Using pedological information in preliminary stage geotechnical investigations for strategic urban planning in South Africa

Urban development in South Africa should be preceded by a preliminary stage geotechnical investigation to facilitate decision-making regarding site selection and project feasibility, and to aid the Environmental Impact Assessment process. These desk studies generally rely on information obtained from published sources, including regional geotechnical maps, typically only available for major urban centres. It is proposed that use be made of pedological information contained in published land type inventories available for most of the country, or resulting from detailed soil mapping surveys. The proposed refined Soils Effects Grouping (SEG) system provides a relatively simple scientifically based tool that allows conversion of pedological information into the relevant geotechnical parlance in accordance with industry-standard parameters suitable for use in preliminary stage geotechnical investigations. Application of this system over a period of more than a decade has provided cost-effective and reasonably accurate results in support of urban planning and Environmental Impact Assessments.