TECHNICAL
(Right): Brent Cock, engineering geologist at SRK Consulting.
SAFE EXCAVATIONS: PUTTING YOUR EAR TO THE GROUND Excavations on construction sites often result in very steep to vertical soil walls that introduce considerable risk and highlight the need for an assessment of the ground conditions and monitoring
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According to Brent Cock, engineering geologist at SRK Consulting, the risk of ground failure should be taken very seriously – engaging the right geotechnical expertise from the start of a project is extremely important. There is significant focus on what takes place above ground – and rightly so. However, more focus needs to be
directed to what takes place below the surface at the start of a construction project. While deep excavations – for high-rise buildings, for instance – require specialised geotechnical assessment and design to offset the risk of failure, there are also risks attached to relatively shallow excavations of just a few metres. “A cubic metre of soil might look innocuous, but it typically weighs more than a small car and can weigh almost two tons, so any scale
SOUTH AFRICAN BUILDER DECEMBER 2021
