In February this year emergency works were commissioned for the Tower of London foreshore to prevent further erosion of the wall adjacent to Tower Bridge. The contract was awarded to Mackleys Civil Engineering by the Environment Agency to install over 200 2 tonne Kyowa filter units as a method of scour protection at the historic site.
Designed by experienced consulting engineers Arup, the filter unit solution was selected as it provided options for possible additional works at the site. The Filter units provide the perfect short term measure to prevent further damage, while the permanent fixtures are commissioned and completed. Another significant advantage of utilising the filter unit system is a single point lifting ring which remains attached to each bag making the retrieval process fast, simple and cost effective.
The versatility of the filter unit provided Mackleys with the option to either install by barge or use a long reach machine located in the pedestrian area at the top of the wall.
As the site attracts thousands of tourists every year it was important that the area was not congested with heavy equipment hindering pedestrian access to this iconic tourist destination.
After conducting rigorous health and safety checks, Mackleys established that installation could be achieved using a 360® forklift located at the top of the wall by lowering the bags into place on the foreshore.
Before the bags were installed, Ridgeway and Sumisho-Kyowa Ltd were given the opportunity to present the product to the design engineers at Arup, which ultimately resulted in the product being specified for the project.
Ridgeway supplied the bags to Mackleys Civil Engineering and demonstrated the filling method to the engineering team. Mackleys filled the bags at a quarry located in Kent and transported to site via road, offloading and stock piling in small quantities on site prior to installation on the foreshore.
To speak to Gavin our filter unit specialist, please call 02890 454599.