Project pathway
The quickest route to the right decision.
Ordnance assessment in roadworks and civil engineering
Before roadworks and civil-engineering work, the route, utility trench, excavation and deep foundations are compared with available ordnance indicators. FONTANA-EOD reviews the documents and planned ground interventions. Send the site plan, intervention depths and construction phases so that suitable investigations and evidence can be defined for the individual road sections and structures.
Assign sections, structures and crossings.
Represent excavation, retaining works and foundations.
Clearly document the areas dealt with.
Before roadworks and civil-engineering work
Establish investigation requirements for the route and structures
In roadworks and civil engineering, ordnance assessment is based on the planned ground intervention and available suspicion and investigation records. Road corridors, utility trenches, excavations and deep foundations each need an appropriate horizontal and vertical reference. Further services are selected so that their findings can be used for the next construction section and unresolved areas remain identifiable.
Project references
Selected project examples
Ingelheim am Rhein
The GPR reference for the upgrading of Albertstraße in Ingelheim shows a specific application in urban roadworks and civil engineering. View project details.
Service areas:Surface surveys: GPR, TDEM and magnetometryMethod used in this project: Ground-penetrating radar
References from project practice
Reference projects: roadworks and civil engineering
Our references in roadworks and civil engineering range from bridges and transport facilities to sewer and site-development works. Select a project location for the associated service information.
Project information is loaded from the reference list.
Select a project location from the place selector or choose a point on the map.
Location reference for a projectGerman road network · DLM250, 31.12.2025
The markers show official place centres. The associated references state the construction task, services performed and documented scope.
Map data: © GeoBasis-DE / BKG (2026), VG250 / GN250 / DLM250, dl-de/by-2-0; Luxembourg: ACT / data.public.lu, CC0. Geometries projected and simplified for display.
Specialist pages by construction task
How the project type determines ordnance assessment
Roadworks and civil engineering involve very different work volumes. For motorways, sewer alignments, bridges, noise barriers and deep foundations, the required investigations are defined according to area, depth and construction method.
Ordnance surveys for motorways
New construction and widening, carriageway renewal, drainage, central reserves, interchanges and engineering structures along long construction corridors.
For detailed design, lanes, central reserves, verges and structural areas are divided into separate investigation and handover sections.
The subsequent use of the evidence is considered when the sections are defined.
Assess the motorway sectionFederal and state roads
Widening, maintenance and full reconstruction with changing construction conditions, traffic phases, existing utilities and sectional handovers.
Traffic phases, diversions and sectional access determine when areas can be investigated and handed over for subsequent work.
Handovers are documented with the plan revision, depth and unresolved edge areas.
Assess the road section and construction phaseBridge construction within the road corridor
Abutments, piers, piles, sheet-pile walls, excavations and temporary work areas with different horizontal and vertical volumes.
Pile and abutment areas are combined with the bridge geometry, retaining works and temporary work areas in a component-specific investigation concept.
Structural areas and traffic areas receive separate but coordinated evidence.
Assess bridge and foundation areasSewer construction and drainage
Utility trenches, chambers, stormwater basins, inverted siphons and crossings whose alignments and depths must be transferred accurately to the ordnance assessment.
Chamber excavations, sewer reaches, crossings and connection points receive their own position and depth references for surveys and later excavation records.
Sewer-reach lengths and chamber locations determine the processing sequence.
Assess the sewer and drainage alignmentExcavation monitoring in civil engineering
Technical surveying and specialist assessment of each working layer before controlled soil removal, provided this approach is suitable for the planned intervention.
Supervision is used only for clearly defined layers and areas and is linked to advance assessment and an orderly follow-on decision.
Depths not supervised and laterally altered excavation areas remain expressly outside the statement’s scope.
Plan excavation monitoring in civil engineeringCycle paths and transport infrastructure
Linear, often narrow construction corridors with crossings, drainage, lighting, retaining elements and interventions that change by section.
Lighting, drainage, retaining elements and crossing structures are considered alongside the path alignment itself where they involve relevant ground interventions.
Connecting structures and crossings are included in the project file as separate decision points.
Assess the cycle path and transport areaJunctions and interchanges
Junctions, roundabouts, ramps and side-road connections with numerous interfaces involving traffic, utilities and construction phases.
