Tungsten Developments Limited approached Discovery CE asking for assistance in conducting a ground investigation within Wakefield, Leeds. The site in question has had a diverse past, originally being a sandstone quarry, cement works and then finally a Lead car battery recycling plant. The site presents difficult geotechnical engineering problems due to the presence of the infilled quarry pits, the extents of which, depth, groundwater levels and nature of backfill are unknown together with potential coal mining related issues. With this in mind as well as the significant contaminated land issues associated with heavy metals, the team at DCE really had their work cut-out for them this time!
The proposed scope of works to tackle this beast was 10 No. cable percussion boreholes, 11 No. open hole boreholes, 32 No. dynamic sample boreholes, 40 No. machine excavated trial pits, static cone penetrometer testing carried out at 12 no. locations in the former quarry pits as well as the installation of gas groundwater monitoring wells in 10 of the deep boreholes and 12 of the dynamically sampled boreholes. Of course there are always set-backs on jobs of this scale, some big and small, but the team at Discovery were able to pull through with ease. As of writing the first round of gas and groundwater monitoring are underway with groundwater samples being taken. The ground investigation has been completed and the final reports are being drafted.
Below are a select few photos and videos taken from our time in Thorpe On The Hill. Till next time Leeds!
