Excavation Support

Excavation Support Design

Safe, buildable excavation support — from battered slopes to sheeted and framed solutions — designed around your ground, your plant and your programme.

What this covers

Excavations fail fast and without warning. We design excavation support that fits what you actually have — ground, groundwater, surcharges, adjacent structures and available kit — from battered profiles through proprietary boxes and sheets to framed solutions, with reference to BS 5975:2024 and CIRIA good practice.

  • Battered excavation profiles and benching
  • Trench boxes, drag boxes and proprietary shields
  • Sheeted and framed excavation support
  • Groundwater, surcharge and adjacent-structure assessment
  • Excavation and installation sequence design
  • Interfaces with piling mats, cranes and haul roads

How we word it

  • Designs rely on ground and groundwater information supplied — unverified assumptions are stated and flagged for confirmation.
  • Daily inspection and permit control remain site responsibilities.
  • Subject to competent checking under the project temporary works procedure.
Deep excavation and basement temporary works with propping and support to a major structure

Typical deliverables

  • Support design calculations and drawings/sketches
  • Installation, use and removal sequence
  • Design risk assessment with residual risks
  • Inspection and permit-to-dig/enter interface notes

Information we need for an accurate quote

Partial information is fine to start — we will tell you what matters most.

  • Depth, plan size and shape of the excavation
  • Ground type and any GI / trial pit information
  • Groundwater expectations or observations
  • Surcharge loads — plant, spoil, traffic, structures nearby
  • Buried services information
  • Preferred method or available support kit

Typical hold points & interfaces

  • Support installed and inspected before entry
  • Re-inspection after rain, surcharge change or partial removal
  • Permit-to-dig / permit-to-enter interfaces at each stage

When contractors use this

  • A dig goes deeper than a batter can safely go
  • Ground, water or surcharge conditions have changed
  • Working next to structures, roads or live services
  • A proprietary system needs project-specific justification

Move this forward

Send the item, the programme date and what information you already have (drawings, loads, ground info, constraints). You will get a practical view on scope, approach and turnaround.


Related services

Scope & competence note

Temporary Works Consulting & Design Ltd provides design, advisory, training and support services subject to agreed scope, competence requirements and project-specific information. Digital products, books, templates and tutoring support do not replace formal appointment, competent design review, independent checking, statutory duties or project-specific approval under the project temporary works procedure.

Get started

Need Temporary Works Support Now?

Tell us the item, the programme date and what information you have. You will get a practical, honest response — not a sales pitch.

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