Report 2004 THYSSEN SCHACHTBAU GROUP 2004

2004

T H Y S S E N S C H A C H T B A U G R O U P

www.thyssen-schachtbau.com

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I M P R I N T

IMPRINTPublisher:Thyssen Schachtbau GmbH,Ruhrstraße 145468 Mülheim an der RuhrTel. +49 (0) 2 08 30 02-0Fax +49 (0) 2 08 30 02-217email: [email protected]

Editors:Redaktions-Service Benk, Jeanette Meier

Editorial Assistants:Gabriele Zahn

Translation (english):KeyCom KonferenzdolmetschenChrista GzilKarin Bettin

Layout:Iris Huber, denkbetrieb.de, Werl

Photos:Holger KnaufReiner LorenzWolfgang NiesenNeidhartKlaus SannemannGünther SchmidtEmployees TS GroupArchive TSArchives TS-Subsidiaries

Lithos:srt & werbeagentur, Holzwickede

Production:color-offset-wälter GmbH & Co. KG, Dortmundwww.color-offset-waelter.de

Nachdruck und Übernahme auf Datenträger nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung des Herausgebers

CON

TEN

TCONTENTMINING GERMANY

MINING INTERNATIONAL

CONSTRUCTION GERMANY

CONSTRUCTION INTERNATIONAL

TECHNOLOGY/PRODUCTION

2 Thyssen Schachtbau Group

MINING GERMANY

6 TS Mining Nine kilometres from Prosper to Hünxe 8 TS Mining High-performance dinting systems for gateroad recycling

10 TS Shaftsinking and Drilling Underground plant engineering to nuclear-compatible specifications

13 TS Mining New supply road for Wilhelm seam16 TS Shaftsinking and Drilling Gorleben No. 2 shaft refurbishment18 TS Shaftsinking and Drilling Report – Hot topics19 TS Shaftsinking and Drilling Report – Hot topics20 Central Services So close to the record

Work Safety

MINING INTERNATIONAL

22 TMCC „Safety first“ policy reduces LTI Frequency to 4.6!23 TMCC Hunting for Diamonds in Saskatchewan27 TS Shaftsinking and Drilling Shaft boring in the heart of the Alps30 TS Shaftsinking and Drilling Sedrun II shaft hoisting plant

means better logistics and a safer working environment33 TS Shaftsinking and Drilling Convincing technology:

Self-supporting API shaft pipes for the supply and return system of the Sedrun tunnel headings

34 Byrnecut Mining Copper Mining in Australia at Mount Gordon Mine37 Byrnecut Mining Agnew Gold Operations and the Waroonga Project40 TMCC „Just in Time“ development at the Henderson Operations

CONSTRUCTION GERMANY

43 TS Bau A practical and efficient solution:Sewage, water and gas pipes share common ground

44 TS Bau Capillary barrier sets the seal46 TS Bau Relining project: Main sewer serving 120,000 people operates

as a surface pipe for several months48 TS Bau Future-proof traffic management50 TS Bau Track renovation means a faster Inter City Express service

between Berlin and Munich

CONSTRUCTION INTERNATIONAL

51 Östu-Stettin Vienna metro system: U2/2 Taborstrasse sectionNew data transmission system helps in ground-water lowering

55 Östu-Stettin Nollinger Berg tunnel59 Östu-Stettin Tunnel formwork for

Sydney’s new Parramatta Rail Link61 Östu-Stettin „Living in the Seventh“63 Östu-Stettin Eco-friendly Heating for the Cloisters

TECHNOLOGY / PRODUCTION

67 TS Technology + Service A review of recent major projects cannot fail to impressFrom engineering to delivery, nothing is left to chanceCustomer services at the new Schwelgern coke plant

68 TS Technology + Service Engineering services for Europe’s largest calcareous sandstone producerAnother hydrogen-cooled generator leaves the workshops

69 TS Technology + Service TS Technologie + Service GmbH builds its largest ever structural steel component

70 TS Technology + Service Equipment modernisation at ThyssenKrupp Steel

Dr. Andreas C. Pielczyk, Chairman of the Management Board (middle)Dr. Cemal Cetindis, Member of the Management Board (left)Werner Lüdtke, Member of the Management Board (right)

Thyssen Schachtbau Group

2 Report 2004

THYSSEN SCHACHTBAU GROUPThyssen Schachtbau Group

THYSSEN SCHACHTBAU HOLDING GMBH,DEUTSCHLAND

Thyssen Schachtbau GmbH, through itsoperating divisions TS Mining andTS Shaftsinking & Drilling, has beenproviding services to the German miningindustry for more than fifty years.

Broad-based expertise supported by manyyears of experience in conventional andmechanized drivage and shaft sinking –techniques that can be applied to awhole range of strata conditions – hasproduced a continuous series of interna-tionally-accepted engineering solutionsfor the coal, ore, potash and rocksaltindustries, even including ventilationshafts for Alp tunnels.

The company’s other two subsidiaries,Technologie + Service GmbH and EmscherAufbereitung GmbH, operate in theprimary and extractive industry sectorsand also undertake special steelfabrication projects, including assemblyand repair work, as well as producingpulverised fuel for one of Europe’s largeststeelmaker.

The company is represented in the build-ing and construction-related sector by itstwo affiliates TS Bau and DIG DeutscheInnenbau GmbH, who undertake trackand pipe laying, road building, structuralengineering and interior installationwork.

Ladies and Gentlemen, business partnersand associates, fellow workers,

Now celebrating its tenth anniversary,the 2004 edition of the Thyssen Schacht-bau Report again presents a comprehen-sive review of the Group’s achievementsover the past twelve months, withexamples of how the company has takena technological lead over internationalcompetition in a number of areas. Withmore than four thousand employeesworldwide the Group recorded an overallturnover of some € 500 million in thebusiness year 2003, thereby successfullyconsolidating our market position as ahighly competitive and innovative playerin the mining and construction sectors –a result that has been achieved in agenerally difficult economic climate andone that can be attributed to thecommitment and skills diversity of all ouremployees Group-wide, as well as to theongoing development of our excellentsafety and environmental record.

The achievements of 2003 have justifiedour decision to embark on the selectivegeographic expansion of our businessactivities over the last ten years. Risingraw-materials prices, especially in thegeographical markets in which we areactive, have resulted in a dispropor-tionate increase in investment volume.A long-established direct relationshipwith our client base, combined with geo-graphic proximity, have proved to be keysuccess factors for us. With the supportof our four operating companies ❏ THYSSEN SCHACHTBAU HOLDING

GMBH, GERMANY ❏ BYRNECUT MINING PTY LTD,

AUSTRALIA ❏ THYSSEN MINING CONSTRUCTION OF

CANADA LTD, CANADA ❏ ÖSTU-STETTIN HOCH- UND TIEFBAU

GMBH, AUSTRIA we are determined to move forwardtogether to ensure the continued growthand prosperity of the Thyssen SchachtbauGroup.

With our best wishes!

Management of Östu-StettinPeter Jelitzka (left)Hans-Günther Marchl

Management of Byrnecut MiningSteve Coughlan, Managing Director, (right)Bob Evers, Financial Director


3Report 2004

ÖSTU-STETTIN HOCH- UND TIEFBAU GMBH

When the long-established Austriancompany Stettin Hoch- und Tiefbauge-sellschaft merged with the Austria-basedcontractors Österreichische Schacht- undTiefbauunternehmen Ges.m.b.H. (a sub-sidiary of the Thyssen Schachtbau Group)in 1995 to form ÖSTU-STETTIN Hoch- undTiefbau GmbH the result was a newmarket player with a broad-rangingspread of technical capabilities.The amalgamation of specialist know-howand highly-qualified personnel has giventhe company a solid basis for futuresuccess in the competitive environmentof the European construction industry.

This has been due in no small part to thebreadth and depth of the technical skillsavailable in-house, which range fromgeneral contracting (most of which isundertaken by the Vienna office) tostructural concrete work, bridge building

and industrial construction. One of thecompany’s main focus areas is under-ground engineering, including tunnelling,shaft sinking and underground railconstruction projects, with the fabrica-tion of steel formwork cars for tunnel

excavations constituting anotherspecialist activity. ÖSTU-STETTIN has also been provingitself as a joint venture partner in majorproject work.The ÖSTU-STETTIN Group includes thesubsidiaries ÖSTU-STETTIN Projekt-bau GmbH, Leoben, Austria, STETTINHungaria Kft, Sopron, Hungary and ÖSTU-STETTIN Tunnelbau GmbH & Co. KG,Ottobrunn, Germany,

BYRNECUT MINING PTY LTD

Byrnecut Mining Pty Ltd, which wasformed in 1987, has now establisheditself as a specialist undergroundcontractor to the Australian miningindustry and has grown to become thelargest contracting group. The companycarries out a wide range of miningactivities throughout Australia and isinvolved in operations in gold, nickel,copper, lead and zinc mines.

4


Report 2004

THYSSEN SCHACHTBAU GROUP

The Byrnecut Group, whose head office isin Perth, has undergone an enormousbusiness expansion in the course of thelast fifteen years. Although Perth is thecapital city of Western Australia, it doesnot represent the focal point of thecompany’s activities. The highly diver-sified spread of activities and thedeveloping specialisation in differentfields, combined with the Group’sreputation as a reliable and highlycompetitive partner, has meant thatcontracts have been won in the remotestparts of this vast island continent.While mining projects like that atWaroonga, which is some 800 to 1,000km away, are still regarded as a “localoperation”, this certainly does not applyto the Mount Gordon copper mine some3,000 km from Perth, which is the mostremotely located of all the Group’sactivities in the region.Byrnecut also has operations in Tanzaniaund Ireland. Having achieved a leadingmarket position in Australia the companyis now in the process of expanding itsoverseas activities to include south-eastand central Asia, Africa and EasternEurope.

Byrnecut is noted for its use of high-grade automated development andproduction technology. Standing con-tracts with a number of major miningcorporations, combined with the avail-ability of the latest mining equipment,has meant that in the course of a singleyear the company has driven more than55,000 metres of roadway and extractedsome several million tonnes of ore.A dedicated business policy, which isunderpinned by high-level technical andlogistical know-how, has establishedByrnecut Mining as a reliable contractpartner fully equipped to meet thechallenges of the future.

THYSSEN MINING CONSTRUCTION OFCANADA LTD (TMCC)

TMCC has been a major undergroundmining contractor in Canada and the USAsince a small team of Thyssen Schachtbauemployees was sent to Saskatchewan in1960. The team introduced the freezingtechnique to sink shafts for the emergingpotash industry, through the glacial tillthat overlies the giant deposits that havemade Saskatchewan the world’s biggestproducer of potash.

With the potash industry reachingmaturity, the focus shifted during the1980’s to the uranium deposits, whichwere discovered and developed innorthern Saskatchewan. TMCC, with FirstNations partner Mudjatik Enterprises, hasbeen intimately involved in the develop-ment and operation of four uraniummines that produce one third of theworld’s uranium, whilst providing jobs,training and dividends to the remotecommunities of the north.

Today, in addition to the potash anduranium mines of the province, TMCCcounts numerous companies from around

Canada and the western US amongst itsregular clients, and since it is highlyrenowned for its expertise TMCC is alsoactive in places as far as Brazil andAustralia. The range of services covers allaspects of underground mining, includingshaft sinking, lateral development, oreproduction and raise drilling, as well asnumerous supporting activities such asground freezing, grouting, undergroundconstruction, and electrical and me-chanical installations.

Management of TMCCRené Scheepers, President, (left)Jim Haines, Vice President Finance

5Report 2004


Breakthrough-Roadheader AM 85

Bergbau Deutschland TS BERGBAU

6 Report 2004

9km

7Report 2004

TS MINING Mining Germany

Report 2003 contained a detailed

description of the roadway drivage

project undertaken at Lohberg-

Osterfeld colliery.

Nine kilometres from Prosper to Hünxe

ventilation road itself has an excavatedcross-section of 35 m2 and features five-piece arch supports with full back-filling.

The main drivage equipment comprises:❏ twin-boom DIG drill jumbo❏ G 211 loader❏ GTA type-2700 working platform❏ Elefantino backfilling rig with 5 m3

materials bunker.The roadway drivage debris is clearedusing the following items of plant:❏ Ruhrkohle standard PF III. 26 con-

veyor with hydraulic transfer unit andalignment system

❏ WB 1300 crusher❏ chainless ram system with face sprag

device.

By the end of the project a total of104,000 m3 of debris had been loadedout into mine cars at an integratedloading station via a conveyor system(1000 mm-wide belt installation) andspecial curving conveyor designed tonegotiate the 35 m-long, 102 m-radiuscurve.

Despite the difficult conditions occasion-ally encountered, especially in the FranzHaniel and Hünxer fault zones, only oneloss time accident was reported over theentire three years required to drive thelateral heading to Hünxe. An impressiveachievement by any standard.

A highly-efficient working cycle com-bined with the very professionalapproach taken by the heading teams hasbeen reflected in the high standard ofthe finished roadway, with the projectachieving an average quality rating ofover 90 %.

Throughout the entire drivage operationthe workplace was manned exclusivelyby personnel from Thyssen Schachtbau.The company provided not only theheading crews but also all the blasters,electricians, fitters, winchmen, loading-station operators, drivers etc.).

Taking the correct decisions at the righttime ultimately proved to be the key tothe success of the project.

Uwe Reinecke

With this section of the new roadwayhaving broken through to its target

point on 5th June 2003, attention cannow be focussed on the other end of theconnection, which is being driven outfrom Prosper colliery. Most of the drivage work has alreadybeen carried out, with some 2,004 mof the total length of 2,889 m havingnow been completed from shaft no. 10.

From the time the first pull was taken on28th April 2000 to the final moment ofbreak-through the whole project tookexactly three years and one month tocomplete.

The roadway drivage contract also in-cluded the excavation of a 650 m-longincline with a slope of 9 degrees. This

High-performancedinting

Financial constraints dictate that

gateroads serving long panels have to

be re-used, with the old loader gate

becoming the tail gate in the new

panel. For a number of years now

Thyssen has been providing a very

successful roadway repair service for

the gateroad recycling programme

employed at Lippe colliery.

High-performance dinting systems for gateroad recycling

SELECTION CRITERIA

These dinting operations have beencarried out using roadheaders like AM 50,AM 75 or AM 85. When choosing apantechnicon system it is vital to selectequipment that is compatible not onlywith the strata conditions and rockstrength characteristics but also with thefloor width and available headroom, thedeformation rate of the arch supports andthe arch-stilt setting.

The main components that go to make upthe dinting installation are: the road-header, the bridge conveyor and haulagesystem, the cable storage unit and theelectrical devices.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADINTING SYSTEM

Dinting operations involve a whole rangeof different tasks, depending on thecondition of the roadway being repaired. Supports that have sunk on the face side,for example, have to be extended, whileroadway dinting can also entailperipheral repairs such as the addition oflagging mesh and the replacement ofdefective arch elements.Areas where the arches are severelydeformed may have to be fully renovatedand when the damage extends over alonger stretch of roadway the profilesection may even have to be completelyreconstructed.

Mining Germany TS MINING

8 Report 2004

systems

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THEDINTING SYSTEM

The timetable for the roadway repairoperation will depend on the amount ofwork required to disassemble the old faceinstallation and set up the new face. The

roadway repairs have to be concluded bythe time the new face is ready to startup, in other words the dinting work mustbe completed, the supports must befunctioning correctly and the conveyorand rail tracks must be fully installed.High-performance systems therefore haveto be deployed if maximum use is to bemade of the time-slot available for therepair work.The reference projects listed here confirmthe high performance levels achievedfrom current dinting installations.Deploying equipment of this kind at theearliest possible moment ensures that thenew production face will have access toa fully-functional infrastructure. There isno doubt that high-performance dintinginstallations of this type have madedouble-use gateroads a very viableproposition.

Dipl.-Ing. Dieter Meiworm9Report 2004


AM 50 AM 50 AM 50 AM 50 AM 75 AM 852641 2631 D2C 2651 seam P 764.1

Dint length (m) 2285 1407 892 2130 1200 1310Dinting time (days) 127 132 91 132 128 140max. m / month 503 380 253 556,5 300 190Part-repairs (m) 84 112 91 23 39 1140Special features KS6 KS5 Pre-coaling stable

In recent years TS Shaftsinking and

Drilling has carried out numerous

projects for the Morsleben radioactive

waste disposal site, which is operated

by DBE - the German company

responsible for the construction and

operation of repositories of waste

materials.

Regarding execution and safety

technology in a nuclear facility most

of these projects have involved the

construction of underground plant for

nuclear-related installations that are

bound by stringent nuclear-safety

requirements.

BACKGROUND

The Morsleben repository for radioactivewaste lies east of Helmstedt in Saxony-Anhalt and is located in the salt dome„Oberes Allertal“. The disposal facilityincludes the mines of Marie and Bartens-leben, which were excavated in the early20th century for the extraction of potashsalt, whereas Bartensleben was later usedprimarily for the mining of rock salt.

In 1971 approval was given to use thecavities on mine level 4 for the disposalof radioactive waste. The facility’s opera-tional phase came to an end in 1998.

Underground plant engineering tonuclear-compatible specifications

The nature of the underground engineer-ing work carried out at Morsleben isillustrated below by way of three projectsthat have been successfully executedby TS Shaftsinking and Drilling operatingin conjunction with its engineeringdepartment.

