In September 2019, tunnel boring machines (TBM) Grace and Sandy had each tunnelled more than 5.6 km and 4.8 km respectively of the Forrestfield-Airport Link.
Now, TBM Grace is expected to arrive at Bayswater Junction within the next month and is bound for its third and final breakthrough.
TBM Sandy is less than 1 km behind TBM Grace, with the machines installing a total of more than 49,500 tunnel segments to date.
Bayswater is preparing for the momentum occasion by undertaking the last component needed – jet grouting adjacent to the dry box.
The dry box adjoins the Bayswater tunnel portal and is designed to pressurise the final breakthroughs of each machine.
Following the breakthroughs at Bayswater Junction, the machines will be dismantled and craned out of the dive structure.
The end of tunnelling will allow the demobilisation of the slurry treatment plant in Forrestfield as well as major progress in fit-out works within the tunnels.
Construction of the first stage of the track slab within the tunnels is more than 40 per cent complete while the second stage – including installation of the rail – will commence mid-year.
For more information visit the Forrestfield-Airport Link website.
If you have project news you would like featured in Trenchless Australasia contact Head of Production Chloe Jenkins at cjenkins@gs-press.com.au