HERTS BYPASS WINS FRIENDS AND SAVES MONEY

The cost saving innovations used to construct the Stanstead Abbotts Village bypass were described in this paper. The route preferred by local residents crossed a marsh flood plain. This had an underlying layer of soggy peat, varying in thickness from 1.5 m to 3.5 m, which was sandwiched between two bands of clay. The moisture content was up to 600%. The first innovation involved squeezing the peat dry so that costly excavation work could be avoided. This was done by installing vertical wick drains through the clay bands and constructing an embankment which was initially surcharged. The extra weight, combined with the newly installed drainage, enabled the water to be squeezed out of the peat so that it consolidated and all main settlement was achieved before construction of the highway began. The base layer of the embankment was reinforced with a single layer of geogrid, netlon tensal SR2. Other innovations were : a) use of glued segmental viaducts; b) a novel way of erecting the viaducts which involved stringing a temporary supporting beam between two piers, supported by temporary steelwork round each pier. (TRRL)

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• Corporate Authors:

  Specialist and Professional Press

  Surrey House, 1 Throwley Way
  Sutton, Surrey SM1 4QQ,   England 
• Authors:
  • Rose, M
• Publication Date: 1987-10-22

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 12-15
• Serial:
  • SURVEYOR
  • Volume: 168
  • Issue Number: 4967
  • Publisher: Hemming Group, Limited
  • ISSN: 0039-6303

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bogs; Bypasses; Clay; Consolidation; Construction management; Costs; Embankments; Geogrids; Geotextiles; Peat; Road construction; Soils; Wick drains
• Uncontrolled Terms: Soil consolidation
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Bog and marsh; Bypass routes
• ITRD Terms: 4348: Bog; 3455: Bridge; 4177: Clay; 5791: Consolidation (soil); 3666: Construction method; 224: Cost; 2937: Drainage; 2801: Embankment; 2755: Highway; 4349: Peat; 3361: Pipe; 8119: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Construction; Finance; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00480334
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 31 1989 12:00AM