This project involved replacing 396m of high-containment Vehicle Restraint System (VRS) barrier on the M25/M20 interchange. Following extensive ECI and pre-site trials, the team delivered the project using a pioneering new modular foundation,
Conventional VRS uses posts and concrete foundations between 600-800mm deep, spaced 2.4m apart. Installation can be time consuming, particularly if working around underground services. In contrast, Smartraft® is a modular system designed, manufactured & pre-cured off-site. Each unit is approximately 6 metres long, connecting to the next using a dado-style joint. VRS posts are inserted into sockets and secured with a pin, or surface mounted. Smartraft® requires up to 200mm excavation, and once installed, the interlocking sections create a ground-beam effect.
This project is a trailblazer, proving Smartraft® to be a superior foundation alternative for any VRS, regardless of the containment requirements. By offering a single solution, Smartraft® simplifies VRS installation of all future barrier replacement projects.
Three Winning Facts:
- This is the first time Smartraft® has been installed in conjunction with High Containment Barrier, which is designed to protect overbridge foundations against vehicle and HGV strikes, thus simplifying all future barrier replacement schemes by offering a single solution to all containment scenarios.
- The team compressed a 3-week night-working programme into a single 56-hour weekend closure, reducing disruption to motorists and lowering people-hours by 70%, delivering a a 41% reduction in project cost and enabling most of the work during daylight.
- Smartraft® uses 49% less concrete than conventional concrete foundations, significantly reducing the project’s carbon footprint.
