Sydney Metro Northwest: Surface Works, Viaducts & Civils

Lead

designer

of

Australia’s

first

fully

automated

high-speed

train

line

The Sydney Metro Northwest forms part of the biggest public transport infrastructure in Australia since the Sydney Harbour Bridge, redefining passenger travel for the future, featuring the first completely automated high-speed train system on the continent.

The $8.3 billion Sydney Metro Northwest project, formerly known as the North West Rail Link, was the first stage of Sydney Metro, Australia’s largest public transport project.

Appointed as Design Lead for the project, SMEC’s design team was made up of local and international experts who worked closely with Salini Impregilo (now known as WeBuild)– an international industrial group specialising in the construction of major, complex infrastructure projects. The scope included the delivery of an innovative and sustainable curved cable-stayed bridge – dubbed the ’skytrain bridge’.

Due to the scale and scope the project was delivered in three major contracts: Tunnels and Station Civil Works; Surface and Viaduct Civil Works; and Operations, Trains and Systems. SMEC also provided the civil engineering, structural, electrical and public utilities designs for the Operations, Trains and Systems (OTS) package.

The skytrain bridge is one of the most technically advanced structures in the overall Sydney Metro Northwest project. The construction of a curved cable-stayed bridge across a busy road network required innovative solutions to manage rigorous design considerations.

Located more than 10 meters above road level, the project features four kilometers of elevated rail viaduct. The 130 concrete piers spaced 39 meters apart support the rail viaduct which crosses major road corridors.

SMEC’s team in Sydney led the design work with support from their Structures team in South Africa. The projects engineering feat and team pushed the boundaries on how a cable stayed rail bridge can be designed and built.

Client

Salini Impregilo

Year

2013 – 2017

Location

Sydney, Australia

Expertise

Transport Planning & Advisory Bridges Metro Stations and TOD

We worked closely and were in constant communication which was fundamental to our success. It helped us reach intelligent solutions quickly and to build valuable relationships which proved critical during more demanding stages of the project. We aimed to engender transparency and accountability within our team and we also had a relentless focus on quality.”

— John Anderson, Chief Operating Officer SMEC South Africa

Engaged as the Lead Design Firm

SMEC was engaged as Lead Design firm to design the permanent structures and civil works, including: viaduct and station platforms, viaduct crossings over major roadways, all bulk earthwork requirements and the adjustment of existing infrastructure impacted by the works.

Redefining passenger travel

The Sydney Metro Northwest– Skytrain forms part of the biggest public transport infrastructure project in Australia since the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built almost 100 years ago, featuring the first completely automated high-speed train system on the continent.

The project addresses future travel requirements in Sydney’s growing North West region which currently has the highest car ownership levels per household in NSW. Sydney Metro Northwest will redefine future passenger travel and road congestion with trains running every four minutes at peak (15 trains an hour) via eight new railway stations, supported by 4,000 commuter car parking spaces