Port of Melbourne Corporation has awarded McConnell Dowell the contract to design and build the Maritime Works Package for the upcoming Port Capacity project, including a new wharf at Webb Dock West.

The project is part of the Victorian Government’s $1.6 billion investment to secure Melbourne’s future with world class terminal and freight facilities.

The State Minister for Ports David Hodgett announced the awarding of the contract which will involve around $400 million being invested in the Project's maritime works.

“The design and construct contract will deliver improved waterside infrastructure to Webb Dock including upgraded navigation aids and berth facilities.” Mr Hodgett said.

“McConnell Dowell will build a new 920-metre wharf at Webb Dock West that will service the expanded, world class automotive terminal”.

In addition to the automotive works, McConnell Dowell will expedite the rebuilding of existing wharfs at Webb Dock East. This will enable the appointment and commissioning of Melbourne’s third international container terminal which is expected to be operational by late 2016.

“The awarding of this project reinforces McConnell Dowell’s leading position in successful maritime project delivery” says Trevor Cruden, Manager Southern Region, McConnell Dowell. “It clearly demonstrates our ability to provide innovative engineering solutions to meet our clients’ needs.”

The Port Capacity Project will maintain Port of Melbourne’s position as Australia’s largest container port and freight hub, and is critical to Victoria’s ongoing economic growth and development. Construction of the Maritime Works will commence in mid 2014, with completion expected in 2016.

McConnell Dowell has further strengthened their position as Australia’s leading pipelines contractor with the appointment of Lawrence Henderson to the role of Operations Manager (Australia) – Pipelines.  

The new position holds responsibility for the day to day operations of the pipelines business unit, while taking a leading role in the planning and directing of future projects to ensure client satisfaction and further grow the business  

Prior to joining McConnell Dowell, Lawrence held numerous  management roles, within Australia and internationally, where he has forged a reputation as a seasoned senior business professional with extensive experience in project management, business growth and improvement, and driving operational excellence.

“Lawrence brings an enormous amount of professional experience to the business,” says Jim Frith, Director and General Manager – Pipelines, McConnell Dowell.  “His 25 + years in the oil and gas industry and vast experience on both the client and contractor sides will play an integral part in growing our pipelines business.”

He commenced in the position in November 2013.

For more information contact:
Cameron McIver
Brand & Marketing Leader
+ 61 3 9816 2582   + 61 (0) 451 452 003

cameron.mciver@macdow.com.au  

McConnell Dowell is pleased to announce that the 800 meter long Holcim Jetty in Tuban, Indonesia will be successfully completed in late February 2014, before operations begin in March 2014.  

Construction commenced in March 2012 in some exceptionally challenging conditions. Constant battles with rough seas called for an innovative approach to complete the first 200 meters of the trestle. To achieve this, the site team utilised temporary platforms to reach deeper waters out of the wave zone and then begin the offshore operations.

The first 12 months setup the project on a strong base for an accelerated program by pre-constructing some 780 precast elements. These included the 266 pre-stress T-girders for the trestle, 158 precast headstocks and 366 pre-stress deck slabs for the platform. Once the off-shore piling of the 300 concrete spun piles reached momentum, the precast concrete placement works followed at great speed.

Thanks to McConnell Dowell’s innovative programming of the 200 meter main platform deck and its interface with the crane rails for the ship unloading crane, the client was able to commence and complete the erection of their e-Crane one month early.

“It is through our innovative construction approach that we are able to deliver exceptional value above and beyond what is expected” said Andrew Carnie, Managing Director, PT McConnell Dowell Indonesia. “The result is another satisfied client who have complemented the site team on their exemplary performance in safety, quality and cooperation. Overall, it has been a very significant achievement”.

The final stage of the project involved installing 25 fenders, 20 bollards, a navigation leading light/lighting towers, followed by the fisherman’s passage protection frame under the trestle and the office and workshop buildings.

All were completed to the highest standard.

