M7 - Nenagh to Limerick

Berty

With the markings it would appear that they maybe are watching, timing and averaging the subsidence as the road starts to break away. The markings will make it much easier.

Also, it could be the fact that they are using the Radiation testing to see how the sub bases and concrete base is moving as time goes by and those markings may be giving them a point of reference instead of having to go back and measure each time.

lukejr

It is very dry up there at the moment, all the drains are dry and the bog area 5-10m away from the road is cracking like dry bog cracks.

Sponge Bob

lukejr wrote: »

It is very dry up there at the moment, all the drains are dry and the bog area 5-10m away from the road is cracking like dry bog cracks.

Correct, I hve never seen such dry bogs in my life in the West, if you look back some the last serious rainfall was nearly 6 months ago during the November deluges. It has been more or less dry since late November bar the week before easter.

The test may be to see what happens when it drys like now and then when it rains continously again ( probably all summer like the last few years)

ullickmagee

this thread really seems to have died a death as of late.. Anybody got any hard facts/ dodgy hearsay or down right lies to share?,

Someone must have some bit of info?

Berty

ullickmagee wrote: »

this thread really seems to have died a death as of late.. Anybody got any hard facts/ dodgy hearsay or down right lies to share?,

Someone must have some bit of info?

It tends to happen. The government, NRA, contractors, liaison officers get people's hopes up telling us it will be open on this date and that date.

Im sure its got to the point where people cannot ask anymore because its only exasperating.

Im sure also that the guys working on the solution are slow to talk about it because its all a litmus test.

I might stroll up on Saturday for a look. I live around 4 kms away from ground zero.

tinkerbell

Any news on this? The new stretch is fantastic, pity that the gob****es building the road fecked up the rest of it so that it can't open now for ages.

Funkstard

I've been abroad for the last few months and haven't driven from Dublin - Limerick since the end of Jan.

What differences will I notice when I drive down next week? The eternal cones and roadworks at Nenagh advanced at all? Has there been any sections of the M7 opened in the meantime?

Cheers.

roosterman71

Nenagh bypass is opened and is a motorway to Birdhill now

And in a couple of weeks, the M7 will be extended from Portlaoise to Borris In Ossory

tinkerbell

roosterman71 wrote: »

Nenagh bypass is opened and is a motorway to Birdhill now

And in a couple of weeks, the M7 will be extended from Portlaoise to Borris In Ossory

Are you serious?!!! When exactly?! Yippeee!!

Rovi

tinkerbell wrote: »

Are you serious?!!! When exactly?! Yippeee!!

Estimates vary; 28 May was the 'official' date up to a week or so ago, but that's become a bit vague since then.

'Soon' anyhow.

More here:
M7/M8 Portlaoise-Castletown-Cullahill PPP (incl. Abbeyleix Bypass)

roosterman71

May 28th is still a good bet. Its nearly all lined at this stage, gantrys and signage are up. Lighting is in place, and landscaping just about finished. But more on the other thread as Rovi suggests

Berty

Paddy Ryan road sweeping machine was cleaning up the Newport roundabout flyover. It's already lined with just some small tie in lining left to do.

Deedsie

Berty wrote: »

Paddy Ryan road sweeping machine was cleaning up the Newport roundabout flyover. It's already lined with just some small tie in lining left to do.

Its great to hear the rest of the road is nearly done. Just a shame there is no work being carried out at "Ground zero"

Berty

Small update. After mentioning they were cleaning the overpass the line marking crew are now on site and moving traffic cones.

slinky2000

sounds good! I just need to get my car back on the road in time to travel on it :P

tinkerbell

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deedsie

Might be a small bit premature there on the celebrations... Untill I see evidence of ground zero being finished it's hard to have any confidence of an opening date...

lukejr

Hold on a second, the road won't be opening anytime soon.

The bog part that is collapsing and causing problems at Annaholty hasn't been solved yet.

Last week I walked the 300m and very little progress has been made since Feb 2010 on this section. The NRA are "hopefully" it'll open by the end of the year.

I'll walk the section again in June sometime, hopefully they will have started to solve the problem by then.

Deedsie

If they do find a solution though, it shouldn't take too long for the road to open. I'd say they'll have to try have it open in conjunction with the Shannon Tunnel. And it is encouraging that they have continued to finish off the rest of the section.

