Old Fletton Primary School in Peterborough has welcomed pupils back to a safe and secure school building following essential ground improvement works by geotechnical engineering specialist Geobear. The building, which houses two offices and three classrooms, had been rendered unusable due to subsidence but is now fully stabilised for the new school term.
Old Fletton Primary is home to 438 children, and one of its buildings was in urgent need of repair. With every learning space vital to the school’s operation, it was essential that the necessary works began quickly to minimise disruption to pupils and staff.
Long-term settlement had caused cracks up to 20mm wide, and temporary acrow props had been in place for some time to support the structure and prevent further destabilisation while administrators sought a permanent solution.
“Our priority was to provide a safe learning environment for the children of Fletton Primary, fast. Without this solution, the school would have needed temporary cabins to replace offices and classrooms, which would have been costly and disruptive to their education,” said Sarah Levy, Headteacher at Old Fletton Primary School.
Peterborough City Council explored solutions that would restore building safety and functionality over the summer holiday. It engaged Pick Everard, a consultancy specialising in property, infrastructure, and construction, to investigate the cause.
An assessment survey revealed that the settlement was caused by clay soil shrinkage combined with the proximity of tree roots, which had undermined the shallow 1.3-metre foundations. With the building already underpinned, an alternative solution was required. Main contractor Lindum, with Geobear as subcontractor, developed a plan to protect the school long-term.
Geobear created a perimeter ‘wall’ of geopolymer resin using 206 injection points around the entire perimeter of the building, with each injection point receiving four kg of resin. Completed in 15 shifts, the project stabilises both the soil and the building, offering a long-term solution for the school
“This is the fifth school Geobear has helped secure this year, and the goal is always to deliver a solution that provides pupils, parents, and staff with peace of mind for the future,” said Halil Kaygisiz, Area Manager for Commercial and Infrastructure at Geobear UK.
Want to learn how to protect your school from subsidence? Read more on Geobear’s ground engineering work on a south west London school.
