Aged Project
In February 2010, Concrete Canvas was used to line a drainage channel which ran adjacent to a newly constructed bypass. Keep reading to find out why and how Concrete Canvas was used for this project. Below are the comparison images of how Concrete Canvas remains intact and secure to provide a complete channel lining solution within the Church Village area.
The installed channel is still in use to this day. Concrete Canvas has kept the channel weed and erosion free, with water constantly flowing. Ensure that your project’s lifespan lasts by checking for the GCCM Specification Standard ASTM D8364.
Concrete Canvas is the original GCCM and the first product to declare conformance to ASTM D8364-Standard Specification for GCCMs. This is the only internationally recognised GCCM specification standard and lists erosion control applications by three classifications, Type I, Type II and Type III. It defines the minimum performance values required for each type based on the use of test methods that are specific to GCCM materials.
ASTM D8364 is an important resource for clients, consultants and contractors wishing to ensure the GCCM used on their project is fit for purpose. CC8™ is a Type II GCCM as defined in ASTM D8364, it is suitable for use on soil subgrades and was chosen for this project to suit the abrasion, wear and loading requirements. CC8™ is also BBA certified with durability in excess of 120 years when used in erosion control applications.
The project
Set in Church Village, South Wales, a major construction project was underway. In the previous year, Costain had been appointed as the main contractor for a £90m Church Village Bypass Scheme. This involved the construction of two bridge roads, four roundabouts, three community footbridges, two cattle grids and one subway, along with the installation of holding ponds and a surface drainage network.
Costain wanted to use environmentally-friendly materials, such as recycled aggregates, to minimise the impact on the local ecology. Following approval from the Environmental Agency, Costain decided to use Concrete Canvas to line the drainage network.
The solution
At Concrete Canvas, we provide a range of Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCMs) for channel lining projects. Depending on the project requirements, we can recommend a type of GCCM to suit the needs of the landscape and location. For this particular project, we suggested our CC8™ GCCM be used as an environmentally conscious solution.
At the site, there was already a drainage channel in place. However, it had become overgrown with vegetation and was no longer suitable for use. Before the installation of CC8™ could begin, the original channel was graded and all vegetation was removed, creating a smooth substrate. With the channel prepared, bulk rolls of CC8™ material were delivered to site and lifted into position using a spreader beam. Using plant equipment made it easier for workers to manoeuvre the bulk rolls, and allowed them to simply pull the material into position.
The installation was carried out in three phases, to create longitudinal layers of the CC8™ material. The first phase involved laying the material along the base of the channel and fixing it into the substrate using ground pegs. The second phase involved laying material on either side of the first length, with 100mm overlaps. These overlaps could then be jointed using screws at 200mm intervals. It was decided that the overlaps would not be fully sealed, allowing natural weep paths to form. The third phase involved creating anchor trenches on each shoulder of the channel for the CC8™ material to be fixed, which were later backfilled following hydration.
The results
A total of 240m² of CC8™ was installed to complete the drainage network as part of the Church Village Bypass Scheme. By using Concrete Canvas, Costain were able to complete the scheme in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner, whilst having a minimal impact on the surrounding environment. After the completion of the project, we received the following feedback from Daniel Powrie, the Project Manager at Costain.
“The Church Village Bypass scheme presented our team with a unique challenge. The location and nature of the works required the sensitive use of appropriate construction materials in order to minimise the impact on the local environment. Concrete Canvas provided a means of rapidly installing a low carbon concrete ditch whilst maintaining the natural aesthetic of the overall scheme.” – Daniel Powrie, Project Manager, Costain Group.
Contact Concrete Canvas for Channel Lining
If you are looking for an environmentally-friendly solution for a channel lining project, get in touch with Concrete Canvas. We can assess your project requirements to match you with the most suitable type of GCCM. We can even guide you through the installation process: simply unroll, secure and add water.
