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These examples include geophysical assessments for foundation design, mapping overburden and soil thicknesses for site grading and volumetric calculations of expected construction fill and spoil, characterizing geology beneath waterways for optimizing pipeline crossings, and mapping potentially hazardous abandoned mine workings. Our intention is to show a broad array of engineering geophysical methods and applications using clear examples. Here, we summarize just a few examples of the application of various geophysical methods to construction engineering projects. With these advancements, it has become possible to obtain non-invasive, spatially continuous measurements of the subsurface, which can be used to interpolate between and extrapolate from boreholes, geological exposures, and excavations. New developments in instrumentation and methodology have enabled geophysical data to be acquired over increasingly larger areas, at greater density, and in more dimensions (including time). Geophysical methods have been a part of the construction engineering toolbox for decades (e.g., seismic methods for foundation design Peck et al., 1974) and, although adoption of the technology over this time has been slow, their use on major infrastructure projects has now become routine. Having an understanding of what lies beneath before breaking ground can save significant costs to a construction project. Typical parameters of interest to designers and engineers are the thickness and extent of layers, the physical properties of layers and any variability within them, and any structures within the ground. It can also contain products of our own invention, including utilities, buried waste, and contaminants.

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This zone can encompass soil, groundwater, unconsolidated sediments, weathered rock, and competent bedrock. Most construction engineering projects generally require information on subsurface ground conditions to maximum depths of only 50 metres (m) or so below the ground surface. They are also subject to potential geohazards including, seismic, landslide and flooding hazards. All of these types of facilities have a physical footprint that requires some type of modification of the ground, whether that involves the insertion of anchors, ground compaction or excavation. While there is no substitute for direct sampling of the ground, the goal of a good engineering geophysics survey should be to provide enough indirect evidence to reduce the need to drill boreholes or excavate test pits, and in so doing minimize environmental impacts.Д¬onstruction engineering involves the designing, planning, construction, and management of physical infrastructure, which may include roads, bridges, buildings, dams and utilities. For those of us who work in the field of engineering geophysics, the mantra should be вЂњdrill sparingly, baby, drill sparinglyвЂќ. вЂњDrill, baby, drill!вЂќ ItвЂ™s an often quoted line, made famous by former US Vice-Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin.

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