Geobear techs at residential home

What is clay shrinkage subsidence?

In the UK, a primary cause is clay shrinkage subsidence, which can threaten your asset's value, operational safety, and insurance.

Many commercial properties, especially in London and the South East, are built on clay soils. This type of soil acts like a sponge, swelling when it absorbs water and shrinking dramatically during dry periods.

This shrinkage is often caused by:

Prolonged dry weather or droughts
Large trees and vegetation pulling moisture from the soil

When the clay shrinks, the ground pulls away from your building's foundations, removing its support and causing the structure to sink.

The critical problem: Differential settlement

This ground movement is rarely uniform. A large tree may pull moisture from one corner of the building, or a south-facing wall may dry out faster than a north-facing one.

This causes one part of the foundation to sink while other parts remain supported. This uneven movement is called differential settlement, and it's what places immense stress on the building's rigid structure, causing it to twist and crack.

Close up view of large diagonal crack in a cement slab floor

 

safety drawing on warehouse floor indicating where people walk

For a commercial property, differential settlement is a critical issue

This can lead to:

Health & Safety risks
Operational downtime
Significant loss in asset value
Higher future repair costs

The Geobear clay shrinkage treatment

Traditional underpinning is slow, expensive, and incredibly disruptive, requiring mass excavation and often full closure of the property.

Our Geobear Clay Shrinkage Treatment is a modern, non-disruptive alternative that targets the cause of the problem.

Traditional underpinning is slow, expensive, and incredibly disruptive, requiring mass excavation and often full closure of the property.

The Geobear Clay Shrinkage Treatment is a modern, non-disruptive alternative that targets the cause of the problem.

3D view of exposed soil under concrete slab in warehouse with Geobear techs injecting geopolymer

 

1
Survey and plan

Our expert engineers conduct a detailed survey to assess the extent of the ground movement. We then design a tailored injection plan to target the affected areas.

2
We inject a specialist geopolymer resin

Into the clay soil at specific, engineered depths beneath your foundations. The entire process is monitored in real-time to ensure the correct amount of material is placed in the right locations.

3
Compaction

The geopolymer expands, filling the fissures and voids created by the shrinkage. This action strengthens the ground and helps to lift and level the structure back into position.

4
Minimised disruption

Because the process is non-disruptive, it can often be completed in as little as one day, with minimal interruption to your daily business activities.

The commercial advantage

For a commercial property, downtime is not an option. Our solution is designed for businesses:

Minimally invasive

We inject through small diameter holes. No major excavation, no piles, and no concrete.

Up to 70% faster

Most projects are completed in days, not the weeks or months required for underpinning.

No disruption

Your business, tenants, and operations can often continue uninterrupted. We can work in targeted areas or overnight to suit your schedule.

Sustainable

Our solution has a 60% lower carbon impact than traditional underpinning and a design life of over 100 years.

Case studies

Warehouse/Factory
Hovis slab stabilisation
Featured case study Void Filling

Hovis slab stabilisation

Settlement beneath an industrial floor slab at a Hovis facility caused voids and loss of support, requiring stabilisation without interrupting production operations.

Operational downtime
Zero
See All 54 Case Studies

Stop clay shrinkage from threatening your asset

Don't let cracks and differential settlement devalue your property or disrupt your operations. Get a fast, non-disruptive solution.

Request an assessment
Bear pointing Bear pointing

Frequently asked questions about clay soil subsidence

No. Our process is designed for minimal disruption. The small footprint of our equipment, low noise, and the lack of excavation mean you can often remain fully operational while we work.

Not always. Our treatment strengthens the ground to make it more resilient to the tree's influence. However, we always recommend consulting a qualified arboriculturist for a long-term tree management plan.

Our primary goal is ground improvement — not lifting. The geopolymer expands to fill voids and compact the soil, which stops settlement. While a controlled lift is technically possible, our main objective is to provide a stable, long-term foundation to prevent future movement.

Our geopolymer is extremely durable, inert, and water-repellent with a long design life cycle.