ABG creative geosynthetic engineering

The 99 mile long A87 is a major trunk road in the Scottish Highlands with an average daily vehicle movement of 2200. Due to the high exposure of the Road and deep foundations of peat the road is susceptible to flexural cracking. A solution was required to the differential movement and flexing of the carriageway. ABG Rotaflex 830 asphalt reinforcement geocomposite was selected due to its high strength/low strain glass fibre grid. Applied over Bitumen the Rotaflex bonded and set hard under asphalt. Once applied Rotaflex provided an effective,efficient low maintenance solution

The Shetland Gas plant (SGP) represents a 25bn investment by Total in Shetland to service the Laggan and Tormore gas fields. The site was covered by a large peat bog that needed preserving for reinstatement at the end of life decommissioning. The solution was to build two peat stores in the slopes which were to be overtopped to allow water to peculate through. ABG recommended Pozidrain 12S500/NW8 in place of stone enabling the maximum void space to be utilised for peat storage. Erosaweb GWX 150/300 was used for soil reinforcement providing a native environment for flora and fauna.

The design in this project was to have a Green Roof and warm roof system The aim was to place standard green roofs which retains water but allows most of the rainfall to run into buried SuDS tanks. Following consultation with ABG the design was changed to the ABG Blueroof system. The primary advantage of the system is that utilising the roof construction for water storage reduced the need for underground attenuation tanks. The simplicity of the design allowed for attenuation capacity and green roof installation at the same time saving the client time and money.

The designer obtained consent under the latest SuDS regulations in the densely build area of London. Restriction on outflow rates to sewers demanded high attenuation. The original design for stormwater attenuation involved discharging tanks under the ground. This was expensive and took up valuable space, an alternative was required. ABG proposed their Blueroof system which could be installed directly on to the hot melt waterproofing system allowing various surface finishes. Due to height limitations a cascade system was used. Various roof finishes included paved access, landscaped areas and bio diverse to attract wildlife. This increased the potential for BREEAM points.

Moreland Primary School is a purpose built school, nursery and Children's Centre requiring a multipurpose usable outdoor space. Due to lack of space, the ground attenuation tanks planned would reduce site storage and limit access to other trades, therefore delaying the project, The challenge was to develop a storage/discharge system which wouldn't impact the project and be sensitive to the local biodiversity action plan. ABG designed a versatile Blue Roof System removing the need for attenuation tanks and allowing the roof finishes required. ABG bio-diverse roof system helped maximise the BREEAM credits laid out in the action plan

The existing coal fired power station at Jorf Lasfar located on the Atlantic Coast of El Jaidida was to double in size. Due to this a storage area and waste water Lagoon were required With high potential for pollution from CCR, a sealed and protected geomembrane needed to be installed with sufficient drainage between CCR. ABG Proposed Terrex SNW120 protective geotextile 2mm HDPE membrane and a Pozidrain drainage layer in contact with the coal combustion water. The system provided the solution of drainage protection and filtratiion. Pozidrain has a large factor of safety compared to crushed stone on load.

Luton Dunstable Busway is a new construction connecting two Bedfordshire towns. The Busway comprises of twin tracks 6m wide allowing two directional travel. The guide way has a low noise surface and needed to minimise the impact on neighbouring properties. During the build it was necessary to steepen the slopes along both sides whilst maintaining their green finish. A solution for drainage was also required to remove the need for excavated stone. ABG proposed Erosaweb which can contain top soil in their three dimensional structure. ABGs Fildrain provided the drainage capacity at a fraction of the depth of stone.

In 1850 the Siena to Empoli railway line became a central part of the wine making industry. After being destroyed in WW2 it was rebuilt to modern standards. 20KM of new embankment required construction to upgrade the railway to meet current requirements. This required 500mm starter layer requiring thousands of cubic sqm of stone. ABG Pozidrain was proposed as a starter layer. The 7mm cuspated drainage layer has six times higher flow capacity than traditional stone. In addition each delivery covered 9500sqm meaning a 400 lorry reduction on the project. This subsequently reduced the carbon footprint on site.

