential movement?
• Bearing capacity of Soil
• Must be capable of
resisting dead load
• Must be capable of
resisting live loads
(occupants), wind loads &
snow loads
 Uniform Settlement
• Continuous soil type
across the building
• Settlement occurs
upon loading of soil
• Not generally as
problematic as other
forms of settlement
• Effect upon services
 Differential Settlement
• Different soil
strata across the
building
• Hogging
• Sagging
 Differential settlement due to clay desiccation

• Clay soils and

moisture content
• Desiccation and
heave due to wetting
and drying of soils

Tiny clay
platelets

Desiccation of clay layer causing volumetric change in soil

 Effects of trees in clay soils
Physical effects
• Shrinkage
(desiccation)
• Heave (swelling)

Preventative methods
• Root barriers
• Tree pruning
 Tree proximity

Rule of thumb –distance of tree from building not less than its mature height
 Types of investigation

• Desk top survey – existing information BRE 318

• Walk over survey – BRE 348
• Sample removal and excavation – BRE 381