Fulham Football Club – Training Ground – Flood Relief Scheme

October has seen the Glenco team presented with an interesting challenge to alleviate the severe flooding on the site. The flooding occurred on a regular basis due to inadequate drainage to the hard landscaped areas which predominantly consisted of a series of soakaways which quickly became inundated during intense rain events or longer periods of rain. The large catchment area of the main car park was on a pronounced fall and served by one gulley – once this was overtopped torrents of surface water flooded adjoining areas of the site and even the goal keeping training area which was at the lower end of the site.

Glenco proposed a flood relief scheme which involved the installation of a full sized road gulley to catch the run off from the main car park. Also an existing gulley in the middle car park would be connected to the main surface water pipe and a new yard gulley installed on the other side of the middle car park to catch all the surface water run off from this area too. Finally the main surface water pipe would cut through another 20 metres of car park surface to pick up the storm water culvert. Finally the site would have proper connected drainage rather than relying on the far less effective soakaway system, that had resulted in large areas of standing water around the site after heavy rain events.

The main gulley was to be connected to a storm water culvert located on site, but more than 60 metres away. It would be necessary to excavate through 35 linear metres of soft landscape, under an existing astroturf walkway and then through 30 metres of car park surface, picking up the other two surface water gullies into the proposal. A careful fall of 1 CM per metre maintained an even depth to the trench and was carefully maintained with the laser level. Due to the preponderance of services running through the area, great caution was required while excavating and copious scans where made a recorded with cable avoidance tools. Some services were not marked on the plans and some did not show up on the CAT scan – water pipes in polyethylene wont show up so excavating was at all times precarious!

As the site is a high end facility, great importance is attached to the quality of the reinstatement too and also maintaining access to the various facilities used by the players and staff. Only small runs were attempted at a time and then these sections needed to be reinstated professionally to maintain access and to minimise any disruption. Part of the success of the scheme was to effect a very complicated drainage work without occasioning any inconvenience to the users of the facility! The tarmac will be reinstated on a concrete base and during normal usage will quickly blend in with the original car park and drive accesses.

This will have been an interesting challenge where the quality of what is under the surface will be as important as the usual quality that is brough to the surface by the Glenco team!

Radnor Close Resurfacing project required some logistal challenges in addition to a full plane off of the surface, regulating areas, crack sealing and a proprietary membrane, before the application of a bitumen emulsion tack coat and a machine laid 10mm Tuffdrive proprietary stone mastic ashalt surface course with polymodified binders.

Preparatory works included resetting two surface water gullies, one had collapsed and the other was lowered slightly to enhance the very flat falls. The surface was planed first witha 1m planer and on the second day 350mm smaller planer with mechanical sweeper was used for the less accessible areas and the entrance crossover which was Council owned which complicated proceedings. This resulted in the need for a traffic management scheme to move pedestrians safely into the carriageway with ramps and barriers. Due to the busy nature of the access and the extent of the trough traffic we needed to book a 40 metre section of parking suspension for our low loaderer, contractor vehicles and delivery lorries to safely access the site.

The new tarmac surface, with attendant thermoplastic line marking has really given a lift to the appearance of Radnor Close and the great contrast from the before and after pictires has certainly emphasised how Glenco brought Quality to the Surface!