Mining Germany TS SHAFTSINKING AND DRILLING

10 Report 2004

View over shaft Bartensleben

1. Fuel stationOn the basis of recommendationsfrom GRS, the company respon-sible for plant and reactor safety,the existing diesel-fuel tankbattery on mine level 4 (controlledarea) was to be modified tocomply with new legal require-ments.

The partition of the tank batteryfrom the refuelling area, whichwas one of the statutory require-ments, was achieved by con-structing brickwork walls, while aseries of fire-doors and variousfire-detection and fire-fighting

systems were installed in order tocomply with the relevant fire-protectionregulations.

A total of ten rate-of-rise detectors (sixfor the refuelling area and four for thetank battery) were installed for firedetection purposes.The fire fighting equipment comprisestwo foam extinguishers – one for therefuelling area and one for the tankbattery. A special feature of this systemis that it uses shaft water fed in underhydrostatic pressure, with the result thatthe extinguishers can be operated with-out the need for pumps or an additionalwater tank.Thermal fire detectors link these extin-guishers to the instrumented monitoringsystem already installed at the facility. Inthe unlikely event of a response by thedetectors an audible warning sounds inthe mine control station as well as beingdisplayed as a clear-text message. Thefire extinguishing procedure itself can beinitiated by activating the sprinkler-heads from the central fire alarm stationlocated on mine level 2.

After a thorough testing and commis-sioning phase the tank battery wasapproved for use and handed over toERA Morsleben on 26th October 2001.

2. Bartensleben water pumping systemThe Bartensleben water pumping systemwas during the development of theproject initially set up on mine level 1and was subsequently transferred to minelevel 3. Then in the mid-70s it wasmoved back to level 1.

In early 2000, during scheduled in-spections, an overall became necessary.As a full overhaul would have been veryexpensive, and would have had arelatively limited technical chance ofsuccess, the only alternative was to

construct a completely new system. Thiswas to be modelled on the mine de-watering system recently installed byThyssen Schachtbau GmbH in the Marieshaft. However, in view of the low inflowrate in the Bartensleben shaft (about8.4 m3/day has been recorded over aperiod of years) its water collector tankwas a smaller one.

The new dewatering system is located onmine level 2 at a point north of the mainshaft and outside the shaft safety pillar.The excavation work required for thechamber itself, which measures 18 m inlength by 6.8 m in width by 5.3 m inheight, was carried out by the mine.

The drainage system primarily consists oftwo water collectors with a total capacityof approximately 76 m3, which bothstand on a concrete base. To achievecomplete water tightness the collectorsare constructed as welded sheet-steel

11Report 2004

TS SHAFTSINKING AND DRILLING Mining Germany

Access to tank battery

Dewatering system with pumping station

tanks, which are supported by an outerring of reinforced steel concrete designedto withstand the water pressure. Theinner surface of the tanks is completelylined with cement clinker as corrosionprotection against the slightly mineral-ised mine water.

Two 12-stage centrifugal pumps, eachdelivering 12 m3/h, were required inorder to pump the mine water to thesurface from a depth of about 424 m.

As mentioned in the description of thetank battery (see above), the under-ground fire extinguishers were in-corporated into the pipeline system. Thisparticularly suitable arrangement meansthat fresh water can be fed in from thesurface to supply both the main-shaftextinguishers and the tank battery ex-tinguishing system.

After a four-week trial period the newBartensleben water pumping system wentinto service in November 2003.

3. Stabilisation plantIn the spring of 2000 a call to tenderwas issued for the planning and con-struction of a stabilisation system for theconditioning of liquid radioactive waste.This plant was required in order to treat

liquid waste in temporary storage since1990 and was to comprise an agitatordevice that would allow the material tobe mixed with cement and then set hardinto drums for subsequent final storageusing tried and tested waste depositiontechniques.

After the contract was awarded inSeptember 2001 the planning documentsthen had to be prepared for a firstinspection by ERAM. These documentsthen had to go through an approvalprocess by the BfS (Federal Office forRadiation Protection) and other relevantauthorities. Once the plans had beenreleased in November 2002 ThyssenSchachtbau GmbH was awarded thecontract to execute the work.

The stabilisation plant is partly locatedin one of the facility’s restricted areas,which means that it comes under ahigher security rating. The installationtherefore has to comply with all relevantstatutory provisions pertaining tocontrolled activities involving externalplant and equipment (Clause 15 of theRadiation Protection Order).

The complexity of the system meant thatthe extensive assembly stage could notbe completed until early April 2003.Progress was not helped by the fact thatthe new installation had to incorporatean existing and non-modifiable unit thatwas designed for the reception of liquidwaste.During the subsequent “cold test run” anumber of regulation and process-controladjustments had to be made to thesystem; further fine-tuning was alsoneeded in the course of the phased com-missioning period.

As this was the first time such a stabili-sation system had ever been used, theinstallation can justifiably be describedas a “pilot plant”.

Once the “inactive trials” (with water asthe operating medium) have beensuccessfully concluded the installationwill be handed over to ERAM and theexisting plant incorporated into the newsystem in the course of 2004.

Dipl.-Ing. Tilo JautzeDipl.-Ing. Ulrich Berghaus

Dipl.-Ing. Andreas Koch

12

Mining Germany TS SHAFTSINKING AND DRILLING

Report 2004

Conditioning plant

Conditioning plant: cold test run

TS BERGBAU Bergbau Deutschland

The Wilhelm seam at Deutsche Stein-

kohle’s OST COLLIERY has been the

focus of development work since late

2002. A number of panels have been

planned and several have already been

equipped for high-performance coal

winning. If the production targets are

to be met, the existing infrastructure

will have to be adapted accordingly –

and this requires driving a new

materials haulage road from Lerche

shaft to the seam horizon.

The materials haulage road has toperform the following functions:❏ It must provide sufficient transport

capacity to meet the needs of roadwaydrivages and production faces, as wellas for face equipping and generaloperations. The decline therefore hasto be equipped with a twin-tracksystem to provide a two-way haulageservice.

❏ It must ensure uninterrupted man-riding from Lerche shaft, via aseparate platform, as far as thedecline, from where a twin-strand beltconveyor (manriding on top andbottom belt) takes the men to theWilhelm seam without impeding thenormal transport arrangements.

❏ It must provide sufficient fresh air notonly for the workforce but also toallow a reduction in the air velocityin the coal loader gate. The increasedairflow will also give better CH4

dilution.

❏ It must have sufficient space toaccommodate large-diameter pipes forthe supply of compressed air, water

New supply roadfor Wilhelm seam

13Report 2004

High performance operations at great depthunderground material flow

and cooling medium. With local rocktemperatures exceeding 60° C anefficient cooling system is required tomaintain an acceptable workingenvironment. The new haulage roadwill provide a low-loss airway bywhich all the production panels can besupplied from the surface-mountedcentral cooling plant, which has arated output of 20 MW.

❏ It must be suitable for the transportof backfill material and for energy and

data transmission. The surface in-stallation delivers the backfill materialto the workplace batchplant via aseries of underground transit stations.Between 600 and 800 Nm3 of com-pressed air is required for eachtonne of material used, i.e. for bothtransport and processing operations.To manage the complex cycle ofoperations without interruptions apermanent display, analysis andcontrol is necessary.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT DESIGNED FOR HIGHPERFORMANCE

The tough requirements being imposedon the drivage project meant that a lotof thought had to be given to the selec-tion of the road drivage equipment. Thechoice finally fell on the following itemsof plant and machinery:

1. G 210 side-discharge loader with hightransmission ratio gearbox. Because ofthe need for uphill runs with a fullscoop-load the vehicle’s power trans-mission system had to be designed forhigh-performance rapid loading opera-tions.

2. Single-boom drill jumbo for fast andreliable blasthole drilling. The verycompact sandstone strata encounteredin the heading was the determiningfactor for equipment selection.

3. The Elefantino backfilling system iscapable of delivering approximately21 m3 of material an hour. The in-stallation is supplied from a 6 m3

integrated bunker.

14

Mining Germany TS MINING

Report 2004

N EW SUPP

Band conveyor-transfer point

Picture right: Transport drift

Material transport

High performance operations at great depthcentral cooling plant of Lerche Shaft

High performance operations at great depthfunctional sections of the Material Level Lerche

manway

transport

material handling

4. The Adam conveyor installation, whichfeatures a 26 x 32 twin outboardchain assembly, and the WB 1300crusher, with its chainless advancingsystem, are both extremely ruggedand heavy items of equipment thatcould not possibly be moved forwardusing conventional means. Althoughthis plant is very costly to assembleand to transport, once it has beencommissioned the system is very easyto maintain and service. Althoughbuilt for the toughest conditions,the chain assembly along with its

drive and return shafts had to be re-placed after about three months ofservice. This severe wear and tear cancertainly be attributed to the veryhard and abrasive sandstone debris.

5. The air-driven working platform, awell-proven design of the typeemployed at Heinrich-Robert colliery,is equipped with four climbingtrolleys. This extremely reliable,service-friendly unit requires noelectric power supply.

By carefully selecting and matching thedifferent items of operating equipment ahigh-performance drivage installationwas created that in the hands of ahighly-trained workforce was capable ofachieving average advance rates of4 m/d.

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

In spite of the difficult geological con-ditions excellent performance rates wereachieved and the work was brought to asuccessful conclusion. The completion ofthe new materials road will provide Ostcolliery with an extra supply route that islarge enough to meet the needs of thecoal production at the Wilhelm panels.

Dipl.-Ing. Reinhold Neukart

15Report 2004


PLY CHANNEL Pictures above: Differnt scenes of drift construction

Drift construction

Gorl

eben

No.

2 s

haft

ref

urbi

shm

ent

In July 2003 the Gorleben

shaft project joint venture

was contracted by the DBE

(the company responsible

for the construction and

operation of toxic-waste

disposal facilities) to

replace the existing 3-deck

conveyance in Gorleben

no. 2 shaft with a single-

deck working platform and

to refurbish or replace the

existing shaft and shaft-

bottom covers.

SCOPE OF WORK

No. 2 shaft at Gorleben mine, whichserves as an access route for the ex-ploration of the Gorleben salt stock, isequipped with a lightweight manwindingsystem (mini manwinder) and a workingplatform.The 3-deck non-guided conveyance,which was controlled by four scaffoldwinches, operated between the 820 mlevel and the shaft bottom area. When “parked” at the 820 m level theplatform also served as a limit stop forthe manwinding system.As the platform was very costly tooperate in terms of time and manpower,the DBE commissioned the shaft con-sortium to design, construct and install anew single-deck, rope-guided installa-tion.The new platform, which measures 7 m indiameter and weighs a total of 17.5 t, iscarried on three ropes and operated by asingle winch.The mini-manwinding cage, which beforehad been free to rotate on its rider, wasnow to be positively guided by two ropes

Mining International TS SHAFTSINKING AND DRILLING

16 Report 2004

using a system of guide-shoes fitted tothe top and bottom frame; this meantthat it would be free to travel throughthe platform. For cost reasons it was decided to re-usethe old platform winch ropes to make upthe five guide ropes required for the newinstallation (three for the platform andtwo for the cage). This meant that theropes had to be shortened in length be-fore being fixed securely into the shafthead frame and attached with counter-weights to their bracing points at the840 m level.

Mini manwinding cage after refurbishment

Guide-rope tension weight with guide frame atthe 840 m level

During the shaft and headgear renovationphase the existing shaft and shaft-bottom covers, which measured about350 m2 and weighed 98 t, had to becompletely dismantled and replaced.

FABRICATION, DELIVERY AND ASSEMBLY

After the planning preliminaries had beencompleted and all necessary factorydocuments and approval permits prepa-red by the TS Shaftsinking and Drillingdrawing office, TS Technologie + ServiceGmbH (T + S) and its joint-venturepartner Deilmann-Haniel were able toproceed with the fabrication of the in-dividual components (working platform,counterweights, shaft cover, etc.).After the first of the new componentshad been delivered, the site workcommenced in early September 2003with the dismantling of all existingequipment no longer required, followedby the installation of the new parts.First, the manwinding cage was removedand sent to T + S for modification.After the shaft inset at pit bank had beendismantled the shaft cover in the vicinity

of the working platform was opened andthe existing 3-deck conveyance removedsection by section. The bottom deck wassubsequently set on supports at themouth of the shaft to act as an overheadscreen during the headgear rebuildingphase.As part of the headgear conversion workthe existing scaffold ropes had to bemanoeuvred into their new position asguide ropes and then relocated in theheadframe.After the part-assembled replacementplatform had been delivered to the sitethe lower deck of the old conveyance wasremoved and the new unit with its fourretractable keps was then installed at themouth of the shaft.Once the new platform had been fullyassembled at the top of the shaft themodified shaft cover was installed alongwith the refurbished manwinding cage.One of the four existing platform wincheswas given a general service and overhaul,fitted with a Lebus rope reel device andinstalled on a new set of mountings.As the surface reconstruction work wasbeing carried out the counterweights andguide frame had to be installed at the840 m level and the guide ropes pre-tensioned so that the buffer bracketscould be fitted once the work had beenconcluded at the bottom landing, whichwas in fact the platform parking positionat the 820 m level.The last of the operations to be carriedout above ground comprised theassembly of the new shaft bottom coverand the renovation of all the electricalcomponents.

All the mechanical and electrical equip-ment was then examined and approvedby the Mines Inspectorate and the TÜVNord (Technical Control Board) and therefurbished winding installation sub-sequently went back into service in midDecember.

Rainer LietzPeter Nowack

17Report 2004

TS SHAFTSINKING AND DRILLING Mining International

Overview of mini manwinder and platforminstallation

Picture left:Assembling the overheadprotection with intakegate for the mini man-winder on the single-deck working platform atthe mouth of the shaft

Installing the new shaft cover from theprotective roof of the single-deck platform

Bottom picture:Overhead protectionbeing assembled on thesingle-deck platform atshaft mouth

18 Report 2004

The 125 m-deep coal bunker no. 11 is tobe constructed by the mechanized shaftboring technique. This technique wasconsidered to be less expensive and lesstime consuming than the conventionalsinking on advance borehole.The bunker projects mean that theEnsdorf bunker joint venture (under thetechnical leadership of Thyssen Schacht-bau GmbH) will be actively engaged atEnsdorf colliery until the second quarterof 2005.A detailed account of this work will begiven in REPORT 2005.

Erhard Berger

DeepeningProsper 10shaftIn August 2003 TS Shaftsinking

and Drilling, as technical leaders of

the joint venture, was contracted by

DSK to deepen Prosper no. 10 shaft

in the Haniel West field of Prosper

Haniel colliery. The plan is to

deepen the riding and material

shaft currently used down to mine

level 6 by some 296.5 m using the

technique of conventional full face

sinking.

Aprotective temporary shaft plug isto be set up in the shaft sump so

that by April 2004 work can beginbelow it on sinking through the 9 m-thick shaft pillar to create a connec-tion to the newly-excavated shaftundercut. The sinking equipment willthen be installed at this point.The 50 m-deep foreshaft will beexcavated in two sections. The sinkingequipment will then be fullyassembled so that the final concretelining can be installed using a form-work system. The new section of the shaft willeventually feature two insets, thoughthese are not yet included within thescope of the contract. The entireproject is expected to take to early ormid 2007 to complete.A detailed account of this work will begiven in REPORT 2005.

Erhard Berger

14 m and a finished diameter of 7 m.Both bunkers are to be excavated con-ventionally using the pilot-hole methodand will be supported by a single-shellshotcrete lining in B 25 grade concretewith systematic rockbolting.

Mining Germany TS SHAFTSINKING AND DRILLINGRE

PORT

– H

OT T

OPIC

S New

bun

kers

for

En

sdor

f co

llier

y

Over the next two years Deutsche

Steinkohle’s Ensdorf colliery plans to

construct four coal bunkers in the

Primsmulde production field so that

the existing cost-intensive and

uneffective coal conveyance circuit

can be improved by a new product

transport system. This coal bunker

project will in conjunction with the

Primsmulde ventilation shaft help

safeguard the medium and long-term

future of Ensdorf colliery.

Bunker no. 10 will be 65 m deep andwill have a finished diameter of 9 m,

while bunker no. 12 will have a depth of

In March 2003 the Angersdorf consortium,consisting of partners Thyssen SchachtbauGmbH and Schachtbau Nordhausen GmbH,was awarded the contract to carry out thischallenging major project.The renovation and retrofitting work inthe Halle shaft can be summarised asfollows:– Shaft safety measures, namely re-

conditioning the shaft lining and rene-wing seals to prevent water ingress.

– Installation of fittings for a heavy-duty winch to allow the in-shafttransport of machinery and equip-ment for roadway drivage operations.

– Installation of a new central man-winding system with a rope-guided

Before the new roadway could beexcavated the existing Halle shaft,

which was not fully functional, had tobe refurbished and retrofitted in orderto upgrade its winding system and in-shaft fixtures.

In 1996 the former potash mine of

Teutschenthal suffered a serious

rockburst incident which completely

destroyed some 2.5 km2 of mine

workings within the space of a few

seconds. The facility, which is

operated by Teutschenthal Sicherungs-

gesellschaft mbH & Co.KG, now

requires a new emergency escape route

and airway between the Angersdorf

and Teutschenthal takes in order to

meet the statutory obligations for

underground maintenance.

cage conveyance. Converting theexisting shaft winder to serve as anauxiliary winding installation. Modifi-cation of the headgear and alterationof the shaft insets; installation ofnew a signalling system.

– Fitting of new shaft cables andinstallation of an auxiliary ven-tilation system comprising two setsof shaft ducting each 1200 mm indiameter.

