Electrokinetic news & events
Electrokinetic cutting-edge technology is becoming mainstream
Amey talked to GROUND ENGINEERING about adopting Electrokinetic slope stabilisation in their search for a less disruptive, lower cost method of stabilising road and railway embankments.
They identified Electrokinetic's potential to transform the way engineers handle landslips and also to save clients previously unimaginable amounts of time and money.
Electrokinetic success in the Forest of Dean
Electrokinetic successfully treated a failed sidelong embankment which had caused cracking in the adjacent road surface.
The low impact benefits of EKG Slope Stabilisation
The very low intensity construction method of Electrokinetic’s EKG slope stabilisation system has been demonstrated on the A419 Swindon.
Dewatering nuclear slurry - no problem
Sediment can be generated everywhere outdoors, created from rainfall run-off from the land which may be augmented with settlement of air-born dust. The process is ubiquitous and requires periodic removal of slurries and sludges from pipes, settlement tanks and other vessels. This is a universal problem and nuclear storage facilities are no different, however, they present their own specific set of challenges for containment of all materials within the perimeter of the site.
Electrokinetic's EKG dewatering bags offered a dewatering and containment solution in one operation. A batch of 50 EKG bags, each with an internal volume of 1 cubic metre, was used to dewater 400 cubic metres of nuclear contaminated sludge. The EKG process raised the solids content from around 8%ds to 44%ds and contained the cake ready for encapsulation and long-term storage.
Used in batches of 3, the bags were filled with slurry and topped up 4 times over a period of 4 days. This resulted in an overall throughput of around 8.3 cubic metres for each bag.
The project was deemed to be highly successful by the dewatering contractor, main works contractor and the site owner.
Congratulations! Stephanie awarded ICE North East fellowship
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East, has awarded a fellowship to Electrokinetic director Prof. Stephanie Glendinning.
Fellow is the highest grade of membership of the Institution. It can be awarded to those who are or have been engaged in a position of responsibility in the promotion, planning, design, construction, maintenance or management of important engineering work.
Cost effective dewatering of Coal Authority ochre slurries
Treatment of minewater from abandoned coal mines produces large volumes of iron ochre sludge which has a solids content of around 1 – 3%ds and the consistency of single cream. Conventional methods of dewatering this material are to use either active methods such as centrifugation, which is rapid and effective but expensive, or passive methods such as lagoon drying beds which is less expensive but very slow.
Electrokinetic undertook a project with the Coal Authority to demonstrate that the application of EKG materials and methods to a settlement lagoon could secure some of the benefits of an active system whilst preserving those of a passive system.
An ochre slurry settlement lagoon was equipped with EKG materials comprising a basal anode mesh and a floating cathode raft. The EKG treatment was two fold:
- Phase 1 use electrophoresis to increase the rate of settlement from suspension, then
- Phase 2 apply electroosmosis to consolidate and dewater the material settled from suspension.
The results showed that electrokinetic technology is applicable to ochre slurries and produces solid-liquid separation at a very accelerated rate compared to passive systems. Site data indicate that electrokinetic dewatering is approximately 15% more cost effective than comparable dewatering using a centrifuge.
ICE paper published on the benefits of EKG treatment
The conventional techniques used to repair cut and embankment slope failures have many technical limitations, and most cause considerable environmental disturbance. Electrokinetic geosynthetic (EKG) treatment of failing or failed slopes offers a more effective and economical solution than traditional approaches.
This ICE published paper provides a brief description of the EKG treatment method and illustrates the engineering sustainability with two case histories. Click here to view the paper in full.
Three-time winner at the ICE West Midlands Awards
Despite a record number of entries, Electrokinetic and Amey Consulting not only won the Innovation Award, and the Geotechnical Award, but also the prestigious Overall Winner Award, scooping up three awards for their pioneering embankment remediation project on junction 7 of the M5.
Celebrating the region’s best Civil Engineering Projects, the 2013 ICE Awards were attended by more than 300 engineering professionals. In announcing the Overall Winner, the ICE judges noted; “This innovative project’s use of cutting edge technology to provide a geotechnical solution at minimal cost to the tax payer impressed the judges so much that it was successful in winning both the Innovation and the Geotechnical Awards.”
