CPB Contractors says remote controlled machines make excavating the cross passage tunnels safer
CPB Contractors, with its joint venture partner Ghella, is using remote-controlled excavators to construct cross passages between the rail tunnels for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport, Station Boxes and Tunnelling (SBT) project.
This innovative approach prioritises worker safety and enables efficient tunnel construction in the limited space within the tunnels, the company says.
Critical to on-time completion, the project delivery team is using small, remote-controlled machines to excavate 39 cross passages along the 9.8km of tunnels.
“Beyond the benefits of allowing workers to operate the machines from a safe distance, these compact excavators excel in the restricted underground environment,” says CPB Contractors project director Will Freelander.
“Their size allows for efficient and accurate excavation, shaping, and trimming of the mini tunnels.”
Works include the design and construction of 9.8 kilometres of twin tunnels and excavations for stations at St Marys, Orchard Hills, Airport Business Park, Airport Terminal and Aerotropolis and services facilities at Claremont Meadows and Bringelly.
The first section – referred to as portion S9 – has been completed, with the 1.2-kilometre-long twin tunnels running between the Airport Business Park and Airport Terminal sites.
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