Schematic map marking the southern area and labelled Bettembourg, beside a tablet, white safety helmet, pen and notebook.

Ordnance assessment for new foundations along the Bettembourg logistics corridor

An additional utility line, new foundation or alteration to a traffic area may affect a part of the site previously used differently. The ordnance assessment depends on the specific ground intervention and the working area actually available. We discuss with you how to prepare the investigation along the Bettembourg logistics corridor, both technically and operationally.

Define the working area

Show the ground intervention and operational area separately.

Agree access arrangements

Identify usable routes and working hours.

Specify depths

Identify foundations and utility trenches individually.

Enquire about a projectExplosive ordnance assessment in Luxembourg
Assess the construction project

How should individual foundations in a traffic area be prepared?

Mark foundation positions, working spaces and connection trenches separately on the drawing. Include formation levels with an unambiguous elevation datum and known installations. The technical planners compare these interventions with existing reports and local investigation conditions. Operational access and work permits are agreed separately with the operator. Before private technical work starts, clarify the permitted scope and Luxembourg requirements. Send the complete records identifying the working areas needed first.

Project site

Connect the site with the specific construction task

Schematic map of Luxembourg with a crowned lion coat of arms, beside a tablet, white hard hat, pen and notebook.

Distinguish the different projects in Bettembourg

For your construction task, identify the actual location, affected operational areas and planned ground interventions. The terminal, new railway line and crossing described by OBG each provide separate examples. Technical preparation is based on the records for your project. This keeps investigation results, operational prerequisites and outstanding tasks assigned to the correct project.

The logistics corridor is used here as a geographical guide to projects within Luxembourg. Construction projects in Bettembourg and groundworks in Dudelange are assigned according to the respective project address and municipality. The head office in Gersheim coordinates the enquiry; local requirements depend on the actual site and proposed activity.

Luxembourg
Local context

Record ground interventions and available operational areas separately

Rail and road logistics at the terminal

CFL describes the Bettembourg-Dudelange terminal in Eurohub Sud as linking rail and road logistics. The operator's example illustrates different uses within one site. It does not support a general conclusion about explosive ordnance contamination at the terminal or in its surroundings.

Ground improvement and overhead line foundations for the new railway

In a construction report dated 26 July 2024, CFL describes ground improvement north of Bettembourg station and planned overhead line foundations at the connection to the new Luxembourg–Bettembourg line. The term “railway land” alone does not adequately define these works. For comparable projects, show foundation positions, working spaces and ground improvement areas separately on the drawings. Include the respective elevations and intervention depths. Whether existing ordnance reports cover these works is checked against their documented scope. The CFL construction report concerns the new railway rather than the intermodal terminal; it provides no ordnance assessment record.

Launch and reception shafts in the OBG Lux report

For a microtunnelling project beneath railway tracks in Bettembourg, OBG Lux describes preliminary ordnance surveys at the launch and reception shafts and connecting sewers. The contractor's report illustrates why the enquiry should include the excavations and connections beside the underground alignment. Show these working areas separately with their planned depths. The investigation your project requires is assessed against its own records. The individual project described does not establish the condition of other railway or terminal areas.

Define the locations of your own ground interventions

First establish where your construction project will actually affect the ground. A yard used by vehicles, a new utility trench and a foundation serve different purposes and may involve different depths. Existing use alone does not prove that an earlier investigation already covers the proposed interventions.

The municipality of Bettembourg commemorates the air raid of 11 May 1944 and places it in the context of attacks on railway infrastructure before the Allied landings in Normandy. Relate this documented local wartime history to the historical records for each working area. Today's terminal or operational boundaries do not, by themselves, establish a particular historical finding. Account for later ground improvement, fill and alterations according to their actual locations.

Coordinate operational prerequisites and the technical commission

State which areas are accessible for investigation and which operator requirements apply. Technical ordnance assessment and operational work permits are separate tasks whose timing must be coordinated. An investigation does not include a guarantee of uninterrupted operations.