Crossing utilities, traffic islands, signals and construction phases are structured so that no unclear residual areas remain between trades.
Each traffic phase is checked for new work volumes or additional depths.
Assess the junction and connection areaTunnel construction and underpasses
Deep excavations, retaining works, anchors, launch and reception areas and zones accessible only after demolition or excavation.
Ramps, portals, retaining works and deep excavations are investigated and documented separately from the near-surface road corridor.
Excavations and portal areas are spatially checked against subsequent specialist foundation works.
Assess the tunnel and underpass areaNoise barriers
Linear rows of piles, posts and foundations beside traffic areas with restricted working space and dense technical infrastructure.
Point and linear foundations are related to the actual work volume using chainage, foundation spacing, target depth and subsequent installation method.
Changes to the alignment or foundation spacing trigger a renewed comparison with the investigation geometry.
Assess the noise-barrier foundation alignmentRetaining walls and civil-engineering structures
Pile alignments, anchors, excavations, slopes and existing structures requiring a structured horizontal and vertical investigation.
The existing structure, new geometry, anchor and pile alignments and slope areas each receive a separate technical statement.
Progress is recorded by structural component rather than merely by a general area figure.
Assess the retaining wall and engineering structureService areas and car parks
Large paved areas with drainage, utilities, lighting, fuel and service areas and several construction phases.
Parking spaces, access routes, fuel and service areas, drainage and lighting are distinguished by construction section and the extent of technical installations.
Service and ancillary areas are included in the investigation where ground interventions or foundations are planned.
Assess the service area or car parkStructural foundations in civil engineering
Piles, boreholes, sheet-pile walls, anchors and other deep point or linear ground interventions with their own investigation geometry.
Each foundation type is described by coordinates, geometry, target depth and installation method so that investigation and execution volumes match.
Acceptance is based on the documented point locations and depth volumes.
Prepare deep foundation areas
Questions before and during construction
Which technical clarification fits the current design or construction stage
The next step depends on the project phase, intervention geometry, access and evidence required.
Early route and options planning
Before the final alignment is fixed, historical indicators, old documents and known find locations affecting the project corridor are reviewed.
The spatial preliminary assessment supports comparison of options, cost estimation and prioritisation of technical investigations.
Results are prepared so that options can be compared not only by suspected contamination but also by achievable measurability and additional investigation effort.
Assess the historical route contextTendering and specifications
Areas, depths, target objects, methods, qualification requirements and contractual evidence must be described unambiguously for all bidders.
Lump-sum items without section and depth references make comparison and subsequent acceptance harder.
Provisional and alternative items receive clear trigger criteria so that changes during construction do not lead to unclear service boundaries.
Prepare the service specificationArea-wide and near-surface zones
Carriageways, verges, construction areas and accessible route sections can be investigated using suitable geophysical methods.
Surfacing, utilities, reinforcement, scrap content and the required data depth are checked before commissioning.
Where surfaces or interference fields differ, sections can be configured separately and assessed using appropriate quality criteria for each.
Select area-survey methodsBoreholes, piles and retaining works
Bridges, retaining walls, underpasses, noise barriers and deep structures create point or linear interventions at depth.
Coordinates, target depth, foundation geometry and construction method determine the investigation geometry.
For replacement points and changed alignments, it is checked whether the intended work volume remains sufficiently covered or needs additional investigation.
Prepare deep interventionsOngoing excavation and demolition
Existing structures, utilities and strong interference fields may limit advance investigation. These zones are identified spatially.
Necessary investigations and protective measures are defined before ground interventions during demolition. The appropriate further investigation method is established for work volumes that then become accessible. If construction-phase ordnance surveying is an option, excavation layers, stop points, responsibilities and documentation are defined beforehand.
Supervision is linked to excavation sequence, equipment selection, responsibilities and the point at which a further technical investigation becomes possible.
Plan excavation monitoringAnomalies and confirmed findings
Measurement anomalies, technical interference objects and actual finds are assessed as distinct categories.
Measurement anomalies are interpreted by specialists and may lead to additional investigation or controlled exposure. If a suspicious object is found, work stops, the immediate area is evacuated and the police are notified immediately.
