Improving ground for infrastructure

The long term performance of infrastructure assets such as railways, roads, airports, harbours and buried utilities is greatly affected by the condition of the soil on which they are constructed. It is possible that soil conditions can deteriorate over time due to external forces such as water ingress which can wash out fines or due to the impact of clay shrink swell behaviour or due to excessive dynamic loading and vibration damage to name a few.

Geobear delivers engineered ground improvement solutions, which consolidate the soil, increasing bearing capacity and reducing future settlement – quickly, cleanly, and without disrupting operations.

Infra sinkhole ayelsford

 

Challenges in infrastructure ground consolidation

1

Ageing assets

Much of the UK’s infrastructure was built many decades ago for much lower traffic volume and imposed loads. This could mean that the current designs and construction are not sufficient to prevent overstressing of the ground on which they are constructed. The overstressing leads to excessive and uneven settlement, which leads to rapid deterioration of the asset.

2

Weakened soils

Existing soil conditions can deteriorate over time due to external forces such as water ingress which can wash out fines or due to the impact of clay shrink swell behaviour or due to excessive dynamic loading and vibration damage. As the soil becomes weaker, bearing capacity is lowered and excessive and uneven settlement increases.

3

Operational disruption

Traditional civil engineering methods, such as excavation and replacement, cementitious grouting, deep foundations or piling most often require heavy construction equipment. These methods are highly disruptive and require a lot of space to be executed safely, this often means road or rail line closures and blockages. This level of disruption to operational schedules is often unacceptable.

4

Environmental impact

The environmental impact of traditional engineering solutions is generally quite high due to the level of disruption and nuisance caused and a generally higher carbon footprint when compared to Geopolymer solutions.

Specific applications

Geobear’s ground improvement solutions are trusted across a wide range of assets:

Railway site with Geobear

Rail infrastructure

Improving and strengthening the subgrade underneath railway ballast layers.

Airport slab stabilisation

Airport pavements

Strengthening the subgrade beneath concrete runways and taxiways

Geobear at Bridport harbour

Ports and harbours

Strengthen ground and preventing subsidence by water ingress

Geobear at work on Highways

Highway pavements

Improving the ground beneath rigid and flexible pavements to extend asset life.

Ground improvement

Structural loading

Bearing capacity improvement and settlement reduction below infrastructure.

Benefits of Geobear

Minimal disruption

Our no-dig process means you can stay operational while we work.

Faster completion

Projects take days, not weeks, with resins curing in as little as 15 minutes.

Cost-effective

Less labour, less downtime, and no costly rebuilds.

Lower carbon footprint

Around 75% lower carbon impact compared with cement-based methods.

Our process

Every site is unique, so our engineers start with a detailed survey and design a detailed treatment plan tailored to your project. This will specify exactly where the geopolymer is to be injected and at what level and in what quantities.

Geobear drilling at harbour

 

Geobear has a range of 22 different geopolymers which have differing performance characteristics, the engineers will choose the one which is best suited for your project.

The geopolymer is installed via 12mm diameter temporary steel tubes, which are drilled into the ground to the required depth.  The geopolymer is injected in liquid form which then rapidly expands in-situ into a hardened material with specific engineering properties. The expansion compacts loose granular materials and fills any voids which might be present. In clay soils the geopolymer works by reinforcing the soil with an interlocking network of hardened geopolymer layers. The net result in both cases is an increase in bearing capacity, which leads to a reduction in long term settlements. The reaction profile of the geopolymer is very quick in comparison to cementitious grouts, gaining 90% of its compressive strength within 15 minutes and then fully cured within 1 hour. 

Throughout the process, we monitor movement and pressure in real time – ensuring precision, control, and reliable results. Specified performance can be measured via in situ penetration testing.

Case Studies

Our solutions have been applied across every infrastructure sector. Explore how we’ve solved ground improvement challenges for clients.

Bridport Harbour Works

Bridport Harbour Wall

Geobear delivered a non-intrusive solution to compact very loose granular soils and fill voids.

Learn more
Infra case study dublin ubc4

Rail Transition Zone

Geobear stabilised a critical transition zone on the Dublin–Cork line, improving track stiffness.

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Long Eaton library

Long Eaton Library

Geobear delivered ground improvement and underpinning at the Grade II listed Long Eaton Library.

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Discuss a site

Every ground challenge is different. Speak to our engineers today and we’ll design the right ground improvement solution for your site.

Contact us
Bear pointing Bear pointing