A57 Mottram Moor

Location

Ipswich

Client

SOCOTEC

Year

2021

Features

Instrumentation and pumping tests

In 2021, WJ was engaged by SOCOTEC, the site investigation contractor for the client, National Highways, to bring its instrumentation and pumping test experience to a key infrastructure project of national importance – the A57 Trans-Pennine Route. Primarily designed to alleviate congestion on the A57 and A628 road link between Manchester and Sheffield, WJ’s scope was to undertake pumping tests in the village of Mottram in Longendale, located at the western edge of the Peak District National Park. Due to the potentially extensive dewatering works involved in such a project, it was vital to achieve a greater understanding of the hydrogeological properties of the area.

Mottram in Longendale was earmarked for the test due to the anticipated dewatering requirements for constructing a series of underpasses, cuttings, and bridges along the 2-mile-long (3 km) highway, including Old Mill Farm Underpass, Mottram Underpass, Eastern Cutting, Carrhouse Lane Underpass, and River Etherow Bridge.

WJ’s control solutions

WJ undertook a pumping test to better understand the hydraulic properties of the Millstone Grit aquifer (comprising sandstones and siltstones) at the proposed location of the Eastern Cutting. Upon the request of the Environment Agency, WJ also returned to undertake a second round of test pumping, aiming to assess the potential impacts of the dewatering for this location and for the Mottram Underpass.

The second test comprised an individual well test and a 21-day multi-well test (on three wells), along with an extensive groundwater monitoring regime across 49 locations, including: vibrating wire transducers, downhole diver-style dataloggers, manual groundwater monitoring, spot flow gauging (volumetric, plus a current meter) and rain gauging.

This complex and extensive testing and monitoring regime was made possible by WJ’s extensive experience and practical know-how in groundwater testing and monitoring.

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