The Diversity of the Geology in the Auckland Region and Some of the Associated Challenges for Land Development

The diversity of the geology within the Auckland region presents a range of challenges for the geotechnical professional. This paper provides an overview of the Auckland geology and presents case studies of three recent land development projects within different geological settings, all of which presented a range of geotechnical problems to be addressed. The three lithologies include very soft organic peats within the alluvial lowlands of South Auckland, the Waitemata Group sedimentary deposits on the North Shore, and the Northland Allochthon/Onerahi Chaos deposits of Silverdale. This paper also discusses examples of appropriate engineering solutions to some of the problems presented by these lithologies.