Abstract
The main part of the discussion was devoted to the need for improved methods of recording, storing and recovering geological and geotechnical information collected during site investigations. Several figures were quoted which illustrated the large amount of information which is either currently available or has been obtained in the recent past. For example, a figure of five million feet of drilling carried out on behalf of the National Coal Board was quoted as an important source of information virtually untapped for more general engineering or geological purposes. It was suggested that about one hundred boreholes per day were drilled in south-eastern England alone at the present day and any attempt to synthesize these data must bear in mind the information that has been obtained over the past two decades within the same region. Clearly it was impracticable to store core material on this scale and a figure of some 300 tons of core for recent site investigations of tips in South Wales was quoted as a case where adequate records were essential to prevent a physically intractable situation. It was fully recognized that greater uniformity in the quality and type of record needed to be achieved. The work of the two Engineering Group Working Parties on Core Logging and Geotechnical Mapping were agreed to be an important step in this direction. However, greater attention needed to be given to the type of person who was given the responsibility of recording site investigation data. There was some dissatisfaction expressed that drillers