Washwood Heath HS2 Main Depot: Utility Search and Utility Mapping
Project Overview:
Washwood Heath Depot, northeast of Birmingham City Centre, is where HS2 trains will be maintained, serviced and stored. The site will include the maintenance building for the entire HS2 fleet as well as the Network Integrated Control Centre and cleaning depot.
Before works commenced a detailed geotechnical investigation of the physical and engineering properties of the ground and was undertaken to identify any potential contamination issues. To facilitate this a large number of borehole locations were planned. It was therefore essential to understand the location of existing utility infrastructure in order to identify areas of utility conflict and avoid potential utility strikes when drilling.
Premier Energy were appointed to undertake the investigation into the existing utility infrastructure and present the findings back in a clear and concise mapping format.
Premier Utility Search Report:
Using our intelligent search processes we identified over 30 utility companies who were known to operate in and around the e area. These were contacted by our dedicated in-house team of utility search experts.
The Utility Search Report comprised all the C2 utility maps retuned by the incumbent utility companies as well maps from independent network operators in the vicinity. The report included our intuitive RAG rating system to clearly identify affected utility companies within the site, and those nearby or adjacent to the site. The Utility Search Report was delivered within 20 working days of the initial order and was fully PAS128 (Quality Level D) and HSG47 compliant.
PALM 128 Utility Map:
The PALM 128 is our innovative multi-layered interactive utility map that brings together all the utility assets from C2 utility records into a single georeferenced utility map. The PALM 128 is fully compliant with PAS 128 making it an essential information source for Health and Safety compliance. Utilities are displayed in separate layers and can be turned on/off in order to be viewed in any combination. This makes it simple for users to view complex utility records in a simple straightforward format whilst understanding the proximity to work location of existing utility equipment.
The PALM 128 utility map was delivered as an interactive PDF and DWG file. For this project we also provided a layer with the borehole locations overlaid onto the PALM 128 providing instant visibility of clashes and constraint locations.
Client benefits
Our client adopted a robust, safety-first approach to their ground investigation process and wanted clear, easy-to-use utility mapping for workers on the project. Their priority was to identify areas of utility and borehole conflict and avoid potential costly and hazardous utility strikes. By overlaying the borehole locations onto the PALM 128 we were able to provide a simple yet effective mapping solution.
Premier Energy delivered the PALM128 Utility Map as an interactive PDF for use in the office as well as being accessed on-site via a suitable tablet device. Delivering the PALM 128 as a DWG for use in CAD systems also meant design teams could take account of the existing utility infrastructure to plan work, and mitigate risk, at an early stage.
If you’re working on an infrastructure project that requires clear presentation of existing utility information then get in touch with our team to discuss your requirements.