Roger Bullivant has deployed a Junttan PMx2e, powered by a 392 kWh battery system, on Morgan Sindall’s Ardrossan Community Campus site, a £115m education development in North Ayrshire.
According to Bullivant, it is the first time that a fully battery-powered pile driving rig has been used in the UK.
The PMx2e has a replaceable battery pack that provides up to eight hours of piling per charge. By optimising the use of the two batteries, the PMx2e showed itself to be capable of providing a full working day of productivity. The rig was supplied to site with a 40kW portable outdoor charger, reducing the power requirement on site. Fitted with a five-tonne accelerated hammer and a maximum pile length capability of 20 metres, the PMx2e has a total operating weight of 63 tonnes. Its low noise output makes it ideal for sensitive environments like schools and urban developments, Bullivant said.
The rig was trialled at a Morgan Sindall Construction site where 581 driven steel tubular piles are being installed to depths of 9.0m to 16.0m below ground level. The site’s challenging ground conditions, reclaimed industrial land with aggressive made ground, required a robust solution. Driven steel tubular piles were selected for their ability to penetrate the bedrock giving the project a solid foundation solution.
The use of repurposed tubular steel from John Lawrie Tubulars is adding to the sustainability credentials of the operation. The total saving across the project equates to 1,622 tonnes of CO₂ according to Morgan Sindall’s CarboniCa carbon measuring reduction tool.
Further supporting the low-carbon approach, Bullivant also used an electric forklift from Sunbelt Rentals.
The Ardrossan Community Campus, which will house both Winton Primary and Ardrossan Academy, is a key educational development for the region. Roger Bullivant’s involvement began in summer 2022, providing geotechnical advice to Blyth & Blyth Consulting Engineers and working with Morgan Sindall Construction to develop the piling methodology.
The new campus is expected to be complete by autumn 2027.
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