Consultancy
Discover how we can benefit your engineering or infrastructure projects.
A Permafrost Laboratory researcher in a trial pit near London
How we can help you
We offer consultancy advice in the form of field investigations, laboratory studies and desk research.
Our recent and ongoing consultancy has aided the delivery of large-scale engineering projects including the HS2 railway between London and Birmingham, Harbury Railway Cutting and proposed reservoirs in England. In addition, we have provided industry with training courses on periglacial features in southeast England and north Wales.
We conduct essential geomorphological and geological mapping to identify terrain disturbed by periglacial or permafrost processes during historic ice ages. These disturbances include:
- relict shear surfaces in clay-rich hillside deposits
- metre-scale vertical fractures (or 'gulls') in competent caprocks beside valleys
- widespread brecciated bedrock to depths of a few metres.
By identifying these features, we enable you to incorporate them into your engineering and infrastructure design specifications and prevent unncessary costs and delays in construction work.
We can also conduct in-depth studies of substrate behaviour in our laboratory at Sussex, and desk research on other geomorphological and geological issues.
Contact
To enquire about our consultancy services email Professor Julian Murton at j.b.murton@sussex.ac.uk.