It's the first time the TBM has 'surfaced' since beginning tunnelling at Forrestfield nine months ago, having travelled 1.9km and installed 1188 rings.
TBM Grace entered the Airport Central Station box via a mass concrete false block, used to stabilise the walls and reduce water ingress. Grace was guided through the 12.5m block over a period of 24 hours, with a team of 15 present inside the machine for the final breakthrough. She will continue to advance into the station box in coming weeks whilst undergoing maintenance.
The project's second TBM, Sandy, is due to arrive at Airport Central Station later this month and will follow the same process as Grace. TBM Sandy has so far travelled 1.8km and installed 1121 rings.
Join us for our second TBM open day
This is your chance to find out more about our tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and the project’s progress more broadly. Register your interest to attend an information session at the project’s briefing centre on Sunday May 27, with the session filled on a first-in, first-served basis.
The centre includes a 4m model of the TBM, as well as plenty of photos and videos. The event will run for approximately 1.5hours, and include a presentation as well as lots of time for questions.
Click here to register your interest to attend via email.
Excavation begins at Bayswater Junction
A significant milestone has been reached at Bayswater Junction with the completion of all 133 diaphragm wall (d-wall) panels for the tunnel portal and dive structure. The final d-wall was poured in the first week of May and marks the completion of d-wall construction across the entire project. Attention will now turn to excavation of the 400m-long dive structure and tunnel portal, where trains will enter and exit the Forrestfield Line tunnels.
All dewatering recharge and monitoring wells have now been installed within the portal and continue to be installed along the dive structure. Dewatering will be confined to the work area and allow for deep excavation. Concrete capping beams have also been completed for the tunnel portal, and are now being constructed along the dive structure. These beams link the top of the d-walls together.
Redcliffe Station excavation nears completion
Excavation within the Redcliffe Station box is expected to be completed within the coming week. More than 42,000m3 (97 per cent) of spoil has been removed to date.
With Redcliffe Station the next stop for our TBMs on their 8km journey to Bayswater, works will turn to the pouring of concrete for the base slab of the underground station box. Construction of the base slab is expected to begin next week and will continue until late August. After completion, dewatering at the site will be turned off.
Road works progressing at Forrestfield site
Construction of the Dundas Road realignment is progressing well, with embankments being established and drainage being installed. Over coming weeks work will begin to install 195m of limestone retaining wall to support the new embankment and separate the road from the rail.
Works to build the southern intersection will begin around 1 June, and take approximately 15 days to complete. Focus will then turn to the northern intersection. View a map of the changes to Dundas Road.
With concrete works for the station's 300m retaining wall now complete, foundations for the southern retaining wall are underway and two of 12 wall panels have been cast. Concrete work for the wall, which will be up to 6m high, will be completed around mid-June. Drainage is now in place for the station stowage yard and earthworks will continue this month.
Digging into emergency egress shafts
Works are underway to connect the first of three emergency egress shafts (EES) to the tunnels. Excavation of the project's first cross passage will begin in coming weeks at the Abernethy Road EES, after a section of d-wall was removed in preparation.
Jet grouting is continuing at the Wright Crescent EES to stabilise the ground ahead of the cross passage being constructed between the tunnels and the EES. The process will continue until the end of May, after which works will shift to the excavation of the egress shaft.
Site establishment works for the Tonkin Highway jet grouting works are now complete with the team to mobilise in late May. Jet grouting is expected to be ongoing for approximately two months.
At Airport West EES, excavation of soil within the shaft is now 70 per cent complete. Excavation will continue over the coming month until the required depth of 34m is met.