Survey is an essential
part of any project; be it capital or maintenance dredging,
beach recharge, land reclamation, or maritime construction.
Surveys are required from the conception of a project through
to completion, and often way beyond. It is essential that
surveys be undertaken correctly to meet the needs of all
involved and enable the project to progress efficiently.
It is our experiences that without adequate controls the
results of surveys are often inadequate and can lead to project
delays. The Partnership has years of experience in producing,
supervising and managing survey contracts. Contracts are
tailored to individual clients and projects. Budgets for
survey can be provided at any stage.
The parties who may need survey information during
a typical coastal project include : |
Feasibility Consultant
| Bathymetry, land survey, soil characterization.
|
 Example
of sediment plume tracking by ADCP in Belfast Harbour |
| The Designers |
Bathymetry, Currents, Tides, Sub-bottom profile. |
| Geotechnical team |
Bathymetry, tides and positioning control. |
| Licensing Authority |
Soil volumes by type i.e. Sand, clay, gravel,
rock. |
| Environmental lobby |
Currents, sediment type, benthos status. |
| Dredging contractor |
Bathymetry, positioning, volume computations. |
| Site Engineer |
Bathymetry and volumes to assess progress. |
| Navigation Authority |
As built bathymetric data for revision of charts |
Survey requirements should be carefully planned before
the project commences. The essential ingredients to achieve accurate
and appropriate survey results include:
Positioning Control
|
Vital. If the control is inaccurate, the consequences
may be very serious. Modern reliance on GPS introduces added
risk of hidden error. |
A Digital Ground Model of Workington Bar
Tidal study for
Chart Datum
computations
Pre and Post Dredge
cross-section plot
|
| Height Control |
Height control is critical to volume calculations and safe
navigation. A small error will have major impact on volume
measurement. Errors are commonplace. |
Tidal information |
Critical for all marine activities and also shore side engineering
works. |
| Currents |
Essential input to modelling programmes, environmental assessment,
project execution and navigation. |
| Sediment |
Samples will be required to characterize the sediment,
benthic conditions and level of contaminants before, during
and after the works. |
| Water Samples |
Sampling to assess the amount of suspended sediments and
contaminants, as well as water quality. |
| Bathymetry |
For design, volumes computation and monitoring from conception
to completion. |
| Sub-bottom |
To estimate the distribution and volume of different materials
and determine rock head levels. |
| Side-scan Sonar |
To assess seabed surface characteristics and identify
obstructions, or archaeology. |
| Sediment Tacking |
To predict and to measure sediment plume dispersion and deposition. |
| Land Survey |
To measure reclamation, beach-fill, or any activity within
the land-water interface. |
|
