At 600 acres, Central Park, Avonmouth, Bristol is a warehouse and distribution development, strategically located between the M49 motorway on its Eastern boundary and the A403 to the West. These roads connect to the M4(J22) to the North and the M5(J18) to the South. In addition to the excellent road network the development is located near a rail terminal and container port. When fully developed, Central Park is destined to be the South West’s largest distribution hub. With the completion of the Phase 1 it already provides distribution warehousing for companies such as Royal Mail, Lidil, Tesco, Next, Warburtons, GKN, The Range, DHL, Amazon, Farmfoods, Davies Turner and CHEP.
The shear size of the Central Park development has meant that various companies have invested the Park’s facilities. A 40 acre site has been built by Berberry, a privately owned property development and investment company based in the West Midlands. They demanded the contractors achieve the highest environmental standards for the surface water drainage systems installed.
With areas designated for HGV access and hard standing, car parks and areas accessed by smaller commercial vehicles, the road and yard surfaces employed included concrete, asphalt and block paving. This meant various types of surface channelling were required by the contractor, Churngold Construction, to ensure the drainage needs of the site as a whole. Hauraton systems; RECYFIX® HICAP®, FASERFIX® SUPER, RECYFIX® MONOTEC and ENVIROKERB were chosen to meet the drainage requirements. FASERFIX® SERVICE channel was also specified to house cables and coolant pipe-work.
Three sizes of RECYFIX® HICAP® F–1000, 2000 and 3000, were selected, all with a loading category of Class F900 (900kN). This system was used to drain the HGV access and hard standing concreted areas. All the channels supplied are made of RECYCLED polypropylene (PP) with fixed ductile iron, 14mm open slot inlets finished with KTL, a rust resistant coating. The HICAP system has proved in similar applications to resist the weight (up to 44 tonnes) and twisting forces of HGV wheels. By affording a superior overall hydraulic performance, the 302 metre channel runs provide a water storage volume totalling 10,051 litres.
The asphalted areas accessed by HGVs and smaller commercial vehicles were drained by 22 metres of FASERFIX® SUPER 100 Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC) channels fitted with Class F900 ductile iron gratings. These channels feature metal protection along their top edges, not only does this detail provide exceptional wear resistance and increased load bearing capability, the components are so strong, even prior to installation they are able to endure the rigours of building sites.
In total 82 metres of RECYFIX® MONOTEC 100x230mm (Loading category Class D400) were used to drain the car park block/asphalt surfaces. The MONOTEC one metre long channel component is of a sturdy monolithic design where the HEELSAFE grating and the tongue and groove linking system are integral to the channel moulding. The whole unit is made of tough, virtually unbreakable RECYCLED polypropylene (PP) formulated to be very resistant to daily temperature fluctuations from frost conditions to strong sunlight, including the Ultra Violet (UV) spectrum. PP is naturally resistant to de-icing salt. Complying with the requirements of EN 1433, the PP is given its UV resistance by adding just sufficient stabiliser so that the structural strength of the material is unaffected and a consistent appearance is maintained.
Landscaped roads into the Park incorporated over 492m – ENVIROKERB 305/385mm kerb drainage which complemented the other surface water channel systems installed.
Tim Connolly Managing Director at Hauraton was pleased that drainage contractor, Churngold Construction, found the ENVIROKERB drainage components easy to install. “Having the appearance of standard concrete kerb, the ENVIROKERB components are in fact made from 100% RECLAIMED polyethylene PET, HDPE and LDPE plastic bottles and packaging materials.
Each half metre component weighs far less than concrete, allowing units to comply with the maximum 25kg “one-man-lift” legislation. In addition, the recycled material is impact resistant making the components almost unbreakable and much less vulnerable to the usual on-site damage prior to pavement and roadway completion”.
As well as the surface drainage products supplied, 13 metres of FASERFIX® SERVICE 300 channels with Class E600 ductile iron covers were installed providing protection for cables and coolant pipe-work to two condenser units. The 300mm channel incorporates a perforated steel galvanised cable tray that is suspended within the run keeping the cables and pipe-work clear of any water that may access the channel. The water is then safely drained away.
Cat Jones, the Hauraton Project Manager for this job, commented; “Although the original Hauraton channel selection was agreed, specification changes during construction meant the channels needed to be changed at short notice. Working closely alongside the contractor ensured that when changes were required we quickly provided a solution that ensured site-work could continue without delay. Detailed project management is essential when dealing with large sites”.
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