ABSTRACT
Methods designed for use in soils mainly utilize load cells in which the deformation that occurs under in-situ stress is nullified by an applied load whose magnitude is taken as a measure of the in-situ stress. When selecting methods of investigation it is necessary to consider the aspects of bore-hole drilling and in-situ testing that may affect the ground adversely or damage any samples recovered. Engineering structures such as roads, dams, buildings, tunnels and other underground works, are normally constructed according to the requirements of a specific design and from selected construction materials: by observing these requirements the strength of the completed structures is known and their response to load and displacement may be predicted. Programmes of ground investigation should be flexible in content and phased in execution. Flexibility enables investigation to be amended when unexpected features of importance are encountered.
