The Sydney Metro project is Australia’s biggest public transport project. By 2032, the New South Wales capital will have a network of four metro lines, along with 46 stations and 113km of metro rail. This is expected to move 40,000 people per hour instead of the current 24,000, and completely transform the regions along the rail (NSW Government).
This means that a number of projects, upgrades and refurbishments are currently taking place, all on a careful schedule to ensure everything is ready on time. So, when engineers working on Barangaroo Station as part of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project encountered a major issue with some of the pipelines, they needed to get a guaranteed fix that wouldn’t impact their timeline. Nuflow were more than up to the task.
Repurposed fibreglass pipes needed a new life
Barangaroo Station is designed to provide access to a new business hub and will expect high levels of activity throughout the day. Commuter comfort is a major consideration for projects of this scale, so the engineers have ensured there will be adequate air conditioning to keep everyone cool. To facilitate this, the plan is to turn an existing space that currently contains four separate pipes leading to the Barangaroo foreshore into a pump room. Seawater will be transported from the pump room via the pit, and implemented into their station cooling loop.
So, the engineering team inspected the existing pipes to ensure they were able to handle their new role. Each pipe was 60m long and was made of GRP, lined with fibreglass. The inspection revealed delamination of the pipe’s internal fibreglass lining, risking further deterioration that would make the pipes unsuitable for their new role. If left unaddressed, this could snowball into a much more costly and invasive issue. Not wanting to set up the whole pump room only for issues to start occurring down the track, the engineers decided a preventative measure was necessary.
Nuflow devises a tailored solution
The Sydney Metro team wanted a suitable and trustworthy company that delivered peace of mind knowing they had an effective solution that would keep things running smoothly. After doing some research, they encountered our pipe relining solutions, commitment to quality assurance and the associated warranty on our products. This gave them confidence that our solutions could go the distance.
During initial conversations, our Head Office team and the project engineers discussed the potential solutions for the project and infrastructure. Because the pipes were bringing water from the harbour, the right solution needed specific traits and specifications that accounted for:
- Internal pressure and flow
- Pipe depth
- External loadings
- Infiltration
They also needed the solution to deliver a completely relined system, from end to end, including the flange connections. This led them to identify Nuflow’s Hybrid Lining system as the best option. Once this was approved, the Head Office team got in touch with Nuflow Sydney City to put the plan into action.
Despite the scale and complexity of this project, Nuflow Sydney City, is accustomed to challenges (like the time they refurbished a seal enclosure at Taronga Zoo) so were ready to tackle things head on.
Nuflow Sydney City Director, Michael Brock, and the rest of the team assessed the situation and determined a plan of attack. The site was busy with work being done by other utility professionals as part of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project, so the team knew they had to quickly and methodically so as to avoid impacting the larger project timeline. With this in mind, they got to work.
High quality, high efficiency work gets the job done
Before they could begin the reline, Michael and the team needed to remove the delaminating fibreglass internal lining. To do this, they used a robotic cutter to cut away and sand back the loose sheets of fibreglass. Once this was complete, they sent down a CCTV pipe inspection camera to confirm everything was in good condition and ready for the reline.
From flange to flange, the team began their restoration of the entire system. Because the pipe reaches a maximum of 350Kpa for pressure testing, they needed a hybrid line to withstand the force. They also needed a combination of rubber and vinyl bladders to account for the bends and straight sections of the pipeline.
There were two access points for the reline, one was in the pump room and the other was in a 2.5m deep pit on the foreshore. Because the pump room access point was on top of a mezzanine, the Sydney Metro engineers installed scaffolding that granted Nuflow more direct admittance. The pit on the other hand was close by a popular pedestrian walkway. That meant that they needed to set up the site and block off the work area so they could keep everyone safe. Michael made sure to put out correct signage while encouraging the team to remain vigilant, putting in extra considerations to ensure the safety of all.
Beginning their work at the pit, Nuflow Sydney City completed the four 60m relines in two weeks, working for 10-12 hours a day to ensure the job could be done on time. To complete the work effectively, they needed to divide the reline into four sections, with the pipe bends and the flange ends done separately. This was mapped out carefully to guarantee efficiency, with two to three relines completed per day. They would install one liner, allow it to cure, and then move on to the next pipe, adjusting the liners as needed. At the end of the day, they would leave someone on site to supervise the curing overnight to ensure quality and grant the best chance for success.
At the end of the two weeks, a complete system was in place on time, with no gaps to cause future issues, allowing metro engineers to maintain their schedule. Quality was at the forefront at every stage of this reline, and the team did not disappoint.
Sydney Metro City & Southwest project proceeds on schedule
Not only did the work of Nuflow Sydney City grant them quality assets for years to come, the Sydney Metro engineers were able to maintain their schedule for their part in a major infrastructure project. The newly relined system will be in use for years to come, and their Nuflow warranty means they can trust in the quality of their solutions.
Call Nuflow to help with your projects
No matter the size or scope of your project, the innovative teams at Nuflow can devise a solution. We’ll account for the needs of your assets, project and timeline so you can get things flowing smoothly with little delay or impact. Trust in the solutions we provide and talk to us about your pipe needs.