Together with an Energy and Environment Award and an Institute of Highways Engineers Award, this brings to four the number of awards that Electrokinetic has picked up this season.
Electrokinetic Highly Commended in the Environment and Energy Awards
Electrokinetic’s work with Amey Consulting, for the Highways Agency, continues to attract attention for its innovative and sustainable application. The 2013 Environment and Energy Awards recognised Electrokinetic with a Highly Commended award in the Environment Product/Service category.
Judging for both the finalists and the category winners is carried out by a number of industry experts with past winners ranging from the largest multinationals to small businesses and public sector organisations.
Donna Bushell, Event Director, said: “Each year the quality of entries improves, which makes it a difficult but rewarding challenge to pick the winners.
"What came across very clearly was the commitment that was demonstrated by all the entrants to sustainable practices that would have impact not just now, but in the years to come.
"We would like to congratulate the winners, who have shown outstanding innovation, commitment, and inspiration across a broad range of projects in the most difficult economic circumstances.”
Shortlisted for the Ground Engineering Awards 2013
The 2013 Ground Engineering Awards have shortlisted the M5 junction 7 project in two categories: the Sustainability Award and the UK Project with a Geotechnical Value up to £1m. The project converted a slipping clay embankment into a stable structure, using electrokinetic geosynthetics, on behalf the Highways Agency.
A very high standard of entries was submitted this year so Electrokinetic is delighted to be nominated in a joint submission with Amey consulting, the main designer on the project.
The winners will be announced on 25 April 2013 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London.
Click here to visit the Ground Engineering website for more details .
A Green Construction Board case study
Electrokinetic's case study on the A21 slope stabilisation is now featured on DEFRAs Green Construction Board (GCB) case studies website. The GCB is the government and industry collaboration to drive forward the actions set out in the Low Carbon Construction Action Plan.
Click here to view the case study.
Geotechnical presentation
Electrokinetic is presenting at the Association of Geotechnical Specialists (AGS) Members day on Wednesday 20th March 2013 at the Royal Geographical Society. The title of the presentartion is: Electrokinetic slope stabilisation: methods and examples.
Presentation of the Highways Agency Supplier Recognition Award for Delivering Sustainable Value and Solutions.
Left to right, Darryl Allen (Interserve Site Agent), Graham
Dalton (HA Chief Executive), John Lamont-Black (Electrokinetic Managing Director) and Steve Hall (Interserve Framework Manager).
The Highways Agency recognises EKG's class-leading performance
On 6 December the HA (Highways Agency) announced the winners and highly commended entrants for the second year of its Supplier Recognition Scheme. The HA scheme recognises the contribution and roles played by SMEs and new technology in maintaining the network and delivering sustainable and value-adding solutions.
Electrokinetic Ltd and Interserve Construction Ltd were highly commended in the category of Delivering sustainable value and solutions, for jointly delivering an embankment repair solution on the A21 in Kent, using the new technology of electrokinetic geosynthetics.
The project came in on time with a significant reduction in costs to the Highways Agency and a reduced carbon footprint, whilst preserving the trees and habitats for endangered species and causing minimal disruption to local residents and motorists.
The technology and equipment used in the A21 project has now been redeployed in a similar HA project on the M5.
Click here to read the case study.
Click to view the
Highways
Agency Supplier Recognition ezine (3Mb pdf file).
The Electrokinetic /Interserve project appears
on the 'Value' tab, page 8.
Independently
published articles on the A21 and M5 EKG slope stabilisation projects
Two new articles on EKG slope stabilisation projects on the A21 and the M5 have been published in Construction News and Transportation Professional. These articles recognise some of the many benefits offered by EKG treatment and can be downloaded as pdf files.
Construction News - Electrifying new method (pdf 128kb)
Transportation Professional - Charging the earth (pdf 393kb)
EKG shortlisted for another Innovation Award
EKG Slope Stabilisation has been selected as a finalist in the British Construction Industry Awards, Product Design Innovation category.
