Cognition was contracted to carry out remediation and stabilisation works on the site of a former Peugeot garage in Canterbury which is to be redeveloped as student accommodation for Canterbury Christchurch University. Cognition completed the breakout of all concrete slabs across the site and removed a number of underground storage tanks. One particularly challenging and unususal aspect of the job was the fact that the development was located on a particularly archaelogically rich site. Cognition assisted in the mechanical excavation works required to carefully exhume a number of Roman skeletons from the site, whilst working under a discovery strategy and materials management plan to manage the contaminated soil.

Considerable hydrocarbon contaminaion existed within the ground which was excavated and treated with a combination of bioremediation, chemical oxidation and cement encapsulation techniques.  A series of treatment wells were installed to remove and treat groundwater contamination. These wells were dosed with an oxygenation compound and treated over several weeks to achieve the remediation targets. All treated materials were reused on site as backfill and the piling areas were stabilised with an OPC mix to form piling mats.

The job was completed under a very tight programme with the piling rig following close behind as Cognition completed each phase of remediation.