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Granite Island Causeway to Benefit From Madsen Giersing Expertise

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Madsen Giersing is delighted to have been engaged by McConnell Dowell to undertake marine works to support the development of the new Granite Island Causeway that connects the island with Victor Harbor located in South Australia.

The Causeway is the only link between Granite Island and the Mainland, the original structure was first constructed in 1864 as Victoria Pier, before being extended to connect to Granite Island in 1875. It has become one of the region’s most iconic and popular tourist attractions. Refurbished in the late 1950s the Causeway has stood up to the rigours of nature, but time has taken its toll. A condition assessment identified that the original Causeway was approaching the end of its useful life and a feasibility study into the potential upgrade options determined that retaining the existing structure was not viable.

The South Australian Government has embarked on a project to replace the structure, committing state funding of $43 million with works commencing in April 2021, with Madsen Giersing engaged to support the construction of the new Causeway.

Lasse Madsen outlined the team’s involvement, “We are delighted to be working with McConnell Dowell on what will become a new icon for the region. We have been engaged to directly support the construction of the new Causeway due to our experience of temporary marine works.”

“We have designed the Causeway’s temporary works, including two travelling platforms that will enable the Causeway to be progressively constructed from the Mainland side. The platforms provided support for cranes to access the work front and for materials to be simply and safely moved to where they are required as the project develops. Our approach will ensure that construction is undertaken as efficiently as possible and for the new structure to be delivered to the community at the earliest opportunity.”

For more information about the project, visit:  http://www.dit.sa.gov.au/gicauseway

Image Credit: The Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT)

Accreditation Milestone Achieved

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Quality is at the heart of everything we do, from design and project management to back-office systems and controls.

Last week, we were delighted to receive our ongoing ISO 9001 accreditation for our Quality Management Systems across general consulting engineering with specialisation in marine structures, temporary works, construction aids and advice, and alternative designs.

Sam Madsen, Marketing, HR and Quality and Management Systems Manager, welcomed the audit’s outcome, “We are delighted to have retained our ISO 9001 accreditation. As an organisation that prides itself on the quality of work we undertake, this is a fantastic result, and I’d like to acknowledge and thank the entire Madsen Giersing team for their ongoing commitment to ensuring that our processes and systems are executed and maintained to the highest possible standards. It is a testament to their efforts and the commitment we have to ensure the quality of our work for our clients.”

Bateman’s Bay Bridge Temporary Works

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As the $274 million dollar Bateman’s Bay Bridge begins to take shape in southern NSW, Madsen Giersing has been working with the lead contractor John Holland to design and deliver a temporary works solution to support the existing bridge’s demolition.

Scheduled for completion in 2023, the new four-lane bridge, with its separate three-metre-wide cycleway and pedestrian walkway, is supported by concrete piles. The piers are located on top of the piles and rise 12 metres above the Clyde River.

A critical element of the removal of the existing bridge is the safe removal of the existing caissons.

Due to our experience in marine and temporary works, Madsen Giersing was charged with temporary works design for the loading / unloading jetty and the support frame to handle the demolished caissons.

Managing Director Lasse Madsen outlined Madsen Giersing’s involvement. “This is a challenging project from a technical perspective. The process for caisson demolition appears straight-forward; an M16000 crane picks up the cut-down caisson and places it on a rotator on the barge, which rotates down onto the support frame lying each segment horizontally on the barge. The barge moves the caisson to the jetty, and the rotator self-levels back to the start position when the caisson is removed from the unit.”

“However, we are working with two different caisson specifications – 3.66m diameter and 3.05m diameter, with each being up to 10m in length and weighing up to 150 tonnes. Therefore we had to engineer a solution that would be able to adapt to the different sized caissons and distribute the combined weights of the crane and the caisson within the barge’s 20 t/m2 deck capacity. We were also working within tight environments and had to ensure that the rotator legs fitted between the crane mats,” said Lasse.

 

Madsen Giersing Seeks Engineering Talent

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On the back of several project wins and successes, Madsen Giersing is seeking talented engineers to support infrastructure projects across Australia and South East Asia.

Based in Brisbane, roles are suitable for structural engineers at the start of their career seeking a varied role that requires an innovative approach to problem-solving and a desire to work across multiple disciplines and fields.

Lasse Madsen outlined the opportunity, “We are seeking the next generation of engineering talent to join the team. What we can offer is the opportunity to work across a variety of projects from offshore marine projects to major civil infrastructure.”

