Skip to main content

TRL assist Highways Agency with UK motorway hole investigation

TRL provided a rapid response when asked for help as part of the investigation of the recent appearance of a Dene Hole in the central reservation of the M2 in Kent, southeast England. Within a few hours of being asked for assistance, TRL was able to mobilise a team to be onsite to provide two coring rigs and staff to undertake investigations of the carriageway in one lane either side of the hole, between junctions 5 near Sittingbourne and 6, near Faversham, to establish its integrity. The carriageway is co
February 19, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
777 TRL provided a rapid response when asked for help as part of the investigation of the recent appearance of a Dene Hole in the central reservation of the M2 in Kent, southeast England.

Within a few hours of being asked for assistance, TRL was able to mobilise a team to be onsite to provide two coring rigs and staff to undertake investigations of the carriageway in one lane either side of the hole, between junctions 5 near Sittingbourne and 6, near Faversham, to establish its integrity. The carriageway is constructed of jointed reinforced concrete with a thick asphalt overlay.

Two TRL teams working round the clock cored approximately 38 holes to help determine the extent of the problem.

The hole has been filled with pea gravel and the motorway is open, with two lanes running in each direction around the hole. The M2 is expected to fully re-open tomorrow (Thursday) morning.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Texas highway project tackles congestion
    February 20, 2012
    A new highway project in Texas will tackle peak congestion
  • Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar is redeveloping its airport
    August 23, 2016
    Mongolia’s economy is growing fast, with capital Ulaanbaatar the centre for activity. Being landlocked, the country depends heavily on aviation to carry passengers and cargo. The existing Chinggis Khaan International Airport was built in 1956 and upgraded in 1987 and 1997 for international traffic. But the old airport cannot meet demands and boosting the country’s capacity to handle flights is essential. The New Ulaanbataar International Airport (NUBIA) will triple passenger capacity to approximately 3
  • UK testing electric car charging system
    August 11, 2015
    The UK is working on plans to develop contactless charging systems for electric vehicles. Trials of the technology will be carried out on test routes away from the public highway to test the systems. The technology will be able to recharge electric and hybrid vehicles. The aim of the project is to develop sound technologies that can then be installed on England’s major roads. These trials are the first of their kind and will investigate how the technology would work safely and effectively on the country’s m
  • Smarter compaction equipment from key manufacturers
    June 23, 2015
    Intelligent compaction technologies continue to advance in sophistication - Mike Woof writes Ever more sophisticated intelligent compaction technologies are being offered to customers, which can boost working efficiency and help improve construction quality. This is particularly the case for the compaction of asphalt running surfaces. Asphalt cooling leaves only a short time window during which a paved mat can be properly compacted, so intelligent compaction systems offer major gains for contractors and cli