Subsurface exploration using bucket auger borings and down-hole geologic inspection
- Rogers/Pacific, Inc., Pleasant Hill, CA (United States)
The down-hole geologic inspection of 24 in. bucket auger borings has been a hands-on technique for collecting valuable geologic structural and lithologic detail in southern California investigations for over 35 yr. Although it has been used for all types of investigations for hillside urban development, it is of particular benefit in landslide investigations and evaluations. The benefits of down-hole geologic inspection during detailed mapping of large landslide complexes with multiple slide planes are discussed in this paper. Many of the geotechnical investigations of these massive landslide complexes have been very limited in their determinations of accurate landslide parameters and very deficient in proper engineering analysis while based upon this limited data. This has resulted in many cases where the geotechnical consultant erroneously concludes that ancient landslides don't move and it is all right to build upon them, even though they have neither justified the landslide parameters, nor the slope stability or safety. Because this author and the many consultants contacted during the preparation of this paper were not aware of other publications regarding this method of collecting detailed geologic data, this author included the safety considerations, safety equipment, the cost and the Cal OSHA requirements for entering exploration shafts.
- OSTI ID:
- 7042439
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Association of Engineering Geologists; (United States), Vol. 31:1; ISSN 0004-5691
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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