Supply Chain - Project Planning & Surveying - Risk Assessment
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Case Studies
- Isle of Wight South Strategic Optimisation (2023)
- Grays Sewer Rehabilitation (2024)
- St Augustines Road Flood Alleviation (2023)
- Ovingham Raw Water Pumping Station (2023)
- Potters Way Sewer Rehabilitation (2023)
- Guildford STW (2023)
- Layer to Langford Pipeline (2023)
- River Lyd Pumping Station (2023)
- Faringdon to Blunsdon Trunk Main Phase 2 (2023)
- West Hallington Reservoir (2024)
Figure 2: The planning process developed - Courtesy of Southern Water[/caption]
Figure 3: Typical Pareto curve showing best performing plans - Courtesy of Southern Water[/caption]
Incorporating environmental performance into the optimisation was a particular challenge. The team approached this by taking the results from a high level environmental feasibility assessment and factoring in WSR and pipe costs proportionally to reflect better and worse performing options. This then carried through into the overall cost/performance results for that plan.
In the example, the Pareto curve shows about 216 OptimizerTM plans (from 30,000) from which 10 plans have been identified as feasible options.
The OptimizerTM tool is very powerful at testing several configurations (plans) based on the given inputs, design criteria and formulations. Review and validation are critical parts of the process, and this involves the team checking outputs (individual plan performance), tweaking inputs (adjusting costs/penalties/formulations) and refining the optimisation until several tangible plans are derived.
Figure 4 shows typical age of water results for several WSRs with shortlisted plan 7639, 8142 & 8041 compared against the existing system performance. This demonstrates how the optimised plans can significantly reduce the age of water meeting one of the projects key objectives.
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Figure 4: Age of water optimisation - Courtesy of Southern Water[/caption]
Overpumping pipework - Courtesy of @one Alliance[/caption]
Vanderkamp UK’s temporary overpuming pipework while OnSite Cental undertake the CIPP lining works - Courtesy of @one Alliance[/caption]
OnSite Central’s CIPP lining operation - Courtesy of @one Alliance[/caption]
Traffic management during the works - Courtesy of @one Alliance[/caption]
Customer information boards - Courtesy of @one Alliance[/caption]
(left) The preferred option and (right) flooding on St Augustines Road - Courtesy of Galliford Try[/caption]
Outfall under construction - Courtesy of Galliford Try[/caption]
Poor ground and underfoot conditions adjacent to the River Rother proved too risky and problematic for traditional mobile crane lifts, so all lifts of the precast sections were to be undertaken with a tracked excavator. This further constrained the design and restricted the maximum mass of each section to 13 tonnes. Consequently, in its final iteration the precast headwall was designed in two sections and was combined with an in situ toe and infill slab/wall which completed the structural design.
(left) Installation of drive pit on St Augustines Road, (middle) guided auger bore rig, and (right) the transition between 600mm and culverts - Courtesy of Galliford Try[/caption]
Settlement calculations were undertaken using the “Guide to best practice for the installation of pipe jacks and microtunnels technique” and a predicted settlement of <3mm was deemed to be acceptable. The pre-condition surveys highlighted only minor cosmetic issues and were used as reference to the state of repair of the properties prior to construction work commencing.
The majority of the civil design was undertaken in house. This element included a design coordination role combining and processing the information received from the consultants and stakeholders. An example of the numerous stakeholders which were consulted is that of the Coal Authority. Initial searches indicated the presence of historical coal workings. More detail was sought and records indicated the presence of an adit within 20m of the proposed pipeline. A coal permit was sought from the Coal Authority and the design progressed whilst this was processed.
Service detection - Courtesy of Galliford Try[/caption]
Cofferdam and silt curtain - Courtesy of Galliford Try[/caption]
Cofferdam
A cofferdam was required to retain the River Rother and this was designed and supplied by National Trench Safety UK and installed by the primary subcontractor Arthur Civil Engineering. The cofferdam was unique in design in that it utilised Larsson piles in a trapezium shape (plan) to minimise over-dig yet still accommodate the headwall and first culvert.
The cofferdam was installed by Ivor King Piling using a 35t excavator with a Movax side grip pile driver attachment. The cofferdam was effective but 4” end suction pumps supplied by Selwood Ltd were still required to maintain the cofferdam and keep water levels low.
Headwall installation
Once the cofferdam was watertight, the headwall toe was cast in situ, after which the precast headwall arrived in two sections as planned. It was lifted into position by Arthur Civil Engineering using a 50t tracked excavator. An administrative issue led to the need to negotiate a 2-week FRAP extension with the EA and the headwall was completed and the cofferdam removed by 14 October in accordance with the conditions of the revised FRAP.