As Civil Engineers and surfacing specialists we at Glenco Civil Engineers get the above question asked allot and specially nowadays when the weather is changing. Every winter, roads across the United Kingdom face a seasonal menace: potholes. While potholes can appear year-round, their numbers and severity spike as temperatures drop, particularly in high-traffic areas. But what exactly causes this? and why are UK roads so vulnerable during winter?
1. The Freeze-Thaw Cycle: Nature’s Pothole Maker
The UK’s climate—marked by frequent rain and fluctuating winter temperatures—makes it an ideal breeding ground for this freeze-thaw process. Roads that may have small cracks or slightly weakened areas become particularly vulnerable, leading to an increase in potholes as the freeze-thaw cycle plays out over the winter months.
2. Increased Moisture from Rain and Snow
The UK’s famously wet winters add another layer to the problem. Rain, sleet, and snow mean that UK roads are constantly exposed to moisture. With nearly 150 days of rain per year on average, water is almost always present on the roads in winter, seeping into cracks and laying the groundwork for future potholes. Snow and ice can worsen this effect by melting and refreezing in cycles that speed up pothole formation.
3. Heavy Traffic Strains and Weakens Roads
The heavy volume of traffic on UK roads, particularly on motorways and city streets, is another significant factor in pothole formation. Larger vehicles like buses, trucks, and delivery lorries place additional stress on the road surface. As these vehicles pass over areas where water has weakened the asphalt, the added weight and pressure can lead to a quick deterioration of the road surface.
4. De-icing Salt and Its Impact
To keep roads safe, local authorities spread de-icing salts to prevent slippery surfaces. However, road salt can accelerate the deterioration of asphalt. As salt melts snow and ice, it forms a saline solution that can penetrate the asphalt’s pores. Over time, salt can degrade the binding agents in asphalt, causing it to crack and erode more easily.
In winter, this creates a perfect storm: roads become both more porous and more susceptible to freeze-thaw damage.
Long-Term Solutions to Winter Potholes
Addressing the pothole problem requires proactive measures to strengthen the roads before winter arrives. Here is what Glenco Civil Engineers would recommend:
1. Timely Repairs and Resurfacing
Repairing minor cracks and fractures early can prevent them from developing into full-fledged potholes. Regular inspections and maintenance of high-traffic roads help identify problem areas before the freeze-thaw cycle can worsen them. Resurfacing solutions, such as high-quality tarmac or asphalt overlays, add a fresh protective layer to roads, giving them added durability during winter months
2. Quality Materials
Using high-grade asphalt with better water-resistant properties can go a long way in slowing down the formation of potholes. Modified asphalts that are more resistant to moisture and freezing temperatures are a valuable investment, particularly in climates like the UK’s.
3. Improved Drainage
Ensuring proper drainage systems along roadways can prevent water from pooling on the surface, reducing the amount that seeps into cracks. This is a key factor in mitigating the impact of the freeze-thaw cycle. In areas with high traffic and frequent winter weather, designing better drainage solutions can make a substantial difference.
So, the next time you spot a pothole on a cold, rainy day, remember that it’s the result of natural cycles and traffic pressures. It also serves as a reminder of why regular road surfacing, tarmacking, and proper drainage are essential investments in our infrastructure.

During April Glenco was occupied reconstructing an old garage area at Millers Court in Chiswick.
The works entailed excavation and replacing the sub base with an Mot type 3 sub base to levels and falls. Falls were enhanced with crossfalls to a new linear drainage system with a 25 tonne loading cast iron grating. Great attention was paid to ensuring adequate falls from the garages to the channel to ensure the garages would never flood!

The job was made more interesting by bands of Blockley clay paving bricks installed flush with the macadam surface course. The paving bricks formed an edging detail and also decorative bands through the entrance drive section. Pavers were laid on a concrete bed to levels and falls.

A new 12:1 semidry leanmix was installed as a base for the new surface and a 6mm Stone Mastic Asphalt Tuffdrive proprietary surface course with polymodified binders laid as the surface course.
As with any garage area static turning is often an issue during the summer when the new surface has been installed – the polymodified binders a re specifically designed to mitigate this issue as much as possible. As always we have endeavored to bring quality to the surface!

We had a tricky little job to undertake in an expensive riverside courtyard development, the brief was to reconstruct the garage area without inconvenience to the residents in the block. The tarmac had been installed in the seventies and had oxidized and crumbled into the sub base, in addition there was some tree root damage from trees that had subsequently been removed.