“Unlike typical engineering roles, no two days are the same at Madsen Giersing. One one day, you can be designing a solution to move 1,400-tonne deck modules to a remote resources site by sea, on another, you can be undertaking structural analysis of 150-year-old rail bridges onsite and in a lab environment. We are very fortunate to work on projects that are challenging and different, testing our ability to solve problems for our clients and engineer solutions that support constructability and delivery.”

“Applicants will be degree qualified in Structural or Civil Engineering and can be recent graduates or early-stage career professionals with 1-3 years experience. But most important of all, they must be keen to be challenged every day and prepared to work on projects that test their ability to create solutions that support the delivery of projects in the resources, civil, transport and industrial sectors.”

On offer will be a competitive salary, access to a fantastic working environment in Newstead and a close-knit structure that will support development and learning.

To learn more and apply, please send questions and your C.V. and a short cover letter to mgce@madsengiersing.com.au

Ensuring Business Continues to Flow

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Located between Brisbane and Ipswich, Goodman Commercial Property Group’s Redbank Motorway Estate is an industrial development experiencing significant growth due to the region’s connectivity and the need for fast and efficient logistics, transport and warehousing solutions for major brands.

Boasting tenents such as Australia Post, TNT, DB Schenker, Zenexus, Northline and Tyres4U, it is vital that such a site remains operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Working with APNL Project Managers, the team at Madsen Giersing has been responsible for the detailed design and certification of the site’s stormwater drop shafts and stormwater headwall outlets.

CEO Lasse Madsen gave an overview of the project, “As anyone who has spent any time in South East Queensland will tell you that ‘when it rains, it really rains.’ For industrial sites, significant rain events can pose major challenges. By their nature, they contain large buildings, significant concrete footprints and multiple access roads. Therefore we are faced with a dual challenge during a rain event; a large volume of surface runoff and a pressing need to ensure access at all times. In SEQ, where flash flooding is a common occurrence, the solution is to ensure stormwater is managed effectively, channelling it away from the surface and moving it to the river and creek networks.”

“Our solution for this project was to design a system of drop shafts and outlets that can take the water from the site and efficiently and effectively move it to the Brisbane River. Designed to withstand significant flows, our solution means that even in the worst storm event or prolonged period of rain, the tenants who rely on Redbank Motorway Estate should not be inconvenienced,” said Lasse.

Workbox Design Improves Project Constructability

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A key aspect of every project we undertake is ensuring that what we design can be constructed efficiently and safely; in other words, ensuring the constructability of the project by identifying and overcoming any potential obstacles that prevent the solution from being completed.

On a recent project in Western Australia, Madsen Giersing was engaged by Maritime Constructions to support the refurbishment of piled navigation aids for the Dampier Navigational Aids Upgrade project for Rio Tinto. As with many offshore projects, it was essential to provide a solution that would allow team members to access free-standing piles, work above the open water safely and as freely as possible. Our team created a bespoke workbox that allowed them to do just that. The design of the workbox has been approved and formally registered by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS), as required by Western Australia’s OHS&W Regulations.  Madsen Giersing worked with the client and DMIRS to ensure this bespoke workbox met the local regulations and was fit for the purpose required by Maritime Constructions.

The workbox is able to be lifted in position against a free-standing pile. A clamp is then installed around the pile to support the weight of the workbox, personnel and their equipment and materials. When positioned, the slings are removed, and the personal have safe access to the pile to work as required.

Lasse Madsen outlined the thinking behind the solution, “For this project, we needed to construct a solution that achieved multiple outcomes. Firstly we had to create a reusable solution that could be implemented on any of the project’s piles. It also had to be safe and provide a suitable working environment allowing work crews to complete their tasks efficiently and easily. Although a simple concept, it was not without its own peculiar challenges.  The workbox solution aided the constructability of the project considerably and provided a cost-effective outcome as it can be reused during this phase of works and on any future remediation or maintenance that may be required.”

Wharf Upgrade Increases Facility’s Lifespan

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For almost 23 years, Madsen Giersing has been working in partnership with Curtain Bros on their Motukea Project in Papua New Guinea.

In our latest update, we are delighted to share the works undertaken to upgrade Berth 4 to improve the wharf’s performance and increase its lifespan.

CEO Lasse Madsen outlined the works “This project is a great example of how engineering can help increase the lifespan of a facility, remediate a structure and ensure operational efficiency and performance going forward.”

“Our team were tasked with rejuvenating the structure and did this through the use of pre-cast concrete sandwich panels, which we incorporated into the existing wall. This approach provided a simple, cost-effective solution that was installed quickly, ensuring Berth 4 could return to operation as soon as practical,” said Lasse.

