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Temporary Groundworks

SEL hires and sells temporary groundworks equipment across the UK – providing excavation support for utility trenches, manholes, tanks, basements and cofferdams. Our range includes steel trench boxes, trench shields, trench sheets, hydraulic bracing, road plates and edge protection, supported by site-specific Temporary Works Design from our in-house engineers.

Use cases

  • Pipeline, drainage and cable trenches
  • Manholes, shafts and pumping chambers
  • Attenuation, stormwater and storage tanks
  • Cofferdams and deep excavations
  • Foundations and basement excavations
  • Bridge abutments, culverts and headwalls
  • Sewerage and water-treatment works
  • Road, rail and utilities infrastructure

Our Solutions

Not sure which shoring system suits your excavation? Speak to an SEL expert and we'll talk it through.

Case studies

Our Expertise

Our in-house engineers have decades of experience designing excavation support – all to BS5975 standards. Here are a couple of our recent projects, both where complicated ground conditions ruled out the obvious approach.

Take the headache out of planning temporary groundworks – simply contact us for a free consultation.

Which Excavation Support System Do I Need?

The right shoring method depends on the profile of your excavation, ground stability and whether live services are present.

Excavation TypeSite ConditionsRecommended Solution
Linear trench (utilities, drainage)Open ground, no cross-servicesTrench Boxes / Trench Shields
Linear trench (utilities, drainage)Crossed by live services or uneven groundTrench Sheets with Waler Frames
Square or rectangular pit (manholes, chambers)Confined footprint, precast rings or chambersManhole Boxes
Cofferdam, tank or basementDeep or wide span requiring clear working roomTrench Sheets / Sheet Piling with Hydraulic Bracing
No open excavation permittedRoads, railways or sensitive surfaces aboveTrenchless Technology

These are typical applications. Contact us for a free consultation on which method would best suit your exact project.

We also supply

We also supply a range of engineering support services and additional groundworks equipment

Common questions

What is excavation support?
Excavation support, or shoring, is used to hold the sides of a dig back so the ground cannot collapse into it while people work below. You'll also hear it called trench support, earthwork support, ground support or trench shuttering, and it covers everything from a trench box dropped into a service trench to a braced cofferdam for something like tank construction.
What is the difference between trench boxes, trench sheets and bracing?
A trench box is a pre-assembled steel box lowered into the dig, designed to protect the people working inside it. Trench sheets are driven into the ground to retain the soil face itself. Bracing is then strutted across a sheeted excavation to resist the earth pressure, and comes into its own on deeper and wider digs.
How deep an excavation can temporary groundworks support?
For a trench, our standard trench and manhole boxes have a recommended maximum depth of 5.30m. For a wider pit, the maximum depth is normally dictated by the ground conditions, the groundwater and the surcharge around the dig. For wide pit shoring we often recommend trench sheets alongside hydraulic bracing. If you'd like advice, our engineers are happy to provide free consultation or even a bespoke temporary works design to help you work everything out.
How wide an excavation can you support?
Our Heavy Duty Modular Bracing System can span sheet-to-sheet distances from 3.8m to 21.5m, while providing excellent access to the centre of the excavation.
Do I need shoring for a shallow trench?
There's no depth below which ground is automatically safe, and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 ask for practicable steps to stop an excavation collapsing whatever its depth. It can be complicated – but here at SEL we have decades of experience providing engineering support for all sizes of excavation. Simply get in touch if you'd like a free consultation.
Do you provide temporary works design for excavations?
Yes. Our in-house Civil and Structural Engineers can design your excavation support to BS5975, allowing for ground conditions, groundwater, surcharge from roads, rail and nearby structures, and the loads your works impose. You get drawings and calculations your team can build to and inspect against. Contact your nearest depot to arrange a site visit.
How much does groundworks equipment cost to hire?
Hire is charged per week, and the price comes down to which systems your dig needs, how much of each, and how long it stays on site. Our engineers put together an itemised kit list for each project, so you can see the whole picture before you commit. Ask us for a quote and we'll price it up, often within 24 hours. We offer fast lead times and very competitive rates.
How it works

Hire groundworks equipment with SEL

1

Consultation

Contact us for a free consulation and we'll talk you through our different temporary groundworks options.

2

Design*

Our engineers can design the support scheme for you and issue the drawings and calculations as a temporary works design.

3

Delivery

We deliver nationwide from Bristol, Cardiff or London, with kit inspected and with test certificates where applicable.

*Designing the scheme yourself? We are happy to supply on a kit-only basis.

We can help with your next project.

Our team is friendly, knowledgeable and ready to consult. We offer no-obligation site visits, fast delivery and competitive rates. Simply fill in the form and we'll be in touch.

You can also give us a call at any time.