A Pioneering Solution to Unique Environmental Challenges
Bath Quays is a flagship regeneration project to create a new and vibrant commercial quarter and will be at the hub of the Bath City Riverside Enterprise Zone.
Ivor King provided a 200m inland flood wall and 50m of new river wall to the scheme located on the edge of the River Avon.
Strong and Silent
Our Giken Silent Piler, operating in Supercrush mode, used an integral Ø600mm auger to simultaneously auger through the hard strata of mudstone, whilst installing piles up to 15.5m in length. The Giken solution was selected not only to reduce the environmental impact of noise and vibration in this historic riverside location, but because it offers complete versatility and manoeuvrability, the system capable of completing 90° angle turns.
Protecting Bath’s Historic Thermal Springs
A further requirement within the Bath area is the need to comply with the County of Avon Act 1982, whereby Bath’s historic springs must be protected against artesian and sub-artesian bleed. The act is designed to ensure Bath’s natural thermal springs do not incur damage that could result from excavations and piling operations.
A pioneering solution was conceived and developed to place grout from the toe of the installed pile to ground level during the extraction process of the crush. Each pile received pre-cut windows to enhance the flow of grout into the entire bore and annulus, resulting in a greater replacement value material being formed, thus protecting the historic springs. Our solution for Bath Quays was achieved through great collaborative working with client BAM Construction and Bath & North East Somerset Council (BATHNES).
