This Award covers successful UK pipeline renovation projects of any diameter or technique for cables, ducts, culverts, and pipelines for any utility, using trenchless techniques.
Other category finalists can be found here https://www.ukstt.org.uk/2024-finalists/
The finalists for the Renovation Small Project award are:
PUBLIC SEWER SERVICES
Uckfield Residential Subsidence Rectification
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
ON-TIME DELIVERY:
After initially surveying and investigating the issues in December 2023, the Uckfield project was meticulously planned and executed working in close collaboration with Cappagh Browne and within the stringent two-week timeline, starting on January 8, 2024, and concluding on January 19, 2024. This prompt delivery was critical in minimising community disruption and demonstrating PSS’s commitment to efficiency and reliability.
COST CONTROL:
PSS maintained strict control over project costs, with a detailed budget that included labour (£18,435.76), plant (£16,250.82), and materials (£36,314.24), totalling £71,000.82. The project achieved significant cost savings, nearly £200,000 less than traditional methods, by employing innovative trenchless technology, highlighting PSS’s ability to deliver cost-effective solutions without compromising quality.
TEAMWORK:
A highly experienced four-man team, boasting over 100 years of combined experience, spearheaded the project. Their collaboration was exemplified in their ability to quickly adapt to unexpected challenges, such as subsidence in the manhole chamber, which they resolved by rebuilding the chamber and stabilising the ground with Flowable Ergelit Mortar KBi. This teamwork under pressure ensured that project milestones were met promptly and efficiently.
AVOIDANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF DISPUTES:
The project was executed with a high degree of stakeholder engagement and customer care, minimising potential disputes. Techniques such as regular stakeholder updates and employing non-invasive methods allowed the team to work within stringent timelines and space constraints without significant community or customer disruption.
QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP:
The PSS team prided itself on delivering work of the highest standard. The project not only fixed the immediate subsidence issue but also enhanced the infrastructure’s longevity and reliability. This commitment to quality ensured that all restoration work left the site in a condition that met or exceeded the original state, demonstrating PSS’s dedication to excellence.
COMMUNITY IMPACT AND CUSTOMER CARE
ADVANCE WARNING AND PUBLICITY:
Well before the project commencement, PSS, in collaboration with CBUL, engaged in a comprehensive community outreach programme to inform and prepare the residents. This involved detailed notifications and regular updates, which helped in managing expectations and reducing inconvenience.
BUSINESS CONSULTATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS:
PSS held multiple consultations with local businesses to discuss the project timeline and methods, ensuring that their operations would be minimally affected. Regular communication via updates and direct contacts helped maintain transparency and trust between PSS and the community.
PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT AND BUILDING LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS:
The project team went beyond traditional contractor roles, actively engaging with community leaders and residents to foster strong relationships. This proactive approach in community engagement was pivotal in the smooth execution of the project, with minimal resistance or complaints from the community.
REDUCING PUBLIC IMPACT AND DISRUPTION:
By employing trenchless technology, PSS significantly reduced the ecological footprint and physical disruption typically associated with subsidence repairs. This method not only expedited the project timeline but also preserved the local landscape and public utilities, exemplifying PSS’s commitment to sustainable and community-friendly practices.
LEGISLATIVE COMPLIANCE
HEALTH AND SAFETY RECORD:
Throughout the project, PSS adhered to stringent health and safety standards, with zero incidents or accidents. This impeccable record was maintained through rigorous adherence to risk assessments and method statements (RAMS), highlighting the company’s commitment to safety.
CONSTRUCTION DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS:
All activities were conducted in strict compliance with relevant construction design and management regulations, ensuring that all engineering and construction activities were legally compliant and safe for workers and the public.
SAFE SYSTEMS OF WORK:
PSS’s dedication to safety was further demonstrated by its implementation of safe systems of work, particularly in managing the risks associated with confined spaces and potential underground hazards.
