Fugro has been awarded a £5.2M site characterisation package by Align JV as part of design and construction preparation works for HS2 Phase 1 (Area: Central 1).

The international geoscience specialist will be providing detailed ground intelligence to the Align consortium, which is responsible for the section C1 civil engineering package extending from the Colne Valley viaduct to the northern portal of the Chilterns Tunnel.

Work includes a programme of rotary holes to depths up to 100 metres. A further 20 boreholes will be drilled from pontoons to help inform the design of the viaduct piers. Fugro will also undertake in situ and cone penetration testing, along with laboratory testing and factual reporting.

Already underway, the 12-month programme is split over two phases running March to June and July through to February 2019. With considerable expertise of investigating chalk geology, Fugro geoscientists will apply advanced techniques to determine ground strata and engineering properties to help Align optimise tunnel and foundation design.

Fugro has been providing site characterisation data for HS2 since 2016, completing contracts at locations between London and Birmingham as one of the appointed specialists on the preliminary ground investigations framework.

Ian Judge, Fugro’s framework director for HS2, said: “We are delighted to be engaged in the advanced stages of site investigation for HS2 and supporting Align with the delivery of ground data for some of the most challenging tunnel and bridge structures of Phase 1.

“As with our previous HS2 work, Fugro is offering innovative solutions through early involvement with the client to reduce subsurface uncertainty and help the design team manage ground risk”.