Project Specification

The embankment at Pound Green is a typical clay fill construction with poor compaction. Variations in water content, exacerbated by poor drainage both within the slope and at the toe were causing the material of the embankment to move due to the shrink-swell cycle. The poorly compacted clay did not lend itself to installation of rigid perforated pipe into pre-augered holes, but any drain installed had to be maintainable.

Solution

While Platipus Plati-Drain seemed an obvious choice for such an application, the requirement that the drains should be maintainable added an extra challenge. It was soon determined that a 50mm Ø pipe could be inserted into the Plati-Drain which would allow the introduction of jetting equipment if necessary. 6m lengths of polythene pipe were utilised and installed after the Plati-Drain was in position in the embankment.