For more information contact:

Cameron McIver
Brand & Marketing Leader

+ 61 3 9816 2582   + 61 (0) 451 452 003

cameron.mciver@macdow.com.au    

The company is pleased to announce APA Group has awarded a contract to McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd for the construction of Loop 1 of the Victorian Northern Interconnection Expansion (VNIE) project, gas pipeline from Wollert to Wandong.

APA is Australia’s largest natural gas infrastructure business, owning and/or operating $12 billion of energy assets.  Its gas transmission pipelines span every state and territory on mainland Australia, delivering approximately half of the nation’s gas usage.  APA has direct management and operational control over its assets and the majority of its investments.  APA also holds minority interests in energy infrastructure enterprises including Envestra, SEA Gas Pipeline, Energy Infrastructure Investments and GDI.

The initial stage of the VNIE includes a 400mm Class 900 Gas Transmission Pipeline approximately 27.9km, the installation of two line valves and end of line cross ties to the pipeline. The project is located 27km north of Melbourne’s CBD, from Wollert to Wandong.

The McConnell Dowell project team, led by Project Manager Ian Clark, are currently commencing mobilisation activities in preparation for contract completion scheduled in June 2014. 

Successful on-time and on-budget completion of the Hume Dam Southern Training Wall Buttress Project has further cemented McConnell Dowell's growing reputation for taking on the complex jobs and delivering them with minimal fuss.

Hailed as one of the mightiest Australian structures of the inter-war years, the Hume Dam is able to hold approximately 3 million mega litres – approximately six times the volume of Sydney Harbour.

In September 2011, NSW State Water Corporation awarded McConnell Dowell the contract to construct a buttress to support the southern training wall of the Hume Dam. This included a temporary sheetpile cofferdam in the Murray River and bulkheads within the spillway dissipater. The cofferdam and part of the dissipater were then continuously dewatered to form working areas for construction of the buttress. The buttress was partly founded on the existing stilling basin, dissipater sill and partly on foundation cells.

The team installed 92 secant piles at depths of up to 16m to form five cells within the cofferdam area. These were then excavated to sound rock and filled with mass concrete. 4000m3 of mass concrete was poured into these cells and a further 12,000m3 of mass concrete was poured into the buttress itself. At its highest point the buttress is 32m above the spillway base.

“Working under an existing dam was always an area for potential concern. But, the project moved forward with ease as each difficulty was efficiently overcome,” said Don Webster, Project Manager, McConnell Dowell.

One of the key challenges for the project team lay in the temporary construction of the cofferdam. However, once the cofferdam and bulkheads were installed, dewatering was carried out smoothly and continuously throughout the duration of the project. The temporary structure was later removed upon the project’s completion.

The slow installation of the secant piles threatened to delay the buttress construction. However, McConnell Dowell’s innovative approach to the excavation and the team’s ambitious mindset to overcome the challenges paid off, as they recovered lost time and pushed on to the next stage.

The positive reception received from the local community, subcontractors and local employees is further testament to McConnell Dowell’s sustainable business approach and extensive environmental and community efforts.

The project was completed in November 2013.

For more information contact:

Cameron McIver
Brand & Marketing Leader

+ 61 3 9816 2582 + 61 (0) 451 452 003

cameron.mciver@macdow.com.au

McConnell Dowell is playing a key role in developing one of NZ's largest ever road projects. A local news crew recently went underground for a closer look.

Click here to view an exclusive tour of the tunnel beneath Auckland suburbs.

Whangarei’s Lower Hatea Crossing, New Zealand’s first moving highway bridge for more than 50 years and one of very few rolling bascule bridges anywhere in the world, has won a prestigious international award – the Civic Trust Award – at the 55th Annual Civic Trust Awards Ceremony held in Blackpool, UK. This award, part of one of the oldest built environment awards schemes in Europe, specifically recognises projects that have made a positive contribution to the local communities they serve.

Lower Hatea Crossing links Whangarei’s town basin and William Fraser Memorial Park, creating a faster connection to Whangarei Airport. The bridge can carry up to 8,000 vehicles per day.