We used a 3 tonne excavator and a 1 tonne dumper to excavate and remove the decayed material and the areas around the old trees. Material was carefully transported to a designated area, neatly boarded, next to the entrance – where it could be safely removed by grab lorry. The sub base was reconsolidated and amended with an Mot type 3 high stone content sub base to correct levels and falls. The central drain gulley was adjusted to increased the crossfall from the garages and a new C250 25 tonne loading cast iron grating installed on concrete. To the existing planter areas, we used a Marshalls KL kerb in charcoal to form planters using a chamfered profile with internal and external radius pieces to form the corners to the planter detail, giving a nice structure to the planter areas.

We chose to use a 12:1 semi dry lean mix concrete instead of the conventional dense bituminous macadam base course. The lean mix concrete is laid and compacted in the same way as the macadam base course but tends to give a more solid base construction where the whole sub base structure has not been reconstructed from the subgrade up. The lean mix base is a useful addition to the armory when considering the best available options to reconstruct legacy areas where the budget constraints may preclude full depth reconstruction.

Once the lean mix had cured we were able to install a 6mm stone mastic asphalt ‘Tuffdrive’ proprietary surface course, with a bitumen emulsion tack coat applied to the lean mix base. The Tuffdrive performs excellently where there is likely to be static turning in confined areas. Aesthetically the Tuffdrive has a close graded appearance identical to conventional dense bituminous macadams, but is two grades higher in bitumen content and the polymodified binders sets the material off very hard as soon as the materials have cooled from laying temperatures.
Using this format Glenco were able to bring Quality to the Surface as we always strive to do!

Late February saw an interesting challenge for the Glenco team.

The Bridge Farm Nurseries required a new section of access drive and forecourt in front of their offices and holding area. Apart from the worn and broken surface -there were no falls to clear the surface water and the existing surface was holding water after rain in multiple locations.

We took 50 spot levels with our laser and made a careful plan of the area. We calculated that if certain areas were planed down, including a concrete section of the existing forecourt, a small cross fall could be created to clear a section of the access drive to some existing drainage. We used a half metre planer, with a lorry to clear planings and a mechanical sweeper to clean the area. With the surface planed down and the crossfall achieved we enhanced the available falls with 6 tonnes of regulating before the allocated day to install the new hardwearing surface. Due to the extremely heavy anticipated usage of the surface with 8 wheeled 32 tonne delivery lorries, forklifts manoeuvring on the surface a heavy traffic from the rear holding area – we used a 10mm Stone Mastic Asphalt 40-45mm thick with polymodified binders to cope with the anticipated usage. The finished result made quite a transformation to the area which was aesthetically important for the shop entrance and the functionality of the new surface essential for the access drive to the main areas at the rear of the facility.

Quality was brought to the surface!

Glenco has been busy during January working at Lasham Aerodrome. As the aerodrome was constructed in the 1940’s much of the infrastructure is beginning to decay or is in need of replacement. This is very much the situation with the tarmac, much of which is heavily oxidized and is breaking up. There has been some historical subsidence in some areas of the surface causing depressions that result in large puddles after rainfall. The presence of standing water on the surface has accelerated the decay to these areas. The heavy and demanding usage at the aerodrome with large vehicles, plane tugs and the large 737’s require the tarmac to be in good condition and well constructed in order to take the weight and manoeuvring of these vehicles.

Problem areas of the runway and the perimeter access road have been identified and allocated for replacement. We have used a bobcat planer and sweeper attachment to plane down and prepare the specified areas, areas have been regulated to bring them to within surface course tolerance. Once areas regulated, thoroughly compacted and prepared, a new surface course 10mm Tuffdrive SMA HS PMB proprietary surface course with plolymodified binders laid and compacted flush to all adjoining levels. A hardstone granite aggregate is used in the surface course to ensure appropriate skid resistance to the surface when trafficked. A hot pour joint sealant is used to seal the joints to all the reconstructed areas to prevent any water ingress to the new structure.

Due to the continued access requirements during the works, we needed to close sections of the access road but still allowing traffic to pass so traffic management was an important consideration.
Whereas it is always easier to prepare larger areas at one time and reconstruct them accordingly, this luxury was not afforded to us! We needed to prepare a few sections and replace the tarmac on these areas opening up sections again for normal usage. It has been more time consuming to have to work in this manner but it has caused minimal inconvenience to 2 Excel Engineering who manage the airport, so they are very pleased with the way the programme of reconstruction has been run. The functionality and the appearance of the hard surfaces have been greatly enhanced without any impairment to their operational capacity.

