dws-fugro-hs2-impression-colne-viaduct-770px-Geoconsultant Fugro - based in the Netherlands - has been asked to provide Align consortium with detailed ground intelligence for the engineering of a new high speed train railroad from the Colne Valley viaduct to the northern portal of the Chilterns tunnel.

The railway track is part of phase 1 of the UK’s High Speed 2 (HS2) rail network that runs from London to Birmingham. The engineering and construction of this route has been awarded to the Align consortium, comprising of Bouygues Travaux Publics, VolkerFitzpatrick, Sir Robert McAlpine, in 2017. The route passes several features, including several lakes that are situated along the Thames.

dws-fugro-hs2-colny-viduct-350px  Projection of the Colne Valley Viaduct crossing the lakes.

Collecting ground data
Work for Fugro includes a programme of rotary holes to depths up to 100 metres. A further 20 boreholes will be drilled from pontoons to help inform the design of the viaduct piers.

Fugro will also undertake in situ and cone penetration testing, along with laboratory testing and factual reporting.

Chalk geology
With considerable expertise of investigating chalk geology, Fugro geoscientists will apply advanced techniques to determine ground strata and engineering properties to help Align optimise tunnel and foundation design.

Fugro has been providing site characterisation data for HS2 since 2016, completing contracts at locations between London and Birmingham as one of the appointed specialists on the preliminary ground investigations framework.

Challenging tunnel and bridge
Ian Judge, Fugro’s Framework Director for HS2, said: ‘We are delighted to be engaged in the advanced stages of site investigation for HS2 and supporting Align with the delivery of ground data for some of the most challenging tunnel and bridge structures of Phase 1.’

‘As with our previous HS2 work, Fugro is offering innovative solutions through early involvement with the client to reduce subsurface uncertainty and help the design team manage ground risk’, Judge added.

This news item was originally published on the website of Fugro.

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Fugro contracted to gather more data for construction of new coastal highway, Norway, 1 June 2016
Expertise: Enabling delta life
Country: United Kingdom

More information
Fugro
Leidschendam, the Netherlands
+31 70 311 1422
www.fugro.com