Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 330,713	$ 356,595	$ 337,096	$ 309,166	$ 352,181	$ 350,138	$ 322,868	$ 306,234	$ 1,333,570	$ 1,331,421	$ 1,091,420
Gross profit	67,423	77,121	72,053	59,190	83,063	63,939	71,918	61,063	275,787	279,983	247,021
Operating income	(28,640)	24,938	14,523	9,125	(35,631)	(13,934)	20,619	9,134	19,946	(19,812)	66,882
Income from continuing operations					(32,800)	(16,101)	12,776	4,560	(7,990)	(31,565)	52,007
Loss from discontinued operations					(3,221)	(130)	(364)	(132)	0	(3,847)	(6,461)
Net income (loss) attributable to Aegion Corporation	$ (33,433)	$ 15,223	$ 8,848	$ 1,372	$ (36,021)	$ (16,231)	$ 12,412	$ 4,428	$ (8,067)	$ (37,167)	$ 44,351
Basic:
Income from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)					$ (0.90)	$ (0.45)	$ 0.34	$ 0.12	$ (0.22)	$ (0.88)	$ 1.31
Loss from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)					(0.09)	0.00	(0.01)	0.00	0.00	(0.10)	(0.17)
Net income (in Dollars per share)	$ (0.91)	$ 0.41	$ 0.24	$ 0.04	(0.99)	(0.45)	0.33	0.12	(0.22)	(0.98)	1.14
Diluted earnings per share
Income from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)					(0.90)	(0.45)	0.34	0.12	(0.22)	(0.88)	1.30
Loss from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)					(0.09)	0.00	(0.01)	0.00	0.00	(0.10)	(0.17)
Net income (loss) (in Dollars per share)	$ (0.91)	$ 0.40	$ 0.24	$ 0.04	$ (0.99)	$ (0.45)	$ 0.33	$ 0.12	$ (0.22)	$ (0.98)	$ 1.13
Restructuring charges	$ 300	$ 1,500	$ 5,700	$ 3,500	$ 9,500	$ 40,000			$ 968	$ 687	$ 0
Asset impairment charges					$ 52,700				0	11,870	0
Goodwill impairment	$ 43,500								$ 43,484	$ 51,512	$ 0