CIRCULAR QUAY RENEWAL INVESTIGATION
Background
In 2015, the NSW government announced that AU$200 million would be reserved through the Restart NSW fund for the upgrading of the Circular Quay precinct. With priorities focusing upon.
- Improving Customer & Visitor Feedback
- Creating a Modern, Safe & Easy to use Transport Interchange
- Grow the Local and Tourist Economy
- Updating Aging Infrastructure with Sophisticated and Sustainable Solutions
Circular Quay is one of Australia's great historical and cultural hubs, positioned between two of Australia's greatest icons, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.
Project Teams
Geotechnical
Geophysical
Asset Condition
Hazmat
Contamination
BIM Management
Data management
BIM/GIS Intergration
Asset Information Model
Reality Capture
Underground Service Detection
BIM Creation
Site Asset Survey
A Commitment to a Complete Survey
Project Surveyors scope was to provide 3D and 2D detailed site information (3D point cloud survey in conjunction with topographic survey) including the visible part of all structures (on land and over water) visible at a Neap Tide, existing services and utilities (visible and buried) and other buried trenches, tanks, other objects etc. suitable for utilisation in the design and construction that is expected to form part of the CQR project.
Underground Service Detection
To capture the below ground utilities and assets, ground penetrating radar(GPR) was implemented. The GPR method is a well-established, non-destructive geophysical technique based on the transmission and reception of radio-frequency electromagnetic energy through different materials. The energy is propagated and received by antennae in close proximity to the ground surface. The GPR on Circular Quay discovered numerous underground chambers, pump rooms and galleries that were not shown on existing DBYD documentation. Multiple pits were also discovered some of which were buried and inaccessible, these were reported to the correct author.
Site Challenges
Site Context: Being one of the world's busiest tourist hotspots, the investigation operations were seen to be the most significant challenge for the team. With approvals required prior to undertaking any of the investigation operations, engagement with local stakeholders, retailers, residents and other agencies. This posed a significant challenge and risk to the project, with an extremely tight deadline for completion and with the World famous Vivid festival held in the investigation stage of the project!
With 3D point cloud data capture restricted to times when Circular Quay was not busy, in the very early hours of the morning, typically 2 am - 6 am. Asset Conditions data capture on-site affected not only by restrictive time conditions but also to be coordinated with tide conditions.
"The Circular Quay Renewal project was truly a complex and prestigious project to be involved with. Requiring a collaborative approach across multiple project teams and companies. The end result was a highly detailed comprehensive model of Circular Quay that went above and beyond the requirements NSW government set and will help to inform the renovation of the precinct."
Peter Bellingham
BIM Manager, Project Surveyors