A unique location identifier keeps the sequence of measures traceable from the first anomaly to the final section decision.
Clarify the findings and recovery process
Project situation, investigation and evidence
Which investigation is required before the next construction section
For each construction section, the ground volume to investigate and the evidence needed by designers or site management are defined. Area-wide route zones, deep structural foundations, inaccessible existing-asset zones and ongoing excavation sections are planned as different tasks. Offers can then refer to the same investigation scope. Evidence applies in each case to the documented work volume.
Unclear suspicion indicators before design
Historical indicators and previous uses have not yet been related sufficiently to the route and construction area.
Aerial-photo analysis and document review provide a spatial assessment basis for options and technical investigation.
This gives designers a reliable basis for priorities, further data collection and preparation of the later bill of quantities.
Investigate the suspected corridorAccessible area before earthworks
The future work volume is accessible over its area and is to be assessed technically before excavation or milling.
A suitable surface method provides georeferenced measurement data and identifies interference or exclusion areas.
Quality control and report structure are defined before fieldwork so that the result can be used for the next construction section.
Plan an area assessmentDeep foundations or retaining-work alignment
Piles, sheet-pile walls, anchors or boreholes extend below the reliably investigated near-surface zone.
The investigation is tied to point or linear position, target depth and construction method.
Line and point spacings are derived from structural geometry, not from a generic route width.
Assess the volume at depthExisting-asset area with limited measurability
Utilities, structures, traffic or technical interference fields prevent a reliable, complete preliminary investigation.
Zones that cannot be assessed are mapped. For these zones, it is checked when access will be possible and which additional investigation method suits the planned intervention.
The additional investigation is related to the specific construction condition. Later access may permit a different method from the current situation.
Assess additional investigation methodsAnomaly list with unresolved items
Measurement anomalies require specialist follow-up before the relevant ground intervention.
Exposure, additional measurement or clearance are planned according to position, depth and clearance objective.
Outstanding items are entered into project management with a deadline, treatment method and responsible party before the relevant ground intervention begins.
Assess the processing of anomaliesSection handover to site management
Completed, restricted and unresolved areas must be identifiable with the plan revision, depth and conclusion.
Reports, site plans and records form the basis for the next construction section and later updates.
The handover also identifies which plan changes or additional depths would trigger a further specialist assessment.
Structure the handover and project file
Plans, measurement data and reports
Which documents clients and site management need
An ordnance assessment becomes useful for a road or civil-engineering project only when the initial situation, scope of work, methods, results and limits are brought together traceably. The evidence must also be understandable to project parties who were not involved in fieldwork. Plans, measurement data and reports must therefore identify the same construction section and plan revision. Results are assigned to the areas and depths investigated.
Route and construction-area reference
Chainage, alignment, working width, construction section, crossing, structure, borehole position and land parcel provide the spatial reference.
Changes during design and execution are recorded through traceable updates.
The spatial reference must remain intact even when traffic phases or lot boundaries change by section.
Suspected hazard and source evidence
Historical analyses, information from authorities, known finds, earlier reports and project requirements are documented with their scope.
Data gaps and contradictions remain visible as unresolved items.
Conflicting sources are not combined without explaining their origin and technical significance for the current project stage.
Methods and working conditions
Measurement principle, grid, line layout, investigation depth, borehole geometry, surface, ground, utilities and interference sources are described.
This allows the technical scope of the statement to be assessed.
Different measurement conditions on asphalt, verges, slopes and excavations are identified by section.
Survey data, anomalies and findings
Raw and interpreted data, anomaly lists, site plans, field records and findings documents must be consistent in content.
Measurement observations, technical causes and actual finds remain distinct.
Specialist review combines automated data presentation with a reasoned assessment of position, depth and technical cause.
Deviations and unresolved areas
Inaccessible, technically disturbed areas or areas differing from the plan are identified spatially.
A specific follow-up measure or later project stage is identified for each zone.
Unresolved zones remain visible on maps and action lists until a suitable follow-up service has been completed and documented.
Final and section-specific evidence
The report describes the area and depth actually dealt with, the result, limits and next decision.
Partial handovers are later combined into a consistent project file.
