More than a thousand piles have been put in by Foundations specialist Aarsleff Ground Engineering for a warehouse development in east London.

Segro Park Rainham is part of the East Plus Scheme to regenerate under-developed and brownfield sites with big sheds and warehouses. Phase one saw more than 200,000 sq ft of unit space constructed. Phase two, to bring an additional 108,000 sq ft, is now starting.

A&H Construction has awarded Aarsleff the foundations contract, which includes the structural and slab foundations of all five units encompassed within phase two.

Aarsleff starts work on site on the 2nd December 2019. It is using three of its Junttan PMx22 and PM20 piling rigs to install 1,140 precast concrete piles of 250mm and 300mm square. The 300mm square section piles are for the building frame foundations; the 250mm square section piles are for the floor slab foundations.

Some of the piles in a small area of the site were specified to be installed using minimal vibration methods due to their proximity to the London Tilbury rail line. Aarsleff was able to offer a continuous flight auger (CFA) solution for these piles, with its new Soilmec SF50 rig.

Aarsleff is scheduled to complete its piling works before Christmas with construction to be complete and ready for lease in the third quarter of 2020.

Senior technical estimator Dan Coe said: “It is also great to be working with A&H Construction again this year, having installed precast concrete piles in July for them on a new retail development off Newport Road in Cardiff.”