Projects involving critical infrastructure require expert project management to deliver high-quality results and to minimise risk and inconvenience to workers and the general public. The relocation of several existing 66kV sub-transmission circuits on the West Gate Tunnel Project in Melbourne was no exception, with more than 200,000 vehicles relying on the West Gate Bridge each day and disruptions creating delays across Melbourne’s greater road network.
The West Gate Tunnel Project is a partnership between the Victorian Government and Transurban, and is being built by construction contractors CPB Contractors and John Holland Joint Venture (CPBJH JV). The city-shaping project is delivering a vital alternative to Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge, removing thousands of trucks from residential streets.
With the West Gate Tunnel Project expected to end Melbourne’s reliance on the West Gate Bridge by building new tunnels and links, a number of existing 66kV sub-transmission circuits are being moved underground.
Minimising disruption with expert operations
Daly’s Constructions (Australia) has been engaged by CPBJH JV to complete the 66kV underground relocation works on behalf of Jemena and Powercor. The scope of works includes:
- 2700m of dual, triple and quad circuit trenching
- Drilling ten 450mm diameter bores, including four bores underneath the West Gate Freeway
- 27,000m of conduit installation with flowable thermal backfill
- Construction of four reinforced concrete joint bays up to 12m long by 6m wide, including temporary works design
- Installation of 21,210m of 66kV 1600mm2 single core copper XLPE cable
- Three 66kV straight joints and six 66kV cable head terminations
- Temporary works design to mitigate impacts to existing oil filled cables
- Bespoke scaffold design and installation around 66kV cable head poles
The works commenced on site in April 2018 and Daly’s scope is forecast to be completed by June 2019. The project is being delivered on a tight schedule, requiring multiple civil crews, cable hauling crews, as well as jointing and terminating crews, all of which must work concurrently.
Whilst this can present on-site challenges, Daly’s Constructions is using effective planning and a collaborative approach to execute the works, engaging with personnel from CPBJH, Powercor and Jemena. According to the company’s Director, Mark Daly, weekly progress meetings and open communication ensures that all stakeholders are informed and that critical interfaces with other project works are well managed.
About Daly’s Constructions
Daly is a family owned business that commenced in 1971 when Gabe and Mary Daly established the company to install cables in new estates throughout growing metropolitan Melbourne.
Today, Daly’s Constructions provides design, civil works, cable installation, cable jointing and terminating services to the energy infrastructure industry across Australia and New Zealand, specialising in major sub-transmission and transmission underground works.
For more information on Daly’s Constructions, visit www.daly.net.au/constructions/about-us.
