The importance of geotechnical studies for siting an ELT

German R. Pescador

doi:10.1117/12.566382

7 July 2004 The importance of geotechnical studies for siting an ELT

German R. Pescador

Proceedings Volume 5382, Second Backaskog Workshop on Extremely Large Telescopes; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.566382
Event: Second Backaskog Workshop on Extremely Large Telescopes, 2003, Backaskog, Sweden

Abstract

Site selection is, no doubt, one of the most important preliminary studies in any telescope project since the image quality of the telescope will be limited by the site quality. Traditionally, geotechnical studies have had relatively little importance, normally being carried out once the site was already selected. However, with the increase of the telescopes size and mechancial requirements, the geotechnical studies have become increasingly important. Soil characteristics can make a big difference to the cost of an ELT. A thorough geological and geotechnical investigation of the possible site for the erection of an ELT should be carried from the beginning of the site selection process. It is very important to know the geology of the subsoil to determine the geomechanical properties of the materials, to determine the most suitable layers for anchoring the foundations, and to be able to estimate construction costs.

Citation Download Citation

German R. Pescador "The importance of geotechnical studies for siting an ELT", Proc. SPIE 5382, Second Backaskog Workshop on Extremely Large Telescopes, (7 July 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.566382

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