TestTransmission

Deedsie wrote: »

If they do find a solution though, it shouldn't take too long for the road to open. I'd say they'll have to try have it open in conjunction with the Shannon Tunnel. And it is encouraging that they have continued to finish off the rest of the section.

The tunnel could be opening with a month or two,that stretch of M7 is far from done

Deedsie

TestTransmission wrote: »

The tunnel could be opening with a month or two,that stretch of M7 is far from done

If a solution is found a month or two work concentrating solely on the bog could see it done. The rest of the road is complete. As soon as we start seeing any bit of work done there it shouldn't be too long. (Assuming the solution is successful)

The Word Is Bor

If they find a solution and get all the works completed how long would you wait before opening the road satisfied in the knowledge that there won't be any further subsidence. A solution works on paper/computer screen. The application of that solution and the monitoring of said solution are the only real indicators of success.

crucamim

Does anyone know for sure just how deep is this bog? I have heard figures of 40 metres which I calculate as about 130 feet.

Is the bottom of the bog at an altitude above sea level? If so, could it be drained by a deep bore machine of the type which is going to be used to escavate a tunnel for the Dart Underground? [I understand that Tunnel will be 80 feet deep and will go under the Liffey.]

I suspect that the answer will be "Yes, but it will cost too much".

123easy

crucamim wrote: »

Does anyone know for sure just how deep is this bog? I have heard figures of 40 metres which I calculate as about 130 feet.

Is the bottom of the bog at an altitude above sea level? If so, could it be drained by a deep bore machine of the type which is going to be used to escavate a tunnel for the Dart Underground? [I understand that Tunnel will be 80 feet deep and will go under the Liffey.]

I suspect that the answer will be "Yes, but it will cost too much".

The peat layer overlays some other subsoil type(s) at some depth above sea level. What would be the point draining the peat underneath the road at this stage assuming that the piles derive their load bearing capacity from the underlying strata? The water content of peat could be up to 1000%. I cant see how this would stop the settlement but only increase it

I suppose they could tunnel a new road under the bog but that would be erm, off the scales expensive!!!

crucamim

123easy wrote: »

The peat layer overlays some other subsoil type(s) at some depth above sea level. What would be the point draining the peat underneath the road at this stage assuming that the piles derive their load bearing capacity from the underlying strata? The water content of peat could be up to 1000%. I cant see how this would stop the settlement but only increase it

Do the piles derive their load bearing capacity from the underlying strata? I hope that they do but fear that they do not. And if the piles are standing on the underlying strata, why is there still a problem?

Draining the bog would clear the way for excavating a path through it and building a proper solid causeway - as was done circa 1960 for part of the M1 in Co Armagh. Or building solid supports for a bridge spanning it.

P.S. Perhaps, the whole bog could be excavated and turned into a water reservoir for Limerick. It might not be at a high enough altitude for that.

Berty

It appears the blacktop beneath the flyover at the bog on the "bog road" has been cut as though it may be taken up.

Something telling about the bridge? Is the structure moving?

crucamim

I hope that I am wrong. I suspect that it will be many years before that motorway is open and that it will have be follow a new alignment which by-passes the bog. 21st century man cannot conquer earthquakes, volcanos, storms, snowstorms, bogs or fog. We are merely cavemen with mobile phones.

Sponge Bob

crucamim wrote: »

Do the piles derive their load bearing capacity from the underlying strata? I hope that they do but fear that they do not.

Allegedly they do, see the geotechnical stuff in this thread around Jan/Feb this year.

crucamim

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Allegedly they do, see the geotechnical stuff in this thread around Jan/Feb this year.

Thank you. In your post the important word is "allegedly". Let us wait and hope.

Blazer

crucamim wrote: »

I hope that I am wrong. I suspect that it will be many years before that motorway is open and that it will have be follow a new alignment which by-passes the bog. 21st century man cannot conquer earthquakes, volcanos, storms, snowstorms, bogs or fog. We are merely cavemen with mobile phones.

I'm with you on this....honestly suspect they'll eventually bite the bullet and admit it can't be done currently and go with the bypass route.
The thing is "who'll pay for it"? Prob end up being the taxpayers again thanks to those muppets in Dublin and the UK for ignoring local advice.