Project: Gallipoli Enoggera Close Training Area Road Works
Owner: Department of Defence: Defence Estate and Infrastructure Group
Builder: Shamrock Civil Engineering
Address: Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera

Overview:

Gallipoli Barracks is one of Australia's largest military bases. The close training area needed a new reinforced concrete fire trail, approximately 220 metres long. Kraftur was commissioned to construct the concrete works this new stretch of trail, as well as to upgrade and realign sections of the driver training circuits.

Aside from the additional protocols and processes you’d expect at a military base, we knew that the terrain would pose difficulties. The fire trail is on a 30° slope: how could we move the concrete from the base of the trail to the summit? The Kraftur team needed to take an innovative approach.

Scope of works:

Kraftur was asked to:

  • Supply and install custom engineered timber as required by MRTS 40, to suit alignment, level, dowel and tie bar positioning for roadways and concrete drains
  • Install conventional reinforcing bar and mesh
  • Carry out concrete pumping and movement
  • Place, compact, finish and cure road pavements and drain concrete, according to MRTS 40 project specification requirements
  • Sawcut, joint widen and joint seal the apron pavement as specified

On site

The reinforced concrete fire trail ran for approximately 220 m and up to a 30° slope. The trail had to have a grooved surface finish and have concrete-lined drains to either side. The upgrade to the driver training circuits (the corner of Driver Training Circuit 1 and the intersection of Driver Training Circuit 2) was also to be reinforced concrete with a similarly grooved surface finish.

How could we get the concrete from the base of the fire trail to its summit? As well as the steep terrain, there was also limited access to the site.

Working with Meales Concrete Pumping, our first approach was to install pipelines along the fire trail, then move the concrete through these pipelines. To do this, we set up a high-pressure stationary concrete pump at the base of the trail.

However, with the combination of the height and the specified concrete mix after trials it was found to be impossible. The Kraftur team consulted with the builder to come up with a new solution: a redesign of the road concrete mix and reinforcement.

The result

How did we achieve the finished fire trail?  Working with the builder, the design of the road was changed from conventional reinforced concrete to fibre-reinforced concrete.

FRC contains short fibres that increase structural integrity and have high tensile strength. It’s used in many applications because of its exceptional durability.   Using fibres eliminated the need to install conventional reinforcement, which, was problematic because of the slope.  No mesh meant concrete could be carried up the hill using articulated mini dumpers.     The willingness to be brave, re-assess our approach and find a solution to a difficult problem: that’s just one of the many concrete advantages you get from Kraftur.