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It has been a busy couple of months at Madsen Giersing as our team builds on our portfolio of marine infrastructure projects securing work to support the development of infrastructure in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Key wins include:

• The design of a temporary crane platform for Brady Marine and Civil to support the development of Ampol’s product wharf in Brisbane.
• Providing expert advice to John Holland on flood loading for the new structures set to transform Brisbane’s Waterfront Place and Eagle Street Pier as part of a once in a generation project which will create a stunning business and tourist destination in the heart of the city.
• Undertaking a structural review for AIE of a temporary jetty at Port Hedland for their client BHP.
• Performing an assessment of bridge structures for Exxon Mobil Papua New Guinea to ensure their current and long-term health and performance.

CEO Lasse Madsen, “We are delighted to have partnered with organisations across Australia and Papua New Guinea to support their major engineering works. The projects we have secured highlight the depth of talent and industry expertise that we have at our disposal and our team is excited to bring their skills to enhance the design capability of each lead contractor and client. As the projects come to life, we are looking forward to seeing their progress from design through to construction,” said Lasse.

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 will work on projects within the Marine and Coastal Infrastructure, Temporary Works and Construction Solutions, Bridge and Structural engineering disciplines
• This position prepares engineering designs, calculations and verifications, specifications, and technical reports
• 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
• Occasional travel may be required in line with the development and delivery of projects

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering
• A minimum of 1-5 years’ experience
• Sound technical experience in structural engineering, preferably in the delivery of marine projects
• Ability to think critically and problem solve
• Experience working with Australian Standards, and a knowledge of Australian building codes is preferable
• Experience in finite element analysis is preferable
• Experience using structural analysis software, such as Microstrand or Spacegas
• 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 mgce@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

Madsen Giersing is delighted to welcome Burt Wilken to the team in the role of Graduate Engineer. Originally from South Africa, Burt migrated to Brisbane with his family when he was ten and has called the city home ever since. With a natural aptitude for maths and science, Burt is one of life’s problem-solvers, which led to his studies at the University of Queensland where he graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in 2020.

Lasse Madsen welcomed Burt to the team “We are delighted to have Burt join the Madsen Giersing team. He is an excellent young engineer, and we look forward to him bringing his passion to his new role and getting involved in our projects across Australia and Asia.”

Before joining, Burt undertook work experience at FAS Consulting Engineers and a placement with Madsen Giersing in the final year of his studies, specifying remedial work on waste pipeline piles and support structures. Burt is also a graduate of Constructionarium Australia’s Story Bridge build program, an initiative that Madsen Giersing proudly support, completing the October 2019 program.

On joining Madsen Giersing, Burt outlined the excitement he has for the opportunity. “It has been fantastic to become part of the team. I can’t wait to be thrown in at the deep end, to work on a range of unique and diverse projects and to be challenged to excel in a field where we are known for our innovation and delivering great results for our clients.”

“I can’t wait to get involved in any project the team needs me to support. I’m currently working on the temporary works to help the demolition of a major road bridge in New South Wales, designing a steel frame with a rotating saddle that will enable 150-tonne bridge piers to be rotated horizontally before being laid flat on the barge deck. It is a fantastic project that is equally challenging and rewarding.”

“And Daisy, the corporate dog is great too. I love dogs, so having her in the office is awesome,” said Burt.

Outside of work, you’ll find Burt hitting the trails on his mountain bike, burning up the tarmac on his road bike or escaping to Fraser Island on a camping trip. He is also keenly exploring the world of 3D printing and usually has a project or two on the go at home, to divert him from his other passions of gaming and a bit of entertainment streaming.

As engineers, we work in an industry where we strive to design solutions that last a lifetime and are all aware of the great work undertaken by those before. This understanding provides us with respect for the design ingenuity and thinking that went into the pioneering approach to connecting Australia’s regions.

A perfect example of this is the North Coast Railway line which opened up Queensland’s East Coast to high-speed travel. Covering 1,680km from Brisbane’s Roma Street to Cairns, the railway was and still is a vital connection for people and commerce. Linking Brisbane, Nambour, Gympie Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville to Cairns, the railway turned a journey that would have lasted weeks overland into a 52-hour trip on opening in 1924.

These days with high-speed trains, the journey is much faster, but by and large, the railway still uses the same route and infrastructure from when it opened. And at Madsen Giersing we are fortunate to be working on a stretch of railway that dates back almost 150 years as we bring a new lease of life to bridge structures through modern technology, modelling and design.

