Whether you’re planning your dream home in Brisbane or you’re getting ready to add your dream pool to your outdoor entertainment area in Melbourne, the whole process starts with the necessary soil test. In Australia, this process is considerably more complex than analysing a tube of soil in a DIY kit.
Since Australia is well-known for having highly reactive soils, local legislation dictates that all prospective new builds must provide the necessary soil testing before permits are issued. Ultimately, this means turning to the geotechnical engineering Melbourne experts recommend. This post shares a few key tips to help you choose the best geotechnical team for your specific build.
What Exactly are Geotechnical Engineers?
Depending on factors such as the type of build and location, soil tests can range from basic to more complex. This, combined with the importance of establishing the reactivity of soil, how deep the water table is, and designing customisable and sustainable building techniques, means you’re going to need an expert to do the testing.
A geotechnical engineer is tasked with performing the necessary tests and assessments. As part of the testing process, the geological properties of the surrounding soil are analysed to determine how stable a prospective building is going to be. Soil characteristics and potential risk factors, such as weak soil and low drainage, are also identified.
Having a clearer understanding of the ground conditions helps your engineering and building team design and develop the necessary techniques to create the desired infrastructure. This can involve including remedial building tricks such as adding specialised cement or supports to the foundation to add stability.
Not All Geotechnical Engineers Are the Same
Geotechnical engineering isn’t a one-size-fits-all sector. Skills and experience can vary based on the types of structures and location. With this in mind, it’s crucial to find the best expert for your build type and area. To help you with this, our team of building professionals have compiled a list of must-have features to look for during your vetting process.
1. Check and Verify the Necessary Certifications
In a land where soil is as diverse as the weather, it’s imperative for test results to be as accurate as possible if you want to move past the permit issuing phase. This means that your first step in finding the best geotechnical engineer is to check accreditations and certifications.
Here are a few crucial accreditations to check for:
- All certified geotechnical engineers must be accredited to NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) to ensure that laboratory testing can be performed under standardised conditions.
- For Queensland projects, the engineer should be part of the RPEQ (Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland.
- New South Wales engineers must be registered with the Practitioner Registration.
- Victoria engineers must be accredited with the Professional Engineers Registration.
Accreditation is vital as it ensures that the testing procedures were done correctly and that the subsequent report is signed off by a legal and accountable representative. It will also give you peace of mind that the recommendations made are sound, compliant, and in your best interests.
2. Insist on Local Expertise
Australia has a very diverse geology, which means the highly reactive soil in Sydney is different to that of the overly sandy profiles in most parts of Perth. This means you’ll need an expert who knows and understands remedial action associated with specific regions.
Some of the high risks that your engineer needs to look for include the following:
- Groundwater levels in wet or coastal areas (also referred to as water table height)
- Landslip risks in mountainous or rocky areas (these may require remedial action such as erosion management)
- Salinity issues in most inland regions
3. Confirm Availability of Equipment and Fleet
Soil testing often requires drilling to specified depths. This, in turn, requires specialised equipment. If an engineering company doesn’t have this equipment, you may be billed for its hiring of it. Keep in mind that professional and certified engineering firms will already have all the equipment needed to perform tests in the areas they serve.
Established companies will know what work is required in the area. During the vetting process, be sure to enquire about the company’s drilling capabilities. Ideally, they will tell you that they have all the equipment as well as a few specialised options based on the geology of previous tests in the area.
Keep in mind that a company that owns its own equipment is usually more reliable than one that needs to subcontract the work. After all, if you’re dealing with multiple companies, who do you hold responsible when there’s an issue? Dealing with one company not only streamlines the process but also ensures fewer delays in getting your project started.
Final Thoughts
Selecting the best geotechnical engineering company in your area is all about balancing local expertise with reputation and technical accreditation. When planning a new build, it’s essential to avoid shopping for the cheapest team and rather focus on finding experts who know how to assess your build correctly. This will give you peace of mind that your structure will be built on the best possible foundation.
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