Maintenance work is the most commonly sought-after ditch reprofiling service we offer at UKDN Waterflow. Over time, ditches become filled with debris- often clogged by leaves, branches and shrubbery, or polluted by manmade materials. Clearing and reprofiling these ditches ensures water can flow smoothly, preventing serious blockages or floods which could cause damage to rail track assets.
As well as cleaning and re-structuring ditches, we also fill in old ditches and dig new ones as part of a wider track drainage solution. If you require assistance with ditch reprofiling work, contact us for a free consultation. Otherwise, read on to learn more about our ditch reprofiling services.
What do our ditch reprofiling services involve?
Ditch reprofiling work begins after the design, mapping and creation of drainage ditches has been completed. When reprofiling, we first survey ditches to identify what materials lie within them and gain an understanding of how stable the ditch embankments are.
Once our assessment of a situation has been made, we get to work re-profiling and maintaining ditches to ensure that they’re fulfilling their original purpose. Regardless of whether a ditch is made out of soil, concrete, or a specialised lining type such as SmartDitch technology, the likelihood is that it will require regular maintenance.
At UKDN, we can provide our customers with guidance on planned maintenance programs- in which our work involves removing and disposing of any debris, rocks and vegetation using machinery that guarantees no damage to the lining, while delivering a fast and effective solution.
If a ditch running alongside a rail track is no longer used, or needs to be filled in for track to be laid down, we also offer the full or partial infilling of ditches using manmade materials or soil. This work stabilises the ground around for new track to be laid down upon, and ensures that no vegetation can grow that could potentially cause damage to rail tracks. Our devegetation services clear trees, shrubbery and weeds from the path of a new rail track.
What steps are involved when filling in a ditch?
The first consideration to make is, obviously, whether or not a ditch contains water. IF water ingress has occurred, meaning water has found its way into a ditch, maintenance work may be required to repair ditch lining. Once this has been completed- then is the water that remains in a ditch still, or stagnant?
- If the water is stagnant, it must be pumped out before reprofiling work can begin.
- If the water is running, sometimes dams are created to block the flow of water temporarily. For larger streams or watercourses, our geotechnical advisers will make recommendations on how water can be re-directed to benefit the land. When large volumes of water are running perpendicular to where a track is to be laid, we’ll utilise underground drainage systems or aqueducts to channel the water safely across the tracks, while eliminating any risk of damage to rail assets.
- If the ditch is dry or contains an insubstantial volume of water, reprofiling work can begin.
Depending on the type of ground around a ditch, we’ll use different specialized equipment. When working on wet, boggy land, for example, we’ll equip our diggers with wide tracks to distribute their weight- or provide tracking to stabilize the land.
If you’re needing a ditch reprofiling solution for general maintenance purposes, to fix a blockage or to stabilise the ground and allow for a new rail track to be laid, contact us for a free consultation.