# Geotechnical Property Modeling and Construction Safety Zoning Based on GIS and BIM Integration
## 1 Introduction  
### Background  
Urbanization in the world is continuously increasing over the last century. Urbanization is considered the growth of the population towards cities or suburbs. In 2018, it was estimated that 55% of the world population is living in urban areas and it was projected that by 2050, 68% of the world's population will be urban dwellers [1, 2]. The increase in the population is so rapid; it is becoming a major problem across the world. These circumstances drive attention towards intense construction activities to meet the social and economic needs. Excavation is a crucial step in infrastructure development projects that includes cutting and filling the soil. However, there has been a significant increase in excavation-related accidents which affect project cost, people, and social life [3, 4, 5]. Therefore, safety in construction projects is considered a key concern worldwide. Proper modeling and well-managing of the geotechnical properties of the excavation place play an important role in safe construction [6]. The geotechnical properties of the construction site are difficult to predict during the construction stage as it becomes an extremely busy place and working activities are ever-changing. Therefore, safe construction site selection needs to be decided in the planning stage based on on-site geotechnical properties using advanced spatial planning, modeling, and visualization techniques. When the geotechnical properties of the site are known to the project manager, it will be very easy to plan and adopt the safety techniques according to the requirement at the planning stage. Investigation of the geotechnical properties is an essential step and considered to be a prerequisite to assess the site suitability for the proposed construction, thereby enabling a safe and cost-effective design. Urban geology plays a vital role in the mapping and planning of the geological condition of the cities throughout the world. Within this context, the geotechnical mapping uses geotechnical parameters in establishing a suitable safe construction site. A site investigation is conducted to find the geotechnical parameters such as standard penetration test SPT (N) of the soil and to understand the spatial distribution of the soil layers at the construction site. SPT is an in-situ test that provides information about the geotechnical properties of soil. During the borehole, a thick wall sample tube is driven into the ground with the help of a drop hammer of a 63.5 kg mass through a height of 760 mm that penetrates the sample tube and the soil resistance to the penetration is measured. The number of blows needed to drive the sample tube for the second and third 150 mm penetration Fin the soil out of three consecutive 150 mm penetration is called the SPT (N) [7]. The advantage of using SPT-N information is the simplicity and utilization of its empirical correlation. It can be used to calculate the other geotechnical parameters of soil such as the angle of internal friction, relative density, shear modulus, shear wave velocity, Poisson's ratio, and shear strength [7; 8; 9]. The geotechnical modeling of the construction site can ensure the safe execution of the project and enhancing its feasibility, planning, and design phase [10; 11]. Preparation of the geotechnical maps and division into subsequent zones is helpful for the authorities and practitioners as it results in cost and time-saving in the construction projects. The recent increase in the studies using this approach provides an excellent opportunity to utilize the method for improving safety in the construction site [10; 12; 13; 14]. The geotechnical investigation of the construction site is usually conducted at a certain boring point providing only a one-dimensional profile information having spatial uncertainty, which makes it difficult to obtain the geotechnical characteristics at uninvestigated regions. It is therefore essential to estimate the reliable spatial distribution of the subsurface layers.