Pipeline works
Construction works on the remainder of the project continued in March 2022. A temporary one-way system was implemented to provide a safe working area to install the remainder of the pipeline with open cut works commencing on 14 March. The open cut works progressed steadily with over 100 services safely crossed. The later spring and summer months provided excellent conditions for online sewer relay with drought-like conditions, culminating in hosepipe bans for the majority of the UK.
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Open cut pipelaying - Courtesy of Galliford Try[/caption]
Prior to the tunnelling works commencing, concern was raised over the proximity of the tunnel as it crossed under a 225mm foul water sewer in Derby Road. With a clearance of just 300mm, the existing foul sewer was inspected by CPS Drainage Solutions using CCTV and a precautionary 5m cured-in-place patch liner was installed to strengthen the sewer prior to the guided auger bore operation. No-dig works commenced in early June and progressed well without incident and were completed towards the end of the summer. No settlement was detected during the installation and no visual deformations were reported from the nearby structures.
Open cut works continued late into the summer with flooding benefits delivered by 5 October. Significant rainfall events have since occurred and the feedback from residents previously affected by the flooding has been positive.
900mm Ridgistorm pipe from Polypipe Civils ready for installation - Courtesy of Galliford Try[/caption]
Ovingham RWPS - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
Hydraulic model schematic extract from Ovingham RWPS Refurbishment Technical Note - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
Extract from Ovingham RWPS CFD modelling report - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
Cooling water: The motors installed on the new pumps needed to be IP68 due to the high likelihood that the RWPS would flood up to roof level, therefore fan-cooled motors were not suitable. The motors were supplied with a helical design cooling water jacket which was extensively tested in the motor supplier’s works. A number of options were considered to provide cooling water to the VTPs:
Vertical turbine pumps from Bedford Pumps - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
Heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC): Heat gain within the building due to pumps, MCCs, screen motors etc. was modelled to ensure that during the summer the temperature within the building did not exceed 40° C when the external temperature was 30°C and during the winter the temperature within the building exceeded 5°C when the external air temperature was -5°C. Side wall mounted LPCB SR4 security rated aluminium louvres with a 30% free area were specified to the east and west of the building along with a 370W fan to extract warm air.
Noise assessment: A pre-works noise survey was carried out to give a base line. The subsequent report found that plant noise breaking out of the station was low and so recommended that the design target noise levels for the replacement plant should be to achieve the same output noise level. Achieving these noise levels would ensure the adjacent properties would not be detrimentally affected.
Ovingham RWPS east elevation - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
Installation of the overhead diversion - Courtesy of @one Alliance[/caption]
(left) Live flow conditions and (right) inserting a new section of Amiblu Norway AS GRP pipe - Courtesy of @one Alliance[/caption]
Operating in live flow removed the necessity to install an additional over pumping solution that would have dealt with 95% of Peterborough’s sewage as it combined into one flow towards Flag Fen WRC.
In order to commence the GRP lining, the crown of the pipe was removed on a bend and concrete platforms were constructed on either side ensuring a safe working area. A pipe pusher attachment was then used to insert segments upstream and downstream from the bend location. Finally, a prefabricated GRP bend section was installed and connected to straight sections.
To safely cut the existing mains the team needed to excavate an area of 6m x 4.5m with a depth of 3.5m. While having to excavate in an urban area is an option the team would have liked to have avoided, the next best solution to the live flow repair would have included installing a temporary pumping station that would have taken up all of Potters Way’s parking and grass area requiring 10 pumps and a 10m x 7m x 7m temporary wet well to complete the required repair. This would have been a major inconvenience for residents and would have seen an increase in the overall cost of the project of 200%.
(left) H2S attack on a manhole and (right) inside a relined section of pipe - Courtesy of @one Alliance[/caption]
(left) Location of new sewage treatment works and tunnel route and (right) Slyfield Regeneration Project area - Courtesy of Adams Hendry[/caption]
RIC 1 and 2 pass areas - Courtesy of BAM Enpure Ltd JV[/caption]
This combined dataset is then used in Leapfrog 3D geological modelling software, which applies intelligent interpolations, and highlights anomalies that can be quickly assessed and removed. The resultant 3D model has then been used to enhance communication in the engineering AutoDesk BIM 360 federated models, and in the proprietary Arcadis SmartAtlas GIS viewer.
Rapid Impact Compaction (RIC) is a method of imparting energy to the ground using a repeated but relatively short drop-weight, where a base plate (or “puck”) is in constant contact with the ground. RIC is preferred over a larger drop-weight technique due to its more progressive and less disturbing impact on the ground it is being used on. The method is also faster and uses smaller scale setups. A challenge for the RIC method was whether the energy it imparts is sufficient to densify the ground, versus other higher energy drop-weight methods. A trial was deemed necessary to demonstrate the suitability of this method. RIC is proposed to be applied over the majority of the site with an expected densification of landfill down to approximately 4.5m. Areas where assets will not be supported on driven full depth piles will undertake a second pass of the RIC method, reducing the long-term settlement of the landfill material. The predicted reduced surface will be levelled as required by the infill of depressions with imported stone or other suitable material.
