Transpennine Route Upgrade: Geotechnical engineering solutions to replace failed structures caused by peat and dissolution hazards.

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4. Transpennine Route Upgrade: Geotechnical engineering solutions to replace failed structures caused by peat and dissolution hazards.

For the Transpennine Route Upgrade East (TRUe), SYSTRA and the TRUe Alliance delivered three new flood balancing structures as a replacement to a failed culvert on the Normanton and Colton Junction Line. Geotechnical research into the cause of the culvert failure and geological investigations into this region of North Yorkshire, identified that dissolution of gypsiferous material and the presence of peat deposits had been causing the rail embankment (through which the culvert was constructed) to displace.

Geological evidence indicates that a near-vertical brecciated pipe has formed to the sub-surface, allowing groundwater to rise and saturate peat and alluvial material above. This has resulted in the softening of superficial soils, causing settlement under the embankment weight. This culmination of geological phenomena resulted in the existing culvert to break. New structures had to be installed whilst keeping the line operational, meaning that launch and reception pits were excavated on either side of a Victorian-era embankment to allow for micro-boring. These works were undertaken away from the key geological hazards in order to reduce short and long-term risks to the railway, workers and public. The geotechnical solution of infilling the existing culvert and replacing with three new structures was completed during possession to minimise disruption, resulting in a successful engineering feat that pulled together multiple teams and organisations. This paper will present the scheme, the sites geological occurrences, the engineering proposals and the collaboration involved to safely construct whilst keeping the line operational.

28th European Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference (EYGEC2024)

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