As part of the planned mechaniseddrivage operation a number of mine-in-frastructure chambers in and around theshaft pillar zone first had to be excava-ted by drilling and shotfiring and thenfitted out. This included widening andequipping the shaft inset for the sub-sequent assembly of the heavy-dutyheading machines and constructing atransformer station, a fuelling and oil-storage area and a materials depot.The connection between the Angersdorfand Teutschenthal districts is beingdriven out from the Angersdorf end as asingle rectangular-profile roadway 5.2 mwide and 3.5 m in height and the newtunnel will mainly lie in the floor sectionof the rock-salt horizon. As the drivageconnects up with the Teutschenthaldistrict it will pass through a 240 msection comprising main anhydrite andgrey salt pelite strata.The drivage will be routinely monitoredby drilling a series of geophysical survey

19Report 2004

TS SHAFTSINKING AND DRILLING Mining Germany

REPO

RT –

HOT

TOP

ICS

holes in order to ensure that thespecified safety interval of 5 m is main-tained between the tunnel and the baseline of the rock-salt horizon.The first cut for the new tunnel wasofficially celebrated on 5th December2003 in the presence of project patronPetra Wernicke, the Agriculture andEnvironment Minister of Saxony-Anhalt. The 3,840 m-long connection is beingdriven by a Voest-Alpine AM 75 road-heading machine delivering 200 kW atthe cutting head.Safety measures include the provision ofa mobile emergency chamber, whichoffers protection for up to ten persons.Two dump trucks each with a payloadcapacity of 10 m3 will transport theheading debris to the old stowingcavities. New access roads with agradient of 1 in 6 will first have to be dri-ven to facilitate this transfer.A scaling vehicle will be deployed toremove the loose material from the roofand side-walls in order to increase thestability of the working chambers, someof which have been in existence for manyyears.As the new connection is required as amatter of some urgency, the contractorshave been set a very tight completiondeadline of 30th April 2005. The project will be described in detail inREPORT 2005.

Dr Helmut Otto

New connecting roadway for Teutschenthal mine

Central Services WORK SAFETY

20 Report 2004

With just 19 notifiable incidents

recorded per million hours worked, the

accident figures for 2003 just failed

by a single point to beat the

company’s best ever performance of

three years before. We were that close

to setting a new all-time record.

So close to

Anumber of projects being carriedout by Thyssen Schachtbau’s two

ACHIEVEMENTS REWARDED

The successful implementation of ourwork safety programme has also beenacknowledged in other places. At aceremony organised by the BBG (theMining Industry Employers’ Association)to celebrate outstanding achievements inindustrial safety the relevant sectionheads and the safety coordinators of ouroperating stations at OST, LOHBERG andLIPPE collieries accepted special safetycertificates and financial rewards fromthe BBG Board of Trustees – honours thatwill be passed on to their respectiveworkforces. Since 1999 TS operationsdivisions have therefore been winners ofthe 11th, 12th and 13th awards foroutstanding achievements in industrialsafety.

NEW OBJECTIVES

The Safety Planning Team, which isThyssen Schachtbau’s senior safety body,has drawn up an ambitious set of newgoals for 2004 based on the previousyear’s performance. The accident targetfor 2004 has been set at a figure of 17for the mining department and 10 for theshaft sinking and drilling section. On thebasis of these thresholds ThyssenSchachtbau has laid down an annualtarget quota of 15 notifiable accidentsper million hours worked.The objective of the safety programme,namely to meet the target for notifiableaccidents and at the same time to reduceby at least the same amount the numberof shifts lost through injury and theresulting costs, was achieved in specta-cular fashion in 2003 by a set of resultsthat were 30% better than the previousyear’s total. This was a major success in

the record

operational divisions, namely MiningDivision and Shaftsinking and DrillingDivision, were accident-free for monthson end – and in fact neither thedrilling nor the shaft-constructiondepartments of TS Shaftsinking andDrilling recorded a single notifiableaccident during 2003, making them thebest-performing of all the Group’soperational branches. While none of themining division’s operations couldmatch this impeccable performance, theaccident figures for four of the branch’ssix projects were below the division’starget of 19 notifiable accidents permillion hours worked.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

30

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

75

55

44

3529

2428

2133

22

1625

32

1130

23 21

TS total

Shaft Sinking and Drilling

reportable accidentsper 1 Mio. working hours

THYSSEN SCHACHTBAU

60 42 34 21 24 1925 18

19

22

Mining

StBG

2008 Sicher

mitSystem

geprüft

21Report 2004

WORK SAFETY Central Services

sector cost-management terms and aclear indication of the economic im-portance of having an accident-freeworkplace.

THE SMS PROJECT

In order to promote safe workingpractices and to ensure that by clearlyidentifying the starting-line performancefurther improvements can be madethrough 2004 the Management Board andthe divisional managers have decided to

take part in the SmS (system-basedsafety) project that has been developedby the BBG. The performance of thedifferent operating units will now beaudited until the end of the secondquarter of 2004 – and those sectors thatpass the test will receive the Seal ofQuality of the Mining and QuarryingEmployers’ Association, which will beawarded in the summer of 2004.This process will mark the high point inThyssen Schachtbau’s programme for theconsolidation of safety standards and will

represent the successful culmination ofall the industrial safety work put in overthe years.Implementing the Thyssen SchachtbauSafety Standard at all workplacesoperated by the Mining and Shaft-sinking/Drilling divisions will alwaysmean having to confront new challenges– and this applies not just to managersand employees but also to the staff ofthe company’s health and safety de-partment.

Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Sievers

W O R K S A F E T Y

Mining International TMCC

22 Report 2004

4,6Thyssen Mining Construction of CanadaLtd works hard on continually im-

proving its safety record and exceedingthe current industry trends. TMCC haslong been aware of the importance of agood safety program morally andeconomically, and has developed aprogram that creates a focus on having”Zero“ incidents in the workplace.

„Safety first“ policy reducesLTI Frequency to 4.6!

important natural resource – our em-ployees.Thyssen Mining Construction of CanadaLtd. is committed to a strong safetyprogram that protects its staff, itsproperty and the public from accidents.There is no task that cannot be donesafely and TMCC is committed to

ensuring that this philosophy is im-plemented across all of our operations.Employees at every level are responsibleand accountable for TMCC’s overall safetyinitiatives. Complete and active par-ticipation by everyone, every day, inevery job is necessary for the safetyexcellence the company expects. Manage-ment supports coordination of safetyamong all workers at the job sites.Management supports participation inthe program by all employees andprovides proper equipment, training andprocedures. Employees are responsible forfollowing all procedures, working safely,and wherever possible, improving safetymeasures.

An injury and accident free workplace isour goal. Through the implementationof the ”Thyssen Safety ManagementPlan“ we can accomplish this.

Safety is NOT a thing we do; Safety isthe way we do a thing!!

Dave Speerbrecker Safety Manager

The Thyssen Safety Management Plan hasbeen in place since 2000, and providesthe tools and framework to, over time,turn a good safety program into greatsafety results. We can only accomplishthis by ensuring that our employees arewell trained in tried and true miningmethods as well as the latest technology.As illustrated below, our statistics haveshown a trend toward a reduced accidentfrequency, as well as less severe injuries.

SAFETY POLICY

Our Safety Policy has been our guide toensure we remain attentive to our most

0

5,0

10,0

15,0

20,0

25,0

30,0

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

24,322,6 22,4

5,6

11,29,2

13,212,1

Thyssen Mining Canada LTI Frequency

4,6

Tubbings

23Report 2004

TMCC Mining International

Hunting for Diamonds in Saskatchewan

to the discovery of the first-ever feederzone in Fort a la Corne. One of theirdrill holes intersected 539 meters of ver-tically continuous kimberlite. Preliminaryestimates have the Star kimberlitecovering almost 4 square kilometers withan average thickness of 88 meters(excluding the deep intersection of539 meters) and exceeding 500 milliontons of micro-diamond bearing andmacro-diamond bearing kimberlite. TheStar kimberlite property consists of 15contiguous mineral dispositions totaling4,608 hectares. All holes drilled withinthe Star kimberlite have returned microand macro diamonds, the majority beingclear with no inclusions and exhibitinggood crystal form.

Moving forward to valuation of the Starbody meant obtaining a diamond parcelof at least 3,000 carats. Shore Gold hadtwo options to choose from to obtainthis parcel. One method was to continuesampling with the 24-inch large diameterdrill holes. The other method consistedof sinking a 4.5-meter shaft into theStar kimberlite and to develop laterallyon one or more levels to obtain thenecessary tonnage to produce the re-quired parcel. After careful considerationand geotechnical and hydrogeologicalevaluation of the proposed site, Shore

3D image of the Star Kimberlite showingexploration drill holes

At present, there is both excitability

and sparkling interest in the

exploration ventures by several

companies and the possibility of

eventual diamond mines in east-

central Saskatchewan, Canada.

INTRODUCTION

The Saskatchewan diamond play beganback in 1988 beginning near SturgeonLake where blocks of kimberlite werediscovered in a gravel pit. This findresulted in a staking rush that includednearly 2 million acres close to PrinceAlbert.

Located approximately 65 miles east ofPrince Albert, hidden in the Fort a laCorne forest, lie some of the biggestkimberlite bodies in the world. Early

exploration and delineation drilling wasperformed by a number of differentcompanies who have staked property inthe area.

Shore Gold Inc., a Canadian-based cor-poration engaged in the acquisition,exploration and development of mineralproperties, is one such company whosework has led to a much better under-standing of the potential of thesediamond bearing kimberlite bodies.

THE STAR KIMBERLITE PROJECT

Shore Gold owns 100 % of the Starkimberlite project, located at thesouthern end of the Fort a la Corne belt.Shore Gold acquired the 46 squarekilometer area in 1995 and holds othermineral claims covering some 226 squarekilometers in the immediate area.

Further exploration and delineationdrilling proved favorable results leading

Claim map as of March 2002, by Robertshaw Geophysics

Hinting

24


Report 2004

opted for the second method; to sink ashaft into the heart of the Star kimber-lite to a depth of 250 meters and recovera total of 25,000 to 30,000 tons of kim-berlite.

SHAFT FREEZING

Thyssen Mining Construction of CanadaLtd. (Thyssen Mining) was selected as thecontractor to sink the shaft. With theinformation gathered on the groundconditions and the water bearing natureof the 120 meters thick glacial till over-burden, it was decided that a frozen shaftto 130 meters was required to sink to thekimberlite bedrock.

After the freeze holes were drilled andinstalled on a 7.3-meter diameter circlearound the center of the shaft, ThyssenMining mobilized to site. We hooked upthe freeze system, excavated and pouredthe concrete collar to support the sinkingsystem and performed all other site set-up activities.Thyssen Mining has a history of success-fully sinking frozen shafts in Canada andwe were excited to take on the challengeof being the first ever to sink one into

kimberlite. We employed two 80-tonrefrigeration plants to circulate super-cooled brine water into the freeze pipesto extract the heat from the ground inthe shaft area. Thermo-couple tem-perature sensors were installed in twoobservation wells outside of the freezecircle to monitor the freezing. After27 days of “shaft freezing”, the measuredtemperatures of the thermo-couplesindicated that an ice-wall had formed inthe shaft sufficient for excavation tocommence.

SHAFT SINKING

With the concrete collar in place, ThyssenMining started excavation using a cryder-man clam mucker supported by a clamframe. Access to the shaft bottom wasprovided using a muck bucket and crane.With the crane as means of egress in andout of the shaft, we continued sinking in1.8-meter intervals using hand-heldplugger drills and poured the concretelining on 4.5-meter intervals. ThyssenMining decided to work one 10-hour shiftat this stage for safety reasons.

At a depth of 30 meters, it was time toswitch from crane and bucket to head-frame and hoist means of sinking.Thyssen Mining designed and built aportable headframe specifically for shaftsof this nature (small diameter andshallow) and it required approximately2 weeks to complete the changeover. Theshaft forms were placed on the shaftbottom, the Galloway was lowered intothe shaft and anchored, and the head-frame, hoist, Galloway winches, clamwinch, form winches and sideline wincheswere secured in place. After commission-ing was completed and all safety checksperformed, we re-commenced sinkingactivities ramping up to working three8 hour shifts per day.

Through the first 110 meters of shaft, weencountered many clay and mud seams,which proved difficult to drill andexcavate. Even though the shaft wasfrozen, we were drilling with brine waterto flush the holes and consequently theyturned to mud. We resorted to drillingwith auger steel and taking shallowerbenches to sink through these zones.Altered kimberlite was encountered atapproximately 110 meters and badground conditions caused us to keep theshaft forms uncommonly close to theshaft bottom.

View of collar and concrete pouring

Picture showing freeze headers at collar

for Diamonds

25Report 2004


At a depth of 130 meters (depth of thefrozen section of shaft) Thyssen Miningcrews started to encounter water on thebench. With every blast we picked upmore and more water and eventually, apumping system was put in place topump water to the surface holding pond.The severely fractured nature of the kim-berlite allowed for water to migratearound the ice wall and into the shaft.A 140 horsepower pump was installed topump from a wall tank at 138 meters tosurface.

LATERAL DEVELOPMENT

Shaft sinking continued into the un-frozen kimberlite. Again the highlyfractured nature of the rock resulted inusing safety bolts to keep the wallsintact until they could be supported withconcrete lining.Sinking continued to an elevation of 175meters where Shore Gold decided todevelop laterally to extract the first 10-thousand tons of the bulk sample. A3.6-meter by 3.6-meter by 13-meter longstation was excavated using jacklegdrills. We used a slusher for moving the

muck from the station back to the shaftwhere it was loaded into buckets forhoisting to surface. After each blast, thefresh rock was sprayed lightly withshotcrete to seal it from the air. As ameans of a more permanent groundsupport, we installed bolts, screen andanother 100 mm to 150 mm of shotcrete.Resin bolts were used in the back andsplit-set bolts in the ribs and we bolted

to the face after each round. Seams ofmud and altered kimberlite were en-countered which caused us to change ourdrilling and blasting pattern in an effortto reduce overbreak.

The initial station excavation was funnel-ed down to 2.4-meter by 2.4-meter at theend. Other development on the stationincluded a scoop turn-around and elec-trical cutout. After the station was fullyexcavated, we returned to the shaft onceagain and are currently sinking to burythe Galloway below and set up a chutesystem for loading buckets.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND SHAFT SINKING

The plans for continued lateral develop-ment on the 175-meter level are to drivea 2.4-meter by 2.4-meter drift in theback of the station and break off intoseveral headings in a herringbone typepattern. Utilizing this type of develop-ment pattern will facilitate havingdifferent sequences of mining activityoccurring at the same time in differentheadings, which in turn will help producehigher production rate.Shaft sinking will eventually re-com-mence and Thyssen Mining will sink tothe elevation of the second lateral driftplanned at the 250-meter elevation.Drifting on this level will be much the

View from 130 meters looking upwards

Picture of station drift on 175 meter level

26


Report 2004

Picture showing the erection of the cover-all building over the DMS plant

same as the first level but we willimplement tactics learned throughdrifting on the 175-meter level resultingin a higher rate of production.It is Shore Gold’s objective to placediamond drills on each of the two levels,after mining activities are completed, tofurther define the ore zones and enhancethe valuation of the Star ore body.

DMS RECOVERY PLANT

While Thyssen Mining was busy sinkingthe shaft, Shore Gold was busy installinga Dense Media Separation Plant (DMSPlant) beside the shaft. The huge planthas recently been enclosed in a Cover-allbuilding to keep out the elements of -50 degree Celsius conditions. Shore Goldhas commissioned the plant and soonwill begin processing approximately300 tons per day of kimberlite throughthe plant. Thyssen Mining will excavateon the 175-meter level to keep the plant

running at that capacity. Presently, thereis approximately 5,000 tons of materialstockpiled on surface.

CONCLUSION

Thyssen Mining takes pride in being thefirst to sink a shaft in kimberlite and wehave learned much throughout themining activity on the Star site. Based onour experience on this Fort a la CorneStar project Thyssen Mining is confidentwe can to provide others with aneffective means of kimberlite bulksampling in the future.

J.D. Smith


When the Sedrun II shaft boring

machine broke through to the tunnel

floor level on 23 June 2003 it marked

another important milestone in the

construction of the Gotthard base

tunnel.

Thyssen Schachtbau GmbH (technicalleadership), the Austrian affiliate Östu-Stettin and the South African partnerRUC. Work commenced in mid-May 2002with the installation of the plant andequipment on site (see Report 2003).

The above mentioned JV’s innovativespecial proposal to use the rodless shaftboring technique, based on a directionaldrilling, proved best while the offers weretechnically evaluated. This mechanicalsinking operation, which is carried outin three phases, offers significant ad-vantages over conventional methods:❏ creating a directional drilling from

the shaft head to the shaft bottomchamber

❏ reaming the hole from the bottomupwards to a diameter of 1.8 metresusing the raiseboring method and

❏ widening the shaft to its final dia-meter by means of a shaft boringmachine working downwards fromshaft top, with concurrent installa-tion of the shaft lining.

Thyssen Schachtbau GmbH has beenin the shaft boring business for morethan 25 years. The company has already

successfully completed more than 50bored shafts, representing an accumu-lative length of more than 25 km.

