Our Projects

Explore our previous work and accomplishments

Bishopdale Subdivision

2015-01-01 - 2026-01-12

Sally has been working on the Bishopdale Subdivision in Nelson since 2015, responsible for over 70 new sections so far, and counting. Geotechnical issues to be managed, worked around, mitigated and resolved include steep slopes, faults, historic filling and movement of vast quantities of cut and fill, with up to 15m of cut and 20 m of fill in places. The resultant sections are all readily developable, most with great views!

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Residential Dwelling on Steep Slopes

2023-02-01 - 2025-07-31

This client was looking to build a two-storey home on a steep, tricky site — the kind where you have to think carefully before shifting any dirt. Temporary stability was a key concern; we needed to make sure the earthworks wouldn’t put anyone or anything at risk once excavation started. The solution was a bit backwards, by design: we included a retaining wall that went in first, supporting the slope before the first cut was even made. It gave the site the stability it needed right from the start and enabled safe and effective construction going forward.

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Rural House Site on slopes near fault

2023-04-01 - 2025-01-05

This project involved assessing the suitability of a rural property in steep hill country for subdivision. The site was located within both the Tasman District Council’s slope hazard and active fault hazard overlays. We carried out a series of deep trenches to identify the location of an active fault and helped position the proposed building platform safely away from it. Large-scale earthworks were required to create a level building pad, involving several metres of engineered fill and significant unretained cuts. We supervised the earthworks throughout, provided compaction certification, and completed the geotechnical sign-off needed to finalise the subdivision and allow new titles to be issued.

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Large landslip below house

2022-04-01 - 2024-12-31

When a large landslide left a home teetering on the edge of a steep, unstable slope, GeoSolutions was brought in to help make things safe again. We carried out detailed site investigations and slope stability modelling to understand the ground conditions and risks. Working closely with the design team, we provided geotechnical input for a remedial solution that included a soil nail and shotcrete wall to stabilise the slope. We also oversaw construction and provided final sign-off to support the homeowner’s re-insurance process.

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Wastewater Treatment (Sludge) Tank

2023-10-01 - 2024-11-18

Working at the Bell Island Wastewater Treatment Plant came with its own set of challenges. The building site was sitting on a thick layer of uncontrolled fill over potentially liquefiable soils, which meant we couldn’t just dive into construction—some ground improvement was needed first. Access was tidal, so timing was everything, and safety was a big focus throughout. We were brought in to support the geotechnical design, helping the team navigate the tricky ground conditions and keep things stable while work was underway.

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Landslip Repairs - Tahunanui Slump

2022-01-09 - 2024-09-12

Repairing damage on the active Tahunanui Slump is always challenging. The house had been both shunted forward from movement behind, as well as losing support off to the side as land slid down into an adjacent gully. Working with Vector Structural Engineers, we helped develop a solution involving drains, deep anchored foundations, disconnecting then reconnecting the piles and installing a new staircase access to the deck, which floats above, rather than sits on, the ground below.

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Landslip Protection

2022-08-24 - 2024-05-30

The property was damaged by a landslip originating from higher up the slope during the August 2022 storm event in Nelson. Tricky access meant the contractor had to develop different strategies for building the debris protection barrier needed.

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Winery Tank Farm

2023-08-01 - 2024-02-29

Getting a tank farm up and running on soft ground, with vintage looming on the horizon, meant there was no room for delays. The site was prone to both liquefaction and static settlement—especially under the hefty loads the tanks would impose. Tackling the challenge head-on, and racing the clock, we joined forces with the structural engineer and contractor to design a ground improvement solution that could carry the weight and keep movement in check. The final result gave the client confidence and kept the schedule on track.

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Wine Research Facility

2022-03-08 - 2024-01-30

A fun project to be involved with, this building needed to be designed to allow for plant growth but also to allow students and researchers to study root growth around the vines. In an area where liquefaction could prove to be problematic and there were soft soils near the surface, we came up with a combined approach, with the building superstructure supported on piles down to the gravels at depth and the growth pods sitting over a reinforced gravel raft in the middle.

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Building over buried tanks

2023-03-01 - 2023-10-31

When plans were drawn up for a new building to be constructed above underground storage tanks, GeoSolutions was called in to help navigate the site's challenging ground conditions. Tidal groundwater fluctuations and a high risk of liquefaction meant careful planning was essential to ensure stability both during and after construction. We carried out detailed geotechnical investigations and worked closely with the project team to develop a ground improvement solution. Our final design featured a reinforced gravel raft to support the tanks and the overlying structure. The result: a stable platform built to withstand dynamic subsurface conditions.

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Commercial buildings below steep slope

2020-02-02 - 2022-02-02

These commercial buildings were to be located below a steep slope. To reduce the likelihood of damaging the buildings in a future landslip, a debris wall was built at the bottom of the slope and behind the buildings.

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Sports Stand on Liquefiable Ground

2016-09-26 - 2016-11-08

We completed a geotechnical investigation for a new spectator stand to be built at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim. The site was identified as being potentially vulnerable to liquefaction, so a suite of test pits and cone penetration tests were completed to help quantify this risk. The report was delivered less than a week before the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake, which initiated widespread ground shaking through Blenheim. Liquefaction was observed to have occurred at the park, with sand boils observed at the surface - one of which had come up through one of the CPT test holes! What a privilege to be able to check your predictions and find they were on the mark!

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