The complete file clearly distinguishes completed subsections, areas assessed with restrictions and future construction phases.
From suspicion to a construction decision
How ordnance assessment and the civil-engineering sequence are connected
The sequence is adapted to the project phase, construction method and access. Before the next ground intervention, completed investigations and outstanding tasks are identified. Where traffic is managed in phases, investigation, assessment and handover are coordinated with the actual availability of work volumes. Technical minimum requirements, quality controls and statement limits remain unchanged.
Record the project task and construction section
Route, structure, construction area, chainage, intervention, depth, date and required conclusion are described unambiguously.
The task distinguishes near-surface earthworks, deep foundations and temporary construction areas.
Review documents and the basis for suspicion
Site plans, land parcels, utilities, borehole positions, old documents, letters from authorities and earlier reports are brought together.
Incomplete or contradictory documents are recorded as specific information-acquisition or clarification tasks.
Define investigation areas and data gaps
Historical indicators are overlaid with current construction geometry. This defines area-wide, deep and initially inaccessible work volumes.
Historical indicators are related to the areas and depths actually planned.
Define services and methods
Target object, surface, ground, utilities, interference environment, depth and evidence requirements determine the suitable service or combination.
Quality criteria, data formats and treatment of inaccessible areas are defined for each service.
Prepare deployment and the construction sequence
Access, traffic management, exclusion areas, surveying, equipment, stop points and communication are agreed before work begins.
Work and traffic arrangements are coordinated so that the planned areas are actually accessible and can be investigated.
Carry out surveys or supervision
Measurement, deep investigation, exposure or construction-phase services are carried out with location references according to the agreed method.
Deviations from the planned scope are recorded spatially without delay and assessed technically before work continues.
Assess data and findings
Measurement values, anomalies, exposures and restrictions are checked for plausibility against the investigation or clearance objective.
The assessment considers whether the result is needed for design, execution, clearance or an interface with an authority.
Hand over and update results
Reports, plans, records, unresolved areas and the follow-on decision are prepared for designers, procurement and site management.
Updates remain linked to the original commission through unique plan and section identifiers.
Select the project task
Which starting point fits the current design or construction stage
For combined projects, investigation requirements and methods are assessed separately for the overall section, structures and initially inaccessible existing-asset zones. The services are brought together through the same route and plan references.
Make an initial assessment of suspicion
For early route options, properties and construction areas where the historical basis for contamination is unclear.
The analysis identifies which sections should undergo further technical investigation.
If routes change or structures are added, it is checked whether the historical assessment also covers these areas.
Commission historical assessmentSurvey a road or construction area
For accessible area-wide zones before earthworks, milling or road upgrading.
The method is chosen according to surface, target object, ground and interference environment.
The measurement plan also considers inaccessible edge zones and subsequent construction or traffic arrangements.
Prepare a surface surveyAssess borehole, pile and retaining-work positions
For geotechnical boreholes, piles, sheet-pile walls, anchors, posts and deep foundations.
Coordinates, target depth and construction method determine the investigation area.
Point lists and retaining-work alignments are checked before surveying for plan revision, coordinate system and actual execution geometry.
Plan a deep-ground surveyProvide specialist excavation supervision
For excavations and utility trenches where construction-phase ordnance surveying is technically suitable. Each working layer is technically surveyed and assessed. Controlled layer-by-layer removal and supplementary visual inspection follow; the steps are repeated down to the agreed excavation bottom. Merely watching the excavator remove soil is not sufficient.
Excavation layers, stop points and documentation are agreed with site management.
The service specification also describes how to deal with deviations, new excavation layers and find reports during construction.
Agree excavation supervisionStructure tendering and evidence
For unambiguous service specifications, clearance objectives, quality requirements and subsequent acceptance.
The scope of work is linked to the plan revision and data format.
Consistent data formats and acceptance criteria make updates easier across lots, plan revisions and several contractors.
Prepare procurement documentsReview unclear project requirements
For requirements, expert reports or design documents that do not yet identify the specific ordnance service needed.
An initial specialist assessment identifies the appropriate next step.
The response identifies missing information and what needs to be clarified next.
