Understanding ground conditions in Bognor Regis is critical before any construction begins, as the town sits on a varied geology of Cretaceous chalk overlain by Quaternary drift deposits, including brickearth, Head, and marine sands. These superficial layers can be highly variable, with pockets of soft, compressible material directly impacting foundation performance. A thorough ground investigation is the essential first step to navigate this complexity, ensuring designs comply with the requirements of the NHBC Standards and Eurocode 7, specifically BS EN 1997-2, by identifying potential hazards like dissolution features in the chalk or running sand conditions.
Our foundation design methodology is rooted in a rigorous application of UK standards, moving from desk study to detailed interpretative reporting. We quantify the specific engineering parameters of the ground using high-quality data, often derived from Cone Penetration Tests (CPT), which provide a continuous profile of soil behaviour, particularly effective in the sands and soft clays found locally. This data is integrated with results from In-Situ and our laboratory analysis, where Atterberg limits testing precisely classifies the shrink-swell potential of cohesive brickearth, a primary geotechnical risk in the region that dictates the necessary foundation depth.
Typical projects in Bognor Regis, from seafront apartment blocks to residential developments on the northern outskirts, demand tailored foundation solutions. For lightly loaded structures on the chalk, traditional strip footings may suffice, but a detailed assessment of the chalk grade and fracture spacing is mandatory. Conversely, the presence of loose, saturated sands often necessitates piled foundations, particularly where dynamic loads are a factor. On large earthworks or road schemes, verifying the engineered fill's compliance is achieved through rigorous compaction control, utilising the field density test (sand cone method) to ensure specified relative densities are met, preventing future settlement.
The process delivers a clear, actionable foundation design report, distilling complex data into practical recommendations for bearing capacity, settlement, and ground treatment. Our value lies in de-risking your project from the start. By correlating precise stratigraphy from CPT soundings with the mechanical properties from our comprehensive grain size analysis, we eliminate the over-conservatism that plagues generic designs. This integrated approach provides a defensible, cost-optimised foundation strategy, giving you absolute confidence in the long-term stability of your structure in Bognor Regis’s challenging ground conditions.