---
title: "Define soil exploration"
subject: "Building Technology"
chapter: 2
key: "semester_6/building_technology:define-soil-exploration"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/building_technology/define-soil-exploration
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Define soil exploration

Building Technology · Chapter 2: Foundations

- Asked in: 2077 Chaitra, 2 marks
- Video: [What is Geotechnical Investigation or Soil Investigation?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClCUdEyqm4Q) — Civil Mentors
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/building_technology/define-soil-exploration
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_6/building_technology/chapter-2

## Question

Define soil exploration.

## Short answer

Soil exploration is the site investigation process using pits, borings, sampling and in-situ/laboratory tests. It determines soil strata, ground water level and engineering properties such as bearing capacity for a safe and economical foundation design.

## Answer

**Soil exploration** (sub-soil or site investigation) is the process of investigating the soil and rock below a site, by pits, borings, sampling, in-situ and laboratory tests, to find the soil strata, ground water level and engineering properties such as bearing capacity, so that a safe and economical foundation can be designed.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Soil exploration is
   A. Investigating soil and rock below a site for foundation design
   B. Painting a building
   C. Testing steel
   D. Mixing concrete
   Answer: A. It uses pits, borings, sampling and tests. (Key point: Definition)

2. What does it find?
   A. Cement strength
   B. Strata, ground water level and bearing capacity
   C. Wall height
   D. Roof load
   Answer: B. These are the engineering properties for design. (Key point: Output)

3. Which is part of soil exploration?
   A. Plastering
   B. Borings, sampling and in-situ tests
   C. Curing concrete
   D. Roof tiling
   Answer: B. Pits, borings, sampling, in-situ and lab tests are used. (Key point: Methods)

## Related in Building Technology

- [Need for soil test / soil exploration](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Asoil-test-need) — Building Technology, chapter 2, asked 2×
- [Soil exploration and improving bearing capacity](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Asoil-exploration-improving-bc-nepal) — Building Technology, chapter 2
- [Soil exploration, safe bearing capacity, improvement](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Aexploration-bc-065s) — Building Technology, chapter 2
- [Sub-soil exploration, improving bearing capacity](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Asubsoil-exploration-improve) — Building Technology, chapter 2