Soil slipped from an unstable slope above Beaminster tunnel portal in July 2012, tragically killing two people. The client was under intense pressure from the media and local community to stabilise the area as quickly as possible and reopen the road.
As a specialist contractor the client relied upon CAN to offer advice to the designers. This ensured that a buildable solution was developed, and rapidly.
CAN initially mobilised a small team to install trial nails and carry out suitability tests to assist the development of the design.
CAN then returned, to first stabilise the wingwalls of the tunnel portals and then the embankments above the North and South portals.
Three different types of rig were mobilised by CAN (21T excavator, A-frame and 21T long reach excavator) onto which drill masts were mounted, ensuring soil nails were accessed and drilled in the most efficient manner.
Once the 870 no. soil nails and 50 no. inclined drains had been installed, the slope was overlain with 4000m2 of active Tecco netting with a layer of erosion matting underneath.
Duration: 16 weeks
Client: Raymond Brown Construction (working for Dorset County Council)
Location: A3066 Beaminster, Dorset.