Today, we look at many structures and marvel at the level of work and creativity used in bringing them to reality. Indeed, these buildings show the professionalism of the contractors, but it barely tells the whole story. The result of some efforts are not very visible but carry equal importance, and one of such tasks is soil testing.
The soil is the base on which a structure is built, and if it cannot hold such structures, then they are bound to collapse eventually. For this reason, professionals often test the soil to determine the kind of structure that can be constructed on it. This test is referred to as soil testing.
Soil Testing is defined as a scientific process of analyzing soil to assess inherent physical and engineering properties. This article will highlight how essential this process is for construction and why every constructor must not neglect it. Read on for more.
Importance of Soil Testing to Construction
The importance of soil testing is seen by how beneficial the scientific process has been to construction, and these benefits are:
- Determining the foundation: Most buildings and construction collapse because the soil cannot hold them. Soil Testing helps determine the strength levels of the soil, so the engineer can determine the foundation that is best suited for it. If a test shows that soil is loose, the engineer knows that a strip foundation is not ideal for the soil.
- Determine foundation problems: Soil Testing helps determine foundation problems that can arise with time and determine methods to combat those problems. For example, if the soil has high Sulphur content, Sulphur can be harmful to foundations; thus, Sulphur-resistant cement is used in constructing the foundation for the soil, which neutralizes foundation problems that may arise in the future.
- Determine soil reactivity: Soil reactivity refers to the soil’s reaction to construction activities on the site. This helps the engineer determine the methods and activities to be implored on the site to reduce the adverse effects of soil reactivity.
- Influence construction material: As mentioned earlier, some soil may contain elements. Hence, these elements react differently to some construction materials damaging the construction materials. Via soil testing, the elements can be determined. The chosen construction materials will be made from materials that do not react to the soil’s elements.
- Determine the structure: Not every structure can be constructed on any soil; soil testing helps determine the soil’s strength so the engineer can determine the kind of structures that can be constructed on the soil. If the structure constructed is above the soil’s resistance levels, the structure is bound to collapse.
- Determine groundwater level and soil water content: Soil Testing helps determine the amount of water present in the soil, its compact level, and the distance from the water table beneath the soil. This enables the engineer to make proper calculations for the depths and pillars to use for a structure
- Save costs: Soil Testing provides you with vital information that can guide your budget and help you save costs. It ensures that the structure constructed is durable and functional for extended periods.
Conclusion
Soil Testing is not only used in construction but is also employed in other disciplines, but the details provided above highlight its importance in construction sites.
The PSA Group provide a range of environmental management services that include soil and water monitoring and testing, polluted water transportation and disposal, along with a host of other critical environmental monitoring and construction services, including dewatering services.
