Okehampton Interchange is a newly opened £15 million interchange station now providing improved travel opportunities across West Devon, Torridge and North Cornwall.
Taking advantage of Suttle Piling approach to simplify ground engineering Octavius appointed us to undertake a mix of Segmented Flight Auger (SFA) and Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piled foundations for the new station. Our self-operated Comacchio CH450 and Klemm 709 rigs were selected for this project.
The CH 450 has large diameter drilling capacity and an ideal solution for Okehampton where its fast-operating times would, as events unfolded, prove to be invaluable. The CH450 machine is totally self-erecting and can be transported in one piece with the kelly mounted. Once in place, the CH450 is easily downloaded from the truck and set up without the need for crane service.
As a combination rig it takes just one day to modify the CH450 from CFA mode to Rotary. This flexibility can be highly beneficial in mitigating cost and programme impacts particularly when dealing with unforeseen ground conditions or obstructions. The mast and pad configuration enables us to drill and cast piles extremely close to hard boundaries, such as existing transport infrastructure, buildings and party walls.
The CH450 selection was complemented with the Klemm 709 rig for the SFA piling activities. This rig has very high power for its weight class, offering excellent stability and can operate in limited headroom. The Klemm 709 was particularly well suited on the south side of Okehampton station where the piles had to be installed from two separate platforms located on the existing embankment. The ability to work at a lower working height also makes this rig very efficient when working in live railway environments where Adjacent Line Operation (ALO) requirements are in place.
Our rig selection from our self-operated fleet would prove crucial in bringing certainty and simplicity for the ground engineering needs at Okehampton, when at short notice the CFA works programme was changed from daytime working to night shifts. Despite the disruption, the team successfully adapted to the revised working hours, maintaining productivity and ensuring that the works remained on track for completion within the original 4-week period.
As a piling specialist with such a broad range of inhouse techniques Suttle Piling can very quickly adapt as project issues and proposed methodology constraints arise.
To view the full Okehampton Interchange project profile please click on Okehampton Interchange Station Piled Foundations
Suttle Piling specialises in all displacement and replacement piling methods, working nationally and regionally with Tier 1 contractors. Our ground engineers consider the technical requirements of your project along with geotechnical data and any constraints of the location such as access, ground stability and environmental sensitivity. We then select the most suitable piling technique and equipment both for initial build costs and the asset lifecycle.
Our range of equipment and expertise means your choice is never constrained by capacity. You avoid significant early-stage project risks and variances, which could easily snowball into major delays and additional cost.
For more information visit our website www.suttlepiling.co.uk or contact us at [email protected]