Wednesday 7 September 2016

Little-known Information About Geotech Engineering And Testing

By Christine Meyer


Engineering is wide in scope. Geotechnical study is one of its many branches. As the name connotes, it deals with analyzing the behavioral tendencies of earth material commonly known as soil. The study of earth material is an aspect of civil engineering, and thus it automatically links geotech engineering and testing to it.

In connection to this, this type of soil study is connected to almost all types of this study like mining, construction and many more. Therefore, today, these skills are applied in almost all areas. In reality, most activities usually involve engineering activities that are applied to the ground. However, mans activities do not simply transform these simple earthwork activities into engineering. In the past, these activities were not done with any knowledge about soil study or skills. This practice began gradually and was mostly used at the beginning of the eighteen century.

This discipline focuses on soil quality analysis. Thus it will identify the various elements in the soil example water, minerals and rocks then determine the percentage of the individual commonest in the soil. Various natural and human causes can vary the soil quality thus through analyzing the soil; one can determine whether the soil is suitable for the intended purpose.

When the geotechnical professionals investigate the surface materials, they can determine the properties of the soil under; chemical and non chemical. They will also be able to determine the suitability of the soil depending on the human and natural activities. They also do the assessment of risks that can be brought about by earthworks, constructions, and mining. Therefore, they can tell how the surface can be affected by the earthworks.

The process of determining the engineering properties of the soil are done in steps. The steps will first begin by what you know and then progress to the unknown factors. The activity is thus handled as if it is a project. While following the steps, guidelines regarding the qualities are used to confirm that the soil is suitable for construction.

The whole project is broken into smaller working projects and carried out one after the other before reaching any conclusion. Site visiting is the initial step to have a general view of the area as influenced by the surroundings. The aim is to carry out a risk assessment to humans as would be caused by both natural and human forces and make necessary recommendations regarding the same.

The damages and risks involved in construction within an area example rock fall, mass wasting, mudslides and earthquakes can be easily avoided or the impact reduced by carrying out the soil evaluation. After the evaluation, the researcher may suggest the best kind of foundation for the area and necessary adjustments in construction that the soil will need so as to support the structure.

As a discipline, geotechnical study is wide. It also interrelates with other disciplines such as history and geology. This is because humans use soil for many purposes, and the use affects the properties it has at any given time.




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