Project Overview
Remediation of a 15 hectare industrial precinct into a site suitable for medium density residential use.
The Former Sheridan Site Redevelopment project involved the remediation of a 15 hectare industrial precinct into a site suitable for medium density residential use. The project encompassed site clearance (asbestos removal, demolition and removal of all improvements), environmental rehabilitation, geotechnical rehabilitation, road reserves and public open spaces.
Project Challenges:
The challenge of completing one of South Australia’s largest industrial precinct remediation projects was significant. The precinct was located adjacent to a fully occupied school, the fully operational Cheltenham Racecourse, residential and commercial properties.
The site consisted of over 80 000m2 of buildings and improvements, which consisted of 50 000m2 of saw-toothed former factory buildings. These buildings consisted of masonry perimeter and internal walls, steel columns, steel trusses and timber purlins. Roof structures consisted of asbestos cement sheeting with ceiling linings, a mix of asbestos cement sheeting and masonite.
There were significant quantities of friable asbestos, pipe lagging and fire rating materials located in the service pipes and ductwork that ran throughout the buildings. Extensive below ground and overhead ventilation and extraction ducts were lined with synthetic mineral fibre. Large items of plant were left behind and formed part of the scope of works, as did the demolition of the 70m chimney stacks.
Ensuring that potential inconvenience or damage to adjoining property and the public was critical to the successful outcome of the project. Strategies were implemented to manage the potential impact of dust, odour, noise, and airborne debris migration, storm water runoff and vibration.
Innovative Solutions:
As the head contractor for the project, responsible for all on-site activities McMahon Services played the lead role in developing and implementing innovative concepts to deal with the challenges identified during the project.
The presence of asbestos impacted soils proved a major hurdle. The requirements of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and Environmental Auditor meant that McMahon Services had to develop an innovative strategy and process to deal with this material on-site. The treatment methodology developed required a mechanical screening and visual inspection of 6,000m3 of material to provide a separated clean material available for reuse on site and separated asbestos for removal off site.
This treatment process provided cost savings in the order of $200,000 for the client as opposed to a traditional method of direct disposal of the asbestos contaminated soil off site.