Working together

Distinguish the tasks of client, designers and specialist contractor

Client and operator

The project owner describes the project and provides existing records. Operators add information on use, access and timing requirements. A coordinating contact brings the information together. The parties agree their respective tasks and decision responsibilities. Before commissioning, the records identify missing information, who will obtain it and which decision the result is intended to support.

Planning and construction management

The specialist designers describe areas, depths, construction methods and changes. Site management coordinates the planned sequence with the construction contractors and agreed specialist works. Results are assigned to the respective intervention. A technical plan change is communicated early enough for its effect on the survey task to be assessed before construction. Organisational construction stage boundaries remain distinguishable from technical survey boundaries.

Specialist company and competent bodies

The private explosive ordnance specialist carries out the agreed investigation and documentation work within the permitted framework clarified for Luxembourg. The technical report identifies the task, areas actually covered and limitations of the findings. Required notifications and evidence relate to the activity and personnel deployment. The responsible Luxembourg bodies make the decisions assigned to them. The state SEDAL service carries out its responsibilities for found ammunition. The specialist contractor and project participants agree the necessary handovers with the responsible bodies.

Investigation task

Which specialist task comes next?

Distinguish investigations at individual points from those covering areas

A foundation position, connection trench and larger ground improvement works may occupy different areas. Describe each task separately with its depths. The technical planners consider existing results and select a suitable approach. A point symbol on a drawing must not, without further information, be taken to show all working spaces or a fully investigated continuous area.

Compare suitable specialist services

Account for installations and interference when selecting a method

Identify known utility lines, technical equipment and surface conditions. This information supports investigation preparation. Keep remaining limitations visible in the results. Agree how unresolved questions will be addressed with the responsible parties; a tight operating schedule does not replace technically adequate findings for the intended ground intervention.

Compare investigation methods
Project types

Investigate individual points, excavations and operational areas appropriately

Illustration: aerial photographs and maps on two screens and printed on a desk.

Relate historical findings to your own working area

Provide available aerial photograph analyses and other historical assessments with their maps. A railway, terminal and adjoining commercial areas may constitute separate investigation areas. The technical planners relate the findings to the specific ground intervention. A report on another project in Bettembourg may raise useful questions but does not replace an assessment of your own construction area.

Match older assessments to their maps and historical dates. A new foundation may appear as a small point on the site plan while requiring a larger working space. Show known surface changes and earlier alterations. Relate unresolved historical questions to the area actually needed. For separate excavations, make it clear which evidence applies to each and where further work is required.

Arrange specialist assessment of historical evidence
Two people with a tablet beside a marked construction area; plans lie in the foreground.

Determine the technical service needed for foundations and excavations

Provide the positions, depths and working spaces of individual structures. For underground crossings, include launch and reception shafts and connections. Design a suitable investigation around the evidence for your site, the findings needed and the conditions. Do not adopt a method used on another project without checking it simply because the construction task is similar.

For the quotation, identify individual foundation positions, larger excavations and additional connection works separately. Provide their sequence and the operating windows actually available. The technical planners assign methods, preparatory work and expected results documentation to each scope. Pass on changes to a position or working space before the intervention. Results that remain technically applicable continue to form part of the evidence.

Compare specialist services
Illustration: two people review plans and documents at a table beside a construction vehicle.

Keep results linked to the areas actually investigated

Document investigated points and areas with their depths and limitations. Site management receives the complete results documentation for its work. If further foundations are added later, check which conclusions still apply. Use as a traffic or operational area does not expand the scope of an earlier investigation; define additional tasks according to their actual geographical and technical requirements.

Link the report and appendices to the revision of the foundation or excavation drawing used. Give additional positions unambiguous identifiers so they remain distinguishable from areas already investigated. Assign a supplementary report to its corresponding commission and construction stage. If the operator or contractor changes, hand over the complete records with their limitations. Explicitly identify outstanding areas for the next contract.

