What lies beneath: A deep dive into geotechnical claims

The most expensive problems are often the ones you can’t see. In this episode of Fortune Favours the Brave, we uncover the unseen world beneath construction projects with guests Giles Tagg and Alessandro Morgan-Gianni from DAC Beachcroft, and Thomas Jones from Howden.

We explore:

• How hidden ground conditions lead to seven‑figure claims
• Why sinkholes signal deeper geotechnical risks
• Practical ways engineers and developers can protect projects through better scope, evidence, and documentation

You’ll also hear about a real case involving chalk ground—where negligence was proven but caused no recoverable loss due to causation.

Key topics include:

• What geotechnical engineers do and why uncertainty persists
• How sinkholes form and why images can mislead
• Sampling limits, borehole density, and value engineering trade‑offs
• Common claims: settlement, heave, contamination, drainage failures
• Defence strategies using early expert evidence and causation analysis
• Direct and indirect losses - from remediation to finance costs
• The Tilehurst case and its causation outcome
• Practical risk controls: scope, reliance, records, liability limits
• How climate change and planning reform increase claims exposure
• Predictions for more sinkholes, landslips, and multi‑party disputes

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Guest Intros
• 2:45 Why Sinkholes Captivate And Matter
• 4:25 What Geotechnical Engineers Actually Do
• 7:20 Uncertainty, Boreholes, And Risk
• 10:35 Types Of Geotechnical Claims
• 15:15 Defence Strategy And Expert Evidence
• 21:00 Losses, Remediation, And Costs
• 26:25 Real Sinkhole Case: Tilehurst