PROJECT STORY
The challenge
Delivering growth of container handling capacity on rail in an operational container terminal environment.
Sydney AutoStrad Botany Rail Expansion, NSW
Increasing Patrick Terminal’s rail capacity and enhancing operational efficiency and safety
The challenge
The Sydney AutoStrad Botany Rail Expansion, Project SABRE, aimed to deliver growth in rail container handling capacity through a more efficient operation within Patrick Terminals. Economic, social and environmental benefits could be achieved by connecting more freight to the Greater Sydney and NSW rail network. The challenge was to construct these works in an operational container terminal environment and minimise the impact to the terminal operator, while maximising material re-use and reducing capital and operational expenditure.
The solution
Arcadis’ role was as the client-side technical advisor delivering concept design, detailed design and construction phase services for Patrick Terminals. We brought a collaborative mindset in working with Patrick’s team, as well as their other consultants, and Mainland Civil as the contractor.
Arcadis worked with Patrick Terminals to develop the internal road network layout for the site, accounting for the construction staging requirements that minimised impacts on truck circulation through the terminal. With the road layout set, the container storage areas and new rail alignment were finalised and the detailed design of the other elements could begin.
To accelerate the construction program, Arcadis implemented CFA piles under the crane rail beams, and a modular design and construction approach for the crane rail beams and the rail track slab. This approach reduced the impact of shrinkage forces and enabled a reduction in reinforcement ratios. The crane rail beams were designed as a 600m long joint free element which will reduce future maintenance costs for Patrick. The beam’s span was also designed with a degree of flexibility allowing piles to be moved on site by the construction team, if unexpected utilities were encountered.
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Our pavements team prepared a project specific pavement specification to minimise the costs of the pavement works. The team also produced a suite of typical details for pavement connections to the existing pits, to enable the construction team to adopt solutions on site without the program delay of raising RFIs. The pavement team also managed to incorporate existing pavements into the design, meeting the project’s Mandatory Design Criteria, and thereby reducing the upfront construction cost.
Our team’s design also eliminated the need to replace the existing drainage system. The new pavement levels matched the existing surface levels and solutions were adopted to avoid changes in the overland flow regime. Our rail team developed the civil design for the integration of the rail siding with the ARTC network, assisting Patrick obtain design approval to the adjustment to the rail alignment.
The impact
The expansion of rail capacity into the terminal will effectively double the throughput capacity of Patrick’s rail facility. Leveraging the increased rail capacity from ARTC’s Port Botany Duplication project, this will shift a significant portion of freight transport from trucks to rail, reducing the number of trucks on the road by up to 900 per day. This will alleviate road congestion around Sydney Airport and Port Botany.
The change from road to rail transport is projected to save around 2 million litres of diesel annually, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by around 5,400 tons per year. With the replacement of manual processes with advanced automated rail handling, the project has resulted in a 33% improvement in rail freight turnaround efficiency, enhancing both operational efficiency and safety at the port and lowering costs for consumers and reducing lead times for suppliers.
The project has won multiple industry awards including the Australasian Railway Association 2024 Freight Rail Excellence Award, the Infrastructure Partnerships Australia 2024 Innovation Excellence Award and Project of the Year (Sydney) at the 2024 Engineers Australia Excellence Awards. The project was also a finalist in the Australian Logistics Council Awards.
Used capabilities
Design & Engineering
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