Groundforce and TPA join forces for Bertha Water Project
The Project
Equipment from Groundforce and TPA is helping the £31 million Bertha Park water project in Perth, Scotland, stay on track.
The Bertha Park Project comprises two major schemes in Perth - the £45 million Bertha Park wastewater project and the Bertha Park water project which is designed to support Perth’s growth by delivering a flexible water supply to more than 6,000 properties. It includes a new six-megalitre distribution service reservoir, expandable to meet future demands.
Bertha Park occupies an 820-acre area of former farmland bounded by the River Almond and Bertha Loch. Its development, supported by Perth and Kinross Council's Local Development Plan, will be delivered in three phases over 30 years to include more than 3,000 new homes and employment land. Phase 1 has already created houses, retail units, and Bertha Park High School.
The water project has already delivered 9km of new water pipe from Perth Water Treatment Works to a brand-new storage reservoir and a six-million-litre drinking water storage tank on high ground above Bertha Park.
In addition, a 2.3km pipe is being laid to carry water by gravity from the new reservoir to Luncarty Pumping Station. More than 1km of new pipes will connect the reservoir to homes in Bertha Park.
The final piece of work to cross the A9 trunk road is underway and should be complete by September. This is where Groundforce and TPA provided a joint solution to help the Caledonian Water Alliance, who are carrying out the work on behalf of Scottish Water.
The Solution
The project involving the two Vp plc companies involved the construction of a deep excavation and cofferdam on the hard shoulder of a slip road off the A9 major trunk road, and a Network Rail boundary, to facilitate an advanced tie-in to an existing 300mm trunk water main at Luncarty as part of the wider water project.
As a Tier 1 shoring supplier to Scottish Water, Groundforce delivered a comprehensive temporary works solution to existing customer Total Pipeline Technology (TPT), Scotland's WIRS-accredited water infrastructure specialist. The solution included MP690 and MP900 hydraulic bracing systems, an EMV piling hammer, davit arm, Mini LadderSafe and vibration monitoring equipment, complemented by heavy-duty aluminium trackway panels from TPA.
TPA’s aluminium track mats were specified for a temporary roadway and compound area to protect the ground throughout the works and prevent damage to existing grassy areas. They provided a stable working surface for operatives and plant movement, particularly during periods of wet weather, improving access around the site and reducing the risk of the ground becoming damaged or churned up.
The Groundforce products were used to facilitate the temporary works installation and ensure the excavation could be safely carried out. The EMV piling hammer was used during sheet pile installation, while the MP690 and MP900 bracing systems provided support to the cofferdam structure. The ladder and davit arm ensured safe access and emergency rescue capability, while vibration monitors allowed the monitoring of the effects of piling activities throughout the works.
Jamie Lawson, site manager for Total Pipeline Technology, said:
“Both systems performed very well throughout the project.”
“One of the main challenges was maintaining safe access around the site whilst protecting the existing ground conditions. The TPA track mats allowed us to create safe access routes for both plant and personnel whilst minimising damage to the surrounding grassed areas. Without them, we would have faced significantly more disruption to the ground conditions, particularly during wet weather.”
“The Groundforce equipment had to be installed within a restricted working area whilst accommodating the excavation depth and maintaining safe clearances around existing infrastructure. Careful planning and coordination were required throughout the installation and operation of the temporary works. It performed exactly as required, providing a secure temporary works solution that allowed us to safely complete the tie-in works. The bracing systems, access equipment and monitoring systems all worked well together and played a key part in allowing the works to be carried out safely.”
Jamie added:
“We have worked with Groundforce on previous projects and have always found their equipment and engineering support to be very good. The temporary works requirements for this project were reviewed at the planning stage and Groundforce were heavily involved in developing a solution that met both the engineering and safety requirements for the site.”
“We were also familiar with TPA systems from previous projects and were confident the track mats would provide a practical solution for the site conditions and access requirements.”
“Both product ranges are robust, practical and well suited to the type of work we were undertaking. On a job like this, where you're dealing with a deep excavation and working around existing assets, it's important to have equipment that is reliable and straightforward to use. The design support provided also helped ensure the temporary works could be installed and operated safely.”
“The service from both Groundforce and TPA was very good throughout the project. Communication was good from the start and any queries were dealt with quickly. Design support, equipment availability and delivery arrangements all helped keep the project moving as planned. From a site team's perspective, having suppliers who understand the challenges of working on live infrastructure projects makes a big difference, and both companies were proactive in supporting the works whenever required.”
He concluded:
“Both systems performed very well throughout the project and provided practical solutions to the challenges we faced on site. Based on our experience at Luncarty, we would have no hesitation in using both TPA and Groundforce products again on future projects.”
Groundforce Shorco area sales manager John Cowie said:
“We were approached by Total Pipeline Technology to design temporary works using hydraulic frames and interlocking trench sheets. Due to the construction methods, excavator-mounted vibrator and vibration monitor were also required. In addition, we were asked if temporary access trackway could be supplied and that enquiry was passed onto TPA.”
“It was a particularly challenging project. There were numerous revisions to comply with design changes from the client regarding the limited working space. Due to the existing pipework, our design had to be delivered as a ‘propped cantilever’ single-frame solution with toe-in for trench sheet for temporary works stability and construction. And with the works being carried out on the verge of the A9 and a Network Rail boundary, this meant limited length of sheet for pitching and installation via pre-drive methods. But we all came together to deliver it successfully.”