Residential Piling & Ground Beam Foundations – Whitehouse Avenue, Borehamwood WD6
Piling Works
A total of 19 bored bearing piles were installed across the site, each with a diameter of 350mm. Due to variable near-surface ground conditions, temporary pile sleeving was applied to the upper 3 metres to maintain bore stability and ensure correct concrete placement.
Ground investigation confirmed made ground to approximately 1.5m depth, underlain by cohesive clay strata suitable for pile founding. Pile installation was completed efficiently within two working days.
Ground Beam Construction
Following completion of piling operations, construction of 61 linear metres of reinforced concrete ground beams commenced immediately. Beam sections were formed at 500mm width × 400mm depth in accordance with the Structural Engineer’s design requirements.
Excavations incorporated Cordek HX B anti-heave protection to mitigate the effects of potential clay heave and seasonal ground movement. Reinforcement cages were installed and inspected prior to concrete placement to ensure compliance with structural specifications.
Site Challenges & Programme
The works progressed without major difficulties. The only unforeseen issue involved redundant underground drainage pipes, which were identified and removed promptly without affecting the piling or ground beam construction programme.
Installation of the piling mat enabled subsequent foundation activities to be carried out in a clean, controlled and efficient working environment. The entire foundation scope was successfully delivered within an overall programme duration of approximately two weeks.
All works were completed under strict quality control procedures, including pile depth verification, reinforcement inspection and concrete integrity monitoring, ensuring long-term structural performance of the new residential development.