Document findings and their limitations
Preparation

Prepare the scope and commission together

Establish what needs to be known before commissioning the work

First establish which decision the commission needs to support. Is the task an initial assessment of existing documents, an investigation of a specific area or examination of an anomaly that has already been assessed? These tasks require different evidence. A general wish for safety does not define an investigation that can be carried out. The enquiry therefore specifies the groundworks, location, depth and available findings. Suitable specialist work and the required reporting are then agreed on that basis.

Define the specialist task

Coordinate preparatory work with the investigation

Required access and survey conditions are clarified before the site visit. This may include keeping areas clear, obtaining service information and coordinating with other trades. The method and site determine which preparations are actually needed. Changes to the surface or additional groundworks are not undertaken unilaterally simply to prepare for a survey. Their sequence is agreed with the specialist designers and responsible parties.

Clarify preparatory work in the programme

Agree a clear scope and schedule

A sound workflow distinguishes work already clarified technically from outstanding prerequisites. If an area will be accessible only in part, commissioning must take this into account. Handover and assessment of results also need time in the construction sequence. An enquiry therefore does not imply a blanket commitment on dates or cost. Specific coordination connects the described scope with access, documents, execution conditions and the date by which a decision is needed.

Discuss the scope and schedule
Prepare the construction project

Describe the ground intervention precisely within the area in use

01

Show new components with their depths

Mark foundations, utility lines, drainage or other planned interventions. Include each depth and its reference to the existing surface. A shared area label such as yard or terminal does not show these distinctions.

02

Define railway-related areas separately

State where work is planned near tracks or other railway infrastructure. Identify the responsible contacts and known operating requirements. Clarify access and working conditions with the operator; an ordnance investigation does not replace that coordination.

For a new foundation beside railway infrastructure, describe the working space, access route and time window needed. The technical planners assess the investigation task. The operator determines its operational prerequisites and work permits. Pass on changes in accessible areas before mobilisation so the investigation scope matches the actual conditions.

03

Include preparatory work

Trial pits, sampling or drilling before the main construction may also involve ground interventions. Specify where and when these works will take place. Clarify their investigation requirements before they begin.

State the purpose, position and depth of this early intervention. The technical planners can then distinguish information that still needs to be obtained from information already available. Relate the investigation requirements to the specific preparatory work. Schedule the later investigation of the main excavation separately from the assessment needed beforehand.

04

Identify the areas actually available

Describe whether traffic arrangements, stored objects or installations affect access and measurements. An agreed time window alone does not guarantee an interpretable investigation. Compare restrictions with the investigation objective and document them.

Project documents

Documents that establish the next step

Include ancillary areas for an underground crossing

Launch and reception shafts may lie outside the main route alignment and require additional working space. Show connecting sewers and proposed preliminary interventions as well. The technical planners can then consider the complete requirements. Showing only the eventual underground line would be incomplete if its construction requires other groundworks.

Plan operations and investigation conditions together

State which areas are accessible at which times and what the operator requires. A technical investigation needs conditions suitable for its objective. Coordinate operational permits and access accordingly. Existing use does not justify a general guarantee that every operation can continue unchanged during the investigation.

For the quotation, show the proposed working areas and access conditions against a common drawing revision. Notify changes in traffic arrangements or occupied areas. The technical planners assess whether the areas that can be reached are sufficient for the findings needed. Areas not yet accessible remain identifiable as outstanding tasks. When they become available, check the conditions then present against the agreed scope. Where clearance work is carried out, keep the associated clearance record identifying areas and depths in the project file.

Construction sequence

Coordinate investigation and construction sections

Describe the commission through individual interventions and operating information

Send site plans, sections and existing reports with the known operational prerequisites. Identify foundations, excavations and connections separately. State which works are planned first and what information remains unresolved. The technical planners can then relate technical requirements and necessary coordination to the same traceable project status.

Assign each foundation position and excavation to the responsible contact. State which drawing revisions are binding and which dimensions still need checking. Provide existing results reports with their appendices and the construction stage they concern. The technical planners can then use applicable findings and identify missing information specifically. Agree the next steps required for the first groundworks.