Engaged by Canstruct as part of a D&C contract with Queensland Rail, we are reinforcing 150+ years old, heritage-listed cast-iron piers that hold up bridges within the Wide-Bay region.

Lasse Madsen outlined our involvement “This is a fantastic project to be involved in, because of the challenges it presents, but also due to the fact that we get to work with engineering designs that were directly responsible for opening up Queensland and connecting people and goods throughout the state.”

“Because of their age and design, each pier is heritage listed, and although they are coming to the end of their life and could easily be replaced with simple concrete supports, our challenge is to create a solution that preserves and extends their lifespan without fundamentally changing the look of the structure.”

The piers are designed in sections, with bolted joints connecting them and concrete reinforcing the interior. Over time, however, they have had to cope with larger trains and higher loads than ever before and battle the Queensland climate, which is not the kindest to cast iron. Therefore, they require upgrades to extend their life.

“Our team spent a considerable amount of time analysing the structures and identifying weak points in the piers, such as bolted joints and creating solutions that would remove any weakness, strengthen the structure and meet the requirements of heritage listing.”

“Essentially, we came up with a second skin solution involving a reinforced concrete and FRP wrap around the cast iron concrete-filled piers, which doesn’t destroy the look of the piers and complies with the heritage guidelines. In simple terms, it is like wearing a compression bandage that supports and strengthens a limb without changing its appearance.”

Madsen Giersing were then engaged to investigate the cast-iron pier behaviour under load, specifically the bolted connections between pier segments. This verifies the previous work completed, improves the knowledge on these types of piers and assists Queensland Rail in managing their existing assets.

In partnership with Canstruct as the contractor we worked with the University of Queensland using sections from decommissioned bridges to undertake a testing programme that would provide a full structural analysis which could act as a baseline for bridges of a similar age.

“Working with UQ enabled us to utilise their facilities to undertake comprehensive testing in a controlled environment, using the latest technologies and techniques.”

“Through our testing and analysis, we can provide feedback on bridge performance and help a major asset owner to keep vital transport connections operational,” said Lasse.

We all know our team are artists when it comes to designing amazing feats of engineering, but how would they fare when they had to swap their computers for paintbrushes? Would it be a case of Pollocks or Van Goughs?

There was only one way to find out, and that was via our Christmas party at Cork and Chroma in West End. Armed with palettes, brushes, a glass of wine or two and challenged to paint a pineapple, the team’s creative juices flowed, and the results speak for themselves.

The star of the show? Well, it had to be Peter, who unhappy with his pineapple, did what any expert engineer would to and designed a better solution; a rather dashing duck, resplendent in a sailor’s hat.

Thanks to everyone who attended and painted the town red as we celebrated 2019.

For the last two weeks, the team at Madsen Giersing have been heavily involved in Constructionarium Australia’s latest Story Bridge build. Comprising an 8-day programme, 20 young engineers and industry professionals worked as a team to build a 25m long, 4-tonne replica bridge, managing every aspect of construction from tender to handover.

Madsen Giersing’s Lasse Madsen outlined our involvement “We are delighted to have supported the latest Story Bridge build. For any young engineer, it is impossible to place a value on practical experience that supports university learning and professional development.”

As specialists in temporary works, Lasse addressed the cohort and passed on insights that would help the team as they moved through the build phase. “Temporary works play a pivotal role in any construction project and can often define the success of a project’s schedule.”

Using the Hegigio Gorge Pipe Bridge in Papua New Guinea as a case study, Lasse discussed the principals of developing a temporary works strategy. “Hegigio Gorge is a fascinating project due to its remote location, limited access and the sheer scale of its 470m span and 500m gorge depth. Through the use of temporary works, including temporary platforms, access towers, trolleys, and restraint systems, we were able to overcome the challenges the site posed and enable construction to proceed.”

“To complete their bridge build, the team would need to adopt a similar approach, and best consider how to work with their site and resources to effectively construct their structure. I wanted the cohort to think about temporary works being far more than props and formwork and to ensure that they meticulously planned their strategy. In reality, temporary works are structures or systems that can facilitate construction, and in many cases, can be designed to be reused on future projects.”

“Following on from the session, it was great to be approached by the cohort for advice on their construction methodology and to share the passion that they have for Constructionarium Australia. But even more exciting was to see the team implement a temporary works strategy that supported their build and assisted in the on-time and under-budget delivery of their project.”

“As an organisation, we cannot wait to be involved in future builds. Supporting Constructionarium Australia in their mission to provide the next generation of industry leaders with real-world project experience is something of which we are very proud.”