UK: New Facilities at HR Wallingford

A £3 million project is underway to extend HR Wallingford’s Froude Modelling Hall at the company’s site in Oxfordshire, UK.

This enhancement will deliver a purpose-built ship simulation centre, a large wave-current-sediment flume and dedicated manufacturing space for specialist hydraulic laboratory equipment.

The HR Wallingford development will extend the Froude Modelling Hall by 1600 sq. m. “The extension will house a new 75-metre long wave-current-sediment flume, believed to be the largest of its kind in the world,” explains HR Wallingford director, Dr Keith Powell. “This unique facility will enhance our scour, sediment and structure modelling capabilities, and help us investigate more of the challenges faced by our clients in the maritime, coastal and energy sectors. It will also allow us to extend our flood protection product test facilities.”

Dimensions:

– Working channel size: 75 m by 4 m;

– Water depth: up to 2 m;

– Flows: up to 5 m3/s;

– Wave: heights up to 0.5 m.

The extension will also be home to a purpose-built Ship Simulation Centre with four real-time simulators, including two tug simulators. It will include dedicated conference and observation facilities.

Dr Mark McBride, Group Manager, Ships, said: “The extension gives HR Wallingford one of the most sophisticated ship navigation simulation centres in the world. For our clients, this means access to world- class expertise combined with high-quality facilities to provide a unique environment which ensures that projects are carried out to the maximum benefit of our clients.”

Planning consent for the new development has been granted and construction is due to start next week, with completion by April 2014. The building extension will continue HR Wallingford’s commitment to sensitive development of the Howbery Park campus and will include environmentally friendly features such as sustainable urban drainage in the car park.

[mappress]

Press Release, July 19, 2013