Keller spent much of 2022 working on a complex slope stabilisation project on the East Coast Mainline in Morpeth, Northumberland.
Trains passing on the East Coast Mainline in Northumberland have been running at a reduced speed due to a deep seated landslide in the embankment which supports the railway.
Working with Story Contracting, Pell Frischmann and Network Rail’s Capital Delivery Eastern team, the critical works to the 130-year-old embankment near Morpeth Station will protect the line for years to come.
The work was carried out in two phases by our Foundations and Geotechnique divisions.
The first phase of the works was the installation of 31no. horizontal drilled drains, installed to a target design length of 50m.
The horizontal drains were installed in two rows with an aim of reducing the pore water pressure within the embankment by to reduce the potential of a slippage over the winter period, whilst the permanent works design (phase 2) was ongoing.
The second phase involved the installation of 207No. 18 to 25m deep 750mm diameter bored piles, reinforced with 25mm thick 610mm diameter CHS tubes to stabilise the embankment.
Over the course of the year-long scheme, the Keller/Story team:
- Imported over 14,000t of recycled engineering fill to prepare haul roads and drilling/piling platforms
- Installed over 1km of inclined drainage to control the water table as part of the phase 1 interim intervention
- Installed 4,650m of re-purposed steel as well as 2,054m³ of concrete as part of the phase 2 permanent works intervention
The steel tube reinforcement for the piles was sourced from disused gas pipeline from a project in Yemen. With no requirement for a steel mill run to be made, this resulted in a significant carbon saving for the project.
Shaun Davison, General Manager Piling and Rail, said: “ This superb project shows how great Keller are working together as a team on difficult projects. It was collaboration at its finest.”
Matt Kendall, Regional Operations Manager for Story, said: “I want to thank Keller for a job well done at Morpeth. Keller really stand out for us as a ‘can do’ contractor, who are able to adapt to varying site conditions and get a job done. The excellent collaboration between our teams is evident in every project that we carry out together and I always feel that we are in safe hands when Keller are on the job with us.
“We look forward to the next one.”