When Melbourne’s Eastlink tollway began experiencing underground water pooling, Edge Underground devised an innovative boring on grade solution to a challenging problem.
The Thiess/John Holland joint venture called the team at Edge Underground in when regular maintenance works on Eastlink revealed underground water pooling – leading to concerns about the potential for water to rise up to the road.
After investigating the situation, the Edge Underground team suggested that two microtunnelling bores should be completed, which would trap the pooling water and give it an easy path to the nearby drainage system. By putting a screening in at a depth lower than the road surface, the water travelled down (instead of up) towards a collection of pits.
The two microtunnelling bores completed were between 60-70m in length. The bores were 350mm in diameter, with 150mm PVC pipe installed into the bores. This pipe then required grouting to ensure it stayed in place. The saturated ground conditions added to the complexity of the job; but in the end, it was all in a day’s work for the Vermeer AXIS guided laser boring system.
Each of the precision horizontal bores were completed overnight, with some clean up required during the day. The client was pleased with the efficiency of the Edge Underground crew; as well as with their ability to deliver a unique solution to what could have been a very challenging problem.
Facing risk and liability solutions, this was a situation where the client needed a solution, and fast – and once again, Edge Underground was able to deliver an absolute precision installation.