Preparing TBM Launch Sites

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) projects are transforming the infrastructure of eastern Australian cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, driving modernisation and expansion. Progress is steadily advancing on the tunnel sections from the Greensborough M80 Interchange to the Eastern Freeway.

However, the project faced operational challenges, necessitating a faster and more efficient method for accurately placing embedded hooked Holddown-Bolts for crane rail anchoring.

Innovative Templating by Allfasteners

Well-versed in providing tailored solutions for intricate engineering problems, Allfasteners designed and introduced crane rail templates for the TBM launch site. The solution comprised a metal template with the bolted hooked bolts into the rebar cages below.

The template ensured accurate height and width measurements along with spacing and consistently maintained levels and alignment along the crane rail length. This inventive solution was, surprisingly, an industry-first testament to Allfasteners’ innovative capabilities.

Interestingly, as a supply partner, our involvement is typically not prevalent in detailed installation procedures on-site. Thus, these operational pain points were previously unknown.

However, our previous experience providing drilling and chemical anchoring templates for consistent installation in tunnels served us well. The idea for templating rebar and bolt tie-in sparked naturally from that experience, and our engineers and workshop team jolted into action.

A simple improvement like the template demonstrates how proactive communication and feedback can lead to enhanced project outcomes, yielding solutions that can be replicated elsewhere. Teams on-site can now efficiently install and secure bolts and plates without concern for precise placement and levelling.

These novel solutions demonstrated reliable performance and significantly boosted operational efficiency. It resulted in a streamlined installation process, superior structural performance, and meeting project timelines despite the considerable project scale.

It never hurts to start the conversation. It could lead to significant improvements just like this.