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Latest Success Stories

Gun Wharf Quays – Ground Investigation

Lankelma’s onland division has recently completed a medium sized ground investigation for Rock and Alluvium at East Side Plaza, Gun Wharf Quays, Portsmouth. The ultimate Client for the works was Berkeley Homes (Southern) Limited.

In total, approximately 800 piles were to be installed at the site. Existing design was based upon a limited number of exploratory boreholes.

The ground conditions consisted clays, silts and sands of variable strengths and densities. Of particular interest was a dense to very dense SAND unit at approximately 22m depth encountered by the previous ground investigation.

The test results would provide an improved ground model and understanding of underlying ground conditions, which in turn would reduce pile installation risks and optimising the pile design.

Mobilisation from order to site was performed within 2 working days.

The investigation consisted of 76 Cone Penetration Tests (CPTs) from ground level to depths up to 30m below ground level.

The tests were performed using a 22 tonne (20 tonne capacity) 6x6 wheel mounted CPT truck. A series of 15cm2 (15 tonne capacity) electric cone penetrometers were used to complete the tests due to the very dense granular soil units encountered. The fieldworks were completed within 13 working days, within the agreed budget and programme.

The final pile design was performed as the investigation progressed. During the fieldworks, the groundworker was also performing soil mixing, preparing the piling mat and the client was also undertaking piling operations simultaneously with the CPTs. Therefore, rapid turnaround of interpreted results was required.

To aid the design process, derive parameters undrained shear strength (Su) and equivalent Standard Penetration Test N60 values were plotted against depth for each CPT.

The raw test data was emailed from site at the close of each working day, with processing, interpretation and parameters be provided to the Client within 18-24 hours of test completion.

The final report included a 3 dimensional ground model showing depth to the dense SAND unit across the site, together with a contour plot detailing the thickness of the same unit across the site. To further aid interpretation and comparison of tests, sections through the exploratory CPTs across the site were also reported.

The report was issued within 5 working days.

Solution Features in Chalk

Lankelma’s onland division has recently completed a medium sized ground investigation for identification of solution or dissolution features within chalk. The tests were performed for one of the Uk’s leading PFI Contractors at a site in Hertfordshire.

The investigation consisted of Cone Penetration testing using our newly updated and modular Natural GammaCone system. The system accurately defines the depth and sequence of sediments in a solution feature, typically showing a relatively high gamma response within superficial soils and a very low response in chalk. The system is modular, with the gamma element being mounted behind a conventional 15cm2 friction or piezocone. Therefore, geotechnical data (cone end resistance, sleeve friction and porewater pressure) is obtained simultaneously with a constant measure of natural gamma data in the same test. The speed, volume and quality of information is unrivalled in the site investigation industry compared to conventional drilling methods.

The test results can be used pre-piling operations, as an improved ground model and understanding of underlying ground conditions can be achieved. This reduces pile installation risks and optimises the pile design.

Twenty-nine tests were performed to depths up to 21.54m below ground level. Tests were performed through very stiff and up to very dense superficial deposits and into the underlying upper chalk up slightly/unweathered (Munford Grade 2). The gamma profiles were used to assist in the estimation of Chalk Grade Classification, defined by Wakeling et. Al. (1968) and Wakeling (1969) and a modified correlation originally derived by Power (1982).

We are currently working on the development of a grading system relative to the CIRIA C547 (2002) using the CPT and GammaCone data.

Bog Skipper Saves the Day

A tricky site near the M54 motorway required the use of Lankelma’s specialised ‘Bog-skipper’. This lightweight low ground pressure vehicle is compact, robust and ideal for use on soils with marginal stability and bearing capability.

The site, situated close to the M54 motorway, is an area of wet boggy ground that has a metre thick crust covering it. This allows vehicular access but once the crust has been removed it cannot support heavy machinery. Across this site were also wide drainage ditches that were easily crossed by the 7 Tonne ‘Bog-skipper’.

The ‘Bog-skipper’ was suited to this project as it has a ground bearing pressure of approximately 15kPa similar to what an average person exerts on the ground.

Ground Improvement

The degree of site investigation often does not reflect the size of the ground improvement being carried out. The accurate determination of the stratification and its geotechnical properties help to refine the design of the ground improvement scheme - as well as the cost! The nature of many sites for ground improvement is such that it lends itself ideally to the use of Cone Penetration Testing.

Lankelma is currently working on a large project involving over 600 CPT’s. The investigation is for a new waste disposal site in Berkshire. The area has had sand from the Reading and Woolwich Beds removed for building purposes and exposed the Upper Chalk.

