CEMEX Supplies Biggest Infrastructure Project Ever Undertaken by UK Water Industry

CEMEX announced it is supplying over 40,000 tons of a lining sprayed concrete for the construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel, the biggest infrastructure project ever undertaken by the UK water industry. CEMEX manufactures the product at its dedicated Spray Concrete plant in Buxton, from where it is transported into central London at rates that peak at around 3,000 tons per month. Supply is likely to continue for a few months, although this may need to be extended due to the Coronavirus pandemic’s impact.

CEMEX’s primary lining spray concrete is being used for the shafts and launch tunnels in the central part of the project — a 12.5KM stretch of the tunnel moving under central London, which is being constructed by a joint venture between Ferrovial Construction and Laing O’Rourke. The concrete is sprayed from bottom to top in one continuous operation until the shaft wall is complete. An overly sophisticated mix is required, consisting of eight separate constituents which, when combined, give ultra-high strength, consistency, and workability retention of two hours.

When sprayed, it has to adhere to the tunnel or shaft wall/ceiling and gain strength immediately to a very high strength gain requirement. The concrete also needs to be highly pumpable, in some cases with a pipeline length of up to 400 meters.

“The Thames Tideway Tunnel project is one of incredible scale which will solve serious capacity issues with London’s sewer system and have considerable benefits for the area’s wildlife and population, while also preventing pollution, creating jobs, a rejuvenated river economy and new areas of public space,” said Sergio Menendez, President of CEMEX Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia. “This is a remarkable piece of engineering, and we’re proud to be working with world-class contractors to build this key infrastructure in the most sustainable and cost-effective way possible for one of the world’s greatest cities.”

The new 25KM tunnel will intercept, store and transfer sewage waste away from the River Thames. Starting in Acton, west London, the Tunnel will travel through the heart of London at depths of between 30 and 60 meters, using gravity to transfer waste eastwards and be processed and dealt with in a modern state-of-the-art facility.