Madsen Giersing Supporting Development of Queensland’s Largest Indigenous Community

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Madsen Giersing is delighted to have been engaged by Brady Marine and Civil, to provide engineering expertise on their development of a new jetty for Queensland’s largest Indigenous Community in Yarrabah, east of Cairns. The $11.5 million Yarrabah Jetty project is funded by the Queensland Government.

Located 50km from Cairns by road, the community is only 12km away by sea and the new jetty will provide the community with access to commuter and tourism services that will boost the region’s economy and provide faster connections to the regional centre.

Madsen Giersing is providing detailed design services for the 165m-long structure, associated fenders and piles, as well as ensuring that the facility will be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, enabling easy access for people with disability.

Lasse Madsen outlined key areas of consideration the team will take when developing the design. “This is a fantastic project to be involved in, one that will help support a community’s growth and development. A key part of our design will be ensuring access for the whole community; therefore, we will be looking at how we can efficiently and easily provide access for people with disability.”

The project is being developed by the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and when completed, the jetty will become an asset of the Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council.

Learn more about the project at: https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/Yarrabah-Jetty-project

 

Join Us – Senior Draftsperson

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About Madsen Giersing

Outside the box thinking – an all too common catch phrase for some. Not for us however. At Madsen Giersing (MG) we take the box, and turn it into something extraordinary. Through a collaborative approach and tapping into our many years’ experience, the MG team delivers innovation unlike others in the field.

This approach has led to MG having a proven track record in the delivery of projects across Australia, PNG and South-East Asia, specialising in the innovative design and engineering of marine structures, bridges and temporary works.

About the Role

This is a permanent full-time position available for immediate start based in our Brisbane office.

  • This position offers technical design drafting work on civil and marine infrastructure projects
  • This position is responsible for the development and preparation of structural design models, drawings and quantity take-offs
  • Adherence to internal procedures, processes, and quality measures, which are carried out in accordance with our quality control system, which is third party certified to AS/NZS ISO 9001:2015

To be successful in this role, you will have:

  • A minimum of 5-10 years’ experience
  • Proficiency with Autodesk, Revit and AutoCAD
  • Some experience with BIM (Building Information Modelling) Civil 3D would be an advantage
  • Experience or a willingness to learn other applications (e.g. Navisworks)
  • The ability to produce structural design models, drawings and quantity take-offs
  • The ability to work as part of a team on the CAD component of projects under the supervision of the CAD Manager
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite
  • Solid verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills
  • You must be eligible to live and work in Australia to be successful in applying for this role

Why Choose Madsen Giersing

Don’t be deceived by our size. We may be a smaller firm in size, but the projects we work on are industry leading.

  • We are the leading innovators in Structural Design Engineering specialising in marine structures, bridges, and temporary works
  • Provide engineering consultancy services to both private and public sector
  • Projects are based in Australia, PNG, and South-East Asia
  • Long term respected client partnerships
  • Large challenging projects

What we offer

  • Remuneration and benefits in line with experience and qualifications
  • A fantastic working environment in a modern top floor office in Newstead with close proximity to public transport and The Gasworks and Emporium complexes with their fantastic cafes
  • End of ride facilities including bike storage and showers
  • Close-knit culture and open-door policy

To apply, email sam@madsengiersing.com.au with a cover letter detailing your experience and what you will bring to our organisation, referee details and a copy of your current C.V.

No agencies please

Woodlark Island Gold Project

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70km long and 20km wide, Woodlark Island is located in the Solomon Sea in the Milne Bay Province of PNG. Home to the Woodlark Island Gold Mine, it is the site of the Woodlark Island Gold Project secured by Madsen Giersing.

The team at Madsen Giersing will be bringing our technical skill and proven marine capability to the project as we undertake design work for the development of wharf facilities to support the mining operation. Expected to be located to the west of the processing plant and connected by new road infrastructure, the wharf will be critical to the success of the project providing easy and safe access to the facility.

Operated by Geopacific Resources, the mine is expected to produce 980,182oz of gold over its mine life of 13 years.

CEO, Lasse Madsen, welcomed a new opportunity to support the resources sector in PNG “We are delighted to be working on another resources project in Papua New Guinea and helping to support the economic development of the region. Across our 30 years of operation, we have been involved in several critical marine projects, which have aided the sector’s growth and look forward to bringing our capabilities to this project.”

The team is currently involved in the development stages of the project and we will provide project updates as works progress.