Geotechnics
Ground conditions are one of the biggest uncertainties in construction projects — and one of the most difficult risks to understand.
From initial planning through to long-term asset management, the latest analytical tools can offer significant benefits when combined with a sound understanding of ground behavior and the judgements of skilled professionals.
Geotechnical solutions for complex ground conditions
Our geotechnics team has a track record of success, because we:
Innovate and pioneer new techniques and technologies
We adopt cutting-edge solutions and help our clients to understand their benefits, and we are constantly improving our methods and tools.
Apply adaptive design and resilience
We create structures that can withstand future developments and uncertainties, such as climate change and seismic events, and which use less carbon and natural resources.
Collaborate across disciplines and sectors
We work closely with other practices and experts to deliver integrated and holistic solutions.
Share knowledge and best practices globally
We can leverage our global team to deliver solutions where they are needed and learn from our experiences in different regions and projects.
Marina Coastal Expressway, Singapore. Our innovations on Singapore’s Marina Coastal Expressway have enabled faster, more efficient construction while meeting the state’s famously tough safety requirements.
What can we do for you?
Serving clients in a range of sectors and throughout the world, we provide geotechnical engineering, design, and advisory services to address a full range of needs.
Meet the team
Our experience
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Bromford Portal observational method trial of DAARWIN software on HS2 Phase 1, UKUsed on complex civil engineering projects, the observational method (OM) can deliver dramatic time, cost, and safety benefits. It enables engineering designers and contractors during excavation to anticipate the movement of underground structures and existing infrastructure to safeguard the project, protect workers from harm, and avoid damage to existing infrastructure. But even OM can be greatly enhanced with DAARWIN, a new software solution that employs machine learning.
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Elizabeth Line, London, UKFor this major new railway, we helped design the tunnel alignment under London and the connection of 41 fixed points. In addition to geotechnical reports, we used information from historic maps, details of future developments and protected buildings, aerial photography, and our surface appraisal from walking the entire route to understand what buildings and infrastructure would be impacted on the surface and below ground. Our work also included integrating more than 50 operational and information systems to ensure synchronicity between stations, routeways, signaling, and telecommunications — all the systems that convert tunnels and stations into a functioning railway.
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Marina Coastal Expressway, SingaporeThe expressway traverses an area of human-made land consisting of 100 to 130 feet (30 to 40 m) of marine clay, which has the consistency of toothpaste and flows when subject to force. As excavation advances, external earth pressure becomes progressively greater — retaining walls want to cave in and the base of the excavation wants to heave up. Our geotechnical analysis helped to develop the robust engineering methods necessary to prevent undesirable ground movement and enabled faster, more efficient construction while meeting Singapore’s famously tough safety requirements.
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Port Mann/Highway 1 project, British Columbia, CanadaWe were the senior partner in a design joint venture, leading a team of 13 other engineering firms to complete the design of all the onshore works. A key design consideration involved overcoming challenging geotechnical conditions where compressible soils had low bearing capacity, significant settlement potential, and poor residual strength in seismic events. We used expanded polystyrene to mitigate long-term ground settlements, accommodate low allowable bearing pressures, and designed an array of ground improvement methods to prevent seismic-induced slope instability.
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Regional Connector, Los Angeles, USAAs detailed designer, we successfully navigated the challenges of earthquake risk and tangles of existing utilities to transform journeys for LA Metro passengers.
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Torrens Road to River Torrens Motorway, Adelaide, AustraliaA section of road forming the spine of this project, known as T2T, required nearly 4 miles (6 km) of retaining walls. The traditional solution would have been to build cantilevered contiguous piled walls using a significant amount of concrete. By applying an unconventional approach to Adelaide’s stiff clay soils, however, an optimized design — tailored to suit the ground conditions — was produced. Steel nails 10 to 20 feet (3 to 7 m) in length were drilled into the face of the excavated stiff clay walls and encased in grout, with a thin shotcrete surface layer providing stability. The solution provided huge cost savings, while also ensuring structural integrity of the wall and safety for motorists.
