Landslip repair sites prove robust in face of extreme weather
Published on 05 December 2023
The region’s landslip construction sites stood the test of heavy rainfall last week, maintaining their structural integrity and ensuring project delivery remains on track.
Since April this year, 20 out of the 38 major landslips caused by last year’s natural disasters have been repaired, with 14 more landslips planned for completion by the end of the year.
Beorn Hulme, Natural Disasters Project Manager, said the positive outcome was the result of robust construction methods carried out by Symal, the contractor charged with fixing the 38 slips.
“Rainfall is one of the main causes of slope failures, so it’s not unusual to see deterioration at landslip sites during and after a heavy downpour,” Mr Hulme said.
“Due to good design and structural elements being installed prior to the weather event, our roads have been maintained and remained opened to residents,” he said.
“Crews on the ground were closely monitoring the slips with special site controls in place to ensure worker and community safety remained the priority.”
Mr Hulme said he was particularly pleased with the landslip site at Wogamia Road in Longreach. The piling system (a deep foundation technique used to create a stable foundation in soft soil) performed exactly as designed with no deterioration on the very steep escarpment.
Nick Fischer, Project Manager for Symal said the wild weather of last week put their hard work to the test.
“There’s no doubt this has been challenging program, but we’re really starting to see the fruits of our labour as we near completion and see the sites performing as planned,” Mr Fischer said.
“We’ve always been confident that the tailored construction methods at each site, depending on geology and access, would stand the test of time,” he said.
“We’d like to thank the impacted communities for their patience and friendship as we’ve carried out these vital works. Many will be relieved to hear that the vast majority of landslips are due for completion by the end of the year.”