a Tendency to unite engineering geological and environmental surveys in survey work
Sometimes, to execute the tasks set in the terms of reference for carrying out engineering surveys, the survey work within one of their kind is not enough, and systems engineering survey of research intersect. But when the need to perform this, to begin with model, searches becomes large enough, there is more and more often, then in the market of engineering and survey services there are firms that have made these new complex types of research a major. Geological-environmental surveys, as a separate type of engineering surveys, has recently originated in the past few decades. This was due mainly to one of the aggravated environmental problems, deterioration of groundwater quality. The first environmental survey on the subject showed that without the involvement of traditional methods of geological surveys to achieve quality results by environmentalists will not work.
Tasks that must be performed during geotechnical investigations of geological and environmental nature
In the process of conducting a General engineering geological and environmental surveys to address the problem of ground pollution natural environment you need to know:
- depth of groundwater level on-site research;
the geological structure of the soil massif;
- direction of groundwater flow;
- border areas of the supply and discharge of the investigated aquifer or set of aquifers;
- the dynamics of changes in the qualitative composition of underground waters as you move the stream from the feeding region to the discharge;
- possible sources of contaminants detected in groundwater at unacceptable concentrations;
- optimal way of termination or limitation of polluting effects;
- the possibility of liquidation of consequences of pollution of geological environment.
Order of operations in the course of geological environmental investigations
- Important initial phase of research is a detailed analysis of the old engineering-geological and hydrogeological report on the results of surveys in the study area. In them you can find information about the background characteristics of the quality of soils and groundwater. Sometimes in the course of processing archival materials from previous studies it appears that elevated levels of certain substances in the underground environment is not due to external contaminant sources, and natural geologic features of the area.
- of Great importance is a thorough inspection of the study area. It focuses on the condition of the soil-vegetative cover, topography (especially gullies, ravines that may serve as routes of migration of contamination) sources. Valuable information for searches can give inspection of the banks existing researches of water objects. Not superfluous will be to select those water samples for chemical analysis. A survey of local residents which is simultaneously a reconnaissance inspection of the area, will help to make a list of possible sources of contamination. It may include industrial and agricultural enterprises, farms, private households, sewers, storage, wastewater storage areas, etc. during reconnaissance, behaves also Refine the program for further operations, and, accordingly, the prices of the engineering environmental investigations.
After that comes the turn of applying geological methods of investigations. In a pre-scheduled on the plan and on the ground points and wells are drilled, soil samples and water of which immediately delivered to the study laboratory in the research center. The results of laboratory studies, the decision about which of the wells drilled to equip for further monitoring observations, which can be eliminated as unpromising for use in further studies. The resulting measurements and data analyses allow us to construct a geological map of the territory with the display of environmental information. The imposition on the scheme ggroup (lines showing the position of the level and direction of underground water flows) qualitative characteristics of water, already at this stage of research to give clear results - to specify the location of the source of pollutants.
- If the picture is obtained immediately after the drilling of geological wells, does not provide definitive information, it is a necessary step which should be supplemented with engineering geological and environmental studies, will be hydrogeological monitoring (conducting routine observations at a network of boreholes including sampling of water and measurement of the level in accordance with a particular schedule ). Monitoring studies provide an opportunity to consider to survey seasonal changes in the level and chemistry of hydrogeological conditions and to obtain a comprehensive view of the dynamics of groundwater causes changes in their quality.
- At the final stage of the Desk carrying out engineering surveys of geological and environmental trends assessment of damage caused to water resources of the region as a result of groundwater contamination (if there are grounds for this), and develops a plan of measures aimed at the solution of the problem by localizing the source of pollution and the gradual elimination of its consequences .
today we already have quite extensive experience of geological and environmental work and can guarantee that we will carry out engineering research in this area in full compliance with the current legislative and regulatory base.