James Lockyer Associates Ltd
Oakland Mews, Liskeard
CornwallPL14 3UX
01579 344771
Finished project
The Finished Building
Bridges and Walkways
Completed project
During construction
Underpinning reinforcement
Reinforcement for new patio
Completed Project
View from the new balcony
Completed works
Completed project
Completed project
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Wind Turbine Installation

Location

Gunnislake, Cornwall

Client

Cornwall Council

Contractor

W Daniels Plant Hire (Groundworks)

Contract Value

£12,000

Services Provided

Project Management
Site Investigation
Structural Drawing & Detailing
Sustainable Construction

The Project

A new 11.6m high wind turbine was to be installed to provide power to the nearby Tamar Valley Visitor Centre, constructed as a low energy, zero fossil emission building.

The site is located adjacent to the disused Drakewalls Mine, once the richest tin mine in East Cornwall, that closed in the early 1900’s. The ground contains mine waste, which is covered by a layer of inert soil. James Lockyer Associates arranged for trial holes to be excavated to determine the ground conditions and to obtain soil samples for analysis, which confirmed the presence of arsenic contamination, commonly found in mining areas.

To achieve the required bearing pressure for the turbine foundation, the loads had to be transferred into the bedrock below the uncompacted fill material, resulting in a very deep concrete base requiring excavation and disposal of contaminated material. We were requested to provide a cost effective alternative. The solution was to have a shallow concrete foundation on bored piles into the bedrock.

  • Site of the turbine
  • Excavations
  • Reinforcement
  • Turbine base
  • New wind turbine