The soft alluvial clays and silts of the Humber estuary define ground conditions across Hull. With seasonal groundwater levels sitting less than 2 m below surface, a soil mechanics study here must account for high moisture content, low shear strength, and consolidation potential. Our field programme starts with boreholes and undisturbed sampling using thin-walled tubes to preserve fabric. For shallow investigations we often extend the work with calicatas exploratorias to visually log strata and obtain bulk samples. The data feeds directly into settlement and bearing capacity calculations under Eurocode 7 design approach 1.
The combination of soft estuarine clay and anthropogenic fill demands a phased investigation to capture spatial variability across each site.