Melville Material Storage Bins – Operations Centre Storage Infrastructure

Scope of Works

Shelford's works included:

• Demolition of existing concrete storage bins
• Class 2 demolition works
• Construction of six new material storage bins
• Reinforced concrete raft footings
• 200mm reinforced concrete tilt panels
• Custom crash protection rails
• Concrete infill slabs
• New ACO drainage systems
• Retaining works
• Integration with existing bitumen levels
• Casting beds
• Site access management
• Exclusion zones
• Traffic management

Key Features

Heavy-Duty Concrete Construction

The new storage bins incorporate heavily reinforced 200mm concrete tilt-panel walls designed for the demands of an operational material storage environment.

Custom-manufactured crash protection rails were cast directly into the panels, providing additional protection from vehicles and operational equipment.

Reinforced Foundations

The storage structures were constructed on tiered reinforced concrete raft footings, incorporating more than 50 cogged starter bars threaded into the tilt-panel grout tubes.

This required careful set-out and coordination during construction to ensure the structural components aligned correctly.

Integrated Drainage

Graded concrete infill slabs were constructed to direct water towards new ACO drainage systems, with the works carefully integrated into the levels of the existing bitumen surfaces.

This allowed the new infrastructure to work effectively within the established Operations Centre rather than being treated as an isolated structure.

Construction Challenges

Working Within an Active Operations Centre

The principal challenge was delivering the works within a live and heavily trafficked City of Melville Operations Centre.

Construction activities needed to coexist with ongoing operational movements, making communication with Operations Centre supervisors critical throughout the project.

Access to the secured complex, construction exclusion zones and traffic management were carefully coordinated to maintain safe separation between construction activities and facility operations.

Demolition of Existing Infrastructure

The existing storage bins incorporated concrete walls up to 300mm thick, requiring Class 2 demolition before the new infrastructure could be constructed.

Demolition activities needed to be carefully managed within the operational site before construction could progress to new footings, panels and drainage infrastructure.

Complex Concrete Coordination

The combination of tiered raft footings, numerous starter bars, grout tubes and customised steelwork created detailed coordination requirements during the concrete works.

Particular attention was required when positioning grout tubes over the starter bars and preparing casting beds for the reinforced tilt panels.

Despite these site and construction constraints, Shelford successfully delivered the project within the agreed programme and budget.