Overview

This presentation provides an overview of the tunnel design for the iconic North East Link Program. This is the largest tunnel project Melbourne has ever seen.

North East Link (NEL) is the largest investment in a road project in Victoria’s history. It is the missing link in Melbourne’s orbital freeway between an upgraded Eastern Freeway and the M80 Ring Road. The project consists of approximately 5 km twin TBM tunnels, each with a 14.1 m internal diameter, two SEM mined tunnels and two cut-and-cover structures at Watsonia and Manningham. Delve Underground is the main tunnel design consultant contracted to deliver this project by SPARK consortium consists of WeBuild, GS Engineering and Construction, CPB Contractors, China Construction Oceania, Ventia, Capella Capital, John Laing Investments, DIF and Pacific Partnerships.

The presentation will focus on the key design challenges and solutions for various design aspects including TBM temporary structures, large-diameter TBM tunnel segments, and Sequential Excavation Method (SEM) tunnel lining. The project adopts advanced Digital Engineering to centralise design information and facilitate asset management.

Attendees will also be provided a unique insight into the design considerations, key design challenges and solutions for various design aspects. The presentation will also provide an overview for the advanced Digital Engineering works carried out for the project. It is intended to be a knowledge sharing session to those who works in the tunnelling industry, including tunnel designers, contractors, project managers, and asset owners.

The presentation will showcase the complex 3D digital parametric models created for the project are showcased.

This event is programmed by ATS Young Members with the sponsorship by DELVE Underground.

Event program

• 5.30 – 6.00 pm networking
• 6.00 – 7.00 pm presentation followed by Q&A

About the presenters

Renee Shi
Associate engineer

Renee Shi is a Senior Project Engineer at Delve Underground with over eight years of experience in design of underground structures and tunnels. She has worked on a number of local and international major infracture projects. Renee is the Design Package Lead for TBM tunnel lining on the North East Link Programe.

Jacob Liu
Project structural engineer

Jacob Liu is a project structural engineer hailing from Delve Underground’s Auckland office. He has 7 years of industry experience and has worked on a wide range of structures including large-scale infrastructure, underground structures, bridges, and residential buildings. His expertise comprises 2D and 3D FEA numerical modelling; the development and review of design calculations, drawings, and specifications; and the provision of construction phase services.

Denis Tepavac
Associate – Tunnels, Delve Underground

Denis is an Associate engineer at Delve Underground with 13 years of experience in tunnelling on a wide range of transportation, water and wastewater projects, both in Australia and internationally. He has diverse design experience in metro rail, road tunnel and large-scale underground structures. Denis is the project-wide Design Discipline Lead for SEM scope and permanent tunnel linings on the North East Link Program.

Elnaz Saminfar
Design Technology Specialist IV, Delve Underground

Elnaz is a Design Technology Specialist IV at Delve Underground. She is an experienced computational designer with a structural engineering background in infrastructure and building projects. The ability to use a wide range of modelling software gives her unique flexibility in automating the process of creating complex 3D digital parametric models that can be modified and updated as required. She is the modelling lead for most of the packages on the North East Link project.