http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/rss.php Hills Contractors Limited Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 built-in RSS/XML Feed, v.1.0 Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved. dave.male@hillscontractors.co.uk (Hills Contractors) dave.male@hillscontractors.co.uk (Hills Contractors) http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=130 Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=130 http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=129 Caen Hill Pound 43 is located along a long flight of locks known as the 'Caen Hill Flight' on the Kennet and Avon canal. Bank repair works were required in pound 43 of the Caen Hill Flight. The original wharf wall had collapsed below the water level rendering the existing bank above liable to collapse. The proposed work was to construct a new sheet piled wall approximately 27 metres in length furnished with a hardwood timber fender finished flush with normal water level such that the piles were not visible in normal conditions. The propsoed line was a straight line of cantlivered 3m long sheet piles pulled from one end of the bank to the other. However once on site it became obvious that this was not going to be achievable if the maximum gradient of 1 in 2 was to be maintained. Subsequently the pile line was moved out into the pound, longer 3.5m piles were installed, anchor piles and tie rods were installed and the line followed the existing waters edge. The rear of the sheet piled wall required filling and a 6a material was used topped off with topsoil and seed. The works were delivered on time, to budget and to a very satisfactory standard of workmanship. Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=129 http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=128 Brookhole weir is located on the Shropshire Union Canal near Huxley in Cheshire. The existing weir consisted of brickwork on sandstone and had been heavily eroded over the years. The proposed works were to replace the weir with a new reinforced concrete weir. The weir crest was to be constructed 75mm below the existing weir crest level. The new weir however was to be furnished with a removeable weir crest extension with the capacity of raising the weir crest level by 75mm or 150mm. The weir was also to be furnished with a safe means of access, in the form of an aluminium walkway or bridge. The removebale weir crest and the walkway were contractor designed by Hills Contractors Limited. The weir crest extension was achieved by the fixing of universal beams and channels to form stanchions on the wier crest and the installation of 75mm deep timber stop planks between. The timber planks were fixed in position by the insertion of steel pins through each stanchion and plank. The works required the installation of a temporary dam around the weir which was achieved by portadam. It was essential that the canal remained open to navigable traffic for the duration of the works. The weir was accesed through adjacent farm land and all materials were transported in and out by land. The works were completed on time, to budget and to a very high standard of workmanship. Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=128 http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=127 These works comprised the construction of approximately 230m of bound surfaced road / path along the line of the High St access road to the Clydach Canal between the Post Office and Pont John footbridge, located in the town of Clydach. The pedestrian path section from Pont John footbridge to the junction with the proposed road is approximately 50m in length and will comprise a 150mm average stone foundation layer overlaid with a 40mm thick layer of 20mm binder course and a 25mm thick layer of 6mm dense bitumen macadam wearing course. This section was edged with timber edging boards and pegs. The road section from the path to High Street, Clydach was approximately 175m in length and comprised 150mm sub base material, 60mm thick layer of 20mm dense binder and 40mm dense bitumen macadam wearing course. This section was edged using concrete edging kerbs. Some minor vegetation clearance work was required at the western end of the project near Pont John footbridge. Bollards were installed to replace the existing barriers located at the end of the access road on the western side of the path which is intended as a walking and cycling route only. Difficulties encountered during the works were mainly related to the very constricted access and wet weather conditions. The works were delivered on time, to budget and to a very high standard of workmanship. Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=127 http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=126 Hatton is British Waterways Heritage Centre and a Regional Office located in Warwickshire. This project involved the upgrade of the existing track which services the cafe. The existing track was in poor condition and these works were to construct an adequate roadway of bound material suitable for light to medium traffic loadings. The works involved the scraping of the existing road surface and the infilling and compacting of all existing pot holes. The new access road was to be finished with edging kerbs to both sides of the road. A 150 x 50 bull nose concrete kerb that complies with BS EN 1340 was to be installed complete with concrete haunching to form a perimeter for the canal side of the roadway. The installation of 150 x 50 flat concrete kerbs that comply with BS EN 1340 was to be installed complete with concrete haunching to form a perimeter for the embankment side of the roadway. The existing road way was to be dressed and compacted to provide a 1:40 cross fall towards the embankment. The road way was to have a macadam surface laid on top of the dressed and compacted existing road way consisting of 75mm dense base course macadam to BS 4967: Part 1: 1988: CI 6.5 with a 50mm stone asphalt mastic wearing course. The new access was to be furnished with the installation of 6 No. speed restriction humps, not to exceed 50mm in height. The parking area adjacent to the cafe was to include provision for 1 No. demarcated disabled parking bay and 3 No. standard parking bays adjacent to the cafe. Demarcation lining (Hatched) was to be included for the approach to the bin store. Demarcation lining (Arrows) was to be inlcuded for the speed restriction humps. The works were completed on time, to budget and to a very high standard of workmanship. Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=126 http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=125 Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=125 http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=124 Wilmcote locks are located on the Stratford canal between the villages of Wilmcote and Bishopton. They comprise 11 locks, top lock being lock 40 down to bottom lock 50. These works were specific to locks 44 to 50 inclusive. The locks were originally built in 1815 but by the mid 1950's the South Stratford canal had fallen into complete disrepair. The navigation was saved from being officially abandoned by Parliament in 1959 and the National Trust took ownership of the canal in 1960. The restoration work began in 1961 but was of sub standard design, material and workmanship. By 1977 the National Trust were looking to offload the repsonsibility for maintaining the canal and in 1988 BWB gained control of the now derelict canal. Generally the canal structures are in poor condition and consist of a variety of differing material patch repairs. The structures are offcicially listed as category D structural condition and the intention of these works is bring the structures into Catgeory C structural condition only. As such the works comprise brick replacement, repointing, masonry repairs, tail wall rebuilds, fender resetting, lock ladder extensions, bywash lining, vertical grouting, scour protection and crack stitching. The works are to be undertaken during a planned stoppage which must be lifted by 12th March 2010. Work can continue after this date providing it doesn't interfere with the navigation. The entire length will need to be dewatered and the flow overpumped from lock 43 down passed lock 50. During the course of these works additional work was added in the form of another two locks, lock 43 and lock 42. these required vertical grouting and repointing. Although the locks aren't listed structures they are of heritage interest and all repairs have been undertaken in line with heritage specification. Hydraulic lime mortar has been used throughout and particular attention has been paid to mortar joint finishes. The works have progressed very well and the work within the navigation was complete ahead of schedule in time to meet the 12th March 2010 deadline. Severe weather conditions made work very difficult during January and February 2010 and maintaining temperatures suitable for bricklaying was achieved by additional round the clock heating, tenting, use of prompt in the mortar and strict forst protection measures, hessian etc. The works are all but complete with reinstatement works and demobilisation underway. Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=124 http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=123 Bridge 20 is a Grade II listed structure located on the Trent and Mersey Canal near to the village of Stenson. The works were required to be completed in line with the Grade II listing and to the requirements of BW Heritage department and Local Authority Heritage Officer. Bridge 20 is both a grade 2 listed structure and within the Trent and Mersey Conservation area, thereby providing two strands of legal protection. Its listed status made it illegal to damage or alter the structure in any way without listed building Consent from the Local Authority (in this case South Derbyshire District Council). Like for like repairs and maintenance is however allowed so long as the materials are well matched. Being in a conservation area makes it illegal to demolish a structure without Conservation area consent, and takes away standard permitted development rights. The bridge was severely damaged in 2007 when a sludge tanker exiting the local sewage treatment works slipped off the bridge taking down half of the arch and the complete parapet wall to the eastern elevation. The tanker was left precariously suspended above the navigation. The bridge was subsequently closed to through traffic. A temporary pedestrian footbridge was erected near to Bridge 20. The reconstruction works involved the rebuild of