Once these overlying sands have been removed, they expose a number of large solution features in the chalk. These features can measure over 80m in length, 30m in width and 10m in depth.

The waste pit has to be lined with membranes to exclude contamination entering the aquifer. The problem lies in the loose material that has in-filled the solution features. This material, due to its formation, is not consolidated and prone to subsidence. This subsidence, if it occurs, could cause damage and a possible rupture of the membrane.

These solution features need a degree of ground improvement to prevent subsidence once the landfill is filled. Firstly, the ground is scraped clear to reveal the size and number of solution features in the proposed landfill. Secondly, CPT’s are used to profile the feature. From these initial results, a 3-dimensional model of each of the solution features is built up.

The models give the exact size of these features, which helps to define the type and amount of ground improvement needed for each feature. A mixture of grouting and dynamic compaction is normally used for each feature depending on its size. Again, the use of CPT’s to profile the feature helps to cut the costs of over grouting features.

After the ground improvement has been carried out, CPT’s are used again for verification. CPT’s are used to check the ground improvement has been successful and to highlight areas that may need further work. This provides both the client and contractor information on how well the ground improvement has worked, which again can save money due to eradicating any possible failures once the landfill is full.

Lankelma Expands On Land Fleet

Lankelma expanded its fleet by buying another 6x6 truck in December 2004. This truck was originally developed to push heat exchangers in the ground. The truck therefore has rams in place that can push up to 25 tonnes.

The rams in this truck are of the COSON system, which is a continuous sytem in either 'push' or 'pull' mode.

This system enables us not only to perform cpt's but also to push for example dewatering wells, vertical land drains for induced consolidation settlement, landfill gas and leachate recirculation/extraction and decontamination, instrumentation and ground source heat pumps/exchangers. 

The unit also incorporates a caroselle, which combined with the COSON system enables performance rates of some 300-400m per day for installations.  

The truck is fitted with waterballast tanks to be able to vary the total weight of the truck depending on groundconditions.

This again enables large diameter instrumentation and wells to be installed below previously impossible depths. Lankelma's on land  fleet in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland now consists of::

3 x 6x6 truck
1x track truck
2 20 tonne crawlers
1 minicrawler
1 bogskipper
1 set of tunnel equipment
1 set of basement rams
 
Lankelma can perform CPT's in areas as diverse as 2 metre headroom to 2000 metres of water and also at any angle.

Lankelma Visit City of Culture

Lankelma’s combination track truck thrust machine recently visited Liverpool, City of Culture, to undertake a ground investigation for the proposed Kings Dock Waterfront Development.

Unlike the adjacent, and famous Albert Dock development, Kings Dock has been infilled with sand and silty sand, and is now programmed for both residential and leisure development.

Cone Penetration Testing was selected as part of an integrated Ground Investigation package to rapidly assess the thickness and quality of the sand infill deposits. Due to the presence of granular Made Ground deposits that extended to a depth of 1.5 metres, each CPT test location was broken out using hydraulic hand tools prior to penetration testing.

In all, 55 piezocone penetration probes, together with dissipation testing, were performed to penetration depths of 15 metres. The CPTU investigation was supplemented with four percussive cable tool boring rigs and two rotary drilling rigs. The CPT works were completed in six days.

Sea Bed Offshore CPT Technologies At Birkenhead

Lankelma Ltd has successfully deployed it’s new 10 Tonne ROSON sea bed penetrometer to determine the depth to the concrete base of the Wallasey Dock Channel, at Tower Road, Birkenhead.

The sea bed penetrometer was lowered to the sea bed using an 80 Tonne crane and was operated remotely from the quayside. An umbilical cable carried the electrical signals to operate the penetrometer motor which in turn operated the pair of friction wheels that advanced the CPT push rods and electric cone into the dock sediments at the specified penetration rate of 2cm per second.

The investigation comprised 13 CPT’s to a maximum depth of 9.0 metres to provide a geotechnical charaterisation of the dock sediments together with 4 gravity core samples to provide material for a laboratory contamination assessment of the sediments.

The works were successfully completed over a single shift, and provided the Client with significant cost and time advantages over a conventional pontoon and top push CPT alternative.

