Site investigations

Question 1

what are the two main types of site investigation?

Answer 1

• desk top study

- physical site survey

Question 2

What tools might you consider when conducting a desktop survey?

Answer 2

• Digimap: history, location, topography and transport
• google maps
• geological maps: type of sub soil, underground hazards, radon.
• radon
• flood maps (environment agency)
• Restrictions on the land: planning restrictions, conservations areas, TPOs, listings, historic or archaeological remains
• Easements such as ROL, tunnels, roads, rights of way, drainage or wayleaves for utilities
• site history - green or brown field, mining, contamination.
• exposure of the site
• power lines

Question 3

What might you consider in a risk assessment prior to a site survey?

Answer 3

• lone working
• PPE
• Vacant / occupied
• unauthorised occupiers

Question 4

What are the four broad categories of soil?

Answer 4

• non-cohesive (sands and gravels)
• cohesive (clays)
• organic (peats)
• synthetic (man made or land fill)

Question 5

What might you consider when conducting a site survey?

Answer 5

Risk assessment

• Loan working
• PPE
• Vacant / occupied
• Unauthorised occupiers

Check against plans

Vegetation on site – types of trees and shrubs

Invasive weed

• Japanese knotweed
• Giant hogweed

Type of ground

• Rock: hard, rigid and strongly cemented with deposits of a high load bearing capacity, but difficult to excavate
• Soils: soft, loose and uncemented deposits that are easier to excavate then rocks, but generally have a lower load-bearing capacity.

Present of power lines and other wayleaves

Adjacent uses

Access to site

Existing structure/use of land - remediation