Westfield Energy Recovery Limited is pleased to announce the successful completion of ground improvement works at the Westfield Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) site, a crucial milestone in preparing the site for the construction of the main facility building.
Since site mobilisation in January 2022, extensive cut-and-fill operations have been carried out to establish a level platform at a flood-safe height, ensuring the site’s suitability for construction. Ground improvement was then implemented to enhance the soil’s bearing capacity, ensuring it can safely support the Westfield ERF throughout its operational life.
Initially, the plan involved the use of controlled modulus columns (CMC) piling, a method that displaces soil laterally while filling the resulting holes with concrete columns to support building loads. However, after thorough ground investigations, HZI determined that dynamic compaction would be a more suitable method for the Westfield ERF site.
Dynamic compaction involves increasing ground density by repeatedly dropping a heavy weight from a prescribed height in a mesh pattern. This process compacts the soil, reduces voids, and enhances its mechanical properties. The craters created are then filled with granular material and compacted further, improving both soil strength and deformability.
With the completion of the dynamic compaction programme, the site is now ready for the next phase. The recently awarded main civils work package has commenced, paving the way for the construction of the Westfield ERF building.
Neil Young, Project Director, remarked,
Now that the ground improvement has been completed, the Westfield ERF will begin to quickly take shape as the main civils works begin.
This milestone reflects the diligent planning and execution that continue to drive progress on the Westfield ERF project.