Saturday 9 November 2013

Newton to BTN update

C920
Continuing from the previous post, the tunnels from Newton to Stevens are currently still being driven by the EPB TBMs. TBM1 (lower BP tunnel) is approximately 7 rings away from breakthrough when I last checked on Tuesday. The machine has spent its last 6 months repeatedly changing the cutterhead every 2-3 days, working out to cost around $2.0m each month - due to the harsh granite along the last 400m sector along the tunnel alignment which the machine wasn't designed to handle.

Nonetheless, breakthrough for TBM1 is anticipated to happen in 2 weeks time. The TBM will be dismantled in-situ and all equipments will be brought back to the launch shaft at Newton. The upper tunnel bored by TBM4 is unaffected by the granite below and is now positioned at Ring 959 before Whitley Flyover, waiting for the lower tunnel to complete before closing in.

Alstom will not be able to proceed with track laying further from Newton until STEC completes the First Stage Concreting (FSC) in the bored tunnels.


C919
Stevens station is still in the midst of concreting right now. Botanic Gardens is finishing up the roof slab and backfilling should commence by the end of the year, together with A&A works to the existing CCL.

Completed tunnel (BP bound) between Stevens and Botanic Gardens station

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