History

1954 - Invention of the pressuremeter

In all started in 1954, when Louis Ménard, a young French Mechanical Engineering student from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, invented the device that was to revolutionize geotechnical work: the pressuremeter.
Until the 1950s, to calculate the foundations necessary for the stability of a building, a core sample was taken from the soil. The sample was analyzed to observe the different layers of materials or rocks, then a laboratory analysis was then necessary to determine the level of soil failure and its deformability curve.
Louis Ménard set himself the goal of devising a single test to measure the ultimate pressure of the soil and its deformation modulus in order to calculate its bearing capacity and settlement. He developed and filed a patent for the device that was to revolutionize geotechnical work: the pressuremeter.

1957 - Creation of the company “Les pressiomètres Menard”

In 1957, Louis Menard set up a company called “Les pressiomètres Menard” (Menard pressuremeters). Success was quick to follow and he soon had four licensees using his devices. He also convinced the French Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées (Central Civil Engineering Laboratory) to use his equipment.

1959 - International development of the pressuremeter

Exported to Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Canada and Brazil

1962 - Launch of the “Sols-Soils” journal & reorganisation of the company

Ever anxious to share his knowledge of the use of the pressuremeter, Louis Ménard launched the bilingual journal “Sols-Soils”, with Michel Gambin as editor in chief. This highly technical quarterly publication was initially distributed within the network of licensees but was soon put on general sale.

1968 - Invention of dynamic compaction for sandy soils

Read more about Dynamic compaction

1969 - First application of dynamic compaction technique

Residential resort in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, France
Read more about Dynamic compaction

1975 - Dynamic replacement

1977 - First major contract outside of France

1978 - Death of Louis Ménard

1978 - Iconic project : Nice Airport, France

1987 - Development of Menard Soltraitement

1987 marked a further turning-point in the history of the company, becoming independent once more, when it was sold by its shareholder and taken over by two company managers, Jean-Marie Cognon and Pierre-Marie Bic. The name “Menard Soltraitement” was adopted.

1989 - Iconic project : Kourou, French Guyana

1988 - Menard Vacuum™

1994 - Development of Controlled Modulus Columns

Read more about CMCs

1998 - Largest induced settlement

Largest induced settlement on the Jangyoo sewage treatment plant, South Korea

1999 - Integration of Menard into Freyssinet’s group (VINCI)

2001 - Ground improvement of 1,600,000 m² of reclaimed platform

Ground improvement of 1,600,000 m² of reclaimed platform on the Airbus A380 assembly factory in Hamburg, Germany

2002 - Acquisition of DGI (USA)

2006 - Deepest barrier wall constructed

Deepest barrier wall constructed on the Mayfield decontamination project, Australia

2007 - Acquisition of GEOPAC (Canada)

2008 - Largest vibrocompaction project

2009 - 2010 - 12,000,000 m² of dynamic compaction

2009 - Creation of the Soletanche Freyssinet group

2010-2012 - Ground improvement under an important road project

South Ring Road in Gdańsk, Poland

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2011 - Integration Of Vibro Services

2011 - Deepest vibroflotation for the largest onshore windmill

2012 - Acquisition of US Wick Drains

2012 - Largest ground improvement project in France

2014 - CMC world depth record

Controlled Modulus Columns set a world depth record in Louisiana in 2014

2016 - Integration of Remea

2021 - Integration of Dunton Environmental

Discover Dunton Envrionmental, specialized in developing and implementing ground and water remediation solutions to restore our planets natural environment.