A 50 acre intermodal freight terminal known as East Midlands Gateway can accommodate up to 16 large freight trains daily as well as HGV parking and container storage and is located at the M1/M42 junction. Due to the topography of the site the rail connection had to include an embankment. Owing to its steep slopes, erosion control was needed for the long term erosion protection. ABG Erosamat 3/20Z 500 turf reinforcement was selected for erosion protection of the embankment and pinned in place in accordance with the ABG pnning design. Erosamat provides a robust root protection system.

The Greatham Managed Realignment Scheme was part of the Environment Agencies wider " Tees tidal Flood Risk Management Strategy" which imposed a legal requirement upon the Environment Agency to deliver intertidal habitats as compensation for the impact of flood management projects. The challenge was to construct embankments comprising predominantly of site won material. THe size, scale and nature of the works dictates a tight time scale was maintained to ensure rapid return to its natural state. ABGs Erosamat Type 3 was chose, comprising 3 dimensional structure and entangled filaments. Erosamat forms a permanent composite with the natural vegetative root structure supported.

The Green Roofs Consultancy report looked to the provision of Green Bio diverse roof to address the need to encourage additional species. The ABG Green Bio diverse Roof System includes a mixture of plug planted sedum, cuttings and seeded annual and perennial wildflowers. ABG Roofdrain was used as a reservoir and drainage base layer to optimise water retention and prevent ponding. Special provisions were made to create hibernicula for local endangered species. The roof will benefit the building by providing additional insulation and reducing noise pollution.The roofs substrate filters out dust and pollutants helping improve the environment nearby

The challenge was to incorporate a green roof finish both flat and curved to the roof areas. The roof pitch being as steep as 45 degrees in places, a pitch not conducive with a green roof system. ABG used their expertise in green roof and slope stabilisation to make the curved green roof possible. The system incorporated a series of anchor points, reinforcement geogrid (Trigrid), and geocellular technology (Erosaweb) to retain growing medium on each roof. The GReen ROof system incorporates a SMART rain sensor and automated irrigation pipe system with each finger haveving its own dedicated mains operated tank

For more than four decades Chelson Meadow was the main landfill site for the Plymouth area. An estimated 17,650,000 tonnes of landfill needed capping with a permanent geosynthetic capping system. The capping commenced in 2005 and had to be closed by 2012. ABG Pozidrain 6S250/NW8 was installed above and below Claymat GCL to provide drainage, gas venting and adequate protection. Pozidrain provided the required flow capacity and interface shear strength. Gas from the site was harnessed to be sent back to the national grid to be used.

The Barneycraig Lead mine located in the North Pennines operated between 1760-1920. Due to mine tailings being deposited on the River West Allen it became the second worst river by Northumbria River Basin Management. A plan to improve the river meant the tailings needed to be capped to prevent rain water infiltration. Stabilisation of the dam was also required. ABG proposed Pozidrain 4SKL, this provided a rapidly installed single layer system without compriising on containment. Erosaweb GWX was used on the 1:2.5 slope for soil reinforcement and this was fixed with a non piercing fixing solution.

The challenge was to mitigate the impact improvements would have on the nature reserve and to promote biodiversity to the former railway route Retaining walls were needed to reduce the gradient of descent used by cyclists and walkers to allow accessibility for less able users. ABG proposed using a Webwall fascia reinforced using Trigrid EX and include structural drainage provided by Fildrain. Webwall uses site won material in the cellular structure reducing the need for imported aggregate. Trigrid EX promotes interlock with the fill providing reinforcement whilst the FIldrain controls groundwater pressures. Webwall was seeded to provide pleasing biodiverse fascia.

