Ground & Site Investigations

KGECL provides a comprehensive and versatile range of ground & site investigation techniques from simple trial pitting to more sophisticated drilling and in-situ testing methods. We own and operate an extensive fleet of drilling and in-situ field testing equipment, including conventional, low disturbance and restricted access plant. The almost exclusive use of our own plant, equipment and skilled personnel allows us to design, effectively manage and tailor each project to our client’s needs, and react rapidly to any unpredictable ground conditions. This flexibility helps us to ensure that any risks are managed promptly and are thus minimised. Field investigation services includes but not limited to;

Dry drilling
Drilling using water and mud circulation with NQ roads (wire line) and HQ
Performing Standard Penetration Tests (SPT)
Performing Dynamic Probe Super Heavy (DPSH)
Sampling undisturbed samples and block sampling.
Water level monitoring
Drilling rigs
Marine and overwater services
Instrumentation and monitoring
Plate bearing testing

GEOTECHNICAL CONSULTANCY
Site investigation can be regarded as an essential part of the preliminary and detailed Engineering design of any construction project which determines and defines the geological, engineering (soil and rock mechanics), hydrological (groundwater) and environmental (contamination) characteristics of the ground. It is fundamental to safe, efficient and economic development. We ensure that the ground investigation is designed and implemented correctly to meet the project requirements and within the projected budget. Where necessary, our multi-disciplined teams are able to integrate the scope of works to cover both geotechnical and environmental concerns in order to provide a technically robust and cost-effective site investigation solution.

CONTRACTING SERVICES
In addition to our Geotechnical Consulting Services, we offer a Ground and site Investigation Contracting Service, providing specialist investigation plant with experienced operators to work under direct supervision of your Engineer(s).

LABORATORY TESTING
Our laboratory is an integral part of the geotechnical investigation and consultancy services that we offer at KGECL. Through our in-house laboratory testing and specialist sub contract laboratories we are able to provide a fast and reliable, complete range of laboratory testing and reporting services. Our in-house laboratory is fully furnished to provide full geotechnical soils and rocks, aggregates and earthworks, materials and concrete laboratory testing services which meet the national and widely applicable international standards.

Environmental Impact Assessments
Predominantly used to inform an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, a Verified View is a render of a 3D model demonstrating a proposed development. It is similar to a photomontage, except that the position and key points of the camera are recorded by a Geospatial Surveyor. This allows the 3D model to be positioned with verifiable accuracy within a photograph of the potential site.

When is an EIA required?
Environmental Impact Assessments apply to a small – but nonetheless significant – proportion of projects submitted each year.

As per the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017, the relevant planning authority must establish whether a proposed project falls within one of two “schedules”. This will in turn determine whether an EIA is necessary.

Schedule 1
While a wide range of projects fall within Schedule 1, they are generally typified as major industrial or infrastructure-related developments. Examples include motorways and express roads, hazardous waste disposal installations, and petroleum storage sites with a capacity of 200,000 tonnes or more (a full list can be found here). All Schedule 1 projects require an EIA.

Schedule 2
For projects that are classified within Schedule 2, the relevant planning authority must consider whether it is likely to have a significant impact on the environment. Examples of such projects include gas-carrying installations of more than one hectare, shipyards measuring more than 1,000 square metres, and chemical production plants of over 1,000 square metres (a full list can be found here).

If the type of project appears within Schedule 2 and exceeds the relevant thresholds or criteria, it must be screened by the planning authority to assess whether an EIA is required. Additionally, Schedule 2 projects located within a sensitive area must be screened, regardless of whether they exceed the thresholds.

Our environmental impact assessment methods
At Technics, we use Verified View technology to facilitate the planning application by demonstrating the visual impact of any future development.

A Verified View is a high-quality photograph in which the relationship between the camera position and the detail in the photograph is known, allowing a computer-generated image of the proposed development to be accurately inserted, demonstrating the visual impact.

The process of creating a Verified View ensures there is a data history that can be checked to confirm the proposal is accurately positioned and scaled within the photograph.

We collaborate with architects, visualisation specialists and developers in providing accurate co-ordinates of each camera position and feature detail within each of the required viewpoints.

All survey data is processed and a report is compiled. The report includes X, Y, Z coordinates of all the surveyed points that are referenced on the supplied photographs of each viewpoint. We can also provide a 3D drawing to indicate all camera positions and feature detail points.