Improvement of the existing ground by reinforcement through installation of Vertical Rigid Inclusions (VRI) method across the site. Supporting of level sensitive and heavier elements will be on precast driven piles founded below the landfill material. The combination of methods will be designed to achieve Thames Water’s settlement performance values over 40 years, and remain within the allowable values of 50mm and 100mm. This will reduce the need for full depth driven piling which would otherwise be required.
Reduction of infiltration to the landfill materials by ensuring impermeable surfaces drain to the treatment works and are released at the outfall away from the site. Gas and leachate well monitoring is provided along the perimeter of the site to monitor any impact and provide leachate removal points if required.
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(left) Rapid impact compaction rig and (right) pile under test - Courtesy of BAM Enpure Ltd JV[/caption]
(left) inlet pumping station physical model and (right) inlet pump testing physical model - Courtesy of Hydrotec Consultants Ltd[/caption]
The pump design has been developed to fulfil the project brief load requirements (future peak IPS capacity 2585l/s) and some flexibility either side of the requirements is available due to the standard capacity equipment design offered from the supply chain.
The proposed arrangement now consists of a wet well 12.5m diameter, approximately 20m deep. A common inlet will be provided to dissipate any entrained air, and two selectable pumped sections with double isolation will be provided by wall mounted penstocks on full height walls.
The pumping well will be constructed in two halves, hydraulically connected in normal operational mode however each half will be able to be isolated (using motorised penstocks) in accordance with specification requirements surrounding double isolation, to allow person entry into half of the wet well at a time.
Each half of the wet well will have three pumps installed giving a capability to provide full flow to treatment from two pumps with a standby permanently installed.
The pumping station was first modelled by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to demonstrate the assumed flow patterns that will occur. The pumping station was then physically modelled to comply with the specification and process design requirements particularly with respect to distribution, mixing, settlement, turbulence, dispersion, and freeboard for the full range of flows that each structure is expected to receive.
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Storm overflow physical models - Courtesy of Hydrotec Consultants Ltd[/caption]
Inlet works
The inlet works is being designed to receive all pumped flows from the inlet pumping station (including future peak IPS capacity 2585 l/s), inlet works drainage and screening liquor return flows. Flows will enter the inlet works and then separate across the four escalator screens inclined at an angle of 45°. Each screen will be provided with a local proprietary control panel. Each panel will incorporate a differential ultrasonic level control.
An emergency bypass will be provided upstream of the screens to accommodate all four screens blinding at the same time. Three 1200mm wide duty screens will be required to screen flows from low flow up to 2585 l/s, screening 6mm in two directions.
The inlet works and grit treatment plant will be covered with odour covers which will be connected to the inlet works and PST odour plant. The inlet works has been classified as a Zone 2 Area under the odour covers and all equipment beneath the odour covers will be ATEX rated.
Storm tanks
Storm flows from the inlet work storm separation chamber will flow into two storm tanks via a 1400mm above-ground pipe. Within the 1400mm pipe between the storm separation chamber and the storm tanks there will be a partial pipe MCERTs certified flow meter to measure the total flow into the storm tanks.
During normal operation the blind tank will fill first, then the spill tank will fill. In the event that both tanks are full to capacity (and still in storm flows) the spill tank will overflow via a weir and the storm tank will discharge to river.
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Elevated inlet works - Courtesy of BAM Enpure Ltd JV[/caption]
The storm tanks contents will automatically return to the inlet pumping station via 700mm gravity pipe when the flow being pumped to the inlet works drops below a predetermined set point. The return flows will be controlled to approximately 0.5 DWF via an automated valve controlled by an electromagnetic flow meter located in the gravity main, returning to the common inlet well of the inlet pumping station.
Storm tank cleaning will be a pumped system with the two pumps located external to the storm tanks. Storm tank cleaning will be initiated during the latter part of the storm tanks draining back to the inlet pumping station and will not operate when the tanks are filling. The pump discharge pipe work will include connections for flushing with washwater.
Ferric storage & dosing
Two 45m3 ferric storage tanks will be located in a concrete bund with the dosing skid packages and control system located within an adjacent kiosk. The bund will be capable of containing 110% of the one of the storage tanks plus 10% allowance for rainwater. A drive-in bunded area for chemical deliveries will be provided and an underground chemical interceptor will contain any local spillages, complete with a Castell interlocked 3-way valve to allow the bunded drainage area either to drain into the interceptor (during a chemical delivery) or to drain into the site drainage (normal operation).
