Remediation and monitoring of a burning coal refuse bank affecting the Southsea Looproad at Brymbo, North Wales

Southsea Looproad at Brymbo suffers large and varied settlements where the highway crosses a smouldering coal refuse bank. A sudden surge in combustion activity during 1991 resulted in considerable subsidence within the carriageway and posed recurring and persistent difficulties for road safety and highway maintenance. Initial investigations involved subsurface temperature measurements to delimit the hot spots and provide a basis for the design of remedial works. The aim of remediation was to extinguish the migrating fire in the outer loop area and to control the burning throughout the remaining areas. The principal strand of the remediation strategy involved excavating the burning coal refuse, cooling, mixing with pulverized fuel ash and compacting. Supplementary containment measures included limestone-filled cut-off trenches, cementitious grout curtains and impervious clay blankets. The works achieved the design objectives, however, small pockets of smouldering material remained within the inner loop. Subsequent monitoring of the site disclosed two markedly different patterns of temperature response on each side of the road. On the outer rim of the looproad temperature trends were steadily downwards in accordance with expectations and indeed reached ambient temperature within about one year. However, on the inside of the looproad seasonal surges in temperature have been recorded during winter months every year since the completion of the remedial works in 1993. The explanation for this unusual pattern of combustion activity is thought to be related to climatic effects and particularly the combined influence of rainfall, atmospheric pressure, air temperature and wind strength and direction. The relative contribution of these factors remains uncertain. Temperature monitoring continues in order to identify the eventual end of combustion activity and determine the appropriate time to complete reinstatement of the carriageway.