Geological survey for water pipelines
Route drilling for water supply and sewer lines: groundwater, trench stability, collapsible soils and soil aggressiveness to pipe materials.
Licensed service · EL-845/2026
Water supply and sewer pipelines affect the ground more than any other linear structure: any leak soaks the surrounding soil, changes its properties and can even affect the foundations of nearby buildings. That is why it is important to know how the soils along the route will behave before the pipeline is designed.
The loess-like loams common on Absheron and in the Kura-Araz lowland undergo additional settlement when wetted, while saline soils are aggressive to steel, cast iron and concrete pipes and to concrete manholes. Gravity sewers require precise gradients, so uneven settlement disrupts their operation. During the survey we assess these risks section by section along the route.
Boreholes are drilled along the centreline and at pumping stations, reservoirs, manholes and road crossings. We study soil lithology, excavation category, trench wall stability, groundwater level and the need for dewatering. Collapse potential, salt content and aggressiveness to pipe materials are determined in the laboratory on soil and water samples.
Results are presented as a longitudinal geological profile of the route and an engineering geological report. The designer uses them to choose pipe material, burial depth, bedding and trench support.
When you need it
- Design of new water supply lines
- Construction of sewer and stormwater lines
- Reconstruction of old water mains
- Siting of pumping stations and reservoirs
- Design of crossings under roads and canals
What's included
- Drilling of boreholes along the route
- Groundwater level and dewatering assessment
- Assessment of trench wall stability
- Determination of soil collapse potential
- Aggressiveness to steel, cast iron and concrete
- Longitudinal geological profile
How we work
- Review of the route scheme and brief
- Selection of borehole locations
- Field work: drilling and sampling
- Laboratory testing
- Delivery of report and profile
Deliverables
- Engineering geological report
- Longitudinal geological profile of the route
- Soil and water aggressiveness results
- Recommendations on burial depth, bedding and trenching