THE SEDRUN TUNNEL SECTION

The contract to build section 360 (theSedrun tunnel) was awarded by AlpTransit Gotthard AG on 14th December2001 to the Transco-Sedrun joint venture,as contractors for the shaft boring work.The consortium, comprising Batigroup AGTunnelbau (Zurich), Frutiger AG (Thun),Bilfinger + Berger AG (Munich) andPizzarotti S.p.A. (Parma), is led by theSwiss company Batigroup AG. The biggest challenge facing theengineers responsible for the Sedrunsection, with its 6.2 km-long tunnelpipes, was to drive the galleries througha number of extremely difficult geologicalzones while all the time keeping thedrivages supplied via a 1,000 m-longaccess drift with its connecting mineshaft, namely the 800 m-deep Sedrun Ishaft.

27Report 2004

Shaft boring in the heart of the Alps:Successful sinking of new Sedrun II shaft – withapplication of an innovative fire-proof lining

The 800 m-deep and 7 m-wide shaft,which is part of the Sedrun section of

the Gotthard base tunnel, was complet-ed in a record time of only 12 months.This remarkable achievement, which wasaccomplished under extremely difficultgeological conditions, was highlyacclaimed by Swiss mining specialistsand other engineers working on theGotthard and Lötschberg sections.

SEDRUN II SHAFT SINKING

The contract to sink the 800 m-deepSedrun II shaft was awarded to theABS II – joint venture comprising

For logistical and safety reasons it wasagreed that a second vertical shaft wasrequired at the Sedrun site (see followingreport). The shaft collaring points were

28


Report 2004

some 1,340 m above sea level, whichmeant that the tunnel itself was at analtitude of about 550 m.

The access drift and Sedrun I shaft, alongwith part of the shaft bottom chambers,had already been completed by a pre-decessor joint venture. Once Sedrun Ishaft had been equipped with a high-per-formance Siemag shaft winding system,everything was in place for Transco-Sedrun to begin work; this includedexcavating the safety areas and technicalfacilities, constructing branch tunnelsand connections and preparing a series oflongitudinal and transverse chambers, aswell as starting on the 6.2 km-longSedrun tunnel pipes. All these operationscommenced in April 2002.

SINKING SEDRUN II SHAFT WITH THE WIRTHVSB VI SHAFT BORINGMACHINE

While the Sedrun I shaft had been sunkconventionally using drilling andblasting, the rodless shaft drillingtechnique was applied for the Sedrun IIproject. The mechanized shaft sinkingrequires firstly the drilling of a 1.8 m-dia-

meter pilot hole, which was completed intwo stages. The reaming out of the pilothole (phase 2, see above) was performedby the Wirth VSB VI shaft boringmachine, which produced a final diameterof 7.0 m.

The rock face is supported by systematicrockbolting with lagging mesh, whichwas installed from a fully-rotatableplatform stage mounted on top of theboring machine, enabling support workand boring to be carried out concurrently.

The final shaft lining with its steel-fibreconcrete was set in place above themachine by a team working from a three-deck, rope-suspended mobile stage. AnMBT Meyco Robojet spray manipulatorwas used for the application of the22 cm-thick steel-fibre shotcrete shell,which was constructed using a single-skin shotcreting process.

TWIN OBSTACLES OF HYDROLOGY ANDGEOLOGY

For the first 250 metres of shaft thesinking operation was hampered by anextremely high inflow of water that insome cases exceeded 5 litres/sec. Thewater was canalized using drainage pipesand gunite seals and then diverted awayvia a system of pumping basins, dripchannels and a single drainage fall-pipe.

The sections between the depth of 190 mand 250 m and between those of 400 mand 480 m contained two fault zones,which included heavily fractured andlocally loamified rock. In these areas therock-face support system was adapted tosuit local requirements by employinglong-reach rockbolts, systematic rockboltsealing and reinforced lagging mesh.

“TOUCH-DOWN” RIGHT ON SCHEDULE

The shaft boring machine “toucheddown” at the 800 m-level on 23 June2003. The sinking performance hadaveraged 5.5 m per day, including all

Touch-down and sinking crew

Sedrun II shaft (shaft head)

Three-deck working-stage Sedrun II Shaft

stoppages, with peak sinking rates of7.2 m per day. Two of the project months recordedperformances of more than 200 m ofbored, shotcreted and lined shaft.The mechanised system used at Sedrunfor the shaft sinking and lining workproved more than a match for thedifficult geological conditions and theshaft construction project achieved highsinking rates as a result.

FIREPROOF SHOTCRETE IS A NOVEL SOLUTION

Sedrun II shaft was lined with a highlyfire-resistant type of shotcrete, the firsttime that such a material had ever beenused in a shaft sinking. The shotcretewas also delivered via a fall-pipe andthen applied using the shotcretemanipulator. This special type of liningwas needed because the shaft is also toserve as a ventilation shaft. In the un-likely event of a fire breaking out attunnel floor level the hot air – whichmight well reach temperatures of up to900° C – can be drawn out through theshaft. Usual shotcrete could not with-stand such temperatures and would beginto break up. Under such circumstancesthe resulting fragments would come

crashing down and the shaft wouldalmost be immediately blocked.

After an intensive programme of testsSika Schweiz AG, together with Transco-Sedrun, came up with a special fireproofmaterial with the necessary shotcretespecifications. Sika and Thyssen Schacht-bau GmbH then collaborated successfullyto develop a method to apply the

shotcrete mixture under the specificconditions for shaft sinking.

A SUMMING-UP

Having decided to use the rodless shaftboring system for sinking Sedrun II shaftultimately proved to be correct, given thesteeply dipping schistosity of the Alpinestrata that crossed the line of the shaftat an acute angle. Rock hardness variedenormously and strengths of between 40and 140 MPa were encountered. Thechosen shaft boring technology providedthe operating flexibility needed to copewith such geological conditions andmoreover offered another importantadvantage in that the support measurescould be implemented with minimumdelay.

Although the work outside the tunnelitself was frequently hampered by theextreme winter weather, which includedscree avalanches and rockslides, the shaftwas completed on schedule exactly12 months after the directional drillingwork had started on 17th June 2002.

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert HandkeErhard Berger

Michael Müller

29Report 2004


Shaft head with heavy load transport kibble

Hauling of the shotcrete manipulator

The tunnel heading operation in the

Sedrun section of the Gotthard Base

tunnel, which is still under con-

struction, has to cope not only with

difficult geological conditions but also

with exceptional site logistics – with

the Sedrun assembly area being

located about 800 m above the

actual tunnel level. This exposed

circumstance was to mark a new

chapter in the history of tunnel

construction: the sinking of two

vertical shafts as opening and as

supply and return system for the

tunnel headings – with as many as

seven individual workplaces having to

be served at any one time.

Sedrun II shaft hoisting plantmeans better logistics and a saferworking environment

responsible Transco-Sedrun consortiumtook the decision early on that theSedrun II shaft, which was originallydesigned as a mere air shaft, should alsobe fitted with a shaft hoisting plant assoon as it was completed. With the shaftdiameter widened from 4.0 to 7.0 m bythe same decision the new hoistinginstallation now makes a major contribu-tion in terms of improved safety andbetter site logistics and this will benefit


30 Report 2004

SEDRUN II DOUBLES AS AVENTILATION ANDHOISTING SHAFT

The original plan was to have just oneshaft (Sedrun I) to haul/transport menand hoist material and debris of the tunnel site. The scheduled materialcapacity – equivalent to that handled byan average-sized coal or potash mine –should have been transported bya single-shaft hoisting installation

equipped with a Siemag fully-automaticfour-rope drum winder.

Even during the tendering phase it wasapparent that this single-shaft hoistinginstallation would create problemsregarding operating safety and wouldclog-up the transport flow. In order torelieve the bottleneck created by thesituation at the access drift and thesingle-shaft hoisting engineers from the

Inside the heavy-duty cage

not just the current tunnel constructionproject but also its future operatingphase.

DESIGNED, DELIVERED AND ASSEMBLED BYTHYSSEN SCHACHTBAUGMBH

In June 2002 Thyssen Schachtbau GmbHwas contracted to design, supply andinstall the Sedrun II heavy-duty hoistingplant in accordance with German miningregulations (TAS).After the sinking equipment had beendismantled work commenced on theassembly of the mechanical and electricalinstallations for the rope-guided hoistingplant at the end of November 2003.By late January 2004 the TRANSCO-Sedrun consortium was able to takedelivery of the shaft in full working order.

HOISTING SYSTEM

The hoisting system is a single-compart-ment cage winding installation, which isoperated by a single-drum floor-mountedhoisting machine and a single-reevedwinding rope. The single-drum hoisting

machine is driven through a set of gearsand couplings by two 380 kW d.c. motors,which deliver a tractive force of 254 kNat a torque of 470 kNm.The safety braking system consists of ahydraulically-operated disc brake thatacts on the rope drum. The latter has a

reeling width of 680 mm and a maximumreeling diameter of 4,500 mm.

The single-deck cage is supported on fourropes and is capable of transportinglarge-sized components weighing up to25 tonnes and measuring 11,500 x 3,500x 3,500 mm. The cage roof is fitted withtwo electric chain hoists so that heavyitems can be easily lifted and placedinside the cage.The cage is also equipped with retract-able roof sections and side-wall insertswith a manriding door, so that it can alsoserve as a passenger conveyance.The upcast shaft with its shaft cellarmounted ventilation has its own air locksystem.An electromechanically-operated swinggate set in the cavern profile towards theshaft, which operates in conjunction withan airtight shaft cover door that ismounted across the top of the shaft andactivated via a rack mechanism drivenfrom a electric geared motor, ensures thepartition to the downcast shaft (no.I shaft).An interlocking system between theswing gate and the shaft cover doorprevents any short circuiting of the air-flow as it enters no. II shaft.

31Report 2004


Single-drum hoisting machine

General view

LOGISTICAL ARRANGE-MENTS FOR NO. II SHAFT

The shaft hoisting system at Sedrun IIshaft separates the transport of heavytunnelling equipment and bulky buildingmaterials from the manriding operationsand the evacuation of heading debris inSedrun I shaft while the two base tunnelsare constructed.This provides much better site transportlogistics and a safer working environ-ment.

For the tunnel heading operations to runsmoothly it is strategically important tobe supplied with materials and equip-ment as and when these are required,including steel-arch supports, rockboltsfor the tunnel-face and side-wall zones,shotcrete, concrete, concrete additivesand piping. The machines, constructioncontainers, building materials and – lastbut not least – the tunnelling personnelthemselves can now all be transported tothe workplace using either Sedrun I orSedrun II shaft.

Using Sedrun II shaft not just for ven-tilation but also for material hoisting hasprovided much-needed relief for the over-used hoisting installation in Sedrun Ishaft. Increasing the diameter of SedrunII shaft to 7 m has also been beneficialfrom a ventilation point of view in thatthe reduced airflow resistance means thatless energy is required to operate theventilation system.

Following the tunnel heading operations– probably in 2009 to 2010, when most

of the tunnelling work will be completed– the hoisting plant in Sedrun II will bemainly used for transporting personnel.This ensures that the tunnel access canbe completely isolated from Sedrun Ishaft, as operationally needed where thehoisting machine can then be dismantledand the permanent concrete lining in-stalled using a sliding formwork system.

Future special transports and inter-mediate manriding can be handledthrough shaft II, which will significantlyreduce the problem of shaft obstructionsand so improve operational safety. By theyear 2015, when passenger trains will beusing the tunnel, the existence of asecond shaft will constitute a very usefulpermanent safety feature for emergencyrescue purposes, as well as providing aseparate access point for maintenanceand repair teams.

Putting safety first!Ulrich Kaufmann

Gerd WinklerDietmar Schilling

32 Report 2004

Ram protection gate

Guide frame in cavern

33Report 2004


The economic and technical

advantages of free hanging and self-

supporting API pipework connected

joints by tapered-thread couplings

convinced the Sedrun I shaft design

team that such a system would also

be the ideal solution for the tunnel

heading project.

Self-supporting API shaft pipes for the supply and return system of the Sedrun tunnel headings

to install six API shaft pipework systemswith diameters ranging from 100 to400 mm. The new pipes were each to befitted in runs of about 800 m and were tobe installed in the shaft bottom chamberusing a series of expansion units andpipe compensators to connect up withthe existing groundwater pumpingsystems, the cement silo for concreteproduction and the heat exchanger forthe cooling-water supply.

4,800 M OF SHAFT PIPEWORK INSTALLEDIN TEN DAYS

After the pipe shiftings had been set upat the top of the shaft and temporarymodifications made to the headgear, the200-t installation crane was brought intoposition and the pipeline assembly workthen commenced on 2nd June 2003.

Hydraulic pipe tongs were used toconnect the individual pipe sections,which measured up to 8 m in length.Instead of working from the bottom ofthe shaft upwards and fitting one pipe

section on top of the next, which is thenormal procedure for flange-coupledpipes, API pipework can be installed inthe reverse direction from a fixedposition at the top of the shaft. By 12th

June 2003, a mere ten days after theassembly operation began, the shaft wascleared for use and the tunnelling teamscould continue work.

PROVEN TECHNOLOGY

High-grade steel pipes that were firstdeveloped for the oil and gas drillingsectors have been tried and tested formore than twenty years in the Germanpotash and coal mining industries (seealso Thyssen Schachtbau Report 1999,pp. 23). The system’s inherent advanta-ges are now being put to good use forthe first time in a tunnel drivage project– concrete proof that innovative miningtechnology also has a role to play intoday’s state-of-the-art tunnel con-struction business.

Dipl.-Ing. Dietmar SchillingRainer Lietz

API pipe systems offer the followingadvantages over placed on supports,

flange-coupled pipes that have to beinstalled section by section:1. much shorter installation times,2. smaller space requirement in the shaft

with no loss of nominal diameter,3. no intermediate shifting points.

In January 2003 the “API Sedrun I shaftpipelines” joint venture, comprisingThyssen Schachtbau GmbH and PPSPipeline Systems GmbH, was contracted

Convincing technology:

Mount Gordon copper mine is

located in the prospective north-west

area of Queensland – a region that is

thought to contain vast ore deposits –

and lies some 150 km north of Mount

Isa and about 1,000 km west of

Townsville.

Copper Mining in Australia atMount Gordon Mine

The region is rich in natural resources,including bauxite, coal, uranium, copper,zinc, lead, silver, natural gas and oil.The climate is bordering on summermonsoonal, being susceptible to seasonalflooding and isolation from major roadsand suppliers.

“GUNPOWDER”

The site traditionally named “Gunpowder”has been operated in both an under-ground and open cut capacity for over25 years. Various mining techniqueshave been used at Mt. Gordon historicallywith varying success. The Mammoth(underground) and Esperensa (open cut)deposits both exploit copper oxideminerals, with the processing plantproducing 99.99 % copper from electro-winning. The new found life to theunderground mine exploits sub-levelcaving methods in a recently provenorebody lens. Byrnecut commenced work in August2003, stripping and rehabilitating the old

decline to allow access for ElphinstoneAD55 Trucks (55 t capacity).

THE CHALLENGE …

… Byrnecut’s role at this site is to movein excess of 150,000 t of material permonth from underground, making use ofan old and very narrow decline. This goal becomes increasingly difficultas the depth of mining increases. Thismeans further expansion of the truckfleet will be required, and increasedefficiencies sought through constantdiligence in the areas of road mainten-ance, matching truck performance,optimal loading and minimal cycledisruption. Automatic data logging weig-hbridge technology is also used todetermine true net loads carried by eachtruck. This keeps the focus on tonnestrucked and optimizes the loading per-formance of the trucks. This also allowsus to quote with confidence tonnesextracted from the mine in any timeperiod.

Mining International BYRNECUT

34 Report 2004

The State of Queensland, with itsCape York Peninsula jutting far out

into the Pacific Ocean, occupies thenorth-east corner of Australia and with asurface area of 1.73 million km2 isalmost five times larger than Germany.Yet only three million people live there.

Lake Waggaboonya at Mt. Gordon, Mt. Gordon Aerial, Mt. Gordon Camp

The capital city, Brisbane, is located inthe south of the State and like themore northerly towns of Rockhampten,Mackay, Townsville and Cairns it alsolies on the east coast of the continent.

Byrnecut’s work has expanded from anequipment fleet of 1 jumbo, 2 trucks,2 boggers, and a workforce of 52 ope-rators, to current levels of 3 jumbos,6 trucks, 4 boggers, 2 Solo drilling rigs,with a total workforce of 113. The tablebelow summarizes some of the operatingphysicals for the contract to date.

Physical Parameter Contract to Date

Development (m) 8,792Trucking tonnes (total movement) 1,256,895Trucking tkm (tonnes-km) 4,713,171Production Drilling (m) 140,440

SAFETY AND WELL BEING …

… of the workforce is of paramountpriority, and a large emphasis ofmanagement and supervision time isdedicated to achieving our target of zero

accidents and incidents in the workplace.The results of this show in our safetystatistics to date with only 1 lost timeand 12 medically treated injuries in 518days of operations. A new initiative wehave implemented on site to furtheremphasize the importance of ‘safety first’is quarterly safety workshops. Half a shiftof production is forgone to conduct aseries of nominated safety sessionsrelating to different aspects of theoperation. These sessions use the advicefrom external experts, and the experienceof management and operators to collec-tively increase awareness and under-standing of issues within the workplace.

WORKING AND ENVIRONMENTALCONDITIONS …

The site works in a fly in fly out rosterfrom Townsville and Cairns. The teamswork in very tough environmental

conditions, with wet bulb temperaturesin working areas in the range of 30-34°C.This has forced us to adopt strict workingin heat procedures and led to an exten-sive education process of the workforceon how to stay hydrated both at homeand in the work place. The client is

35Report 2004

BYRNECUT Mining International

Underground Jumbo

Truck exiting portal

currently in the process of installing twonew ventilation rises that will be largeenough to accommodate the futureventilation requirements for the mine.The ventilation works will be completedby the end of winter, allowing Byrnecutto sustain full production rates over thesummer period of 2004/5.

