Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Tunneling Through Hurdles Faced By Melbourne's Metro Train Project

Melbourne's 10-year metro tunnel project is a giant leap forward as the government heeds the travel woes of the city's commuters. Engineers are already drafting solutions to some of the most difficult aspects of the tunneling project.

Image source: abc.net.au

Unstable soils are a problem throughout most of the locations where the tunnel will be built, including the silt soil at Arden and sandy ground at Domain station. Until now, engineers are working out the most effective designs for the tunnel to hold against the porous grounds of Melbourne, making the project one of the most difficult engineering endeavors of the city.

Perhaps the most glaring challenge is tunneling beneath the Yarra River, whose river bed is mostly a mix of basalt, silt, and clay. The presence of aquifers adds to the complexity. After careful study of alternative methods, engineers had elected to use Tunnel Boring Machines to minimize the construction's impact on the river and surrounding areas.

Image source: railexpress.com.au
Contractors are also working out methods to avoid adversely affecting road traffic, existing public transit lines, and pedestrians aboveground given the extensive time to complete the project. The government, however, is unfazed despite the formidable road ahead; it has already committed 10.9 billion dollars for the project's completion.

For almost two decades, Western Australian native Lisa Dudzik has managed large-scale construction projects involving subways, roads, and highways. For more construction news, visit this page.