Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.
You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.
13:13 Oct 3, 2011
French to English translations [PRO] Tech/Engineering - Geology
French term or phrase:horizon porteur
From a "DIAGNOSTIC GEOTECHNIQUE" of a property that has been damaged.
"Les buts de cette étude sont de :
- Déterminer la structure du sous-sol et son homogénéité,
- Appréhender les causes du sinistre,
- Localiser un horizon porteur en vue de la réalisation de travaux de reprise."
Although I quite like polyglot's suggestion that this may have nothing to do with physical "bearing" or "layers", invoking the more poetic use of both "porteur" and "horizon", I think the "normal" interpretation may be required, ie find or prepare a sufficiently solid piece of ground for rebuilding after the accident/sinistre.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
3 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): -1
good/suitable time
Explanation: "porteur" in the sense of "potential"
finding what appears to be a good time for repairs
Explanation: Presumably there has been subsidence of the foundation, causing damage to the building.
Reprise suggests reprise en sous-oeuvre, or "underpinning", which involves installing a support (wall, piles, etc.) beneath the existing foundation. Of course this support has to either spread the load over of a large area of weaker soil*, or carrying the load down to a layer of stronger soil*, which I take it is what is proposed here.
* "Soil" in the engineering sense, which includes rock.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 13 hrs (2011-10-04 02:21:23 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
www.jimcanning.com/Underpinning.htm
Offering specialist advice on Subsidence, Settlement, UNDERPINNING and other ... bored through the weak strata to a suitable LOAD BEARING STRATUM, possibly rock. ...
www.profoundationtech.com/foundation-repair-home.html
One method to accomplish this is referred to as foundation UNDERPINNING; ... to the LOAD BEARING STRATUM that can be found below the surface using push piers. ...
FOUNDATION UNDERPINNING is a process of modifying the foundation system of a structure that is unable to carry existing loads or additional loads within the existing soil conditions. Methods of underpinning include the construction of new or larger footings, driven piles, drilled piers, and hydraulic driven piers. Piering systems are typically drilled or driven deep into the soil and supported into LOAD-BEARING STRATA. http://www.mays-mcsi.com/svcs2.htm
Horizon is more a pedological term (soil, earth) than an engineering one. Depending on the nature of the structure, a "loadbearing horizon" may be sufficient, though it suggests that it might not be a strong as a "loadbearing stratum" which implies rock rather than soil, therefore taking greater load.
horizon ... 5Geol. a layer or small thickness of soil or rock identified by physical characteristics, particular fossils, etc.
stratum ... b. Geol. a single layer of sedimentary rock
[Websters]
xxxBourth Local time: 18:07 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 142
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
