SUPERSEDED - Compiled Reference Document - RAL25 0011 (As Published)

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Geotechnical Services Are Performed for
Specific Purposes, Persons, and Projects
Geotechnical engineers structure their services to meet
the specific needs of their clients. A geotechnical
engineering study conducted for a civil engineer may not
fulfil the needs of a construction contractor or even
another civil engineer. Because each geotechnical
engineering study is unique, each geotechnical
engineering report is unique, prepared solely for the
client. No one except you should rely on your
geotechnical engineering report without first conferring
with the geotechnical engineer who prepared it. And no
one — not even you — should apply the report for any
purpose or project except the one originally
contemplated.

A Geotechnical Engineering Report Is Based
on A Unique Set of Project-Specific Factors
Geotechnical enginecrs consider a number of unique,
project-specific factors when establishing the scope of a
study. Typical factors include : the client’s goals,
objectives, and risk management preferences; the general
nature of the structure involved, its size, and
configuration; the location of the structure on the site;
and other planned or existing site improvements, such as
access roads, parking lots, and underground utilities.
Unless the geotechnical engineer who conducted the
study specifically indicates otherwise, do not rely ona
geotechnical engineering report that was :
¢ not prepared for you,
© not prepared for your project,
¢ not prepared for the specific site explored, or
* completed before important project changes were
made.

Typical change that can erode the reliability of an

existing geotechnical engineering report include those

that affect :

¢ the function of the proposed structure, as when it’s
changed from a parking garage to an office building,
or from a light industrial plant to a refrigerated
warehouse,

* elevation, configuration, location, orientation, or
weight of the proposed structure,

* composition of the design team, or

© — project ownership.

As a general rule, a/ways inform your geotechnical
engineer of project changes — even minor ones — and
request an assessment of their impact. Geotechnical
Engineers cannot accept responsibility or liability for
problems that occur because their reports do not
consider developments of which they were not informed.

Subsurface Conditions Can Change

A geotechnical engineering report is based on conditions
that existed at the time the study was performed. Do not
rely on a geotechnical engineering report whose
adequacy may have been affected by : the passage of
time; by man-made events, such as construction on or
adjacent to the site; or by natural events, such as floods,
earthquakes, or groundwater fluctuations. Always
contact the geotechnical engineer before applying the
report to determine if it is still reliable. A minor amount
of additional testing or analysis could prevent major
problems.

Most Geotechnical Findings Are
Professional Opinions

Site exploration identifies subsurface conditions only at
those points where subsurface tests are conducted or
samples are taken. Geotechnical engineers review field
and laboratory data and then apply their professional
judgement to render an opinion about subsurface
conditions throughout the site. Actual subsurface
conditions may differ — sometimes significantly — from
those indicated in your report. Retaining the
geotechnical engineer who developed your report to
provide construction observation is the most effective
method of managing the risks associated with
unanticipated conditions.

A Report’s Recommendations Are Not Final
Do not overfely on the construction recommendations
included in your report. Those recommendations are not
Jinal, because geotechnical engineers develop them
principally from judgement and opinion. Geotechnical
engineers can finalise their recommendations only by
observing actual subsurface conditions revealed during
construction. The geotechnical engineer who developed
your report cannot assume responsibility or liability for

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