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October 2006

Halcrow scoops ICE merit commendation award

Halcrow was part of a team that recently received an Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) London merit commendation award for an ‘outstanding example of a civil engineering project’ for its work on the Washlands Flood Storage Area Improvement Scheme.
The award was presented by the president of the ICE, Gordon Masterton, at Lords Cricket Ground in September 2006.

The panel was particularly impressed with the team approach to problem solving and generating ideas to save time and money. In partnership with the Environment Agency, J Breheny Contractors and specialist sub-contractor Keller, the team used an innovative ground stabilisation technique to reconstruct the embankments of a reservoir in Dagenham, Essex, UK. The reservoir provides flood alleviation to 570 residential properties and over 50 commercial buildings, including the giant Ford Motor Company factory.

A process of deep dry soil mixing was selected to significantly stiffen and stabilise the peat material directly below the embankment footprint. “This technique is extremely rapid and, by almost eliminating settlement, it reduced the construction period by over 18 months compared to alternative options,” explained project manager Matt Kuhn. “We believe this is the first bank stabilisation application using this technique in the UK.”

The team also designed and promoted many sustainable and cost-saving techniques during the development of the project, including the use of locally available materials to re-build the embankments and environmental enhancement works resulting from excavation.

The project was completed in late 2006 for the Environment Agency at a cost of around £2 million.

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