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

    27 Aug 2026

    LiDAR, UAV and GIS used for Slope Stability Assessment

    Geoff Davis has recently been working on another coastal caravan site with slope stability problems.On this site, Lewis Brown Chartered Land Surveyors used remote sensing (LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)) from a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) to help understand the locations and magnitude of ground movements.Ruddlesden geotechnical then used GIS (Geographic Information System)  to highlight areas of concern, to quantify the degree of movement, which might have otherwise been missed.These technologies have been great in helping us understand the landslide processes at this site and, equally importantly, convey to others what is happening. However, they are of little use without a detailed understanding of the geological and geomorphological processes, which inform the all-important ground model, i.e. they should be seen as a useful tool to help us understand and communicate landslide processes, rather than a replacement for the understanding of them.

    LiDAR, UAV and GIS used for Slope Stability Assessment
    LiDAR, UAV and GIS used for Slope Stability Assessment

  • Recent projects

    Trial Trenches Expose Historical Coal Mining Entries near Bristol

    A combination of trial pitting and trenching was undertaken at a site in an area of historical coal mining to the north of Bristol as part of a coal mining risk assessment. This exploratory technique was used to provide an indication of the natural ground conditions beneath the site, as well as to delineate historical mining features, including mine entries. The trial trenches and trial pits enabled a sufficient volume of the ground to be inspected and historical mining features to be identified and described by our engineering geologist, whilst maintaining a sufficiently safe distance from the historical mine entries.

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  • Recent projects

    Deep Bore Soakaway Testing, Devon

    A combination of in-situ constant and variable (falling) and constant head testing was undertaken to provide information for the design of a number of deep-bore soakaway drains at a residential development site in Torbay. Deep-bore soakaway drains had previously been recommended by Ruddlesden geotechnical following observations made during conventional soakaway testing in accordance with BRE DG 365. Previous geotechnical investigation and near-surface geophysics, undertaken as part of a solution feature investigation, had indicated that the use of conventional shallow soakaway drainscould lead to the wash-out of near surface soils through underlying cavernous limestone, potentially leading to an increased long-term subsidence risk of the ground. Rotary open-hole boreholes were undertaken to form the deep bore soakaway at depths specified by the consulting engineers, based on information provided by Ruddlesden geotechnical from an earlier phase of geotechnical investigation, which included a period of groundwater monitoring. Additional in-situ constant head permeability testing was also undertaken following the installation of the deep bore soakaways to verify the design parameters and to confirm the performance of the deep bore soakaways. All testing was undertaken in accordance with BS EN ISO 22282-2:2012.

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