Bachy Soletanche prepares ground works at Potato Wharf, Manchester
July 2007
Bachy Soletanche Limited (BSL), a leading geotechnical engineering firm is currently preparing ground works at one of Manchester’s landmark areas, Potato Wharf in Castlefield. BSL’s half a million pound contract will be spilt into two visits, with the first constructing a secant wall and high level bearing piles and the second to construct lower level bearing piles.
The final project will house 213 waterside apartments, in two eight storey blocks, overlooking the famous iron Cheshire Lines viaduct. The buildings due to be constructed for Crosby Lend Lease are set to be a mixture of old and new – complimenting the surrounding area with their deep grey façade, to blend with the nearby iron viaduct, and their brightly coloured features designed to foreground the passing canal boats.
Bachy Soletanche prepares ground works at Potato Wharf, Manchester
BSL’s first stage of construction began at the end of April in a six week project. Richard Mercer, Contract Engineer commented:
“We utilised the secant wall solution for the basement because the site sits only three metres away from the Bridgewater Canal basin in some places.”
“Between the two visits, the Main Contractor Alfred McAlpine Capital Projects will reduce the ground level by two metres. We will then go back to install some further bearing piles” He added.
In order to complete the first section of the project, 540 continuous flight auger (CFA) piles with a 600mm diameter were bored into the ground alongside the canal. The female piles, installed first, were drilled to a depth of six to seven metres and the male piles then drilled to a depth of seven metres. Another 135 CFA piles at 400mm were then constructed. All the piles constructed on this project were socketed into sandstone.
During the first stage of piling, BSL had to overcome some minor obstacles, as Richard Mercer explained:
“The Castlefield area has fantastic surroundings with the grade 2 listed viaduct bridge and the prominent red brick buildings on the canal edge. However, due to its conservation credentials and the close proximity of the development to the viaduct, we did have to overcome some obstacles in the very early stages of the project.”
“This included using a rig with a shorter mast so we could install 4no. bearing piles underneath the viaduct which had a clear headroom of 13.5m.” He added.
BSL will go back to the same site at the end of July to construct the low level bearing piles in the second half of the contract. 274 CFA bearing piles with a 400mm diameter will be installed to an average depth of six metres.
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