SPT’s Glasgow Subway modernisation project was awarded the prestigious Infrastructure Innovation Commendation at the ICE Saltire Civil Engineering Awards on 24 October 2017.
The annual ICE Scotland awards, run in partnership with the Saltire Society, celebrates outstanding engineering achievements in Scotland.
In a joint venture between Freyssinet UK and Major Project Repair BU, work started on the SPT project in April 2015, incorporating annulus grouting, concrete lining repairs and water sealing in the biggest modernisation of the subway in more than 30 years. Over 150 individuals were deployed during night-time closures to modernise and strengthen the 120-year-old Victorian tunnels to ensure quality service delivery for the 40,000 passengers using the underground each day.
Clockwise L-R: David Gardner (SPT Senior Project Manager), Stuart Haddow (COWI Senior Engineer), Chris Phillips ( COWI Project Director), Neil Gatenby (SPT Senior Engineer), Ian Campbell (Freyssinet Operations Director) and Christophe Zapirain (Freyssinet Project Manager).
Due to the complex nature of the working environment, Freyssinet developed a number of innovative methods to ensure the safety of its employees, other subcontractors and the general public. These included an overhead conveyor, designed and installed with help from Amber Industries, which was used to transport grout materials into the tunnel and substantially reduced manual handling, plus various custom made lifting devices, bespoke working platforms mounted on track trolleys and a dust control system. Freyssinet also developed a bespoke drilling rig in conjunction with Sept Tools, which reduced the amount of working at height required and exposure to harmful levels of vibration, and an innovative miniaturized concrete spray solution combining dry and wet spray techniques to carry out structural repairs.
Freyssinet project manager Christophe Zapirain said: “We are delighted to receive this award. I’d like to take the opportunity to congratulate everyone involved for an amazing team effort and very well deserved recognition of your dedication and commitment.”