Soil investigation is a process that examines the subsurface conditions of a site to understand the soil's properties and characteristics. It's a crucial step in civil engineering projects, as it helps engineers and architects design safe and stable structures. 

 

Soil investigation can help with: 

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• Foundation design:

• Soil investigation helps determine the type of foundation needed for a project. 

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• Construction materials:

        Soil investigation helps determine the construction materials and techniques needed for a project.

 

• Identifying hazards:

       Soil investigation can help identify potential problems or hazards, such as unstable soil, high water table, or contaminants.

 

• Estimating settlement:

       Soil investigation helps estimate the settlement rate of the soil. 

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• Drainage and slope stability:  

       Soil investigation helps plan drainage and slope stability. 

       

        Soil investigation methods include: 

• Drilling boreholes

  This method can help obtain undisturbed samples from which bearing capacity and settlement rate can be determined. 

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• Digging trial pits

  This method involves digging trial pits and collecting samples with minimal disturbance for laboratory testing. 

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• Plate-bearing test

  This test can be used to determine the bearing capacity of soils that loosen, such as sand and gravel. 

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• Seismic methods

  These methods measure the velocity of seismic waves through the soil to provide information about soil density and stiffness.