Have project documents assessedSelect an investigation
Derive the investigation from the work volume
Investigate accessible areas
For the carriageway, verge or construction area, it is first checked whether the surface, ground and interference sources permit informative measurements. Only then can a suitable surface method be selected for the defined intervention.
Choose suitable surface methods for the construction area
Plan deep and concealed areas separately
Piles, anchors, retaining-work alignments and ground accessible only after demolition are described by location, depth and construction phase. Additional investigations must suit these work volumes; an existing area-wide assessment is not automatically sufficient.
Assess depth-related investigationRoute and plan revision
Bring together the route, depth volumes and plan revisions
Define the ground intervention and investigation objective
For each route section, the planned groundworks are recorded in an intervention list. Carriageway, sewer reach, chamber, excavation and foundation point receive the appropriate position and depth references. The list is checked against existing evidence; areas outside the documented scope remain unresolved.
Consider areas and depths separately
Road and civil-engineering projects combine long linear corridors with individual structures and changing construction phases. An area-wide investigation along the route does not automatically assess deep piles, retaining-work alignments or borehole positions. Carriageway, verge, drainage, junctions and structural areas are therefore considered separately.
Consider measurement conditions
Surfacing, utilities, reinforcement, fill, transport installations and changing ground conditions may affect measurability. The suitable method is determined by target object, surface, interference environment and required depth; a traceable follow-up measure is defined for restricted areas.
Update the progress record
The evidence connects the route or construction area, chainage, construction section, intervention depth, method, technical limits and specialist conclusion. The statement can therefore be used in the bill of quantities, site management and project file, and updated specifically when plans change. For projects lasting several years, shared section plans show which investigations are completed or outstanding for subsections, traffic phases and structural areas. They identify the areas and depths dealt with, remaining restrictions and the additional investigation required before changed construction work.
Technical responsibility
Check investigations and evidence against plan changes
Before work begins, investigation areas, suitable methods and required evidence are defined. Site management must be able to identify the areas and depths actually dealt with from the documents.
Define road-investigation areas specifically
FONTANA-EOD starts with the specific ground intervention and the decision needed for the next project stage. A road corridor is not assessed uniformly when excavations, piles, sewers and open areas pose different tasks.
Before work starts, suspected contamination, target object, surface, ground, utilities, intervention depth, access, construction phase and regional interfaces are checked. This produces a structured service plan.
During execution, deviations, restricted areas and plan changes are recorded continuously. The conclusion remains tied to the area actually dealt with.
The project file distinguishes measurement observations, specialist assessment, actual findings and follow-up measures. This keeps communication between client, designers and site management reliable.
A clear task
Route, area, depth, structure, target object and required conclusion are defined before work begins.
Reasoned method selection
Methods are applied according to technical suitability, not by a fixed formula.
Accurately positioned execution
Measurement areas, borehole positions, excavation areas and findings retain their spatial assignment.
Transparent limitations
Utilities, interference fields and inaccessible zones are identified visibly.
Evidence that can be updated
Plan changes, partial handovers and outstanding measures are updated consistently.
Results for design and construction
The report answers the specific project question and identifies further measures required.
Project organisation
Who designs, investigates and manages construction
Construction responsibility, private specialist services and public hazard response interact but perform different tasks. Before work begins, it is defined who commissions investigations, reports plan changes and passes results to site management.
Client
Project owner, municipality or road authority
Define the construction task, investigation area, required conclusion and timing. They provide existing documents and commission the specialist services required.
Design
Design, engineering and geotechnical consultancies
Translate the project into routes, structures, borehole positions, depths and construction phases. They integrate ordnance assessment into design and the bill of quantities.
Execution
Construction contractor and site management
Implement work areas, traffic arrangements, excavation layers, protective measures and stop points. Changes to the construction sequence are communicated before the relevant intervention.
Specialist contractor
FONTANA-EOD
Assesses documents and suspicion indicators, develops the agreed approach, performs specialist services within the commissioned scope and documents results and limits.
Responsible person
Competent specialist
Directs the relevant work within their appointment and competence and makes the safety-related decisions needed for the work sequence.
Hazard response
KBD, KMBD, KRD and local authorities
In Germany, the ordnance disposal services of the federal states and the locally competent authorities carry out hazard-response and find-management duties. Their involvement is established for the project location; outside Germany, local responsibilities apply.
