Groundworks and monitoring package delivered for arena complex

Manchester

Project Overview

Location	Manchester
Sector	Building
Products	250Te End Unit Vehicle BeamBridge Portable Vibration Monitor

A major entertainment arena under construction in the North-West is one of the UK’s largest indoor events venues, with its construction including an extensive basement structure as part of the auditorium: for which we provided a comprehensive groundworks and monitoring package to help ensure the safety of the development and its surroundings.

The challenge

Contaminated unstable ground

The site had significant ground contamination and hidden voids from its previous use as a gas works, creating high risk for excavation and structural stability.

Deep excavation requirements

Excavating 150,000 cubic metres to depths of four to ten metres required complex temporary works, including trench shields, cofferdams, and extensive sheet-piling to retain the perimeter safely.

Safe access for heavy machinery

Ensuring that heavy excavators and equipment could operate safely across the unstable and uneven ground presented logistical and structural challenges, necessitating the use of modular bridging solutions.

Our solution

Mabey Hire provided a comprehensive temporary works solution for the challenging Manchester site, supplying trench shields, cofferdams, and customised sheet-piling to safely retain the perimeter of the four- to ten-metre-deep excavation.

For particularly complex areas, including one corner supported by two 42-metre Super Bracing Struts, our engineering team designed and tailored solutions to manage the unstable and contaminated ground. Additionally, 20-metre BeamBridges were installed to allow heavy machinery and excavators to safely traverse the site, demonstrating the versatility of modular bridging equipment in a demanding construction environment.

View Beam Bridges

Alongside the structural support, Mabey Hire deployed advanced vibration monitoring to protect nearby infrastructure during live piling operations. Five sensors were installed on the concrete footing of an elevated access road, protected by a timber frame and backfilled for the 14-week monitoring period.

Data from the sensors was transmitted in real time to the Insite system, providing alerts if trigger limits were exceeded. This combination of customised temporary works and continuous monitoring allowed construction to progress safely and efficiently, enabling piling and diaphragm wall installation within 150mm of existing structures while maintaining project schedule and site safety.

Get in touch

“We’ve established a very good working relationship with Mabey Hire over several years; there has never been anything we’ve wanted that they haven’t been able to supply us. ”

Dave Hanlon

Engineering Manager / BAM