This page was printed from https://geosyntheticsmagazine.com

Geogrids provide answer to access issues at Scottish wind farm

Case Studies | February 1, 2023 | By:

Cross section showing Wrekin SX Grid providing reinforcement to gravel haul road at Greengairs Wind Farm. Photograph courtesy of Wrekin Products

Wrekin Products Ltd. recently provided the perfect solution for one of Scotland’s major sustainability initiatives after being selected over two other manufacturers to create an economical access road at a new wind farm.

The brand-new wind farm has been constructed in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, and will power around 40,000 homes in the area. Eight turbines are around 492.126 feet (150 m) high and will generate 38 megawatts of sustainable electricity—enough to meet the renewable targets set out by the Scottish government.

Before work could begin, haul roads needed to be created to carry heavy plant and machinery required for the project. After carrying out an inspection of the area, Wrekin identified that due to the ground’s low California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values and deep levels of peat, these access roads would need to be floated. Additionally, there was a sloped area on the site that was likely to cause difficulties for crane pads if left without reinforcement.

The company knew that the client was looking for an economical solution that would incorporate the least amount of stone, minimizing excavation as well as reducing the number of deliveries to and from the site—which would decrease the project’s overall carbon footprint.

Therefore, Wrekin recommended the installation of its SX 3030 Geogrid combined with its FasTrack609 Geotextile—three layers on the sloped area and two everywhere else on-site.

Together, these not only created a strong surface area capable of withstanding heavy machinery for the duration of the construction phase but were also around 20% shallower than the other two designs the client had considered during the tender phase. 

“Given the ongoing materials shortage we’re facing as an industry, the fact that there were no delays in the procurement and installation of materials to site was a point of pride for us—particularly given the tight timeframes we’re aiming to work towards with a summer completion,” says Shahid Raza, engineering manager for geosynthetics at Wrekin. “Our team’s support throughout the entire process was also something I’m proud of as we were able to provide a solution that ticked every single criteria we were presented with. We are very pleased that we were chosen to support such a prominent and important project for the area. It serves as an excellent showcase of what our products are capable of and how they can provide solutions to any project.” 


Project Highlights

GEOGRIDS FOR SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTION

Location: Greengairs Wind Farm

General contractor: Greencat Contracting

Geosynthetic product: SX Grid

Geosynthetics manufacturer: Wrekin Products

Share this Story