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Hesselberg Erosion Protection is a specialist in delivering environmentally resilient coastal and marine engineering solutions.
They approached Breedon with a requirement for a bespoke open graded asphalt to upgrade and extend the slipways at two locations – one in New Brighton and a second in West Kirby.
Hesselberg Erosion Protection has developed a unique design for an Open Stone Asphalt (OSA) that can be used in wave impacted environments to provide enhanced erosion protection.
They selected us as their manufacturing partner due to our proven expertise in producing specialist asphalt mixes for demanding applications. To complete the project, they also required Lean Stone Asphalt (LSA) as a void filler and 3D filter layer for West Kirby.
Both sites required a robust asphalt solution capable of withstanding rugged tidal conditions to provide a reliable coastal defence system. To achieve this, the asphalt mix had to be produced to the exact technical specification designed by Hesselberg Erosion Protection, including the use of a high-quality limestone to guarantee it would meet the required performance standards.
In New Brighton the slipway is in a harsh marine environment with high wave attack and daily inundation from the extreme tidal range experienced there. Additionally, the slipway is a high traffic area and frequently used by the RNLI.
The asphalt needed to be re-laid over an existing OSA surface that had been in place for nearly 15 years. The West Kirby site faces slightly less extreme conditions and both the OSA and LSA needed to be laid over virgin ground.
Delivery schedules needed to align with the tidal windows at both sites, with any delay potentially impacting the installation, site safety, and material performance. Access to the sites presented a further logistical challenge, with restricted space and steep gradients that needed thorough assessment to confirm delivery vehicles could safely access and discharge the material.
We worked closely with Hesselberg Erosion Protection from the beginning of the project, with our technical teams collaborating to understand the full project requirements, refine the mix design, and confirm we could produce the specified material.
Having previously supplied similar projects, we were able to select the most suitable raw materials, with the limestone sourced from our Dowlow Quarry in the Peak District and transported to our Liverpool asphalt plant.
The OSA material was produced at Liverpool with careful monitoring throughout the process to ensure it met the required specifications before being dispatched to site.
In total we supplied 100 tonnes of OSA, with 60 tonnes delivered to New Brighton and 40 tonnes for West Kirby alongside 25 tonnes of LSA.
To ensure seamless delivery, we completed detailed pre-delivery site assessments, including assessing the slipway gradients. All material deliveries were scheduled around the tidal windows.
The added flexibility of the OSA material allows it to flex to any deformations created by the tide, maintaining performance where traditional concrete would typically fracture. This resulted in a high-quality solution delivered on schedule, providing a durable and low maintenance surface for both slipways.
At New Brighton, the material is expected to last around 15 years due to harsher conditions, while at West Kirby, its lifespan is projected to exceed 50 years.
The strength of this collaboration and the success at both sites have led to further projects, including the supply of an additional 350 tonnes of the same material to a reservoir in Birmingham.
expected year lifespan
tonnes delivered
Breedon were extremely helpful, both in engaging with the required design and review process through batching plant visits and information sharing, and in delivering to site and overcoming the challenges that arise with the manufacture and placing of hot materials.