…AND EQUIPMENT

Additionally, Byrnecut has realisedoperational efficiencies through the useof a Leaky Feeder PED control systemthroughout the mine. This system allowssimultaneous use of the leaky feeder forradio communications, remote fantelemetry and control, and a computercontrolled blast initiation system. Thisacts as a central firing system on thesurface for all blasting activities under-ground, eliminating the need for ex-posure of operators to potential hazardsassociated with underground blastinitiation. It has also had the addedbenefit of reducing the firing timesrequired which subsequently means thatre-entry after blasting can occur earlier.

Another first for Byrnecut has been thepurchase of a Tamrock Data Solo 1520production drill rig. This has enabledincreased drilling productivity throughthe use of the Data’s automatic drilling

capabilities for use during mid-shiftfiring and end of shift hand over.

CONTRACT ARRANGEMENTS

The existing contract between Byrnecutand Birla Mt. Gordon extends out toAugust 2005. Production is planned toramp up to a total trucked material

movement in excess of 160,000 t permonth. There is potential upside beyondthis with development and productionplanned for a separate orebody, via a newportal access from the bottom of theopen pit mine.

Wade BickleyProject Engineer

36


Report 2004

Underground Loader

Jumbo and operator

Mining in the Agnew Area commenced

over 100 years ago and has continued

intermittently throughout. In February

2002 the portal was cut for the

Waroonga Project, whose target was to

exploit the Kim, Rajah and Main lodes

that sit below an existing open pit and

an array of old workings.

Agnew Gold Operations and the Waroonga Project

Waroonga is one of a number of depositsthat have been mined at Agnew over theyears. The others include Redeemer,Crusader, Deliverer and Pilgrim.

37Report 2004


commenced in 1984, but stopped eightyears later when the reserves wereapparently exhausted. In March 2000mining resumed in the open pit and,following a feasibility study, the owners– Goldfields Australia – decided to cutthe portal for the Waroonga Under-

Layout of the Waroonga Project

ground in early 2002, with open pitoperations continuing through toFebruary 2003.

The Agnew gold mine is locatedapproximately 630 km north-east of

Perth in Western Australia. Gold wasfirst discovered at Waroonga in 1897and an underground mine has operatedthere on and off over the past century.Mining was suspended in 1911 andrecommenced in 1936, only to ceaseagain in 1948. Open-pit extraction

Agnew

BYRNECUT MINING AT AGNEW

Byrnecut Mining’s first contract to minethe Redeemer deposit at Agnew was wonin 1989 and in the course of the past 13years this operation has taken many dif-ferent forms. In early 2003 Byrnecutagain won an open tender for undergro-und mining at the Agnew Gold Operati-ons, this consisting of a three-year con-tract with an extension option of afurther two years.

With the Kim and Main lodes, plus otherpossible projects such as Vivian, Byrne-cut has definitely cemented a position atAgnew.

MINING THE KIM LODE

The upper levels of the Kim lode arecurrently being mined, while diamonddrilling continues to prove the lower Kimlevels and the upper section of the Mainlode. The old workings, which date backto the original Emu mine, are currently

38


Report 2004

IN-CYCLE SHOTCRETE RAISES THEPRODUCTION POTENTIAL

In February 2003 an in-cycle shotcretetrial was conducted by Byrnecut in con-junction with the client and Jetcrete Aus-tralia. This was carried out in the maindecline and lasted approximately twoweeks, with 16 cuts being supportedusing shotcrete as a replacement for100 mm weld mesh. Following thesuccess of the initial trial a full three-month test was run from November 2003

The portal for the Kim decline is locatedon the western wall of the Waroonga pit,which spirals down in the hangingwallside south of the Kim lode. At the 1270m level the Main decline branches off andheads 650 m south to the Main lode. TheKim decline continues downwards andhas recently reached a depth of 400 m.

The Kim lode is a small high-gradedeposit that strikes north-south for anapproximate distance of 120 m. The lodevaries in width, with a maximum of 8 mand an average of 4 m, and is charac-terized by a 70° plunge to the north anda 58° dip to the west.

flooded and are being pumped out viathe Main decline – which has developedadjacent to the lower levels of theold workings. The pumping system iscurrently being upgraded to allow thewater to be extracted at a higher rate, sothat development work can start on theMain lode levels in three months.

The Kim lode is being mined using openstoping on 25 m level intervals down tothe 1260 m level, with rib pillars beingleft to provide support. At this point themining method is changed over, withcemented aggregate fill (CAF) being usedto backfill the primary stopes before the

secondary stopes are mined. A cementbatching plant was mobilized in October2003 to prepare the CAF in conjunctionwith shotcrete for the in-cycle shotcretetrial. The first primary stope was filled inDecember 2003.As Byrnecut has the contract for both theWaroonga and Deliverer mines, it waslogical to share operating equipmentbetween the two sites, which areapproximately 10 kilometres apart.Waroonga normally operates two Elphin-stone AD55 underground articulatedtrucks, which haul some 55,000 tonnesof material to the surface each month.The two development jumbo drill rigs – aTamrock Powerclass 205D and a TamrockSuperdrill Axera D07 – developapproximately 400 m per month. Twounderground loaders – an ElphinstoneR1700 and an R2900 - are used to muckout the stopes and developmentheadings, the R1700 being equipped withtele-remotes. Support equipment includestwo Integrated Toolcarriers (ITs) and aNormet Charmec charge-up machine.

Gold Operations and the Waroonga-Projekt

to January 2004 in order to determinethe production advantages of using anin-cycle shotcreting system for all wastedevelopment.

Using in-cycle shotcreting and hydro-scaling could potentially increasedevelopment rates by up to 25%, since iteliminates the need for mesh to beplaced with a twin boom jumbo (whichcan sometimes be a tedious task) andmeans that rattling can be restricted tothe face only, with the backs and wallsbeing excluded. Rattling (detaching looserock with the jumbo drill rig) generallyresults in higher maintenance costs andis responsible for most of the downtimeon jumbo drill machines.

Another advantage is that the rockboltspacing can be increased, as this is nolonger dictated by the size of the meshsheet. At present 2.4 m split sets areused on a 1.5 by 1.5 m spacing for shot-crete. This may be increased in thefuture, following further geotechnicalassessment of the rock conditions atWaroonga.

While spraying shotcrete and meshingwith a jumbo are comparable in pure timeterms, the former does offer an advanta-ge in that before the heading has beenfully mucked-out the shotcrete can besprayed and left to cure while themucking-out operation is completed.

To date the trial has been hampered bydevelopment face availability, which isdetermined by a number of factors.Historically the Waroonga Mine has beenaffected by a large number of local watercourses and flooding is a common occur-rence in both the Kim and Main declines.What is more, a lower proportion ofavailable headings are in fact waste andthis impacts on the focus of the in-cycleshotcrete.

However, the shotcrete cycle has provento be quicker at an average of 55 minutes

THE FUTURE

With the Main lode and other potentiallodes, such as Donegal and Vivian, givingthe Agnew area an operating life of atleast ten years, and as the client – Gold-fields Australia – is keen to pursue analliance for future development, ByrnecutMining is now in an excellent position tocapitalize on a positive future.

Bryn JonesProject Mining Engineer

39Report 2004


to hydroscale and spray the shotcrete and30 minutes to install the rockbolts asopposed to at least 180 minutes to themesh and rockbolts. This time savingresulted in approximately 50 m of extrawaste development for the two months ofthe trial so far.

40


Report 2004

Since early 2003, Thyssen Mining

Construction of Canada Ltd has been

involved in the on-going pre-

production development of one of the

most efficient underground mining

operations in the world.

INTRODUCTION

The Henderson Mine, located in theColorado Rocky Mountains is in manyways a unique mining operation. Part ofthe Phelps Dodge Corporation-ownedClimax Molybdenum Company, the mine isthe largest primary producer of molyb-denum in the world. "Moly” is a metalwith many everyday uses and is found instainless steel, high strength and hightemperature alloys, in the wire of lightbulbs, and in lubricant-containingproducts such as grease. Its derivates areoften used as catalyst, e.g. in themanufacture of special plastics, forchemical synthesis and in the refinery ofpetroleum products.

The mine was built between 1971 and1976 at a cost of half a billion dollarsand is located over 9,000 feet high in theRockies, just east of the ContinentalDivide. Moly has been mined in Coloradosince 1917, when the Climax Mine startedproduction at a rate of 250 tons per day.In 1963, AMAX started development of

the URAD property and started producingat a rate of 5,000 tpd in 1967. Duringthis period of development, a diamonddrilling program begun under the leader-ship of Robert Henderson indicated theexistence of a much larger ore bodybelow the known reserves. The HendersonMine has produced over 170 million tonsfrom this source since 1976 and hasreserves for at least another 20 years atthe current production rate in excess of20,000 tons per day.

The mill is situated 15 miles west of themine (60 miles by road), on the otherside of the Divide. Originally, ore wastransported via a 15 mile long rail road,two-thirds of which was situated in atunnel below the mountain range. In1996 the decision was made to embarkon an ambitious, $150 million dollarproject to replace the rail haulage systemwith a conveyor system in order toreduce operating costs. The Germancompany MAN TAKRAF was selected tolead the engineering for the two mainconveyors, one of which is the longest

“Just in Time” development at the Henderson Operations

At a rate of approximately 800’ permonth, a team of only 14 miners and

mechanics are completing part of thedevelopment requirements for the nextproduction level of this massive blockcaving complex. At the same time, ateam of 4 raisedrillers is completing aseries of 7’ to 10’ diameter ore passes ata rate of 2,000’ per year. Both projectsrequire – and maintain – strict ad-herence to schedule and budgetarytargets, as well as one of the highestsafety standards in the industry.

Picture above: Entrance to the mine on a winterday

Picture left:View of the PC3 conveyor negotiating a 27%slope on its way to the mill

41Report 2004


single flight conveyor in the world at10.45 miles (16.8 km). Ore is drawn fromthe block cave by 9 yd LHD’s andtransferred through a series of ore passesto the transport level, where 80 tontrucks haul the ore to a 54 x 84 gyratorycrusher. From there, the ore starts its15 mile, 1 1/2 hour journey by conveyorto the mill stockpile.

SAFETY

A description of the Henderson Operationsis unthinkable without an emphasis on

safety, which is one of the company’s keyvalues. Thyssen Mining is committed toachieving the company’s aim of Zero AndBeyond, meaning that no reportableinjuries will occur at work and thatthe safety awareness is taken home andinto the community by the employees.Continuous improvement is achievedthrough safety observations involving thecomplete work force, as well as throughtraining of every employee in activeleadership, personal accountability andresponsibility for safety.

“JUST IN TIME” MINING

To optimize the use of resources andcapital, the Henderson Mine has adopteda policy of “Just in Time” mining. Nowork is done – no money is spent –before it is required. This involves Thys-sen Mining directly because every detailof the development and raise drilling hasbeen scheduled and requires completionat the right time and for the scheduledamount. To date, both raisedrilling anddevelopment projects have performedexceptionally well, providing the clientas well as Thyssen with predictableoutcomes. The scope for 2003 wascompleted by mid-December, 2 weeksahead of schedule, at the budgeted cost.

DEVELOPMENT

The original contract comprised of a totalof approximately 8,000’ of tunneling withdimensions varying from 20’ wide x 18’high to as small as 7’ wide and 9’ high.Recently, another 2,500’ were added dueto the good performance to date. During2003, the total work force on site

Aerial view of the mine with the crescent shape of the cave visible in the background

Final destination of the ore is reached after its 15-mile trip by conveyor

What ismolybdenum?Molybdenum is obtained from themineral molybdenite, the word comingfrom the Greek molybdos, meaninglead. It is a relatively rare metal,whose hexagonal crystals are oftenfoliated and grey-blue in colour. Themineral has a hardness of 1 to 1.5, isreadily sectile and has a distinctlygreasy feel. Having its origins inpegmatites and pneumatolytic dikes,molybdenite is found in granite anddiorite cavities, though can also occurin metamorphous contact with lime-stone. The best-known deposits are inColorado, Australia, Bolivia, Italy andNorway, though the mineral is also tobe found in Germany in the Berg-strasse area north of Heidelberg and inthe Riesengebirge and Erzgebirgemountains on the border with theCzech Republic.

consisted of 18 miners, mechanics andsupervisors, achieving up to 1,070’ ofadvance in one month. This total wasreduced to only 14 employees in De-cember as the monthly requirementsstarted to decline to about 800’.

The crews work 10 days out of each2 week period, 2 shifts per day. Due tologistics, two sets of equipment are used,each consisting of a two-boom jumbo, abolter and an 8-yard LHD. Occasionally, a40 ton truck supplied by the client isused for longer tramming distances.Support vehicles such as tractors fortransportation and Triple 4CE charge-upunits also used. Ground support consistsof 5’ and 7’ Split Set bolts, sometimessupplemented with mesh and if requiredshotcrete.

RAISE DRILLING

A contract to raise drill 2,000’ of ore pas-ses with diameters ranging from 6’ to 10’was awarded in December 2002. This hassince been extended by a similar amountto be completed in 2004. The raise drillused is an RBM7 with a 10 1/4” drillstring. To date, the project has progres-sed on schedule with very little machinedown time and without accidents. Two cr-ews, each consisting of a driller and assi-stant, work five days a week.

RELATIONSHIP

The success of both projects is to a greatdeal contributable to the excellentrelationship and cooperation that existbetween the client’s and Thyssen’s site aswell as off-site personnel. Both partiescontribute equally to achieve a level ofsafety, productivity and quality that isworld class. The high standards set andrequired by the Henderson Operation areconsidered by Thyssen Mining to be metand exceeded. With that in mind, bothparties look forward to a continuedrelationship for years to come.

René ScheepersPresident

42


Report 2004

An 80 ton side-dumping Tamrock Supra truck tipping its load into the underground crusher in a matterof seconds

Graph tracking actual vs. budgeted meters

New water regulations now mean that

local authorities and municipalities are

responsible for laying and renewing

their sewage disposal installations.

A practical and efficient solution: Sewage, water and gas pipesshare common ground

concrete pipes and some 800 m of HDPEpipes (DN 315-450). The client hasshown special interest in using pipes ofthis type, for while HDPE as a material isalready in common use in the gas andwater supply sector it has not yet beenemployed for sewer laying. As sewerpipes in the Essen North area can besubject to stress as a result of miningsubsidence, the municipal services hopethat the new material will result in amore durable and fracture-resistant sewersystem.Smaller-diameter pipes will then be usedto connect up the many households

located in this densely-populated part ofthe city.The project will also include renewing thedistrict’s water and gas supply pipes overa total length of some 800 m and makingthe necessary connections to localhouses and businesses.

WORK BEGINS

Soon after work started it was found thatthe ground-water level in this area wasexcessively high. In order to ensure thesafety of the site the water table had tobe lowered by 6 m using vacuum plant.However, due to the risk of the HDPEpipes being affected by ground shift atsome time in the future, the engineersresponsible have decided to use speciallyadapted pipe laying techniques andretention devices in order to inhibit anymovement. The slab construction methodoriginally proposed will also have to bereplaced by trench sheeting. In thecourse of the construction work almost6,000 m2 of trench wall are to be securedin this way.

CATALOGUE OF WORK

The overall project will involve movingsome 5,000 m3 of earth, making a totalof 300 welded joints and re-asphaltingabout 6,000 m2 of roadway surface.At the moment the mechanical excava-tion work is still under way around theclock. If all goes to plan, the localresidents will be given their street backin late summer 2004, secure in the know-ledge that the sewers, water pipes andgas pipes beneath their feet have beenlaid in a way that guarantees strengthand stability for decades to come.

Friedhelm RutkowskiDipl.-Ing. Andreas Pabst

43Report 2004

TS BAU Construction Germany

Stadtwerke Essen AG (the city of Essenmunicipal services), which originally

were only responsible for water and gassupplies, took over this new service in1998 and are now 99 % connected tothe public sewage disposal network –well above the average for the formerWest Germany.

THE PROJECT SITE

The project is being carried out inBäuminghausstrasse in Essen North, aresidential street that is used mainly bylocal traffic. In order to minimize theimpact on local residents and keepgeneral construction costs low themunicipal services have decided to departfrom normal practice by laying not onlythe new sewer but also the new waterand gas supply pipes in the same trench.This naturally requires a much higherlevel of coordination, since stoppageshave to be avoided in spite of the differ-ent working procedures involved. Theproject also has to be carried out in closecollaboration with the road traffic de-partment and local police authorities sothat safe access to garage entrances anddoorways can be maintained at all times.

TS BAU GETS THE CONTRACT

TS Bau was awarded the contract torenew the existing sewer over a length ofsome 1,200 m. The operation involveslaying about 400 m of DN 500-700

Welding operation

The construction of basal, intermediate

and surface seals on landfill sites has

been an important part of TS Bau

Jena’s working programme for more

than ten years.

Capillary barrier sets the seal

of waste disposal sites of all differentshapes and sizes.

properties of the soil and uses a com-bination of coarse-grained materials thatare overlaid with a layer of fine-granularmaterial.

In order to ensure that most of thesurface seepage water drains away at theboundary between the two layers, thematerial used has to be properly clas-sified and laid down in accordance withexact specifications.

