SOCOTEC Monitoring Awarded Monitoring Contract for the Nova Development, London Victoria

The development involves construction of two new buildings located directly behind and on the eastern side of the Victoria Palace Theatre. The new buildings will sit directly above the London Underground Victoria Line running tunnels and pedestrian passageways, recently constructed as part of the Victoria Station Upgrade works.

Working with Land Securities, SOCOTEC Monitoring UK ltd – formerly ITM Monitoring - has been contracted to install manual and automated instrumentation systems to monitor the London Underground assets, as well as the Kings Scholars Pond Sewer, which also runs through the site, during construction of the new buildings. The understanding and management of any resulting movement caused by the construction works is crucial to provide assurance that the effects it has on the London Underground assets are acceptable and, critically, will allow the busy Victoria Line to remain operational throughout the works.

The Victoria Line platform and running tunnels at the North end of the station, and the District and Circle Line tunnels to the East, will be manually monitored using 3D prism targets. The new pedestrian tunnels within the station will be manually monitored using levelling studs and tape extensometer points. Shaft 2, within the London Underground station, will be monitored using automated tilt beams. The new escalators connecting the pedestrian tunnels with the Victoria Line platforms will be monitored using automated electrolevel beams under the escalator trusses, 3D prisms and an automatic total station in the escalator barrel above. An automated Shape Accel Array with manual levelling backup will be used to monitor the Kings Scholars Pond Sewer.

The longevity of the proposed instrumentation system is vital, as installation will commence in April/May 2019, with monitoring continuing until August 2022.