The Boxing Day floods of 2015 sent shockwaves around Rochdale, Greater Manchester and the country.
The fast-flowing water was four feet deep at the height of the flooding, leaving businesses and homes underwater.
The severe impact of the floods meant that drastic action needed to be taken.
The Environment Agency, in partnership with Rochdale Council, developed a scheme to improve flood defences and reduce the risk of flooding across Rochdale and Littleborough.
This plan included a flood storage area at Gale, as well as raised walls and improvements to culverts and bridges.
Volkerstevin were the appointed contractor for this project. They contacted MGF about providing a bespoke shoring solution, providing excavation support across a multi-phase project.
MGF’s Continued Support to Flood Defences
The Environment Agency
VolkerStevin
John Maguire & David McNair
Early and continued collaboration ensuring a value-engineered solution
Phase 1a commenced in 2020 and saw improvements in defences at various locations in Littleborough, the replacement of Riverstone Bridge and the widening of the river channel at the same location.
Phase 1b is currently in progress and will result in the removal of Charles Street Bridge and temporary access works into the Gale site to allow it to be turned into a flood storage reservoir, in addition to the permanent diversion of Greenvale Brook at Gale East and a culvert extension within the same site.
Over the next two years, the permanent works design was revised, with MGF collaborating with VolkerStevin and VolkerGround Engineering to develop further conceptual designs. The final design consisted of temporarily using AZ sheet piles in a cantilever for the cofferdam (then permanently installed elsewhere on site) in conjunction with MGF’s 305UC brace and 400 Series cross struts knee braces at the deeper end of the structure only.
However, additional site investigation revealed soft ground in the central area of the cofferdam that needed removing, therefore increasing the excavation depth resulting in further propping requirements. MGF reacted quickly to design and supply equipment to the central area of the cofferdam, using 406UC brace and 400 Series cross struts and knee braces.
Our in-house engineering and design team took the brief regarding the requirements and collaborated to create a bespoke design that precisely met the project requirements.
Based on the request provided by Volkerstevin decided that for both phases, we would use a combination of our 305 UC Brace, 400 Series Strut and 406 UC Brace to support the cofferdams and
The outlet structure from Gale West diverts water in an alternative way to prevent flooding, with plans to build a 70,000 cubic holding tank to store additional overflow.
Early and continued collaboration between VolkerStevin and MGF over the last four years has successfully delivered value-engineered excavation support systems to multiple excavations across Phase 1a & Phase 1b in Littleborough.
demonstrated their capabilities from the initial design phase to delivering equipment on site. We supported VolkerStevin through numerous remote and site-based meetings and reacting quickly to unforeseen changes on site.
Z-type sheet piles are the preferred choice for permanent applications. Among the essential characteristics of Z-shaped sheet piles are the …
A highly versatile, heavy duty modular bracing strut system designed primarily for use with hydraulic bracing systems, but can also …
Designed to brace large/deep cofferdams for the safe installation of underground structures, deep drive/thrust pits or basements. Double acting hydraulic …
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