By rosebell
Following that the first of two TBMs has excavated the first kilometre of tunnels, tunneling is advancing on Melbourne’s North East Link.
In order to digging the 6.5km-long road tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen, TBM Zelda was commissioned in August by Spark Consortium and TBM Gillian in September.
While these two TBMs are currently under Yallambie, excavation of the northbound tunnel is undergoing by TBM Zelda and it has completed the 1km milestone and TBM Gillian has just passed 700m on the southbound tunnel.
Also the concrete segments made locally in Benalla are installing by both machines as they move forward, whereas concrete culverts made in Echuca are also being installed behind each TBM to form a service route for maintenance vehicles inside the tunnels.
The date of break through of the Herrenknecht TBMs near Lower Plenty Road where on and off ramps are being built will be the next year and they are due to be relaunched to continue their journey towards Bulleen.
Using five large road headers chipping away at the rock layer and applying sprayed concrete lining, mined tunneling is under way between Manningham Road and Trinity Grammar in the southern section of the North East Link tunnels.
With the aim of constructing the road that will pass traffic under instead of through local suburbs, tunneling is going to be up to 45m underground.
More than 8,000 workers are currently working across North East Link as part of 12,000 jobs the project is creating.
While 100% of the renewable electricity is being used for bulding the tunnels, the spoil is being reused across North East Link and other transport sites where possible.
Spark consortium comprises Webuild, GS Engineering and Construction, CPB Contractors, China Construction Oceania, Ventia, Capella Capital, John Laing Investments, DIF and Pacific Partnerships.
