Challenges
Environmental Hazards
Due to the site's previous use as a brick clay pit, there was potential for Made Ground and elevated ground gases.
Geotechnical Hazards
In addition to the presence of some existing fill, there was a potential for self-weight settlement of the new fill on this site with a resulting risk of differential settlement issues. This risk was managed by a stringent earthworks specification, which required a minimum relative compaction to 98% of the maximum dry density with maximum air voids of 5% together with surcharging of the fill thereafter.
The potential for collapse settlement arising from water inundation into the engineered fill was assessed by inundation plate tests as well as inundation of large scale load tests in-situ.