Are you in the process of developing a new residential project? Geotechnical evaluations, and more specifically, subsurface soil investigations, play an essential role in assessing the foundation of your build site and identifying any risks or challenges that need to be accounted for during construction. When conducted by a qualified team of engineers, geotechnical investigations help ensure that your home is built on a solid foundation that will stand the test of time and provide you with a safe residence that the whole family can enjoy with peace of mind.
As one of Alberta’s leading provider of geotechnical engineering services, ProtechGeo is proud to partner with homeowners and developers throughout the province to conduct thorough site analysis that makes safe and efficient builds possible. Learn more about the necessity of subsurface soil investigations and why you need to incorporate one into your next project below!
What Are Geotechnical Investigations?
Geotechnical investigations refer to the process of conducting a thorough analysis of the physical properties of a proposed build site. The intent of such investigation is to gain a clear picture of what kinds of materials (soil, concrete, asphalt), etc will be involved in the construction process, as well as any inherent environmental risks such as earthquakes or foundational faults that need to be accounted for. Using the data collected, geotechnical engineers can then provide your build team with a refined list of recommendations about the site itself, as well as what materials should/shouldn’t be used during construction.
The main reasons to make sure you incorporate geotechnical investigations into your next residential project include:
Safety First
The foundation and purpose behind conducting geotechnical investigations are twofold: safety and efficiency. While evaluations make it easy to kick construction off quickly and confidently (more on that below), ensuring a safe site is the main factor behind every factor that is assessed. As with any major part of a construction project, knowledge is power, and having a clear picture of what you’re working with allows everyone to proceed forward confidently, as well as with the right safety provisions, in mind.
Account For Challenges Early On
Every build site will be different and present contractors with a unique set of challenges that need to be accounted for. From different soil materials to unseen foundational cracks and area-specific climate risks, having a team of engineers investigate the materials in your foundations will give you critical information that allows you to build to the exact needs of your location and avoid costly errors and dangerous failures in the long term.
Inform Architecture and Design Plans
In addition to ensuring your site is safe to build on, the secondary concerns of geotechnical investigations are to help project contractors come up with a design and plan that is conducive to a viable end result. Geotechnical engineers are able to partner closely with architects and designers to come up with a foundational design that you can trust, and that allows construction to proceed as planned.
Cost Assessment
The data gathered by geotechnical engineers, particularly when it comes to assisting with architectural designs as highlighted above, is crucial to inform a wide variety of other factors that will influence final contractor estimates. Such elevates include recommendations pertaining to site grading and drainage, floor systems, foundation drains, earthwork, excavation, and more.
Build With Confidence With ProtechGeo
Are you ready to get started with your next residential development? ProtechGeo is here to help. We’re proud to offer leading geotechnical investigation services including materials testing, lab analysis, and more. Contact us today to learn more.