The bridge was commissioned by the Whangarei District Council with the intention that it would become an iconic bridge, known throughout the country and showcasing the culture and identity of Whangarei. McConnell Dowell joined forces with Knight Architects (specialist bridge architects based in the UK) and Transfield Services to build the landmark award winning bridge.

McConnell Dowell Managing Director Roger McRae said “This is a highly prized, prestigious award. We are delighted that bridge has been acknowledged in this way. All projects nominated for this award are assessed for architectural excellence, sustainability credentials, accessibility for all users and positive civic contribution. The people of Whangarei and the Whangarei District Council can be proud of this internationally acclaimed, landmark bridge.”

“At the time the project was described as a ‘one-off” opportunity to create a landmark out of a piece of the transportation network,” said Whangarei District Council CEO Mark Simpson. “We had a chance to create something very special which will have spin-offs in community pride and tourism far beyond its value as a bridge.”

“The dedication and skill of the teams working on the bridge have been reflected in the quality and beauty of the finished product. This award is yet more evidence of the excellence we have in Whangarei and New Zealand to deliver a world class product,” says Simpson.

The 265m-long, 17m wide tidal river estuary crossing, has a 25m-wide lifting section to allow vessels taller than 7.5m to transit the bridge. There is a 2.5 m wide path for pedestrians on one side, and a 3 m path for cyclists on the other.

The bridge, which opened in 2013, is part of the highway network aimed at reducing congestion in the city centre and improving access to the airport and Whangarei Heads.

The earthquake-resistant bridge design pays homage to Maori cultural traditions. It is named Te Matau ā Pohe, which means “the fish hook of Pohe,” the Maori chief who welcomed the first English settlers to Whangarei. “The structural form of the rolling bascule was developed into a contemporary interpretation of the fish hook form—Hei Matau—that is central to Maori culture and is seen in ceremonial, sculptural, and artistic as well as functional form,” says architect Martin Knight.

Knight Architects, based in High Wycombe, United Kingdom, designed the bridge in conjunction with Peters & Cheung and Eadon Consulting, the latter based in Rotherham, United Kingdom, and serving as the mechanical engineer on the project.

The award for Lower Hatea Crossing was one of only seven international awards.

To download the 2014 Civic Trust Awards Winners Brochure (PDF) please click here.

For more information please contact:

Clare Farrant
Communications Manager

021 923 796   +64 9 573 3769

Kyra Bonney, an Indigenous Community Liaison Officer working with McConnell Dowell in their Western Region, has been named the winner of the “Outstanding Woman in Resources” category at the Western Australian Chamber of Minerals and Energy Awards held on Friday 7th March.

Kyra gave a touching presentation in Perth the week before the awards, demonstrating her positivity and dedication to her work indicative of this well-deserved achievement.

Spanning 13 years, her career in the resources sector has seen her actively working with McConnell Dowell since the beginning of 2013. Her work as a mentor and Indigenous Community Liaison Officer has helped encourage and ensure retention of trainees after they enter the workforce.

Last year, as part of her role with McConnell Dowell, Kyra visited the school at Onslow in the Pilbara Western Australia and presented her “Science as a Human Endeavour” workshop. This workshop explores how science provides a means of survival, emphasising to the children how Indigenous Australians used their senses of sight, touch, smell and hearing, which were paramount factors to their survival.

Kyra is the youngest board member of the Aboriginal Lands Trust and Deputy Chairperson for the HALO project, an Indigenous youth leadership program. She is also a trainer and mentor for the community initiative Ignite Basketball, which operates to engage and develop young people in disadvantaged areas.

McConnell Dowell is honoured to have Kyra working with the business and proud of her recognition.

For more information contact:

Cameron McIver
Brand & Marketing Leader

+ 61 3 9816 2582 + 61 (0) 451 452 003

cameron.mciver@macdow.com.au

McConnell Dowell's innovative approach to design and construction on the $1.2 billion Gold Coast Light Rail (GCLR) project came to fruition this week as the first tram rolled into Broadbeach.

http://www.mygc.com.au/news/tram-arrives-in-broadbeach-for-the-first-time/

Since her launch in mid-November, Alice, the largest tunnel boring machine ever to be utilised in the Southern Hemisphere, travelled past the point of the first cross passage (XP) in February having covering about 500m into the first tunnel. Alice’s progress has been around 10 lining rings – or 16-20 metres of tunnel per day. A three week planned break in late February saw the installation of a specialised gantry inside the tunnel. The gantry will construct the services culvert that running under the motorway through the tunnel. The initial programme called for a six week TBM stop, reduced to three weeks by a great deal of preparation work, engineering and innovation.

