Specialist engineering techniques are transforming the River Don’s banks as Esh Construction is pushing forward with work on the £4.1 million public realm project at Rotherham Riverside.

The scheme, commissioned by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council through the YORhub YORcivil2 framework, is a significant step in revitalising the riverside area.

Esh’s civil engineering team is repairing existing river walls near Westgate, incorporating over 250 sheet piles to form a robust new foundation for a planned riverside footpath. The installation of 127 pairs of sheet piles, some measuring up to 18 meters in length and weighing six tonnes each, was completed within five weeks.

A temporary piling mat, stretching 170 meters in length and capable of supporting the substantial machinery used during construction, has also been constructed. This mat consists of 1,500 tonnes of capping, measuring 8 meters wide and 550 millimetres deep.

Collaboration with Sheet Piling UK brought sustainable innovation to the project. The company supplied Emirates Steel Arkan’s (EMSTEEL) GreenSheetPile™ low-carbon sheet piles, manufactured via the Electric Arc Furnace method. This process significantly reduces embedded carbon, achieving an embedded carbon value of 708kg per tonne—far lower than the industry norm of 2,300kg per tonne.

Beyond the riverbank work, Esh is making extensive upgrades near Westgate and on Water Lane, incorporating cut-and-fill operations, deep drainage, Japanese knotweed removal, and the construction of gabion basket retaining walls.

As the project progresses into 2025, the piling mat will be removed, and the area between the river wall and sheet piles backfilled. A capping beam and balustrades will be added before work begins on constructing the footpath itself.

This comprehensive effort ensures a sustainable, resilient riverside area, providing a modern public space while preserving the integrity of the River Don’s banks.

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