Geotechnical & Environmental Expertise Covering Bath and the Surrounding Areas
Bath’s landscape and development history create a varied range of geotechnical and environmental considerations to consider. Limestone, mudstone, steep slopes and historic quarrying can all affect above ground stability, foundation design and groundwater conditions.
Sites close to the River Avon may contain comprising clay, silt, sand and gravel. These materials can vary over short distances, making site-specific investigation important when assessing bearing capacity, settlement, groundwater and drainage.
Previously developed land may also contain made ground or contamination associated with former industrial, railway, commercial or quarrying activity. Some locations around Bath and Somerset can be affected by radon or historic mining, which may require further assessment depending on the site.
Key areas of expertise include:
- Trial Pits: Used to investigate shallow ground conditions, existing foundations, made ground and potential buried obstructions. Trial pits can also provide samples for environmental and geotechnical testing.
- Rotary Drilling: Suitable for deeper investigation into rock and harder strata. Rotary drilling can help assess limestone, potential voids and deeper ground conditions where these may affect foundations or slope stability.
- Soil and Groundwater Sampling: Soil and groundwater samples can be tested to establish geotechnical properties, assess potential contamination and identify risks to people, buildings and controlled waters.
- Window Sampling: A compact investigation method suited to restricted urban sites. Window sampling provides soil profiles and can allow monitoring wells to be installed for groundwater or ground gas assessment.
- Cable Percussion Boreholes: Used where deeper information is needed for foundation design, groundwater assessment or investigation of alluvial and other superficial deposits.
- Slope and Ground Stability Assessment: Bath’s steep topography and areas of variable geology may require assessment of slope stability, ground movement and the potential effects of excavation or additional loading.
We support projects across Bath city centre, Bathampton, Batheaston, Combe Down, Lansdown, Newbridge, Odd Down, Twerton, Weston and the surrounding parts of Bath and North East Somerset.
