Retaining professional access work in Manchester

Up and Under, RSK’s specialist access-engineering company, has surveyed more than 1500 retaining walls in Oldham and surrounding areas in Greater Manchester, UK, for Unity Partnership.

Access specialists in multiple teams assessed the condition of retaining walls and updated existing records. Condition scores were allocated based on the defects observed, including collapses, bulging, misalignment, missing blocks, cracking and vegetation overgrowth. Surveyors collected data using tablet computers connected to the office via Wi-Fi for real-time data monitoring, editing and checking. Other details, including material type, structural form, key dimensions and wall location, were also logged. Global positioning systems determined the location of each wall and recorded the longitude and latitude coordinates on an Ordnance Survey grid. Specialists access was not required, so we worked independently to ensure the efficient use of time, thus benefiting the client financially.

Once we finished logging the data and building an effective database, we provided the client with easily understood but technically proficient spreadsheet data and referenced photographs. As the data were recorded digitally, they could be directly uploaded to the client’s asset management database. Considering the scale and short lead time of the project, our work was professional, efficient and to the client’s desired quality.