Our Services

Desk Studies are the cornerstone of the ground investigation and risk assessment process. They provide an audit of the site history and environmental setting and provide the blueprint for the subsequent phases of investigation if required.

Obsidian designs and executes tailored geo-environmental ground investigations to provide combined contamination and geotechnical data with subsequent assessment to ensure ground based risks and constraints can be identified, quantified and mitigated.

Where generic screening assessments have identified unacceptable levels of contamination, DQRA's for soil and groundwater can be undertaken by Obsidian to further assess the risk, establishing whether a significant pollutant linkage still exists or to determine appropriate remedial targets.

Obsidian develops remediation strategies (RMS) where the presence of contamination requires remediation, obtaining regulatory approval from the Local Authority and Environments Agency where required. We supervise the undertaking of remediation works and provide validation reports to demonstrate compliance with the agreed RMS and to satisfy the requirements of planning conditions.

Obsidian undertakes preliminary and detailed ground gas risk assessments in order to determine an appropriate level of ground gas mitigation where required. Obsidian can also verify the installation of ground gas membranes.

Where only geotechnical design parameters are required then Obsidian can undertake tailored geotechnical investigations and assessments. The data obtained can be used to inform the assessments for, but not limited to: conventional foundation and piled design, ground improvement, earthworks specification, road and pavement design CBR values, soil moisture profiling, general soil classification and desiccation assessments.

Obsidian undertake foundation assessments in order to ensure that foundations are formed within the most appropriate bearing strata based on available ground investigation data. Foundation inspections can then be undertaken to confirm that the ground conditions and geotechnical properties are the same as those to which the foundations have been designed.

Where a proposed development is within an area of historic mining activity, mining risk assessments will often be required. Initially a desk based assessment of available mining records and geological data will be undertaken. If an unacceptable potential risk is identified then an intrusive ground investigation will be required to further quantify the risk and to enable remedial options to be considered and developed.

Materials Management Plans (MMP's) are produced in accordance with the CL:AIRE Definition of Waste Code of Practice to enable the appropriate re-use of excavated material on site. Obsidian also can also provide the Registered Qualified Person function to review and sign off MMP's.

Obsidian can undertake a Level 1 waste characterisation of excavated waste materials to determine whether a Non-Hazardous or Hazardous waste classification is appropriate. Subsequent Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) can then be undertaken to assess the most appropriate waste designation and route for disposal.

Obsidian provides site specific soil permeability data by way of soakaway testing to enable the subsequent assessment of soakaway drainage options in accordance with BRE Digest 365. Rising and falling head permeability testing can also be undertaken as part of a ground investigation to provide preliminary soil permeability data.