Earthworks For New Tracks and Formation Widening ETC-08-01: Technical Specification Track & Civil - Construction
Earthworks For New Tracks and Formation Widening ETC-08-01: Technical Specification Track & Civil - Construction
Primary Source
List of Amendments
Issue Date Clause Description
1.0 11/05/2006 First issue
Disclaimer
This document is for internal use by the Australian Rail Track Corporation Ltd (“ARTC”) only and may not be relied on by any other party. ARTC:
1. does not accept any liability or responsibility whatsoever for this Document in respect of any use or reliance upon it by any other party; and
2. does not provide any warranty as to the accuracy or reliability of this Document
Technical Specification
Track & Civil - Construction ETC-08-01
Earthworks for New Tracks and Formation Widening
Contents
1. General ....................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Extent of Work................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Definitions ......................................................................................................... 5
1.3 Scope of Works................................................................................................. 5
1.4 Responsibilities ................................................................................................. 6
1.5 Certification ....................................................................................................... 6
1.6 Testing and Inspection ...................................................................................... 6
1.7 Services identification ....................................................................................... 6
1.8 Service relocations............................................................................................ 6
1.9 Co-ordination with Service Authorities .............................................................. 6
1.10 Drawings ........................................................................................................... 7
1.11 Interpretation of Railway Construction Terms ................................................... 7
1.12 Definition of the Site .......................................................................................... 7
1.13 Works excluded from Contract.......................................................................... 7
1.14 Supply and Delivery of Materials....................................................................... 7
1.15 Handling, Transport and Storage of Materials .................................................. 7
1.16 Materials Supplied by the Principal ................................................................... 8
1.17 Construction Under Traffic – Rail ...................................................................... 8
2. Quality Assurance....................................................................................................... 9
2.1 Quality System Standard .................................................................................. 9
2.2 Project Quality Plan........................................................................................... 9
2.3 Inspections and Tests ....................................................................................... 9
2.4 Hold Points...................................................................................................... 10
2.5 Witness Points ................................................................................................ 10
2.6 Records........................................................................................................... 10
2.7 Quality Audit and Non-Conformances............................................................. 10
2.8 Occupational Health and Safety...................................................................... 11
2.9 Rail Safety Act................................................................................................. 11
5. Access ...................................................................................................................... 14
5.1 Access to the New Foundation ....................................................................... 14
5.2 Access along Public Roads............................................................................. 14
5.3 Use of Structures by Construction Plant ......................................................... 14
5.4 Access Roads through Private Properties ...................................................... 15
6. Survey....................................................................................................................... 16
6.1 Setting out of the works................................................................................... 16
6.2 Marking out ..................................................................................................... 16
9. Embankment Widening............................................................................................. 28
1. General
This Specification provides for the earthworks and the associated civil works
required for the construction of new trackwork and formation widening.
1.2 Definitions
Unless defined otherwise in the contract documents, terms used in this Specification
shall have the following meanings assigned:
'Project Quality Plan' shall mean the Contractor's Project Quality Plan for the
Project.
Works under this contract comprise of the supply of all labour, materials and plant
for the proposed earthworks required for the construction of new trackwork and
widening of existing formation within the ARTC rail network.
It includes (but is not limited by) the following items that are be carried out in
accordance with the Contract.
• Provision of road traffic control for temporary deviations and other site works
as required;
1.4 Responsibilities
The Contractor shall be responsible for carrying out all earthworks and civil works in
accordance with this Specification, the Contractor's Project Quality Plan, and all
associated contract documents.
1.5 Certification
During the course of the work arrange for all relevant testing required by the Project
Quality Plan to be carried out by an independent testing authority approved by the
Superintendent.
All work areas to be subject to a complete services search. The search to include all
services associated with the infrastructure including (coaxial cable, fibre optic, CTC,
signalling, communications and external services (including but not limited to)
power, gas, communications, water and sewer and track-side monitoring
equipment).
The Contractor shall be responsible for carrying out the relocation and/or re-
installation of all services affected by the works in accordance with the design
drawings, relevant standards, the Contractor's Project Quality Plan and all
associated contract documents.
