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CPT Guide

Risk Based Site Characterization

Risk and uncertainty are characteristics of the ground and are never fully eliminated. The extent and level of an investigation should be based on the risk of the project. Risk analysis answers three basic questions, namely:

What can go wrong?
How likely is it?
What are the consequences?

Projects can be classified into low, moderate or high risk projects, depending on the probability of the associated hazards occurring and the associated consequences. Low-risk projects could be projects with few hazards, low probability of occurrence, and limited consequences, whereas high risk projects could be projects with many hazards, a high probability of occurrence, and severe consequences. Table 1 shows a generalized flow chart to illustrate the likely geotechnical ground investigation approach associated with low risk, moderate risk and high risk projects.

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