Quarry Bank is an old cotton mill in Cheshire, now operated by the National Trust it attracts large numbers of visitors daily. A permeable run off was required to allow the car park to be used without issue all year around as there had been problems with saturation previously. A solution was required without having to replace the first lift of soil that was already down. To stabilise the soft spots, Abweb back filled with the existing cappings meant further excavation was not required. Abgrid and Trigrid enabled the target CBR to be met with 30% less sub base needed.

In 2017 permission was granted for the redevelopment of an historic abandoned mill in Holmfirth into a restaurant and cookery school. It was soon clear the ground to be used for parking needed stabilisation. To completely dig out the area would have been costly and there was little time for unplanned work. ABG offered a stabilisation combination. Terrex SNW geotextile layer replaced the 50mm sand binding. Abgrid was used as a basel stiffening layer and Sudsweb tied to the grid with Abfix ties. Stone was then compacted ready for ABG permeable paving (see SuDS permeable paving Sudspave, Devour, Holmfirth)

The A14 trunk road running between M1 Catthorpe Interchange and Felixstowe carries around 8500 vehicle a day. The project to upgrade the carriageway involved the construction of many large structures. These required drainage that could be quickly and safely installed. Traditional Methods requiring the use of manual handling equipment and site restrictions meant this method was problematic. Deckdrain 750S/ST170 and Deckdrain 1250S/ST170 were chosen to withstand passive earth movement. Deckdrain allowed for quick and easy installation reducing labour costs and vehicle movements on site.

As part of the Didcot water supply system, Thames water constructed a new twin cell covered service reservoir at their facility at Hagbourne Hill. Traditional construction required a protection board against the water proofing before back filling with clean no lines drainage stone. This method is costly and time consuming. A geocomposite layer was considered if it could meet the job of the drainage stone. ABG Deckdrain was proposed and approved to form a combined protection and drainage layer. The cuspates are thermally bonded to the textile. Deckdrain is quickly installed therefore reducing time and costs on site.

Afvalzorg is one of The Netherlands most important waste processing companies. The Nauerna site includes state of the art sorting and recycling facilities. To increase capacity a new loading quay was required for temporary waste storage, To do the work Trisoplas identified the lack of adequate drainage and addressed the seepage as an unacceptable risk to the watercourse. After taking many factors into consideration ABG selected Pozidrain 6SK500/NW8[L][ with a welded drainage core and integral selvedge. The unique core is chemically inert to creaye an open drainage void. Creep testing evidenced the suitability of Pozidrain in this project

Part of Severn Trent Waters e5 Major Projects Programme, Rushmore STW is a strategic centre for sludge digestion, de-watering and cake storage. Due to expected growth in the local population the PSTs would need refurbishment. A high water table below ground meant stability is constantly changing meaning tanks suffer uplift pressures when empty. Encouraged by the e5 programme a novel solution was proposed. Deckdrain 700S/NW8 was proposed as an uplift pressure reliever and under slab drainage. Deckdrain has a filtration layer and is virtually impermeable. Deckdrain structure exceeds the drainage capacity of 500mm stone giving significant cost savings.

The Port Talbot Distributor Road is part of a regeneration plan for the Port Talbot area. The new road comprises a mixture of structures. Speed of installation was key to the project. Structural Drainage was needed for all the earth retaining structures. Traditional methods required manual handling equipment resulting in slow installation. The contractor looked at the innovative and financially beneficial Deckdrain product. The lightweight rolls come in off the shelf sizes and laid horizontally in progressive lifts. The composite has a filter to prevent clogging and a higher flow rate core.

In 2017 permission was granted for the re-devlopment of an abandoned mill in Holmfirth into a cookery school and restaurant. The design required the car park to look as natural as possible but to withstand the manoeuvring of large delivery vehicles. ABG offered a re-engineered solution showing that a porous type 3 attenuation stone over the whole car park removed the need for expensive attenuation tanks. The main car park was covered in Sudspave interlocking pavers coloured to match the gravel. Truckcell was used for the turning area and filled with the same gravel for a natural finish.

