Some of the Many Projects AOH has been involved in:
Dumaresq Dam Safety Upgrade (Armidale Regional Council) - Current
Dumaresq Dam was completed in 1897 having been designed by the NSW Public Works and was the first major water supply dam for the then town of Armidale. The dam has a total capacity of 440ML but a current operation capacity of approximately 380ML.
The dam is 11.9 m high and approximately 96 m long in the main section. The construction utilises granite “plums” in the concrete matrix – usually know as cyclopean method of construction.
The dam has been subject to numerous investigations over the past 20 years by various contractors and consultants. The detailed design is currently being completed.
Services Provided:Project management, design management
Tenterfield Dam Safety Upgrade (Tenterfield Shire Council)
Tenterfield Creek Dam is located on Tenterfield Creek approximately 2 km upstream of the town of Tenterfield. The original dam was a concrete gravity structure constructed by the Department of Public Works in 1930 to provide a storage capacity of about 830ML. The storage capacity was increased to 1,390ML in 1974 when the dam was raised by 1.83m and stabilised by a total of 97 post-tensioned ground anchors. Following dredging of the storage a further 240ML was recovered producing a total storage capacity of 1,390ML.
Subsequent recent investigation and assessments determined that the wall no longer conformed to the ANCOLD guidelines and needed to be upgraded.
The safety upgrade resulted in a mass concrete buttress solution together with an upgrade to both the inlet system and the outlet system. Additional works on the foundation were also undertaken.
Services Provided: Project management, project planning and construction management
DOD - Various (Kennelly Constructions)
3 projects were undertaken whilst with Kennelly constructions
1. Scherger Airbase – Weipa, Qld – building maintenance and roadworks.
2. Mt Bundy Firing Range – N.T. – Targeting system upgrade and earthworks.
3. Delemere Bombing Range – N.T. civil works.
Services Provided: Project management
APLNG - Condabri Central (Ostwald Bros)
Condabri Effluent Brine Pond Cell 2 (EBP2) is part of the overall construction of upstream gas gathering facilities for APLNG to supply coal seam gas (CSG) from deposits in South Central Queensland to a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility on Curtis Island. EBP2 was located adjacent to the Condabri Central Water Treatment Facility and formed part of the infrastructure required to manage the produced water from the CSG process. Origin had already constructed 2 ponds (a brine pond and a permeate pond for this operation but required an additional brine pond as the amount of water contained in the gas was more that anticipated. The new Condabri brine pond was placed adjacent to an existing brine pond and permeate pond which had just been completed by Leighton Contractors. Ostwald Bros was contracted to construct the additional pond and undertake pipework installation to tie the new pond into the existing infrastructure. The brine pond was approximately 320ML.
Services Provided: Project Planning and Management
SANTOS GLNG - K128 Fairview (Ostwald Bros)
Hub 4 was one of the 6 Gas Collection hubs for SANTOS’s GLNG project, located in Fairview which is approximately 1 hour from Injune in rural QLD. Ostwald Brothers was awarded the civil works package for Hub 4 civil works which included the following:
The works involve bulk earthworks, including but not limited to;
– Clearing, Grubbing, Stripping, stockpiling and spreading of topsoil
– 2 Million m3 Bulk Excavation, Placement, Compaction & Finishing to Grade, Construction Platforms
– Construction of Class A1 (6m Wide), A (8m wide), D (5m wide) Roads & Associated drains
– All associated Survey & Soil Testing works
– Construction of 340 Mega Litre Permeate Pond
– Construction of 200 Mega Litre Permeate Pond
– Construction of 4 @ 350 Mega Litre Brine Ponds including case boring for drainage structures
– Roads and Associated Drains & Culverts at Hub 5
Services Provided: Project Planning, Engineering and Management.
Paradise Dam Flood Restoration Works (Sun Water)
The flood of 2010/2011 significantly damaged the dam and limited the operational capacity. The mini hydro was flooded, the downstream outlet control room was flooded, extensive damage to both abutments, outlet valves could not be operated and the gate valves were also inoperable. Damage was done to the outlet race with significant material dumped in the race.
After 12 months of reviews and limited action by the owners, I was engaged to manage several projects established for flood remediation work associated with the Paradise Dam.
The projects were as follows:
- Removal inspection and repair of a 3100kVA/11kV mini-hydro generator-turbine unit. The turbine unit will be overhauled by Tyco-Tamar in Tasmania with the generator work performed by Sulzer – Dowding and Mills in Brisbane. Contracts for this work have been let and it is anticipated the units will be removed by the 9th December.
- Perform remedial works to the outlet works building and other damaged infrastructure at the dam. The scope of work and work specifications are currently being settled.
- Manage the investigation of options for relocating the Intake Tower Switchboards to a higher level. The intake tower switchboard was inundated during the 2011 floods and should be moved to a room higher on the dam wall to minimise this recurrence. This is an options analysis during 2011/12 with the work planned for the 2012/13 financial year.
4. Deliver defects list rectification work associated with the Paradise Dam. Approximately 40 defects remain outstanding for rectification across civil, mechanical and electrical areas of work.
Services Provided: Project Planning, Engineering and Management.