The Waterview Connection project is one of the most important infrastructure developments ever to take place in New Zealand. Completing a motorway ring route around the city, the connection will deliver 5km of 6-lane motorway through and beneath Auckland’s western suburbs, linking State Highways 16 and 20 to complete the city’s Western Ring Route by 2017. This will provide a viable alternative for commuters, freight and through-traffic to State Highway 1, which runs through the city and over the Auckland Harbour Bridge and is regularly over capacity at peak times
This development will unlock Auckland’s potential to become a truly world class city, combatting regional congestion and creating a direct, time-saving link between the International Airport and CBD.

Half of this new motorway link will be tunnelled to allow the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to deliver maximum regional and national benefits with minimum long-term footprint on the surrounding communities. This urban design-integrated approach is further highlighted by a suite of walking, cycling and landscaping improvements and the provision of additional recreational amenities around the above-ground elements of the new motorway.

Tunnelling will be carried out using a custom-built ‘Earth Pressure Balance Machine’ (EPBM), which will bore twin tunnels as deep as 45 metres beneath the surface, to pass below the hard-rock legacy of the region’s volcanic activity. At just over 14m in diameter, the machine will be the 10th biggest ever built globally, and will create Australasia’s largest ever tunnel.

McConnell Dowell is part of the specialist team, known as the Well-Connected Alliance, managing the design, construction and operation of the Waterview Connection project, a $1.4b Road of National Significance (RoNS) underlining the NZ Government’s commitment to delivering economic growth through sustainable infrastructure development.

The Well-Connected Alliance team, comprising NZTA, Fletcher Construction, McConnell Dowell Constructors, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Beca Infrastructure, Tonkin and Taylor, and Japanese construction company Obayashi Corporation brings together the knowledge and strong, home-grown reputation of leading New Zealand engineering companies with the world-class tunnelling expertise of its international partners.

The Well-Connected Alliance has formed further partnerships with New Zealand precast concrete suppliers Wilson Tunnelling and Spanish tunnel controls specialists SICE to manage the construction of the tunnel segments and long term maintenance and operation.

Follow Alice on Facebook: www.facebook.com/alicetbm

Martin Knight (Knight Architects, London), UK Architect and designer of McConnell Dowell's Lower Hatea River Crossing project in Whangerei, New Zealand was the guest speaker this morning at the Centre for Engineering, Leadership and Management breakfast, hosted by Engineers Australia WA in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Architects at the Duxton Hotel.

The event being attended by fellows and members of the Institutes, as well as local engineering and architecture professionals, focused on the design and challenges that the Lower Hatea River Crossing project embraced as the first movable highway bridge to be built in NZ in more than 50 years.

In his inspiring presentation, Martin demonstrated how powerful engineering functions can be perfectly integrated with architectural form to create a sense of place and growth. Martin captured his audience as he introduced his career with an impressive portfolio of simple yet innovative bridge designs - to all out 'wow factor' iconic bridges set all around the world. The highlight of the event being his in-depth thoughts behind the process which lead him to the design of the distinctive fish hook Lower Hatea bascular bridge, inspired by the art and culture of the Maori people.

Martin Knight and his team in London are currently working with the McConnell Dowell’s Western Region in Perth, as part of the D&C team proposed to Main Roads WA in the bid for the Swan River Pedestrian Bridge project.

McConnell Dowell has once again demonstrated their absolute commitment to safety, achieving one million man-hours without a lost time injury (LTI) for the Bakan Gold Mine Development project in Indonesia.

Comprising civil, SMP, and electrical works within the gold processing plant development, this accomplishment presents a crucial and positive safety milestone for both the project and the company.

