Site survey

{{short description|Inspections of an area where work is proposed, to gather information}}

Site surveys are inspections is an area where work is proposed, to gather information for a design or an estimate to complete the initial tasks required for an outdoor activity. It can determine a precise location, access, best orientation for the site and the location of obstacles. The type of site survey and the best practices required depend on the nature of the project.{{cite journal | last1 = Ramirez | first1 = Ricardo R. |display-authors=etal | year = 2004| title = Benchmarking System for Evaluating Management Practices in the Construction Industry | journal = Journal of Management in Engineering| volume = 20 | issue = 3| pages = 110–117 | doi = 10.1061/(ASCE)0742-597X(2004)20:3(110) }} Examples of projects requiring a preliminary site survey include urban construction,{{cite journal| doi=10.1016/S1353-8292(01)00019-3 | volume=7 | issue=4 | title=Measuring the built environment: validity of a site survey instrument for use in urban settings | year=2001 | journal=Health & Place | pages=283–292 | last1 = Weich | first1 = Scott | last2 = Burton | first2 = Elizabeth | last3 = Blanchard | first3 = Martin | last4 = Prince | first4 = Martin | last5 = Sproston | first5 = Kerry | last6 = Erens | first6 = Bob| pmid=11682328 }} specialized construction (such as the location for a telescope){{cite journal | last1 = Walker | first1 = Merle F. | year = 1970 | title = The California Site Survey | journal = Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific | volume = 82 | issue = 487| pages = 672–698 | jstor=40674892 | doi=10.1086/128945 | bibcode=1970PASP...82..672W| doi-access = | s2cid = 121966072 }} and wireless network design.{{Cite journal |last1=Zvanovec |first1=S. |last2=Pechac |first2=P. |last3=Klepal |first3=M. |year=2003 |title=Wireless LAN Network Design: Site Survey or Propagation Modeling? |journal=Radioengineering |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=42 |citeseerx=10.1.1.525.198}}

In hydrocarbon exploration, for example, site surveys are run over the proposed locations of offshore exploration or appraisal wells.{{Cite book |isbn=978-1-55563-248-9 |doi=10.4043/13039-MS|chapter=Best Practices for Detecting, Identifying and Characterizing Near-Surface Migration of Hydrocarbons within Marine Sediments|title=Offshore Technology Conference|year=2001|last1=Abrams|first1=M.A.|last2=Segall|first2=M.P.|last3=Burtell|first3=S.G.}} They consist typically of a tight grid of high resolution (high frequency) reflection seismology profiles to look for possible gas hazards in the shallow section beneath the seabed and detailed bathymetric data to look for possible obstacles on the seafloor (e.g. shipwrecks, existing pipelines) using multibeam echosounders.