In April 2020, VolkerGround Engineering was awarded a contract by VBA, a joint venture between VolkerStevin, Boskalis Westminster and Atkins - an SNC Lavalin company, to install a 2,211.9m2 sheet piled retaining wall, as part of a multi-million-pound project to build new flood defences along the banks of the River Lune in Lancaster.
A key feature of the £10.8million scheme, led by Lancaster City Council, working in close partnership with the Environment Agency, included 2.8km (1.7 miles) of new flood defence walls and embankments, stretching from Skerton Bridge to Junction 34 of the M6, and along Aldrens Lane.
VolkerGround Engineering installed over three hundred steel sheet piles, over two phases, using a combination of our ABI TM22 and TM 13/16 SL leader rigs. The team utilised two LV 20N corner clutches and one omega corner clutch, to accommodate a change in direction for the sheet piled wall.
Across both phases of the scheme, the site team put in a fantastic effort, with good forward planning and collaborative working with VBA. To protect the environment in which they were working, the team conducted several crane set-ups to avoid damaging the overhead trees.
VolkerGround Engineering exceeded production targets - resulting in the overall programme finishing ahead of schedule, thus allowing the VBA team to commence excavation works earlier than expected.
Richard Walsh, VBA project manager, said: “The piling works could not have gone any better. Please thank your team for their professionalism, safe conduct and brilliant productivity.”
Julian Wilson, VBA contracts manager, commented: “I wanted to get in touch following completion of the first stage of works here at Lancaster. I just wanted to relay how pleased I, and the rest of the site team, are with how well things have gone this week.
“Your team worked efficiently, showed great professionalism and worked to a very high safety standard from start to finish.”