ASSIGNMENT 3
Introduction
Project Iron Boomerang (PIB) is a large Australian megaproject that has been proposed by a Queensland company, East West Parks Pty Limited. (See reference below)
A key component of the project is the construction of a 3,300km single line railway linking the Pilbara in WA and Queensland. The railway line will require the construction of a series of long length viaducts to cross the numerous floodplains that will be bisected by the new railway along the route. The viaducts will be constructed using precast concrete segmental girder sections, 24 and 32m in length that are ‘cast in situ’ in on site ‘casting plants’, transported and supported on 6m or 10m height bridge piers using a ‘bridge girder erection’ vehicle (see reference below). The viaduct piers will also be constructed using precast concrete sections that are located on 30m depth bored pile footings.
Four viaduct options are being considered (refer Table below) and a key consideration is the length of time taken to build the viaduct because of the impact of the wet season (November to April) on construction. It is assumed that all necessary earthworks for the railway will have been completed prior to any work commencing on the viaducts.
TABLE – VIADUCT OPTIONS
Viaduct Type No.: Viaduct Length (m) Span of Girder between piers (m) Height of pier from - ground level to girder underside (m) The last digit of your enrolment number
1 1920 32 6 1,2
2 1920 24 7 3,4,5
3 1920 32 8 6,7
4 1920 24 9 8,9,0
Note: Which Option do I do? Use the last digit of your Swinburne Enrolment Number and refer to the last column of the Table above.
Questions
1. Define the following:

• Linear Project
• Time Chainage Diagram (4 marks)

2. Prepare a construction schedule (having a start date of 1 January 2020) in Time-Chainage Diagram (TCD) format using AutoCAD, XL or other graphical software showing all activities to be undertaken for the construction of ¬your viaduct option which shall include site establishment, building a casting yard, casting of the viaduct segments and construction plant set up. Include all assumptions and calculations for estimating construction activity durations. Detail on your TCD the finish date for the works and the duration. Assume that work on the viaduct construction site will be undertaken on a 6-day week basis. (15 marks)
3. Prepare a Construction Method Statement (see format in reference below) outlining the steps involved in the construction of all aspects of your viaduct option. Include a detailed list of construction plant and equipment that would be utilised on the project. Provide details of the hazards and risks involved in the project with particularly with the use of a SLI900 ‘bridge girder erection machine’ and the crane/s for erection of the precast concrete units for each of the piers. (10 marks)
4. On large projects such as the PIB railway, an accurate assessment of progress on the project is essential. It should be noted that a significant amount of information is generated on construction sites that maybe useful in assessing a contractor’s project performance (i.e. whether the contractor is ahead of schedule or behind). The PIB project manager is investigating the tracking of project commodities for progress control whilst the railway is being constructed by tracking earthworks volumes, crushed rock and ballast stockpiles, quantities of rail and sleepers and viaduct construction as a minimum. By reference to the paper (see below) by Birenza RM and Hildreth JC outline how this could be undertaken.
(8 marks)
5. Tracking project commodities could conceivably be made easier using aerial drones or UAV’s to assess construction progress over the route of the railway. Outline how the above equipment could be used for aiding the tracking of the above, together with the amount of rail track that has been laid at various points in the contract. (6 marks)

6. Define what is meant by ‘long lead items’. Many supply items for this project will be manufactured in Australia by original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM’s). What procedures would you put in place to ensure that the OEM’s meet specified requirements and supply items are delivered to site on time? (6 marks)
References and useful material:
Arup Sustainability, Appendix D, Construction Method Statement
http://www.ugdc.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/file_root/PDFs/Precincts/Redfern_Waterloo/North_eveleigh_bridge/Appendicies/Appendix%20D%20Construction%20Method%20Statement.pdf
‘Bridge girder erection machine: SLJ900’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKGYs71N72c (accessed 10/2/17)
Brienza RM, Hildreth JC, ‘Tracking Project Commodities for Project Control’, VDOT-VT Partnership for Project Scheduling, Charles Edward Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, December 2007
Rohleder WJ, Segmental Bridge Technology – Established and Evolving, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 2011.
http://mceer.buffalo.edu/education/bridge_speaker_series/2010-2011/presentations/Rohleder_presentation.pdf
Rosignoli M, ‘Full-span precasting for light-rail transit and high-speed railway bridges, Prestressed Concrete Institute Journal, USA, Spring 2014
Rosignoli M, ‘Modena viaducts for Milan–Naples high-speed railway in Italy. Prestressed Concrete Institute Journal, USA, Fall 2012.
Time Chainage reporting made easy, http://www.pcfltd.co.uk/products/linearplus/ (accessed 10/2/17)