Firm Footing for Retail Park Extension

- Structural Consultancy Services

The provision of adequate foundations on a brownfield site has been a key feature of the structural engineering solutions implemented in the development of a 40,000 square foot extension to Newbury Retail Park. The design-and-build scheme is being undertaken on behalf of F&C Property Asset Management, by contractors Blenheim House Construction, with the help of Engineering Consultant Bettridge Turner and Partners.

Located on the southern fringe of Newbury, Berkshire, part of the site was previously used for gravel extraction and subsequent landfill. The building incorporates a ground bearing slab, which provides a flat floor level slightly above the car park of the existing retail development. The slab is supported on soil which has been improved by a combination of the installation of vibrated stone columns at close spacing plus a proprietary in-situ soil treatment system using lime stabilization and dynamic compaction.

Richard Taylor, Construction Manager, Blenheim House Construction commented, “BT&P were appointed for Newbury Retail Park project because of their extensive knowledge of the local ground conditions, and we’ve been very impressed with the way they dealt with the key issues. Essentially, we all sat down together and worked out the most economical and practical solutions to the problems inherent in this particular site”.

The building has a steel portal frame superstructure, supported on concrete piles, pile caps and ground beams. The piling technique employed continuous helical displacement (CHD) to minimise the resultant arisings. Gas protection measures, co-ordinated with Card Geotechnics, include a proprietary membrane beneath the entire floor area of the building combined with a passive venting system.

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