AN innovative shoring solution has been provided by excavation support specialist Groundforce Shorco for a major new multi-million pound switch house being built for EDF Energy, North London.
Specialist heavy-duty hydraulic shoring equipment has been supplied by Harrogate-based Groundforce Shorco, a division of specialist plant equipment hire company Vp Plc, to deliver the solution for the new high-voltage switch house being constructed for EDF Energy in the St. John’s Wood area of London, as part of the capital’s power supply.
The shoring system contract for Groundforce Shorco, which is expected to take ten weeks, is valued at £42,000. Main contractor for the development is London-based Charter Construction Plc.
The main difficulty for the temporary works was an existing concrete cable tunnel at one end of 29m x 33m excavation, the walls of which were not strong enough to bear point-loading from any cross strutting.
Once this had been achieved, Groundforce Shroco’s engineers designed a supporting frame to resist the calculated 81kN/m horizontal load. The supporting frame comprised Groundforce Shorco’s heavy-duty 1500 series waling beam braced with 150-tonne capacity HSK hydraulic struts acting as knee braces.
A further benefit of the system was the large central clear working area afforded by the knee-bracing system as opposed to more conventional flying shores.
Charter Construction Plc site manager, Tony Sones, says: “The solution to allow work to continue underneath was fundamental to progressing the project and we are pleased at how Groundforce Shorco responded to our brief and implemented the necessary technology.”
Groundforce Shorco technical sales representative, Neil Conroy, says: “We are delighted to have worked alongside Charter Construction Plc to deliver an effective, speedy economical solution to the satisfaction of all involved.”
The new switch house is scheduled for completion in November. Groundwork’s sub-contractor for the scheme is Oliver Connell & Son Ltd.
