U.K. Case Study: Bluewater Retail and Leisure Destination Reinforced Soil Slopes to Form Steep-Sided New Lakes

This chapter describes the Bluewater Development, the largest and most prestigious retail development in Europe. The site is located approximately 30 km east of London. It contains 140,000m(2) of retail space, 13,000 car parking spaces, nearly 12,000m(2) of leisure space and has a million trees and shrubs landscaping the area. The site is located in a former deep chalk quarry. The construction of several lakes was included in the Enabling Works Contract and this involved bulk filling with approximately 3 million m(3) local silty sand. Two of the lakes, Lake 1 and 2 were formed with steep sides in order to maximize their water volume and depth for environmental reasons. Lake sides sloping at 70 degrees to the horizontal and approximately 10 m high were selected. In places these slopes are surcharged by steep highway embankments and landscaping fill. Because of the significant variation of groundwater level, it was decided to line Lake 1 with a geomembrane in order to retain a constant lake water level. There were concerns about the long-term durability of the geomembrane and in particular, its vulnerability to potential damage from burrowing wildlife or boat impact if it were placed on, or close to, the slope surface. It was therefore decided to locate it underneath and up the rear face of the reinforced soil block.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0824742540
• Corporate Authors:

  Marcel Dekker, Incorporated

  270 Madison Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10016
• Authors:
  • Dixon, J H
• Publication Date: 2003

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 137-151
• Monograph Title: Reinforced Soil Engineering. Advances in Research and Practice

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Backfilling; Case studies; Embankments; Fillers (Materials); Fills; Lakes; Landscape design; Leisure time; Quarries; Retail trade; Shopping centers; Shopping facilities
• Uncontrolled Terms: Reinforced soils
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; I40: Soils and Rocks;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01041721
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0824742540
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 30 2007 1:32PM