Geotechnical Engineering Ltd (GEL) provides site investigation services nationwide and has done so for half a century. GEL regularly works with Government agencies, local authorities, Network Rail, main contractors and developers.
GEL was founded in 1961 and since then has steadily grown to become a leader in the field of site investigation. This family business currently employs approximately 125 staff and has an annual turnover in the order of £8 million, but refuses to rest on its laurels and relies on their excellent service, built on trust, to ensure that new customers become regular clients.
As part of the ground investigation services offered, GEL have a variety of drilling techniques; in situ testing and monitoring; soil and rock testing laboratory services and geotechnical and geoenvironmental consultancy. GEL’s impressive HQ in Gloucester is one of a kind and is the hub for their national operations. It houses workshops for maintenance of their specially designed drilling rigs; a core warehouse where the samples stored are available for examination by engineers and a soil and rock testing laboratory.
GEL prides itself in its longstanding reputation as an innovator within the industry. For example, the company’s vast vault of knowledge and experience resulted in the design and manufacture of a number of unique rigs for site investigation drilling, starting 16 years ago with the Geotechnical Pioneer dual purpose rig. This rig is capable of dynamic sampling through superficial soils and made ground and also drilling through rock using a water/polymer flush coring system. In 2005 GEL unveiled the P45 slope-climbing rig, a tracked windowless dynamic sampling rig capable of drilling vertical holes on slopes of up to 45°.
The award winning P60 rotary slope-climbing rig designed by GEL in 2007, is a dual-purpose rig able to dynamically sample soils, as well as coring and open holing through rock on slopes of up to 45°.
Using this slope climbing rig technology, GEL have produced a suitable method of physically installing ElectroKinetic Geosynthetic (EKG) electrodes on slopes using the specially designed P45K rig. Based on the P60 slope climbing rig it has a side mounted mast so that it can install electrodes at any angle. EKG slope remediation is based on the electro-osmotic flow of groundwater when subjected to a voltage gradient. This reduces the pore water pressure, reinforces the ground as the anodes act as soil nails and post treatment drainage, which is not only more cost effective but also leaves a much smaller carbon footprint than other methods.
The firm is always investigating new ways to attract new business and to strengthen relationships with clients. GEL’s four key principals include: employing the right people; providing a service that can be trusted; charging a fair price; being innovative and daring to be different. They have recently embraced social networking sites as part of its marketing activities, including Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook. A new website revamp with plans to include site work videos on Youtube amongst many other new strategies are all part of the plan to ensure Geotechnical Engineering’s high profile continues for another 50 years.
For further information tel: 01452 527743 or visit their website: www.geoeng.co.uk.
