Feasibilty study of a proposed new Thames river crossing

Introduction

Thames River is the longest river in England and second longest river in United Kingdom. The significance of the river is that it flows through the London. It starts from Thames head in Gloucestershire with an elevation of 110m and ends at Thames Estuary, Essex with an elevation of 0m. The length of river is 346km. It consists of 214 bridges and 17 tunnels which are very helpful in development. These bridges and tunnels are helpful in providing good transport facilities to the public and also for the supply of goods and cargo. By this the bridges and tunnels play vital role in development and also they are helpful in creating great opportunities for the development of industrial areas, education and also increase in the number of jobs.

Thames gateway is a largest gateway in Europe. It is a largest regeneration programme. Thames gateway is of 40 miles starting from the estuary from canary wharf in London to south end in Essex and Sittingbourne in Kent. It is a very best place to invest, work and live.

The world first under water tunnel was constructed in the Thames River.

And the latest tunnel constructed on Thames River was Dartford tunnel.

Our proposal is to connect the A130, Canvey Island in Essex with the M2/M20 in Kent. In order to reduce the traffic volumes on the existing bridges and tunnels and also for providing the better transportation facilities for the public a proposal of new river crossing across the river Thames is made.

The United Kingdom government wants to construct a new river crossing. Some of the other organisations are also helping in constructing a new crossing they are Kent council, Essex council, department for London (DFT), Thames gateway south Essex partnership (TGSEP). The main aim of these organisations is to develop and help in getting more number of jobs and in the construction of new homes in the future.

Although there are two existing routes which are Queen Elizabeth 2 bridge and the other is Dartford tunnel which are serving the same purpose. The new proposal is made to get more benefits to the people and also to meet the traffic volumes in future.

Bridge is the best solution for the new river crossing.

Cable stayed bridge with approximately 4.5 km length and a dual carriage way and also the new roads should be constructed in order to link the existing routes. The length of the new roads is approximately 3 km.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:

Environment plays a major role in construction industry.

Environmental issues are to be considered carefully before the construction process is going to start and also the environmental impact assessment is to be done to the particular area where the construction is going to take place.

After the environmental impact assessment done then only the project is to be started it should not start before it.

The environmental issues which are to be considered for the new project

Geological considerations

Ecology problems

Land contamination

Landscape

Water pollution

Noise pollution

Air pollution

Traffic and transport considerations.

The construction process involves the emission of co2.

The construction process is responsible for air pollution because construction works generates dust largely because of the materials which are useful for construction contains more number of dust particles.

And also by the use of diesel, petrol, demolitions, burnings these all involves in air pollution. This air pollution causes damage to the public in their healths.

The construction process is also responsible for noise pollution because of the machinery, vehicles and also the other useful equipment for the construction creates lots of noise that makes people to face lots of problem. By these health problems arises.

Water pollution is also arises due to construction because the use of diesel, petrol, toxic materials, chemicals, solvents, cleaners, paints everything which are used in the construction process involves in water pollution. The polluted water cause great damage to the aquatic life and also to the other animals. The polluted drinking water may cause damage to human lives.

Use of sustainable materials:

We can reduce the wastages in the construction process by using sustainable materials. The following are some points considered.

Shortage of raw materials is to be considered

Consider the ecological damage caused by the extraction of raw materials

Consider the amount of energy consumed at all stages

Consider the amount of water consumption.

FINANCING AND EVALUATION OF A PROJECT:

Finance is the most important and the key factor in the construction process. In order to maintain or run a project finance is badly needed.

The generation of finance can be made from different sectors such as public or private sectors.

In this type of proposals the public sector involvement is more because in order to make public more comfortable with the services provided.

And the private sectors also involve largely gaining more profits.

Finance from government

Funds from private sector

By the contributions from different organisations.

Economic evaluation:

Better solution is to be adopted in order to provide good service and to balance economically.

Cost benefit analysis is to be adopted.

