Geotechnical Engineering

Name: Hayden Gridley
Student ID Number: 7697449

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. SITE INVESTIGATION
i. Site Inspection ii. Geology
3. SITE PREPARATION
4. FOUNDATIONS
5. OVERALL ASSOCIATED COSTS
6. CONCLUSION
7. REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION
In consideration of Doncaster rapid expansion in terms of both residential population and commercial growth, the Victorian Government has appointed Swinburne’s design team, ‘The Delinquents’, with the task of linking Westfield Doncaster to Box Hill Station, via rail link. The part played by the Geotechnical Engineer involves investigating the project site and outlining the needs of the project in consideration of the natural materials found …show more content…
It is comprised of several unpurchased properties between Doncaster Road, Council Street and Tower Street, encompassed by the highlighted area shown in figure 1. The entire area is 11920 square metres in total. Figure 1: The proposed location of the new Doncaster Station (Google Earth)
For Box Hill Station, the connecting platform will be located underground, positioned as shown in Figure 2 below:

As for the tunnel system, the path chosen was a direct line, the minimal distance from Box Hill Station to the Doncaster Station, as shown in Figure 3. The hugely significant constraint with this option is the substantial distance below ground necessary for the tunnel to pass underneath the lowest elevation point, at the Eastlink freeway. The terrain elevations can be seen in Figure 3, below the map. From a Geotechnical perspective, this route presents a large number of challenges, specifically the very high bearing loads of soil, which will require a large number of sturdy foundation …show more content…
Geology involves an understanding of the composition, dynamics, history, physical properties and structure of solid natural materials. Through the use of geology, we can garner an image of what is below the surface and develop a hypothetical projection of how the surface will gradually change and move overtime. Within the site to be developed, a thorough investigation must be made so as to comprehend what kind of foundations will best suit those circumstances. This will allow us to determine the depth and thickness of the base, as well as the strength needed to support any soil from above, most importantly throughout the tunnel system.
The texture of soil usually refers to the surface appearance of the soil which therefore is influenced by the size of individual particles. The different types of soils are classified into groups as follows: (Das c2006, p.82)
Particle Definition Nominal Size (Diameter)
Boulder > 200 mm
Cobble 200 mm – 60 mm
Gravel 60 mm – 2 mm
Sand 2 mm – 60