Excavation is a crucial part of any construction process that involves removing topsoil, earth, muck or rocks to prepare the site before actual construction begins. Depending on your project requirements, there are different excavation methods to consider, including bridging, burrowing, channelling, dredging, stripping and drainage excavation. However, before choosing any of these methods, you must understand the various factors that define your choice. Read on to learn more about them.
The Rationale Behind the Excavation
First, ask yourself why you need to excavate a particular site. Do you want to excavate the land to get rid of trees, build foundations or carry out a landscaping project? Every excavation technique is unique and suitable for specific purposes. For instance, if you want to execute a landscaping project, you should consider using an excavation method that preserves the subsoil. Therefore, find out the primary reason for excavating a site before choosing the ideal technique.
Your Project's Scope
The type of excavation technique you choose depends on the scope and size of your planned excavation project. Concatenating your excavation tasks might not be a practical idea for small-sized projects. However, concatenation might be required if, for instance, you want to create access roads to be used by trucks and pieces of machinery in extensive projects. Proper sequencing is thus imperative to facilitate the smooth transportation of excavated materials from your site.
The Existing Subsoil Type
Before excavating your site, it's vital to hire geotechnical surveyors to study the existing soil conditions. They help determine the characteristics of the subsoil on your site to help you choose the most appropriate excavation technique to use. For example, specific excavation methods like shoring might be ideal for supporting the walls on excavated trenches if the site contains soft soil.
The Groundwater Conditions
Finally, another factor that will affect your choice of excavation technique to use is groundwater conditions. Knowing the existing groundwater conditions is an easy task, but you can hire a professional for more in-depth analysis. An expert can assess your site's water table and quickly determine your current groundwater conditions. Whether the site has a low or high water table, a reputable excavation contractor can objectively recommend the ideal excavation method.
Conclusion
As you can see, various factors will determine the type of excavation method to use for your construction project. Consequently, these factors will have a direct impact on overall project costs. As such, it'll be prudent to consult professional excavation companies to learn more about different excavation techniques, costs and applications. Keep these tips in mind when looking for excavation services near you.
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