Bedrock
Bedrock is rock that underlies loose deposits such as soil or alluvium. Ref The HS2 London-West Midlands Environmental Statement, published by the Department for Transport in November 2013.
The National Geographic Society suggests that ‘Bedrock' is the hard, solid rock beneath surface materials such as soil and gravel. Bedrock also underlies sand and other sediments on the ocean floor. Bedrock is consolidated rock, meaning it is solid and tightly bound. Overlying material is often unconsolidated rock, which is made up of loose particles.’ Ref https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/bedrock/
Identifying bedrock is an important part of civil engineering, as it can be used to help support built assets such as buildings, bridges and other structures. Foundations may be built onto the rockhead, that is the upper boundary of the bedrock. This can involve excavating through surface soils.
The depth of bedrock can be determined by desk studies, digging, drilling and other geophysical methods. It varies significantly at different locations, and necessitates different types of foundations or other structural supports.
Shallow foundations are typically used where the loads imposed by a structure are low relative to the bearing capacity of the surface soils. This might include; strip foundations, pad foundations or raft foundations. Raft foundations are slabs that cover a wide area, often the entire footprint of a building, and are suitable where ground conditions are poor, effectively floating on poor ground like a raft.
Deep foundations are necessary where the bearing capacity of the surface soils is insufficient to support loads imposed and so they are transferred to deeper layers with higher bearing capacity. Deep foundations are typically formed by piles, which are long, slender, columns typically made from steel or reinforced concrete, or sometimes timber.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Alluvium.
- Basal layer.
- Bearing capacity.
- Bulk filling materials.
- Clay.
- Contaminated land.
- Deep foundations.
- Desk study.
- Foundations.
- Hydraulically treated soils in residential construction (BR 513).
- Insitu testing of soils.
- Pile foundations.
- Sand.
- Shallow foundations.
- Soil report.
- Soil survey.
- Subsoil.
- Topsoil.
- Types of soil.
Featured articles and news
Building Safety recap January, 2026
What we missed at the end of last year, and at the start of this...
National Apprenticeship Week 2026, 9-15 Feb
Shining a light on the positive impacts for businesses, their apprentices and the wider economy alike.
Applications and benefits of acoustic flooring
From commercial to retail.
From solid to sprung and ribbed to raised.
Strengthening industry collaboration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Institute of Construction and The Chartered Institute of Building sign Memorandum of Understanding.
A detailed description fron the experts at Cornish Lime.
IHBC planning for growth with corporate plan development
Grow with the Institute by volunteering and CP25 consultation.
Connecting ambition and action for designers and specifiers.
Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand says ECA.
Built environment bodies deepen joint action on EDI
B.E.Inclusive initiative agree next phase of joint equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plan.
Recognising culture as key to sustainable economic growth
Creative UK Provocation paper: Culture as Growth Infrastructure.
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London Unite
Creating the UK’s Built Environment Super Event and over 25 other key partnerships.
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.