Defects liability period (DLP) support via specialised personnel deployment – Tunnel Infrastructure

PROJECT OVERVIEW

NorthConnex, the longest and deepest road tunnel in Australia, is a nine-kilometer tunnel that will link the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga to the Hills M2 Motorway at West Pennant Hills.

SCOPE OF WORK

RSGx has had a significant involvement with the NorthConnex project since mid-2019, being an integral member of the integrated construction, commissioning, and completions teams, leading to the successful opening of the tunnel. On the back of our success during the construction phase and with our in-depth knowledge of every facet of the tunnel, RSGx was engaged to provide post opening support services, which commenced from 28 October 2020.

The services were initially focused on supporting our client and the incoming operator through this period of Hypercare.

The defects liability period (DLP) for the Head Contractor, LLBJV also commenced. The term of the DLP was 24 months with an additional 12 months for each defect rectified during the original DLP period. RSGx manages all defect rectification activities through planned shutdowns. RSGx manages the full lifecycle of these shutdowns including planning, resourcing, engineering support and right through to Level 7 commissioning activities.

SOLUTION

RSGx, which holds all the required security licenses to deliver the project, compiled a team of experts to ensure that the NorthConnex asset operates and continues to operate safely and at its maximum capacity. At its peak, RSGx provided a support team of 12 white collar personnel, comprising of a Defects Rectifications Lead, six System specialists, and two post-opening support commissioning engineers.

The 12 strong white-collar team integrated well into the team from LLBJV, while RSGx’s extensive blue-collar network allowed RSGx to provide blue collar on a “as-needed” basis. This capability provides the client not only with flexibility, but also an extremely cost-effective solution in fulfilling all contractual obligations relating to defect liability. The blue collar team includes testing and isolation technicians, electricians, instrumentation technicians, fiber technicians and trades assistants.

ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE

The post-opening activities on the project have been delivered efficiently, on budget and safely. RSGx’s significant contributions to the project have been recognized by both our clients and external stakeholders such as NorthWest Roads and Transurban.