OUR GEOTECHNICAL PROJECTS

We have completed over 4,000 projects of all size across Australia and New Zealand. Some of our highlight projects are showcased below.

Canberra International Airport Hotel, Canberra, ACT

The Canberra Airport Hotel is a 4.5 star hotel operated by Toga Far East Hotels (TFE Hotels) under the Vibe Hotel brand. The hotel is located 150 metres from the entry to the new terminal, and the building is centred around a full height atrium featuring a large ground floor intermingle zone with reception, bar, restaurant and conferencing facilities.

The hotel was built by local firm Construction Control, commencing in May 2014 this year and is completed late 2015.

Site conditions included deep alluvial clays over alluvial sands and gravelly sands, with deep friction piles or a floating raft slab being considered for foundation design.
BP Terminal, Gladstone, QLD

A water supply tank experienced major erosion and washout of subsoils as a result of long-term settlement of the area filling.

A Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM) was used to fill the void, which minimised the impact on the existing tank and shortened the time required to bring the tank back into operation. The CLSM was designed to allow future excavation if required (e.g. for services), whilst providing a backfill that will perform similar to the compacted gravels it is replacing.

View of erosion beneath ring beam taken from inside the tank.

Note the precast concrete piles used to support the ring beam.
Reclaimed Water Management Scheme, Nowra NSW

This project involved installing pipework to supply reclaimed water to farms in the Nowra district, through variable and challenging geological conditions including very soft alluvial soils, high water table, and acid sulcate soils. Subgrade support solutions included tipping ballast into the very soft soils, and driven timber piles.

Installing a section of pipe using shoring boxes and temporary dewatering.
M2 Motorway, Sydney NSW (URS project)

Whilst employed with Dames and Moore (now URS), Mark Bartel was the project manager for the geotechnical investigations for the M2 Motorway, for preliminary and final design. The investigations included assessment of geotechnical conditions relating to bridge foundations, rock and soil slope stability, and assessment of in-situ stress conditions for the Epping Park Twin Tunnel. The geotechnical investigations were logistically difficult with many investigation sites spread over a large area.
Majors Bay Redevelopment

Asset carried out Geotechnical Investigation of soil and rock conditions for a proposed multi-stage development involving conditions ranging from acid sulfate soils to deep rock excavation. Subsequent investigation was carried out for the existing pavement thickness and composition, including traffic management, services search, characterisation of pavement failure modes, drilling and logging of 13 boreholes, Falling Weight Deflectometer testing, laboratory testing, pavement reinstatement, and engineering assessment and pavement thickness designs.

The project was completed safely, on-time, and within budget, resulting in minimised area of pavement requiring full re-construction.
AE2 Development, Ermington

Geotechnical investigation comprising 14 cored boreholes was carried out to supplement a previous investigation conducted by others, to aid in the design and construction of deep rock-socketed foundation piles and to assess the potential for soil salinity and corrosiveness to steel and concrete. Construction inspections and advice were provided relating to working platforms for plant and basement tanking for flood events.

The project was completed safely, on-time, and within budget.
Pacific Highway Upgrade - Herons Creek to Stills Road

Bored pile inspections were carried out to ensure that the design foundation requirements were achieved. Site inspections were also carried out to assess foundation conditions for various culverts and creek crossings.

Analysis of settlement parameters and bearing capacity for a new RE wall were provided, as well as advice on slope stability for emergency excavation into a section of the embankment to remediate an unexpected contamination find.
Imperial High Rise Development at Hurstville

High-rise residential apartment building with 5 basement levels, adjacent to Hurstville Railway Line.

Scope of work included 2D and 3D FEM analysis and construction monitoring of basement excavation and shoring impact on adjacent Sydney Trains assets. 2D and 3D numerical methods were used to assess track deflections. Structural loads on shoring members were also derived to aid in structural design. Construction monitoring plan involving basement shoring and rail tracks was devised and executed, with Sydney Trains approval.

Completed project safely, on-time, and within budget.

