About SGI

The Swedish Geotechnical Institute, SGI, is a geotechnical and geo-environmental research institute that contributes to safe, economical and environmentally sustainable development in the geotechnical field.

SGI is independent of various stakeholder interests but has broad-based co-operation with other government agencies, industry and community organisations. As a centre of excellence within the geotechnical field, SGI is dealing with

• Expert advisory services
• Research and development
• Information activities

The Swedish Government has commissioned SGI to assume overall responsibility for geotechnical issues in Sweden, and SGI has particular responsibility as a governmental expert body for safety issues relating to landslides and coastal erosion. The know-how of SGI is available for many sectors of society and comprises land use planning, foundation engineering and the technique of soil reinforcement, slope stability, ground energy, polluted land and sediments, re-use of by-products, field and laboratory investigations.

SGI supports the government as an expert agency in EU collaboration and contributes actively within the international scientific community.

In 2011 SGI has 86 employees and the annual turnover in 2010 was approx. 14 million euro. 

Expert advisory services

SGI provides geotechnical advice to governmental authorities and to the construction sector. SGI expert advisory services concern the implementation of new knowledge and evaluation of research results in practical work and comprise slope stability, subsidence, contaminated land, foundations and groundwater protection. The advisory services are funded by commissions.

SGI acts as the Government’s expert body in aspects regarding landslides and coastal erosion. The purpose is to support society in order to reduce the risks of health and increase security in the geotechnical field.

Research and development at SGI

Applied research and development is a central part of the work at SGI. Research is conducted to support the function as an expert panel with the aim of reducing risks in the geotechnical field and SGI shall also ensure that knowledge is passed on and put to practical use. SGI works with other authorities, universities and other organisations to identify and formulate research needs and to assist in the co-ordination of geo-engineering science. SGI is internationally recognised and acknowledged as an expert research institute that meets high scientific standards.

The four research areas are:

- Natural hazards
- Geo-constructions
- Ground contamination and remediation
- Geo-materials

In the field of natural hazards SGI works on landslides, erosion, mudslides and the consequences of flooding. SGI conducts research to reduce the probability of these natural hazards and to reduce the consequences for society in today’s climate and in response to expected climate change.

Research and development within the area of geo-constructions is focused on four working areas: foundations (mainly in soft soil but to some extent also in rock), soil stabilisation (particularly in fine-grained soils and sediments), maintenance, reuse and upgrading (including drainage of roads and railroad embankments) and computational methods and models.

Within the research area of ground contamination and remediation there is a constant need for research, new knowledge and its dissemination, particularly in the development and implementation of alternative remediation methods and refined risk assessments that enable better, more cost-effective measures.

Research within geo-materials is focused on geotechnical and (biogeo-) chemical material properties, investigation of material parameters and development of material models.

Information activities

Information activities include dissemination of knowledge by literature services based on the database SGI-Line, in addition to reporting results, training-manuals, handbooks, courses and conferences. Geotechnical market support concerns the development of guidelines and standards in addition to committee work and quality valuation.

Go to our Library/Informations Service for more information>>