Geotextile temporary piling platform provides the answer

22/06/2004

A temporary piling platform solution proposed by Maccaferri Ltd, specialist in retaining structures, soil reinforcement and erosion protection, is providing support for piling rigs working on the construction of a major trunk road junction improvement at the A80 Auchenkilns intersection. The A80 links Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling and is one of the main arterial links across central Scotland.

The roundabout at Auchenkilns has long been a cause of traffic problems, resulting in lengthy tailbacks and a number of accidents. Very poor 'boggy peat' conditions made it essential that the ground be strengthened to allow vehicle site access, and to facilitate the construction of piled embankments for slip roads leading to two high level roundabouts constructed over the existing A80.

Funded by the Scottish Executive, the £22 million project has been awarded to main contractor AWG Construction Services on a design and build basis. Maccaferri was invited to put forward proposals for the temporary piling platform in competition with two other companies. The Maccaferri solution was accepted and a temporary piling platform has been prepared using a single layer of Geolon PET 150S over a total area of approximately 25,000m² on both sides of the existing A80.

In addition to the supply of material for the temporary piling platform, Maccaferri has subsequently secured the contract to supply Geolon PET for the permanent embankment support.

Precast concrete piles are to be driven through the temporary piling platform and the basal reinforcement laid over the pile caps. AWG Construction Services and their design partners, Tony Gee and Partners proposed high strength Geolon PET to meet the 120 year design life and Maccaferri is supplying Geolon grades between 400kN/m and 1000kN/m.

 A woven polyester geotextile, Geolon is manufactured in the Netherlands by Ten Cate Nicolon. Offering excellent creep resistance, it is extensively used for foundation reinforcement in road and railway construction. Offered in a wide range of tensile strengths from 100 - 1,000 kN/m, Geolon is supplied on rolls, making it very easy to handle and install.

Maccaferri Ltd specialises in the supply of gabions, geotextiles, geogrids and geomats. In addition to a full range of products for retaining structures, slope reinforcement and erosion protection, the company offers an in-house design and consultancy service.

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