Environment

Project

Excavation of Remains, Barry, Wales

Location

Barry, Wales

Client

The Vale of Glamorgan

Business Sectors

Environment

Services (Technical Disciplines)

• Excavation
• Detailed Analysis

Our Role:

The Vale of Glamorgan council in Wales hired Rubicon Heritage Services to assess a road they wanted to be straightened.

The project led to the discovery of an extensive trove of archaeological artifacts and hundreds of graves dating back thousands of years. Rubicon discovered a Roman-era mercenary buried with his sword and a mysterious beheaded skeleton.

Rubicon is undertaking a detailed analysis of the remain, checking for family links to the bodies, signs of diseases or injuries, or clues about diets.

Results:

In one section of the five-mile road was a collection of Roman artifacts and several skeletons; One is believed to be a mercenary, buried with a large sword and a military broach, dated to the period that the Roman Empire fell apart in Britain. Nearby was another skeleton of a decapitated man, buried with his head by his feet.

In another excavated section of the road revealed a burial site from a later period that also raised many questions.

In the middle of a field lies a once-hidden medieval burial ground, uncovered by Rubicon, that holds 450 bodies.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes

Rubicon has released an e-book detailing the project called the “Five Mile Lane,” which describes what has been found so far, including Bronze Age cremations, an arrowhead, and a 3000-year-old roundhouse.

The detailed findings will be published at the end of 2022.

Geoscience Ireland Contact | Colm Moloney(colm.moloney@rubiconheritage.com)

Project Title: 

Site Investigation and Waste Classification  | Verde Environmental

Location:

Facebook EMEA HQ at former AIB Buildings, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Client: 

Ronan Group

Business Sectors: 

Environment

Services (Technical Disciplines):

Design and complete site investigation and soil waste classification.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

Verde were engaged to design and complete a comprehensive contaminated site investigation and soil waste classification assessment of soils to be excavated at a proposed development site located in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Determination of appropriate off-site disposal options for soils requiring removal from the site.

Our Role: 

• Drilling of 19 boreholes in the grounds of the proposed developments including boreholes within existing building basements.
• These included 7 shallow boreholes drilled to investigate extent of suspected contamination under a carpark.
• Installation of groundwater monitoring wells at selected locations.
• Retrieval of representative soil samples, in-situ recording and monitoring and extensive laboratory analysis of a representative selection of samples.
• Bulk density sampling and analysis of a selected soil samples.
• Completion of waste classification exercise using HazWasteOnline™ Tool. Completion of characterisation by comparing results to Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC).
• Preparation of Soil Waste Classification Report including detailed description of conditions encountered and containing excavation dig plan and recommendations for management of soils to be excavated material at the site.

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Kevin Cleary (kevin.cleary@verde.ie)

Project Title: 

Oil Spill Remediation – Corroded Oil Filter Bowl | Verde Remediation Services

Location:

Coalisland, Co. Tyrone

Date: 

December 2019

Client: 

Householder

Business Sectors: 

Environment

Services (Technical Disciplines):

The insured noticed oil odours in their house. They contacted their plumber to investigate and the oil delivery company to drain the rest of the oil from their tank and put into a temporary tank. The oil leak came from the aluminium filter bowl on the tank which was badly corroded as it was semi submerged in wet mud.

Their insurance company contacted Verde to conduct a Prelimary Site Assessment which included:

• Internal ambient air quality survey using a Photo Ionisation Detector (PID).
• Intrusive investigation and sampling which included the advancement of a number of soil borings and trial pits.
• Installation of a VEU to reduce internal hydrocarbon malodours.

Excavation of an emergency trench with recovery sumps and the installation of an oil water separator.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

Remediate the damage the oil spill and reinstate the property.

Damage Caused:

• Significantly elevated VOC (Volatile organic compounds) readings recorded by PID (Photo Ionisation Detection) in a number of rooms within the house.
• Significantly impacted soil encountered adjacent to the oil tank location and at a number of locations around the house, especially atop the foundations at the kitchen and the garage.

Oily perched water encountered against the foundations at the rear house.

Our Role: 

Verde’s Remediation Programme:

1. Emergency Works:

• Disconnection and removal of oil tank and boiler.
• Set up of a temporary heating system.
• Installation of an interception trench, adjacent to the retaining wall at the rear lawn, to allow the recovery of oily water.
• Installation of a vapour extraction system to try to alleviate hydro carbon odours from within the property.
• Installation of monitoring sumps.

2.Enabling Works:

• Site preparation works including the placement of skips, erection of site fencing and safety signage.
• Removal and on-site storage of granite paving slabs.
• Removal and on-site storage of paving brick.
• Removal of oil tank.

3.Source Removal:

• Excavation, removal and disposal of impacted soils in the rear lawn area, between the garage and the retaining wall, and along the western walls of the garage and kitchen.
• Excavation tracking the drainage pipe along the retaining wall.
• Excavation of a 1m wide trench along the eastern walls of the utility and playroom.
• Removal of sewer and storm drains if required to facilitate the excavations.
• Installation of inoculation pipework via blockwork to aid the application of treatment solutions to flush any pathways and to treat soil/fill material beneath the property.
• Installation of release points to rising blockwork at foundation level.
• All structural works conducted according to the advices of a structural engineer.
• All excavated material removed for appropriate disposal and/or treatment at a licensed facility.

4. InSitu Treatment:

• Upgrading and continued use of the vapour extraction system.
• Continued use of the pump and treat system
• Application of specialised bio remedial solutions to the sides and base of the excavations.
• Application of specialised bio remedial solutions to the soils/fill material beneath the footprint of the house.
• Pressurised application of specialised bio remedial solutions to the exposed blockwork.

5.Reinstatement of Property

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Kevin Cleary (kevin.cleary@verde.ie)

Project Title: 

5G Streetworks Project | Entrust Services

Date:

January 2019 – Present

Location:

England (North West and Midlands Regions)

Client: 

KTL, On behalf of MBNL (EE & 3UK)

Business Sectors: 

Telecommunications, Communications, Broadband, Wireless Infrastructure

Services (Technical Disciplines):

Town Planning, Site Acquisition, Public Consultation

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

Delivered 120 telecommunications masts in various urban and suburban areas in North West England and the English Midlands. The masts would be capable of providing both 3G/4G services, as well as new 5G technology.

Our Role: 

Entrust were involved from the initial site selection process, right through to completing acquisition and gaining planning permission for over 120 sites. We have a success rate of 71% planning success rate on all of the sites and a 100% success rate on acquisition, which considering the 20m height of the proposed masts in urban areas is a considerable achievement.

Entrust worked closely with Planning Authorities and Highway Authorities to gain planning permission and acquisition rights for the proposed masts, overcoming issues such as visual impact, protecting tree roots and avoiding underground services.

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Kieran Tarpey (kieran@entrust-services.com)