Case Studies

Port Botany Expansion

Steeling The Show

With more than ten years of experience within the industry, Concrete Reinforcement Services are a steel fixing company able to deliver cost and time efficient solutions to a range of projects throughout Australia

Having worked on a number of prolific projects, such as Sydney’s M7, the Parramatta-Chatswood Railway and the Lane Cove Tunnel, Concrete Reinforcement Services were also recently involved on the $500 million Port Botany Expansion Development.

Encompassing an additional 1,850 metres of extra berth length, through reclamation of 63 hectares of land, five new shipping berths, dedicated road and rail access, as well as a public boat launching ramp and parking, the significant Botany expansion is expected to almost double the current capacity of the Port.

Noel O’Neill, Director of Concrete Reinforcement Services, said that throughout their involvement, their professional team were responsible for carrying out all of the steel fixing on the Port’s counterforts, walls and buttresses, which required 10,000 tonnes of steel and 6,000 tonnes of steel in the crane rail and cope beam.

“A unique aspect of the product we used whilst working on the Port Botany Expansion development, was that we directly imported the steel, already pre-welded and spliced, from Thailand,” Mr O’Neill said.

“These pre-fabricated steel structures were extremely time effective for the project in the fact they greatly enhanced and facilitated the installation process,” he said. Given the significant size of the development, Concrete Reinforcement Services did face a number of challenges whilst working on the project.

“Our biggest challenge was that we were required to install over 350 tonnes of steel every week, which was an immense scale and as a result, created a lot of pressure for us,” Mr O’Neill said.

“However, using our industry expertise and professionalism, our committed and driven team were able to deliver successful results and a quality product for the client,” he said.

Based on the recent success of the Port Botany Expansion Project completion, as well as their pioneering steel installation techniques and product range, Concrete Reinforcement Services will continue to remain at the forefront of the steel fixing industry. Concrete Reinforcement services have also just won a tender to work on Thiess’ Hunter Express Alliance which will require 6,500 tonnes of steel to be installed.

SYDNEY METRO NORTHWEST

Built To Last

For civil construction company Concrete Reinforcement Services (CRS), the Sydney Metro Northwest was the biggest contract that the company has undertaken.

Hired to complete extensive precast concrete works on the project CRS built 1,250 segments of precast concrete and all the segments for the 4km skytrain. It also completed steel fixing off the piers and footing off the 270m long cable stayed bridge at Windsor Road.

They also completed the steel fixing for all of the 110 piers and footings, that the precast segment would sit on to form the 4km bridge.

While Sydney Metro Northwest Rail was a huge contract for CRS, it was also an unqualified success for the company. “We’re probably leading the field in works on precast jobs,” adds CRS’s Nailer O’Neill.

Starting onsite in November 2014, CRS worked around the clock to meet the tight timeframe for the project. They also had to negotiate to adjust the program, due to the volume of steel which was difficult to source for the project. 80 of CRS’s 100 employees worked on the Sydney Metro North West Rail project, with two groups working 12-hour shifts.

Finishing work onsite in December 2016, Nailer said that while all aspects of the job were pretty difficult, good management and correct decision making helped ensure the project was a great accomplishment. “It was the biggest contract we have ever done in terms of money and work. However we took it on and it has been a big success for us,” he says. “It showcased our ability as a company and the [construction company] has been very happy with our work. We have helped save time and costs due to our different methods we employ on the job.”

Nailer and Construction Supervisor, Clive O’Neill were also on hand the whole time throughout the project’s duration, working in shifts and ensuring they were available all day, every day. Nailer particularly highlights the work of Clive, who played a significant role in overseeing the success of CRS’s work on the project. “He looked after everything, looked after all the men. It was a big contract for him to do on his own,” he says.

In fact, the work of CRS on the Sydney Metro Northwest has been such a feat, the company picked up other contracts while on the project. This includes being hired to work on the M4 East Motorway for the WestConnex project.