the collapsed arch and parapet wall, the construction of a concrete saddle to support the arch and new structural fill approaches to the bridge. The bridge had to be firstly supported and this was achieved by the installation of a scaffold support framework and timber centring to the profile of the original remaining arch. In order to effectively span the navigation with a scaffold support pontoons were floated to the bridge and sunk to provide a centre support bearing. The bridge was to be unloaded evenly thus keeping the remaining arch in equilibrium. Once the arch was supported and unloaded a further inspection revealed that the remaining section was in poor structural condition. A large crack was evident running north to south and additional work was instructed in the form of drilling and dowelling the remaining arch and new arch brickwork ahead of casting the concrete saddle, which was pumped in an even fashion ensuring the arch remained in equilibrium. The works were completed on time, to budget and to a very high standard of workmanship. The finished works were accepted by all concerned parties. Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=123 http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=122 The Crinan canal is a canal in the west of Scotland. It takes its name from the village of Crinan which is located at its westerly end. Nine miles long, it connects the village of Ardrishaig on Loch Gilp with the Sound of Jura, providing a navigable route between the Clyde and the Inner Hebrides, without the need for a long diversion around the Kintyre peninsula, and in particular the exposed Mull of Kintyre. The canal is a deep navigation up to 3m in depth built for yachts and larger ships. Near the village of Bellanoch the canal was constructed into the rock cliffs adjacent to the estuary. The canal was constructed via a cut and fill exercise with the embankment between the canal and the estuary being largely constructed of site won large stone overlaid with puddle clay. Due to the nature of the embankment make up there has been a history of breaches occuring along this stretch of navigation. Several prior attempts to prevent leakage have been conducted to date including extensive stone pitching work and relining. A significant leak was evident at this location and it was worsening by the day. As a safeguard prior to the planned major works solution in the new year an emergency plan was put in place which involved the construction of two stone dams lined with a layer of bentonite sheeting. The works needed to be complete before the Christmas shutdown to safe guard against a major breach during the holiday period. The canal at the point of the proposed works is sandwiched between the public highway the B8025 and the estuary. Access was therefore difficult but was achieved by land via implementing temporary lane closures on the B8025. The works were a success, completed on time and to budget. A breach did not occur and the major works were completed as planned in the early part of 2010. Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=122 http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=121 The existing Culvert 21 which passes beneath the Worcester and Birmingham canal near Droitwich in Worcesterhsire was in a poor structural condition and in urgent need of repair. Both the upstream and downstream brickwork headwalls were displaying evidence of failure in terms of cracking and significant lateral movement. The upstream headwall had moved significantly and as a result the culvert itself was beginning to fail via missing / loose brickwork / mortar and some deformation. The works were undertaken whilst maintaining the navigation open. Due to the location of the culvert, in agricultural land and relatively inaccessible to land vehicles the bulk of the necessary resources were to be delivered to site via the waterway. The upstream headwall was designed such that a new headwall was constructed in a new position further away from the navigation thus reducing the angle of the retained material behind it and thus reducing the lateral force upon the wall. In addition the culvert was to be extended to this new position via the insertion of a weholite pipe which extends into the existing culvert by 2m to prevent any further deformation of the existing brick culvert. The annulus between the culvert and new pipe was pressure grouted. The downstream headwall was to be repaired in its current position relying on the existing structure and soil anchoring to retain the embankment. Platipus anchors were driven through the wall and anchored into the existing embankment some 6m in length. The existing wall was crack stitched and repointed as required. On both sides of the navigation the headwalls were furnished with scour portection measures incorporating gabion baskets, gabion mattresses, concrete aprons, rip rap and coir roll and matting. On the upstream side this required quite extensive work as the existing contributory branch stream had to be realigned to accommodate the new headwall in its new position. The works were delivered on time, to budget and to the required level of workmanship. Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:23:44 -0400 Latest Projects http://www.hillscontractors.co.uk/web/viewlisting.php?id=121