STREETWORKS LEGISLATIVE COMPLIANCE:
The project complied with all necessary streetworks legislation, ensuring that all surface and sub-surface work was performed legally and with minimal disruption to public services.
SUSTAINABILITY
EFFECTIVE CARBON REDUCTION:
The decision to use trenchless methods significantly reduced the project’s carbon footprint by cutting down on heavy machinery use and lessening on-site work duration. This approach not only met but exceeded environmental protection standards, underscoring PSS’s leadership in sustainable practices.
WASTE MANAGEMENT:
The project was exemplary in its waste management, with careful planning and execution ensuring minimal waste production. Materials were selected based on sustainability criteria, and all waste materials were appropriately recycled or disposed of, reflecting PSS’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND BIODIVERSITY:
PSS took considerable measures to protect local biodiversity, ensuring that the local flora and fauna were undisturbed during the project. This was achieved through the use of non-invasive repair techniques that required no major excavations or disruptions to the habitat.
INNOVATION
CHOICE OF TECHNIQUE AND SKILL TO OVERCOME CONSTRAINTS:
The project employed innovative trenchless technology to address the subsidence issue effectively. The primary challenge was the collapsed sewer pipework beneath a conservatory, which had caused significant subsidence. Traditional methods would have required extensive excavation and potential dismantling of the conservatory, leading to high costs and major disruption. Instead, PSS used a combination of pipe realignment using winches, patch lining, and injection grouting. The team fed rods through the faulty pipework to secure it, then used a winch to jack up the pipes, stabilising them and ensuring proper alignment and flow.
COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND TIMELY DEPLOYMENT:
The innovative methods used not only saved significant costs, approximately £192,000 compared to traditional techniques, but also reduced the deployment time from the projected six weeks to just ten days. This efficiency showcases PSS’s ability to deliver projects that are both economically and temporally efficient.
MEETING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS:
Feedback from the community and stakeholders was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising PSS’s ability to exceed expectations in managing a potentially disruptive project with minimal impact.
HIGHLIGHTING NOVEL APPLICATION OF CHOSEN TECHNIQUES:
The project stands as a testament to the novel application of advanced trenchless technology in a residential setting, setting a benchmark for future projects in the industry. PSS’s pioneering techniques not only solved the immediate issue but also provided a durable solution that will serve the community for years to come.
THAMES WATER / ONSITE RAIL
St.Pancras Sewer Rehabilitation
Through a programme of annual inspection, monitoring defective pipework, our client, Thames Water, originally contracted another company to investigate the issue they were having with a sewer pipe. This contractor was paid a significant amount of money to come up with a solution which would have involved abandoning the existing sewer and then excavate and relay a new sewer.
When Thames Water approached OnSite Rail to take over the project, we were informed that the original contractor, during the survey process, could not get their camera more than a couple of metres along the pipe because of the water levels.
Due to the nature of the sewer pipe having a change in diameter, there was a step between the 750mm brick and 300mm sewer. The contractor could not get the camera up the step when surveying from the downstream end. This meant that the initial CCTV survey was conducted upstream. Because of the water levels, the CCTV survey was abandoned and an assumption was made that there was a blockage caused by a collapse within the pipe itself.
Thames Water was not able to produce any of the original CCTV survey footage so the OnSite Rail team decided it was necessary to complete the survey again.
When OnSite’s team conducted their survey, they lifted the manhole in the rear of the residents’ garden and could see the sewer was full of fatty deposits. After taking time to clean the pipe to remove these, the team managed to drop the water level which indicated that water was actually getting away through the sewer
The team returned to the sewer and was able to pull the camera through to survey the entire pipe.
From this, the team concluded that the original solution of abandoning the sewer to excavate and relay a new sewer was not necessary.
Using the team’s knowledge and experience, we were confident we could find a way of completing the work and prevent the need to dig up the road and cause disruption to the community.
Image A shows the original scope to relay the pipe, via the yellow route indicated.