Blackpool Site Investigation

During July 2004 Lankelma Ltd performed a large part of the site investigation for a proposed redesign of Blackpool’s sea wall. During bad weather the dated, existing sea wall is often breached causing severe flooding. Not only is the repair and clean up costly but also the booming tourist trade is affected. Blackpool County Council have taken on the job of redesigning the present sea wall.
Lankelma spent 3 weeks undertaking cone penetration tests along the sands of the Golden Mile. The project became more complicated and fraught with problems than one would first imagine, spending 3 weeks during the summer working on one of Britain’s busiest beaches!

Watch The Tide!

Due to the majority of Blackpool beach becoming submerged at high tide, testing could only be undertaken between periods of maximum tide. In order to gain maximum working time the operators worked long and unsociable hours, one week beginning testing at 4am just as the tide receded!

As Lankelma’s 15 Tonne crawler unit was used to perform the tests, there was no real fear of getting stuck if the tide came in quicker than estimated, however at one point the ability to track through deep water was tested!

Mind That Child (and ice-cream van)!

The biggest difficulty that confronted the operators was moving from location to location avoiding the tourists. At low tide there was lots of space and tracking between tests with banks men ahead and behind warning the general public, was relatively easy. During testing the rig was cordoned off with hazard warning bunting in order to prevent access to the working area by the public.

Cable Route Survey Phase 1, Mediterranean Sea

During the last week of June, Lankelma Marine SI mobilized a sea-floor resistivity, CPT and launch system on board a cable-laying vessel in Denmark.

The vessel set sail for the south of France where it was joined by Lankelma’s offshore survey team for commencement of operations.

Throughout July and August, a Burial Assessment Survey was conducted using data collected from the offshore operations. These data included continuous resistivity traverses between the 10m and 1000m contours off the coast of North Africa and Southern Italy and CPT data from strategic points along the survey route.

Resistivity data were collected using Lankelma’s DSR 3000 bottom towed sledge with a 7-channel streamer configured in an Inverse Schlumberger array. Penetration depths were estimated to be in the order of ª3m with a current of up to 25 amps at 48.5 volts.

CPT data were collected using the Neptune 3000 miniature seabed frame, pushing 2cm2 piezo-cones to a depth of 3m with maximum tip loads of up to 25 MPa.

All equipment was deployed using Lankelma’s own Launch and Recovery System (LARS), which is fully containerized for ease of transport globally.

The LARS comprises a 7m A-frame with launch deck powered from a 7 tonne load sensing umbilical winch with automatic render function. The winch has its own temperature controlled Hydraulic Power Unit that coped well with the almost constant 30-40∞C temperatures on deck.

Substrates varied across the route from very soft sensitive fine grained (foraminiferal oozes) in the deeper water areas to occasionally dense silty sands with some clay overlaying fossil reef material and cemented layers in some shallower areas.

Meriden Park Lake

In June Lankelma undertook a project along a river embankment in Chelmsey Wood.

The Client required Cone Penetration Testing (CPT), MOSTAP sampling and trial pits to determine the ground conditions of a river embankment.

Lankelma’s 16 Tonne crawler was used to carry out the testing as it has the ability to test on inclined surfaces due to being fitted with extra long jacks.

The Cone Penetration Tests (CPT’s) were undertaken first with the on-board real time CPT display providing the Client with immediate data, which was then used to determine the schedule of MOSTAP sampling.

As the Client required future monitoring of the water table, Lankelma were instructed to install a piezometer standpipe.

MOSTAP sampling provided the Client with a series of near undisturbed samples between depths of 1.00m and 5.60m. The MOSTAP sampling system produces a sample enclosed in a cotton ‘stocking’ within an airtight plastic pipe. This provides a realistic sample of undisturbed sub-soil for accurate laboratory tests to be undertaken.

By using CPT’s and MOSTAP the Client was provided with detailed data of the sub-soil, which included thin sandy layers within the stiff to hard clays which would perhaps be less well defined with other methods of site investigation.

Lankelma Helps Reduce Yorkshire Flood Risk

Lankelma has been appointed to undertake piezocone penetration testing together with dissipation testing, to assess the mechanical integrity of 23 flood embankment sites along the Rivers Aire and Don in Yorkshire.

The embankments are typically 5 to 6 metres in height, 2.0 metre wide at the crest and with difficult and steep access on to the embankmanks.

Due to the general unstable nature of many of the embankments, the Contract specified a lightweight penetrometer to execute the works.

After consideration of all of the site constraints, Lankelma deployed it’s ‘Bog Skipper’ penetrometer, which at some 7.5 Tonnes gross vehicle weight and a ground bearing pressure of 10 kPa has proven such an ideal match to the difficult terrain that additional sites for investigation have been awarded.

