Three types of hazardous waste
The amount of hazardous waste in Australia is steadily trending upward. According to the report, Hazardous Waste in Australia 2021, in 2019-20 Australia generated around 7.4 million tonnes of hazardous waste, which is about 10% of all waste generated nationally (74 million tonnes). This has increased at a rate of 6.3% per year since 2014-15. […]
Understanding the importance of rock mechanics
Rock mechanics involves the study of the response of rock materials to the forces that act on them, such as stresses and strains, as well as the factors that affect the strength and deformation of rock materials. Understanding the behaviour of rocks is important in construction because it allows engineers and contractors to design and […]
Making connections at Douglas Partners’ 35th annual Technical Seminar
After much anticipation, almost 300 engineers, scientists, consultants, and other professionals from across the country gathered recently for the annual Douglas Partners Technical Seminar. The event, now in its 35th year, is a celebration of science and engineering, and importantly the strong culture of learning and development that exists at Douglas Partners. For many, however, […]
Concrete Testing – Three tests that can verify the quality of concrete
As one of the most widely used materials in construction, concrete demands strict quality control to ensure its strength and long-term performance. The strength will depend on many factors, including water-cement ratio, quality of materials and quality control during the production of concrete. Below are three common concrete tests that help to ensure it meets […]
Understanding ground conditions for site classification and land development
Irrespective of scale, to build, develop or redevelop on a foundation without a detailed understanding of the ground conditions is a high-risk activity. In fact, to ignore this can lead to consequences like development structures cracking, leaning, sinking, slipping, and sometimes collapse. And not to mention, drive costs up in the process. Ground composition and […]
The importance of Concrete Testing
Concrete is a necessary and very useful material for construction work. It has been critical in structural engineering throughout history – from the Great Pyramids of Giza to the structures of Ancient Rome to Gothic Architecture of the 18th century. While technology and materials have advanced since it was first developed, concrete continues to be […]
How does groundwater affect engineering construction?
Civil engineering projects can have a significant impact on the groundwater environment. Some of these impacts are temporary, while others can introduce more long-term effects. If we consider the construction of basements, or simple retaining walls on sloping land, there are potential consequences on groundwater systems that can hinder, inhibit, or redirect the flow of […]
Groundwater – why we protect this precious resource
What is groundwater? Groundwater is found deep beneath the Earth’s surface in aquifers, which are bodies of rock and/or sediment that hold large quantities of water. Because of this, groundwater contamination happens slowly; but the consequences can be serious, and the recovery is equally as slow. The quality of groundwater is vital to human health […]
How inclinometers assist geotechnical monitoring
Inclinometers have been around for many years and are an important tool used to monitor the deflection (degree of tilt) of important assets (like retaining walls). They are a simple, cost-effective, piece of equipment that usually consists of a hollow PVC tube with two sets of internal grooves which allow measuring wheels to measure deflection […]
The answer is in the soil: the importance of testing and analysing soil properties
One of the major goals in any successful construction project, is to have confidence that the structure you intend to build, will sit on a solid foundation. To achieve this, a Geotechnical Engineer must analyse the qualities and engineering parameters of the soil, to understand the conditions present at the site. The type of soil […]
