March 7, 2018

Support for Boston Barrier Project

Harrison Group Environmental was part of the specialist team carrying out major ground investigations for the Boston Barrier flood defence scheme in Lincolnshire.

The Boston Barrier is designed to better protect over 14,000 properties against tidal flooding in the area, such as the event in 2013, when the Haven (the river running through the town) overtopped its banks, damaging hundreds of homes and businesses.

Harrison, working for the BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald joint venture building the barrier, drilled eight rotary cored and cable percussive boreholes to depths of 30m in the dock area either side of the Haven.

It also carried out probing, tidal, gas and groundwater monitoring, pressuremeter testing (in conjunction with Cambridge Insitu), with samples tested in its in-house laboratory. Russell Geotechnical Innovations carried out advanced triaxial testing, the results of which will be used directly in the foundation design.

Site works began in October 2017 and were expected to finish at the end of February.