Geotechnics, Ground, Coastal Engineering, and Investigations

Our geotechnical and Coastal engineering services can be integrated with our civil and structural departments giving us a valuable knowledge base from which to design optimum solutions.

We have a proven track record of high-quality, cost-effective Geotechnical and Geo-Environmental ground investigations of all sizes and complexities. Our aim is to interpret site conditions and provide our clients with economical and technically sound recommendations and geotechnical designs.

Ground Investigations

JGP offer a range of geotechnical and geo-environmental ground investigations to determine contamination risk or geotechnical design parameters. A well-designed site investigation can deliver significant long-term cost savings by identifying any potentially problematic ground conditions prior to development.

We use a wide variety of exploratory techniques, including trial pitting, windowless sampling, dynamic probing, cable percussive boreholes, rotary drilled boreholes, geophysics, ground gas monitoring and in-situ / field testing, such as plate bearing tests, dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) tests. Our ground investigations, designed specifically to site conditions and our client’s requirements, include:

Desk studies and ground condition appraisals
Infiltration / soakage tests for drainage / soakaway design
Hydrogeology, groundwater investigations and assessments
Laboratory analysis: concrete, rock and soil
Factual reporting / Ground Investigation Reports (GIRs) to Eurocode 7 (EC7)
Interpretative reporting / Geotechnical Design Reports (GDRs) to Eurocode 7 (EC7)
Geotechnical appraisals and assessments for quarries

Cliff and Coastal Slope Stability Assessments

JGP has a strong team of engineering geologists and geotechnical engineers that regularly carry out stability assessments, stabilisation works and risk management of cliffs and coastal slopes, quarry faces, landslides and landslips, rock and soil cuttings and embankments.

Our stability assessments are tailored to the property location and potential instability issues so that the appropriate level of survey can be carried out to properly assess the hazards and associated risks.

We undertake a range of bespoke cliff stability and coastal erosion assessments from pre-purchase reports for conveyancing or planning, to public safety rock fall risk assessments and mitigation. Our range of services include:
• Desk-based reviews of the Shoreline Management Plan, local coastal protection measures and published data on erosion and coastline regression.
• Site visits and visual inspections carried out by experienced Engineering Geologists with knowledge of coastal processes to observe and record the engineering geological and coastal conditions; and where necessary carry out rope-access inspections and kinematic analyses.

Monitoring & maintenance surveys
Quantitative stability analysis and modelling.
Summary reports with recommendations for any remedial works or management to mitigate or reduce risks.

Geotechnics and Ground Engineering

JGP has been involved in a wide range of projects where complex ground conditions have required a comprehensive knowledge of engineering to provide cost-effective solutions. Our highly-experienced team of geotechnical engineers able to produce high-quality schemes and effectively manage geotechnical risks.

From feasibility stages, though to on-site construction monitoring and certification, JGP has considerable experience in designing successful solutions to a wide range of ground problems. From mass down-slope movement of coastal slopes; active landslip, subsidence, ground instability and unconsolidated bearing strata, our engineering design capabilities include:

Slope stabilisation
Slope drainage
Contiguous piled wall design
Space piled wall design
Piled and embedded retaining walls
Sheet piled Walls
Rock anchorage design
Soil nail design
Pile design
Earthworks stabilisation
Grading and hydro-seeding;

Reinforced soil structures;
Gabion retaining walls:
Retaining walls and basements
Piled foundations
Temporary groundwork design
Remediation of land affected by subsidence (mining or natural cavities)
Working platforms
Crane bases
Geogrid reinforced load transfer blankets
Mine workings remediation

Coastal Engineering

JGP has carried out numerous coastal protection projects for both public and private clients. Our engineering designs use appropriate materials for coastal protection and cliff stabilisation schemes, enabling us to provide optimum solutions to any situation.

Multidiscipline experience enables JGP to provide the full range of design services for new maritime structures, as well as conduct inspections of existing structures for defects. Our engineers have extensive experience in the design of remediation works for numerous maritime structures. We have developed a reputation on designing high-quality robust solutions for maritime environments. Our services include:

Coastal Structures Design
- Rock armour structures
- Breakwaters
- Sea walls
- Revetments
- Ports and harbours
Coastal Structure Inspections
- Remedial design
- Maintenance strategies and design
Coastal Vulnerability Assessments
Coastal Modelling
- Wave assessments
- Beach morphology assessments

Land Affected by Historic Mining or Natural Cavities

JGP has extensive experience in the investigation and remediation of ground instability related to underground voids associated with the extensive disused mine workings in Southwest England and natural cavities in the region’s limestone and chalk karstic terrains.

Our engineers have successfully engineered numerous solutions for unstable ground, making sites safe against failures such as subsidence, crown-hole or sink-hole formation and/or total collapse. We have used various remediation techniques from capping, grouting or filling voids to designing appropriate foundations, such as rafts, piles or articulated foundations.

Historic abandoned metalliferous and non-metalliferous mining and associated processes are well known for leaving a legacy of:

mining related subsidence at surface;
environmental / contaminated land issues; and
hydrogeological problems causing surface water flooding or triggering collapses.

JGP can also provide a range of engineering and geo-environmental services related to the redevelopment of disused mine and quarry sites. We have carried out numerous mining related ground investigations, contaminations, hydrogeological assessments and remediation strategies; as well as designed and implemented drainage relief schemes to mitigate against flooding and instability.

Remedial works in heavily mined areas often need to adopt a flexible phased approach or use observation techniques and adapt the design to treat whatever is encountered during site development.

Natural cavities such as karstic voids and fissures in limestone and chalk present both geotechnical and drainage problems. Apart from difficulties with lack of ground support, changes in the drainage regime during a site development can trigger instability. JGP has carried out many ground investigations, foundation designs and drainage schemes for various developments over naturally voided ground.