City of Greater Bendigo has been impressed with the highly effective and collaborative BMD team from the beginning of the Bendigo Airport Stage 2 project. It is clear that BMD are focused on developing solid working relationships with their clients, with project outcomes remaining at the forefront of the BMD team’s minds.
BMD has placed an emphasis on the importance of the wider project team’s physical and mental welfare.
Minimising disruptions to the community has also been a priority for BMD, with issues addressed immediately and without question.
With 90% of project staff sourced locally, BMD has actively engaged local subcontractors, consultants and materials to deliver project delivery solutions.
In collaboration with key stakeholders, BMD has continuously reviewed the program to find cost and time efficiencies, resulting in positive and original outcomes.
BMD started this project with the aim of delivering a quality product for the region and we have been very happy with their work. They have understood and embraced the challenges that come with working in an airside environment and have delivered on their commitment of not significantly impacting airport operations.
Scope
During construction of the project, BMD were required to deliver both landside and airside activities.
The scope of works included:
- minor clearing and top soil stripping
- 260,000m3 of bulk earthworks including cut to fill for the construction of subgrade and runway profile
- construction 85,000m2 of flexible pavement including a 200 millimetre cement treated subbase, 160 millimetre subbase and base course, and a two coat seal for the runways, taxiways and aprons
- construction of subsurface drainage systems including 815 metres of culverts ranging from 450 to 900 millimetres in diameter and box culverts, 2100 by 1200 millimetres in size
- installation of a new runway airfield ground lighting system including runway edge lights, precision approach path indicator system, movements area guidance signs, illuminated wind direction indicators and a new airport electrical control cubicle
- line marking of the new runway, taxiways, aircraft aprons and access roads
- commissioning of the works.
Outcomes
Through detailed planning, reduction of overall stages within the project’s construction and coordination with airport management, BMD Constructions was able to complete the project without closure of the runway, ensuring operations were never affected. The project was also completed on time and on budget despite facing challenges including 89 days of delay due to wet weather over a 5-month period.
As part of BMD Constructions’ commitment to the communities in which we operate, 77% of the project’s workforce lived locally. During construction, earthmoving equipment and earthworks, fencing, crushed rock and resealing works were either sourced locally or delivered by the local workforce.
From the beginning of the project, the team faced technical challenges which resulted in an overall change in the high strength runway/taxiway and apron pavement design. The onsite material which was proposed to be used as select fill material did not meet the required parameters. To develop a solution, BMD Constructions took representative samples from the site cut material and treated them with different combinations and quantities of lime and cement.
Due to the effectiveness of stabilising the existing site material with cement, and ultimately increasing the overall pavement strength, Bendigo Airport could accommodate larger aircraft than originally anticipated and delivered cost saving to the client allowing them to build a further taxiway which allows light aircraft to exit the runway at the southern end, significantly reducing congestion on the runway during busy times.
