Photo credit: National Highways UK
The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) is a National Highways (NH) proposed new crossing of the River Thames east of London that will connect Kent and Essex. It provides a connection between the A2 and M2 in Kent, east of Gravesend, crossing under the River Thames through two bored tunnels, before joining the M25 south of junction 29.
LTC is approximately 23km long, 4.25km of which is in tunnels. The main tunnels feature an excavated diameter of more than 16m, which will be the largest ever in the UK once built. It has been split into three contracts as follows: Roads North of the Thames, Tunnels & Approaches and Kent Roads. The ‘Tunnels & Approaches’ contract has been awarded to Bouygues Murphy Joint Venture (BMJV) with design by Arup Mott MacDonald Joint Venture (AMJV).
Rendel have been appointed by the Bouygues Murphy Joint Venture (BMJV) to undertake the Category 3 Check of the ‘Tunnels and Approaches’ contract. This will be done in two stages as follows:
Stage 1 – Concept Design, where the Approvals in Principle (AiPs) or equivalent documents for the assets listed in point II below were reviewed, validated and signed off
Stage 2 – Detailed Design, where a full Category 3 check is to be undertaken for the following permanent works assets and components:
- Main segmental tunnels
- Cross passages
- In-tunnel Road Deck
- South Portal tunnel services building structure
- North Portal shaft and services building structure
- Northern approach retaining wall
- Northern approach U-shaped through structure
- Tilbury operational access bridge
- Southern approach cutting
