Projects

FULL PROJECT DETAILS

MTR Corporation, the operator of the mass transit rail system in Hong Kong, awarded contracts 810B and 811A to KHO Constructions – in joint venture – for the underground construction of the Southern and Northern sections of the massive interchange.

The 26 kilometre Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link starts from the KHO Constructions works at West Kowloon on the edge of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong and runs to the boundary of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. There it will connect with the 16,000 km Chinese National High-speed Railway Network.

KHO Constructions has a long-term presence in Hong Kong’s fiercely competitive railway construction market. We have worked with the MTR Corporation to construct and maintain the Tseung Kwan O extension line, with technicians and engineers carrying out infrastructure improvement and maintenance programmes to support the line’s 24/7 operation.

Other KHO Constructions teams deliver major multi-disciplinary rail projects and maintenance services in the China, Australia, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia.

FULL PROJECT DETAILS

The solution involved constructing two bridges between Coalcliff and Clifton, just north of Wollongong. The first bridge, approximately 44 m long and 35 m above sea level, was built over the southern amphitheatre, and comprised five spans requiring four piers. A second multiple-span bridge, 210 m long, was built on a continuous curve to bypass the middle headland. The two bridges connect to form a 665 m long bridge, with the route then returning to the pre-existing alignment through the northern amphitheatre.

A concrete casting yard was built to construct the bridge sections. A catch ditch, overflow culvert and diversion banks were constructed to divert rock fall and mud flow from the road. Rock removal, rock bolting and meshing were also undertaken to remove an overhang above the existing road and to stabilise loose rock and weathered seams on the cliff face.

This high-profile, iconic civil earthworks, roadworks and bridgeworks project was completed in just 19 months, within a demanding environment close to a major waterway. Working in an alliance environment enabled the team to foster innovation to solve the unique problems posed by the project.

Safe working conditions were provided through the use of an innovative radar-based invention, the Ground Probe, which monitors rock-face activity and provides early warning of rock movements. The team also minimised any long-term environmental impacts to the surrounding marine littoral communities by constructing the revetment from local rock similar to the natural rock falling into the ocean from the cliffs above.

The new road, including the bridges, features two lanes, 3.5 m wide with a 1 m shoulder, and a separate 2.5 m wide shared pedestrian and cycle path. The collaborative and innovative design and construction of the cantilever bridges saw this iconic project delivered three months ahead of schedule. In addition, the targets of zero lost-time injuries and exceptional environmental performance were achieved.

Particular attention to ensuring the quality of concrete was suitable for the harsh marine environment resulted in breakthrough outcomes. The consistency of strength, permeability and other key quality performance criteria delivered new industry benchmarks of quality performance that far exceeded the client’s initial expectations.

The project received numerous industry accolades in 2006, including a Case Earth Award, the Master Builders Association of Australia’s National Construction Excellence Award (Civil Engineering), an Engineers Australia Construction Excellence (Regional Community) Award and an Alliance Contracting Excellence Award.

FULL PROJECT DETAILS

The goals of the overall network upgrade were to reduce rail transit times for freight trains, improve transit reliability, reduce infrastructure life-cycle costs and increase the line capacity to accommodate projected medium-term rail traffic growth.

In particular, the North Coast Improvement contract was essential to ARTC’s strategy to meet projected future market demand for Hunter Valley coal.

The ARTC awarded the North Coast Improvement contract as an alliance contract to KHO Constructions and Balfour Beatty, operating together as the Transport Express Joint Venture (TEJV). This structure helped achieve the best value for money for the client by creating a work environment that would align project goals and commercial objectives, foster innovation, see immediate gains in the early stages of the upgrade, and ultimately deliver outstanding project outcomes.

The scope of works involved extending or constructing 15 crossing loops to improve entry and exit speeds, and installing over 514,000 concrete sleepers to replace life-expired timber sleepers. Other activities included operational works to increase curve superelevation and thus improve transit time, and rehabilitation work on bridges and other structures where necessary.

A major achievement during the works was a sleeper installation rate that was 25% faster on average than what had previously been achieved in Australia. Another success was the installation of all crossing loop and upgrade turnouts without any train delays. On top of these achievements in the North Coast Improvement, KHO Constructions  had a second major role to play in the North–South Rail project through its subsidiary company Austrak, which produced more than one million concrete sleepers for the Sydney to Melbourne section of the upgrade.

TEJV met the Australian Government’s requirements for early delivery, certainty of costs and value for money. As a result of the North–South Rail upgrade, the transit time between Sydney and Melbourne has been reduced to as low as 10 hours and 40 minutes, while the Brisbane to Sydney transit time has been reduced to as low as 15 hours and 35 minutes.

FULL PROJECT DETAILS

The project involved the following works:

• 100,000 m³ of concrete batched on site, adopting the latest steel fibre technology
• 200,000 m² of rigid pavement, engineered to deliver the smartest design and value for money
• three high-voltage substations to power the facility
• multiple kilometres of in-ground services reticulated through more than 1000 service and pulling pits
• 46 hectares of ground improvement works
• structural and rail elements to support the heavy-duty quay and stacking crane systems
• rail siding works, consisting of track slab and ballasted construction
• 11 km of deep drainage, constructed in difficult tidal conditions and a sensitive environment

The works were being delivered through a combination of self-performing and subcontract delivery. As principal contractor, KHO Constructions was responsible for coordinating multiple interfaces with other contractors on site.

Port Botany Terminal 3 is directly related to the growing infrastructure needs of New South Wales. The project demonstrates KHO Construction’s ability to be the contractor of choice for integrated port and rail-related freight expansions.

FULL PROJECT DETAILS

The Townsville Marine Precinct project provided a marine facility of almost 20 hectares, which will be used for a range of commercial, industrial and recreational purposes. Located on the seabed adjacent to the Ross River, the project addresses the ongoing and increasing demand for marine facilities in the region. It is also the first time Port of Townsville Limited has entered into an alliance contract to deliver infrastructure of this scale.

The project involved constructing harbour walls, wharves, jetties, lift-out facilities, permanent buildings and associated service infrastructure for commercial fishing vessels, vessel repair and construction, marine fabrication and other marine activities. The scope of works also included dredging and land reclamation.

The sheltered, purpose-built precinct enables the co-location of similar marine-dependent industries and public facilities that are currently spread around Ross River and South Townsville. It also signifies a major win for the environment, with old sites along the river being rehabilitated, industries relocated to a dedicated facility based on environmental best practice, and vital marine and bird habitats protected.

FULL PROJECT DETAILS

KHO Constructions is currently responsible for the ongoing inspection and maintenance services on the 8-stop Purple line, which connects Hong Kong to the new town of Tseung Kwan O (literally, General’s Bay) with 15 trains in service during the morning peak at 2.7 minute intervals.

The contracts followed the delivery of the track and overhead line construction for the Tseung Kwan O Extension and the construction of the track, power supply and trackside auxiliaries for the Quarry Bay Congestion Relief Works Project and track infrastructure maintenance in the four MTR Corporation deports.