In any construction or civil engineering project, the planning that takes place before any practical work begins is very important. Without planning, the people bringing the project to life will have no idea where to start and poor planning can create huge problems, including health and safety risks.

That’s where construction site surveys come in, to help guide decisions on the design, layout and construction of a project and ensure it is successful and cost-effective.

What is a site survey in construction?

Essentially, construction site surveys set out a project by inspecting the location and gathering information for designing, estimating and planning the initial phases. 

It involves measuring and analysing the environmental conditions of the land, looking at factors including the terrain, soil type, vegetation, drainage and existing structures. It can also include measurements of topography, such as contour lines, and analysis of the local climate, such as temperature.

Generally, construction site surveys have three main objectives: data gathering, design and planning, and risk assessment. The data gathering stage will see surveyors collect detailed information about the site’s characteristics and features. This provides essential data for designing the project and planning its execution. Surveys will also identify potential hazards and obstacles, which can be used to form a risk assessment for the project. 

Benefits of a site survey in civil engineering

When building a brand new road surface, site surveys are vital to ensure the new infrastructure will be fit for purpose and safe for vehicles to travel on. They give clear guidance that everyone working on site can follow, including legal requirements. 

There’s an awful lot to consider when planning and building a new road and, as a result, there are lots of different types of surveying techniques. These include:

• Land surveys – these assess the available area and look for the best place to build a new road, considering factors such as local terrain, surrounding structures, grading and slopes, soil stability and how the road will be used
• Terrain mapping – this helps contractors to understand the lay of the land, using drones, GPS and 3D models to assess the optimal placements of new roads 
• Volumetric surveys – these are used to accurately calculate the amount of earthworks required during construction, allowing contractors to effectively plan what materials and equipment they need 
• Engineering surveys – road surfacing contractors must meet comprehensive requirements on things such as the shape, slope and curve of each section of a road, so these surveys assess work that has already been completed and compares it to the original plans 
• Grade and camber surveys – these create 3D models of roads that are already under construction, allowing contractors to view cross sections of each road piece and ensure they are to standard 
• Materials stockpile surveys – these can be used to assess material requirements at every point along the route of a new road, meaning that stockpiles are available in each location and waste is reduced 

How do we do it?

At Minster Group, we embrace technology and innovation to deliver outstanding results for our clients, all while having a reduced impact on the environment. 

As part of our site surveys, we use TopCon SmoothRide – a vehicle-mounted 3D laser scanning technology – which enables roads to be measured in normal traffic conditions, without closures. With pin-point accuracy, it improves resource efficiency and reduces waste by eliminating guesswork, as well as reducing disruption and improving safety. 

We also use surveys after a project has started, to make sure we’re completing our work to the highest standard. For example, we monitor the temperature of material as it is laid and combine this with GPS data to closely monitor the quality of the product at every centimetre. This enables real time quality assurance and quality control, ensuring faults are avoided, discovered and rectified without unnecessary waste. 

What’s more, risk assessments are a very important part of the survey process so we use MinFlow, a bespoke health and safety smartphone app, which facilitates Point of Work Risk Assessments within moments. Assessments can be made daily or more frequently and can be completed on-site, ensuring thorough risk management without extensive paperwork.

If you’d like to hear more about our work, or enquire about our services, then we’d love for you to get in touch.