After providing extensive pre-contract support, and following a competitive tender process, we beat off stiff competition to win the groundworks package for this development from ISG. Our reputation for delivering consistent high quality, on programme, on projects of this size was a major factor in winning the contract.
Early works comprised exploratory excavations to remove obstructions and de-risk future elements of the works. We also attended on dynamic compaction works, and provided piling mats for a new river defence wall.
Foundations for the new building were a mix of pile caps and ground- bearing pads, requiring concrete poured at a rate of 600m3 per day to maintain programme. We then constructed flare heads to piles to support a ground floor slab of around 57,000m2.
Our surface-water drainage scheme was mostly gravity-flow to a 5000m3 Tubosider 1.8m diameter steel pipe attenuation system, in an excavation approximately 400m long, 12m wide and 3.5m deep. Water from the attenuation system is pumped to an existing outfall via a new pumping station 6m in diameter and 7m deep. Foul-water drainage also falls by gravity from the building to pumping stations for final discharge to existing outlets. An extensive network of service trenches provides utilities to all parts of the project.
Externally, we constructed approximately 45,000m2 of mesh-reinforced yard slabs, incorporating linear drainage channels with HB2, beaney, and trief kerbs to perimeters. We also supplied over 100,000 tonnes of Type 1 material from our quarry.