Chemical dosing points will be provided upstream of the PSTs, on the common outlet channel of the ASP, and upstream of the tertiary treatment plant. The dosing points will utilise sparge systems to ensure adequate distribution of chemicals into the channels.
Odour control plant
The odour plant is a 2-stage system. Stage 2 filters will discharge into an 18-metre-high odour stack. The plant has been designed to achieve a minimum removal efficiency of 98% of H2S and 99% removal of odour, based upon a total system duty of 8432 m3/hr (of which 4813 m3/hr is from the inlet works and 3619 m3/hr from the primary settlement tanks).
Service water
A potable water main supplies a service water break tank via a ballcock (float valve). The service water break tank has a working volume of approximately 30m3 which gives a nominal retention of approximately three hours at average throughput. Service water booster pumps draw water from the tank and transfer it to the service water main network where it feeds the polymer make-up system for all thickeners and dewatering belt presses.
Primary settlement distribution chamber
The distribution chamber has been CFD modelled to calculate the flow split to each downstream primary settlement tank from first principles, and assess whether the proposed design would deliver an equal flow split (+/-5%) for seven future flow scenarios. This required the inlet bellmouth to be turned down to improve flow splitting.
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PST distribution chamber CFD models: (left) with four PSTs in service and (right) with six PSTs in service - Courtesy of The Fluid Group[/caption]
Primary settlement
Primary settlement consists of four 47.15m long by 10m wide tanks, with a depth ranging between 6.24m at the hopper end and 5.3m at the outlet length (equating to 1 in 50 floor slope). Each PST tank has three sludge hoppers at the inlet end. The outlet of the PST discharges into a common 1000mm wide outlet channel. From this outlet channel the 1000mm outlet pipe from the drop box combines with the 700mm RAS lines into an above-ground 1200mm pipe.
Retractable odour covers will be provided across the PST tanks to allow for future inspection, cleaning and maintenance. The odour covers will be connected via ducting to the inlet works/primary settlement tank odour plant. All mechanical equipment installed below the covers will be constructed from 316 stainless steel or high performance plastics. The primary settlement tanks have been classified as a Zone 2 Area, and all electrical equipment beneath the odour covers will be ATEX rated.
The design of the PST Tanks is based upon a maximum inflow of 3022m3/hr to all four in-service tanks, and a peak flow to each tank of 1007m3/hr with one PST out of service. In normal operation all four PST tanks will be in service.
Within each PST tank a chain and flight scraper system will be provided which will utilise high-tech non-metallic materials as the main materials of construction. Scum from the primary tanks will gravitate via a rotating surface skimmer pipe to the above-ground primary settlement scum tank. The primary scum return pumps are progressive cavity pumps, operating in a duty standby configuration. The pumps are fixed speed pumps operating between a high and low level in the scum tank.
The PST sludge hoppers will desludge based upon a SCADA-adjustable interval and duration. The primary desludge pumps are progressive cavity pumps, operating in a duty/standby configuration. The pumps are variable speed pumps operating to maintain a SCADA-adjustable flow set point.
Once the effluent has flowed through each PST it will enter into a common 1000mm wide outlet channel. From this outlet channel flows transfer to the ASP distribution chamber via a drop box and 1000mm above-ground pipe.
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ASP overview - Courtesy of BAM Enpure Ltd JV[/caption]
Activated sludge plant
The ASP plant will have a distribution chamber using the same general arrangement as the primary settlement distribution chamber.
The activated sludge treatment tank consists of four ASP lanes. Each ASP lane has a selector tank followed by an anoxic zone and then the three aerobic zones. The main aeration lane will be fitted with aeration pipework and fine bubble diffusers. The aeration vessel is 80m long and 6.1m wide with a water depth of 7.05m. The total instantaneous maximum air demand of the ASP is 10,438 m3/h.
The first third of the aerated fraction of each lane will contain 50% of the aeration capacity, the middle third 30%, and the final third 20%. Each aeration lane will have three passes, arranged as channels of 6.15m width. The air for the diffuser grids will be supplied from three ASP air blowers operating on a duty/assist/standby basis. The aeration system will be controlled by an ammonia based real time control (RTC) system utilising a feed forward ammonia load input and a feedback ammonia concentration.
Once the effluent has flowed through each ASP lane it enters into a common 1000mm wide outlet channel. From this outlet channel flows transfer to the FST distribution chamber via a drop box and 1200mm above-ground pipe.
