Site Investigation

At CGL, our Site Investigation services form a basic element of all our services for the built environment. As an innovative and award-winning ground engineering consultancy, we can draw on our extensive experience to design robust, pragmatic, and cost-effective solutions for site investigation, even in difficult to access sites, that will beat your expectations.

We focus our clients’ concerns to invest time and money into one of the least visible but highly valuable elements of the construction process. We draw on our experience to offer guidance on risk reduction and what can be achieved with the knowledge that is provided by comprehensive site investigation services.

We have expertise in site investigations in remote or difficult-to-access situations across the UK, and we draw on a range of techniques and partners to facilitate this. We are also able to meet difficult constraints such as costs and timescales, whilst health and safety remain at the core of all our operations.

Our independence often allows the scope of CGL’s site investigation services to incorporate innovative techniques offered by our specialist subcontract partners to support the aims of the investigation and meet the requirements of the design.

Construction Monitoring, Foundation Inspection and Verification   

CGL’s activities during the construction inspection process can be broadly divided into two main areas: 

• Monitoring and supervision of remediation measures on contaminated land
• Inspection of earthworks and building formations

Alongside these procedures, CGL regularly provides inspection and monitoring services to temporary works schemes.

Ground Investigation   

Our clients vary from major residential and commercial organisations through infrastructure and transport stakeholders to individual householders.

Our experience and knowledge of the industry and site investigation services ensure we use appropriately experienced and quality-driven ground investigation contractors as well as soil and contamination testing laboratories. This ensures our factual information is compliant with current standards and supports the interpretative and design reporting that we deliver.

CGL can also develop a detailed ground investigation specification and then undertake and review a competitive tender process should the client desire as part of a wider CGL contract management role.

Monitoring, Instrumentation, and Testing   

Our experienced engineers and monitoring technicians carry out monitoring or sampling, equipped with the latest equipment to current specifications including:

• Gas Flow,
• Concentration,
• Groundwater Monitoring

Groundwater sampling is undertaken using a variety of methods appropriate to the investigation purposes, including low-flow methods with in-line real-time measurements of various parameters. Gas sampling can also be undertaken by CGL where a specific risk is identified.

Site Feasibility and Planning Constraints    

CGL is extremely experienced in site investigation services including site feasibility and planning constraints services- including phase 1 desk study services, producing clear client guidance for proposed developments based on:

• Environmental And Geological Constraints, 
• Local Policy And Planning Guidance, 
• Cost Implications Of Remediation, 
• Advice On The Feasibility Of The Project Program 
• Budgets Based On Findings

Alongside desk-based works, CGL can undertake and commission preliminary non-intrusive works such as geophysics-based surveys, and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) on existing foundations and similar structures to further direct the scope of future works.

Why Choose CGL For Site Investigation Services? 

Our carefully chosen and audited laboratory partners allow a full suite of geotechnical and chemical testing to be undertaken in accordance with industry best practices. These partners together with our experienced field engineers and scientists allow CGL to offer a robust and knowledge-led field team, who are quick to offer real-time solutions as part of our site investigation services to capture the right information at the right time.

Our tailored and cost-effective site investigation services and design conservatism, allow us to enhance the value-added solution from the skills we can bring with geotechnical design using numerical analysis to predict serviceability limits required for European Code compliance.

We can act as consultants or managing contractors – either way, we will work with you to get the best value from our site investigation services at all phases to deliver your project on time and within budget.

CGL doesn’t subscribe to a standardised reporting layout. Instead, as part of our site investigation services, we produce a bespoke report – which may be factual, interpretative, or otherwise – to ensure that our client’s needs and regulatory requirements are satisfied on every project.