Lankelma’s latest truck carries out first job on Jersey(Channel Islands)

Lankelma’s latest truck is a 17 tonne GINAF 6x6 truck with excellent off road capability. This truck will be permanently based in Scotland (Glasgow). Lankelma acquired this truck in March 2004 bringing its fleet to

For its first job however it went out to Jersey. Darren Ward, geotechnical engineer, travelled out to Jersey to give one of our lunch talks on CPT. The local geotechnical fraternity gathered in the Arts Center in St Helier. The Public Services Department (PSD) found us a job just over the road. This enabled people to see the CPT in practice as well. They agreed that CPT is a very useful tool on Jersy as well enabling rapid site investigations and reporting.

For a new services tunnel we carried out two CPT’s down to bedrock at 10 metres. We also placed a piezometer at 9 metres and took two MOSTAP samples rorm 2-3 metres and from 4,5-5,5 metres

Southampton University

Lankelma has recently teamed up with Southampton University to help with an ongoing research project. The project was to investigate old pylon foundations. The research is partly founded by the National Grid and its maintenance contractors.

The purpose of the investigation was to delineate the shape of the foundations and secondly to gain geotechnical properties of the back fill material. After discussions with Southampton university’s geotechnical research department and an initial trial, we came up with a system which best suited this particular job.

Lankelma used its versatile CPT frame, which has been used for a variety of job types in the past. The frame was used so as to be able to get as close to the foundation as possible. The rams on the frame can be mounted either over the end of the frame or in centre.
The reaction force was provided by concrete blocks mounted on either end of the frame. The frame and the box were moved around the site using a Hiab truck. One big advantage of the frame in this situation was that the rams could be moved laterally to a different position without moving the frame itself.

CPT’s were carried out on the foundations of two pylons. The tests were spaced out with a distance of as little as 20cm between them so as to accurately gain a profile of the foundation. The CPT was pushed into the ground until it hit the foundation and refused. We also took some MOSTAP samples at the site for laboratory testing.

The testing proved to be successful with good results being obtained. This work has proved that CPT’s are an innovative method of ground investigation with applications in many different environments. This is also another example of Lankelma’s commitment to research and advance in the use of CPT’s.

Deep Deep Down

Recently, Lankelma Ltd has again demonstrated its ingenuity and versatility of the CPT by carrying out a very ambitious development program. The work was carried out 154 steps down (about 30m with no lift!) beneath London, in an underground tunnel.

The work was carried out in partnership with one of the Underground operators as part of their tunnel assessment program. Although carrying out CPT’s in basements of buildings beneath road level is something that Lankelma is very experienced in, this particular job had a small twist!

That twist was that the CPT’s were not required to be taken vertically down as usual but at a nearly horizontal incline through the sidewall of an underground tunnel. This was an interesting challenge; but nevertheless one that Lankelma raised to- drawing up many different novel and exciting ideas.

The chosen solution was the most simple which involved attaching Lankelma’s special ‘Basement’ set of CPT rams to the tunnel wall lining. Simple. But not easy. Many different constraints were put on the testing due to the special environment that it was working in.

Firstly, a core in the tunnel wall needed to be drilled to allow for the cone to penetrate. Once it was drilled, the rams were attached to the tunnel wall in line with the hole.

As part of the development program, different types of testing and sampling were carried to in order to assess how they behave in such an environment so as to work out the best-suited techniques.

Firstly, two different sampling techniques were carried out, the first being MOSTAP soil sampling. This is the standard system used on land with ‘normal’ CPT rigs. It gives you 65mm diameter by 1m long samples. Two meters were taken with this system.

Secondly, a thin wall Shelby sampler was pushed in. This technique is commonly used on offshore CPT systems. Again, two samples were taken at the same location giving sample of 65 mm and 1m in length.

After a successful 100% recovery from all four of the samples, the rig was moved to a new position to carry out the testing. Again two different methods were used, the first being the seismic piezocone. This was set up with two seismic modules each with three geophones inside; two to measure ‘S’ waves and one to measure ‘P’ waves. In front of these modules was a piezocone measuring the excess porewater pressure in the shoulder (U2) position.

This was pushed into a depth of 5m taking seismic measurements every half a meter. The seismic results were not so good, but this was expected due to the nature the of the source. The PCPT results were very good, showing the expected results.

The second type of testing that was carried out was a push-in Pressuremeter. This was again pushed in using the CPT rams, which had been moved to a new position. Three tests were carried out down the same hole. This gave excellent results allowing us to gain small strain stiffness and many other parameters.

