When developing designs for underpinning and ranked screw piles in canals, we worked with a specialist screw pile design and manufacturer to develop a new approach to engage the concrete washer to minimize the need for construction teams to work under water. The new construction approach allows the contractor to install the screw pile partially, attach new concrete washer headstock and drive the remaining pile length by attaching the driving head directly to the washer. The design allows quicker installation and less H&S risk.

Our work throughout the coastal zone means that we are always looking for alternatives to steel reinforcement. As an alternative we have been trialling the use of polypropylene fibres as a form of non-ferrous reinforcement. Based on our detailed designs and costing, we have found they result is less time on site, they are cheaper than steel and they eliminate the risks associated with oxidization and spalling.