GSI holds the National Geotechnical Borehole Database. This database contains the reports of site investigation work undertaken to determine the ground conditions at the location of proposed development projects. The reports typically contain a text report and borehole, trial pit and probe logs, as well as field tests and laboratory sample analyses. The data is also very important for the modelling of the subsurface geology and in geological mapping of the overburden (Quaternary sediments) and the bedrock. The investigations are very expensive to undertake and should not be lost for posterity, and GSI provides a national repository for these reports.

Database Size

The database has been assembled over several decades and has expanded rapidly in recent years with the rapid expansion of the Irish economy. The reports cover projects in both the private and public sectors, particularly infrastructure projects. The GSI as yet has no statutory right to acquire these reports but depends on the good will of consulting engineers, site investigation companies, local authorities and other agencies in submitting reports for inclusion in the national database. The database is currently in both hard copy (databank) and digital format in an Oracle database. The majority of investigations are located in the main cities and towns where most development occurs. In addition there are reports on investigations in rural areas for national road and gas pipeline construction, and other linear projects such as water/sewerage pipelines.

In October 2009 the total databank had 7092 Reports containing 86,528 individual investigations (boreholes, trial pits, probes). Of these, 3633 Reports containing 40,935 investigations have been input to the Oracle database. Of the total of 7092 reports, 5060 reports have been fully scanned as .tiff or .pdf files. At this time also a total of 2075 reports containing 18,521 boreholes, trial pits and probes have been georeferenced, their locations digitised on digital base maps for the main cities in Ireland – Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Limerick and Galway – as well as many provincial areas. Depth to bedrock contour maps, Rockhead OD maps, and 3-D models of the bedrock topography have been generated for the main cities. These maps are periodically upgraded as new data is added to the database.

Database Access

The database is used extensively by consulting engineers as part of the desk study stage in site selection and the planning of ground investigation design. Viewing of site investigation reports is by appointment with John Butler (+ 353 1 6782785) john.butler@gsi.ie. Data can also be delivered in a variety of digital formats depending on the status of the report(s) in question. All data held in digital format is free of charge. The scale of charges and the digital formats available are explained below:-

1. Geotechnical Report (hard copy) Access - €10.00 per report plus photocopying charges
   Note 1:- All digitized data is still available to view in hard copy
   Note 2:- There is no charge for access in the case of university research projects.
   

Geotechnical Map Viewer
Digitised Boreholes/Trial Pits – Database on the Web

Geotechnical Map Viewer 

This web application –Geotechnical Map Viewer - developed with ESRI ArcIMS was launched in August 2007. Viewers can query the database of digitised investigations (current total 18,521)  and site polygons (current total 2075) on screen, select an area of interest, view report polygons and investigations, then drill down to view logs and test results. These can then be printed or saved to file. It should be remembered that these digitized investigations represent only about one-third of the investigations which have been fully input into the Oracle Database and one-sixth of the total number of investigations held. Viewers should contact the Geotechnical Section in GSI if their area of interest is not represented on this webview facility. There is a good likelihood that the database contains relevant investigations which have not yet been digitised. It is the intention to update the webview facility periodically as more investigations are digitized and a message on the page will indicate when this has been done. There will be no charge for this facility.

The ultimate aim of this web map viewer is to provide public and professional users with access to detailed information on geotechnical site reports, borehole/trial pit investigations and test results via an easy to use map-centric interface. Users will be able to navigate a map, either manually or using a simple gazetteer, to view a map of the place of interest. Superimposed on this map will be polygons indicating sites where investigations were carried out, and points indicating the location of borehole and trial pits. Users will be able to use these points and polygons to learn more about previous geological investigations carried out in the area of interest.