Construction Germany TS BAU

44 Report 2004

This activity has involved the appli-cation of a whole range of different

sealing techniques and the company cannow boast a team of workers with ex-tensive experience in the construction

Overall view of completed surface

There was a time when TS Bau thought ithad mastered the entire art of seal designand construction – that is until thecompany was invited to bid for a surfacesealing project to be carried out at theMarkendorfer Chaussee landfill site atJügerbog in Brandenburg.

The project in question specified thelaying of a capillary barrier to act asa surface seal. The capillary barrier effectdepends on the different physical

plant cover, wet seeded

30 cm topsoil

70 cm surface layer

40 cm capillary layer

30 cm capillary block

1.5 mm plastic seal sheet incl. protective fabric

25 cm levelling course

upper edge profiling, plot 1

landfill material

drainage pipe

CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS

A visit to the Ruhr District’s central land-fill site at Herten, where such a sealingtechnique is employed, provided theproject team with some very usefulinformation.

The 35 cm-thick layer of 2/8-size gravelmaterial, which allows an absolutely flatsurface to be maintained right across the

sloping contours of the site, has to becarefully laid down if the capillary blockis to remain stable and function correctlyover a long period.Any surface irregularities, such as anundulation, edge or cavity, will disturbthe capillary action and affect the run-offat the capillary layer, allowing the waterto penetrate unimpeded into the body ofthe tip. In order to obtain an absolutelysmooth surface the dozer blade is fittedwith a section of rubber conveyor belting

and any surface unevenness is correctedby skilfully drawing the rubber stripacross the roughly spread gravel.

When operating on the surface of the tipthe dozers must exert a very low contactpressure so as not to compact the gravelmaterial.Each square metre of laid surface ischecked by company inspectors and bythe client’s surveyors in order to ensurethat the material type and grain sizecomplies with the quality assurance plan.

If any surface imperfection is detectedthe entire layer must be removed and theoperation has to begin all over again. Asthis is a very expensive process, high-quality execution has to be the order ofthe day. To date some 18,000 m2 of thetotal surface area of five hectares havealready been completed without a flaw.

Provided weather conditions are favour-able the work will continue – and thatmeans more careful laying of the surfaceseal and more quality workmanship –until the project is completed in August2004. The aim is simple: to ensure thatevery single square metre of the complexground seal is laid correctly first timeround.

Manfred Erbrich

45Report 2004


Laying the coarse-grained capillary bed

Dozer blade with rubber strip

Relinin46 Report 2004

In 2007 the town of Gera is to play

host to the National Garden Show.

The programme of preparations for the

event includes the construction of a

6 km-long tram line. TS BAU GmbH,

NL Jena, has been awarded the

contract to construct a 730 m-long

section of the new track.

Relining project:Main sewer serving 120,000 people

operates as a surface pipe for several months

The main 1500 mm-diameter sewer inLeibnitzstrasse is to be renovated usingthe new “re-lining” technique, whichinvolves pulling a new, smaller-diameterpipe through the existing sewer.The new system will consist of 1300 mm-diameter pipes and fittings in glass-fibrereinforced unsaturated polyester resinand will terminate in a series of newly-constructed monolithic ferroconcreteshafts.Leibnitzstrasse comprises four- and five-storey residential homes on both sides,with business premises located at groundlevel. Access has to be maintained tothese homes and shop-fronts for theentire duration of the project.One of the most challenging and ex-pensive operations undertaken as part ofthe relining work involves having todivert the flow of sewage, which meanshandling a throughput of as much as3300 l/sec.

A 1200-mm welded steel pipeline waslaid above ground at street level in orderto divert the inflowing sewage, whichwas delivered through a vacuum siphonpump.The siphon pump is a low-energy, cost-effective unit that can operate in relativesilence and requires little or no main-tenance. However, the work has beencomplicated by the fact that all thehouse service connections in this districthave to be pumped out as a separateoperation. In addition to the work outlined above,the contractors have to re-lay the gas,sewage and drinking-water connectionsto local households and remake all theother media carriers, which means re-newing between 10 and 18 cable ductsbeneath each pavement. This operationhas been further complicated by the factthat the existing conduits (as many as12 in number) can only be taken out of

Preparing to pull through the liners

Bau Deutschland TS BAU

As well as laying the new tram line,the project comprises additional civil

engineering work, including the re-placement of pipes and cables and therenovation and refurbishment of streetsand public areas.

g


47Report 2004

service after the newly constructedsection of line has been completed.The extremely confined conditions meanthat the workmen have to resort to small-sized equipment and in some cases evenhand digging.The team has now completed some 260 mof this very demanding assignment,

which is of a complexity never beforeattempted. The project is expected toend in late 2004.The operation requires great technicalskill, high-quality workmanship anddeadline reliability, as well as a tactfulapproach in dealing with local residents.The contractors have been very satisfied

with the progress made to date andbuilding on this experience they expectto achieve similar success over theremaining course of the project.

Heinz Neumann

Household connection work

Detail view of the pumping operation Overall view of sewage pipeline

Future-prooftraffic management

Road planners in Heilbronn have come

up with a new traffic scheme that

should help relieve inner-city

congestion and provide better access

to an existing industrial estate.

Future-proof traffic management

Hafenstrasse and Albertistrasse zones(see Report 2002).

– moving 35,000 m3 of earth-fill forsome 20,000 m2 of new road surface.

CENTREPIECE PROJECT

The new Wohlgelegen bridge spanningthe river Neckar was the main focus forthe entire project. This composite steelstructure measures 95 m in length and is16.85 m high and 14 m wide. The bridgewas pre-fabricated on dry land and thenpushed out into its final resting placeacross the Neckar in an impressive week-end feat of engineering.

Construction Germany TS BAU

48 Report 2004

In June 2001 the city highways depart-ment awarded the Heilbronn branch of

TS Bau GmbH the contract for Section1 of the road scheme, which involvedthe extension and reconstruction of the

The project comprised a number of indivi-dual engineering assignments, including:– installing 1.3 km of new sewer pipes

with nominal diameters of 300 to1200 mm

– laying 1.3 km of gas and water supplypipes

– construction of a high-water pumpingstation

– building some 500 m of retainingwalls 1.0 to 5.0 m in height

– constructing a new steel-concretebridge over the dock railway whilemaintaining normal rail services and

BRIDGE FIXTURES

During this phase the bridge was alsoprovided with open filigree plates and alower reinforcing deck to support thefuture carriageway.All pipes and cables were pre-fittedduring fabrication.At the time of the “big push” the bridgehad a net weight of some 1,150 t.

TS BAU TAKES CHARGE

The entire project, including planningand design, earth moving, specialist civilengineering, solid construction and

support work, was carried out under thetechnical and commercial leadership ofTS Bau.

ROAD OPENING

The new road scheme was opened totraffic on 3rd November 2003. The eventmarked the end of a project that hadbeen a great success from start to finish.

A WORD OF THANKS

The management would like to thank theconstruction workers and site foremen fortheir dedication and craftsmanship and

also wishes to acknowledge the con-tribution made by:the engineering consultants at BUNG inStuttgartthe planning departments of Prof. Dr.Ing. H. Bechert & Partner in Stuttgart(foundation work) and Dr. Schleicher inEichwalde (superstructures)and the testing engineers: Prof. Dr. Ing.Manfred Keuser of Munich (solid struc-tures) and Dipl.-Ing. Ulrike Schömig ofKleinostheim (steelwork).

Dipl.-Ing. Steffen Höfer

49Report 2004


In 2003 the Jena branch of TS Bau

carried out a major programme of

works for Deutsche Bahn AG, which

involved extensive embankment

renovation along the Jena to Rudol-

stadt section of the new high-speed

line between Berlin and Munich.

Track renovation means a faster Inter City Express service between Berlin and Munich

incident trains passing through thissection were confined to a maximumspeed of 50 km/h.

CAUTION PAYS OFF

The renovation of the existing cabletrough proved to be an extremely time-consuming exercise, as the new subleveldrainage system ran directly beneath thecable ducting. All the cables thereforehad to be taken up, and all necessarysafety precautions adhered to, beforebeing replaced at the end of the opera-tion. Only after this had been done couldrepair work begin on the embankmentslopes, which also included re-profilingand reinforcing the banking.As part of this operation the gradient wasreduced and the embankment coveredwith coconut-fibre matting; the area wasthen wet-seeded and planted with treesand hedging. As the bottom access roadwas being removed work began aroundhighway 88 on the construction of a newupper embankment ditch with a bentofixmat lining, which would prevent surfacewater penetrating the body of theembankment. The water is now diverteddown a new cascade and then flowsthrough the newly-made culverts beneaththe track to the river Saale. This sectionof track has now been cleared for normaluse and trains are again able to travelthrough at speeds of 110 km/h.

Dipl.-Ing. Ingolf Schilling, René Hähnert

Bau Deutschland TS BAU

50 Report 2004

The work was prompted by a landslipin the Zeutsch area in May 1998,

which occurred after very heavy rainfalland caused damage to the track over alength of some 600 m. Following the

Embankment renovation work under way

The completed embankment is seeded and planted

THE RENOVATION PROJECT

The work commenced in October 2002and as well as renovating the 600 m-longsection where the earth slide had occurr-ed, the project involved laying a sub-surface drainage course and installingdrainage culverts beneath the rail tracks,which would carry surface water to theriver Saale, as well as reconditioningboth sets of track ballast, renovating thefishplate joints and reconstructing thelevel crossing at the Zeutsch halt.The location of the site posed a realchallenge for the contractors. The railtracks, on which trains continued tooperate uninterrupted, lay directly at thefoot of the slope, while the very busyHighway 88 ran along the top of theembankment.Before the renovation work could beginthe engineers first had to construct anaccess road along the top of the embank-ment and another at its base; they alsohad to erect a temporary wall of Larssensheet piles up to 7 m in length in orderto retain the unstable banks.

Europe’s biggest ground-water lowe-

ring project is currently under way in

Vienna. As part of this operation the

water table is being lowered in a

controlled manner by about 18 m

over a distance of some 1.4 km. The

engineers responsible have opted for

an all-electronic system with

continuous data display and automatic

fault messaging logistics – the first

time such a technique has been used

in an operation of this kind.

Vienna metro system: U2/2 Taborstrasse sectionNew data transmission system helps inground-water lowering

take place in Austria in 2008, theproject contractors are facing a realdeadline as this section of the U2 ex-tension is to act as one of the maintransport links for the event.

construction and tunnelling work re-quired for the section of line betweenDonaukanal and Praterstern – the centre-piece of the new U2 extension.The new section is located in a heavilybuilt-up district of the city and the linehas to pass underneath a total of 97 buil-dings. For this reason the entire tunnel asfar as the station zone is to be driven be-low ground (the track centre line will beabout 20 m below ground level) using theNew Austrian Tunnelling Method.One of the biggest challenges facing theengineers concerned the ground-water

51Report 2004

ÖSTU-STETTIN Construction International

Figure 1: Overall view of section U2/2Location of the borehole wells

The Vienna underground network willbenefit considerably from the exten-

sion of the U2 line, whose completionwill connect the city centre with thenew and rapidly-expanding urban deve-lopment zone in Aspern, which lies onthe other side of the Danube. With theEuropean Football Championships due to

Figure 2: Shaft excavation, Taborstrasse

CONSTRUCTION WORK

In June 2003 the U2/2 consortium, com-prising Östu-Stettin, Wayss & Freytag andHinteregger & Söhne (with Östu-StettinHoch- und Tiefbau GmbH assuming tech-nical leadership), was contracted byWiener Linien GmbH to carry out the

conditions in City District 2, which liesbetween the river Danube and theDonaukanal.In order to provide the conditions for thetunnel pipes to be driven in dry groundit was clear that a major ground-waterlowering operation would have to becarried out for the entire duration of theproject. To this effect some 270 borehole wells upto 40 m in depth were planned and sunkin city-street and courtyard sites as partof an extensive environmental compati-bility test.By rigging the holes with submersiblemotor-driven pumps, which have an esti-mated throughput of 800 to 1,000 l/s,the ground water is to be lowered overthe entire section of line to a level thatwill be about 18 m beneath the currentwater table.After it is pumped to the surface thewater is collected in a horizontal, 5 km-long pipeline system and then dischargedinto the nearby Danube canal.

GEOLOGICAL RISKS

Preliminary field tests indicated thatbecause of the prevailing soil conditionsthe water table would rise by 1.5 m in amere 15 minutes in the event of thefailure of any single well, and that thelevel would rise by a massive 6 m if anentire set of wells (about 30 boreholes)were to fail.As the tunnel is to be driven underatmospheric conditions such an eventwould have disastrous consequences,since rapid saturation of the ground

would transform the Tertiary sand from astable body into a fluid mass. This meansthat if the water were to rise to a levelabove the floor of the tunnel excavation,the fine sand present at the tunnel facewould very quickly run out into the ex-cavated cavity.In view of the potential risk to drivagecrews and surface buildings alike thedecision was taken to depart from thetraditional method of borehole monitor-ing, which depended on a pump controlstation, and develop an innovativeelectronic system right from the processplanning stage.

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR CONTROLLING ANDTRANSMITTING DATAFROM GROUND-WATERLOWERING PLANT

The aim of the exercise was to develop asystem that would allow the entiregroundwater lowering installation to be

reliably monitored at all times from acentral control station (the consortiumsite office) and that would be capable ofcompensating for falls in capacity due toindividual well failure by automaticallyincreasing the yield from adjacent bore-holes, while at the same time trans-mitting fault messages to the engineersresponsible. Finally, the system also hadto be capable of processing and analysingthe vast amount of gathered data in arational and efficient manner.The Vienna-based company SonnekEngineering, a reputable supplier of turn-key pump systems, was contracted tosupply and commission the entire controlsystem and associated pumps and sensorunits.The pumps chosen for the project wereCaprari submersible motorized units ratedat 5.5 to 18.0 kW with delivery capacitiesof 5 to 25 l/s. When completed the entirepumping array has a total rated output ofsome 2,500 kW.The wells were drilled to a depth of 40 mand measured 150 to 400 mm in dia-

52

Construction International ÖSTU-STETTIN

Report 2004

Figure 3: Layout of pumping sectors

Figure 4: Groundwater Loweringoperation

field fault free

fault in field II

meter. Because of counter-pressurevariations over the 5 km-long collectorsystem the pump operating charac-teristics had to be carefully matched tochanges in pressure of 6 to 12 bar. Thepumps themselves are subject to severewear and tear due to the sand content ofthe medium and the high switching fre-quency. For this reason each pump motorfeatures a temperature-sensor monitoringsystem. The wells are also fitted with in-ductive flowmeters for measuring thevolume of water being pumped andpressure sensors for determining theexact height of water in each borehole.Simple water-level measuring instrumentswere installed along the pipeline systemand these units were also incorporatedinto the electronic system.In this way the current groundwaterstatus can be continuously measured andtransmitted in parallel to the controlroom, where the success of the watermanagement operation can be monitored. When the installation is fully operationalin the autumn of 2004 the controlsystem, which is the centrepiece of the

entire configuration, will automaticallycontrol a total of 270 pumps and manageand display the data collected from some800 sensors, on the basis of which thecontrol instructions will be issued.The entire section is divided into ninepumping sectors each containing 30pumps (see Figure 3). Each sector is provided with a controlcabinet to house the normal powersupply, the electronic control system andthe data collection system for theattached pumps.A CAN bus system is used to connect allthe pumping wells and gauge wells to thecontrol box via a series of control cables.The maximum distance to the sensors canbe as much as 1,000 m. The sensors aresimply connected to the bus by pumpmodules with integrated DAMs (dataacquisition modules), which are housedin small boxes fitted into the boreholechambers.At the centre of each control unit is the“blue box” (see Figure 8) – a data-acquisition and control computer thatdetects the pump modules immediately

after the connection is made and thencommences the data recording routine(see Figure 7).The system therefore continuouslydetects all water levels, flow rates,temperature values and switching timesfrom the moment it is switched on. Thelocal 30 GB hard disk in the blue boxuses a one-second cycle to record thedata from all connected sensors through-out the duration of the project. Each ofthe nine blue boxes is connected via afibre-optic cable to the central processorin the U2/2 project control room. Fromthis point the ground-water level of theentire section can be monitored,analysed and controlled using displaysoftware that has been specially de-veloped for the project.“With this solution you can nowconstruct a modular pumping system ofenormous complexity and control it fromyour armchair”, explains Dipl.-Ing.Wieseneder, the Managing Director ofSonnek Engineering.

