At Telford in Shropshire, GeoDyne designed and implemented a detailed Phase I and Phase II site investigation for a new commercial centre within a larger residential development.

Our Phase I investigation looked into the environmental issues, geology and history of the site and surrounds in order to produce a Conceptual Site Model. This work revealed that the site was potentially underlain by shallow coal workings. We then produced a detailed proposal for Phase II investigations to assess the site from a geotechnical and environmental perspective.

The Phase II works were designed to identify the locations of shafts, the presence of coal and potential workings. The works included an Application for Permission to Enter or Disturb Coal Authority Mining Interests, cable percussive boreholes, window sampling boreholes, trial pitting and rotary water flush drilling. Geotechnical and environmental soils testing was completed, together with a detailed gas monitoring programme over several weeks in accordance with CIRIA guidance.

GeoDyne obtained suitable information to allow us to recommend appropriate foundation options on variable engineered fill materials up to depths in excess of eight metres. Localised anomalies (i.e. buried highwalls associated with former opencast coal workings) were also identified in sufficient time to allow our client to take into consideration potential abnormal development costs and enable designs to be adjusted accordingly.