An interesting and involved challenge, but nevertheless, Glenco has again brought Quality to the Surface!

December has seen Glenco busy working on industrial estates and commercial areas, repairing and reinstating heavy duty drainage channels, concrete reinstatements and tarmac repairs. The heavy duty drainage channels used on the Ridgeway Trading Estate in Iver were no longer available in the UK, being made by Stora who only had European outlets available for supply. The importance of matching drainage runs with the same sized channels is obviously imperative. We tracked down a supplier in the Irish Republic who were able to ship us the required channel without much lead time, allowing for a seamless installation.

The macadam structures in heavily trafficked areas require the strongest compacted courses to support the type of vehicles using them. We have installed 20-32mm dense bituminous road base macadam at 80-90mm depth. The surface course, which require the strongest available materials, we have used a 10mm Stone Mastic Asphalt SMA with polymodified binders. This type of surface course is designed to cure very rapidly and to resist slow and static turning by heavy commercial vehicles, making it ideal for the anticipated usage. Edges are then sealed with hot bitumen sealant to prevent water ingress to the reinstatements, thus enhancing the longevity of the repair.

As with all Glenco repairs, such attention to detail, will always ensure that ‘Quality is brought to the surface’!

In the world of civil engineering, innovation is key to staying ahead of the curve. One exciting trend that has been gaining momentum in recent years is the use of coloured tarmacs and driveways. Traditionally, asphalt and concrete surfaces have been known for their uniform shades of grey, but the rising popularity of coloured alternatives is transforming the way we perceive and experience our outdoor spaces.

Aesthetic Appeal: Adding a Splash of Colour
Coloured tarmacs and driveways offer an immediate visual impact, turning mundane surfaces into vibrant features. Homeowners and businesses alike are embracing the opportunity to express their individuality through the use of various colours, patterns, and designs. This aesthetic enhancement not only elevates the overall look of a property but also contributes to a sense of pride and uniqueness.

Customization for Personalization: Tailoring Surfaces to Suit Preferences
Civil engineers now have access to a wide range of pigments and additives that allow for the customization of asphalt and concrete. This flexibility enables clients to choose colors that complement their architectural styles, landscaping, or corporate branding. Whether it’s a subtle earth tone or a bold statement hue, the ability to personalize driveways and tarmacs is reshaping the way we view infrastructure.

Durability and Functionality: Beyond Aesthetics
Beyond the visual appeal, coloured surfaces maintain the same durability and functionality as traditional pavements. The pigments used in these projects are specifically designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, UV exposure, and heavy traffic. This means that the vibrant aesthetics don’t compromise the long-term performance of the surface, making it a practical and stylish choice for various applications.

Sustainable Options: Eco-friendly Colours
As environmental consciousness continues to grow, so does the demand for sustainable building practices. Coloured tarmacs and driveways can be designed with eco-friendly considerations in mind. Water-based or low-VOC (volatile organic compound) pigments are available, aligning with the industry’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint.

Safety Enhancements: Coloured Surfaces for Improved Visibility
Coloured driveways are not just about aesthetics; they can also serve practical purposes. Using contrasting colors for crosswalks, bike lanes, or pedestrian areas enhances visibility and safety. This application is especially relevant in urban planning and residential areas where a clear distinction between different zones is crucial for the well-being of pedestrians and cyclists.

Conclusion:
The rise in the trend of coloured tarmacs and driveways is a testament to the ever-evolving nature of civil engineering. As technology and materials advance, the industry continues to find innovative ways to merge functionality with aesthetics. Coloured surfaces are not just a visual treat; they offer a unique opportunity for self-expression, environmental consideration, and enhanced safety. Whether it’s a residential driveway or a commercial parking lot, adding a splash of colour to our outdoor spaces is redefining the way we approach infrastructure design and construction.