ENGINEERING GEOLOGY

NHS Lasty dsdsdkoasasassa London Gateway - Cooling Marshes, UK

Guildford Sands, Guildford, UK

Exploring The Link Between Buildings and The Ground

Engineering Geologists provide the bridge between the built and natural environment and our diverse team of geologists and civil engineers, allow us to take a holistic approach to design. Our engineers are constantly exploring innovative ways to optimise designs based on the conditions at the site, which means every design we provide is unique.

ByrneLooby engineers are experienced in assessing earthworks for signs of distress and designing remediation solutions to stabilise structures that could be at risk of failure from stresses such as climate change, subsidence, capacity limit and ageing or nonresilient materials. During site visits, we investigate infrastructural risks associated with earthworks and recommend long-term and short-term mitigation strategies. Our engineers undertake kinematic, limit equilibrium, and finite element analyses to accurately model earthworks and deliver optimal design solutions. Our engineers work across various sectors, including rail, highway, infrastructure, and private construction.

Our rope-access trained geologists can get up close to investigate tricky and remote areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. While there, they assess hazards, tactilely inspecting, taking structural rock measurements, and logging slopes to gain a complete understanding of risks presented by earthworks. Our studies and investigations can be conducted in numerous phases of public and project projects: planning (including assessing environmental impacts), civil/structural engineering design, value engineering, construction, forensic phases and post-construction. We can provide comprehensive assessments, including geological hazard assessments, for geotechnical, material properties, stability of landslides and slopes, erosion, flooding, dewatering, and seismic investigations.

PROJECT FOCUS: REVIVING THE MOST DRAMATIC COASTAL WALK IN EUROPE

THE GOBBINS CLIFF PATH WALKWAY

OVERVIEW

The original Gobbins coastal path was opened in 1901 but fell into disrepair and was closed in 1951. This reconstruction project consisted of a series of 23 footbridges and cantilevered walkways forming a 1kmlong pathway at the base of 60m-high cliffs spanning between rock outcrops and sea stacks along the Antrim Coast. The pathway follows the original route and the iconic bridges have been reconstructed to closely match the original Victorian structures with original steps and walkways retained.

PRIMARY ROLE

ByrneLooby acted the geotechnical designer for the bridges, cantilever anchorage systems and cable stayed anchors for the main contractor, McLaughlin & Harvey Ltd. We also carried out rockfall assessments and site investigations and developed value engineered solutions along the coastal pathway route to mitigate against unstable sections of the cliff face. We developed a rockfall management plan to assist in managing operational rockfall risks, through a systematic process of geological inspections, continual monitoring and intermittent tactile assessments. Location: Larne, UK Capital Value: £4.5m Project Name: The Gobbins Cliff Path Walkway Country: UK Client: McLaughlin & Harvey Ltd.

PROJECT FOCUS: MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE SLOPES FOR RAIL ACROSS THE COUNTRY

BRANDON CUTTING

OVERVIEW

Following a period of very wet weather, in February 2020, a section of cutting slope along the RBS1 line between Rugby & Coventry failed, resulting in slumping of the shallow slope material and formation of a significant back scarp. In response a temporary speed restriction was put in place and emergency works undertaken to remove the slumped material and install additional temporary support along the toe. ByrneLooby were engaged by J Murphy & Sons (working on behalf of Network Rail) to assess the cutting and undertake the design of both temporary and permanent solutions. The permanent solution comprised a concrete Redi-Rock™ wall and slope regrade. This arrangement was eventually extended over a length of approximately 200m of cutting slope to address other areas of concern.

PRIMARY ROLE

Following an emergency callout and weekend inspection of the slope failure, ByrneLooby’s initial role was to design a temporary works arrangement to make safe the failed sections. Once the cutting slope was made safe, ByrneLooby then undertook the detailed design of the permanent solution. During the construction stage ByrneLooby provided regular site attendance and additional design activities as required to ensure successful delivery of the project.

INNOVATION / VALUE ADD

After a review of the retaining wall options to support the cutting toe, the use of pre-cast concrete “RediRock” blocks was selected due to its quick construction time and engineering performance. The construction of the slope regrade above the new toe wall was completed using a combination of “Menzi” slope climbing excavator and a long reach machine. This removed the need for plant to be in the cess and hence lengthy track possessions. Location: Coventry, UK Capital Value: £2m Project Name: Brandon Cutting Country: UK Client: J Murphy & Sons Ltd