Soil Mechanics helps connect Suffolk to offshore windfarm
Soil Mechanics is pleased to announce that it has won a significant ground investigation contract from Greater Gabbard Offshore Winds Ltd, a Fluor / Airtricity joint venture, for the onshore works of the proposed Greater Gabbard Offshore Windfarm project - which when built will be one the world's largest.
The ground investigation will provide a basis for the civil design and construction of an onshore electrical sub-station as well as the installation of underground cables between the landfall site at Sizewell and the onshore substation location.
Under the terms of the contract Soil Mechanics will collect soil samples to interpret the ground conditions in a number of areas, including geotechnical analysis of the foundation design of the sub-station, information on the construction and design of the cable route and a new access road needed to support heavy plant traffic.
Soil Mechanics will also investigate the strata beneath the shoreline itself to establish the optimum route of the off-shore/ on-shore connection. This will provide ground parameters and ground water levels required to assess the feasibility of cable installation using a guided trenchless installation technique known as Horizontal Directional Drilling.
Soil Mechanics Principal Engineer, Martin Caudell, explains, "Interpretive investigations of this kind involve assessment of data from a variety of techniques which in this case will include a mix of seismic surveys, in situ cone penetration tests (CPT), exploratory bore holes and trial pits.
Graham Mason, Project Manager, Fluor Limited says: "For such an important project Soil Mechanics' depth of resource and long track record in ground investigation is important. We needed a contractor who could support our need to progress the project to a timely financial close so that we can begin the construction works in time to support the government’s 2010 'renewables' target."
October 2007
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