How to Do Site Work for Construction

Course Summary:

Your job as the Builder is to direct your crew members in preparing the construction site before pouring foundations or erecting walls. Your work begins with site surveys using specialized surveying equipment and methods. You will pull building permits for various aspects of the project, working closely with local authorities. Once that work is underway, begin site and building layout. Leveling and grading are key components in building sound structures, with competent work taking into account the types of soils with which you are working. Soils testing can help you determine whether you need to perform any soil stabilization before construction begins.

This chapter introduces you to the concepts of site surveys, including construction surveys, bench marks, datum, and mean sea level. You will learn about earthwork operations, including pioneering, grubbing, stripping, and drainage. You will get an introduction to permits that need to be coordinated with local agencies for construction projects, including utility interruption requests, excavation requests, and road closure requests.

This chapter describes the common types of leveling instruments; including their principles, uses, procedures of establishing elevations, and techniques of laying out building lines. As a Builder, you will find the information especially useful in performing such duties as setting up a level, reading a leveling rod, interpreting and setting grade stakes, and setting batter boards.

Information on classifying and testing soils is included in this chapter. You will learn about practices and measures to stabilize soil on construction sites, which can also help prevent slides and cave-ins at excavation sites.

Learning Objective:

By the end of this course, you will be able to do the following:

1. Explain types of site surveys and their components, including construction surveys, benchmarks, datum, and mean sea level.
2. Explain types of earthwork operations, including pioneering, grubbing, stripping, and drainage.
3. Describe types of leveling instruments and their uses.
4. Interpret readings from a leveling rod.
5. Determine elevations in the field to locate points at specified elevations.
6. Determine boundaries of building layout.
7. Determine classes of soils through soils testing.
8. Determine soil stabilization strategies.

Review the quiz before studying the course.

Course Content

Course Author: Franco. Davati, P.E.