Ground Engineering
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Newbridge College is a voluntary fee-paying secondary school, catering for boys and girls in Kildare. The school are expanding their facilities as part of a rolling programme and Murphy Ground Engineering (MGE) previously played a part in this expansion, carrying out pilling for a new gymnasium in 2002.
The current works required piling for a new classroom. MGE were brought in as a subcontractor to the main works and provided fifty-two 450mm piles, at a depth of 16 metres.
The technique used was Continuous Flight Augur (CFA) piling. This is the quietest form of piling and is a fast, very economical technique. A cast in-situ process, it is very suited to soft ground where deep casings or the use of drilling support fluids might otherwise be needed. This was the first time Murphy had undertaken CFA piling in Ireland and is a market the group will be looking to deliver more regularly.
Piling took place in the grounds of a busy secondary college, where streams of pupil traffic meant the site had to be kept appropriately secured. All operations and movements on to site had to consider the school timetable, and shift patterns were planned accordingly, to avoid adding pressure to pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Likewise, deliveries were arranged for times when students would be off site or in class.
Although this was the first time Murphy had undertaken CFA piling in Ireland, the group had completed similar works in the UK. As such, experienced UK operatives were able to travel to Newbridge and support the team in Ireland. Being able to draw on the broader Murphy network in this manner was a key strength for the team and demonstrated our ability to deliver CFA piling.
A Soilmec SF50 rig was transported by ferry from our London depot to deliver the works at the site in Newbridge. We designed the works in partnership with Byrne Looby, using 450mm diameter piles. These were considered the optimum diameter for the team’s first CFA job. The piles reached a depth of 16m. Murphy contracted Lloyd Acoustics to dynamically test seven piles and integrity test twenty-six. All piles passed the testing process.
Murphy’s head office is located in Newbridge and this provided the team with ready access to resources such as tools and plants, as well as a network of workers to provide contingency support.
While completing this project, Murphy were able to contribute to the local community by making substantial donations to the local golf club in support of upcoming events.
The Murphy Ground Engineering team delivers a range of piling and geotechnical services including in-house pile design, value engineering and bespoke technical solutions throughout the UK and Ireland. Our direct delivery approach ensures that our clients always receive a reliable and adaptable service for their projects.