The Bakan site is set amongst tropical jungle, rising 700 to 900 metres above sea level, and is situated approximately 250 km south west of Manado and North Sulawesi. The location alone of the site’s buildings, positioned on several different levels of the mountainous terrain posed a difficult challenge for the safety component of the project.

“We had a number of intimidating challenges with both weather and terrestrial conditions. At McConnell Dowell, safety is always our first priority, so it was vital that these difficulties were managed so as to ensure our workers finished up each day safely, leaving the site secure. Our success is fundamentally aligned with our safety mantra Home Without Harm, Everyone Everyday”, says Andrew Carnie, Managing Director – Indonesia, McConnell Dowell.

For the team at McConnell Dowell, working and living 700-900 m above sea level presented a number of challenging weather conditions. Moreover, the highest recorded rainfall in 10 years brought on sizeable landslides and reduced road access to the project site which further challenged the progression of the project.

Faced with unavoidable challenges, the project team proficiently overcame these difficulties through careful and innovative preparation, proving their strong commitment to sustaining a zero harm environment for workers and ensuring the highest safety standards at all times.

McConnell Dowell are proud to announce this milestone success and dedication to safety on the job.

As an active Associate Member of Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), McConnell Dowell is proud to announce its involvement in the APPEA 2014 Conference & Exhibition.

As the voice of Australia’s oil and gas industry, APPEA will hold the annual conference in Perth from April 6 to 9. Event organisers anticipate 3,500 attendees from 30 countries at what is the largest annual upstream oil and gas event in the southern hemisphere.

This premier event will host an unparalleled program of presentations, panel discussions, and key networking events, with the intention to strengthen communication within the industry through exchanging ideas to develop the workplace and performance for the future.

“The APPEA annual conference is a significant event for McConnell Dowell. It gives the company the opportunity to meet and share information and best practice with other key players in the industry.” – Jim Frith, Director and General Manager – Pipelines, McConnell Dowell.

McConnell Dowell’s active engagement in the conference this year will see Mark Barrows and Leon Richards present their paper “Construction of Major Pipelines in Queensland” during the Construction, Facilities and Pipelines Concurrent Session 7. They will outline the challenges, achievements and lessons derived from recent major pipeline projects executed in Queensland.

In addition, Director and General Manager of Pipelines, Jim Frith, will also be chairing Concurrent Session 15: Protecting our Assets.

To further extend our involvement, McConnell Dowell will have an exhibition stand at the event with news about the company and our ongoing projects.

The first of the two new bridges being built by the NZ Transport Agency over the Waitaki River on State Highway 82 at Kurow was opened this morning by Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean.

The traditional ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by Jacqui Dean and more than 400 guests, including Waimate District Council Mayor Craig Rowley, Waitaki District Council Mayor Gary Kircher, McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd Managing Director Roger McRae and NZ Transport Agency Southern Regional Director Jim Harland.

Mr Harland told the gathering that the opening of the first of the two replacement bridges only a year after the ground-breaking ceremony was a great achievement for the project and the contractor McConnell Dowell.

Jacqui Dean, joined by local identities, sisters Yvonne Foster and Aileen Parker (nee Welsh), and eight-year-old Grace Newlands, the great great granddaughter of William Ogilvy Ross who operated the ferry service and punt across the river until the historic rail/road bridge opened in 1881, were first to travel over the new bridge in a 1938 Pontiac driven by Trevor Appleby whose family settled in Kurow in 1896, establishing a coach building and blacksmith shop.

Two new two-lane bridges are being built on State Highway 82 to replace the two ageing 133-year-old single-lane timber bridges. The $20.1 million project is part of the Transport Agencys $1 billion programme of investment in Canterburys transport network from 2012 to 2015. The second and larger of the two bridges will open later this year.

Mr Harland said one of the greatest benefits of the project was in safeguarding the critical road link between Kurow and Hakataramea that has existed for more than 133 years.

Rural communities rely heavily on their transport network not only to operate their business, in getting goods and services to and from their properties, but also to provide social connectivity within what are often isolated communities.

