Company: Paul John Projects

Address: Persimmon Homes, Weldon Park, Corby, Northamptonshire

Types of Works: Bulk Earthworks, 278 Works and Roads and Sewers infrastructure works

Contract Details:

The largest precast concrete box culvert sections manufactured to date by FP McCann have been installed at Weldon Park, Corby in Northamptonshire. The completed culvert measuring approximately 28 metres long made up of 20 individual units 6000mm wide x 3000mm high, will channel an existing watercourse through the site. Once complete, the Persimmon Homes development will consist of up to 1,000 new homes, a new school and associated community facilities.

Paul John Projects is undertaking the roads and drainage package on the scheme, which also includes a further 6 separate smaller culvert runs consisting of 102 of FP McCann’s 2100mm wide x 1000mm high precast concrete box culvert sections. One of the six small culvert channels has an in-built mammal ledge.

With each unit weighing approximately 22 tonnes, the large box sections were transported individually to site from Byley in Cheshire. Prior to delivery, a bitumen waterproof coating was applied to the external base and side walls.

Before the installation of the precast units, groundworks included damming the existing watercourse and digging the temporary earth bank channelled diversion, allowing for a concrete bed to be formed for the base of the box culvert run.

With the culvert carrying an access road onto the site, precast concrete box sections with the requisite design loading capability were the only considered choice for Paul John Projects engineers to channel the water.

A specialist crane with a lifting capacity of 45 tonnes was utilised by the Paul John Projects team to carefully position each box section. Once in place and prior to the jointing of each unit, a bitumen rubber sealing strip was applied to each socket joint face.