RamWall – Tonfanau coastal erosion cliff stabilisation

Project: Tonfanau coastal erosion cliff stabilisation

Owner: Network Rail

Designer: Tony Gee & Partners LLP / OTB Engineering Ltd

Contractor: AMCO Rail

Purpose: Retaining wall supporting an unstable cliff subject to severe coastal
erosion

RamWall type: 8m diameter 200mm x 200mm galvanised RAMWALL mesh plus 5mm
diameter, 50mm x 50mm galvanised facing mesh, 25mm rebar spikes

RamWall Fill: Railway ballast

Date: April 2014

The sea cliffs at Tonfanau near Tywyn (Sandilands) are situated on the Cambrian Coast of North West Wales. Following the extreme storm events of January 2014 many sea defences, including concrete and masonry revetments and gabion basket walls, along the whole of the West Wales coastline from North to South suffered extensive damage following a combination of high tidal surges and Force 8, Westerly gales. A critical section where the Cambrian Line railway runs very close to the cliff edge required immediate attention. Due to logistical constraints and limited access to the beach below the cliff a RAMWALL solution was selected by the contractor to provide a secure and robust permanent structure that could be constructed rapidly, largely by hand. The 20 metre long wall is up to 2 metres in width and 4 metres in height. Additional extensive lengths of RAMWALL cliff stabilisations are planned along this and other sections of the Welsh coastline.