By the end of this year, this community will be guaranteed of having a road link that supports economic growth and productivity through the safe and efficient movement of freight, along with a secure route for tourists heading through to Lindis Pass and into the Mackenzie Country.

He said safety was a strong focus for the project and by building barrier-separated pathways on each bridge for cyclists and pedestrians, locals and visitors to the area have the option to walk or cycle safely across the river between the two communities

With todays opening, work will begin next week to deconstruct the first of the old timber bridges. Material from both bridges is being gifted to the Waimate and Waitaki district councils and the Department of Conservation for disposal, to be used in local historic and community projects.

Two spans from the bridge on the Hakataramea side will be retained and permanently displayed on Kurow Island to preserve part of the areas history.

NZTA media release - 4 April 2014

For more information please contact: 

Clare Farrant
Communications Manager
McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd
New Zealand

or

Jan McCarthy
Media Manager - Christchurch
NZ Transport Agency

T: 03 964 2885
M: 021 427 442
E: jan.mccarthy@nzta.govt.nz
W: www.nzta.govt.nz

The company is proud to announce that the Springvale Road Grade Separation has successfully reached the end of the line. On Tuesday 22 April, Victorian Minister for Roads and Public Transport Terry Mulder joined Premier Denis Napthine to officially open the new $159 million development.

NetworX, an alliance consisting of participants from VicRoads, McConnell Dowell, Balfour Beatty, MTM, Beca and PB commenced work on the project in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs in June 2013. The alliance was responsible for the removal of the existing level crossing and the design and construction of grade separation works and the new station.

By lowering the rail line beneath the road and building a brand new station, the project has removed one a notorious traffic blackspot while greatly improving the commute in peak times for around 25, 000 motorists. Prior to the new level crossing, the boom gates were down up to 42 per cent of the time, greatly affecting peak hour periods. In addition to improving commute times through the area, the new system will deliver a fantastic new facility to the people of the Springvale area, improving safety for all road users.

McConnell Dowell, as part of the Networx alliance were able to improve safety for pedestrians by providing specific areas for pedestrians and vehicles, lowering the chance of accidents.

Concluding works will continue at Springvale Station in the coming months to complete the landscaping, and construction of the carpark area, installation of lifts and station forecourt. Final road surfacing of Springvale Road and completion of new local roads will also take place in the coming months.

Over just 11 months, the project team has effectively and efficiently delivered this high quality premium station. The alliance’s excellent involvement and communication with the local community has been key to the project’s success, having helped minimise disruption to stakeholders. Many critical and immutable milestones have been conquered in order to achieve the April opening.

The achievements and commitment of the project team provides an exceptional reflection on the alliance’s hard work and effort.

Media enquiries:

Cameron McIver
Brand & Marketing Leader
+ 61 3 9816 2582

cameron.mciver@macdow.com.au

Brisbane City Council has awarded McConnell Dowell the Flood Recovery and Milton Ferry Terminal construction contract.

The flood of January 2011 damaged or demolished much of the maritime infrastructure located along the Brisbane River, including Brisbane City Council’s ferry terminals. The project scope includes eight new ferry terminals to the city, replacing or upgrading existing facilities along the river relocating two terminals to improve links with other public transport facilities and infrastructure.

The Brisbane City Council is undertaking a program to provide Brisbane with new and upgraded CityCat terminals in response to greater demand and compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

The eight terminals are:

•    University of Queensland (UQ)
•    Regatta
•    North Quay
•    Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
•    Maritime Museum
•    Holman Street
•    Sydney Street
•    Milton

The project is scheduled to start immediately with completion due by June 2015.

Media enquiries:

Cameron McIver
Brand & Marketing Leader
+ 61 3 9816 2582

cameron.mciver@macdow.com.au

PT Petro Storindo Energi has awarded McConnell Dowell Indonesia the marine works contract for the EPCIC of Mooring System and 3km Subsea and Onshore Pipeline in Kalimantan.