Coordinate the construction phase with us

Hand over the relevant documentation before the next groundworks

Site management receives results with maps, depths and limitations for its working areas. If individual positions or excavations change, compare the differences technically. Coordinate operating arrangements with the actual sequence in parallel. A completed earlier commission remains available with its documented scope while additional services needed are clearly defined.

Coordinate the construction phase with us
Method selection

Select methods according to the task and survey conditions

Historical records and aerial photographs

Historical aerial photograph analysis relates images, maps, land-use records and earlier assessments to a defined investigation area. Identify the historical dates and gaps in the evidence. Where further historical information is needed, carry out the necessary research and interpretation. For a new foundation on a logistics site, account for earlier ground elevations, alterations and fill where records are available. Historical assessment and technical investigation of today's ground retain their distinct purposes. A report on another railway or excavation is considered within its actual scope.

Understand aerial photograph assessment

Magnetometric survey

Geomagnetic surveying passively records magnetic anomalies. An object's electrical conductivity alone does not determine whether it can be detected geomagnetically. Rails, reinforcement and other metal installations may affect the measurements. For a foundation, the deciding area is therefore the volume of ground actually needed, including working space. The technical planners assess whether local conditions permit a suitable investigation. Record the location and accessibility of neighbouring areas separately. Strong signals alone do not identify explosive ordnance. Assign interpreted data and remaining interference to the area investigated.

Understand the scope of magnetometry

Electromagnetic methods

Transient electromagnetic methods, or TDEM, record the electromagnetic response of conductive objects over time. Establish their suitability for the investigation objective and actual measurement conditions. An operational site may combine open sections, enclosed plant and dense installations. Describe the proposed measurement area for the new foundation against these conditions. Give measurement data a positional reference and account for limitations during interpretation. The technical planners determine what can be established for the ground intervention and what additional investigation a restricted area requires.

Understand electromagnetic surveying

Ground-penetrating radar

Under suitable conditions, ground-penetrating radar can record underground structures and reflections. Soil structure, moisture, installations and the investigation objective affect interpretability. Specialist interpretation relates the measurements to other findings. An anomaly does not automatically identify explosive ordnance; a display without anomalies remains limited to the volume of ground actually investigated. Existing utility detection results can help prepare a connection excavation, but their original commission and limits must be considered separately. Establish the necessary investigation objective and suitable approach for the ordnance question on technical grounds.

GPR and limitations

Deep-ground and downhole surveys

Identify new overhead line foundations, deep excavations or changed foundations with their positions, formation levels and elevation datum. If a suitable surface investigation cannot cover the volume of ground required, a coordinated deep or borehole survey may be considered. Preparation includes access and known utility lines. A point symbol alone does not describe the associated working space. Results or borehole clearance state the scope actually investigated. Compare relocated points or additional depths with that scope. Clarify the Luxembourg requirements for the specific technical work before carrying it out.

Prepare deep interventions

Survey during construction

If a necessary preliminary investigation cannot be completed in full, assess whether a technically planned approach alongside construction is suitable. This may combine excavation in layers, specialist exposure and supplementary surveying in each working area. Visual observation of excavation alone is insufficient for detection. For an excavation on an operational site, coordinate suitable investigation conditions and necessary interruptions with the sequence of work. A short operating window does not replace specialist interpretation. If ammunition is actually found, stop work and notify SEDAL or the police; private technical work remains within its previously clarified permitted scope.

Agree the approach during construction
Technical assessment

Tailor investigations to the area and foundation

Survey accessible areas

Whether a surface survey is suitable depends on the task and actual conditions. Metal infrastructure and other interference can restrict measurements. Areas that cannot be interpreted adequately must not be considered resolved merely because a measurement grid covers the area.

Assess new foundations at depth

For individual deep interventions, assess the suitability of a deep or borehole survey. This requires the foundation's position, elevation and depth. Compare an existing report for a traffic area against these details rather than applying it indiscriminately to every later foundation.

