Pacific National currently operate the rail the yard at Werris Creek, NSW. The existing turntable at the site was reaching the end of its operational life and as such a new replacement turntable structure was proposed. The new turntable structures were proposed to be smaller but have a higher lifting/turning capacity capable of supporting 180t locomotives.
D&N were engaged to carry out the necessary geotechnical investigations at the site, comprising of mechanical auger boreholes using a combination of truck mounted and difficult access track mounted equipment due to site constraints.
Subsequent engineering advice included geotechnical parameters for structure footing design and geotechnical design of rail track formations.
The geotechnical investigation required works to occur within an active rail yard. Fieldwork was performed in close consultation with the site foreman to ensure that our activity did not interfere with critical operational requirements.
The proposed replacement structure was planned to be constructed online to the existing turntable, which required D&N to utilise difficult access drilling methods to position boreholes within the base of the existing structure.
D&N performed in house developed track formation modelling to provide a cost effective, performance-based rail track formation design.
