Projects & Case Studies

Project Silver – DIRFT

Project Silver involved the delivery of a significant bulk earthworks package at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT), Zone G, to create development-ready platforms for a large distribution building, ancillary office floorspace and associated infrastructure. The works required substantial excavation, re-profiling and engineered fill operations, delivered through a self-delivery model across complex and variable ground conditions.

Scope of Works

• Site clearance, stripping and preparation, including topsoil management and relocation of existing stockpiles.
• Bulk cut and fill operations to achieve development formation levels while maximising reuse of site-won material.
• High-output self-delivery earthworks, achieving peak production rates of up to 90,000 m³ per week and completion ahead of programme.

How Ground Strata Solutions Helped

The project required the placement of over 300,000m³ of predominantly wet material in line with the earthworks specification. To achieve this, the material required modification using binders, and it was critical that the contractor entered the project with a realistic view of both likely treatment requirements and the testing exposure needed to support production.

Ground Strata Solutions provided early support at tender stage by carrying out a detailed assessment of likely modification requirements so that appropriate allowances could be made against programme, testing and commercial risk. We also developed a testing rate based on the proposed production target of approximately 40,000m³ per week, ensuring realistic provision was made for density testing, CBR testing, and associated classification and chemical testing in line with expected output volumes.

Working closely with the commercial team, we translated these technical requirements into a clear cost allowance so that the client had a far more robust basis for pricing the job and managing the risk associated with achieving the required level of compliance.

Prior to commencement of the works, we produced a comprehensive Earthworks Strategy Document setting out, in a clear and methodical format, the sequence of the scheme from site clearance through to final stone import. This document was supported by a series of appendices including engineering drawings, testing information and key technical controls required for delivery.

To ensure the scheme was properly controlled on site, we also provided:

• An Inspection and Test Plan agreed with the third-party overseeing engineer.
• A detailed testing grid and layer plan identifying grid references and the number of fill layers required across the scheme.
• A conditionally formatted Excel testing tracker designed to make sure results were entered in the correct locations, compliance was visible in real time and no required testing was missed during delivery.

This combination of tender-stage support, pre-start technical planning and live project controls gave the site team a structured framework for managing a high-volume earthworks operation while maintaining compliance with the specification.

Upon completion, Ground Strata Solutions produced a detailed Earthworks Completion Report bringing together the full testing record and demonstrating that the works had been carried out to the quality and compliance requirements originally set out in the earthworks specification. This provided the client with a clear, engineer-ready validation record for the completed scheme.