DATA DISPLAY AND SAFETY CONCEPT

The display is divided into several layers,starting from a broad-view picture andincreasing in detail as you run throughthe sequence.Display level 1 presents an overview of allthe sectors and indicates any potentialproblem areas (see Figure 3).Display level 2 consists of a graphicdepiction of all 30 wells in each sector,including status displays shown againsta background plan so that individualwells can be pinpointed quickly.Display level 3 provides a diagrammaticrepresentation of the wells and waterlevels in each sector so that all detailsrelating to throughput, water level,temperature, settings and maximum/-minimum values are displayed on thescreen in real time (see Figure 5).Display level 4 allows the user to accessthe progress curve for each individualwell and provides a detailed analysis ofthe status of the borehole at any point intime during the pumping operation. Thisinformation helps users analyse the re-lationship between the different ground-

53Report 2004


Figure 5: Display level 3 (overview)

Figure 6: Display level 4 (water-level isolines)

water zones and the interaction betweenthe different pumps (see Figure 6).An in-house developed report moduleprocesses the data from the SQL databaseon the basis of the contractors’ require-ments and presents the findings in aseries of daily and monthly reports.All relevant information is thereforeautomatically analysed for subsequentinvoicing to the client. This completelyeliminates the laborious work of collect-ing the data and manually transferringthe daily outputs to a set of lists.The error-message and telecontrolfunction, on which the entire safetyconcept is based, plays a vital role in theoperation of the system.Any fault that occurs, such as pumpbreakdown, sensor failure, line break-down, unexpected rise in water level andso on, is detected by the blue box andthe relevant data relayed to theappropriate operator on the basis of pre-defined precedence ratings; this in-

formation is carried by in-circuit GSMmodules in the form of SMS messages. Atthe same time the data is also trans-mitted via a glass-fibre line to the maincontrol room, where the fault is imme-diately transferred to the display soft-ware. The arrangement caters for alleventualities, including that of a blue-box failure, which is monitored by a box-to-box surveillance system that imme-diately transmits a high-priority faultmessage in the event of a system crash. Failure of the mains electricity supply isone of the contractors’ biggest concerns.To deal with such an eventuality a set ofemergency generators is kept on stand-by at the tunnel face and these units areautomatically switched-on to provide thenecessary electricity in the event of apower cut.Each blue box has its own low-voltagepack that can operate independently ofthe mains supply for up to two hours; inthe event of a power failure this unitimmediately transmits an appropriatefault message.The equipment also records any activa-tion of the lightning protection systemso that the protection device is re-armedfor any subsequent lightning strike.Additional safety is provided by linkingthe pumps into groups so that the failureof any individual pump can automaticallybe compensated for. If the pump in awell should fail, or the water level shouldrise excessively, the switching status ofthe interlinked pumps is automaticallychanged and the throughput increased.All the information can be retrieved on

site using a laptop PC connected to theblue box and can also be scanned in thecontrol room or interrogated by tele-phone (using appropriate software) eitherdirectly from the blue box or via theinternet. In this way the system can alsobe monitored, serviced or fitted with newsoftware releases by personnel such asspecialists from Sonnek Engineering,without a technician having to bepresent on site.

MANPOWER SAVINGS FROM A CONTINUOUSMONITORING SYSTEM

The vast quantities of water being pro-duced (as much as 90 million litres perday at full operation), the many pumpingpoints and the large amount of timerequired for recording and analysing thedata would normally call for significantmanpower resources.To operate a conventional system, forexample, where each well is equippedwith a self-supporting submersible pump,several pump attendants would be re-quired to maintain a constant watcharound the clock.The new system also provides a muchbetter picture of the actual ground-waterconditions than any conventional arran-gement ever could and system adjust-ments designed to enhance the pumpingperformance and improve the energyconsumption rate can therefore be plan-ned in a much more accurate way. Early awareness of the relationshipbetween the different borehole yields,and more especially the prompt detectionof pump failures along the 1.4 km-longroute, means that response times are cutdramatically and appropriate actions canbe initiated very quickly.The protection afforded to men andequipment operating below ground isvery much enhanced and the threatposed by a rise in ground-water levelscan be relayed very quickly to the appro-priate control station.The manpower required to monitor thesystem and to process the operatingdata, right up to and including the clientinvoicing documents, is therefore reducedsignificantly.

Dipl.-Ing. Georg Puntigam54


Report 2004

Figure 7: Connection system

Figure 8: Blue box

55Report 2004

The Nollinger Berg tunnel project is

part of the A 98 upper Rhine motorway

extension that includes the Weil am

Rhein to Schaffhausen section along

with the A 861 link between

Rheinfelden and Switzerland.

Nollinger Berg tunnelorder to provide safe exit routes in theevent of an emergency arising.

with a cross dip of 3 % and have a risinggradient of 3.85% from south to northover their entire length. The designershave decided to dispense with a hardshoulder, with the result that thefinished tunnel span comprises twocarriageways each 3.5 m in width, amarginal strip of 0.25 m on each side andemergency footways each 1.0 m wide.The available headroom is 4.5 m. Asstated above, the west pipe is connectedto the east pipe by three pedestrian linksand one vehicle access route.The tunnel was driven out from the southportal only using the New AustrianTunnelling Method.The south section of tunnel, which isdesigned as an open-floor drainage zone,has an excavated area of approximately87 m2, while the north section is apressure-water retention zone and has anexcavated area of some 99 m2. Theinterface between the drained and thepressure-water zones features a bulkheadring that is designed to prohibit thedrainage effect of the south tunnelaffecting the local water regime. Theinner lining in the open-floor section isnon-reinforced, while in the floor-archsection a reinforced lining is used.

Following the serious fires in theGotthard, Mont Blanc and Tauern

tunnels the project engineers took thedecision to abandon the original scheme– which was to have two-way traffic inthe existing east pipe that been inoperation since mid-December 2002 –and instead opted for the constructionof a second tunnel pipe. As well asreducing the risk of accident, such alayout would create additional escaperoutes by having interconnectionsbetween the two tunnel pipes. Beforebeginning work on the main west pipean escape tunnel with four connectionsto the east pipe was excavated alongthe proposed axis of the new pipe in

Starting the tunnel portal – inauguration ceremony, 27th August 2003

As the west pipe is being constructed anew motorway bridge over the river Rhinewill also be built at Rheinfelden so thatby 2006 a new high-capacity traffic linkwill be in place to provide a directconnection to the Swiss motorwaynetwork.

THE TUNNEL PROJECT

The 1,259.65 m-long west pipe is beingdriven parallel to and at a centre-to-centre distance from the existing eastpipe. The cover depth varies from amaximum of 65 m to a minimum of about15 m beneath the Wolfsgraben trench.The tunnel pipes run at a slight curve

Nollin

GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

Extensive geological exploration workwas undertaken before tunnelling com-menced. Back in 1987 a 200 m-longsurvey drift had been bored out from avertical shaft along the axis of the westpipe in order to explore those zoneswhere the geological conditions weremost challenging. The geological surveyrequired for the west pipe could also bebased on records compiled during theconstruction of the emergency tunnel andon experience acquired from the east-pipe project.

The tunnel gradient and position of thestrata meant that the tunnel axis wouldpass through two bedding sequencesfrom the Triassic period. The south portalstarts off in a 40 m-long section of scree

deposits and this is followed in turn byfriable dolomite beds and layers of solidjointed limestone and marlstone of theUpper Muschelkalk Series, which extendas far as the 550 m mark.These strata typically contain crevicesand karst hollows with boulder-clay infilland are often associated with steeply-

inclined faults. The only groundwaterproblem encountered was water tricklingfrom the joints.At the 550 m mark the tunnel entered theclay keuper beds (Lower Keuper Series),which corresponded with the 5 to 10°strata dip running north to north-east.This area comprised an alternating


56 Report 2004

Anchor-bolts andshotcrete securethe tunnel face inthe loose screesection

Driving through thescree section

sequence of solid limestone and dolomitebeds with intercalations of sandstone andargillaceous marlstone. The latter actedas a water retaining horizon.

The second half of the tunnel passesthrough the gypsum keuper beds of theMiddle Keuper Series. The gypsum keuperzone is divided up into solid gypseousmarlstone, in the form of irregularlenticular bedding, and lixiviated, low-strength gypsum keuper with a stronglyclay-silty or earthy-sandy composition.The keuper beds are frequently displacedupwards by a series of echeloned faults,with the result that as the drivage linerises a longer section of the tunnel crownremains in the boundary zone between

ger BergTunnel

57Report 2004


the clay keuper and the gypseous keuper.This has resulted in an inflow of ground-water, which mainly affected the faultlines and the area around the gypsumlenticles.

The south and north tunnel sectionstherefore displayed completely differentgeological conditions. While the rocks inthe southern part of the tunnel consistedmainly of solid, heavily-jointed lime-stones and dolomites, the strata in thenorth section exhibited quite differentstrength levels and could be liable tosoftening due to water ingress – a factwhich posed real problems for thetunnelling work.

CONSTRUCTION PHASE

After a very competitive tenderingprocess the bidding syndicate of Östu-Stettin Tunnelbau GmbH & Co. KG (tech-

portal. The round-the-clock operation isbeing carried out with an all-Austrianworkforce of three 7-man drivage teams. After each 100 m of roof profile has be-en excavated the corresponding floorsection is removed. Where the base of thetunnel has to be immediately tied intothe floor, the bottom arch must be

GHH MKA 32 dumpers for muck clearan-ce. The sulphate-resistant wet-sprayshotcrete is applied using a PutzmeisterWKM 103 mobile sprayer.

About half of the 100,000 m3 of excava-ted debris is suitable for recycling. Thereare plans to use some of the material asembankment fill and possibly also asfloor infill and for the construction of thefrost protection course. The remainderwill be deposited at a waste disposal site.

In the lixiviated gypsum keuper sectionsthe drivage work is carried out under theprotection of a leading screen of tubularspikes. Even at the beginning of thetunnel excavation a pipe screen had to

nical leadership), Gebr. Hinteregger undSöhne Baugesellschaft m.b.H, Jäger BauGmbH and Östu-Stettin Hoch- und Tief-bau GmbH was awarded the contract on19th November 2002. The project sub-sequently commenced on 15th May 2003and tunnelling began on 8th August ofthat year. The contract deadline for the

Picture above:Boring with the pipe screen (scree section)

Picture left:Excavating the emergency tunnel (extensionphase)

completion of the tunnel constructionwork was set for June 2005.

TUNNELLING WORK

The tunnel is being constructed using theNew Austrian Tunnelling Method and isbeing driven up-gradient in a singledirection from the south to the north

constructed simultaneously with the floorexcavation.

The tunnelling machinery was chosen onthe basis of the geological conditions.The main items of equipment are: onetwin-boom AC 352 S drill jumbo, oneLiebherr LH 932 T tunnel excavator, oneVolvo 150 D free-steered loader and three

be used to protect the crew as they wor-ked through the loose scree. Because ofthe difficult strata conditions (scree andlixiviated gypsum keuper) the tunnel facein this zone sometimes had to be ex-posed in sections and stabilised withreinforced shotcrete and anchor bolts upto 18 m in length.Shotfiring has been employed in thelimestone and dolomite sections oftunnel in order to preserve the rockprofile. Because of the almost horizontalstratification tubular spikes also have tobe used in this area to provide advanceprotection for the drivage teams. Theconcave excavation at the heading faceis essentially supported using tunnelarches, steel mesh and a layer of shot-crete up to 30 cm thick. A temporary

ESCAPE TUNNEL PROVIDES EMERGENCYEXIT ROUTE

The existing escape tunnel, which runs asfar as the 930 m mark, lies in the profilesection of the west pipe. During the maindrivage operation this route will alsoprovide an emergency exit for travellersusing the east pipe as well as for thecurrent tunnelling crews. This means thatthe work being carried out in the west

open-floor drainage system. This com-prises an umbrella seal, which consists ofpolyester sealing strips 2 mm in thick-ness, with groundwater drainage ditchesrunning along the tunnel walls. The innerlining, which rests on abutments, is notembedded and no reinforcement is in-cluded in this particular section.The north section of the tunnel in thegypsum keuper strata, which is designedas a pressure-water retention zone, isfully lined with 3 mm-thick polyester

58


Report 2004

reinforced crown arch of shotcrete is alsoused in some sections to provide ad-ditional support.

DEWATERING

As the gypsum keuper beds can beextremely water-sensitive, special atten-tion has to be paid to the drainagesystem in this area and in spite of therising tunnel gradient it has not beenpossible to employ open water ditches.All groundwater and service water has tobe collected and pump-piped out of thetunnel. It is then clarified and neutra-lised before being discharged into thewatercourse.

pipe has to be organised in such a waythat the emergency drift remains usableat all times. A special emergency andrescue strategy has therefore beendevised and tunnelling teams and tunnelrescue squads are routinely trained in thedeployment of the tunnel evacuationprocedure.

CONCRETE INNER LINING

The tunnel is basically divided into twosections each with its own distinct innerlining system.The south tunnel section, which lies inlimestone and dolomite rock, uses an

sealing strips and features a reinforcedfloor arch and a reinforced inner lining.

PROGRESS TO DATE

After an amazing performance from thetunnelling crews – who have achieved anaverage of six and a peak performance ofas many as eight roof pulls – some 820 mof tunnel crown section and 750 m offloor had been excavated by the end ofJanuary 2004.Even though the most difficult tunnelsections still lie ahead for the miningcrews, the workforce is confident thatbreak-through can be achieved twomonths earlier than planned.

Manfred Sachs

Tunnel excavator clearing the heading face (friable dolomite from theUpper Muschelkalk Series)

Face sealing under way in the loamy gypsum keuper strata

59Report 2004

The Parramatta Rail Link is currently

the largest infrastructure project being

undertaken by the Government of New

South Wales and is also one of the

most important construction projects

under way anywhere in Australia.

city centre. Trains will operate along thissection of the system up to six times anhour.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The contract for the 485 million projectwas awarded to a Joint Venture partner-ship that had been set up by the firmsThiess and Hochtief (THJV). The con-struction work began in July 2002 and

the completion date has been set forDecember 2006. The 12.8 km-long twinpipes are being excavated by two tunnelboring machines, with the mixed-in-situconcrete lining being installed imme-diately after the tunnelling phase.In November 2003 Östu-Stettin Scha-lungsbau was contracted by THJV toplan, design and fabricate the entireformwork system required for the twotunnel concrete linings.

In order to cope with traffic volumes inthe Sydney area the Government has

launched its Passenger Transport Ini-tiative with a view to improving railtransport services between the suburbsand the city centre.

The Parramatta Rail Link includes twosingle-pipe rail tunnels each 12.8 km inlength, which will connect the districtsof Chatswood and Epping to the SydneyMetropolitan Rail System.

Once the project is completed the net-work will be capable of transporting morethan 12,000 rail passengers a daybetween these residential areas and the

Tunnel formwork for Sydney’s new Parramatta

Rail Link

ÖSTU-STETTIN Bau International

Parramatta

Epping

Chatswood

Rydalmere

Rosehill/Camellia

Telopea

Dundas

CarlingfordMacquarie University

Macquarie Park

Delhi Road

Front view of tunnel formwork car


60 Report 2004

After detailed negotiations, which alsoincluded a discussion of the operationalprocedures, it was agreed that the com-pany would supply:❏ six tunnel formwork cars (radius

3325 mm, form length 15 m) and❏ six formwork junctions for the con-

necting tunnels. The formwork had to be designed toaccommodate a variety of local con-ditions, mainly because of the layout ofthe tunnel floor.

The 3200 mm-wide precast concreteelements are installed at intervals of 6 mimmediately behind the tunnel boringmachine. The gap between each elementis then filled with concrete and renderedsmooth.The drawing gives some idea of theoperational constraints and compromisesthat have to be accommodated not onlybecause of the floor width but also dueto the gauge and available clearance ofthe self-supporting formwork system.

As neither the prefabricated elements northe concrete fill were capable of with-standing the peripheral pressures exertedby the formwork, an opportunity pre-sented itself to move the load-bearingpoints towards the centre of the structurewithout reducing the clearance width.In spite of the complexities involved, asatisfactory and practicable solution wasfound to this problem.

MADE IN EUROPE

In order to guarantee a top-quality andhighly-functional end product it wasdecided that the formwork system wouldbe manufactured exclusively at our ownworkshops in Leoben (Austria) andSopron (Hungary).

The formwork cars were then dismantledand shipped to Sydney, where they werere-assembled on site under the watchfuleye of one of Östu-Stettin’s seniormechanics.

The fully-assembled formwork, weighingsome 120 tonnes, was then transported30 m into the tunnel via an access shaft.Östu-Stettin Schalungsbau – proving thatinnovation and consultation pays off.

Our international reputation for buildinghigh-quality, reliable tunnel formworksystems helps us stay ahead of thecompetition.

Ing. Harald Pacher

Cross- and longitudinal section of the tunnel formwork car

View of the pre-assembled tunnel formwork car

Construction has now started on a new

residential development in Vienna’s

Seventh District. The project, which is

being promoted under the slogan

“Living in the Seventh”, is being

carried out by Vorsorge Immobilienent-

wicklung und -verwertung GmbH, a

joint venture company set up by Östu-

Stettin Hoch- und Tiefbau GmbH and

Dr. Jelitzka & Partner.

“Living in the Seventh”schnapps factory building in one of theinner suburbs of Vienna.

house and roof terrace, and the lower-setannex, with its green-planted flat roof,which juts out prominently into the innercourtyard. All will be set off handsomelyagainst the red-tiled roof of the historic,brick-built schnapps factory.The two buildings complement eachother not only in their ambitiousarchitectonic design but also in thefunctionality and quality of their interiorfittings and furnishings.The new construction and restorationwork proposed for the rear of theproperty, the so-called “lofts”, will createa total useful living area of some4.570 m2 with 64 separate apartmentsand a retail outlet, along with a two-storey underground parking lot withspace for about 60 cars.

FITTINGS AND FURNISHINGS

The apartments and loft studios comecomplete with parquet flooring andbeautifully-designed bathrooms and each

After the completion and successfulmarketing of its first property project

in 2003 (see Report 2003) the joint-venture company lost no time inacquiring a contract to redevelop asecond site – in this case a former

61Report 2004


The original structure, part of which is tobe rebuilt, is located in the heart of theold commercial sector, which is Viennamunicipal district no. 7.The property benefits from a first-classlocation, being close to the shops andnight-spots of the Kaiserstrasse andMariahilfer Strasse. The area has alsoattracted many private retailers and ishome to numerous arts and crafts shopsand design studios.Transport connections are also excellent.The Burggasse metro station can easilybe reached on foot and the new citylibrary is also within walking distance. Ina few minutes residents can be at theSpittelberg or museum district, while anumber of small parks are also close by.