Ipswich City Infrastructure Project (ICIP)- Arcturus Innovative Procurement Solutions (AIPS)
The Ipswich City Infrastructure Project (ICIP) included the upgrading of 4 waste water centres, 4 pipelines and approximately 50 pump stations, in addition, several smaller projects were included, including the pedestrian bridge across the Bremer River, car park works at depot’s.
Arcturus Innovative Procurement Solutions (AIPS) were responsible for the development and implementation of the procurement solution, the procurement systems, IT systems, and the operation of the ICIP programme on behalf of Ipswich water.
Services Provided: Strategic Procurement Advice, Project Planning and Project Management
Lake Manchester Safety Upgrade (Brisbane Water)
Lake Manchester Dam is a 26000ML dam built in 1916. The dam structure is approximately 38 m high and 227 m long. The dam is a concrete gravity dam constructed with rock plums to provide bulk weight to the structure – this was a typical construction method at the time due to the availability of cement at the time.
The upgrade included a 3 m thick beam that ran the length of the main wall structure to distribute the post tensioned loads from the 47 anchors located in the crest into the wall. In addition, inclined 22 toe anchors were installed to assist in reducing the downstream tension caused by the main crest anchors. The crest anchors included lengths up to 100 m which at the time were the longest used in Australia. Works included new intake system, full upgrade of the spillway and the installation of a chute and associated training walls, installation of a flip structure and provision for the potential installation of “fuse” buckets at a later date.
Services Provided: Project Planning, Engineering and Management.
Gold Creek Dam Safety Upgrade (Brisbane Water)
Gold Creek Dam is an earthen embankment with a clay core. The outlet system incorporates an intake tower located upstream of the dam wall with the outlet pipe running downstream via the LHS abutment into a valve house. The dam also incorporates a stepped spillway or chute which was of the first constructed in the world and is heritage listed. Construction was completed in 1885 but the dam was finally tested in 1886. The dam was primarily built to augment the Enoggera Dam for supply of water to the then town of Brisbane at the time.
The project design called for the removal of the downstream face of earthen material – this material was then sifted for indigenous artefacts under the supervision of the local indigenous community.
A drainage layer of sand was then placed against the excavated wall to facilitate any water that came through the wall but also the sand layer stopped the clay from being flushed away. Drains were placed along the face of the sand layer to collect the draining water and direct the flow to a concrete outlet located at the base of the dam.
The outlet tower internal pipework (including the valves) was removed and replaced, and the intake trunnions repaired. Additional sealing works to the structure were also undertaken.
The stepped spillway was repaired and a training wall installed to prevent the undermining of the heritage listed structure during an overflow event.
Services Provided: Project Planning, Engineering and Management.
Heroes Avenue - Brisbane River Underbore (Brisbane Water)
- The sewer infrastructure for the Heroes Avenue Pump Station Redirection, a $45 Million project which included a $16 Million Commercial Alliance for tunnel bore of 1200mm pipe under Brisbane River and approximately 600m tunnel beneath the northern river bank from the Heroes Ave crossing to North Quay. On inheriting this project at the 3 year mark where it was over budget ($30M claim) and time. I was responsible for renegotiating the construction contract and brought the project back in on time and revised budget ($16M).
Services Provided: Project Planning and Management.
Australian TradeCoast Project (Brisbane Water)
Australia TradeCoast Sewer Project was the sewer backbone for the Brisbane’s Airports TradeCoast Industrial development, including 600m directional drill Brisbane River crossing from Clunies Flats to Pinkenba.
Services Provided: Project Planning and Management.
Hornsby Treatment Plant Upgrade (Transfield Constructions)
The Hornsby Treatment Plants (Hornsby Heights and West Hornsby) upgrade included the construction of new ponds, the upgrading of facilities and the construction of new buildings, mechanical and electrical systems upgrade and new SCADA systems.
Services Provided: Project Planning
Northside Storage Tunnel Alliance (Montgomery Watson Harza)
The Northside Storage Tunnel Project (Pure Alliance), was designed to reduce the overflow of untreated sewage into the Sydney Harbour. This position involved varied work across six sites, excavation of 20 km of tunnels ranging from 3m to 6.6m in diameter, barging operations for the crushed sandstone, construction of 2 underground pump stations, excavation of several drop shafts and the construction of air and wastewater air filtration and screening systems.
Responsibility for development and maintenance of the fortnightly program, the continued development and maintenance of the overall construction program, progress audits and inspections, consultation with design, construction and site personnel, tender evaluation, insurance issues, critical items reports, pre operations schedules, look ahead programs, TBM excavation production curves, production of “S-Curves” and monthly reports.
Services Provided: Project Planning
Collie Power Station (ABB Construction Engineering / Power Generation)
Collie Power Station Project, a 300MW coal fired power station in Western Australia. Works included the construction of the precipitator, the 174m concrete wind shield, the planning of the ABB PGL scope of work (electrical installation, turbine installation, mechanical packages total value in excess of $130 Million).
Services Provided: Project Planning, engineering, procurement
Wandoo Alliance (Ove Arup)
The Wandoo Alliance concrete gravity substructure (CGS) for Ampolex in the Oil & Gas Industry was a concrete structure used for the purpose of drilling of oil and storage of oil at the Ampolex site some 50km off the West Australian north coast.
Services Provided: Project engineering