Geotechnical Engineering

Summary

Geotechnical engineering is the discipline focused on understanding soil, rock, and groundwater behaviour to inform the safe design and construction of buildings, infrastructure, and remediation works. It provides critical insights into ground performance, stability, and risk.

Definition

Geotechnical engineering is the field of engineering that analyses and interprets subsurface conditions—including soil, rock, and groundwater—to design foundations, earthworks, retaining structures, slopes, and other ground-related elements of a project. It combines geomechanics, geology, hydrogeology, and material science to ensure structures and remediation efforts are built safely and sustainably.

Why It Matters

Geotechnical engineering is fundamental to almost every construction, infrastructure, and land remediation project in Australia. Poor understanding of subsurface conditions can lead to structural failure, costly redesigns, safety incidents, environmental harm, and significant project delays.

High-quality geotechnical engineering supports:
‍

• safe and efficient foundation design
• slope stability and landslip-risk assessments
• earthworks design and compaction requirements
• excavation planning, including deep excavation risk contro
• groundwater and hydrogeological assessment
• contaminated land remediation feasibility
• assessment of geotechnical hazards such as soft soils, settlement, shrink–swell clays, voids, and acid sulfate soils
  ‍
  

Geotechnical engineering also plays a major role in environmental compliance. Subsurface conditions influence groundwater movement, contaminant transport, site remediation design, and construction impacts on sensitive receptors.

When It’s Required

Geotechnical engineering is typically required at the planning, assessment, design, and construction stages of projects where subsurface conditions influence outcomes. Common triggers include:

Development Applications (DAs)

Councils and planning authorities often require geotechnical assessments to confirm site suitability and manage geotechnical risks before approving construction.

Infrastructure and Civil Works

Roads, rail, tunnels, bridges, ports, and utility corridors rely heavily on geotechnical engineering to design stable, durable earthworks and structural interfaces.

Building Foundations and Retaining Structures

Engineering design for footings, slabs, piles, anchor systems, and retaining walls depends on accurate geotechnical characterisation.

Contaminated Land and Remediation Projects

Geotechnical factors such as soil strength, permeability, and groundwater movement shape remediation strategies, excavation feasibility, waste classification, and encapsulation cell design.

Groundwater and Dewatering Management

Geotechnical and hydrogeological assessments are combined to support Dewatering Management Plans (DMPs), groundwater extraction, and settlement risk assessments.

Slope Stability and Landslip Assessments

Triggered by planning conditions, site constraints, or geotechnical hazards in hilly or erosion-prone areas.

Construction Environmental Management Requirements

Geotechnical risks often intersect with environmental compliance, requiring integration with EMPs, CEMPs, and monitoring programs.

How We Can Help

Nova Group Pacific provides integrated geotechnical, environmental, and hydrogeological expertise to support compliant, risk-aware project outcomes across Australia.

Our multidisciplinary services include:
‍

• Geotechnical Engineering Services‍
• Environmental & Geotechnical Drilling Services‍
• Construction Environmental Management Plan

Related Terms and Concepts

Explore related glossary terms that support deeper understanding of geotechnical and environmental integration

‍

• Geotechnical Investigation‍
• Geotechnical Report‍
• Geotechnical Drilling‍
• Environmental Drilling‍
• Development Applications (DAs)‍
• Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP)‍
• Remediation Action Plan (RAP)