Major projects

2010 PROJECT UPDATE

Gautrain

GAUTRAIN

The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link project has been underway for nine months following commercial close in September 2006. Since then, there has been significant progress in the construction programme:

SOUTHERN (UNDERGROUND) SECTION

PARK STATION

Tunnel canopy tube installation has commenced and tunneling towards Rosebank is 10 metres from the opening. Utilities under Wolmarans Street are being diverted. Diaphragm wall construction around the station box is being completed and excavation of the station box will start soon.

ROSEBANK STATION

The north shaft excavation has reached its final depth 30 metres below surface. Tunnelling towards the Sandton Station began mid-August. Installation of piles for lateral support during excavation is completed. The station box excavation is now three metres deep. A 885 ton German tunnel boring machine will start boring towards Parktown Ridge in January 2008.

EMERGENCY SHAFT E2 NEAR THE WILDS

E2 site establishment is in progress and shaft collar excavation has started. The tunnel section between Park Station and Marlboro Portal will feature seven emergency access shafts.

EMERGENCY SHAFT E5 IN DUNKELD

E5 has reached its final depth of 62 metres and concrete lining is in progress. Construction of a gantry crane with noise hoardings covering the shaft opening has started and will be used to hoist excavated rock and lower equipment into shaft.

SANDTON STATION

Diaphragm wall and pile construction around the station box is complete and the construction of capping beams is in progress. The northern shaft is used for station excavation and the southern shaft for tunnelling towards Rosebank and Mushroom Farm Park. Construction of foundations for the south shaft gantry structure is in progress.

MUSHROOM FARM PARK CONSTRUCTION SHAFT AND TWO TUNNELS

The vertical shaft reached its final depth at 31 metres. The two horizontal tunnels have reached 30 metres from the tunnel openings. One tunnel will be excavated towards Sandton while the second tunnel will link up with the Marlboro Portal tunnel. A gantry crane is installed above the shaft to hoist excavated material and lower equipment into the shaft. The positioning of noise hoardings around the steel is nearing completion.

MARLBORO PORTAL

The tunnel has reached 470 metres from the portal opening (17%). Low profile dump trucks remove spoil to a crushing plant near Linbro Park for recycling.

EAST-WEST (AIRPORT) LINK – MARLBORO STATION TO OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

MARLBORO STATION AND N3 UNDERPASS

Pier lifts for two viaducts (rail bridges) over East Road and the cut and cover for the N3 highway underpass are in progress.

LINBRO PARK TO RHODESFIELD STATION

A cleared section of the Modderfontein Conservation area is being fenced. Houses along Fitter Road have been demolished and those along Old Pretoria Road are being demolished. Utilities are being relocated to give construction workers access to land. Piling and formwork for three viaducts over Centenary Way, Zuurfontein Road and Pretoria Road/ R21 is in progress and preparations are underway to start with viaduct abutments.

OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT STATION

The establishment of the construction site is underway. Gautrain’s elevated station at OR International Airport will be fully integrated into the OR Tambo International Airport terminals.

NORTHERN SECTION -Y JUNCTION TO PRETORIA AND HATFIELD STATION

Project

BUS DEPOT, TRAIN DEPOT, OPERATIONS CONTROL CENTRE AND PRE-CAST YARD

Train depot workshop building columns are being constructed. Scaffolding for the train depot office building’s first floor slab is being installed. The bus depot administration building has reached completion. Electrical fittings, plumbing and paving are in progress. Viaduct spans and M-beam casting (used in the construction of bridges) is in progress.

Project

TSHWANE

Temporary hoardings are being erected around Jean Avenue and Hatfield Station construction sites. Several viaducts (rail bridges) will be built in Tshwane. Preparations are underway for viaduct foundation shaft excavation in the dolomitic areas near Jean Avenue and the construction site is being established. The preparation work for the cut and cover tunnel structure under Eeufees Road (Salvokop) has started. Hatfield Station underground parking excavation is expected to start at the end of August.

TOLL FREE NUMBER: 0800-42887246.
INFORMATION SOURCED FROM WWW.GAUTRAIN.CO.ZA

ALCAN SMELTER

Murray & Roberts, in partnership with SNC-Lavalin and Hatch, has been awarded the US$100 million contract for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) and engineering, procurement and construction management services (EPCM) for the first phase of Alcan’s Coega Aluminium Smelter Project in Port Elizabeth. Upon completion of this first phase, the smelter will have an initial capacity of 360 000 tonnes per annum.

While the total value of the contract is for the first phase of the project, the second phase, which would bring aluminum production to an estimated 720 000 tonnes per annum, is also included in the contract.

“Our scale, experience and presence is an essential factor in procuring the appropriate resources, skills and partnerships to deliver such world class projects as the Coega Aluminium Smelter,” Brian Bruce commented.