This example shows how versatile CPT’s are, how they can be adapted to any location and any situation. It also shows that by working together with the client at an early stage, cost effective solutions can be arrived at whilst at the same time pushing back the boundaries of innovation

Dr. Wouter Broere has written a dissertation on horizontal cpt. Click here to read his article.

North Sea Report

On the 5th May 2004, Lankelma Seacore Offshore mobilised their WISON APB downhole CPT system on board M.V. Kingfisher at Falmouth docks, in order to undertake a site investigation for Seacore at aproposed Jack-up and storage facility in Dutch sector P10/P11 of the North Sea.

The mobilisation of the WISON APB system with heave-compensated drill spread was completed in 4 days and following dynamic positioning tests, M.V. Kingfisher embarked for Rotterdam.

The site investigation started on 10th May with a scope of works comprising 18 boreholes to a maximum depth of 65m below sea-bed level (~95m below LAT).

Mud-line CPT’s were used to prove echo sounder readings and the first four continuous PCPT tests were performed to 35m over a 48 hour period in calm weather conditions. Typically, tip loads of 30-40 Mpa were encountered in the shallow holes with loads in excess of 65 Mpa below 40m depth.

Composite sampling/CPT boreholes were completed using the WISON APB’s downhole 1m push sampler giving excellent recovery in all substrates (Holocene sands and Pleistocene alluvial sequences) up to a maximum push of 3 tonnes (the limit of the thin walled sample tubes). This high load is possible due to the use of a sample tube protection system used on the WISON APB. Samples were processed using the on-board laboratory under the ever-wacthfull eye of NGI’s Tom Lunne.

The works were completed without incident on 22nd May and the ship sailed to Bømlo in Norway to De-mob.

The Complete Railway Site Investigation

Rail embankments are a common place to find problems with earth movement on the Rail Network. The investigation of these embankments to establish the problem can be as problematic as actually working out a solution.

Lankelma recently carried out an investigation to such a problematic site. The embankment was situated in Norfolk near to Diss. The embankment was roughly 6m high and constructed on a Peat Bog. It was these underlying soil conditions that were causing subsidence in the embankment.

The aim of the investigation was to find the properties of the material below the embankment, and to provide a profile through the embankment.

The investigation was carried out in two different stages. The first stage was to investigate the soil properties of the material below the embankment. This was done either side of the embankment at its toe. 11 PCPT’s were carried out on the east side and 9 PCPT’s were carried out on the west side.

Lankelma’s 15 tonne crawler unit was used for the entirety of the works. On this first stage of the works the crawler was best suited to the ground conditions. As it was a boggy site a wheeled vehicle could not be used. The crawler, with its low ground bearing pressure was able to reach all parts of the site.

The depth of the PCPT’s were 20m, with some going down to 30m depending on the client’s instructions. At four locations MOSTAP soil sampling was carried out. This system was advantageous for two main reasons. The first being that there was no need to mobilise another piece of equipment as the CPT Rig was already on site, saving money. The second was because of the high quality samples that you can get from this type of push sampling.

The sampling went down to maximum depth of 20m, into the competent Chalk. The samples were 65mm diameter and 1m long. All samples were taken from the site to a local laboratory.

Due to the nature of the job being on an embankment, monitoring was required to assess what was happing to the water regime over a period of time and during remediation works. The PCPT results were assessed the following day from when the test was carried out to decide where to place the piezometers.

Eight vibrating wire piezometers where installed along the toe of the embankment at varying depths. They were installed by pushing them to the required depth and then were left in the ground. Bentonite was placed in the hole to prevent creating an artificial pathway. These are being monitored every two weeks.The second stage of the investigation was to carry out CPT’s at the top of the embankment on the track. This was carried out with the same CPT rig that is especially designed to work on the rail network. This stage of works was carried out during Saturday night possessions.

Over a three-weekend period, 10 CPT’s were carried out to a depth of around 15m.

This case study shows how best suited CPT’s are to the rail industry. Due to their high quality, speed and quick turn around with results, CPT’s can be adapted to the constraints of short possession times and restricted access issues.

New pressure meter at Lankelma

Lankelma CPT Limited has recently completed two projects successfully using a new driven pressuremeter (DPM) developed by its sister Company Setech, who are based in Newcastle.
This new instrument has undergone extensive, and successful, trials at the BRE Cowden Test bed site on the East Yorkshire coast.

The new (DPM) has a membrane length to diameter ratio of 8 and which ensures that the instrument has a predominantly radial expansion of the pressuremeter membrane during inflation.