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Anoxic and aeration zones flows - Courtesy of BAM Enpure Ltd JV[/caption]
Final settlement tanks
The FST plant will have a distribution chamber using the same general arrangement as the primary settlement distribution chamber. The four FSTs will consist of 32m diameter flat bottomed circular tanks with a side wall depth of 6.15m. The FST will separate solids from the flow via settlement, producing a clarified effluent which overflows a peripheral weir into a launder channel, before gravitating to the tertiary treatment distribution chamber via a 1000mm below-ground pipe.
The combined clarified outlet flow from the four tanks will be monitored by a common flow meter, as well as suspended solids and phosphorus monitoring instrumentation, all provided on the common line to tertiary treatment.
The design of the FSTs is based upon a maximum inflow to each tank of 1741m3/hr with one FST tank out of service. In normal operation all four FST tanks will be in service. Each tank will have a 700mm inlet pipe, which will flow into a central diffuser drum before entering the FST tank. Each tank features a 600mm outlet pipe fed via a peripheral launder channel, as well as a 400mm RAS gravity outlet pipe. Each of the four tanks features a full bridge rotating scraper system which will run continuously in normal operation.
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32m final settlement tanks & sludge return (RAS pumping station) - Courtesy of BAM Enpure Ltd JV[/caption]
Sludge return (RAS/SAS pumping station)
Sludge from each pair of FSTs will enter one of two RAS/SAS desludge chambers. The two chambers will be located side by side and will share a set of three duty/duty/standby RAS transfer pumps, which will recycle the settled sludge from both RAS/SAS desludge chambers to the activated sludge plant distribution chamber feed line.
The variable speed centrifugal RAS transfer pumps will be capable of pumping 2200m3/hr at a maximum head of 8.9mhd. The pumps will operate between high and low level in the duty RAS/SAS desludging chamber, with both chambers provisioned.
A pair of duty/standby SAS pumps is provided, which will facilitate wastage of surplus sludge, with each pump drawing from a single RAS/SAS desludge chamber. The fixed speed centrifugal pumps will transfer sludge to the SAS buffer tank. Control of the SAS pumps will be carried out either on a timer or based on the level in the SAS buffer tank, with the common discharge line featuring flow monitoring.
Tertiary treatment
Clarified effluent flow from the FSTs will pass to the tertiary ferric mixing and flocculation (post-precipitation) stage, where the option will exist to dose ferric sulphate solution into the flow in order to encourage flocculation of remaining solids. This stage will be split into two parallel streams, with flow from the FSTs initially entering via a single bellmouth inlet into a common inlet channel, before passing via twin overflow weirs into two rapid mix chambers, and subsequently overflowing into two flocculation chambers. The design of the rapid mixer chambers will ensure complete mixing (>95% CoV) of chemical in less than 4 seconds.
Flow from the flocculation chambers will weir into a common outlet channel leading to a flow distribution chamber feeding the tertiary treatment stage.
The distribution chamber has been CFD modelled to calculate the flow split to each downstream cloth pile filter from first principles, and assess whether the proposed design would deliver an equal flow split (+/-5%) for seven future flow scenarios.
The tertiary treatment stage will comprise six cloth pile filters, which will operate with all filters in service - however the peak flow will be able to be treated with only five filters in service. The filters will be sized to accommodate a peak flow of 840 l/s, producing a final effluent of 20 mg/l TSS (95%ile) and 0.2mg/l TP (average).
Bypass pipework is to be provided adjacent to the cloth pile filter structure, by which clarified effluent from the FSTs may bypass the tertiary ferric dosing/flocculation and cloth pile filter stage.
Each of the six cloth pile filters will feature a central rotor drum onto which filter discs are attached. The rotor and discs will be fully submerged within the tank, with the discs supporting the physical cloth filter media. Flow entering the filters will flow from outside the discs through the cloth into the discs’ interior, with solids collecting on the external surface of the cloth pile, creating a headloss. As this headloss increases, the water level in the tank will rise and at a pre-set water level (as detected by an ultrasonic level sensor) a cleaning cycle will be initiated.
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Tertiary treatment flocculation chambers: Eliquo Hydrok Mecana cloth pile filters - Courtesy of BAM Enpure Ltd JV[/caption]
Filtered final effluent (FFE) from the inside of the filter disc and rotor drum assembly will pass forward through the unit via a low-level aperture to an outlet chamber, from which flow will weir into the common final effluent outfall chamber. An emergency overflow weir is to be provided, allowing unfiltered effluent from the filter tank (external to the discs) to weir over into the outlet chamber.
Backwash liquors from the backwash pumps will exit the filters via a common manifold, draining by gravity to the grit plant liquor PS. Eight backwash pumps will be provided per machine, giving a total of 48 pumps across all six machines. The pumps will be submersible units placed within the tank, with each pump being dedicated to three filter discs. The backwash flow rate is rated for 10 l/s (subject to the installed pipework design/headloss).
