Tunnelling Project of the Year (up to $100M)

This award seeks to recognise excellence in delivery of a tunnelling project or tunnelling-related element of a project up to the value of US$100M that was completed between January 2023 and July 2024.

Active Tunnelling
NOC 23 Culvert Replacement project

Active Tunnelling successfully delivered the concurrent installation of three DN1800mm pipe jacked undertrack crossings beneath the Normanton and Colton Junction Line (NOC) railway. The works formed part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade. The crossings were constructed during a possession of the railway lines extending over a 55-hour period. Through Early Contractor Involvement, ATL integrated the temporary works and permanent works informing the construction methodologies and programme. Working in collaboration with the Client, challenges including site working restrictions, critical programme milestones and risk to infrastructure were managed. Works were carried out using in-house capability including tunnelling activities, construction of reinforced concrete structures and supply of tunnel boring machines and specialist plant. The excellence shown by ATL in providing an efficient design and an assured delivery was recognised by one of the alliance partners, J Murphy & Sons Ltd, with the award for “Transportation Supply Chain Partner of the Year ”.

China State Construction Engineering, Hong Kong
Three Runway System Project Contract 3801 APM and BHS Tunnels on Existing Airport Island

Hong Kong International Airport is developing into a Three-runway System (3RS), which includes the construction of a new Automated People Mover (APM) and Baggage Handling System (BHS) are underway on the existing Airport Island. The project involves excavation and construction of a 4-cell reinforced concrete APM tunnel, 2-cell BHS tunnel for future connection between the expanded Terminal 2 with the T2 Concourse on newly reclaimed land. The tunnels are mainly constructed by the cut and cover method in 500m long (approximate). The critical section of tunnel (approximate 30m long) runs underneath the Airport Express Line (AEL) and constructed using the box jacking method instead to avoid disruption to the operation of the AEL. It is the first civil works contract under NEC3 Engineering Construction Contract (Option D) managed by the Airport Authority Hong Kong.

OTB Engineering
Machynlleth Railway Bridge Redundant Arch - Tunnelling A New Underpass

This innovative tunnelling project provides safe passage for walkers and cyclists, delivering the Welsh Active Travel agenda in Machynlleth. It connects the town’s North and South, plus 414km of National Cycle Route 8 and 1400km of the Welsh Coastal path. It was genuinely driven by the desire to create a public good. The engineering challenge was unusual, once thought impossible, and required lateral thinking to prevail where previous attempts had failed. It would never have happened without the vision, persistence and shared will of a fully integrated multidisciplinary team. The Welsh Government and Powys Council invested in local connectivity, promoting the Active Travel agenda. Network Rail enabled the project by making its asset available. Principal Contractor Alun Griffiths and designer OTB Engineering pursued a value-engineered technical solution to solve a longstanding problem. Subcontractor Shotcrete undertook the works. Fabricator ISS supported an innovative use of RamArch to deliver the design.

Riverlinx CJV
Silvertown Tunnel Cross Passages

Cross Passage constriction at Silvertown Tunnel. Innovative solutions to challenging ground conditions and programme requirements.

Strabag UK
Coire Glas Exploration Works

The Coire Glas Exploration Tunnel has been exactly that; exploration. Detailed GI in this location on the Great Glenn Fault Zone was limited. A conservative approach was required. The only certainty, was uncertainty. The scope was for 1.2km of tunnel, including three underground galleries, requiring 80T of Emulsion explosives, 43,000 detonators, 4,500m3 of sprayed concrete and 5,000+ rock bolts. Ground support ranged from a dusting of sprayed concrete and spot bolts, to a 300mm lining and full steel ring - with everything in between. The most unique part of the project was the deliverable itself. Normally a tunnel for putting something through it. Here the project was to deliver an understanding of the geology. This required a different approach, as the information recovered was as important as the construction. The Exploration Works must be the only project in the UK where the number of Geologists outnumbered the number of Miners.