Monthly Archives: November 2018

Drainage Strategy – Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Southwest Environmental were contact my a firm of architects who required a Surface Water Management Plan (Drainage Strategy) for their site is amersham. The project involves the extension of an existing warehouse.

The additional roof area has the potential to create run-off. A design was put forward to counter this problem.

Run-Off is when water falls on a hard surface, and does not soak in to the ground. It then will “run-off” . . . but where will it go. Perhaps it is caused flooding elsewhere. This is the purpose of a Surface Water Drainage Strategy. It sets out a method for dealing with Run-Off

The report was prepared on a quick turnaround (5 working days) and submitted for review. Pending some minor amendments at request of the client the report was submitted to Chiltern District Council for Scrutiny.

Are current design avoids the use of soak-away drainage although is does recommend for some attenuation.

Indoor Air Quality Monitoring – Bristol

SWEL Air Quality Consultants Bristol were approached by a site manager in Bristol who was concerned with odours in one of his companies meeting rooms. Southwest Environmental attended site to make an assessment of what was occuring.

It looked as though some carpet tiles on the floor of the room identified were “melted” in some way. It is likely we thought that some sort of solvent had been spilled on the floor. . .or had been present when the tiles were laid.

We start a rapid monitoring program for the presence of VOCs in the room in line with occupational exposure limits. We also sent the carpet tiles for analysis, to find out:

The type of Resin use in their making
Foreign contaminants (such as solvents)

We are awaiting results on both the monitoring and the analysis and will make conclusions is due course.

Site Investigation – Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Southwest Environmental has recently undertaken a site investigation in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. The purpose of the investigations were two fold.

Find Out Soil Strengths
Expose Existing Footings

The work was undertaken over 2 days, and the data was used to write a report on the state of the ground on site. The existing pad footing appear to be bedding directly on to the bedrock which was a cornbrash limestone: Limestone, medium- to fine-grained, predominantly bioclastic wackestone and packstone with sporadic peloids; generally and characteristically intensely bioturbated and consequently poorly bedded, although better bedded, commonly somewhat arenaceous units occur in places, particularly in the upper part. Generally bluish grey when fresh, but weathers to olive or yellowish brown. Thin argillaceous partings or interbeds of calcareous mudstone may occur.

SPT data was used to provide input data for bearing capacity calculations. These are then provided to the structural engineer.

SWEL undertake site investigation all over the UK. We try to do things on a quick turnaround where possible.