Using Geotechnical Engineering Reports for Erosion and Sediment Control Design

We will learn common components of Geotechnical Reports and define what parts will be most beneficial to erosion and sediment control design. We will look at soil classifications used in geotechnical engineering and uses in erosion and sediment control design. We will then turn to the aspects of erodibility, settling pond design, and dewatering design that can be gleaned from a geotechnical report. We will review examples of applications of the information contained in geotechnical reports to illustrate the application of the information to the erosion and sediment control designs. This presentation will attempt to help the erosion control designer get the most from a site geotechnical report.

Full Abstract: We will review an example of a geotechnical report for three different project types. The example projects will be, a commercial Building, a highway project and a residential development. From these three examples we will investigate common components of the Geotechnical Reports including the recommendations pertaining to soil stability, groundwater as well as the exploration maps and exploration logs. We will define what parts will be most beneficial to erosion and sediment control design. We will learn soil classifications used in geotechnical engineering including a brief explanation of the particle size analysis and laboratory testing commonly contained in the tests. We will discuss applications of the soil classification information to common erosion and sediment control design. Applications investigated will be erodibility of soil, sediment removal characteristics of the soil, and possible clues to the ability to re-vegetate the soils exposed during excavation. We will investigate dewatering design information that can be gleaned from a geotechnical report and how it can be used in dewatering design calculations. During each part of the above descriptions, we will review examples of applications of the information contained in geotechnical reports, such as calculations and completed designs such as reports, specifications for installation and materials and drawings to illustrate the application of the information contained in the geotechnical reports to the erosion and sediment control designs. Each attendee should leave the presentation with the knowledge and confidence to dig into geotechnical information provided for construction projects in a way that will make more accurate and reliable erosion and sediment control planning and permitting.