Over one million cubic metres of concrete has been used thus far to build HS2 structures across the West Midlands.
This amounts for just over 50% of the 1.9 million cubic metres that is required to complete works on the 90km stretch as the railway network of viaducts and bridges continues to take shape.
HS2's civils contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) has three concrete suppliers, keeping their order books full for the foreseeable future, and supporting over 250 jobs.
Aggregate Industries, Tarmac and Cemex have batched and delivered the one million cubic metres of concrete, with the milestone achieved on the Chattle Hill structure at the Delta Junction in North Warwickshire.
There are eleven local batching plants supplying the concrete, five of which are on HS2 sites.
The entire concrete programme in the West Midlands is managed by a dedicated BBV team at HS2's Kingsbury site near Lea Marston.
Jon Knights, Materials and Durability Lead at HS2, said: "The operation to manage the materials needed to build HS2's structures is hugely complex, so this milestone is a great achievement for the whole team.
"With more than half the concrete poured for structures in the West Midlands, we're well on the way to completing the viaducts and bridges that will carry the country’s new high-speed railway through the region."
The concrete is made from low carbon content as part of BBV's strategy to reduce carbon in construction
Chris Jones, Senior Construction Manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI Joint Venture said: "Carbon reduction is a big part of our materials strategy and we've worked closely with our supply chain to minimise the total cementitious contents in order to cut carbon and cost."
Aggregate Industries are supplying concrete for the Delta Junction structures, where the scale of HS2’s construction programme is now clearly visible.
A network of 13 viaducts is being built over the complex network of motorways, railway lines and rivers in the North Warwickshire area.
The Chattle Hill structure - where the milestone of one million cubic metres of concrete used was achieved - will carry four HS2 tracks over the A446 Lichfield Road on the mainline of the railway between London and Handsacre.
The structure is 165m long, 8.3m high and 23m wide. Over 4,100 cubic metres out of a total of around 10,200 cubic metres of concrete have been used for the structure to date.
The A446 diversion to take the road under the new Chattle Hill structure was completed at the end of October 2024, with the second phase of construction set to start.
This includes the central reservation piers, northern abutments and decks that will span over the A446.
Tarmac is supplying to the southern end of the route through Warwickshire, along with Washwood Heath and the Curzon approaches viaducts in Birmingham.
Cemex are also providing material in Birmingham, as well as for structures being built in Staffordshire.
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Construction News
08/11/2024
One Million Cubic Metres Of Concrete Used In HS2 Structures
Latest Construction News
25/11/2024
Estilo Interiors has been selected to help Bruntwood SciTech as they invest a further £2.4 million into Birmingham as part of a plan to transform its Mclaren innovation hub. The project, located less than five minutes' walk from the future HS2 Curzon Street Station, will involve the building ...
25/11/2024
Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) has reached a significant milestone at Aylesborough Close in Arbury, with the completion of a topping-out ceremony. CIP board members, ward councillors, One Public Estate, Homes England and the CIP team gathered to lay the final brick at the highest point of ...
25/11/2024
Lovell has appointed Nicola Colley as head of land in the West Midlands, boosting the business' expertise in land opportunities. Having previously worked at Lovell for 12 years, Nicola has returned to a brand-new role at the national housebuilder, bringing with her experience from Taylor Wimpey ...
25/11/2024
Stepnell has commenced enabling works for a significant £9 million refurbishment of the Grade II listed Town Hall in Hugh Town, located on St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly. Spearheaded by the Council of the Isles of Scilly in partnership with Scilly Arts & Heritage, the project marks a pivotal ...
25/11/2024
Morgan Sindall Construction has successfully completed the restoration of West Bromwich Town Hall and Library, restoring the significant building to its former glory for the community to enjoy. Prior to the project's handover, Morgan Sindall gave a presentation to the SMBC Members and Town ...
25/11/2024
Persimmon Homes Severn Valley has donated 10,000 bricks to AccXel, the Construction Skills Accelerator Centre in Cinderford. The contribution will enable students at the Gloucestershire-based facility to gain hands-on experience and develop essential skills for the construction industry. The ...
25/11/2024
Nearly a year after work began, significant progress is being made at Huddersfield station as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). This transformative project aims to modernise the key northern transport hub while preserving its rich heritage as a Grade I listed building. One of the ...
25/11/2024
Renovating a property can be a challenging and complex process, especially when integrating new and existing building elements. At R Elliott Associates Ltd, we specialise in helping clients navigate these challenges by providing expert planning, design, and support to pre-empt any potential ...
25/11/2024
Northumbrian Water has announced a significant investment of £3.5 million at its Great Ayton Sewage Treatment Works (STW) to enhance its capacity to manage stormwater. The project involves the installation of a new storm tank capable of holding up to 317 cubic meters of combined rainwater and ...
25/11/2024
Balfour Beatty Flannery, a partnership between Balfour Beatty and Flannery Plant Hire, has trained its 1,000th student at its Operator Skills Hub. With over 250,000 additional workers needed in the construction industry by 2028, Balfour Beatty Flannery's Operator Skills Hub is key in addressing ...