Soil survey
The soil appraisal is a widespread, albeit imprecise term for the subsoil and foundation appraisal in the form of a geotechnical report by an expert in geotechnical engineering . Other common terms are subsoil reports and soil mechanical reports .
The expert opinion documents the results of the exploration and investigation of the subsoil and groundwater conditions of a planning area as well as their assessment with regard to the solution of a structural task according to the state of the art, including information on the nature of the soil to be found there .
Since 2008, a geotechnical report has been prescribed by building regulations in Germany as the basis for planning and realizing a building project (Eurocode 7, see below). In order to plan buildings and engineering structures, planners and structural engineers ( structural engineers ) need information about the load-bearing capacity of the soil in order to dimension the foundation elements (foundations, piles) and to plan the implementation of the construction work (excavation pit, groundwater retention, sealing, effects on the environment, etc. ).
Geotechnical reports are created on the basis of EN 1997–2 - Eurocode 7: Draft, calculation and dimensioning in geotechnical engineering - Part 2: Exploration and investigation of the subsoil as well as in Germany according to DIN 4020 - Supplementary regulations to DIN EN 1997–2. Ultimately, they are part of the geotechnical draft report according to EN 1997–1 in conjunction with DIN 1054 proof of safety in earthworks and foundations.
For the planner, such an expert report contains all the essential information about the foundation options and the load-bearing capacity of the subsoil (permissible soil pressures or achievable pile resistances), the characteristic values of the soil parameters and the expected design groundwater level .
A soil survey can also refer to the investigation and assessment of any soil contamination and contaminated sites .