Formed in 1999 by Nailer, who has been fixing steel for 28 years and has 26 years experience in the civil industry, CRS continues to deliver cost and time-efficient solutions to a range of projects right throughout Australia. The company offers comprehensive steel fixing, concrete and formwork services for civil projects and has expertise in bridges, roads, incrementally launched bridges, precast yard and culverts. CRS’s work across the nation has seen it contracted to projects in Brisbane, Adelaide, Byron Bay and the Hunter Valley. The company is happy to travel anywhere.

Additionally, CRS has established a strong reputation within the civil construction industry, and, as seen with the Sydney Metro Northwest, most of CRS’s business comes via recommendations from current and previous customers.

The major projects for CRS show no signs of slowing down, with the company currently bidding for the second stage of precast work for the M5 East Motorway in the Hunter Valley. CRS will make the precast segments in the Hunter Valley and, once completed, will transport them to the site in Sydney.

CRS has previously worked on significant projects such as Sydney’s M7 Motorway, the Parramatta-Chatswood Railway, the Port Botany Expansion and the Lane Cove Tunnel. Other iconic projects include the Brisbane Clam 7, the Legacy Way Tunnel, the Airport Link Tunnel, the Byron Bay Tunnel, the Hunter Valley Expressway and in Adelaide, the Urban Superway and the Northern Exchange.

TINTENBAR TO EWINGSDALE HIGHWAY

Reinforcing the way

Concrete Reinforcement Services (CRS) are a civil construction company that specialise in bridges, roads, incrementally launched bridges, precast yard and culverts.

Working meticulously on the recent Tintenbar to Ewingsdale project, CRS was responsible for all the reinforcement requirements for the bridges and tunnels.

In all, the company worked on 13 bridges which are located over a 25-kilometre stretch, as well as the twin north-bound and southbound tunnels at St Helena Hill. Each tunnel is 450 metres in length and are the biggest in situ tunnels ever built in Australia. The works also included the positioning of around 40 piers, which were prefabricated on the ground and then moved into place by onsite cranes.

CRS has been working on the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale project since 2012, which has seen the team produce more than 8000 tonnes of reinforcement material.

Concrete Reinforcement Services’ Director Nailer O’Neill said the company currently has 60 of its staff working on the tunnels. CRS is due to complete works at the site by Christmas.

“The project is 80 per cent finished and we are currently working 24 hours a day, completing two 12-hour shifts in both the tunnels,” he said.

As expected with a project of this calibre, the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale construction has provided CRS with a few challenges, including undertaking works across the project’s 25-kilometre distance.

“The way we are building the tunnels is also new for CRS. We usually use a precast system, however for this project we are actually building the reinforcement itself, which is a first for us,” Nailer said. “Another challenge we are facing at the moment is that we are working 24 hours in the tunnels, so we have to make sure there are enough men and supervisors able to work the required shifts.”

The company, which employs 80 staff, is willing to work on projects anywhere across Australia. This is reflected by the major civil construction projects CRS is currently working on or has just completed. This includes the Frederickton to Eungai upgrade in New South Wales for Thiess, where CRS is working on 12 bridges for the 26.5-kilometre civil construction project, which includes a fourlane divided road and new interchange. CRS has also just completed works on the $1.7 billion Hunter Expressway for Thiess, a 40-kilometre freeway link between Newcastle and the Upper Hunter Valley.

Last year, the company completed works on the Urban Superway Project in Adelaide, a 4.8-kilometre highway connecting the Port River Expressway to Regency Road. The $842m project includes a 2.8-kilometre elevated roadway and was a joint venture between John Holland, Macmahon Contractors and Leed Engineering and Construction.

CRS has also just finished working on the 4.6-kilometre tunnel for Brisbane’s Legacy Way project, which is being constructed by Transcity (a joint venture of BMD Constructions, Acciona Infrastructures and Ghella) for Brisbane City Council.

Given CRS’s history of working on significant civil construction projects, the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale upgrade is certain to be another showcase development for the company, adding to its long list of successful projects.