Call: 01392 678082

Established 2004

Ruddlesden geotechnical

Ruddlesden geotechnical provides ground investigation, geotechnical consultancy and contamination assessment services.

Based in Exeter, but covering the whole of the UK, albeit primarily concentrated in the South West, Ruddlesden geotechnical was formed in 2004.

Ruddlesden geotechnical works on behalf of a wide client base, including local, regional and national housing developers, housing associations, commercial developers, building contractors, structural and civil engineers, architects, building consultants, quantity surveyors, local authorities and private individuals.

Development projects range from single dwellings and extensions to large housing estates, multi-storey flats, offices, industrial units, roads, slopes, schools, hospitals and basements.

The services and projects listed on this web-site provide an indication of those undertaken by Ruddlesden geotechnical, but others are carried out. If your requirement is not readily identifiable on this web-site, please contact us as we may still be able to help you.

  • AGS
  • Constructionline
  • CSCS
  • SMAS
  • ECFC trust

Latest news

Recent projects

  • Latest news

    14 May 2026

    MSc Student to Help with BRE 365 Soakaway Project

    At Ruddlesden geotechnical, we often provide work experience to university students over the summer. This pleases both parties, as it provides them with invaluable industrial experience and a bit of pocket money, and helps us cover staff holidays, as well acting as an extended job interview, should a suitable vacancy arise in the future.This summer, we are particularly looking forward to welcoming Bailey, from the University of Portsmouth, who will be doing his MSc dissertation with us. He will be working and extending on an on-going project of ours. He will be reviewing all of our soakaway testing data and correlating this with the published geology, and then asking the question, and potentially providing the answer: does BRE soakaway testing need to be carried out in certain geologies?We have been reliably informed that he is a GIS whizz and are hopeful that he is what the project needs to take it to the next level.

    MSc Student to Help with BRE 365 Soakaway Project
    MSc Student to Help with BRE 365 Soakaway Project

  • Recent projects

    Solution Feature Investigation, Brixham

    A solution feature investigation and assessment was undertaken by Ruddlesden geotechnical at the site of a proposed residential development in Brixham. The consulting engineer had recommended Ruddlesden, having prior experience with solution features (caves) beneath another residential development site within the area. Based on the findings of the Phase 1 geotechnical assessment, the site was considered to be at high risk of being underlain by solution features that could affect the proposed development. A geotechnical investigation, comprising a combination of open-hole rotary ‘probes’ and cored boreholes, was undertaken. The boreholes were targeted on the corners of the proposed plots. The investigation indicated that one of the plots was underlain by a substantial cave (up to 5m high), at a depth of less than 10m below existing ground level. The cave appeared to be filled with sediment and the overlying rock had dilated and partially collapsed into the cave as a result of its presence. Nevertheless, following a detailed assessment of the ground conditions encountered, it was considered that there was a sufficient thickness of competent limestone present to bridge the cave and that a reinforced concrete ground beam would be able to support the proposed property (even in the event of ground subsidence) and that there was no requirement for infilling of the solution feature or piling the foundations to competent rock beneath the cave.

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  • Recent projects

    Coal Mining Assessment, Somerset

    A Phase 1 Geotechnical Assessment and Coal Mining Risk Assessment indicated that a proposed residential development site in Nailsea was potentially at risk from mining-related subsidence as a result of shallow mine workings within the coal seam beneath the site. Ruddlesden geotechnical designed a scope of works to investigate the historical mine workings to assess as to whether the collapse of said workings could foreseeably affect any future residential development of the site. The geotechnical investigation comprised trial pits and trenches, followed by rotary open-hole boreholes. The trial pits were used to inspect the near surface ground conditions and historical mine entries, whilst the boreholes were used to determine the depth of coal seam(s) and historical workings beneath the site. The results of the investigation were used to produce a geological cross-section of the site and ground model, which were used to assess the risk of mining-related subsidence. By virtue of the depth of mine workings, and the working height, it was considered that future development was unlikely to be affected by historical mining.

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