2021, WJ undertook a major project in South Korea. SK Ecoplant, one of the country’s largest engineering and construction companies, needed a dewatering contractor to solve complex hydrogeology problems on the Bujeon-Masan Railway Project, so they turned to WJ. Diaphrgm walling, grouting and ground freezing solutions had been applied to a series of distressed high-speed railway tunnel cross passages but could not achieve the ground stability required to progress work safely.
Initially, a series of pumping tests were required. Within four weeks of the formal instruction, WJ had mobilised a complete package of materials, equipment, and skilled personnel to carry out four fully instrumented deep well pumping tests. There was provision to install pumps with a capacity to pump up to 50 litres per second (l/s) from 60-metre depth. This was a challenging set of tasks given the circumstances, which included Covid travel restrictions and international transportation difficulties at the time.
Once WJ were on the ground, the first challenge was for our most experienced driller, Michael Crowley, to demonstrate how to install an effective dewatering well using the 110-tonne, 48-metre-high, cased auger piling machine. Despite initial language difficulties with the South Korean crew, teamwork prevailed, and objectives were achieved in a timely fashion.
To ensure accurate test results, the pumps and control equipment need a high skill level to set up. For the task, we enlisted Senior Electrician, Rob Whitby, who has over 20 years of experience with WJ. During his tenure, he has undertaken pumping tests and system installations throughout the UK, Ireland, Poland, Turkey, and the Middle East. WJ Groundwater’s purpose-built electrical control and monitoring system, mounted in robust housings designed for air freight and containerised shipping, performed perfectly.
Our Monitoring Project Manager, Chris Robson, was also on site with SK Ecoplant’s team to ensure that the data gathered was presented in real time to the project team in Busan, the head office in Seoul, the Consultant in Singapore, and WJ’s design team in the UK.
When the main works were ready to commence in January 2022, SK called upon WJ’s global capability once more to provide a full dewatering service. Equipment for a series of 40 deep wells and a 300 l/s system was mobilised from our operations in the UK, the UAE, and the Philippines by air and sea. The dewatering system had to be operated cautiously to avoid affecting the damaged tunnel structure and an adjacent railway bridge, but the programme went as per WJ’s groundwater model, and the contractor was able to successfully achieve its objectives.
South Korea is the 18th country where WJ has been contracted to bring competitive pump testing and dewatering services to grateful clients. The fact that WJ is still operational in 12 of these countries is a testament to our track record of repeat business and pursuit of excellence every time.
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