PROJECT LAYOUT

The new development will contain twoimpressive pieces of architecture: themain multi-storey building with its pent-


62 Report 2004

has been laid out to create a mostimpressive living space. All units havetheir own balcony overlooking the innercourtyard and many other details are alsoincluded, such as internet connections,security-lock entrance doors and privateparking spaces in the undergroundgarage. Most of the apartments alsofeature top-of-the-range fitted kitchens.The top floor of the main building housesa number of penthouse flats, eachbenefiting from large dormer windowsand a roof terrace that affords a superbview over the city centre. Some of thepenthouses also have open fireplaces andair-conditioning systems.

MARKETING

The property is to be marketed by projectassociates Dr. Jelitzka & Partner. Even be-fore the building work began some2.130 m3 of apartment space was pur-chased by a major investment company.This means that 47% of the property hasnow been sold. Negotiations are alsounder way for the contract to developplot number 3, with a commercialdeveloper having expressed an interest.

The successful conclusion of this partialsale will leave about 915 m2 of residen-tial space still to be marketed, includingthe terrace and 16 of the parking-lotspaces. With the construction phase notyet started, some 14 apartments, re-presenting about 20% of the total pro-perty, are still available for prospectivepurchasers.

Such efficient marketing speaks volumesfor the professional manner in which theproject has been arranged and managed.

PROGRESS

The property development project “Livingin the Seventh” – site address 1070 Vien-na, Kaiserstrasse 63 – has been entrustedto the Vienna branch of the building andcontracting firm Östu-Stettin Hoch- undTiefbau GmbH, who will be acting asgeneral contractors. The demolition workbegan on schedule in October 2003, withthe result that the specialist civilengineering and excavation work wasable to commence two months laterimmediately after planning permissionhad been granted. The new residentialcomplex has been set a completion dateof April 2005.

The project constitutes another inte-resting addition to Östu-Stettin’s pro-perty development portfolio.

BM. Ing. Maximilian Höller

63Report 2004


Klosterneuburg Monastery is now home

to the biggest biomass-fired CHP plant

east of the Arlberg.

Eco-friendly Heating for the Cloisters

wine store, an underground parking areabig enough to hold 120 cars and 12 buses and a new access for visitors tothe famous baroque rooms.The planning work was entrusted toarchitects Heinz Tesar, whose designinvolved “hiding” the combustion plantunder a "hill of green” so as not to spoilthe view of the historic building. IC con-sultants ZT GmbH were to be responsiblefor the constructional design.Östu-Stettin was awarded the contract forthe building work in the summer of 2002and the project commenced just beforeChristmas of that year.

CENTREPIECE

At the heart of the new installation is thefurnace unit, which stands three stories

high in some sections, along with ad-joining service facilities and a biomassstore – a walled-in space measuring8.5 m in height and taking up some12,000 m3 of space. Ceiling support isprovided by the surrounding walls and byeight circular columns, a design thatallows the biomass material to be easilytransported and handled by means offree-steered loaders.As the heating installation had to be upand running by the following autumn,priority was given to the construction ofthis storage area.In spite of adverse winter weather Östu-Stettin completed this part of the con-tract on schedule and by early April 2003the firm was able to begin work onassembling the two giant 52-tonne bio-mass combustors.

With a wide range of heating systemsoperated in the monastery build-

ings, including tile stoves and variousoil-fired and gas-fired appliances, thecanons at Klosterneuburg Monasterydecided in 2001 to “think big” by optingfor a completely new type of heatingsystem.The project team decided, for ecologicaland economic reasons, not only toconstruct an eco-friendly biomass com-bustor, designed to generate energy byburning wood chippings, but also tobuild an additional and much-needed

Bau International ÖSTU-STETTIN

Report 2004

The two furnaces convert the eco-friendlybiomass into electricity (2.5 and1.2 megawatts respectively), and alsosupply some 200 kilowatts of power tothe national grid.

AN UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH

Work then began in the basement areawith the construction of the car park andoverlying wine store, a number of addi-tional storage rooms and offices and acoach parking area with a span of 38 m,

that is supported on four single columns.The project designers opted for a centralmarshalling area that would be devoid ofobstructive pillars. This arrangement wasneeded in order to facilitate ash removalfrom the furnaces (using the collectorbox system) and allow delivery vehiclesto supply the new wine store. The 800 m2

of roof area is therefore designed as anunsupported 1.85 m-high T-beam ceilingwith a span width of 26 m.One of the biggest challenges for thedesign team concerned the arrangementof the vehicle-exhaust emission ducts.As the exhaust-gas flue could not beerected in front of the monasterybuilding as a free-standing structure, thedesigners had to install an “invisible”duct system some 80 m in length.Leading out from the service rooms belowground level, a tunnel was constructedusing an injection screen and supportedwith a shotcrete lining; this gallery endsin a vertical shaft, which then runs upto the Jungherrengarten high above

Delivery area

Klosterneuburg Monastery

The town of Klosterneuburg on the Danu-be lies some 10 km up-river from Viennaand the present-day monastery occupiesthe site of a Roman fortress that wasbuilt in the first century.In 1095 the margravate passed to Leo-pold III, who married Agnes, the sister ofKing Henry V, in 1105. Agnes had pre-viously been married to the Swabian DukeFriedrich, with whom she had a son Kon-rad – who was later to become the Kingof Germany. Agnes is therefore the mo-ther of the Hohenstaufen Emperor dyna-sty. In 1113 Leopold and Agnes moved theirresidence to Klosterneuburg, where aswell as building a new castle (the currentmonastery archives) they established afriary, which they turned over to the Au-gustinians in 1133. In the Middle Ages Klosterneuburg Mona-

65Report 2004


The first tunnel at Klosterneuburg

the heating installation. At this pointit enters a conventional undergroundcollector, which is an open-trench con-struction, and this in turn leads into theold Geschirrhof building. The internalstructure of the latter had to be com-pletely removed because, firstly, the fluerunning up through the pre-cast concreteshaft inside the building extendedbeyond the ridge of the roof and, se-condly, a new entry point for fire-fightingteams had to be made in the shell of thebuilding itself. Another interesting aspect of the projectwas the way in which the new structurewas connected to the main monasterybuilding.A new goods lift also had to be installedto serve the wine store and delivery areaand this facility also connects withexisting chambers in the main building.New entry points and passages weremade through the outer walls and foun-dations at a total of four different storeylevels, which meant cutting through

Stift Klosterneuburg

ment against the Nazi regime – wasexecuted in 1944. The building was re-occupied again the following year.Even today the monastery still providespastoral care, while its art treasuresattract tourists from far and wide. Thebuilding has in fact become a hub foreconomic activity – it boasts the area’slargest vineyard and its amenities providea focal point for social gatherings ofevery kind.

imitation of the famous Spanish edifice.The Emperor’s architect Donato Felice d’Allio drew up plans for four courtyardsand nine new domes, which were to bethe crowning glory of the House ofHabsburg.The sudden death of the emperor put anend to the building project, as Karl’sdaughter Maria Theresia failed to continuethe work. However, by 1836-42 the archi-tect Josef Kornhäusel at least managed tocomplete one of the courtyards.The church policy of Emperor Josef II(1780-1790) led to a major extension inthe pastoral activities of the monastery –and even today 24 parishes in Vienna andLower Austria are administered fromKlosterneuburg.By 1920 Canon Pius Parsch had anticipa-ted the reforms of the Second VaticanCouncil with his popular liturgical move-ment, introducing the national languageinto the liturgy and using the publicaltar. His masses were translated intoevery language and millions of editionsprinted. In 1941 the monastery was shut down bythe Nazis and Canon Roman Karl Scholz –the founder of the first resistance move-

stery was not only a religious venue butalso a centre of art and learning. Thefamous Verduner Altar, a gilded enamelmasterpiece erected by Nikolaus vonVerdun in 1181, is one of the most im-portant European art treasures of theperiod.In 1730 Emperor Karl VI began work on acomplete restoration of the monastery,his plan being to make Klosterneuburg an"Austrian Escorial” – an amalgamation ofmonastery and Emperor’s residence in

66


Report 2004

masonry that was as much as 6 m thickin places; these new access routes wereconstructed partly by installing newsupporting joists and partly using groundanchors and shotcrete. The crampedworking conditions and ongoing wineproduction operations in the immediatevicinity meant that the contractors couldnot use heavy-duty equipment; as aresult most of the demolition work had tobe carried out manually using stonehammers and pneumatic picks.The result was a completely new accesspoint for supplies to the monastery. Thismeans that delivery vehicles can nowdischarge their cargo of wood chippingsdirectly into the biomass store via ahydraulically-operated hatch in theceiling. The 800 m3 roof span, which hadto be large enough to allow access forfire-fighting vehicles, was constructedfrom a single ferroconcrete slab. Thestructure is only supported at a few load-bearing points so that even in this con-fined area sufficient space is available forthe convoy of delivery trucks to come andgo and discharge their pay-loads.

CONSTRUCTION

In view of the large load that will beimposed by the subsequent overfill, and

because of the dimensional bulk of thestructure and the prevailing groundconditions (the area lies in the alluvialplane of the river Danube), most of theload-bearing members have beenconstructed in mixed-in-situ concrete.The architectonic design required a widevariety of steel-concrete elements. Thismeant that the different concrete formshad to be deployed very efficiently, sinceas few of these units as possible were tobe used on site. These arrangements weresuccessfully implemented in closecollaboration with the project planningteam.During the construction phase the maindelivery road to the monastery had to be

properly maintained and kept open totraffic at all times, a requirement thatwas successfully met as a result of someexcellent coordination with the client.With a contract to modify a total buildingarea covering some 9,500 m2 and awalled-in space taking up approximately74,000 m3, the Östu-Stettin teamsuccessfully completed the shell of thenew structure within 10 months – anoperation that involved shuttering some37,000 m2 of surface area, pouring atotal of 20,000 m3 of concrete and layingsome 1,800 t of reinforcing steel. It wasa massive achievement in every sense.

FIRING UP

The installation started up on scheduleon 11th September 2003, when the bio-mass furnaces were lit for the first timeas part of an official “firing-up” ceremonyperformed by the abbot, Provost Bern-hard Backovsky.The commissioning of the new plant,which now also supplies the nearbyHappyland theme park, and the replace-ment of the old fossil fuel-fired ge-nerators have made a major contributionto the local environment with a 97%reduction in CO2 emission levels. Plansare also under way for the new plant tosupply electricity to even more consu-mers in the Klosterneuburg area.The successful completion of the contractagain demonstrated that Östu-Stettin cantake on difficult and multi-faceted pro-jects and deliver on schedule.

Bmst. Ing. Andreas Zeininger

T-beam

Fuel store with its slab-floor construction

67Report 2004

TS TECHNOLOGY + SERVICE Technology / Production

A review of recent major projects cannot fail to impress

From engineering to delivery,nothing is left to chance

Backed by the company’s in-house work-shops, our service team is geared up forfast turnaround and will work round theclock to help our customers with all theirbreakdown problems and maintenancerequirements.

Customer services at the new Schwelgern coke plant

Steel transporter vehicle: dimensions 11 x 6 x 7.3m;

payload capacity 420t

Generator housing1.000 t special beam for theshaftsinking and drilling division

Press forrail-technique

Rheinkalk, which is part of the Lhoist

Group, extracts up to 64,000 tonnes of

lime sandstone a day from the Rhoden-

haus quarry in Wülfrath.

Engineering services for Europe’s largest calcareous sandstone producer

After blasting, the sandstone slabs aretransported by Caterpillar truck from

the quarry to two primary crusher units,each of which has its own 350 tonne-capacity mineral bunker. The maximumedge length of the slabs is 2.5 m.

68

Technology / Production TS TECHNOLOGY + SERVICE

Ready to go in a mere 32 weeks from thedate the order was received, and using50% special steels throughout, the newgenerator required expensive weldingtechniques that had to be tested to thehighest standards, including X-rayanalysis. The successful completion ofthe project was due entirely to thecommitment and technical skills of ourshop-floor personnel who worked aroundthe clock to ensure that the contract wasdelivered on time.

Another hydrogen-cooled generator

leaves the workshops

The quarry owners decided that the steel-plate conveyor that draws thematerial off from beneath one of thebunkers was in need of a generaloverhaul – the first time this equipmenthad been serviced in the six years sinceits installation.

Despite the difficult working conditions,the T + S assembly team took a mere17 days to replace and adjust twobadly worn and distorted plate conveyorchains together with a 3.5 m-long driveshaft.

After a very short downtime the refurb-ished conveyor is now delivering therequired output of some 2,000 tonnes perhour.

Dipl.-Ing. Heinz-Wilhelm Seramour

TS TECHNOLOGIE + SERVICE Technik / Produktion

At the end of May 2003 TS Technologie

+ Service GmbH was commissioned by

Siemens AG Power Generation to con-

struct two low-pressure steel housings

that were to form the upper and lower

sections of a new steam turbine unit.

TS Technologie + Service GmbH builds itslargest ever structural steel component

components were drawn up in closecollaboration with the client.One of the special inventory controlrequirements imposed by Siemens AG wasthat the cobalt content had to be lessthan 500 ppm, with verification to beprovided by material analysis.

WORK BEGINS

After the engineering data had been com-piled and the materials budget completedthe fabrication work proper began in July2003. Initially a two-shift operation,the production cycle was subsequentlyswitched to working round the clock.

Right from day one absolute priority wasgiven to maintaining the high qualityspecification, with every stage of theprocess being monitored by the client.

7,000 KW PER BURNER

In order to avoid the need for expensiveand difficult transport operations theproject management took the decision toinstall a transportable annealing plant atthe TS Technologie + Service GmbHworks.The annealing furnace is heated by fiveoil burners each rated at 7,000 kW.

Low-pressure internal housings con-stitute the stationary section of the

turbine and it is here that the release ofsteam pressure over the blade rings cau-ses the rotor to rotate. This rotation isthen used to drive a generator, which inturn generates electricity.

WEIGHING IN AT 152,000 KG

When completed the overall structure mea-sured 8000 mm x 5220 mm x 7500 mm andweighed some 152,000 kg, with approx-imately 200,000 kg of material beingrequired to produce each section.

The engineering drawings and checkplans required for the highly-complex

Technik / Produktion TS TECHNOLOGIE + SERVICE

70 Report 2004

In mid-May 2003 ThyssenKrupp Stahl AG of

Duisburg contracted TS Technologie + Service

GmbH to manufacture and install a complete

lifting beam for crane no. E 70, which has

a span width of 36 m and a rated

payload capacity of 80 t.

Equipment modernisation at ThyssenKrupp Steel

The overall structure, whichmeasures 3200 mm x 950 mm x

2800 mm, has a finished weightof 3,950 kg and approximately5,500 kg of materials wereemployed in its construction. Thecrane hook alone weighs in at730 kg.

DELIVERING THE GOODS

The first of the two housings, fully stress-free annealed, sand-blasted and tested,was delivered to Siemens AG at the endof October, while the second low-pressure

unit was dispatched for final machiningin late November 2003.Such was the quality of the engineeringthat the following month TS Technologie+ Service GmbH was awarded a furthercontract by Siemens AG Power Generation

to build another low-pressure housingwith a surface area of 13.9 m2 and a com-ponent weight of about 80 t.

OUTLOOK

TS Technologie + Service GmbH willcontinue to be at the forefront of techno-logical development and will remain aleading supplier of generator coresections, cooling heads, low-pressureinternal housings and steam bleeder andsteam bypass inlets.

Peter Arrachart Wolfgang Katritzke

The new engineering diagrams and requisite test and weldingplans were drawn up on the basis of design drawings and partslists dating back to 1979, which were supplied by the client.

One of the quality standards to be met was the weldingapproval test to DIN 18800, extended to include

DIN 15018, which has been part of the company’scredentials for a number of years. After the

manufacturing documents had been submittedand the plans agreed with the client, the

fabrication work was able to commence inlate May 2003. The crane hook had to be in-corporated into the design as the assembly

work progressed. The assembly department ofTS Technologie + Service GmbH completed the

installation of the new lifting beam unit at theend of November 2003. The 16-hour operation was

carried out to the complete satisfaction of the client.Peter Arrachart, Dipl.-Ing. Jürgen Michels

OLD DESIGN DRAWINGS PROVE THEIR WORTH

I M P R I N T

IMPRINTPublisher:Thyssen Schachtbau GmbH,Ruhrstraße 145468 Mülheim an der RuhrTel. +49 (0) 2 08 30 02-0Fax +49 (0) 2 08 30 02-217email: [email protected]

Editors:Redaktions-Service Benk, Jeanette Meier

Editorial Assistants:Gabriele Zahn

Translation (english):KeyCom KonferenzdolmetschenChrista GzilKarin Bettin

Layout:Iris Huber, denkbetrieb.de, Werl

Photos:Holger KnaufReiner LorenzWolfgang NiesenNeidhartKlaus SannemannGünther SchmidtEmployees TS GroupArchive TSArchives TS-Subsidiaries

Lithos:srt & werbeagentur, Holzwickede

Production:color-offset-wälter GmbH & Co. KG, Dortmundwww.color-offset-waelter.de

Nachdruck und Übernahme auf Datenträger nur mit vorheriger Genehmigung des Herausgebers

2004

T H Y S S E N S C H A C H T B A U G R O U P

www.thyssen-schachtbau.com

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Report 2004 THYSSEN SCHACHTBAU GROUP 2004