With piling imminent, and the site's history suggesting potential UXO risk, the contractor needed an immediate response.

The urban location and presence of deep dense made ground (approximately 11m) meant a hydraulic CPT-based solution would be insufficient.  A deeper, more robust intrusive solution was needed - and fast.

UXO Risk Context: East India Docks

The Docklands area, including East India Docks, was a primary target during the Blitz, suffering extensive bombing due to its role in munitions handling, shipping, and warehousing.

The Luftwaffe dropped thousands of bombs across East London, aiming to destroy the docks and their surrounding vital infrastructure. The failure rate of German bombs in this area is estimated at around 10%, leaving many bombs unnoticed within the ground.

As a result, many project sites across the area today are classed as medium to high risk for UXO, particularly for intrusive ground works such as piling or deep excavations. 

We received the enquiry late on a Friday afternoon; but within hours, our team had:

·      Designed a bespoke intrusive UXO survey strategy

·      Provided a same-day quotation, and

·      Attended a remote pre-start meeting with the client

With our methodology agreed, we swiftly mobilised a specialist drilling rig to site, completing six intrusive UXO surveys tailored to the piling layout.

The results speak for themselves:

·      Delivered same-day survey design and quotation

·      Mobilised rapidly and delivered 6x intrusive UXO surveys targeting transformer pile locations

·      Successfully penetrated 11m of made ground unsuited to CPT techniques

·      Zero disruption to programme timelines despite the late-stage requirement 

Supporting Data Centres: Beyond UXO

With the UK home to circa 500 operational data centres already, this growing sector faces increasing pressure to expand safely, reduce carbon, and deliver uninterrupted service.

Igne supports these goals with a full suite of integrated services:

UXO risk mitigation: from rapid assessments to deep intrusive surveys, we keep high-stakes construction activity on schedule and compliant in high-risk zones.

Geothermal energy systems: our expertise in mine water and closed-loop geothermal allows us to capture and repurpose waste heat, reducing operating costs and supporting net-zero strategies.

Ground investigation: many data centres are located on redeveloped brownfield land. Our advanced ground investigation services - from geo-environmental assessment to drilling and laboratory testing - de-risk critical design and foundation decisions.

We are a trusted partner to data centre operators and contractors across the UK.  In this case, we ensured safety, speed, and certainty in a high-risk urban location without compromising the client’s timeline or objectives.

How can Igne help you?  Explore our services or contact the team for immediate advice.