Canberra Airport Hotel
BP Terminal, Gladstone
RWMS, Nowra
M2 Motorway
Majors Bay Redevelopment
AE2 Development
Pacific Highway Upgrade - Herons Creek to Stills Road
Imperial - Hurstville

Canberra International Airport Hotel, Canberra, ACT

The Canberra Airport Hotel is a 4.5 star hotel operated by Toga Far East Hotels (TFE Hotels) under the Vibe Hotel brand. The hotel is located 150 metres from the entry to the new terminal, and the building is centred around a full height atrium featuring a large ground floor intermingle zone with reception, bar, restaurant and conferencing facilities.

The hotel was built by local firm Construction Control, commencing in May 2014 this year and is completed late 2015.

Site conditions included deep alluvial clays over alluvial sands and gravelly sands, with deep friction piles or a floating raft slab being considered for foundation design.

BP Terminal, Gladstone, QLD

A water supply tank experienced major erosion and washout of subsoils as a result of long-term settlement of the area filling.

A Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM) was used to fill the void, which minimised the impact on the existing tank and shortened the time required to bring the tank back into operation. The CLSM was designed to allow future excavation if required (e.g. for services), whilst providing a backfill that will perform similar to the compacted gravels it is replacing.

View of erosion beneath ring beam taken from inside the tank.

Note the precast concrete piles used to support the ring beam.

Reclaimed Water Management Scheme, Nowra NSW

This project involved installing pipework to supply reclaimed water to farms in the Nowra district, through variable and challenging geological conditions including very soft alluvial soils, high water table, and acid sulcate soils. Subgrade support solutions included tipping ballast into the very soft soils, and driven timber piles.

Installing a section of pipe using shoring boxes and temporary dewatering.

M2 Motorway, Sydney NSW (URS project)

Whilst employed with Dames and Moore (now URS), Mark Bartel was the project manager for the geotechnical investigations for the M2 Motorway, for preliminary and final design. The investigations included assessment of geotechnical conditions relating to bridge foundations, rock and soil slope stability, and assessment of in-situ stress conditions for the Epping Park Twin Tunnel. The geotechnical investigations were logistically difficult with many investigation sites spread over a large area.

Majors Bay Redevelopment

Asset carried out Geotechnical Investigation of soil and rock conditions for a proposed multi-stage development involving conditions ranging from acid sulfate soils to deep rock excavation. Subsequent investigation was carried out for the existing pavement thickness and composition, including traffic management, services search, characterisation of pavement failure modes, drilling and logging of 13 boreholes, Falling Weight Deflectometer testing, laboratory testing, pavement reinstatement, and engineering assessment and pavement thickness designs.

The project was completed safely, on-time, and within budget, resulting in minimised area of pavement requiring full re-construction.

AE2 Development, Ermington

Geotechnical investigation comprising 14 cored boreholes was carried out to supplement a previous investigation conducted by others, to aid in the design and construction of deep rock-socketed foundation piles and to assess the potential for soil salinity and corrosiveness to steel and concrete. Construction inspections and advice were provided relating to working platforms for plant and basement tanking for flood events.

The project was completed safely, on-time, and within budget.

Pacific Highway Upgrade - Herons Creek to Stills Road

Bored pile inspections were carried out to ensure that the design foundation requirements were achieved. Site inspections were also carried out to assess foundation conditions for various culverts and creek crossings.

Analysis of settlement parameters and bearing capacity for a new RE wall were provided, as well as advice on slope stability for emergency excavation into a section of the embankment to remediate an unexpected contamination find.

Imperial High Rise Development at Hurstville

High-rise residential apartment building with 5 basement levels, adjacent to Hurstville Railway Line.

Scope of work included 2D and 3D FEM analysis and construction monitoring of basement excavation and shoring impact on adjacent Sydney Trains assets. 2D and 3D numerical methods were used to assess track deflections. Structural loads on shoring members were also derived to aid in structural design. Construction monitoring plan involving basement shoring and rail tracks was devised and executed, with Sydney Trains approval.

Completed project safely, on-time, and within budget.