The works involve the construction of an offshore (2.5 km offshore) mooring system, consisting of:

•    Four mooring dolphins with double and triple quick release hooks (each 75 ton);
•    Four breasting dolphins with composite fender systems and double 75 ton quick release hooks
•    An offshore fire water pump station platform
•    A 2.5 km, 20 inch diameter concrete-coated subsea pipe line ending at a subsea remote controlled manifold (PLEM).

The PLEM includes a pig launcher, a rubber hose system with breakaway couplings, and a manifold to connect to the fuel supply vessels.

The offshore systems, including the quick release hooks and navigation systems will be powered by solar energy.

The contract also includes some onshore works consisting of 0.5 km of 20 inch diameter pipeline line with several process systems and a PIG Receiver.

Works will commence immediately and are scheduled to be completed within 18 months.

Media enquiries:

Cameron McIver
Brand & Marketing Leader
+ 61 3 9816 2582

cameron.mciver@macdow.com.au

The NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) have awarded McConnell Dowell and Joint Venture Partner Obrascon Huarte Lain S.A. - Australia (OHL) the contract to construct the Pacific Highway upgrade between Kempsey and Kundabung in northern New South Wales.

The project will involve the construction of 13.7km of 2 lane dual carriageway with 6km of local roads.  The existing highway is a single carriageway with only one lane in each direction.  The project will upgrade this to dual carriageway with two lanes in each direction, ensuring better safety and improved efficiency for commuters on this portion of the highway.

The awarding of this project confirms McConnell Dowell as a leader in the construction industry and provides another opportunity to excel in the major roads sector.

“This win critically establishes McConnell Dowell as an influential force in the NSW construction market and builds an important relationship with the RMS on the brink of a boom in the  road construction sector,” says Rick Jones, Central Region Business Development Manager, McConnell Dowell.

Construction is set to begin in mid 2014.

Media enquiries:

Cameron McIver
Brand & Marketing Leader
+ 61 3 9816 2582

cameron.mciver@macdow.com.au

McConnell Dowell is pleased to announce that on Thursday 8th of May at 0500hrs, a major milestone was reached on the DTL2 C917A project in Singapore. The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) S-603 Sophia reached her final destination, completing excavation from her starting point at King Albert Park (KAP) Station and docking in the station wall at the Sixth Avenue (SAV) Metro Station.  This is a very important moment in the project, with the risk level on tunnelling productivity dropping significantly with the completion of the first of the twin metro tubes.  Sophia's sister TBM, S-602 Grace is anticipated to catch up with her sister TBM and reach the SAV Station in mid to late June.

The tunnelling in Singapore has been challenging, with several major episodes in the life of Sophia and her sister Grace.  The Contract C917 was originally awarded to the contractor ALPINE, with S-603 Sophia starting tunnelling excavation in late February 2013 on the Expo Bound Tunnel Drive.  Grace S-602 commenced in late April 2013 on the parallel Bukit Panjang Bound Tunnel Drive.  Both of these Tunnel Boring Machines are of Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) technology.

On 20 June 2013, with Sophia at Ring 131, just 191m into the 1395m tunnel drive, Sophia stopped indefinitely due to the insolvency of ALPINE.  Grace, S-602 also stopped on the same date at Ring 32, just 52m into the Bukit Panjang Bound Tunnel Drive due to the same cause.  At this time the Expo Bound Tunnel (by Sophia S-603) was only 13% complete and the Bukit Panjang Bound Tunnel (by Grace S-602) was only 3% complete.

For a period of 7 weeks both TBM's lay dormant whilst McConnell Dowell worked with the client, Singapore Land Transit Authority (LTA) in offering and establishing a Caretaker Team to look after the Tunnelling site and get the TBM's moving before too much deterioration set-in.  During this caretaker role, McConnell Dowell managed to get the TBM's un-stuck, repaired and restarted, with Sophia advanced 41 rings (56m), and Grace advanced one ring (1.4m).  McConnell Dowell also played a similar parallel Caretaker Role on the C918 Contract where the two mixshield TBM's, also previously operated by ALPINE, were holed up underground.  The Caretaker Role continued over 5 weeks, and, during this time a competitive tender was issued, priced, and awarded by the LTA to McConnell Dowell for taking over the C917 Contract, now renamed C917A.  The C918A Contract was awarded to another Contractor.