Each of the six filter tanks will see some solids settlement occurring (and potential accumulation of other debris), which will create a build-up of sludge in the bottom of the tank. This sludge will be periodically removed by a set of two duty/standby sludge pumps per machine (i.e. 12 sludge pumps installed in total). The discharge from each sludge pump will be connected to the common backwash manifold, leading to the grit plant liquor pumping station.
Final effluent discharge
Flows leaving the cloth pile filters will pass out from the main filter chamber via a low level aperture into a small outlet chamber, from which flows will weir over into the common outfall channel. The final effluent (FE) will flow under gravity through an FE flow measurement flume, with an ultrasonic instrument for measurement of final effluent flows discharged to outfall.
The FE outfall channel will feature a pipe leading to the FE washwater system, with a further line branching off this pipe servings as the suction line for FE Meteorburst Analyser. On exiting the FE outfall channel, flows will enter a dedicated FE outfall main, which will drain by gravity, discharging to the river north of the STW site.
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New Guildford STW: 3D model night-time overview - Courtesy of BAM Enpure Ltd JV[/caption]
Thickened sludge blending tanks - Courtesy of BAM Enpure Ltd JV[/caption]
Each tank will feature separate inlet connections for the three types of sludge being received, with actuated valves and crossover lines allowing all sludges to be directed to either of the two tanks. The tanks will also feature outlet actuated valves, which will allow either tank to be isolated from the sludge belt press feed pumps downstream, thereby ensuring the pumps only draw from a single tank at any given time.
A set of three duty/duty/standby sludge belt press feed pumps will be provided, which will transfer blended thickened and imported sludge from the thickened sludge blending tanks to the sludge belt presses. The pumps will be variable speed progressive cavity units, with a peak capacity of 30m3/h (i.e. 15m3/h per pump) at a maximum head of 48.5m, based on sludge of up to 7.0%DS.
Dewatered cake leaving each belt press will enter a discharge cake hopper leading to the suction end of a sludge cake pump. Three pumps will be provided, with a single pump dedicated to a single machine; each pump will operate in conjunction with the associated belt press upstream.
The pumps will be variable speed progressive cavity units, with a peak capacity of 7.4m3/h of sludge (up to 30%DS). The pumps will transfer the cake via individual discharge lines to the sludge cake silos, with manual discharge crossover facilities allowing sludge from the pumps to be directed to either of the two silos as required.
Cake silo storage & discharge
Dewatered sludge cake will be pumped to two truck-loading cake silos, with a combined storage capacity of 600m3, sized to provide 7-days of storage at average cake production. Each silo will feature a discharge screw conveyor (with a sliding frame ‘anti-bridging’ device) which will discharge the cake through a hydraulically operated slide gate valve.
Odour control plant
The odour plant will be a 2-stage system. Stage 2 filters will discharge into an 18-metre-high odour stack.
The plant has been designed to achieve a minimum removal efficiency of 98% of H2S and 99% removal of odour, based upon a total system duty of 6629m3/hr, extracted from the various tanks and thickening/dewatering machines in the sludge plant area.
(left) Outfall route plan - Courtesy of Bam Enpure Ltd JV, and (right) outfall low flow scenario CFD model - Courtesy of Arcadis[/caption]
Outfall structure
The outfall structure will consist of a reinforced concrete headwall, set back from the river channel, to be founded in the river terrace deposits and flared to direct flows downstream and minimise the impact of upstream debris from collecting. The headwall will have duckbill valves on the discharging pipes, and erosion control products utilised in the surrounding area to tie the headwall into the natural riverbank and bed.
The erosion mattress employed following the headwall structure will provide a secondary point at which turbulent flows can dissipate energy without eroding the natural bed of the river.
Where the headwall ties into the natural riverbank, the hard/soft interaction between headwall and natural soil will be reduced by the installation of Rock Rolls erosion control and willow stakes at the base, and the installation of a natural hydro-seeded CocoBN blanket or equivalent (to be seeded with local seed varieties) which will retain the slope shape until vegetation establishes and provides an effective natural erosion control. This will also provide a gradual slope to access down to the river.
Hydraulic profile - Courtesy of Stantec UK[/caption]
The direct connection from the pumped rising main to Layer introduced a number of hydraulic complexities. A key issue was the control of transient pressures, particularly associated with a sudden loss of output at Abberton Pumping Station. Existing surge vessels provide robust surge control, however, the addition of the 20km extension to Langford would require careful consideration.
The time to close the outlet valve at Langford, particularly following a sudden loss of pumping at Abberton, would need to be sufficiently long to avoid exacerbating transient pressures while a closing time too long would risk depressurising the pipeline and the risk of drawing air into the pipeline. The occurrence of transient air pockets at high points could create further transient pressures if encountered by the initial pressure waves.
