Saltire Infrastructure Awards – 2018 Shortlist

The Saltire Infrastructure Awards celebrate outstanding civil engineering achievements and the contribution civil engineers make to our quality of life; showcasing the people who design, build and maintain our infrastructure.

We are delighted to have teamed up with ICE Scotland in their bicentenary year, under the banner of the Saltire Society, to deliver this fantastic celebration of civil engineering at the National Museum of Scotland on 24 October 2018.

2018 Entries: 13 projects were shortlisted by the Saltire judging panel and are outlined below. You can also access the full Awards brochure here: Saltire Awards 2018

Camogli Medical Centre – Tristan da Cunha

Contractor: Morrison Construction

The people living on the world’s most remote inhabited island, accessible only by sea now have modern, fully-functional medical facilities, thanks to Scotland’s engineers. This exceptionally challenging project involved the design and construction of a new healthcare centre on Tristan da Cunha – a semi-dormant volcano lying in the southern Atlantic between the tips of South America and South Africa. Home to just 256 people, health facilities on the island were in poor condition and not fit for purpose.

With no harbour accessible for ocean-going vessels, the project demanded a huge degree of forward planning and logistics. All materials, plant and equipment had to be delivered on a single ship and transferred to shore. Off-site construction was maximised and the project was delivered in juts 18 months from design concept to handover.

Clyde Wind Farm Extension

Contractor: Balfour Beatty, Jones Bros

The addition of 54 3.2 megawatt turbines to the Clyde Wind Farm in South Lanarkshire has increased its annual output to meet the energy needs of more than 240,000 homes, making it the third largest wind farm in Europe with 206 turbines. The 48km² site, situated on the catchment of the Camps Reservoir supplies drinking water for 120,000 homes.

The design and construction methods were specifically developed for this sensitive and remote site and delivered a project that has not affected the water quality of the reservoir or interrupted the water supply to the homes served by it. This project has provided sustainable energy by expanding an existing facility in a difficult-to-develop area with low environmental impact.

Forth Replacement Crossing

Contractor: FCBC JV (Hochtief, Dragados, American Bridge, Morrison Construction)

The iconic 1.7 mile (2.7km) Queensferry Crossing – the longest three-tower cablestayed bridge in the world – forms the centrepiece of the largest infrastructure project in Scotland in a generation (£1.3 billion investment). A new crossing was needed to replace the Forth Road Bridge (FRB), which was nearing the end of its design life and carrying more traffic than originally intended. The project boasts several firsts including the longest continuous underwater concrete pour and the longest freestanding cantilever.

An engineering project of extraordinary scale and complexity the Forth Replacement Crossing epitomises professional excellence in all aspects of its design and construction. The state-of-the-art project both safeguards a vital transport corridor and enhances an already iconic location with its elegant design.

Garriongill Embankment

Contractors: The QTS Group, Skanska

The West Coast Main Line is a vital railway link for passengers and freight between Scotland and England. In 2013 a major geotechnical failure in the Garriongill embankment in the Clyde Valley threatened rail operations. To safeguard this vital transport link situated within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a 22,000-tonne stone buttress was installed, with minimal disruption, to safeguard the route for decades to come. The project recycled as much water as possible to avoid possible contamination and offset the environmental impact of the work by a factor of ten.

Inverness West Link

Contractor: Wills Bros Civil Engineering Ltd

Reflecting the city’s burgeoning population, this new 2.2km distributor road marks the first phase of an important infrastructure project aimed at connecting communities, reducing congestion, tackling air pollution and improving travel links around the Highland capital for commuters, cyclists and walkers.

The project included the construction of a 170m three-span bridge across the River Ness and a new state-of-the-art community sports facility and clubhouse. With one of the highest average discharge rates in UK the River Ness presented an engineering challenge with the contractor tackled with an innovative, bespoke solution to counter uplift forces.

Loanhead Cycle Path Extension

Contractor: RJ McLeod

Spanning Edinburgh and Midlothian, the new 3km section of the popular Loanhead Path runs south of Lasswade as far as Shawfield Park in Danderhall, bringing new life to a former railway line. The path comes ahead of 5,000 new homes, schools and commercial development over the next 20 years.

Construction works included repair of three bridges, installation of two new hardwood timber bridges, an access ramp and the installation of drainage, streetlighting, fencing, signage and earthworks. The project has created new travel links to the local cycle network and greater Edinburgh, bringing physical, mental health and well-being benefits.

The Macallan Distillery

Contractors: Robertson Construction, SH Structures

This £140 million flagship distillery and visitor experience will enable Edrington to increase production to meet future demand and create a home for The Macallan that matches the stature of one of the world’s most recognised malt whisky brands.

This project combines innovative design with a semi-subterranean production facility supporting a complex but gently undulating timber roof structure which, topped with a wildflower meadow, blends beautifully into the surrounding landscape. Engineering ingenuity was required to build such a cutting-edge structure alongside existing distillery operations, which presented designers and contractors with many of the challenges typical on a major infrastructure project in a sensitive environment with stringent major hazard requirements.