Generation of extra revenue from taxes.

RISK ASSESSMENT:

Risk assessment is the process of evaluating that a specific site poses risk to human environment or to human health. The purpose of all hazardous waste site remediation is ultimately to render a site safe for human or ecological populations. Consequently, risk assessment, as the process used to measure the effectiveness of the remediation process, is critical to all hazardous waste-site work.

Risk assessment depends upon the following:

Finance: It is the most important in the process, make sure of the finance.

Site investigation: It is to be done properly before the project is to be started.

Estimation of the project: Proper estimation should be done.

Proper use of code: The code should be used properly if not it leads to great damage.

Design criteria: we should follow the design criteria properly in order to avoid delays and loss in the projec

Health and safety: It is the most important thing in the entire process. It deals directly with the public we should be more careful and follow the rules strictly to provide good safety measures.

Environmental impact assessment: First we have to consider the environmental issues and the proper environmental impact assessment should be made properly in order to avoid delays.

Natural hazards: If the natural hazards take place the project gets disturbed depending upon the severity of the hazard. If it is less small amount of loss occurs if it is more the project takes more time and money to reconstruct.

Land acquisition: It is to be done properly in order to avoid delays and loss in the project.

Quality of work: The quality of work is to be maintained properly in order to avoid damages to the structures and delays in the work.

Transportation concerns: Proper transportation facilities are to be made before the project is going to start in order to make the work continue with out any risks or problems.

Proper management: The proper management should be there in order to avoid risks and delays and also the proper running of project.

FEASIBILITY PROGRAMS:

Depending upon the volume of traffics, surveys are to be made.

Time based traffic surveys are to be made to know the volume of traffic and proper design is to be prepared.

Automatic data collection surveys are to be made.

Parking surveys are to be done.

Pedestrian traffic surveys are to be made.

Proper investigations are to be made depending on the studies and the required information.

Site investigation is to be done properly in order to avoid further delays.

Proper maps of the site are to be gathered.

Suitability of site is to be considered depending up on the investigations. Because to adopt the proper suitable methods which can be suitable for the project.

Availability of materials is to be considered properly on the site.

Consider the design parameters properly in order to maintain the standards of the project.

Soil classifications are to be considered and type of soil is to be considered in order to safe guard the site from failures.

Ground investigations are to be made in order to study the entire required information.

Geological considerations should be followed properly.

LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED BRIDGE:

The proposal for a new river crossing across the Thames River. A bridge is going to be constructed which connects a link between A130, A13 near a round about in Canvey island and A228 passing through A226 and joins with M2 which builds a link to M20, Kent.

The attachment shown below is the location of a proposed bridge on the Thames River.

The proposed bridge length is approximately 4.5 km.

BUDGET COSTS FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKS:

Considering the cost of the proposed bridge. It can’t be estimated exactly as it is a proposal and it can be estimated approximately with the comparison of the other bridges which are already constructed and also with the help of some other books and the information available on the websites some data is collected and the approximate estimation of the bridge is made.

The funds can be raised from different sectors like public and private sectors.

The approximate cost of the proposed bridge is ?3.8 billions along with the connecting roads.

REFERENCES:

1)` http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Thames#Summary

2)http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/157989.pdf

3) http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=O7klw-QUraEC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1996&dq=sustainable+methods+of+construction&ots=PH3J0dqGGU&sig=z-YFjDsYfDNRQR-GEdff9YuzB-0#PPA2007,M1

4) http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=povFlfv82O8C&dq=risk+assessment

5)http://www.rta.tkk.fi/Kurssit/240/Risk%20Assessment%20in%20Construction%20Schedules.pdf

6) http://www.nltdc.co.uk/

7) http://www.dur.ac.uk/~des0www4/cal/roads/si/si.html

8) http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

9) http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/

10)http://www.ciria.org/service/Home/AM/ContentManagerNet/HomePages/CIRIA_1502_20080929T115140HomePage.aspx?Section=Home