The Joint Venture Ghella-Abergeldie Harker Joint Venture has been selected as the preferred bidder for the construction of the 13km Central Interceptor wastewater tunnel in Auckland. Ghella-Abergeldie Harker Joint Venture is one of four contractors that tendered in mid-September for the project. The other three are: CPB Contractors; Pacific Networks (comprising McConnell Dowell, Fletcher Construction and Obayashi); and VINCI Joint Venture (comprising VINCI Construction Grands Projets, HEB Construction and Soletanche Bachy). Visit https://www.watercare.co.nz . 49/18.

Watercare and the Ghella Abergeldie Joint Venture signed the contract to construct Watercare's Central Interceptor, a 13-km wastewater tunnel between Western Springs and the Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant at Auckland with associated infrastructure. The tunnel is expected to reduce wastewater overflows in the central city by 80 per cent. Arup has been commissioned by Ghella Abergeldie JV to provide tender design support, detailed design services and construction phase support of shafts structural design and the tunnel lining design. Construction will start with site works in August and the whole project is expected to be completed by 2025. For tender information please click here . 11/19.

The Auckland central motorway junction contract, value EUR185 million, has been awarded by NZTA to V-Formation consortium of Fletcher Construction, Beca Engineering, Higgins Contractors and Parsons Brinckerhoff. The 2.2 km-long project includes a 440 m-long tunnel beneath Victoria Park to carry three lanes of northbound traffic, while the existing viaduct will carry four lanes southbound. Preliminary works commence August, 2009, with construction starting November, 2009. For more, contact Andy Knackstedt at NZTA www.nzta.govt.nz/newsroom/info/317/index.html 29/09.

4.5 km-long EUR780 million Auckland Waterview Connection with 3.2 km-long, 13 m-diameter twin two-lane bored tunnels at 13 m separation 20-40 m below surface to connect State Highway 20 at Mt Roskill to the northwestern motorway at Waterview should be underway for 2015 to complete the Western Ring Route connecting all four Auckland cities. For more information tel +64 9 368 2000, visit www.transit.govt.nz or e-mail waterview.connection@transit.govt.nz and www.aucklandmotorways.co.nz. 04/09.

NZTA to call for registrations of interest for construction, starting late-2011, of twin three-lane Waterview Connection tunnels on Western Ring Route, each comprising 2.1 km-long natural tunnel with 450 m-long cut/cover section. Tunnels are 11 m-high x 14 m-wide, with 25-30 m-high vent shafts. Geology is soft sedimentary rock with proximal basalt lava flows. Other construction works include widening and raising 3.2 km of state highway causeway, works to major interchanges including new interchange ramps and four new viaducts, and shape correction and resurfacing. For more information on the procurement process, e-mail victoria.wallace@nzta.govt.nz, or visit http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/waterviewconnection/construction/. 19/10.

Route agreed in principle from western end of Britomart station in downtown Auckland for first part of proposed 3.5 km tunnel link to Mt Eden via Albert Street. Government rail agency Ontrack is proceeding with planning of remainder of route with a view to construction completion by 2020, target cost EUR450 million. Visit www.ontrack.govt.nz, head office tel +64 4 495 3000, or e-mail info@projectdart.org.nz 46/08.

The Link Alliance, which includes VINCI Construction subsidiaries VINCI Construction Grands Projets (main contractor) and Soletanche Bachy International, along with their partner Downer and designers Aecom, WSP-Opus, and Tonkin & Taylor secured the Design-Construction Alliance contract for Package 3 of the City Rail Link project in New Zealand.

The contract, worth EUR970 million (NZD1,658 million) is for the design and construction of 3.45 km of extension of a train line, including 3.2 km of tunnel, to link the existing Britomart station to the existing Mount Eden station. Along that line, three new stations will be built, two of which are underground. The tunnels will be made using a TBM EPB with a diameter of 7.18 m.

The signed contract is an "Alliance" type, meaning the designer-constructor consortium and the client, City Rail Link Limited, can create a single and integrated team to deliver the project to Auckland residents in 2024.

For a total cost of EUR2.586 bn (NZD4.419 bn), the City Rail Link project is expected to double the number of people who can reach downtown Auckland in under 30 minutes. This new train line has been designed to accommodate 54,000 passengers per hour at peak travel times, which is the equivalent of two double four-lane motorways.

Visit https://www.cityraillink.co.nz/crl-media-releases-2019 and https://www.vinci.com/vinci.nsf/en/press-releases/pages/20190719-0830.htm.

29/19.

