IDG have recently completed a ground investigation and provided a Remediation Strategy for a former Paper Mill located on the North Sea coast, which is being redeveloped with over 270 residential dwellings. The site covers an area of over 10ha and at the time of the ground investigation comprised numerous derelict mill buildings, chimneys, dye vats and an historical in-built Victorian energy infrastructure including five oil fired boilers providing energy to two large steam turbines.

 

Part of the site has also historically been occupied by a large oil depot, redeveloped during the 1960’s and part of the site had  been used for the manufacture of glass, brass, iron and steel as well as  accommodating several rows of housing.

 

As a consequence of the numerous phases of earthworks and re-construction, thick deposits of Made Ground and large areas comprising significant thicknesses of reinforced concrete remained present as slabs and foundations. Pre-coring through modern surfacing was necessary within mill buildings to progress exploratory holes through deeper buried concrete.

 

IDGs ground investigation comprised trail pits, shallow and deep boreholes to obtain geotechnical data and enable installation of shallow ground gas and groundwater monitoring wells to assess the sites ground gas regime, levels and quality of shallow groundwater, together with deeper groundwater monitoring wells to assess groundwater levels and water quality within the bedrock aquifer.  

 

As a consequence of the various manufacturing operations and on-site fuel sources it was necessary to obtain a wide range of soil samples for chemical analysis and contamination assessment to ensure remediation is undertaken in a manner appropriate for the proposed development. In-situ and laboratory geotechnical testing has been undertaken which has enabled IDG to present viable foundation solutions and inform drainage design.