GEOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SITE INVESTIGATION

Environmental site investigation and characterization is a complex process that often includes a large number of variables, a limited number of resources, and not nearly enough time to complete properly. The investigation of a site is, however, potentially the most important part of an environmental project, as nearly all other aspects, from financial decisions, engineering design and construction tasks are based on the findings of an initial site investigation. The goal in site investigation is to use a number of methods to understand the conditions present on a site, and choose a clear and detailed method to record and present the findings for later reference. For larger projects, site investigations are often composed of ongoing testing and sampling over linger periods and might include several phases of implementation. Economic and political factors often play a large role in the depth and accuracy of environmental site investigations. The amount of time and resources needed to provide a complete and thorough site investigation are often lacking due to one or more economic or political factors. A simple construction project, for example, might have a very limited budget for design and construction. If the site investigation uses up time and money from the project schedule and budget without adding any additional value to the end product, the resources allocated to the site investigation are likely to be limited or reduced. By going step-by-step through the site investigation process, Geology and Environmental Site Investigation will empower students and practitioners to see the great importance that site investigation lends to the overall success of a project. Additionally, but gaining a thorough understanding of the current state of technology and methodology used for environmental site investigation, readers will better understand how to make their site investigations more efficient and beneficial to a project.