How can you write geotechnical reports that meet relevant codes and standards?

Well, first of all, you need to fully understand the scope of the report, and then know the codes and standards to apply to a specific project. Always check with local regulations. Keeping it simple with clear language, providing evidence, and always revising the report.

Before writing your geotechnical report, identify and review the pertinent codes and standards, such as the International Building Code (IBC), ASCE standards, Eurocode 7 (EC7), and local regulations like Geotechnical Engineering Circulars (GEC). Ensure you stay current with updates, acknowledge local amendments and client-specific requirements, and cross-reference with precision. Collaborate with interdisciplinary experts as needed, and educate stakeholders on code compliance. Continuous learning is vital to stay up-to-date and ensure that your geotechnical report aligns with the latest industry guidelines

Familiarise yourself with relevant standards such as BSI and Eurocodes and stay updated on revisions. Collect data meticulously, conforming to recognised procedures. Analyse the data using appropriate geotechnical methods and software in line with chosen standards. Tailor foundation design by considering factors like safety, bearing capacity, and settlement calculations, adjusted for site-specific conditions. Ensure your recommendations align with relevant codes, and specify additional testing or monitoring if necessary. Incorporate a robust internal quality assurance process, conducting reviews for consistency, accuracy, and standards compliance. Consider peer reviews for validation. Stay updated through ongoing learning and training.

Understand Project Requirements: Familiarize yourself with the specific project requirements, including the scope of work, site conditions, and any client-specific preferences. This understanding will guide your investigation and reporting process. Follow Applicable Codes and Standards: Identify and adhere to the relevant codes and standards governing geotechnical engineering in the region where the project is located. Common codes include ASTM standards, Eurocode, and local building codes.

It's all about understanding your scope and addressing it in your report. I'm thinking less is more - address the scope in detail and don't flood the report with generic information. Be site specific and project specific. Good communication between the geotechnical engineers and the engineering team to understand the design requirements is the key to a successful geotech report. I used to have various templates that were set-up to address specific codes and standards. Typically different regions want you to address different things. Some areas focus heavily on seismicity, while other regions typically dont require this (where not considered a probable risk). Address what you need in the template and make sure you cover the scope well!

A logically structured geotechnical report with clear headings, a well-defined table of contents, and consistent formatting enhances readability and understanding. Visual aids, such as tables and figures, should be used judiciously to simplify complex data. The executive summary serves as a quick reference, and appendices house supplementary information. Ensuring a logical flow between sections is vital, and concise, well-referenced content is key. Regular review and revision help maintain a seamlessly structured report, promoting professionalism and accessibility for all stakeholders, including engineers and regulators.

In a geotechnical report, clarity and brevity are essential. Avoid technical jargon, use specific and quantifiable descriptions, and prefer active voice and present tense for direct communication. Eliminate vague terms that might lead to misunderstanding and ensure your language is accessible to both experts and non-specialists. Proofreading and peer review help maintain a clear and concise style, enhancing the report's effectiveness in conveying critical findings and recommendations for engineers, clients, and regulators, thereby promoting project safety and success.

And dont use made up technical words ie Structuration is a made up Shell gobbledy gook if you break it down Structuration is the "act of Structuring" instead of adding confusion say it is "Structuring"

If the soil parameters are based on lab testing, make sure you indicate which ASTM standards were adopted. Ensure that every bore log shows the GWT and blow count N. Very often, the "N" value is used to identify the soil type. If ultimate values are given, make sure what factors of safety are recommended. For example: a FoS of 3 is used for bearing and Fos of 2 used for skin friction. In the event that the soils report is for designing drilled shafts or direct embeds or caissons, ensure that soil lateral properties including soil modulus are given. I have seen many of my clients sue LPILE for foundation analysis and parameters tailored for LPILE must be given. Same for MFAD. Finally, the engineer must remember that all soils are uncertain.

Explain in detail your geotechnical model: if you′re using more than one constitutive model, explain its use in your calculations. For example, I use Mohr-Coulomb model for Factor of Safety (Ultimate Limit State) in excavation calculations, while the Hardening Soil is better suited for strain calculations (Service Limit State).

I like this article; it has some good concepts and content. As someone who has written and reviewed plenty of reports and has been involved in insurance, contract and legal disputes and claims, a few of my key takeaways are: - reports should be well structured, but they should also have a Flesch reading score appropriate for the audience. For most technical reports this should be aimed at high school age readers (believe it or not). - keep sentences short and avoid unnecessarily large and superfluous words and remain succinct. - the language used should also be carefully considered. Words like ‘inspect’, ‘determine’ and the like are east argument points for lawyers and alternatives like ‘observe’, ‘assess’ etc. may be more appropriate.

Never forget that standards are established to align stakeholders in requirements, methods and evaluation results. Standards are therefor a very important and widely accepted aspect of whatever investigation is performed. Nevertheless, in my experience standards do not always serve the questions at hand. Often some factors not foreseen in standards have a significant impact towards the objectives. Anyone drafting a report shall not only clearly indicate the question and methods used leading to the conclusions, but also indicate any observation outside the defined context of the investigation. Sharing lessons learned may contribute to improvement of the standards applied..

Bear in mind who is going to use the report. A geotechnical report has significantly different implications for a builder versus a structural engineer: For a Builder: Focuses on practical construction aspects such soil conditions such as the strength of the rock - can a digger bucket excavate or does a ripper or even a rock breaker need to be used adding costs and time to excavate. Groundwater issues that might impact excavation requiring pumping. A Structural Engineer might concentrate on technical design parameters such as soil bearing capacity for foundation design, Seismic design parameters, Lateral earth pressures for retaining wall design, Deep foundation recommendations if needed.