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A total of three HSC SCX2800A-3 crawler cranes will assist with the project, which aims to take 15,000 trucks off local roads every day and reduce travel times by up to 35 minutes.
The overall project is a part of Victoria’s Big Build, which is costing around $90 billion and plans on delivering over 165 major road and rail projects across the state.
The team at Spark North East Link Tunnels D&C was eagerly awaiting the two remaining HSC SCX2800A-3 crawlers, with the first crawler holding the fort at the Yallambie site in Melbourne’s north eastern subburbs, as Cranes & Lifting went to press.
The first HSC crawler had been holding the fort at the North East Link Tunnel construction project site in Yallambie, in Melbourne’s north- eastern suburbs.
“Everybody onsite here at Spark saw the value of having the three crawlers from Tutt Bryant here on the job,” says Lift Supervisor Spark North–East Link Tunnels D&C Mick Nixon.
“The HSC crane provides us with a large radius, which allows us to excavate dirt and rock from a strong working position.
“The beauty of getting two more of the HSC crawlers is that they are a carbon copy of the one we have right here, therefore we can easily shape the lift documents and consolidate lift plans a lot easier, compared to if we onboarded a new type of crane; the plans for the new two cranes will piggy back off the one we have right in front of us,” Mick added.
Images: Prime Creative Media
One of the main tasks of the HSC SCX2800A-3 crawlers at this project is to scoop up the dirt using an 8-tonne bin; the bin then drops its load from underneath into a pile, where an excavator transports all the dirt into a truck.
Each “bin” (process whereby dirt is collected by bin and dropped on pile) takes approximately six minutes and the team at Spark averages around 35 bins in one day.
To assist with the job, Spark contacted construction equipment supplier and heavy lift service provider, Tutt Bryant. Tutt Bryant is a reputable Australian brand and Mick and his crane operations team knew exactly who to talk to.
When we were looking for a crane for this box cut, we spoke to Tutt Bryant about what was available and they mentioned that this crane was on its way from Japan.
“We wanted a crawler crane that is versatile, from throwing packs of reo and shutters at a 50-plus metre radius for the FRP (Formwork, Reo, concrete pour) works to a spoil removal bin at about 40-tonne for excavation, this crane was able to tick all the boxes,” Mick explained.
Servicing multiple levels of the project across several disciplines takes a lot of coordination from all teams onsite; Spark has relied on the experience of the crew that operates and maintains the HSC SCX2800A-3 crawlers to create solutions for the challenges of the varying work scopes and this crane.
Challenges have included high winds and other weather-related delays. However, Mick says the crew and their crane has stood up when it mattered.
“The crane crew here haven’t missed a beat and due to the strong progress being made, it has allowed us to buy two more exact carbon copies of the HSC to help develop the project even further,” says Mick.
At the site where the HSC cranes will be eventually situated, there project there is to build ramps that will connect the community to the M80 Ring Road, whereas new ramps in Yallambie will connect drivers to the Eastern Freeway.
The new tunnels are set to create simpler interchanges at Lower Plenty Road, Manningham Road and Eastern Freeway.
There will also be a two-kilometre tree-lined boulevard along Greensborough Road and a two-hectare Yarra Link green bridge over Bulleen Road.
New wetlands will be revealed along the Yarra River and Koonung Creek in Bulleen and Balwyn North.
Following years of community feedback, the longer tunnels to Watsonia from Bulleen will include an extra 1.9 kilometres built by tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to keep most of the civil construction work underground.
Mick says the bond between the crew on the Yallambie job site is strong, as this isn’t the first rodeo for the team behind the cranes.
“I have worked with these guys previously, so it was an easy one for us, in regards to asking some great people to join our team for this project,” Mick says.
Spark also has a Women in Construction program, where Alexandra Anchen, has impressed from M day one on the job.
The program offers trainee placements for women in the industry to join the crane and heavy lift operations team, to improve skills and bring their strengths to the team. “Alex has been fantastic and there’s plenty of good feedback coming her way,” says Mick.
Alex says she’s enjoyed her time thus far onsite.
“The job has been fun and I’ve learnt a lot since I’ve been here. They’re a good team to learn off,” says Alex.
Images: Prime Creative Media
General Superintendent, Cranes & Lifting at Spark – North East Link – D&C, John Foster is excited by the arrival of the HSC cranes. “We did our due diligence and went through all the possible crane options for this particular job; we settled on the HSC Tutt Bryant has rented us, as it suited the frame for the work area and was the conducive to the location of where we are digging out of.”
“The success of this HSC SCX2800A-3 crawlers has been a great contribution to the program,” says John.
The North East Link Tunnel Project is expected to be open in 2028.