AN unusual project at Glensanda Quarry has required an innovative solution from PERI, provider and manufacturer of formwork and scaffolding systems.
Glensanda Quarry is a stunning super quarry in a remote location on the Morvern Peninsula, 10.5 miles north of Oban.
The largest coastal quarry in Europe, Glensanda supports about 200 jobs and is only accessible by boat.
PERI has been chosen as the formwork supplier by Britcon Ltd for the construction of a new 30-metre high crusher house and reclaim tunnel.
The facility at Glensanda includes a processing plant, a small aircraft landing strip, a coastal deep-water berth and a small harbour to receive the private ferry that brings workers to the quarry.
Owned by Yeoman Aggregate Industries, Yeoman Glensanda produces aggregates for the UK and European construction industry. All aggregates are shipped by sea and three self-unloading vessels are operated at Glensanda.
Since starting operations, around 120 million tonnes of stone products have been shipped out of Glensanda.
To continue meeting demand, owners recognised the need to update some facilities including the crusher house and tunnel of the impressive resource.
The crusher is required for new dumpers and is lower on the site to reduce the distance the dumpers have to travel to offload aggregate. The structure is 30-metres high with five internal slabs.
Originally it was designed to be a single-sided pour against the blasted out rock-face.
However, the solution was adapted to be partially single-sided and partially double-sided. The floor height on the lowest floor was ten metres and the floor slabs are up to 2.4 metres thick in some areas.
A reclaim tunnel and an escape tunnel are also being constructed.
Martin Richardson of PERI said, “Access to the site has been facilitated using PERI-UP, providing a safe and efficient system that is quick and easy to erect. There has been great feedback from personnel on site.”
Site manager Andy Clark added, “Glensanda has been a particularly awe-inspiring project in a very striking setting.”