  Further to an invitation for registrations of interest (read E-News Weekly 8/2006), three contractors have been invited last spring by Watercare to participate in a tendering process for tunnel contract 4081 of the Hobson project. Those competing are a Fletcher Construction / McConnell Dowell Constructors joint venture, John Holland and a Multiplex / Zueblin joint venture. Following the shortlisting, a two-stage tender process has started. The first stage was successfully completed at the end of June, and tender documents were issued to potential contractors in early July with tenders scheduled for submission to Watercare in early October. The Hobson project includes a 3 km-long 3.7 m nominal internal diameter sewer tunnel approximately 20 m below sea level from Parnell to the Orakei Domain in Auckland. The tunnel will be excavated using pressurised face TBM in conjunction with a precast reinforced concrete segmental lining. It also includes shafts for access to the tunnel, sewer connections and a new pumping station, among other main associated works. It will connect the Orakei main sewer at Parnell with a new pumping station in the Orakei Domain, and will serve a large part of Auckland City. For more, visit www.water.co.nz 40/06.McConnell Dowell Constructors, in joint venture with Fletcher Construction, have been awarded the Hobson sewer tunnel contract by Watercare Services. The scope of work comprises a 3.7 m nominal internal diameter segment lined tunnel under Hobson Bay, approximately 3 km in length, from a purpose built launch shaft with a 10 m internal diameter and 36 m deep. The works also include a new pumping station, which will be 23 m in diameter and approximately 40 m in depth, complete with dry well, pumps, valves, etc. Included are two other vortex drop shafts, each approximately 30 m deep and 5 to 10 m diameter. The scope also includes demolition of the existing Orakei main sewer and connections into existing works. The project commences in May 2007 and has a duration of 32 months. A Lovat EPB TBM will be used. Click here. Visit www.macdow.com.au and www.water.co.nz 15/07.Lovat and contractor McConnell Dowell have recently signed a contract for the supply of a new RME131SE series 24400 earth pressure balance TBM that will be used in the construction of the Rosedale wastewater treatment plant outfall located in Auckland. This is the second Lovat TBM ordered by McConnell Dowell in 2007. Click here. The 3.3 m-diameter mixed face TBM will bore a total of 2,950 metres, with the final 550 metres being driven offshore. As a result, the TBM has been designed for recovery from a subaqueous shaft in the seabed. The groundwater table is estimated at 1 to 3 m below ground surface, with maximum water height above tunnel invert estimated at 18 metres. Maximum water and EPB pressure is anticipated at up to 4 bar. Geology along the tunnel alignment is characterized by the east coast bay formation, a Miocene marine sedimentary sequence, consisting of moderately weathered to unweathered sandstones, siltstones, and mudstones with probable cemented pockets and lenses of poorly sorted sand to boulder-sized conglomerate. The tunnel is expected to be entirely within the east coast bay formation. The TBM is scheduled for delivery in mid 2008. Visit www.lovat.com and www.mcconnelldowell.com 03/08.

Options under study for a second harbour crossing near the Auckland Harbour Bridge, either a bridge or a tunnel under the Waitemata Harbour and tunnel connections to the northwestern and southwestern motorways, costing up to $2 billion. Any tunnel must fit plans for the extension of State Highway 20 through Avondale. Planning and design work are expected to take several years. Construction unlikely to start before 2010. 52/01.Options under study to build a trench or tunnel beneath Victoria Park. The cheapest option is to widen or build a new viaduct. Second option is to put the motorway in a trench through Victoria Park for $220-$250 million. Third option is a partial or full tunnel under Victoria Park at a cost of $150-$290 million. The fourth option is to tunnel under Victoria Park and straighten the approach to the harbour bridge, for a cost of $350-$430 million. 13/02.Four-tunnel transport link east of existing bridge, two for motor vehicles and two for rail transport, recommended by Waitemata Harbour Crossing study group to link Esmonde and Onewa motorway interchanges on the North Shore City side to Auckland City at around EUR1.65 billion. Visit www.aucklandmotorways.co.nz. 04/09.

Possibility of construction of $83 million central station with light rail system to Newmarket with bridge over Grafton Gully and tunnel beneath hospital. Contact via www.aucklandnz.com 19/01.

  9.8 km x 10 m-diameter tailrace being driven by Robbins TBM equipped with 68 x 432 mm front/back loading disc cutters suited to rock hardness to 200 MPa. Gneisses, quartzites, gabbros, amphibolites and granites expected with faults, blocky conditions and water inflows. Maximum cover 1,220 m. Contracting jv of Fletcher, Dillingham and Ilbau. Value US$ 85 million. TBM operations commenced mid-1998 with support generally comprising rockbolts, mesh and shotcrete. Dec 1998.   Robbins 10 m-diameter hardrock TBM with flat, narrow cutterhead driven by eleven 2-speed electric motors offering torques of 6,300 kNm at 5 rev/min and 9,500 kNm at 2.5 rev/min and total power of 3,500 kW. High-capacity three-axis type main bearing. Cutterhead dressed with 68 x 432 mm disc cutters rated at 267 kN which can be front or back loaded. Ring beam erector and equipment for grouting, roofbolting, spiling and drainage mounted on machine. Rates of up to 30 m/day reported with completion planned for October, 2000. May 1999.   www.southernlakes.co.nz/2mtt/2mtt.htm   During late August, 1999 the TBM passed the 3 km mark and intercepted and crossed the third major fault. Groundwater flows have remained constant at a total of 475 l/sec while water pressures in the probeholes ahead of the TBM are as high as 38 bar. All six permanent pumps have been installed in the dewatering complex and are available if needed. Visit www.robbinstbm.com for more information about the face machine. November 1999.   Aquatic Sciences Inc reports that has been awarded a challenging underwater tunnel inspection for Meridian Energy Limited, New Zealand at Manapouri. An underwater remotely operated vehicle will conduct an internal sonar and video inspection of the existing 9.8 km tailrace tunnel to survey structural conditions. The shutdown period for the inspection procedure to 48 hours, and no dewatering is necessary. The ROV is tethered by a sophisticated umbilical that transmits sonar and video data real-time to the surface via fibre optic telemetry.   ASI has completed continuous surveys of 10 km from a single access point using this robotic system, including inspections of a 120 km water supply tunnel in Finland. More from www.aquaticsciences.com March 2000.  Breakthrough of Robbins TBM reported midnight on 13th March, 2001 can be viewed at www.tunnelcam.co.nz and visit www.robbinstbm.com 12/01.