Our proposal was to slip line the defective pipe thereby maintaining the original asset
This solution would still require a new manhole at the point the sewer split off. The advantage of this proposal was maintenance of the asset alongside access to the sewer for the client outside of residents’ garden and which would prevent any future disruption to residents should there be an issue with the sewer pipe.
Using a trenchless method of repair meant not only a cost saving for the client but a reduction in the time required when compared to the original proposal from the first contractor. It’s estimated that a minimum of 12 weeks would have been required to complete the original scope of work, subject to it being a straightforward dig which it’s unlikely to have been. Due to the services in the ground and installation of two new manholes, any confliction would have caused substantial delays.
From the outset, OnSite’s team carefully considered the impact of the project on the community. Letters were sent to local residents to inform them of the upcoming works and road closures, with advanced warning signs also displayed on the affected roads.
The road was planned to be closed for five days over the three-week project period. The team was able to reopen the road after just three days, two days earlier than expected.
The solution OnSite’s team provided minimised the impact on the local community and other road users in the area. The road closure was for a very short period of time to complete the necessary works. All other works were completed within the area to the rear of St Thomas Court
OnSite avoided the need for multiple closures to be in place for the duration of the project, meaning no impact on the rail infrastructure or other highways in the area.
The scope of work from the original contractor would have required multiple road closures and a lot of disruption to nearby residents, especially as there is minimal parking elsewhere in Camden town. Noise would also have been an issue, excavating such a large run within a highly built-up area.
A Section 159 was issued to the relevant housing association to allow the team access to build a new manhole.
OnSite was appointed as Principal Contractor and designer, with CDM fully implemented throughout.
OnSite prides itself in its outstanding health and safety record, with no RIDDOR incidents, cable strikes or prohibition notices in recent years.
A full risk assessment was carried out at the start of the project and method statements completed. As the team avoided the need to work on or around the rail infrastructure, no Safe System of Work was necessary. However, all required documentation was held on site and approved at all stages of the project by the client.
All OnSite operatives working on the project held street works competencies.
Due to the nature of the solution OnSite’s team provided, there was less time on site and less waste generated – just one grab lorry of spoil was removed. The original solution could have been ten times this amount. This resulted in reduced carbon emissions for the project.
Biodiversity was also a big consideration and we are pleased to report that there was no biodiversity loss as a result of this project.
The OnSite team began work on site in November 2023 and the project was completed the following month. This was largely due to the change of design for the solution, the construction phase took just three weeks to complete.
The team met and exceeded the client’s expectations, with little to no impact on the local community. As a result, OnSite Rail has been appointed by Thames Water to work on two other schemes, St. Pancras and Alexandra Palace. Thames Water trusts us to complete complex projects.
THAMES WATER / CAPPAGH / JTS / ILINE
Drilling Disruption – Thames Water GRP Sectional Lining
Project Management
Engineering Solutions (Thames Water – Ops) appointed Cappagh as both their Principal Contractor & Principal Designer, who further nominated JTS as their designers and iLine as specialist sub-contractor. TWs core responsibility was the overarching Project Management of delivery and design assurance, ensuring proactive communication and alignment of both internal and external stakeholder engagement. Primary communication was established through the Cappagh PM and TW Project Engineer, with touchpoints planned based on the critical path of delivery and project related governance requirements. Each of these factors enabled both a consistent and coherent timeline for the dissemination of stakeholder related information.
Programme related risks were highlighted, pertaining to, weather, tidal impact and the procurement of specialist materials from overseas. Due to the nature of emergency work requirements, cost controls were split by two distinct phases, being mobilisation to make the area safe and ECI (early contractor involvement) surveys, followed by the repair proposal and sub-contract costs. Teamwork throughout delivery was critical, with singular points of contact to drive action ownership and delivery. Encompassed with this factor was the importance of confined space entry planning requirements, alongside critical working times and emergency rescue procedures. Regular QA was undertaken throughout delivery, with post CCTV, ITPs and the relevant CDM documentation demonstrating industry practice and standards adherence.