While these challenges could be largely avoided by separating both pipelines entirely with a break tank, the tank would need to be sufficiently large and elevated to provide the same driving head. The design team are, instead, progressing an optimised solution to avoid these additional capital works through thorough detailed understanding of the problem, careful selection of the control valves and the implementation of a control system that remains simple yet capable of maintaining pressures within acceptable limits.
(left) Ground investigation work and (right) pipe installation - Courtesy of Essex & Suffolk Water[/caption]
Airburst package plant - Courtesy of Galliford Try[/caption]
(left) River water sampling container on flood prevention supports, (middle) Aggreko UK duty, primary assist and secondary assist generators, and (right) Generator flood prevention as design by the design team - Courtesy of Galliford Try[/caption]
Google Maps image showing pipeline route[/caption]
Archaeological investigations and (right) crouched burial - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Pipe material: As part of the design deliverables a technical note was prepared comparing ductile iron, carbon steel and HDPE as the three commercially feasible materials for this diameter range.
The recommendation was to adopt HDPE PE100 as the preferred pipe material, using 1200mm OD SDR17 from Aliaxis UK. Pipework used in cross connections, existing utility crossovers, shafts and other special cases was designed using ductile iron supplied by Saint Gobain PAM UK, with mechanically restrained VE joints as required.
Furthermore, for the tunnel sections, steel pipework with the E-Joint system was utilised supplied by Noksel España. To ensure asset design life, steel pipework was maximised for the critical tunnel sections with pipe wall thickness specified at 10mm, which was greater than Thames Water’s asset standard of 6mm. Based on the pH levels of the water the pipe would be conveying, a far superior asset design life of 100+ years could be theoretically achieved.
Environmental impact assessment (EIA): During the initial stages of the project, several desktop and detailed environment, archaeological and third-party assessments and reports were compiled. This highlighted areas where further surveys and investigations were later completed ahead of an Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion being submitted to the relevant councils for review.
A full EIA was requested but this was, however, successfully challenged with the Secretary of State who did not consider the environmental impact would be of a magnitude necessary to suggest a scheme of this scale would result in significant environmental effects, which would exceptionally necessitate an environmental statement. This successful challenge still obligated Thames Water to work closely with the local approving authorities to deliver a comprehensive programme of environment and archaeological mitigation works for the route.
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Pipes laid along route - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
(left) Drive shaft, (middle) tunnel pipe insertion and (right) the completed tunnel - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Tunnelling: Open cut techniques were the predominant pipe installation methodologies and were undertaken by CPC Civils and OCC Services Ltd. However, several trenchless crossings were required for the major roads and rivers crossed by the pipeline route. The relatively straight forward digger shield tunnel boring machine was the predominant method used for trenchless crossings, including Bydemill Brook and the A361.
The crossing of the B4019 proved more challenging however, when hard rock was discovered. This was because of a last-minute change in the location of the micro-tunnel shaft to avoid a new attenuation pond being built by a developer in the immediate area.
Following a review of the new geotechnical investigation completed, it was agreed that the previous digger shield tunnel boring machine was not suitable to overcome the hard rock. Instead, the more robust variable density tunnel boring machine was employed with a specialist drill head brought in from Herrenknecht in Germany to cope with the density of the rock. Although the deployment of this complex machine took four weeks to set-up, the 180m long, 1.5m diameter tunnel was constructed in no time at all and was successfully completed in just over eight weeks. The trenchless crossings were undertaken by HB Tunnelling Limited.
Pipe welding: An automatic butt fusion welding machine was utilised on the project to enable the joints to be made in what was an industry first. The machine from McElroy Manufacturing was shipped from the United States for the project, and enabled butt fusion joints to made up to 1200mm in diameter; a first of its kind in Europe. The automatic nature of the machine enabled far higher quality welds to be made and on a consistent basis as the human element of checking temperatures, raising of the welding plates etc. was eliminated.
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Pipe welding operation and (inset) McElroy Manufacturing welding machine - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Welding work was undertaken by Fabricon Ltd and PTS Group with Technical Innovation Servis Ltd employed as an independent weld inspector to provide an additional level of assurance on the quality of the butt fusion joints made on the 1200mm OD PE100 SDR17 pipework.
(left) Funeral cortege - Courtesy of CPC Civils, and (right) Salvation Army Christmas present appeal 2022 - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Kier have also worked well with local councils donating materials for community initiatives, with CPC Civils also donating two portable defibrillators to support local campaigns, as well as supporting a Salvation Army present appeal on the run into Christmas 2022 to support families who would otherwise be unable to afford gifts for their children.
The project has also given the opportunity to work with the royal agricultural university and bring students to site to understand the ecological and environmental impact and considerations on a project of this scale, as well as visiting their workshops to build owl boxes to be installed along the route of the pipeline.
