Enhancing Safety and Efficiency on the M6 Motorway
250m
1200mmØ Pipe alongside busy active carriageway
65%
fewer deliveries to motorway location, plus 65% smaller storage footprint on hard shoulder
25%
reduced excavation
A major project to upgrade a 10 mile section of the M6 Motorway between Warrington and Wigan to a new Smart Motorway. Main contractor Costain appointed Forkers Ltd as drainage subcontractor to an element of the project where 250m of 1200mmØ pipe was required as part of the surface water drainage strategy.
Challenge
- Safety of construction workers and for the continual high volume of traffic in close proximity to the operation was paramount.
- The significant quantity of large diameter pipe had to be offloaded, stored, and handled within a limited area of former hard shoulder alongside the running carriageway.
- To avoid issues on other elements of the project, keeping to programme was essential.
Solution
Aquaspira’s innovative and environmentally conscious solution included:
Delivered in packs of 4, each pack of 3m length pipes weighed less than 800Kg’s and could be handled by the smallest machines. The compact 2-layer packs also enabled pipes to be contained within a minimal footprint.
The small OD of the pipes would keep excavation and backfill to a minimum, enabling the pipeline to be progressively installed and backfilled quickly and efficiently.
Additional unique features of the pipe, such as the bright red depth-insertion spigots with factory fitted integral seals, added to the simplicity and speed of installation.
Outcome
The implementation of Aquaspira’s eco-friendly drainage solution delivered several key benefits:
The pipes were handled and installed safely, efficiently, and within programme, resulting in a positive impact on the overall project performance indicators.
We had 250m of attenuation to install on an embankment adjacent to the live motorway. The 1200dia pipes were the perfect solution with concrete structures and boundary fence lines in close proximity. The lightweight pipes were a no brainer and made installation far more efficient than using a concrete alternative. Installation guidance from the support team was fantastic, I would definitely use this product on future schemes
Malcolm Kilbride
Contracts Manager | Forkers Ltd