Use construction supervision only for a suitable task

The ordnance surveying during construction may be considered following technical assessment. It does not automatically replace necessary preliminary investigations and is not equivalent to visual observation of excavation alone. The sequence must allow adequate investigation conditions and interruptions when anomalies arise.

Next steps

Bring the operator, planning and investigation together

01

Provide details of ground interventions

Send the construction design showing individual working areas and depths. At first contact, identify the project location and findings needed. Check existing drawings, statements and investigation reports for currency, geographical relevance, completeness and gaps.

02

Address outstanding historical questions

Where historical questions remain open, necessary research and aerial photograph assessments are actually carried out within the commission agreed by specialists. Existing assessments are considered with their respective subareas and conclusions. Additional findings are assigned to the present area of ground disturbance and used in investigation planning.

03

State operational conditions

Include contacts, access arrangements and proposed working hours. Select the method according to the investigation objective, intervention depth, soil structure, installations and actual measurement conditions. Clarify access and the necessary prerequisites with the responsible parties.

04

Clarify the technical scope

We review with you which investigation task follows from the records.

05

Perform the agreed investigation

The agreed survey or appropriate investigation during construction is carried out on the defined areas and points. Measurement data and observations receive clear position and elevation references. Uninvestigated areas, restricted access and relevant interference are recorded.

06

Assess and document findings

The collected data and findings are assessed against the investigation objective and actual measurement conditions. The assessment takes account of interference and limitations. The report and plan appendices document the technical assessment, areas addressed and their position, elevation and depth references. Required further tasks follow from this.

07

Pass results to the right parties

Assign the report to the relevant construction phase and contractors. After assessment, hand over the report and drawings to site management with the areas covered, limitations and outstanding tasks. Use these to agree the decision required for the next ground intervention.

Documentation

Compare the next construction works with the report

Findings and their scope

Traceable area and depth information matters for later alterations. The report describes the methods, results and limitations of the commissioned investigation. Use as a logistics site does not expand this scope. For new foundations, connections or changed working levels, check which conclusions remain applicable. Private technical reports document their commissioned scope; the responsible Luxembourg authorities make the decisions assigned to them.

Project responsibilities

SEDAL, the Luxembourg Army's specialist service, performs its public duties for found ammunition, including identification, neutralisation and destruction. Private investigation services are commissioned and documented within the permitted scope clarified for Luxembourg. An actual find must be reported through the official channels. Agree contacts and handovers before the planned works begin.

Working approach

How FONTANA-EOD works

Document the agreed specialist service clearly

We assess the planned groundworks against the available documents and their design revision. Before attending site, we agree with you what needs to be investigated, which areas are accessible and what findings are required. If the design or site conditions change, we check whether the agreed scope remains appropriate. The report states what was actually investigated and the limits of the findings. This allows designers and site management to see which findings they can use and where questions remain.

Discuss the investigation task

The task before the equipment

We first establish the investigation objective: which question must it answer? We then select a technically suitable method. The availability of a particular device or experience on a similar neighbouring site is not enough to justify the choice of method on its own.

Keep limitations visible

Inaccessible areas and limited conclusions are identified. They do not disappear into a total area figure. Designers and site management can then decide specifically which areas still need attention and when a suitable survey becomes possible.

Clarify changes before intervening in the ground

A new location, additional depth or different construction method is compared with previous results. A familiar project name does not replace this comparison. Feedback is provided before the affected work so that an outstanding question can be included in the sequence.

Hand over the report and plan together

The technical conclusion remains connected to its location references and appendices. A brief summary helps orientation but does not replace the documented survey scope. This basis is retained even if site management or contractors change.

Where area clearance is required, the agreed specialist approach describes the objective, spatial scope and handovers. Permitted private activities remain distinct from SEDAL’s state responsibilities. Clearance work actually completed receives a clearance record identifying the areas covered and limitations. The report and associated plans are provided together for the project file.

