BAA1432

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

• At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

1. Understand parties involved in construction
project.
2. Understand overall construction process.
3. Understand and describe site preparation.
4. Understand construction site safety.
SITE INVESTIGATION
 Site Investigation

• Is a study of the environment and the ground

conditions required for any engineering or
building structure.
• Basic objective is to collect systematically and
record all the necessary data which will be
needed or will help in the design and
construction process of the proposed work.
 Site Investigation (Cont’)

• The extent of the work depends on:

a) the importance and foundation
arrangement of the structure
b) the complexity of the soil condition
c) the information which maybe available on
the behaviour of existing foundation on
similar soils
 Site Investigation (Cont’)

• 4 stages of site investigation:

i. Planning
ii. Desk study
iii. Site Reconnaissance
iv. Soil investigation
 Desk Study

• involves the collection of available documentary

materials relevant to the site and the immediate
environment in any of the following forms :
a) Previous soil investigation
b) Topographical map
c) Aerial photos
d) Geological maps and memoirs
e) Historical maps
f) Rainfall records
g) Geographic Information System (GIS)
 Site Reconnaissance / Site Survey /
Site Visit
• done to confirm, amplify and supplement the
information collected earlier by :
a) having a visual investigation on the site
b) collecting info from local inhabitants
- During visual investigation, among the features
observed are :-
- a) topography
- b) construction materials and labour
- c) groundwater condition
- d) surrounding structures
- e) site access
 Soil Investigation

• is specifically related to the subsoil beneath the

site under investigation.
• Purpose is to determine:-
a) The suitability of the site for the proposed
project
b) an adequate & economic foundation design
c) the difficulties which may arise during the
construction process and period
d) the occurrence and / or cause of all changes in
subsoil conditions.
 Soil Investigation (Cont’)

• Soil investigation involves :-

a) Field Test where the testing conducted at
site
b) Lab Testing is conducted to determine the
chemical properties (pH), basic index
properties (density, specific gravity) shear
strength etc.
 ➢LABORATORY TESTING

Source: https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/laboratory-testing.html
FIELD TEST
 Information To Be Retrieved From Site
Investigation
• General topography of the site as it affects
foundation design & construction.
• Location of buried services such as electric
power, telephone cables, water mains and
sewer.
• General geology of the area with particular
reference to the main geological formations
underlying the site.
 Information To Be Retrieved From Site
Investigation
• Previous history & use of the site including info.
on any defects and failures of existing or former
buildings attributable to foundation condition.
• Any special features such as the possibility of
flooding, soil erosion etc.
• A detailed record of the soil and rock strata and
ground condition with the zones affected by
foundation bearing pressures and construction
operations.
 Information To Be Retrieved From Site
Investigation
• Results on laboratory tests on soil and rock
samples appropriate to particular foundation
design or constructional problems.
 Benefits of Site Investigation

• To study the general suitability of the site for

an engineering project.
• To enable a safe, practical and economic
design to be prepared.
• To determine the possible difficulties that
maybe encountered by a specific construction
method for any particular civil project.
• To study the suitability of construction
material (soil or rock).
SITE PREPARATION
 INTRODUCTION

• What is Site Preparation?

-All activities that been done before actual
construction work is carried out.
• Site preparation is very important for big
construction project because it can influence
the proceeding work.
• A good site preparation can assist the
completion of work on time with acceptable
cost & quality.
 INTRODUCTION (Cont’)

• Activities during site preparation are different, base

on the need of the project & the condition of the site.
• Among the activities normally involved in site
preparation are :-
a) Site clearing
b) Setting Out
c) Hoarding / fencing
d) Preparation of temporary accommodation and
services
e) Preparation of temporary road
SITE CLEARING
AFTER SITE CLEARING
 SITE CLEARING

Involves work such as follows:

a) demolition of existing building
b) grubbing out of bushes & trees
c) removal of topsoil from the site to reduce
levels
 DEMOLITION

• A skilled occupation
• Should only be performed by an experienced
demolition contractor
• There are certain methods to demolish
unwanted old buildings without causing
danger to building nearby.
• Can be done using explosive bombs or
machineries
DEMOLITION OF BUILDING USING LOGISTIC
 DEMOLITION BY IMPLOSION
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/15026138@N03/12277707564 https://youtu.be/QowpG9ENsGQ
 REMOVAL OF TOPSOIL

• The depth of the site being cleared during the

removal of topsoil depends on the types of
soil at site.
• Topsoil contains plant life & decaying
vegetation that cause it to be easily
compressed & unsuitable for foundation.
• Normally, the initial removal of topsoil is done
with a bulldozer.
MACHINERIES GRUBBING THE TREES
 REMOVAL OF TOPSOIL (Cont’)

• Excavator also used for site clearing.

• If the soil must be removed from the site, a
loader is used to load the material onto a
truck
• Unwanted big granite rocks in the site can be
cleared using explosive bombs.
• The removal and loading of boulders and
broken rock are executed by large excavator
and loaders.
UNWANTED SOIL IS LOADED INTO TIPPER
TRUCK
The surplus soil is being excavated for site formation and site leveling.
Existing rocks were broken down by the excavator. The lorry carried the
debris and the excavated soil away from the site.
 SETTING OUT

• Normally land surveyors involved in this work.

• It involves the outlining of the structure on
the ground.
• Involves the use of surveying equipment.
SETTING OUT
 FENCING

• The security fence around the site should be at

least 1.8m high above the ground & include the
min.
• The number of access point which should have a
lockable barrier/gate.
• Types of fencing chosen depends on
a) the degree of security required
b) cost implications
c) type of neighbourhood
d) duration of contract
FENCING
 HOARDING

• Constructed for safety purpose

• A close boarded fences / barriers erected
adjacent to a highway/public footpath to:
a) prevent unauthorized persons obtaining
access to the site
b) provide a degree of protection for the
public from the dust & noise associated with
building operation.
c) define the site limit
HOARDING
 TEMPORARY BUILDINGS AND ROAD

• Contractor is required to prepare temporary

buildings & services such as :
a) staff accommodation
b) site office (mobile cabin, caravan)
c) storage
d) Electricity (portable self-powered
generator)
e) Metered supply from local authority
SITE OFFICE
 STORAGE

• During the planning for allocation of adequate

areas for storing materials delivered to the
site, 2 issues need to be considered that is
security and weather protection requirement.
• The storage condition for construction
materials differs from one to another
depending on the factors that can cause
damage to the material.
 STORAGE (Cont’)

• Cementitious material need to be sheltered

against moisture.
• Metallic materials need to be protected from
corrosion.
• Expensive items such as door and lock sets and
need to be kept in a secured place.
• In a congested site, the location of storage areas
need to be well planned to minimize double
handling without delaying the general site
circulation and works in progress.
MATERIAL STORAGE