> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stru.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Soil Investigation & ERSS Concepts

> Interpret SI reports and borelogs, then develop preliminary earth retaining and stabilizing structure concepts

## From Borelog to Design Parameters

Attach a soil investigation report and the [Structural Agent](/platform-guides/structural-agent) reads it the way you would: soil strata, SPT N-values, groundwater, lab results. Ask for the interpretation you need, from a summary table of design parameters to a preliminary ERSS (earth retaining and stabilizing structure) concept to take into scheme design.

<Warning>
  **Preliminary means preliminary.** The agent's interpretation and concepts are a starting point for the geotechnical and structural engineers of record, not a substitute for them. Verify parameters against the source report before any design rests on them.
</Warning>

## Interpret the SI Report

<Steps>
  <Step title="Attach the report">
    Attach the SI report with the **+** button, or tag it with **@** if it is already in your [Files area](/how-to/file-management). Multi-hundred-page reports are fine; tell the agent which boreholes matter if you know.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ask for the interpretation you need">
    ```text Example: parameter summary theme={null}
    @SI_Report.pdf Summarize the soil profile at boreholes BH-3
    through BH-6: strata, SPT N-values, unit weights, undrained
    shear strengths, and groundwater levels. Present as a table
    I can use for retaining wall design.
    ```

    ```text Example: specific questions theme={null}
    @SI_Report.pdf What does the report recommend for excavation
    support? Is there a soft clay layer below the proposed
    formation level, and how thick is it?
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the output against the source">
    The agent reports what the document says and where it says it. Spot-check the values against the borelogs before they go into a calc.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Develop a Preliminary ERSS Concept

With the ground model established, describe the excavation and your constraints:

```text Example theme={null}
Using the soil profile from BH-3 to BH-6, propose preliminary
ERSS options for a 9 m deep excavation, 40 m x 25 m in plan.
Constraints: an existing building 6 m from the north face,
groundwater at 2.5 m depth. Compare a strutted sheet pile wall
against a bored pile wall: indicative wall depth, strut levels,
and the main risks of each. State every assumption.
```

The agent lays out the options with its assumptions stated, so each one can be checked and taken forward or discarded. Ask for the comparison as a table or a short report ([in your company's format](/workflows/branded-reports), if your templates are set up).

Follow-ups sharpen the concept:

```text theme={null}
Take the strutted sheet pile option: what wall embedment does a
first-pass stability check suggest, and which soil layer governs?
Show the calculation and the assumptions.
```

<Tip>
  **Give the constraints, get a better concept.** Adjacent structures, groundwater, headroom limits, and sequencing drive ERSS selection more than the soil does. Name them in the prompt.
</Tip>

## Temporary Works Checks

The same pattern covers temporary works: attach the drawings or the contractor's submission and ask for a first-pass check.

```text theme={null}
@Shoring_Submission.pdf Check the strut and waler sizing against
the loads shown. Flag anything that looks under-designed and
list what information is missing for a proper check.
```

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Structural Agent" icon="calculator" href="/platform-guides/structural-agent">
    The agent doing the reading and the calcs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mentions & Attachments" icon="at" href="/how-to/mentions">
    Tag reports already in your Files with @.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Design Calc Packages" icon="file-lines" href="/workflows/branded-reports">
    Turn the concept into a formatted deliverable.
  </Card>

  <Card title="File Management" icon="folder-open" href="/how-to/file-management">
    Keep each project's SI data in its own folder.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Info>
  **Questions?** Email **[support@stru.ai](mailto:support@stru.ai)** or [book a call](https://cal.com/bhosh).
</Info>