Understand the results

Use technical statements for the next decision

Specify elevation references clearly for new foundations

Describe which surface a depth measurement refers to. Compare existing reports against that elevation datum and the planned formation level. Different working levels may concern different volumes of ground despite identical depths in metres. Sections and clear drawing identifiers help relate the records and establish the findings needed for each foundation.

Understand investigation reports and their limitations

Preserve the results handover for later alterations

Retain complete reports and drawings identifying the construction stage at that time. Compare them with new ground interventions for a later commission. A change of operator or description of site use does not replace this technical comparison. The parties should be able to identify which areas have already been adequately investigated and which question remains unresolved for the next works.

Understand the service scope
Design and findings

Documents for the next construction decision

Illustration: aerial photographs and maps on two screens and printed on a desk.

Historical evidence and the current design

Aerial photograph interpretation is related to the actual groundworks. Its purpose and geographical scope remain distinct from a technical investigation of the ground as it is today.

Understand aerial photograph assessment
Illustration: two people review plans and documents at a table beside a construction vehicle.

Specialist reports for site management

The findings, their locations and limitations are handed over together. This makes clear to those carrying out the work which area has been investigated and which task remains outstanding.

Assess investigation reports
Four people in orange high-visibility vests in front of two excavators on a construction site.
Person with a yellow survey cart on a footpath in front of a hedge.
Questions from planning

Questions about work on logistics sites

Does ongoing use prove that new ground interventions have already been assessed?

No. The deciding evidence is the existing investigation results and their documented scope. Compare the planned intervention with the areas and depths covered; existing use alone provides no technical assessment of the ground.

Is clear access sufficient for measurements?

It is important for organisation but does not establish suitable measurement conditions. Consider access to the working area, installations, interference and the investigation objective together. Account for limitations when selecting the method.

Does the investigation commission automatically cover work near tracks?

No. The position and nature of the works must be described explicitly. Agree operating requirements and responsibilities with the operator. An ordnance commission does not replace a necessary operational work permit.

Can all operations continue unchanged during every investigation?

No general guarantee can be given. Agree working areas, access and suitable investigation conditions in advance. It may be necessary to separate activities in time or space; clarify this for the specific commission.

What should you do if a suspicious object is found on the operational site?

Stop the affected works. Do not touch, move, relocate or further expose the suspicious object. Leave the danger area and keep others away. From a safe distance, notify the Luxembourg police on 113 or SEDAL. Do not take the object to a police station, other official premises or a recycling centre. Follow the responsible authorities' instructions. Internal reporting must not replace the urgent reporting of a find.

Which ancillary areas of a crossing are shown?

Launch and reception shafts, working spaces, connecting sewers and proposed preliminary ground interventions with their actual depths.

Why are foundation positions identified individually?

So their positions, formation levels and working spaces can be compared with existing investigation results in a traceable way.

What determines the cost of an investigation along the Bettembourg logistics corridor?

The work involved depends on existing findings, the number and positions of foundations, excavation areas and depths, suitable methods, installations and access actually possible. Assign preparatory work, interpretation, the report and accompanying drawings to the investigation scope needed. Coordination includes operating conditions and the evidence and notifications specifically required for the technical work in Luxembourg. Distinguish the authorities' handling of finds from privately commissioned project services by their respective purposes and responsibility for costs.

Project enquiry

Discuss the planned works in Bettembourg

Show individual ground interventions

Show foundations, excavations and connections with elevations and working spaces.

Include the actual location and proposed working spaces. Give foundation positions clear identifiers; describe excavations, sewer connections and preliminary interventions with their formation levels and elevation datums. A point on a drawing does not signify a fully investigated area. If the design changes, compare the new positions with the existing results documentation. State which works are to begin first.

Include operating information

Provide access arrangements, operator requirements and existing reports.

Provide reports with their maps, drawing revisions and documented limitations. Describe when the working area is actually available and which conditions the operator sets. Identify the contacts responsible for access and work permits. For work in Luxembourg, prepare company credentials, service notifications and employee posting documents separately according to their purpose. Clarify missing information with the responsible parties.

GPR on a construction site
Project enquiry

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.

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