- Project
- Dalmore Mill, Midlothian
Groundworks expertise ensures safety of site teams in 15-metre-deep excavation
Dover
Project Overview
| Location |
|
|---|---|
| Sector | Water |
| Products |
As part of the Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR), Walker Construction (working as a sub-contractor to Principal Contractor McLaughlin Harvey) is installing a new pumping lift station. To facilitate the safe delivery of this, we designed and supplied five levels of bracing frames for an up to a 15-metre-deep excavation, using our Supershaft Plus bracing systems.
Watch how we brought this engineering challenge to life – scroll down or catch our case study video on YouTube.
Our solution
To create the space needed for this project and facilitate the installation of the necessary pumping equipment, a significant portion of ground needed to be excavated. Luke Kingsbury, Contracts Manager at Walker Construction explained: “We initially approached Mabey Hire to support our works with the provision of temporary wailing and propping systems. Alongside our piling contractor, Mabey Hire designed a bespoke scheme that could cater for the loadings upon the cofferdam, ensuring the safety of our site teams. To this end, Mabey Hire supplied a range of its Supershaft Plus heavy-duty bracing systems.”
A uniquely fabricated beam, the Supershaft Plus system has been expertly engineered to offer high bending capacity for heavy loads, providing exceptional protection when working in large excavations, such as this. This made it ideal for this project, with the excavation measuring 21m x 21m.
The team faced various challenges on the project, including the cofferdam layout being non-standard and the former dock location being susceptible to tidal loads. Luke continued: “As a result, there was a lot of dialogue and collaboration between ourselves, the client and the design team to create a succinct temporary works design. Here, Mabey Hire was also heavily involved, having to adapt and recalculate its scheme design based on revised toe depths reached during the actual piling works on site.”
In addition to Mabey Hire’s bracing systems, Walker Construction also took advantage of its monitoring capabilities. A combination of Mabey Hire’s sensors were installed, providing instant visibility into any movement at specific locations within the excavation works. As a result of the excavation depth (15 metres deep), this insight was crucial for engineering, quality control and safety assurances for the teams on site.
Mabey Hire’s kit is scheduled to be onsite for around four months, with the completion of works expected towards the start of 2026.
Get in touchProject images
Related news and projects
- Project
- Fiddlers Ferry, Warrington
Environmental monitoring key to iconic power station demolition
- Project
- New Elvet Bridge, Durham
Unique lifting technique helps get crucial city centre transport job underway
Give us a call
For all project specific design and technical enquiries, please contact your local service team.
Send us an email
If you want to talk to us about your project, send us an email and a brief outline of how we can help and we’ll be in touch.
[email protected]
“The Mabey Hire team all have a ‘can-do’ attitude and have helped us to get the project underway, whether that was facilitating last minute design changes or advising on product specifications. We’re especially thankful for the team’s support when visiting site, including offering ‘on the job’ training on equipment installation. This included a follow-up site visit after the installation of Frame 1, ensuring it was in line with their original design.”