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    • LancedDendrite posted
    Posted in News » Melbourne Metro rail: Tunnels to go deeper underground to keep trams running

    Will decision to go with Tunnel Boring Machines most of the length will be more expensive or less expensive than large sections of 'cut and cover'? The deeper dive makes sense though, it was going to be a fairly steep section down to the Yarra otherwise.
    don_dunstan
    Cut and cover is cheap and quick if you don't run into utilities that have to be relocated. Swanston St is the opposite of that.

    Using a deep tunnel means that they won't have to do nearly as many property resumptions to get construction vehicle access compared to cut & cover, either. It's also a chance to use only 2 launch/retrieval/turning pits for the TBMs instead of the 4 that cut and cover would need. They could even get down to 1 TBM too, if they're feeling really game. The real issue is going to be access to the station at CBD North/Melbourne Central now.

    Edit history

    Edited 22 Oct 2015 22:30, 6 years ago, edited by LancedDendrite

    Will decision to go with Tunnel Boring Machines most of the length will be more expensive or less expensive than large sections of 'cut and cover'? The deeper dive makes sense though, it was going to be a fairly steep section down to the Yarra otherwise.
    don_dunstan
    Cut and cover is cheap and quick if you don't run into utilities that have to be relocated. Swanston St is the opposite of that.

    Using a deep tunnel means that they won't have to do nearly as many property resumptions to get construction vehicle access compared to cut & cover, either. It's possibly also a chance to use a single launch/retrieval pit for both sets of TBMs (they could get down to 1 or 2 TBMs if they're feeling really game). The real issue is going to be access to the station at CBD North/Melbourne Central now.