Flood alleviation scheme

Our brief

Lithos Consulting worked alongside ARUP to perform the role of ground investigation contractor as part of an assessment for proposed flood defences along the River Loxley in the Hillsborough area of Sheffield.

Site characteristics

The flood defences include a combination of flood walls, embankment defences and flood gates, situated between Malin Bridge and the confluence with the River Don.  These have received funding from local government and the Environment Agency and will be welcomed by a multitude of businesses and residents in the area.

What we did

Stretching over a 2.2km length of the river and across 15 different sites, the investigation comprised a mixture of hand-excavations, trial pitting, rotary probing, rotary coring and dynamic sampling.  There were a number of logistical challenges posed by working at such a variety of locations (which included retail, residential, care homes, metal workers) across a tight timescale.  Our engineers on site had to be aware of the nuances of each landowner’s requirements, and the unique health & safety risks at each location.

As full-time engineers on site, Lithos were the point of contact for various stakeholders including contacts at each of the 15 sites, various subcontractors, ARUP, and Sheffield City Council; communication was key to a successful project.

The outcome

Our work was completed safely, on-time and within budget.  We are proud to have played a part in such an important scheme for the people of Sheffield.