How an accurate field survey can ensure timely completion of civil engineering project and save you millions.
Site investigation and surveying of the field is considered to be the first most important task of any project execution. It is the first moment when an engineering firm decides to make financial decision based on surveying data of the site and field investigation.
Suppose an executing agency enters into legally binding contract by making wild guesses about the cost of the project or relies on the rates taken in NIT ( Notice Inviting Tender) floated by the client, in such cases it is merely by the luck that one is able to successfully execute the contract. There are numerous examples of such failed contractors who think surveying, site investigation and design engineers are not essential part of the project but merely luxurious expenditures. It is below common sense to think that the rates floated by the client are as per market rates and after detailed investigation and surveying about the work.
Though, carrying out field investigation and detailed survey of the work is absolutely desirable in all works, there are some types of work where it is absolutely mandatory and incur significant expenditure, proceeding about the project without detailed investigation and surveying is not possible such as bridge works, road works, railway track works, construction of industrial buildings, warehouses and large dwellings & complexes etc.
Since the nature of environmental factors, that affect performance and durability of any structure, vary greatly in India, it is essential to carry out a study as to obtain most crucial factors and take them into account into your design and planning. Consider for example there are IV earthquake zones in India having different effects on structure durability, considering "one size fits all" will be either unsafe or uneconomical. Similarly, soil quality vary greatly providing different strengths and bearing capacity, hence foundation of any structure needs to be designed as per site and with reliable data to construct a safe and economical structure.
Architecture and aesthetics of any project or structure comes from optimum utilization of the space available. Making the best use of shape, size and topography of the site gives elegant appearance and maximum space utilization. This also provides the design engineer to work out the kind of structural elements they have to design and thereby which forces are to be taken into consideration so that the resulting structure is not only safe and economical but also reflects the envisioned aesthetics.