Temporary Works Design Innovations for Major Rail Construction Projects

Many parts of Australia have enjoyed a rail construction boom over recent years. Increasingly stringent contractor temporary works delivery strategies have led to an increase in the safety in design focus for temporary works. In addition, the due diligence requirements of project stakeholders such as rail authorities and affected asset owners have driven the needs for multi-point geotechnical design and verification checks and sign-offs. The paper describes a number of innovative temporary works design approaches and methodologies that have been developed in response to major rail project construction sector demands. These include excavation around movement-sensitive infrastructure, temporary retention of live rail tracks, the control of rail track settlements above hard spots and ground vibration mitigation for important underground assets. The temporary works design and verification experience described have been gained through close collaboration with construction professionals on six major rail construction projects. In many cases, a significant aspect of the success of temporary works is the construction sequencing, particularly with regard to any necessary rail occupations and speed restrictions for live rail conditions. The paper describes the importance of construction sequencing in the context of overall project programming to achieve the desired outcomes in a safe environment and with stakeholder approval.