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Setting Out UXO Probe Positions

THS Concepts was tasked with marking the pile positions at the Barking Riverside Quarter development site to enable a UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) specialist to check for unexploded ordnance.

Article By: Tom Ayre | Last Update: July 2024

Service(s)

Setting Out+

Client

Fellows International

Timings

2 Weeks

Location

Barking Riverside, London

The Project Brief

We were commisioned for this project by Fellows International who are industry leaders in UXO risk management. UXO stands for Unexploded Ordnance. It refers to explosive weapons (bombs, shells, grenades, land mines, naval mines, etc.) that did not explode when they were deployed and still pose a risk of detonation. These can be remnants from World War I, World War II, or other military training exercises and conflicts. UXOs are a significant safety hazard, especially in areas undergoing construction, hence the need for specialist surveys and clearance operations before development activities can safely proceed.

Barking Riverside was previously a waste disposal site and required deep piles to be installed to safely support the new buildings. The site is located near East London, an area heavily bombed by the Germans during World War II.

THS Concepts was tasked with staking / setting out and marking the pile positions across the Barking Riverside site. These marked locations were then probed by a specialist UXO machine to determine the presence of any potential unexploded ordnance.

Un exploded ordnance UXO
UXO (Unexploded Ordnance)
UXO Machine
UXO Probe Machine

Our Approach

The client provided us with the Ordnance Survey positions for each pile to be checked. Using this information, we uploaded the data to our equipment (GPS RTK & Total Stations) to precisely locate the pile positions.

We set out each position to within 10 mm accuracy. The challenge was inserting the marking flags into the ground, which was composed of broken bricks and rubble (a piling mat). We used a long screwdriver and hammer to create holes for placing the flags.

The work was fairly laborious, and we had to re-mark several locations due to machinery, such as excavators, accidentally running over them. Once completed, we had set out well over 1,000 pile probe positions!

Conclusion

Overall, the survey work went very well. Our meticulous planning and clear communication with the client ensured that we had free access to the necessary areas.

A few locations within the site had the potential for unexploded ordnance. These areas were carefully excavated and examined.