Sydenham Hillside Primary School

For Sydenham Hillside Primary School, the focus was strengthening hardstand and sports-interface zones to perform under higher loads and manage surface water consistently across an active education campus.

Variable ground conditions presented the primary technical challenge. Subgrade response varied across the site some areas were stable, others showed signs of weakness during proof-rolling and this inconsistency posed a risk to long-term pavement performance, particularly at the sports field interfaces where settlement or poor drainage can compromise playing surface quality. Our team identified zones requiring intervention, removed unsuitable material to a competent layer, and replaced it with select structural fill compacted to specification. This targeted remediation controlled costs while ensuring the platform could support heavy-duty pavement loads without premature distress.

Managing drainage grades alongside variable subgrade conditions added complexity. At sports interfaces, surface water needs to shed cleanly away from both pavements and playing areas, so maintaining precise falls during compaction and concrete placement was critical. Survey controls were applied throughout—verifying levels after each earthworks stage, checking grades before concrete pour, and confirming tie-ins at adjoining surfaces to ensure consistent drainage performance.

The finished upgrade provides a resilient hardstand and interface solution that reduces wear at high-use zones, supports safer day-to-day movement for students and staff, and maintains consistent drainage performance across wet-weather conditions.

This project demonstrates our capability to deliver heavy-duty pavement solutions with integrated ground improvement, managing geotechnical challenges and tight drainage tolerances in constrained education environments where long-term performance and safety are non-negotiable.

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