The (DPM) is attached to the CPT push rods and the instrument is advanced into the ground using the CPT hydraulic rams. At the desired test depth the penetration is paused and the expandable membrane is inflated using compressed gas. The tests are performed in a stress and strain controlled manner using a strain control unit (SCU). The SCU controls the pressure rate during the initial part of the test such that an adequate number of data points can be collected to adequately define the initial loading curve from the initial part of the test. Once plastic yield of the soil around the DPM occurs, the SCU limits the expansion rate to a predetermined value.

Once the membrane has lifted off the instrument body and membrane expansion commences, unload - re-load loops are typically performed. The magnitude of these loops are controlled to prevent failure around the cavity and to enable the determination of the soil elastic properties.

In addition, the (DPM) membrane can be inflated to a large radial strain of approximately 50 per cent, to ensure that the pressuremeter Limit Pressure is approached at full inflation.

The new (DPM) has proven to be successful both on land and off-shore, and when used in conjunction with CPT technologies provides an economical and technical alternative to the Self boring pressuremeter as well as the pre-drilled Menard pressuremeter.

Versatile CPT

Lankelma is showing how versatile you can be with a set of cpt rams. The rams on the cantilever frame can make vertical cpt's as well as cpt's in an angle. Cpt's were made along he bottom of the embankment.

Proposed Extension to Port of Colombo South Harbour (Sri Lanka)

On the 5th of March 2004, LSO mobilised a CPT crew to Sri Lanka in order to conduct a programme of nearshore testing for Seacore. The proposed project involves a substantial extension to the existing container port at Colombo, the island’s capital.

14 tests to a maximum depth of 11.5m (bedrock) were completed over a period of 8 days from a jack-up platform operated by Seacore. All CPT’s were top-pushed using supportive casing down to mud level. The data returned indicated a sequence of generally soft silty sands and clays overlying a gravely sand (probably weathered Gneiss) overlying very hard or dense material (probably the local bedrock Gneiss). Dissipation testing was performed at discreet levels at numerous locations.

All equipment performed well in temperatures of 40∞C and humidity levels approaching 65%. Testing took place over a 24 hour shift pattern with most production possible during the early hours of the morning to early afternoon.

On-shore winds in the afternoon and evening caused an increase in the sea state preventing movement of the platform between holes.

Basement Work

Lankelma CPT has recently had to carry out several basement ground investigations within the London area. With our specialised basement equipment we are able to work in headroom as low as 1.80 metres (6 foot).

The basement rig can get its reaction from concrete floors, walls or ceilings. On a job in January 2004 depths of up to 20 metres were reached through London gravels down into London clay. Our electrical rig keeps the sound down to a minimum and the basement tidy.

Airport Site Investigation

Over a possession of three night shifts, Lankelma Ltd completed a site investigation for the construction of a new taxiway at an airport for Ritchies. Difficulties encountered included the location of some very important buried services and the time constraints placed on all workers because of security clearance and flight operations.

Thirty three tests to an average depth of ≈5.0m were completed on an area of soft grass adjacent to the aircraft dispersal and main runway that required minimum disturbance of the ground surface to control the dangers of FOD damage to air-side traffic. The all-wheel drive ‘Track-Truck’ performed impressively in the very wet conditions leaving behind only flattened grass.  

Harbour investigation

Lankelma has recently completed Cone Penetration Testing, Project Management and professional support to Main Contractor Seacore Limited and subcontractor Lankelma Seacore Offshore for a large ground investigation programme at a major port in South East England.

The Scope of works consisted of 51 top-push onshore and marine PiezoCone Penetration Tests through Hydraulic Fill, Made Ground, Alluvium, the Lambeth Group, Thanet Sands and Upper Chalk to depths of up to 26m.

The marine PCPTs were performed using one of Lankelma’s 20 tonne capacity mobile hydraulic rams mounted within the drilling derrick onboard the Client’s jack-up platform. The system employed a custom made HWY sized riser system between mud and deck levels to enable a significant increase in safe thrust applied to the cone during each test. The increase the potential penetration depths achieved. The onshore PCPTs were performed using Lanklelma’s 23 tonne Track-Truck.

In utilising the advantages of minimal break-out and reinstatement requirements, rapid performance, no-soil arisings, mobile, self contained plant and equipment and high quality data produced, CPTs were ideally suited to the highly active and changing conditions of the Port operations. Similarly, the effects of potential contamination was reduced and the costs associated with Port’s high specification reinstatement costs were significantly lower than conventional investigation techniques.

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