Public-order and building-control authorities may be involved depending on the local procedure and construction task. Requirements and contacts are assigned to the actual road section and plan revision. Technical investigation, traffic orders and official decisions on finds are documented with their respective responsibilities.
Occupational safety and project organisation
Technical and organisational foundations to consider
Requirements depend on the activity, project location, find situation and responsibilities. The service specification, qualifications, risk assessment, traffic and work arrangements and documentation are tied to the specific commission.
Explosives legislation, risk assessment and specialist planning
In Germany, § 7 SprengG concerns the commercial authorisation for activities requiring authorisation; § 20 SprengG concerns the certificate of competence of responsible persons. Under § 1b SprengG, searching for found munitions also counts as handling them. The requirements applicable to the project depend on the activity actually commissioned.
The risk assessment brings together working methods, personnel, equipment, traffic, protective zones, instruction, escape routes and communication. DGUV Information 201-027 provides technical guidance for risk assessment and protective measures in ordnance clearance work.
The Baufachliche Richtlinien Kampfmittelräumung contain requirements for investigation, clearance planning, procurement, quality and documentation within their defined remit for the German federal government. Their application to the specific road or civil-engineering project is established separately.
If a suspicious object is found, stop work in the affected area immediately. Do not touch or move the object, leave the danger area and keep others away without putting yourself at risk. In Germany, notify the police immediately on 110; outside Germany, use the local emergency reporting procedure. Then inform site management.
The First Ordinance to the Explosives Act (1. SprengV) includes requirements for specialist knowledge and state-recognised training courses. Qualifications and commissioned activities are defined together for each work volume within the road and civil-engineering project.
DGUV Rule 113-003 concerns the dismantling or destruction of explosives or corresponding objects and also includes the disposal of found munitions. It applies according to this field of activity; it does not replace a risk assessment specific to the planned ground intervention.
Specification
Area and depth references, methods, qualifications, interfaces and contractual evidence are defined unambiguously.
Risk assessment
Working methods, traffic, personnel, equipment, protective zones, instruction and communication are planned for the project.
Responsible execution
Companies, responsible persons, appointments and specific tasks must match the scope of services.
Documentation
The area worked, methods, findings, quality checks, limitations and conclusions are brought together transparently.
Before commissioning
Service specification, geometry, qualification requirements, working methods and contractual evidence are defined.
During execution
All parties must know the responsible persons, instruction channels, traffic arrangements, stop points and changes.
If suspected ordnance is found
Work stops immediately. Do not touch or move the object, leave the danger area and keep others away without putting yourself at risk. In Germany, notify the police immediately on 110; outside Germany, use the local emergency reporting procedure.
Work outputs and supporting records
Which documents are used in practice for roadworks and civil engineering
Reports and section plans are handed over with the applicable plan revision. They identify the areas and depths dealt with, restrictions and unresolved residual areas. When plans are revised later, it is checked whether the documented statement still covers the new intervention. Documents are checked for completeness and currency before handover to the next trade.
Route and construction-section plan
Shows the alignment, chainage, working width, crossings, structures and timing of sections.
It provides the shared spatial basis for design, fieldwork and handover.
The plan supports coordination between road design, utility construction, geotechnics and specialist ordnance planning.
Document the route and construction sections
Suspicion and priority map
Combines historical indicators, known finds, data gaps and prioritised investigation areas.
Technical investigation can thus be targeted at the planned intervention.
The priority map enables staged investigation without prematurely assessing later construction sections.
Assess the basis for suspicion and data gapsSurvey and anomaly plan
Combines measurement areas, lines, interference zones, anomalies and areas that cannot be interpreted.
Each anomaly receives a unique location reference and processing status.
The anomaly plan remains the shared location reference during exposure and clearance.
Assess measurement methods and anomaliesBorehole-position and depth register
Documents coordinates, target and investigation depths, geometry, measurement conditions and conclusions.
Plan changes can be updated for each specific point.
Point data can be checked against structural and specialist foundation design.