After Contract Award, McConnell Dowell rapidly mobilised additional resources to supplement the Caretaker Team and seamlessly recommenced full TBM tunnelling operations on S-603 Sophia from 9 September 2013 and on S-602 Grace on 19 September 2013.  This was a remarkable effort to manage, tender, finance, achieve commercial agreement and employ / mobilise and train a significant site team in this very short period.

The notorious Bukit Timah Granite geological formation with extremely hard rock ranging to soft, easily destabilised residual soils in a short depth range meant that the TBM was often cutting very hard rock in the tunnel invert, yet soft, easy to loosen soils in the crown at the same time.  This hard rock took its toll on the TBM cutting tools, requiring regular stoppage and replacement work, yet at the same time the TBM Operator and Support crews had to be extremely careful and diligent not to cause surface settlement or subsidence due to potential loosening of the soft soils above the TBM.  These major challenges caused several delays on the TBM tunnelling, but, in the end, the production rates achieved were equal to, if not better than, those achieved by the adjacent Contractors and others using EPB technology in Singapore.

The McConnell Dowell Team on Singapore DTL2 Contract C917A, led by Project Director Frank Hemmert have achieved a fantastic result through determination, diligence, investment in the local workforce through their up-skilling, challenging the status quo, promoting the highly respected McConnell Dowell safety culture and just plain old hard work in getting the first TBM over the line. 

The project is still far from complete however, with the second tunnel drive, cross passages, track-bed concrete, brackets and the two stations construction all on programme critical path.

Media enquiries:

Cameron McIver
Brand & Marketing Leader

+ 61 3 9816 2582

cameron.mciver@macdow.com.au    

Tunnelling has resumed at Auckland’s Waterview Connection project after the completion of maintenance work on the giant tunnel boring machine, Alice. Alice stopped earlier this month so steel fibre brushes associated with the installation of the tunnel lining could be replaced.

At that stage, she was about 40m below the surface and had travelled 870m, about a third of her 2.4km journey to construct the first of the twin motorway tunnels that will connect Auckland’s Northwestern and Southwestern motorways. 

“It made sense for Alice to take a breather now, replace the worn brushes that have done their job, and have the machine ready for the winter. The maintenance is complete and she’s restarted her underground journey,” says the NZ Transport Agency’s acting Highway Manager, Steve Mutton. 

Mr Mutton says the machine will construct up to 24m of tunnel per day as she works her way towards the northern tunnel portal at Waterview. “She is expected to arrive in late September and be turned around over the following three months, ready to start her return drive to Owairaka in early 2015.”

During the maintenance break, work has continued behind Alice to install a large culvert on the floor of the tunnel. This ‘tunnel within the tunnel’ will run below the completed motorway and will carry the cables for the ventilation, communication, fire detection and lighting systems required to operate the tunnels after they open to traffic in early 2017.

Each tunnel will carry three lanes of motorway traffic. They are part of Auckland’s Western Ring Route, one of the Government’s flagship Roads Of National Significance (RONS). When completed, the Western Ring Route will be a 47 kilometre-long motorway between Albany on the North Shore, around the top of the Waitemata Harbour, and Manukau in the city’s south. 

The Waterview Connection project is being delivered by the Well-Connected Alliance which includes the Transport Agency, Fletcher Construction, McConnell Dowell, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Beca Infrastructure, Tonkin & Taylor and Japanese construction company Obayashi Corporation. Sub-alliance partners are Auckland-based Wilson Tunnelling and Spanish tunnel controls specialists SICE. Attached is a photo of the culvert, or tunnel within a tunnel, being constructed at Waterview. This culvert will sit under the motorway and carry the services needed to operate the motorway tunnels. 

This is a photo of the culvert, or tunnel within a tunnel, being constructed  at Waterview.  This culvert will sit under the motorway and carry the services needed to operate the motorway tunnels. 

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