Flushing lagoons - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Commissioning and beneficial use of the pipeline is expected in November 2023 with all site works being completed by August 2024. This will complete replacement of the 15.8km transmission system providing resilience to supplies to help meet future supply and demand requirements.
Summary chart from the reservoir drawdown hydraulic analysis - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
Pipes and thrust restraint
Hoops stresses within the DN700 mild steel siphon pipes were checked and a DWI Regulation 31 coating specified. The stainless steel pipe supports were analysed for bending and shear and concrete thrust blocks were designed for the system test pressures. The pipe wall thickness was reduced from 10mm to 8mm as an efficiency. The pipework arrangement drawing was uploaded into the federated model in BIM360 to check for clashes and when installed on site was found to fit perfectly.
Ground investigation and geotechnical analysis
Following the original construction of West Hallington Reservoir (between 1884 and 1890) the Resident Engineer Charles Henzell wrote a report to the Institution of Civil Engineers describing the works and detailing a number of challenges which included:
(left) Cable percussive borehole rig on the crest of the embankment and (right) scaffold decked area required for rotary bore works on the slope - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
A desk study and intrusive in situ ground investigation (cable percussive and rotary bored boreholes, standard penetration tests (SPTs), piezo installation, lab testing) were carried out to classify and determine the thickness of the superficial and solid geology along with groundwater levels, identify any contaminated or aggressive ground and determine the engineering properties of the native soils. Slope stability and ground bearing pressure checks were carried out to ensure large plant would not compromise the stability of the embankments.
The clay core and embankment material of the Pennine-type dam was found to be very silty and exhibit poor engineering qualities and so was disposed of, and a source of good quality puddle clay and Series 600-2C material was found locally at a brick factory in Birtley, Gateshead. This was installed in compliance with the test and inspection plan (T&IP) to a good standard.
Thankfully the three springs in the west embankment mentioned in the Henzell report were not encountered.
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Extreme weather conditions during the construction stages: (left) winter 2022 and (right) flooding from Storm Babet (October 2023) - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
Temporary works
A borehole at the toe of the embankment on the dry side indicated the presence of water-bearing sands and gravels and so interlocking sheet piles were specified that punched through the sands and gravels into the underlying clays and so cut off groundwater flows into the excavation.
A Portadam supplied and installed by OnSite Central was employed to provide a dry area to construct the intake bay. The Portadam was erected in the wet by operatives wearing buoyancy suits, and then pumped out and an excellent seal was achieved. The Portadam also allowed plant access around the pipework whilst the stone pitching was reinstated.
Flood risk assessment
A flood risk assessment (FRA) was carried out to support the planning permission and, as due diligence, to ensure MMB would not flood a property by accident. The assessment looked at the extent of flooding during operation of the siphon along with fluvial, surface water, groundwater and finally reservoir flood risk due to an uncontrolled release (which of course the siphon is designed to help prevent). The FRA concluded that:
A screen dump from the SYNCHRO 4D simulation - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
The simulation highlighted a number of pinch points when materials must be delivered or when water levels must be lowered or raised and helped drive efficiencies. SYNCHRO 4D was also useful for explaining the construction process to the client, to site operatives and to visitors.
Solar power
The mechanical equipment associated with the siphon is housed within a high security kiosk. Due to the remote site location, the cost of a permanent power supply for the kiosk building services was prohibitive. A solar powered solution has been installed utilising roof mounted PV cells, DC/AC converter and battery storage.
This sustainable solution provides sufficient energy for lighting and heating within the kiosk with negligible running costs.
Solar panel display - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
Siphon intake bay constructed within a Portadam barrier supplied and installed by OnSite Central - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
Stone pitching
Reinstatement of the original stone pitching (to resist wave action) took seven weeks longer than planned; mainly down to availability of stone masons. Productivity increased as the works progressed and the three man gang went from replacing 3 to 5m2 per day. The stone pitching was reinstated to a good standard, but it was felt that the detailing around one of the pipe supports would be built differently next time.
The 2,500m perimeter of the reservoir had been faced with stone pitching down to original ground level; installation of which in the 1880s without an excavator and selector grab must have been a job and a half!
Ecology
Prior to the construction works, NWG employed OS Ecology to undertake trapping for white clawed crayfish, a native species that is in decline due to the introduced North American signal crayfish. No white clawed crayfish were found within West Hallington Reservoir but three were trapped within the adjacent East Hallington Reservoir. A pied wagtail nest was spotted by eagle-eyed site workers next to the engine of an excavator. The excavator was withdrawn from service until the eggs had hatched and the fledglings left the nest.
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Reinstatement of the stone pitching - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]
DN700 siphon pipework during installation - Courtesy of MMB[/caption]