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Im,Iplant Inllpmati,n alloul Youp <br />Geoloclinical Enginooping Report <br />1 Subsurface problems are a principal cause of construction delays, cost overruns, claims, and disputes. <br /> While you cannot eliminate all such risks, you can manage them. The following information is provided to help. <br />Geotechnical Services Ape Performed for <br />Specific Purposes, Persons, and Projects <br />Geotechnical engineers structure their services to meet the specific needs of <br />their clients. A geotechnical engineering study conducted for a civil engi- <br />neer may not fulfill the needs of a construction contractor or even another <br />civil engineer. Because each geotechnical engineering study is unique, each <br />geotechnical engineering report is unique, prepared sole/yfor the client. No <br />one except you should rely on your geotechnical engineering report without <br />first conferring with the geotechnical engineer who prepared it.And no one <br />-notevenyou-should apply the report for any purpose or project <br />except the one originally contemplated. <br />Read the Full Report <br />Serious problems have occurred because those relying on a geotechnical <br />engineering report did not read it all. Do not rely on an executive summary. <br />Do not read selected elements only. <br />A Geotechnical Engineering Report Is Based on <br />A Unique Set of Project-Specific Factors <br />Geotechnical engineers consider a number of unique, project-specific fac- <br />tom when establishing the scope of a study. Typical factors include: the <br />client's goals, objectives, and risk management preferences; the general <br />nature of the structure involved, its size, and configuration; the location of <br />the structure on the site; and other planned or existing site improvements, <br />such as access roads, parking lots, and underground utilities. Unless the <br />geotechnical engineer who conducted the study specifically indicates <br />otherwise, do not rely on a geotechnical engineering report that was: <br />• not prepared for you, <br />• not prepared for your project, <br />• not prepared for the specific site explored, or <br />• completed before important project changes were made. <br />Typical changes that can erode the reliability of an existing geotechnical <br />engineering report include those that affect: <br />• the function of the proposed structure, as when it's changed from a <br />parking garage to an office building, or from a light industrial plant <br />to a refrigerated warehouse, <br />• elevation, configuration, location, orientation, or weight of the <br />proposed structure, <br />• composition of the design team, or <br />• project ownership. <br />As a general rule, a/ways inform your geotechnical engineer of project <br />changes-even minor ones-and request an assessment of their impact. <br />Geotechnical engineers cannot accept responsibility or liability for problems <br />that occur because their reports do not consider developments of which <br />they were not informed. <br />Subsurface Conditions Can Change <br />A geotechnical engineering report is based on conditions that existed at the <br />timethestudy wasperformed. Do not rely on a geotechnical engineering <br />reportwhose adequacy may have been affected by: the passage of time; by <br />man-made events, such as construction on or adjacent to the site; or by <br />natural events, such as floods, earthquakes, or groundwater fluctuations. <br />A/ways contact the geotechnical engineer before applying the report to <br />determine if it is still reliable. A minor amount of additional testing or <br />analysis could prevent major problems. <br />Most Geotechnical Findings Are Professional <br />Opinions <br />Site exploration identifies subsurface conditions only at those points where <br />subsurface tests are conducted or samples are taken. Geotechnical engi- <br />neers review field and laboratory data and then apply their professional <br />judgment to render an opinion about subsurface conditions throughout the <br />site. Actual subsurface conditions may differ-sometimes significantly- <br />from those indicated in your report. Retaining the geotechnical engineer <br />who developed your report to provide construction observation is the <br />most effective method of managing the risks associated with unanticipated <br />conditions. <br />A Report's Recommendations Are Not Final <br />Do not overrely on the construction recommendations included in your <br />report. Those recommendations are not #nal, because geotechnical engi- <br />neers develop them principally from judgment and opinion. Geotechnical <br />engineers can finalize their recommendations only by observing actual