Investigate deep points and foundations
Excavation and clearance record
Excavation records document the section, layer investigated, soil removal, checks, interruptions, findings and follow-up measures. After actual exposure or clearance work, the corresponding findings and clearance records are added to the project file.
The statement remains limited to the work volume actually supervised.
The record shows which excavation layers were actually supervised and which areas were not dealt with.
Arrange specialist supervision of excavation layersSection report and complete project file
Connects the initial situation, services, area dealt with, data, findings and specialist conclusion.
Partial reports are brought together into a consistent project status.
The complete file shows progress across construction phases, lots and plan changes.
Combine section reports into the complete file
Further services and evidence
Service areas for routes, structures and construction
Historical aerial photograph analysis
Analyse historical sources for the route and structures.
Assess the historical context of the suspected corridor
Surface survey
Investigate accessible road, verge and construction areas using suitable geophysics.
Plan surface assessment for civil engineering
Deep-ground and downhole surveys
Prepare pile, retaining-work, borehole and anchor areas with their own depth geometry.
Investigate the depth volumes of structures
Excavation supervision
Assess whether construction-phase ordnance surveying is suitable for the remaining excavation areas.
Agree construction-phase supervision of earthworks
Area clearance
Systematically process a defined ground volume according to the clearance objective, working depth and quality requirements.
Define the clearance objective and scope of work
Ordnance recovery
Coordinate recovery of confirmed ordnance with the permitted activities and local responsibilities.
Organise recovery and handover
Process and documentation
Bring together procurement, quality requirements, data handover and the final report.
Prepare the project file and acceptance
Regions and responsibilities
Clarify the project location, local procedures and interfaces for finds early.
Check responsibilities at the project locationIdentify the project location
Locate the road section and structures
Site plan and existing requirements
State the project location and chainage of the works. Attach a plan showing the carriageway, verges, utilities, structures and temporary areas. The regional assignment supports coordination of existing requirements; the investigation scope is determined by the actual interventions and results already available.
Use results correctly
Keep documents understandable for procurement and site management
Compare the report with the execution plan
A report provides information only for the work volume it describes. Check the plan revision, height reference and intervention depths before using it for a changed construction method or additional areas.
Understand the investigation scopeDistinguish civil-engineering tasks
Ordnance assessment, geotechnical investigation and utility design answer different questions. Results from one discipline should therefore not replace missing documents from another.
Identify services and responsibilitiesTechnical information
Roadworks and civil engineering: brochure
How can carriageways, bridges and deep excavations be investigated for ordnance? The brochure explains preparation, suitable survey methods and supervision of earthworks.
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Questions from design and procurement
Frequently asked questions about ordnance assessment in roadworks and civil engineering
When should ordnance assessment begin in roadworks and civil engineering?
Assessment should begin as soon as the route, construction sections and intended ground interventions can be identified. For new roads, widening, sewers, bridges, retaining walls, underpasses, service areas and deep foundations, historical suspicion indicators, existing utilities, intervention depths and construction phases must be brought together before tendering and execution.
Which parts of a road project need separate consideration?
The carriageway, verge, central reserve, slope, drainage, sewer alignment, junction, bridge, retaining wall, noise barrier and structural foundations occupy different horizontal and vertical volumes. A near-surface route survey therefore does not automatically assess deep pile, retaining-work or borehole positions. Each work volume receives its own investigation geometry.
Which methods may be appropriate in roadworks and civil engineering?
Selection depends on the suspected contamination, target object, surface, ground, utilities, interference environment and depth. Historical aerial-photo analysis assesses indicators of ordnance contamination; GPR, magnetometry or TDEM can investigate suitable areas. For piles, sheet-pile walls, anchors and boreholes, the suitability of point- or line-based deep-ground surveying is assessed. For areas that cannot be measured sufficiently, additional methods and possible deployment timing are established. Where construction-phase ordnance surveying is suitable, each layer is technically surveyed and assessed by specialists. Controlled layer-by-layer removal and supplementary visual inspection follow; these steps are repeated down to the agreed excavation bottom. Merely watching the excavator remove soil is not sufficient.
How are utilities, retaining works and geotechnical investigations taken into account?
