New Ambulance Depot | Ground Investigation

The project involved conducting a contamination and geotechnical assessment to support the development of a new ambulance depot and office. The proposed development included a 2-3 storey lightweight commercial building with associated parking, yard areas, access roads, and soft landscaping.

The site had been previously regraded to create a level development platform from a sloped terrain.

As a result, a substantial thickness of made ground was present, but there were no existing records of contamination or geotechnical assessments. The origin and composition of the infill materials were unknown, raising concerns about ground stability and potential contamination. 

Solution Provided 

To assess the ground conditions, a comprehensive site investigation was undertaken, including: 

• Window sample boreholes to collect soil samples. 

• Dynamic probing tests to assess ground strength. 

• Clegg hammer tests to evaluate soil compaction. 

• Excavated trial pits to visually inspect subsurface conditions. 

• Soakaway tests to determine infiltration capacity. 

• Rotary boreholes for deep subsurface sampling (both contamination and geotechnical). 

• Gas monitoring visits to assess ground gas risks. 

• Monitoring wells installed for gas and groundwater monitoring.