University of Melbourne undergraduates visit Geotech CBD sites
Geotech believes it is our responsibility to give something back to the community. An excellent example of this is found in our close association with the University of Melbourne, where we continue to provide practical insight and assistance to the University’s Civil Engineering Department. This is a relationship that goes back some 30 years, the last eight of which have taken the form of an excursion to various Geotech construction sites for undergraduates completing their “Geotechnical Engineering” subject.
Recent excursions include field trips to the new Royal Childrens Hospital in Parkville and the Moonee Ponds Central shopping centre (both examples of basement works), and to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Flemington Racecourse (tunnelling works).
This year’s excursion was held on Monday 23 March, where some 120 students voluntarily gave up their time to visit two of our CBD sites:
(1) Little La Trobe Street – a recently completed single level basement with internal foundation piles in a very restricted area; and
(2) Melbourne Star Apartments, Little Lonsdale Street – a 6 level basement currently under construction, where soldier piling and capping beam works were nearing completion at the time of the excursion, with excavation and ground anchoring/shotcreting to proceed over the next six months. A multi-level carpark opposite the site provided a great viewing platform so students were encouraged to continue to visit the Melbourne Star Apartments site to see the works proceed.
Presentations were made at each site by Ty Newman (Construction Manager), Chris Bluff (Design & Estimating Manager) and Nic Morgan (General Manager), who described the design complexities and geotechnical conditions of each site then explained the construction techniques required to undertake the works.
- Letter from Guillermo A. Narsilio, Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Melbourne (24 May 2011)
- Letter from Professor Hector Malano, Head of Department (16 June 2011)
^ Basement piling at Melbourne Star site, as viewed from adjoining carpark
^ Nic Morgan describing design and construct techniques to the students
^ Students viewing wall displays