Client: Glenveagh Homes
DBFL are providing civil, structural and transportation engineering services on this large-scale residential project at Oscar Traynor Road with a total of 853 no. residential dwellings on a site area of circa 17 hectares. Initially, DBFL provided consultancy services through the public procurement process to assist Glenveagh Homes with their successful tender to develop the site on behalf of Dublin City Council. Following the successful procurement process, DBFL provided engineering services as part of a multidisciplinary design team through the planning and detailed design stages of the scheme.
The scheme includes 4 apartment buildings that range in height from three to six storeys along the northern boundary of the site fronting Coolock Lane. Duplex units and traditional housing units are located on the southern and eastern areas of the site.
Key elements of the design include a 3-arm signalised junction on Coolock Lane and a link street that incorporates cycle facilities. The project also features comprehensive surface water drainage systems, attenuation measures, and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs), including green roofs. A pedestrian bridge enhances connectivity, while foul drainage and existing drainage diversions are effectively managed. Watermains are constructed to meet Irish Water standards.
The design includes the daylighting of the existing Naniken Stream into an open wetland, providing regional attenuation and significant biodiversity gains. Weir structures and culverts are integral to the water management strategy. A thorough flood risk assessment has been conducted to ensure safety and resilience.
Transport engineering and assessment are key components of the project, ensuring efficient and safe movement throughout the development.
The housing and duplex units utilize a combination of traditional masonry, timber frame, and light gauge metal structural units, while the apartment blocks feature precast concrete walls and floors. Due to the nature of the ground, vibro compaction ground improvement techniques are applied to the houses, with piled foundations used for the more heavily loaded apartment blocks.
Ground conditions were variable over the extent of the site with areas of soft/made ground up to 2.0m in depth. Specialist vibro compaction ground improvement works are being used to improve overall ground bearing capacities for foundations and floor slab design allowing for shallower depths for founding and the use of ground bearing slabs. For the heavier loaded apartment buildings a piled foundation solution is being used with ground beams and pile-caps.
DBFL developed a comprehensive sustainable urban drainage (SUDS) strategy for the subject site to mimic the greenfield scenario and implement nature-based SUDS where possible. A key aspect was the inclusion of green-roofs on the apartment blocks and the daylighting of the existing Naniken Stream into a wetland to improve water quality within the Santry Catchment and promote biodiversity within the site.
On the structural side the use of vibro improvement works results in minimising the amount of existing made ground to be removed from the site during the construction phase with the resulting positive environmental and economic impacts.
Project Director
