OasisLMS

Abstract: In the heart of NSW's steel manufacturing territory, the BlueScope Steel Port Kembla facility, approximately 100km south of Sydney on the east coast of NSW, Wagstaff Piling were successful in providing an alternate foundation solution comprising driven segmental precast concrete piles in lieu of the traditionally used foundation system of driven steel piles for both the 6 Blast Furnace Reline and the Plate Mill Reheat Furnace Upgrade projects.

The alternate solution of concrete piles not only provided design parity but also such significant program and cost benefits along with construction advantages to the project that the big steel manufacturer moved away from what it had always done to a more innovative solution of precast concrete piles. Until that point in time, Wagstaff Piling had only carried out minor projects using driven precast concrete piles within the Port Kembla facility, however, the successful outcomes of these projects along with the historical pile load testing data provided compelling evidence of the suitability of the alternative foundation solution for the major project works.

Wagstaff Piling worked collaboratively with BlueScope Steel and their six separate structural and geotechnical engineering design consultants who were each focused on their individual components in the overall upgrade to develop robust and efficient foundation solutions for the various structures within the facility.

This project case study will discuss the manufacture of the precast concrete piles along with the installation of the piles using various piling rigs and hydraulic hammer sizes also the innovative techniques used to overcome some of the site constraints. Results of pile load testing, analysis and reporting will also be presented and examined. The report will also cover the unique construction and design challenges of working within a live steel production and manufacturing facility and the two separate projects within the plant.

Mr STEPHEN HARKIN

Annual Conference Proceedings