Community Impact & Customer Care
Emergency mobilisation took place within December, with the local residential community preparing for the Christmas period. Initial LA (Local Authority) engagement required an emergency partial road closure, however, this resulted in significant disruption to residents due to the only other access to properties on the road becoming impassable during high tides. Following numerous resident complaints, the team collaborated with the LA and provided a temporary over-bridge to take primary loading from vehicles and transferring loads around the initial void perimeter of concern. This was further bedded with an angled tarmac to enable lower bumper vehicles to access their properties. Monthly letter drops and regular door knocks took place to update the local community of the suspected impact and duration. Focussed meetings were also held with the property developer who was directly impacted by the works area marked for safety. BB (Bulletin Boards) were displayed around the site with the appropriate information, with several residents (upon request) having direct contact information with the project team to ensure no escalations were made. During the works, all traffic flows were maintained, and no complaints were received because of the proactive communication from the team.
Legislative Compliance
Engineering Solutions held an initial start-up meeting with all involved stakeholders, ascertaining project roles and responsibilities for the project duration. PC & PD appointments were formally made, agreeing the management of sub-contracted entities and documenting both CDM and design-based governance requirements from the outset. It was determined that an F10 was not applicable for these works based on the duration and operatives at site. A pre-construction process then initiated to undertake the appropriate surveys, investigations, pre-planning and design to best understand and eliminate risk. Once completed, solution development was driven through a design risk register, taking into consideration design, construction feasibility and operative safety when working in a confined space subject to both tidal flows and existing structural failure. A project CPP encompassed all this information, where individual RAMS and assurance documentation from nominated parties were amalgamated into a main works RAMS and SSOW. All documentation was submitted, reviewed and approved by the appropriately qualified individuals within TW, inclusive of the IAB (Independent Authorising Body) for complex confined space works. A H&S file was kept live throughout delivery and submitted to capture all residual risks, alongside details of the repair and associated supporting documentation.
Sustainability
The core environmental reduction to the solution was negating the extensive excavation requirements of traditional open-cut repair and replacement. Open cutting would have have had a large footprint (requiring a full road closure), extended the programme significantly and have required a large volume of heavy plant and machinery, resulting in fuel related air pollution. Construction waste was managed at the site within skips, with ad-hoc pick ups when required. Upfront environmental searches via Magic Maps and a desktop review confirmed no major risks relating to contaminated ground disposal. Although the majority of works were within the sewer, noise from the winching and tankering were combatted utilising sound barriers around the chambers, where working times were not within unsociable hours. Although bio-diversity was not a concern, the team took the necessary precautions when liaising with the local authority on the potential for the suspected listed buildings and picturesque nature of the area being affected, however the proposed solution negated any potential impact.
Innovation
Non-intrusive surveys were undertaken as part of the pre-construction design phase, inclusive of; CCTV, Sonde, Line & Level, GPR, Internal LiDAR and flow monitoring to provide hydraulic information relating to tidal windows and rainfall reactivity. Proximity to listed buildings, impact to stakeholders within the carriageway and the safety of operatives utilising heavy plant over a void removed excavation as an option. Injection grouting from surface level was discussed, however presented inherent risk to flooding the network beyond the void with grout, with an added risk of pollution. Engagement with iLine took place to discuss trenchless feasibility, with the core challenge being the amount of ground material required for removal whilst maintaining safe access. After discussions on patching, steel banding and other formwork-like structures, GRP sectional lining was chosen. This provided the ability to safely work within the sewer, encased by specially designed sections for above ground loading. Debris in the sewer could then be safely removed, and a uniform close-fit shape could be winched into place as a permanent structure. Installation and grouting took four days in total, minimising above ground impact, keeping operatives safe and providing a long-lasting solution to the asset.
