Explosive ordnance investigation for junctions and interchanges

Specialist assessment should begin once alignments, ramps, junction arms, construction phases and intended interventions are identifiable. For interchanges and complex junctions, the historically suspected hazard, carriageway extensions, islands, drainage, retaining walls, sign gantries, lighting, traffic signals and utility crossings must be brought together before tendering. This allows investigation requirements to be clearly defined by subarea, depth and construction stage.

Junctions consist of overlapping ground volumes: ramps, central islands, traffic islands, slopes, trenches, retaining structures, sign gantries and utility alignments. Near-surface survey areas do not automatically cover deep mast, pile, shoring or shaft points. For each component type, the area and depth actually requiring investigation are therefore assessed.

Temporary carriageways, diversions and section-by-section alterations change access and the ground volume of the works. An area may still carry traffic or be covered by structures at an early stage and become surveyable only later. Explosive ordnance investigation is therefore linked to traffic phases, demolition stages and handover dates. Earlier results remain usable only where the new construction geometry is fully covered.

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.

Effort, duration and costs depend on the number and size of subareas, intervention depths, point foundations, surface, existing utilities, sources of interference and access. Traffic phases, work windows and required documentation affect the sequence. New ramps, relocated gantries or additional temporary works may require supplementary investigation. The site plan, traffic phases and depth lists are needed for the cost calculation.

If existing carriageways, utilities, structures or ongoing traffic prevent complete preliminary investigation, the technical suitability of an explosive ordnance survey alongside construction is assessed. Each working layer is surveyed using technical equipment and assessed before controlled removal in layers with supplementary visual inspection follows. These steps are repeated down to the agreed excavation base. Hold points, instruction routes, equipment deployment and documentation are defined before work begins. Necessary investigations and protective measures are also planned before groundworks during surface removal or demolition; areas not covered remain outstanding.

A clear spatial and chainage reference, assignment to a junction arm, ramp, island, structure or point object, the documented investigation geometry, methods used, technical limitations, anomalies, findings and follow-up decisions are required. For projects with several phases, plan revisions and partial handovers must remain traceable so that site management and subsequent trades can reliably use the current investigation status.

Useful documents include the site plan, junction and ramp geometry, construction phases, traffic management plans, working widths, excavation and foundation depths, point lists for masts and gantries, drainage and utility plans, ground investigation documents, historical assessments and the desired decision date. An early design revision is also suitable if options and agreed areas are clearly distinguished.

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 identified for the project location; outside Germany, local responsibilities apply.