Geotechnical Contracting and Engineering

Geotechnical engineering is the civil engineering discipline that considers the engineering behaviour of natural and man-made ground and its constituent materials. This includes the design and build of earthworks, retaining walls, tunnels, bridges, foundations, buildings and other structures that are supported by or constructed using soil or rock. Underpinned by the principles of soil and rock mechanics, geotechnical engineering is a fundamental consideration for construction, civil engineering and management of existing engineered assets.

With more than 30 years of experience, our highly qualified geotechnical team, as well as subsidiaries Structural Soils, CAN, and CR Civil Engineering make us of the leading geotechnical stabilisation contractors in the UK. We specialise in building and installing solutions to stabilise ground to reduce the risk of instability or ground movement causing harm. This includes reinforcing both natural and made ground, stabilising soil slopes, constructing and strengthening retaining walls, stabilising rock faces and controlling rockfall, providing support to structures or voids and installing drainage systems. As a fully integrated multidisciplinary consultancy, we also work closely with our geoenvironmental, site investigation, geotechnical design, geophysical, structural engineering and materials testing teams, providing our clients with solutions across the range of geotechnical projects.

Proactive approach and client-focused

Our background in rope access and specialist knowledge of working at height enable us to undertake work safely in the most difficult access environments. We also work with traditional civil plant and access routes, so can provide a solution to ground stabilisation requirements on any site. We have delivered numerous flagship geotechnical projects and have undertaken some of the UK’s largest geotechnical stabilisation schemes. Therefore, we have the skills and experience to deliver the biggest, most complex or unusual schemes, and we also apply this knowledge delivering smaller projects.

For more than 15 years, we have designed and manufactured our specialist drilling plant in-house. We know exactly what plant and equipment we need and have developed the facility to design and build equipment specific to the types of work we do and to provide bespoke solutions to suit the needs of individual clients and contracts. Communication is vital to the smooth operation of a project. We pride ourselves on collaborating with our clients from the outset through to project completion. Our extensive experience means we propose the safest, most-efficient designs and methodologies. We strive to provide excellent service to our clients, acting with integrity, delivering on expectations and building relationships for the future.

An integrated service

Our full scope of geotechnical services ensures that we provide bespoke solutions to our clients, across all sectors and through all stages of a project, from pre-planning to consent, including asset management, analysing and reducing geotechnical risks, thereby enabling our customers to embark on their developments. This enables our customers to deliver their plans, such as reducing geotechnical risks, undertaking civil engineering projects, upgrading railways and highways and developing land for public or private schemes.

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Our Expertise

  • Slope stabilisation

    Soil slope stabilisation involves actively stabilising ground or improving drainage in order to reduce the risk of instability. Our services in this area include soil nailing, installing slope netting, erosion matting and geocell facing systems, river and coastal scour protection and managing vegetation.

  • Rock face stabilisation

    Rock face stabilisation removes or reduces the risk of rockfall. We specialise in scaling and re-profiling to remove loose rock, installing both passive and active rock netting systems, building dentition to support undercut rock masses, installing rock bolts and rock anchors to support large rock masses, and installation of sprayed concrete facings.

  • Rock containment systems

    Where site conditions dictate that stabilisation to remove the risk of rockfall is not possible or cost-effective, we can install rock catch fences. These comprise high-capacity anchored fences that catch loose rock, dissipates the energy and prevents the rockfall from causing damage. We are experienced in installing some of the largest catch fences in Europe.

  • Drilling and grouting

    Small-diameter piles are used to reinforced ground and provide support to structures or foundations. We can install mini piles, micro piles and bored piles up to 450 mm in diameter. We carry out bulk and injection grouting to fill underground voids or voids within structures. We are also able to carry out probe drilling to locate voids or investigate certain ground conditions.

  • Structural reinforcement

    There are various methods of strengthening and repairing existing walls and structures to prolong their lifespan and to provide reinforcement for new-build structures. We install structural anchors and tie bars, carry out injection grouting, undertake repointing and can strengthen brick and/or masonry walls.

  • Retaining walls

    Where there is a requirement to support a vertical or near-vertical face, retaining walls are often built to provide reinforcement. We specialise in building cast in-situ and pre-cast concrete retaining walls, reinforced earth walls, piled retaining walls and gabions. Tie back anchors or tie bars are also used to provide additional capacity.

  • Sprayed concrete

    Sprayed concrete can be used to construct retaining walls, provide hard facing to prevent weathering of rock faces, construct head blocks and beams, provide dentition support for loose rock masses and to build on slope drainage channels. We undertake wet and dry sprayed concrete, including installing reinforcement and back of wall drainage.

  • Drainage

    Drainage measures can help to reduce water levels within soil slopes and the risk of slope failure. We are experienced in installing incline drains, on-slope drainage systems, concrete-lined channels and interceptor drains.

  • Geotechnical inspection and design

    Tactile inspections are used to investigate the condition of slopes and rock faces and provide recommendations to control any risks of instability. With our expertise in rope-access techniques, we can conduct up-close inspection and provide detailed reports. Through the wider group, we are also able to design remedial measures to solve the full range of geotechnical problems.

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