Existing utilities and planned services are recorded with their positions, depths and protective distances. Retaining-work alignments, pile rows, borehole positions and geotechnical investigation points receive their own coordinates and target depths. This makes it possible to assess whether an area survey is sufficient or whether deep point and linear volumes need separate surveying.
What matters when traffic is managed in phases?
Construction phases, traffic openings, closure periods, working widths and temporary lanes must match the areas dealt with for ordnance assessment. Opening to traffic does not replace technical evidence; conversely, evidence applies only to the documented area and depth. Partial handovers are therefore recorded with the plan revision and section boundaries.
Which documents does FONTANA-EOD need for an initial assessment?
Useful documents include site and route plans, chainages, construction sections, cross-sections, utility and existing-asset plans, lists of borehole and pile positions, retaining-work alignments, intervention depths, historical analyses, letters from authorities, earlier survey reports and the required evidence. Preliminary designs can also be reviewed if assumptions and the plan revision are clearly identified.
Information and requirements from authorities are supplied with their date, complete appendices and geographical scope. In Germany, the competent ordnance disposal service, local public-order authority and, where relevant, building-control authority are established for the project location. Outside Germany, the locally competent bodies are identified through coordination.
How are inaccessible areas or areas that cannot be measured treated?
These areas are not assessed as free of anomalies. The report states the location, depth and reason for the restriction and assigns a suitable follow-up measure. Necessary investigations and protective measures are defined before ground interventions during demolition. Depending on the intervention and measurement conditions, additional investigation of areas that become accessible later, deep-ground surveys or technically suitable construction-phase ordnance surveying may be appropriate.
If an unexpected suspicious object is found, stop work. Do not touch, move or uncover it further. Leave the immediate area and warn others without putting yourself at risk. In Germany, notify the police on 110; outside Germany, use the local emergency reporting procedure. The competent authorities determine what happens next; a project enquiry does not replace reporting the find.
What determines the effort, duration and cost of an ordnance assessment?
The determining factors are route length, area, number of construction sections, intervention depths, utilities and interference environment, surface condition, required methods, number of deep points, access, traffic management, surveying, data volume and documentation purpose. A reliable calculation therefore requires a structured description of quantities and interventions.
Prepare an enquiry
Documents we need for your road or civil-engineering project
An enquiry does not need a finished specification. It should, however, identify where the work will take place, the proposed ground intervention, available records and the decision required.
Location and work area
The project address, site plan, land parcels, route, chainage, construction-area boundaries, crossings and accessible work areas enable spatial assignment.
For several sections, the timing priorities should be identifiable.
Intervention, depth and construction sequence
Describe excavation, sewer, utility, borehole, pile, sheet-pile wall, anchor, demolition or other intervention with its target depth and construction method.
Traffic phases, construction schedules and parallel trades affect the method.
Documents and the required decision
Aerial-photo analyses, correspondence with authorities, geotechnical documents, utility and existing-asset plans, earlier survey reports and point lists should be attached.
State whether the result is needed for design, tendering, site management or the project file.
For initial specialist assessment
A site plan, brief intervention description, maximum depth, planned period and available suspicion indicators are often sufficient for an initial review.
FONTANA-EOD then identifies the documents still required and the appropriate service area. Large projects can be divided by construction section, priority and decision date. Coordinate system, data formats, report recipients and required handover dates are also agreed for further planning.
Area or corridor
Boundaries, length, width, chainage, access and construction sections.
Deep interventions
Point list, coordinates, target depth, diameter, retaining works and construction method.
Construction sequence
Start date, traffic phases, excavation layers, equipment deployment and parallel trades.
Documentation objective
Documents for design, procurement, clients, site management or regional coordination.
Have your project assessed
Whether historical aerial photograph analysis, explosive ordnance surveying, surface surveying using GPR, magnetometry or TDEM, deep-ground surveys, downhole surveys, excavation supervision, area clearance or ordnance recovery is needed depends on the location, ground disturbance, depth, ground and existing documents. An early ordnance assessment provides clarity for tendering, programming, occupational safety and construction.
FONTANA-EOD combines its Section 7 SprengG licence, specialists holding Section 20 SprengG certificates of competence, suitable survey and clearance methods, and traceable documentation. Send the site plan, depth of ground disturbance, construction phase and existing documents for an initial technical assessment.
