Tunnelling

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Our tunnelling team holds extensive experience in both hard rock and soft ground tunnel and underground space design.

GHD’s technical tunnelling solutions are characterised by innovation and a focus on our clients’ needs.

GHD’s skilled tunnel engineers are equipped to provide input during all stages of a tunnelling project from planning and design through to project management. Our experience has been enhanced through the delivery of award winning technical solutions to both contractors and client organisations throughout Australia and internationally.

Services:

  • Tunnel and underground space ground support design
  • Tunnel geotechnics
  • Tunnel structures
  • Tunnel fire life safety
  • Tunnel mechanical and electrical systems
  • Tunnel materials technology
  • Tunnel risk assessment
  • Tunnel ventilation
  • Tunnel project finance

Our technical tunnelling experience has recently been showcased on a range of tunnel solutions, including:

  • TBM driven tunnels with steel fibre reinforced precast concrete segmental linings for water and waste water projects in soft soils
  • Hard rock TBM and drill and blast driven tunnels for hydropower projects
  • Cut and cover rail tunnels across waterways
  • Underground railway station cavern design with wide spans (25m) and shallow cover (15m)
  • Curved pipe jacked tunnels for water supply pipelines and sewers
  • Unreinforced monolithic concrete lining design for busway and road tunnels
  • Undersea hand-mined and TBM driven tunnels for seawater desalination projects
  • TBM launch chamber design using contiguous flight auger piles
  • Precast concrete caissons and shaft segments for below ground pump stations

Do you dig tunnels? If so, contact:

Malcolm Dixon
Tel: +61 3 8687 8143
Email: Malcolm Dixon 

Bogong Hydropower Project

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The Bogong Hydropower Project has been described as the “Missing Link” in a series of generation facilities that have been undertaken in the Kiewa Valley, Victoria, Australia.

As Owners Engineer, GHD undertook the detailed geotechnical investigation, development of a geotechnical baseline report (GBR) and preparation of the reference design and all tender documentation.

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EastLink

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The Eastlink Project is integral to the state’s program for a seamless transport network. Construction of the AUD$1.8 billion freeway commenced in 2004 and was completed in 2008. GHD provided services in roads and highways engineering, structural engineering and tunnelling.

The project comprised over 40 km of freeway standard road, 1.5 km of twin tunnels, 16 grade separated interchanges, more than 95 separate bridges, traffic control equipment and intelligent transport systems, tolling systems and road furniture, urban design elements and landscaping.

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Energy Australia Cable Tunnel

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GHD provided integral design and management services for the $40 million CBD cable tunnel, which stretches for 1.5 kilometres between Surry Hills and Haymarket.

Measuring 16m2 in cross section, the tunnel is 35m below ground at its deepest point and links four substations to the Sydney CBD.

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Epping to Chatswood Rail Line (ECRL)

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In terms of scale of investment the ECRL will represent one of the most significant rail infrastructure project ever undertaken in the Sydney Metropolitan Network.

The rail link now connects to Chatswood via Epping, providing an alternative route for train services from Sydney’s outer west and Central Coast to access the Sydney CBD.  The link is also crucial to the further development of the rail network into Sydney’s North Western Sector.

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KP41 Tunnel

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The alignment of the Sugarloaf pipeline through an area of steep wooded terrain required the construction of a tunnel to avoid slope stability issues arising from excavating benching for trench construction.  Designed by GHD tunnel engineers, the KP41 tunnel (as named after its chainage location) is an 830m tunnel excavated by a pipejacked TBM. The tunnel was excavated upwards on a continuous grade of 0.5% and around an 825m-radius curve.

The tunnel had a geological alignment made up predominately of Sandstone and Siltstone of varying strengths, and some Colluviums with cobbles.  The TBM used was a slurry shield machine with an excavation diameter of a 2.475m.  A hard rock cutting head was used to break the rock, which at times reached strengths of up to 310Mpa.

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Melbourne Main Sewer

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The $220 million MMSR Project will replace the existing Melbourne Main Sewer between the north bank of the Yarra River and the Hobsons Bay Main Sewer in Port Melbourne. This new infrastructure will consist of 2,088 m of driven, segmentally lined sewer tunnel. The new sewer, known as the Melbourne Main Reliever (MMR), will provide increased hydraulic capacity for anticipated future population growth of the city of Melbourne and the Docklands precinct.

GHD has developed innovative solutions to the challenges that arise from tunnelling in the difficult geology of the Yarra Delta.  The tunnel horizon consists of Sandy Clays, Silts and Sands with small regions of Basalts and Gravels, and several aquifer units.

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Palmer Street Main Drain

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GHD undertook design and documentation of the award winning Palmer Street Main Drain Diversion and managed the project on behalf of Melbourne Water. GHD was the Superintendent and site auditor for the works.

The project included 950 metres of 1800 mm diameter drainage tunnel between Highett Street and the Yarra River. The tunnel was constructed below ground using pipe jacking techniques with the depth to invert ranging from 5.6 metres to 12.9 metres.

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Malcolm Dixon

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Malcolm is a principal tunnel engineer with over 11 years' experience in the detailed design, planning and specification of civil works for road, rail, sewerage and electrical cable tunnels in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region. He specialises in the design of tunnel support systems for both hard rock and soft ground conditions.

He has specific experience in hard rock driven tunnel design and construction using both tunnel-boring machine and drill and blast techniques.

Malcolm’s detailed understanding of tunnel construction and design activities allows him to work effectively with both contractors and client organisations to find efficient and cost-effective design solutions that will make him a valued member of any project team.

Position: Service Line Leader, Tunnelling
Tel: 61 3 8687 8143

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