Award-winning ground investigations near Stonehenge
Stonehenge is 3 km west of Amesbury in Wiltshire, south-west England, UK. This 5000-year-old Neolithic structure is both a British cultural icon and a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, the ancient structureβs site is bisected by the A303 trunk road, the most direct route between the south-east and the west of England. English Heritage manages the prehistoric monument and the National Trust owns the surrounding land.
In 2017, Highways England, English Heritage and the National Trust announced the route for upgrading the A303 near Stonehenge; this included engineering a twin-bore tunnel. The Β£2.4-billion scheme aims to alleviate the traffic-choked road by widening it into a dual carriageway near the Stonehenge site before it dips underground as a 3.3-km tunnel.
Structural Soils, an RSK company, completed a high-quality ground investigation, including a novel approach to sampling the phosphatic chalk at the site. The data will help to minimise the risk from unexpected ground conditions during construction by increasing the understanding of the siteβs structural and lithostratigraphical geology. Structural Soilsβ engineers recovered intact phosphatic chalk cores, including fault-controlled, shallow marine transgressions and regressions, and significant lengths of uninterrupted core from the Newhaven Chalk Formation. Our drillers used a lowβaggressivity core bit and limited water use, which increased the quality and stability of the recovered material.
It was crucial to identify where the phosphatic chalk had been deposited within the Newhaven Chalk Formation to aid developing a highly detailed structural geological model. We did this by using a team of very experienced geological rock-core loggers that identified flint and chert marker beds, ranging in thickness from <1 mm up to 0.5 m, and typical fossil assemblages. The detailed logging helped to confirm the geological model and aided in determining the fault-controlled shallow marine transgressions and regressions, which was aided by precise geologging of the boreholes.
Using the data excavated by the Structural Soils team to build a 3D model of the proposed scheme, planners can make scientifically based judgements regarding building the tunnel. Owing to its outstanding work, Structural Soils won the 2020 Ground Engineering Award for the Ground Investigation Project of the Year, sharing the award with AECOM and Highways England.
- Location: England
- Client: Highways England
- Project status: Completed
- Sector: Transport
- Service: Ground Investigation
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π’ Will regenerative design be key in building a resilient future?
ποΈ In the first article of our new series Cities of Tomorrow, our panel explores what role regenerative design plays in forming a framework for our cities of tomorrow.
π The conversation was hosted by Andrew Tempany, Technical Director at @stephensonhalliday
Read more in our bio!
#Architecture #Design #Development #Sustainability #Sustainable #Environment
π We are proud to share that RSK Group is a finalist for the annual @britchamsg Singapore Award 2022 under the Sustainability Champion of the Year category.
β We are thrilled to see the hard work of our dedicated teams being recognised by this prestigious organization.
π The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony that will take place at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on October 13th
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π’ RSK Group is delighted to announce that we are one of the sponsors of the Ground Source Heat Pump Associationβs conference and charity dinner.
π€ The Conference is an opportunity to gain insight into the heat pump installation industry, through a series of coordinated expert panel sessions, presentations, and networking opportunities.
π Geocore Site Investigations Ltd, Ground Heat, ZED and Carbon Zero Consulting will be attending this event.
We canβt wait to see you there!
π
30th September 2022
π The Coniston Hotel Country Estate & Spa, Skipton
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Some great pictures from the @StructuralSoils team in action at Merthyr
Want to join our team? View our latest opportunities π www.rskgroup.com/careers
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π’ RSK Tanzania is proud to host NICOLA β CONNECT, organized by the Network for Industrially Contaminated Land in Africa.
π€ NICOLA β CONNECT provides a platform for social and technical interaction between members of NICOLA, and professionals interested in Contaminated Land or associated fields, in a casual setting.
π
5th October 2022
π Golden Tulip Hotel, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Kindly RSVP to hkimario@ rsk.co.uk ASAP to reserve your seat.
To call for enquiries, contact: +255 719 697 323
We look forward to seeing you there!
#Tanzania #Event #ContaminatedLand #Africa #Land #Environment #Environmental
π€ Society is moving towards a more equitable and sustainable world.
ποΈ Our cities sit at the centre of this modern world: they grow and change as we do.
π€ As we face unprecedented challenges today, how will our cities evolve to serve our needs in the future?
π RSKβs Cities of Tomorrow series explores the sustainable solutions available to us to create resilient and future-proof urban centres.
Stay tuned to find out more!
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π’ We are pleased to announce that Spencer Group has joined the #RSKFamily
π€ Spencer Group comprises land management and environmental services specialists Spencer Environmental Care Associates (ECA) and geo-technical contractors and consultants Quantum Geotechnic.
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π As we return to offices, how we commute to work will play an important role in our ambitions to achieve net zero targets.
π€ Businesses play a crucial part in facilitating action towards these goals.
π In this edition of our series Climate Realities, Ian Wickett, Senior Associate Director at RSK Transport Planning, tells us why everyday changes, supported by business, are of vital importance.
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Recent spots by Chris Williams from @BinniesGlobal out on site for Southern Water last week, snapping the Pyramidal Orchid, the Hoary Plantain and the Bee Orchid
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