Project: Gabion Basket & Sheet Piling Retaining Wall

Industrial Contracting Services Ltd were awarded the contract in 2020 to undertake flood defence works at one of the worlds leading steel blade manufacturers following storm damage from the previous year.

This challenging and interesting project consisted of the removal of a an older, collapsed Gabion basket wall forming a river bank and replacement with a new designed retaining wall formed from Gabion Baskets sat on wider Gabion Basket base mats as well as driven sheet piles with a cast in situ concrete cap and hidden behind a new brick wall. In addition to this work the client required a new area of concrete path way and yard to be installed as well as an extension the car park but this work could only be done once the retaining wall was constructed.  

The gabion basket retaining wall would be installed at a section of the river bank where access was limited between the clients building and the river. The new sheet piling, cast in situ concrete cap  and a covering face wall was installed where the clients car park abutted the river.

Before 1

Before 2

During 1

Industrial Contracting Services Ltd installed a temporary dam with pumping facilities to de water the work area. Comprehensive Method Statements, Risk Assessments and Rescue Plans were put in place to ensure a safe working zone was created along the work area.

We liaised closely with the Environment Agency at the preconstruction planning phase to help minimise environmental impact. They carried out several site visits to inspect works during the Construction phase.

During 2 

All plant and equipment was removed from the work area at the end of every day.

It was also critical to the client that they were able to continue production at their facility while the project works were ongoing.

The project was challenging as the work was executed through the winter months and the period of very heavy rain over winter did cause the temporary dam to be flooded to an extent that the decision was taken to remove the pumps temporarily but the water level of the river quickly subsided and we were able to reinstate the sections of the temporary dam, pump out the work area and finish the last 3m of the gabion basket retaining wall.

The project was successfully completed in Spring 2021 to the clients and their design teams satisfaction.

The client commented on how happy they were with the finished project and thanked all involved, commending Industrial Contracting Services Ltd for the professionalism, initiative and flexibility that the management and team of operatives had demonstrated throughout the project.

Finish 1 

Finish 2