Phase I and Phase II Ground Investigation

Mixed Use Development – Edinburgh

JPP Geotechnical and Environmental were appointed by a land agent to undertake a detailed Phase I and Phase II Ground Investigation on a large parcel of land on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The proposed development comprised approximately 200 residential properties with private gardens, areas of open landscaping, commercial units and a primary school with associated infrastructure.

The site, which was located on the outskirts of Edinburgh, had been blighted by both shallow and deep historical coal mining issues. In order to design a suitable, cost effective and targeted ground investigation scheme, JPP undertook an initial Coal Mining Risk Assessment to ascertain the impacts on the site and the implications they may have on the proposed development scheme.

The site-specific coal mining risk assessment enabled our geotechnical design team to design a targeted ground investigation scheme to ascertain both the geotechnical and geoenvironmental risks posed from the historical coal mining identified beneath the site and to identify the high-risk development areas which would be at greatest risk of impact from the historical coal mining.

Our targeted ground investigation works comprised a detailed grid of trial pits to identify the nature of the shallow ground conditions across the site. Our works also included CBR’s and BRE365 soakage testing to determine the suitability of infiltration on the subject site. On completion of the fieldwork and assessment of the ground model, detailed geotechnical and contamination testing and assessment was undertaken across the site to provide foundation design parameters along with an assessment of the contaminative impacts of the historical land use on the soils encountered on site.

JPP provided recommendations for the site wide foundation design solutions, floor slab design, concrete classification and on the use of soakaways for infiltration. In addition, contamination assessment and waste classification works were undertaken, enabling JPP to provide our client with remedial design recommendations and a waste classification for the soils which require removal off site.

Our interpretative Phase II report provided the land agent with sufficient and detailed information to support pre-application works and to provide to prospective developers interested in acquiring the site with a recommended scope of works for the next stage of detailed design.