Temporary Works: unlocking complex basement excavations

Within our towns and cities, large-scale basement excavations are becoming increasingly common, posing a difficult challenge to contractors. In this blog, we explore the challenges of complex basement excavations and how temporary works can support in their safe and efficient delivery.

As space in city centres becomes tighter and our buildings get taller, the basement excavations required for their construction become larger and more complex. Today, it’s not uncommon for basements to be three to four storeys deep, and that’s just for residential properties. Their location can also provide additional challenges, with busy urban areas presenting project teams with unique factors to consider in order to ensure the groundworks are delivered safely.

Maximising on space = tight site constraints

Available space is perhaps the biggest restriction on basement excavation projects. Naturally, architects and developers will want to utilise every available square metre for the new building, with piling often being carried out all the way up to the party wall boundary. However, this also means that the construction site itself can be smaller and highly constrained, with less available space to store materials and equipment.

With every available inch being utilised, basement excavations rarely feature a standard rectangular excavation. Instead, the reality is that the site geometry will be incredibly complex, requiring a bespoke groundworks support scheme to match.

Designing the basement excavation

The challenges of basement excavations do not end there. As well as requiring more bespoke detailing than a standard groundworks project, their large size, high shear loads, complex geometry, detailed connections and proximity to neighbouring structures can also present higher risk. It is for this reason that liaising with an expert temporary works supplier early on in a project’s construction sequence can be so valuable, providing the design experience and expertise to deliver the works safely, correctly and within programme.

Given the potential size and complexity of basement groundworks projects, the use of digital design technology at the scheme design stage can be invaluable, providing the 3D visualisation and high levels of accuracy you need to help bring the project to life, safely. At MH International, digital engineering is embedded in everything we do. Our EVE immersive design solution helps to take this even further, providing our engineering team and the client with the opportunity to explore the site and proposed temporary works solution in a virtual and interactive way, providing a digital rehearsal of the works.

A seamless installation

The challenges and risks of basement excavations don’t end once the design has been signed off – on site installation is just as critical.

Here, combining design expertise with in-house install capabilities can deliver very real benefits, helping to streamline the overall construction process and have a positive impact on the groundworks scheme design. With in-house knowledge on implementing and installing schemes on site, our install team can offer practical insight at the design stage – for example, whether a complex connection would be feasible on site. This knowledge can help to ensure that the scheme is constructible in the real world.

Monitoring the impact of your excavation

The conversation around basement excavations isn’t limited to just groundworks equipment.
Given the tight site restraints and neighbouring infrastructure seen on city centre sites, both structural and environmental monitoring can be invaluable on basement excavation projects. As well as providing the assurance that any neighbouring buildings remain structurally safe, such technology can also be used to ensure that the construction works are complying with the agreed levels, often set out in relevant environmental legislation.

Structural monitoring can also be used on the groundworks props themselves, providing contractors with the assurance that the support scheme is performing as intended, as well as providing advanced warning should additional supports be required.

At MH International, we have everything you need for a successful basement excavation project delivery; from our expert and experienced people, digital design capabilities, in-house install team, wide range of groundworks support equipment, and monitoring solutions.

Got an upcoming basement excavation? Get in touch with our team today to discuss your requirements, here.