Ness Weir Restoration

Contractor: MacKenzie Construction Ltd

The Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness attract thousands of visitors every year, bringing considerable economic benefit to the Highlands. The restoration of this Thomas Telford masterpiece both preserves the built heritage of the original structure and adds resilience against climate change and flood protection to the Highland capital for the next 100 years.

Built between 1825 and 1830, Ness Weir raises the water level of Loch Dochfour by almost two metres and Loch Ness by 1.2 metres, retaining around 100,000,000m³ of water. It has a history of scour damage and a breach of a similarly constructed weir nearby prompted Scottish Canals to upgrade it to protect Inverness from flooding. The River Ness is a famous salmon fishing river with freshwater pearl mussels further upstream which depend on the fish. In-stream works were restricted to a four-month window from July to October to protect the environment and water quality was continually monitored. A temporary fish pass was required for one week during a critical phase of the piling works. Its installation, by helicopter, presented a significant challenge.

Prince Charles Wharf

Contractor: Southbay Civil Engineering Ltd

North Sea decommissioning and renewable energy markets are a major contributor to Dundee and Scotland’s economy. Driven by the increasing demand from these markets, the Port has significantly increased its capacity by constructing a new 200m x 40m quay extension to the existing Prince Charles Wharf, comprising normal and heavy lift areas. This unique and challenging project involved construction above a failed existing quay. Incorporating the older structure into the design made maximum use of existing materials with no removal offsite and removed the need to have marine plant in the Firth, removing the risk of potential pollution.

Shieldhall Tunnel

Contractor: Costain-Vinci Construction Grands Projets Joint Venture

In June 2002, a month’s rain fell on Glasgow in just one afternoon leaving the Southside under several feet of water. A hugely ambitious project, the Shieldhall Tunnel is a key part of the £250m partnership programme to transform how the city manages rainfall to end uncontrolled flooding and improve water quality in the Clyde.

It is the biggest storm water storage tunnel in Scotland and represents the largest investment in the sewer network since Victorian times. The project involved the construction of a 5km tunnel wide enough to fit a double decker bus inside, and required considerable mineworking consolidation along a challenging route that passed beneath three railway lines, three parks and the M77. More than 90% of all excavated material was recycled, and the £100m project was delivered within an astonishing two years.

Sighthill Regeneration

Contractor: VHE Construction

The Sighthill area in Glasgow has undergone the first step in its ambitious transformation from a derelict, contaminated landscape to an attractive new urban neighbourhood thanks to civil engineers. The 50 hectare site encompassed numerous industrial facilities including chemical works, above and below ground rail  infrastructure, brickworks and landfill from the M8. Sighthill was home to the St Rollox chemical works – the largest in the world in the early 19th century – which produced sodium carbonate (soda ash or crystals). The manufacturing process was massively inefficient, resulting in the dumping of large amounts of a waste material called galligu. Galligu presents a number of challenges and cannot simply be excavated as the physical handling process can cause its solid state to liquefy.

Engineers mitigated contamination risk to the environment by containing the galligu with a 1.4km slurry wall and covering it with a 125,000m² geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) membrane. The earthworks and remediation activities included the movement of 1,200,000m3 of soils producing zero waste to landfill.

The Tay Bridge

Contractor: Taziker Industrial Ltd

 The Tay Bridge is Britain’s longest rail structure, spanning almost 3.3km across the Firth of Tay. It has been in operation for over 130 years and carries the Edinburgh-Aberdeen rail line, a key passenger and freight route providing approximately 70 train services per day. To protect this valuable link and maintain service for current and future customers, phased refurbishment works were required to strengthen the structure, prevent rust and improve its appearance. This project ensures a 125-year structural life span, with no further treatment works required for 25 years.

A Grade A listed monument, any solutions had to preserve the historical integrity of the structure. 240,000m² of steelwork were painted and repaired along with all exposed elements of steel and iron. A £2m cost saving was achieved by installing more than 1,000m of glass reinforce plastic (GRP) walkways in place of steel.

Water of Leith Flood Prevention

Contractor: McLaughin & Harvey

In April 2000 the Water of Leith flooded, causing £25 million worth of damage to 500 properties, including homes, businesses, a school and two residential care homes. The river overtopped its banks at several points along its length and boundary walls collapsed. This scheme helps protect vulnerable areas of the capital from future flooding and includes 1.2km of new flood defences along the Water of Leith providing a 1 in 200 year standard of protection.

Advanced AZ800 steel-sheet piling was used for first time in the UK, and a pile press and water jet system was used to limit vibration close to properties. Community engagement delivered a sustainable design and waste reduction and the use of recycled materials all demonstrated a circular economy approach. 400 homes and a number of commercial properties have been secured and local residents are now protected from the very high human cost of flooding.

Best of luck to all projects shortlisted – we look forward to hearing the winners announced at the ceremony on 24th October 2018!