Home » Case Studies » Boardwalk Foundation for School in LeicestershireBoardwalk Foundation for School in LeicestershireAugust, 2025Leicestershire Primary SchoolLeicestershire We provided 53 ground screws (mix of 76mm x 1250mm and 76mm x 1600mm) with comprehensive load testing to create safe boardwalk foundations across challenging wet ground.When this Leicestershire primary school needed a new boardwalk to connect different areas of their site, they had a real problem on their hands. The route went straight across boggy, waterlogged ground that made traditional foundations impractical.Concrete footings would have required extensive excavation in saturated soil – a messy, disruptive, and potentially damaging process to the surrounding area. With pupils on site daily, any foundation work had to be completed quickly and quietly, without turning the school into a building site.The ground conditions varied across the route, too. Some areas were firmer, others were waterlogged, so different foundation depths would be needed – but there was no way of knowing exactly what until we tested it on site.The site was located on wet, boggy ground. Ideal for ground screws – not so great for concrete!The solutionOur team carried out comprehensive compression load testing across the entire route to work out the optimal ground screw specifications for each section. The testing revealed exactly what we’d suspected – we needed a mixed installation.We installed a total of 53 ground screws, in sizes 76mm x 1250mm and 76mm x 1600mm.We handled all the marking, testing, and installation, working around the school timetable to minimise disruption. We provided 53 ground screws in totalThe resultsThe ground screws provided immediate load-bearing capacity, allowing the boardwalk construction to commence without delay. Testing ensured every screw met the exact point load requirements – safe, reliable, and cost-effective.Laying the steel frameMost importantly, pupils can now access all areas of their school site safely, even during wet weather. The installation left the surrounding environment completely undisturbed – no muddy mess, no damaged landscaping, just clean foundations ready for years of daily use.This project shows how load testing and mixed ground screw lengths can handle even the most challenging wet ground conditions. The boardwalk now provides safe, all-weather access across terrain that was previously unusable, keeping everyone’s feet dry.