The Awards will be presented at a gala dinner on Wednesday 10 October 2012, at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.
Electrokinetic Managing Director, John Lamont-Black (second left), with partners of the BBMM project and guest of honour, Trevor Baylisss (centre) at the Green Apple Awards.
EKG slope stabilisation wins a prestigious Green Apple
The A21 Stocks Green slope stabilisation project in Kent, which used Electrokinetic’s patented EKG technology, has won a 2012 Green Apple Award, the prestigious awards programme for sustainability and green endeavour in the built environment. The project was managed by Balfour Beatty Mott MacDonald (BBMM) for the Highways Agency.
Traditional embankment stabilisation techniques have severe environmental impacts during construction and leave behind a stark legacy of a bare embankment unsuitable for wildlife and unsightly for local residents.
The Highways Agency were particularly pleased that the project not only delivered a 40% reduction in the carbon footprint of the works, but also a significant 30% cost saving compared to conventional slope stabilisation techniques.
Electrokinetic’s novel EKG technology resulted in numerous environmental benefits which were noted by the judges, who also commented, “What was particularly impressive about the Stocks Green 1 scheme was just how transferrable the innovative technology is.
“The judges look for projects which can be developed and replicated as part of an ongoing programme of environmental best practice so we were impressed to hear the technology had already been implemented elsewhere in the country – a sure testament to its success.”
The Green Apple Awards are hailed as Europe’s longest running international environmental awards honouring excellence in sustainable construction, design and innovation of products.
Click
here for Highways Agency press release, 28 June 2012
ICE Innovation Award for cost-saving EKG technology
Electrokinetic’s EKG technology picked up the award for Innovation at the Institution of Civil Engineers’ (ICE) regional Excellence Awards in June.
The award was given for the pioneering slope stabilisation project at Stocks Green, commissioned by the Highways Agency. The patented EKG technology, already widely recognised for its many environmental benefits, produced zero waste and a 40% reduction in the carbon footprint of the works.
The Highways Agency has reported an indicated cost saving of approximately 30% compared to conventional treatment and has now moved the equipment to start work on a second site. Given the substantial cost-saving the HA is now assessing the application of EKG technology for other sites.
Motorway embankment stabilisation uses EKG
Electrokinetic remediation is underway of an unstable embankment slope at junction 7 on the M5 near Worcester, UK.
Electrokinetic Ltd are supplying materials and design services to Amey and VolkerLaser; the main designer and main contractor respectively.
A21 Stocks Green slope stabilisation project a proven success
The EKG slope stabilisation remediation of the A21 Stocks Green Embankment in Kent has finished with the successful completion of six anode nail pull out tests. This was the first ever load testing of reinforced anodes as electrokinetic soil nails and provided further proof of the success of the slope stabilisation.
EKG slope stabilisation demonstrates environmental and sustainable best practice
Balfour Beatty Mott MacDonald, Managing Agent for the Highways Agency network sector which included the A21 Stocks Green project, submitted Electrokinetic’s EKG slope stabilisation method as a 'Low Impact Method for Stabilisation of Highway Embankments' and has won a 2012 Green Apple Award, the awards programme for sustainability and green endeavour in the built environment.
The awards will be presented at the East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf, London on Monday 25 June, 2012.
Further recognition of product innovation
Electrokinetic has been shortlisted for the Product Innovation award in Construction News.
Electrokinetic finalist in two categories of 2012 Ground Engineering Awards
Electrokinetic were announced as a finalist in two categories of the 2012 Ground Engineering Awards; the Product and Equipment Innovation category and the Sustainability category.
Ground Engineering publish article on successful EKG slope stabilisation
An article on the successful A21 EKG slope stabilisation project is featured in the February 2012 issue of Ground Engineering.
Electrokinetic is a trading name of Central Alliance Pre Construction Services Limited, Alliance House, Junction 41 Business Park, South Park Way, Wakefield, WF2 0XJ
Registered office: Spring Lodge, 172 Chester Road, Helsby, Cheshire, England, WA6 0AR, UK. Registered number: 05769713