Project Description
New College in Durham is a higher education and adult learning centre in County Durham. The college is currently expanding their sports facilities with a new all-weather 4G pitch. As part of the first stage of the development the existing car park is being relocated to the edge of the site in preparation for the new amenities. The plans make provision for the creation of over 300 replacement parking bays, of which 20 are dedicated to electric vehicle charging.
The Challenge
The new parking area had underlying areas of weak soil with low CBR values measured across the site. After the initial excavation, one area of the car park also had substantially lower CBR values due to a layer of vegetation within the formation causing deflection.
The Solution
ABG’s Gridtex Type 2 was proposed by the contractor for the new parking bays and access lanes and was duly accepted on the basis of cost and speed of installation. Gridtex is a high performance woven geotextile, engineered for reinforcement applications and suitable for strengthening a wide range of ground conditions.
Gridtex is capable of fulfilling many of the functions required of a geogrid, with a high surface friction that reinforces adjacent aggregate materials. On areas of weak CBR, Gridtex acts as a separator and prevents the intrusion of fines.
The ABG Service
ABG’s Design Team offered advice on the stabilisation of the softest ground areas of the car park and Abgrid 30/30 was specified beneath the Gridtex layer for additional protection against deflection.
