Cape Town’s first micro-tunnelling project wins major award
 | Press release_Cape Towns first micro-tunnelling project wins major award | 34.5 KB | Download |
 Preview | A contributing factor making the micro-tunnelling method more technically favourable was the recent introduction of ductile iron | 4.12 MB | Download |
 Preview | A TBM was used to mechanically cut and removes soil from the jacking face by means of a rotating cutting head and pumped slurry | 3.1 MB | Download |
 Preview | After the TBM has entered the ground from the jacking shaft, special jacking pipes are inserted behind the TBM. | 3.13 MB | Download |
 Preview | The TBM deployed by CSV Construction was the Herrenknecht AVN 800 XC TBM, the first of its kind to be owned and operated by a So | 4.21 MB | Download |
The award was presented at an official ceremony as part of the SASTT AGM in Sandton, north of Johannesburg, on 14 February. Joop van Wamelen was a key founder of SASTT 25 years ago, serving on the board until he passed away in 2015.
The award commemorating his contribution to the industry has been running for a number of years. “AECOM has submitted some very strong entries for the award over the last number of years, taking top honours in 2011, 2014, and now again with the 2016 entry,” Isak Malherbe, Executive for Civil Infrastructure, Africa, comments.
“Prior to the award ceremony we were able to present the project to a group of about 40 SASTT members, with very positive feedback. I believe our record makes us a preferred consultant among many of our municipal clients in South Africa.”
The award was shared with CSV Construction as main contractor and the City of Cape Town as the client. “Without the effective co-operation between these parties, I doubt the project would have been the success that it has been,” Timothy Hotchkiss, project engineer adds.
While the micro-tunnelling work was completed during the course of 2016, other aspects of the construction work are ongoing. “There have not been any significant unforeseen delays on the project thus far, which means that final testing and trial runs of the new bulk sewer are on track to commence in May 2017. Hand-over to the City of Cape Town will take place in August 2017,” Hotchkiss confirms.
Commenting on the challenges posed by the project, Hotchkiss stresses that finding a feasible pipeline route through a densely-developed urban area is always difficult. As part of the design process, 12 route options were evaluated in detail, and given a weighted score, with preference to highest. Some of the routes were not feasible due to clashes with existing major services such as high-voltage electrical cables. Even the highest scoring route traversed some challenging areas that were unavoidable.
Although micro-tunnelling was considered early on during the design phase, the cost compared to conventional pipe jacking and open trench pipe installation was at that stage estimated to be too high, Hotchkiss highlights.
Following extensive technical and financial evaluations, it was found that micro-tunnelling some sections of the Cape Flats 3 Bulk Sewer rising main would not only mitigate social and environmental impacts, but also offer the City of Cape Town a cost-effective alternative at reduced risk and higher end-product quality.
A contributing factor making the micro-tunnelling method more technically favourable was the recent introduction of ductile iron jacking pipes to the market, which are pressure pipes that can be jacked directly into the ground behind a tunnel boring machine (TBM). Therefore this offered a more cost-effective and operationally sustainable system compared to the conventional system, whereby the pressure pipe would be installed through a micro-tunnelled concrete ‘sleeve’.
“Technically, micro-tunnelling was an obvious choice, but we had to ensure that available budgets would not be exceeded before we were able to contractually approve the micro-tunnelling proposal. Following the successful completion of the micro-tunnelling work, the City of Cape Town is now convinced that this technology is the best solution for the installation of other bulk pipelines in the City. The work went ahead without any unforeseen incidents and, importantly no unforeseen costs,” Hotchkiss elaborates.
The micro-tunnelling undertaken as part of Cape Flats 3 Bulk Sewer project is a specialised pipe jacking operation making use of a TBM that mechanically cuts and removes soil from the jacking face by means of a rotating cutting head and pumped slurry conveyance system.
The TBM can be operated remotely from a control centre on the ground surface, and is monitored constantly in terms of its position with a laser system. After the TMB has entered the ground from the jacking shaft, special jacking pipes are inserted behind the TBM, and also jacked into the ground one after the other, until the pipeline reaches the receiving shaft where the TBM can be retrieved.
There have been a number of tunnelling projects undertaken around South Africa in the past. For example, tunnels for water transfer schemes, railways, and roads through mountains. However, this is possibly only the second micro-tunnelling operation of its kind in an urban area in South Africa, and the first in Cape Town.
“What makes this project exciting is that the technology was not used out of necessity, but rather a conscious choice to reduce impacts and risks to the community, as well as providing a high-quality final product to the client,” Hotchkiss points out. Internationally, AECOM is well known for tunnelling expertise, and has been involved in many large tunnelling projects around the world.
The TBM deployed by CSV Construction was the Herrenknecht AVN 800 XC TBM, the first of its kind to be owned and operated by a Southern African company. The micro-tunnelling project was undertaken with the support of a specialist technician from Herrenknecht of Germany.
AECOM acted as the employer’s agent and engineer on the contract, and was therefore involved from the beginning, with technical and financial analyses to ensure that the micro-tunnelling construction method was the best option for the City of Cape Town. “Our role on-site was to manage the contract on behalf of the client, and ensure that construction took place strictly according to the contract specifications,” Hotchkiss concludes.
Going into construction, Tim Pollard was appointed as the Engineer. Hotchkiss conducted all the day-to-day contract administration and as the engineer’s representative, was responsible for the quality control on-site, assisted by Sibusiso Mahlangeni and Franco Taljaard. AECOM’s technical team was supported by Nicole Bates, the Environmental Control Officer, and Gillian du Plooy, the Health and Safety Officer.
Ends
Notes to the editor
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