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projects
PROJECT
Client
> Skanska/Sir Robert McAlpine
Sector/Market
> Infrastructure
Services
> Geotechnical Monitoring
Location
> Central London, UK
Project summary
2 Finsbury Avenue (2FA) at Broadgate is located at the largest pedestrianised neighbourhood in Central London. The project consists of a 12-storey podium with a 21-storey West Tower and 36-storey East Tower.
The brief
Murphy Geospatial, a Woolpert Company was instructed by Skanska to carry out drilling and installation of automated extensometers during development works for 2 Finsbury Avenue.
This included demolition of the existing buildings and construction of a new office-led, mixed-use development arranged over three basement levels, ground, and up to 37 upper floors.
The instrumentation was designed to monitor settlement or heave and measure changes in distance between fixed anchor points in the ground or structure. Data from the automated extensometers was continuously collected and transmitted to an online portal.
This allowed the design team to:
- Monitor soil and structural deformation in real time
- Receive early warnings of potential ground or structural instability.
- Validate design assumptions and geotechnical models.
- Support informed decision-making throughout excavation and construction.
The challenges
During the drilling phase, the team encountered several ground-related and logistical challenges:
- Borehole Stability: Some boreholes collapsed and had to be redrilled to ensure correct instrument placement
- Congested Site Conditions: Coordination with other contractors was essential due to space and activity constraints
- Limited Working Space: The tight footprint required precise planning for equipment and personnel
- Ongoing Excavation: The casing levels had to be continuously adjusted in line with excavation progress
Our work
Murphy Geospatial was responsible for the drilling and installation of two fully automated extensometers at 2 Finsbury Avenue. These instruments were installed in accordance with the project’s geotechnical monitoring plan and were connected to data loggers for real-time transmission of deformation data to an online portal. Monitoring commenced upon installation and continued throughout the excavation and construction phases.
Our team
The project was delivered by a structured monitoring team. A dedicated Project Engineer oversaw the preparation and supervised the installation process. Two Installation Technicians performed the physical installation and handled ongoing maintenance. To support the drilling works, Murphy Geospatial subcontracted an external specialist, ensuring seamless delivery despite the site constraints.
Results
All systems were successfully installed and remained operational throughout the project. Data was continuously captured and accessed via an online portal, enabling real-time monitoring and informed decision-making.
The successful execution of this monitoring package reinforces Murphy Geospatial’s reputation for delivering reliable, data-driven solutions. By drawing on our team’s technical expertise and adaptive approach, we continue to provide certainty our clients can depend on at every stage of development.
Contact
For more information on this project, please email info@murphygs.com or call us on +44 (0)192 362 4800