Park Road Reservoir – Ipswich - Inertia Consulting

Park Road Reservoir – Ipswich

Inspection, survey and testing services for a refurbishment scheme for a 21 million litre underground reservoir owned by Anglian Water

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The challenge

Park Road reservoir is a 21 million litre concrete and iron reservoir that serves the North Ipswich area. Constructed in 1902, it is an impressive feat of Edwardian engineering consisting of an underground concrete tank that was covered with a grassy mound.

In 2011, it was identified that the reservoir required a major overhaul and deep clean. Inertia Consulting Ltd were appointed as Survey and Testing Consultant to carry out the inspection and testing works for a refurbishment and strengthening scheme.

Non - Destructive Testing

The project involved:
• An initial inspection using a remote-controlled CCTV camera
• Removing over 6,000 tonnes of topsoil from the top of the reservoir, with much of the work done by hand using shovels and wheelbarrows
• Draining the tank of 21 million litres of water
• Carrying out a structural investigation, full condition assessment and dimensional survey, which required the use of specialist and confined space access techniques.

“Very good, efficient, helpful and very in depth services offered and to a very high quality and standard.”

Paul Dart, Contracts Manager, Stonbury

Our investigations found that the cast iron support columns and wrought iron beams were still in good condition and suitable for renovation by shot-blasting and epoxy coating. Areas of the roof and floor showing cracking or damage were identified and later over-banded.

A decision was made to install a new internal partition which divides the reservoir into two sections. This will simplify future maintenance works, as only half the reservoir will need to be drained at a time for works to take place. We provided as-built data on the reservoir construction from intrusive coring and other testing techniques for wall design.

The contractor needed to remove topsoil from the top of the reservoir. We undertook a condition survey of the structure and determined the concrete strength and reinforcement details to determine the construction of the roof. This was then used to determine the roof slab strength which identified that it was not possible to use heavy equipment on the roof of the reservoir. Instead, much of the work was done by hand.

The outcome

The data we provided the client enabled an appropriate refurbishment scheme to be designed and implemented.

The strengthening and repair works carried out mean that Park Road reservoir will continue to provide residents in North Ipswich with clean, safe drinking water for many years.

The project team

Anglian Water plc – the Client
Stonbury – the Principal Contractor
Inertia Consulting Ltd – the Survey and Testing Consultant
@One Alliance-the Project Manager