A rope access technician, secured by a harness, works on a steep slope covered with protective meshing. The worker is in mid-descent, illustrating the challenging conditions faced during slope stabilisation. The vast mesh, juxtaposed against the exposed soil at the edges, signifies the ongoing efforts to prevent erosion and ensure the stability of the terrain.

Vista Bridge Slip Stabilisation

A slip below the Vista Bridge on Waitara Road, off the SH5 near Hastings threatened to undermine the bridge. Abseil Access was awarded the project to stabilize the abutment as follows: Install 59 soil nail anchors, with a shotcreted section directly under the bridge, and fit Steelgrid HR30 rockfall netting combined with Grassroots erosion control matting surrounding it to prevent further erosion and rockfalls.

Traffic control was carried out by Abseil Access, with the preliminary earthworks below the slip at stream level carried out by a sub-contractor using small and medium excavators. The slip face was scaffolded by Acrow Scaffold for access. The Canter truck with mounted crane as well an Iveco Panel Van (acting as a mobile workshop) were used by Abseil Access, and the team was housed 18km from site on the SH5.

A top-down view of a large, grey geotextile fabric covering a slope beside a bridge, part of an erosion control system. White square plates and bolts hold the fabric in place, with red tension ropes at the periphery. The slope transitions to dense vegetation at the top and bottom, indicating the blend of engineering with the natural environment to protect against erosion.

The design incorporated DW40 bars 3m deep for the mesh, and DW32 bars 15m deep for the shotcrete, at a maximum spacing of 3m.

Three sacrificial verification test anchors were installed at 3m, 6m, and 15m depths and tested to 42kN so as to confirm the rock characteristics for the anchor design. Two production tests were also successfully conducted to a load of 339kN.

Nine weep holes 6m deep were drilled and installed across the slip.

The 150mm thick shotcrete area had HD25 and HD12 reinforcing bars with localised thickened shotcrete up to 300mm thick around the anchor heads, with steel wire mesh reinforcing the remainder of the shotcrete area. Alidrains were installed behind the shotcrete.

The lower bench was reprofiled to guide the stream below the mesh.

The works were conducted to all the engineer’s design requirements and successfully adhered to all the QA and H&S requirements.

Contact Us

A panoramic view from above a creek shows a large hillside expanse secured with metal wire mesh for slope protection. The mesh curves over the contours of the land, secured by red tensioning ropes, with a substantial concrete column anchoring the system. The surrounding vegetation contrasts the engineered safety solution, highlighting the intervention to preserve the natural environment.
A top-down view of a large, grey geotextile fabric covering a slope beside a bridge, part of an erosion control system. White square plates and bolts hold the fabric in place, with red tension ropes at the periphery. The slope transitions to dense vegetation at the top and bottom, indicating the blend of engineering with the natural environment to protect against erosion.
A rope access technician, secured by a harness, works on a steep slope covered with protective meshing. The worker is in mid-descent, illustrating the challenging conditions faced during slope stabilisation. The vast mesh, juxtaposed against the exposed soil at the edges, signifies the ongoing efforts to prevent erosion and ensure the stability of the terrain.
A comprehensive scaffold structure erected along a cut slope by a roadside, with workers performing stabilisation work. The scaffold provides multi-level access for the intricate installation of slope retention systems. Above, a blue crane extends towards the site, signifying the scale and coordination required in such engineering projects, set against a backdrop of lush greenery and overcast skies.
Looking upwards from the base of a slope, this image captures the underside of a bridge, focusing on the rockfall protection mesh secured against the hillside. The metal mesh, held in place by a network of cables and anchors, conforms to the uneven terrain, providing a vital barrier to protect the infrastructure beneath from potential debris fall.
A high-angle view captures a yellow excavator tipped on its side near a creek, with its arm extended uphill, suggesting a recovery effort is underway. A technician, attached to safety ropes, works carefully on the steep, bare slope below a large concrete column. The setting and activity reflect the complexities and hazards of geotechnical engineering and heavy machinery operation in challenging landscapes.
A panoramic view from above a creek shows a large hillside expanse secured with metal wire mesh for slope protection. The mesh curves over the contours of the land, secured by red tensioning ropes, with a substantial concrete column anchoring the system. The surrounding vegetation contrasts the engineered safety solution, highlighting the intervention to preserve the natural environment.
A top-down view of a large, grey geotextile fabric covering a slope beside a bridge, part of an erosion control system. White square plates and bolts hold the fabric in place, with red tension ropes at the periphery. The slope transitions to dense vegetation at the top and bottom, indicating the blend of engineering with the natural environment to protect against erosion.loading=
A rope access technician, secured by a harness, works on a steep slope covered with protective meshing. The worker is in mid-descent, illustrating the challenging conditions faced during slope stabilisation. The vast mesh, juxtaposed against the exposed soil at the edges, signifies the ongoing efforts to prevent erosion and ensure the stability of the terrain.loading=
A comprehensive scaffold structure erected along a cut slope by a roadside, with workers performing stabilisation work. The scaffold provides multi-level access for the intricate installation of slope retention systems. Above, a blue crane extends towards the site, signifying the scale and coordination required in such engineering projects, set against a backdrop of lush greenery and overcast skies.loading=
Looking upwards from the base of a slope, this image captures the underside of a bridge, focusing on the rockfall protection mesh secured against the hillside. The metal mesh, held in place by a network of cables and anchors, conforms to the uneven terrain, providing a vital barrier to protect the infrastructure beneath from potential debris fall.loading=
A high-angle view captures a yellow excavator tipped on its side near a creek, with its arm extended uphill, suggesting a recovery effort is underway. A technician, attached to safety ropes, works carefully on the steep, bare slope below a large concrete column. The setting and activity reflect the complexities and hazards of geotechnical engineering and heavy machinery operation in challenging landscapes.loading=
A panoramic view from above a creek shows a large hillside expanse secured with metal wire mesh for slope protection. The mesh curves over the contours of the land, secured by red tensioning ropes, with a substantial concrete column anchoring the system. The surrounding vegetation contrasts the engineered safety solution, highlighting the intervention to preserve the natural environment.loading=
Download the PDF
PDF 934.2 KB