Engineer's quick reference guide

Geoenvironmental

Geoenvironmental engineers provide project specific tailored solutions

Structural Soils’ years of experience ensures that its teams understand ground contamination and implement bespoke solutions according to the site and the client’s requirements to deliver efficient and waste-reducing results.

Preliminary risk assessment

Following the guidance in Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM), we produce preliminary risk assessments (PRA), including desk studies (often referred to as Phase 1 reports), to understand the history and current status of a site and to develop a conceptual site model (CSM). This may be to support a planning application, discharge a duty of care where no regulatory body is involved or assist with understanding environmental liabilities associated with a site.

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Intrusive ground investigation

If a site requires sampling and testing for planning or Building Control to assist with waste assessment and/or to further investigate risks identified by a PRA (produced by us or a third party), our geoenvironmental staff will design a ground investigation that adheres to your objectives.

Geoenvironmental ground investigations use low disturbance techniques such as dynamic window sampling or rapid assessment using excavator-dug trial pits. We undertake cable percussion and rotary drilled boreholes following required sampling and analysis for geotechnical assessment. We can install gas, vapour and groundwater monitoring standpipes, and our site technician team understands the best methods for obtaining representative groundwater, soil gas and vapour samples.

Geoenvironmental laboratory testing

Our site engineers are trained in geoenvironmental investigation and sampling to ensure representative samples are taken and submitted to our contamination testing laboratory following best practice. Our geoenvironmental staff can schedule the laboratory testing to meet the project requirements. We have a great working relationship with our sister laboratory, Envirolab, which tests for an extensive range of contaminants. Samples can also be submitted for stand-alone testing, either collected by our engineering staff or provided to us.

Latest projects

Demex Ground Investigation

Afon y Bala Embankment Stabilisation

Ground investigations to facilitate A66 upgrade

Reporting and advice

Following PRA and intrusive work, we provide clients with interpretive reports, including:

  • generic quantitative risk assessment (GQRA) advising on risks to receptors, such as long-term risks to health, controlled waters (surface and groundwater) and potable water supply pipes
  • final CSMs and updated risk assessments
  • recommendations for any further work, including remediation strategies and method statements.

We are also able to undertake validation of remediation works carried out.

For geotechnical aspects such as foundation advice, pavement design, soakaway testing and assessment of buried concrete, see geotechnical services.

Waste assessments

Using HazWasteOnline (HWOL), our staff produce initial waste classifications to determine whether soil may be classified as hazardous or non-hazardous. Our sister laboratory, Envirolab, provides contamination laboratory testing results in HWOL format as standard, and our contamination testing suites meet the requirements of HWOL for easy import and export in the HWOL software. We undertake waste acceptance criteria testing (WAC) to assist with determining the appropriate landfill class for potential off-site disposal of surplus soil.

Explore other services

Geotechnical
Geologging
Drilling
Data management
Soil, rock and material testing
Monitoring
In situ testing
Geotechnical equipment hire
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Structural Soils is part of the RSK group of companies

The RSK group is a leading integrated environmental, engineering and technical services business offering bespoke end-to-end solutions to a variety of sectors. Headquartered in the UK but with an established presence throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia, RSK helps organisations around the world achieve their business aspirations in a sustainable and efficient manner.

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