GABION TERRAMESH SYSTEM USED IN ROAD WIDENING PROJECT
Problem
The A72 road which runs along the River Tweed in a town called Peebles, Scotland, had a weakened verge due to ongoing traffic and heavy loads trying to pass. The road was also very narrow which caused endless amounts of congestion for the road users and subsequently damaged the existing walls that bordered the highway. The Scottish Borders Council decided to widen the highway by approx. 3 metres and started a 10 month contract to start the work in August 2018. The low height retaining wall and revetment slope to the river needed to be replaced, plus the construction of a new barrier would improve safety in line with current standards. Steep slopes and the river being below the road caused project challenges in that there was a lack of space to construct a new wall, and there were no verges either.
Solution
A hybrid reinforced soil structure solution was designed by MHB Consultants to retain the highway yet minimise the impact on the surroundings. The structures height would be 6m and would run 150m along the River Tweed. Maccaferri’s technical support was used alongside Albion Drilling which enabled MHB to design a tied-back gabion and Terramesh reinforced soil structure. Maccaferri supplied and constructed the Terramesh System. Scottish Borders Council also placed an environmental clerk of works on the project who monitored and minimised the impact of construction works on the local environment. The £2.2m scheme is now complete and traffic is running frequently and without any problems.
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