Overview
The Blacktown Mt Druitt Hospital Expansion will provide increased capacity and a greater range of services and facilities to the growing population of Western Sydney. The project is expected to transform the hospital into a world class health care facility and will involve extensive construction works and the refurbishment of the Blacktown and Mt Druitt campuses. When complete, the expansion will provide an additional 170 beds, a seven storey Clinical Services Building, Cancer Centre, Cardiology, Respiratory and Aged Care Centres, Subacute Mental Health Unit, a, six level car park and a new access road some of which are not currently available in the area.
Scope of work
- Extensive installation of shoring wall piles, ranging from Ø 600mm to Ø 900mm
- In total, over 1000 piles with diameters ranging from Ø 450mm to Ø 1200mm were installed prior to construction works at the hospital;
- Installation of lift shaft, service tunnel and cranebase piles, ranging from Ø 900mm to Ø 1200mm
- Anchoring of shoring wall piles and soil nails on ground batters sloping more than 45°
- Shotcrete of all shoring walls and ground batters to prevent/minimise water seepage
- Steel fixing and formwork, and pouring of concrete for all capping beams on the surface of the shoring wall piles, and service lids; and
- Correct placing and positioning of over 300 column starters, to enable the next contractor to continue the works.
The Challenge
Piling works were crucialto the critical path of the project, and as such required extensive communication and coordination with other trades and services on site.
By working with the client before and during the project, Citilink Piling was able to provide innovative solutions to project challenges as they arose. This approach also encouraged discussions about other areas of innovation and planning to support the project’s rigid time and budget constraints.
A major challenge encountered by the Citilink Piling team was the varied geology of the project, which required extensive ground improvement before piling works could begin. Geological conditions included: the existing hospital structure being built on an underlying rock formation with a depth of approximately 16m; extensive soft soil areas; remaining services and piles that were highly compressed; and water seepage at a depth of 9m.
The Solution
Through collaboration and experienced operators and ground crew, the team was able to develop pioneering solutions that enabled them to strengthen the design of the existing structure and complete the concrete pours and pile installation within the allocated timeframe and to the highest possible standard.
The Citilink Piling team was able to deliver the necessary resources, experience and technical expertise to deliver the largest government health project for NSW
