Product category:
Roads, Bridges and Tunnels
News Release from: Foster Yeoman Contracting | Subject: Strategem
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 03 March 2005
Recycled material used to reconstruct
London road
Thin surfacing system using recycled material to reconstruct a busy road in Greater London has resulted in major environmental benefits, including a significant reduction in noise pollution.
The use of a thin surfacing system using recycled material to reconstruct a busy road in Greater London has resulted in major environmental benefits, including a significant reduction in noise pollution Foster Yeoman Contracting (FYC) completed the major reconstruction scheme for the London borough of Merton on the A238 Coombe Lane earlier this year, using a specialist noise and spray reducing system called Strategem, which delivers the greatest reduction in tyre noise generation of the thin Surfacing systems currently available
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 24 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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"Strategem is one of a new breed of thin surfacing materials which offers real benefits to people who live near busy roads by reducing tyre noise generated both inside and more significantly outside the car," said FYC Business Development Manager Nick Humby.
For the residents of Coombe Lane, this is significant, particularly when you consider that over thirty million people in the UK are believed to be exposed to high levels of noise affecting over 12 million households.
The main culprit is road transport which accounts for over 60 per cent of the total noise sourced outside dwellings.
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The Coombe Lane works consisted of the reconstruction of the carriageway between Copse hill and West Barnes lane, approximately 20 minutes outside central London.
As well as providing the high level of skid resistance required on UK roads, Stratagem also provides a durable surface, which is welcomed by local authorities faced with the prospect of having to sustain their road networks from diminishing maintenance budgets.
The project was undertaken under a Framework Agreement, which the borough uses to procure larger projects.
The Framework Agreement is designed to encourage contractors to compete to produce the most advantageous offer for each scheme.
In the case of the Coombe Lane project the key objectives were maximising the content of recycled material and minimising the disruption to residents and highway users, whilst delivering value for money i.e increased sustainability - the current buzzword for those at the cutting edge of providing innovative solutions to maintenance problems.
"With increasing pressure on London boroughs to minimise the impact of our works we are looking for more innovative solutions to maintenance problems, and we recognise the significant benefits that can be gained by involving contractors in design and planning decisions, " said Councillor Linda Kirby, Merton Council's Cabinet Member for Environmental Quality.
"With the restrictions placed on us by chapter 8 we are increasingly looking to close roads and divert traffic away from site allowing the contractor to get on with the job, however if we are going to do that it is essential that works are completed quickly so that residents and highway users can see the benefits.' In this respect, the reconstruction of Coombe Lane ticked all the boxes, reducing lorry movements, energy use, pollution and noise as well as meeting the London Borough of Merton's commitment to recycling.
Pavement design work was undertaken in early 2004, and a number of pavement designs were produced including in-depth in situ recycling, ex-situ cold recycled material and high modulus base.
In the tender documents, which were based on the use of ECC Option B, all the design options were included and contractors were asked to select one of the options and decide the contract duration.
The tenders were evaluated based on how well each offer met Merton's objectives.
According to Nick Humby, significant disruption to traffic was avoided by having a closure on the site.
"It's the policy of Foster Yeoman Contracting to work closely with the client to develop the best plan for undertaking the works," he said, "At Coombe Lane we were able to carry out the works more efficiently by increasing the resources that we used on the scheme and by the client allowing a road closure." The total scheme was 850m long and varied in width between 7m and 8.5m.
The works involved planing down to expose a 2m wide section of old concrete road of varying depth which runs along the side of the current carriageway.
This was treated with sand carpet and geotextile then overlaid with binder and surface course.
The majority of the site was planed down to a depth of 170mm and 1700t of High Modulus base was laid onto which 900t of DBM binder course was laid.
To complete the new carriageway 420t of Strategem surfacing was laid 25mm deep The job was split into two sections at a junction half way at Cambridge rd Ch.370.
During the first weekend two planers were utilised to bring the section from ch.370 to ch.850 up to binder course level before opening the carriageway up to traffic again at 1900hrs on the Sunday evening.
On the second weekend planing was carried out between ch.370 and 103.
During the Saturday shift while the planing was carried out on the second section Foster Yeoman Contracting laid the surface course between chainage 370 and 850.
When resurfacing passes through residential areas, where traffic noise can be intrusive, minimising the disruption to residents and highway users is vital.
Councillor Linda Kirby added: "The works were originally envisaged to take up to five weekends, but Foster Yeoman Contracting managed to undertake the work in just two weekends, considerably reducing disruption to commuters and local residents.
It's a real credit to them that they have been able to plane out, and relay 3000t of surfacing including, adjusting ironwork, laying sand carpet, geotextile and white lining in such a short period of time - and during all this we did not have one complaint from the public.".
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