Training and education in ground investigation - can we make quality count?

摘要

Eurocodes were implemented by the UK with effect from April 2010. Theoretically since that date the geotechnical community should have been undertaking the design of ground investigations and derivation of parameters for design, in accordance with EC7. Analysis of a large number of ground investigations undertaken since 2010, reveals that this is not the case and that in fact the majority of geotechnical work being undertaken (at least in terms of project numbers) makes little or no reference to the EC7 suite of standards. This disappointing fact is set against the backdrop of a concerted effort by a number of industry practitioners to both promote the use of the new standards and to assist in educating the wider geotechnical community on how the standards should be used. The author contends that this situation is being driven by a lack of enthusiasm by what is becoming an aged geotechnical community in the UK. Many of those with the authority to procure ground investigation services, have been in the industry for at least 20 years and are 'comfortable' with the manner in which ground investigation has always been designed and undertaken. This familiarity with certain investigation techniques does not sit well with the requirements of EC7, which requires designers to put quality issues at the forefront of the decision making process. Is it time that we started empowering current and recent graduates in geotechnics to embrace the ethos of EC7, such that future ground investigations provide employers with quality data that is of real value?