In Line with Cambridge County Councils renewable Energy Development Programme. RES received consent to build the 13 turbine Wadlow Wind Farm. The site is in a sensitive ecological and archaeological location. It therefore meant the crane hard standings had to be sympathetic to the local environment without compromising the minimum bearing capacity of 200kpa. ABG Truckcell Porous Plastic Paving System was chosen. This was supported by a free draining sub base and seeded with an indigenous seed mix to blend with the local environment. Due to the rapid installation, grassed appearance and load bearing abilities Truckcell ticked all the boxes.

Quarry Bank MIll is an old cotton mill. Now operated by the National Trust it attracts large numbers of visitors daily to its attrections. The overflow car park quickly turns to mud currently being fit for purpose fields. A permeable surface was required however to allow for a permeable surface large tanks would be needed to store rain water infiltration. ABG Sudspave was chosen to provide a permeable surface and allow water to infiltrate. Sudspave can be quickly and easily installed and cut to size on site. Sudspave can be finished with either gravel or grass for a natural finish.

The New Hollies transport cafe has been serving drivers and travellers on Watling Street (A5) since 1933. The cafe has grown significantly and hundreds of HGVs visit each week creating a demand for robust, sustainable parking. Due to the high water table, permission was granted but with the restrictions to keep the water level at the pre development level. It became clear that permeable paving would meet the requirements. ABG Truckcell was used as surfacing with Terrex as a filtration textile. Truckcell is a heavy duty plastic paver able to withstand the forces exerted by multiple wheeled vehicles.

Following a successful park and ride facility in the west of the city and to reduce traffic further, an east park and ride facility comprising 1800 car parking spaces as part of a regeneration scheme. The park and ride design focused on sustainability and protecting local habitats. Due to restrictions on run off levels Cornwall council opted for Porous Paving. ABG Sudspave 40 permeable pavers were installed on free draining aggregate to enhance surface water drainage. Sudspave was supplied pre assembles for rapid installation. The panels can be filled with topsoil, gravel or seeded.

Cornwall Council identified a requirement for a Porous Paving system for a park and ride being built in the east of the city. The system would need to meet all planning limitations relating to run off and cope with coach overrun as well as being able to resist the forces exerted by manoeuvring HGVs. Truckcell is a highly effective source control system that manages storm water run off, as well as a cost effective SuDS compliant porous paving solution that facilitates rapid installation. Truckcell is manufactured using 100% recycled plastic and can withstand frequent HGV overrun

From humble beginnings Newcastle Airport has grown vastly and expects 9.4m passengers annually by 2035. Increasing the capacity of the existing storage lagoons is needed to continue meet current and future airport requirements. Due to the high water table there is a risk ground water pressure would cause uplift of pond liners. ABG Pozidrain was recommended to remove any uplift, manage groundwater and allow ground gases to escape. Due to being puncture resistant it also protected the liner. The multiple functions of Pozidrain removed the need for imported stone reducing vehicles to site by 200 and increasing material savings.

Part of the planning consent for Centerparcs included a roundabout and the creation of cycle bridleways. The aim to complete the work using a method sympathetic to the environment whilst avoiding damage to the tree roots. ABG Abweb TRP has a three dimensional cellular structure which when filled mitigates the vertical load pressure on the sub soils. The Abweb TRP cells act as a permanent form work to the road surface.In this no dig solution water and nutrients can flow into underlying soil allowing trees to flourish.

The local council was tasked with constructing a footpath within a restricted area allowing safer access to a busy health centre. It was important to maintain the natural green appearance. A retaining wall was required and had to be quick and easy to erect with minimal disruption. ABG Webwall was chosen as the solution. The Webwall was quickly constructed using 4m x 1m panels which were filled with soil from the excavation and cutting. The wall was replanted to restore an naturally green appearance. Webwall was built in a quick cost effective way to create an environmentally friendly retaining wall