Bus Depot Electrification – TfL Edgware Bus Depot

Project Summary

Client: eSmart Networks, working for RATP/TfL

Location: Edgware Bus Depot, London, UK

Project: Bus Depot Electrification

Project Type: Civil and Structural Design Services

Services Provided

Structural Design
NDT Digital
Utilities Design

Background

Beta Design Consultants were commissioned by the client, eSmart Networks, working for RATP/TfL, to provide the structural assessment of the existing long-span trussed roof for the proposed loads associated with electrification (new cables and containment, as well as existing pipe loads).

The activities included:

Inspection of existing TfL bus depot structures, such as the existing retaining wall and masonry walls, for ducting and pipework supports.
Assessing the existing trussed roof for cables running parallel to or along the main trusses and weighing 100 kg/m.
Assessing the existing ground slab's ability to accommodate new loads.
Checking the supports for new cable containment racks/ladders needed to electrify the bus network.
Design of new equipment foundations and basement structure, including transformer, feeder pillar and other electrical equipment (e.g. RMU, GPR enclosures).
Arranging trial pits and assessment of the impact of new equipment foundations on existing depot foundations.
Construction of a bespoke brick-built substation, including a 3-panel switchboard for UKPN adoption.

Beta Solution

We carried out a measured survey along with NDT testing to determine the layout and section sizes for the existing roof structure, as well as the thickness of the ground floor and the sizes of rebars for the depot floor structure. This enabled us to establish the load-carrying capacity following a structural analysis.

We designed and detailed a brick-built substation, including a 3-panel switchboard for Distribution Network Operator (UKPN) adoption.

The impact of adding new cable containment supports to the roof truss, superstructure beams and superstructure columns was then established. Supports for the containment, using a mix of Unistrut and bespoke structural supports, then followed.

One of the challenges was to establish the pipe sizes and their locations, as well as to determine the load-carrying capacity of the existing floor. The solution was to avoid placing the pipes at splice locations to prevent loading on splice connections.

Client: eSmart Networks (for RATP/TfL)
Location: Edgware, London, UK

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