The Contractor will be required to liaise with service authorities to manage the
priorities of service relocations and to ensure project milestones are deliverable.
1.10 Drawings
The Drawings that form part of this contract are listed in Annexure C.
In addition to the definitions listed in the preliminaries the following words appearing
in the Specification will have the following meanings:
"Formation Level" The design level of the formation complete with capping
layer.
"Rail Level" The design level of both rails of tangent track or the low
rail of any super-elevated track.
"Points and Crossings" Turnouts, diamonds, catch points, single and double slips
and all other similar types.
"Track" All track including points and crossings and plain track.
"Rails" All rails including points, crossings, check rails, stock rails,
junction rails, plain rails, etc.
For the purpose of this Specification, ‘Site’ means that area of land detailed on the
drawings as the Rail Corridor.
All materials for use as part of the Contract shall be in accordance with the relevant
standards or approved for use by the Superintendent.
The Contractor shall in its Quality Plan describe what procedures and tests will be
adopted to ensure that all materials supplied comply with the requirements of the
standards specified in this Specification.
During the performance of this Contract, the Contractor shall implement its quality
procedures, verify that the materials comply with the specified standards, and have
quality documentation to verify this has been achieved.
The Contractor in its Quality Plan shall describe what procedures will be adopted in
transporting materials from the source supplier and delivery to Site, the handling and
temporary storage (if any) of materials on Site, and the handling to the workface to
ensure that all materials will retain their integrity and compliance with the nominated
standards.
Items to be supplied by the Principal are listed in Appendix A. The Contractor shall
arrange for the recovery and delivery to Site of the supplied materials from the
supply location nominated.
The Contractor shall at all times during the period of construction take all the
necessary precautions in accordance with ARTC Regulations to avoid any delay,
obstruction or stoppage to rail traffic.
2. Quality Assurance
The Contractor shall maintain a documented Quality System in accordance with this
document and with Australian Standard for Quality System AS/NZ ISO 9001/2
The quality system shall cover the whole of the work under this contract.
The Project Quality Plan shall detail how the Contractor will manage and control the
quality of the work under the Contract. It shall be based on and consistent with the
draft tender Quality Plan. It shall be specific to the work under this contract and for
a specific package of work.
The plan is to be submitted to the Superintendent within ten (10) working days of
award of contract. Works are not to proceed until the Quality Plan is approved by the
Superintendent. The Superintendent will review the submitted Quality Plan and
respond to the contractor with acceptance and/or comments within ten (10) working
days of submission.
• Work method statements for all activites which shall include all requirements
nominated in this specification;
Inspection and Test Plans shall be submitted to the Superintendent for approval
prior to any work commencing. Inspection and test plans shall:-
A Hold Point is defined as a point in the production and inspection cycle beyond
which work may not proceed without review by the Superintendent
The Contractor shall not proceed beyond a Hold Point until the Superintendent or
his representative has released the Hold Point.
The Contractor shall make suitable arrangements to notify the relevant person/s
when a Hold Point will be reached so that they can review and/or witness any work
process, record or test being undertaken by the Contractor and thus expedite the
release of that Hold Point. Unless agreed otherwise by the Superintendent the
Contractor shall notify the nominated parties a minimum of 48 hours prior to the date
of witness of any Hold Point.
As a minimum Hold Points shall be provided for the following or related activities:
• Stockpiling of materials.
The Contractor shall define the method of release of Hold Points by the relevant
parties in his Quality Plan.
2.6 Records
The Contractor shall establish and maintain a system of records that provides
objective evidence that the requirements of the contract have been satisfied.
The Contractor shall make all records pertaining to the Contract available to the
Superintendent at all reasonable times and, where requested by the Superintendent,
provide the Superintendent with a copy of the records.
At the completion of a package of work the contractor shall provided a scanned copy
of all the records in Tiff or other approved format on a CDRom or DVD.
The Contractor shall give the Superintendent access to its or its sub-contractor’s
premises / working area and to documentation
The Contractor shall incorporate into the Quality Plan a system covering the
management of occupational health and safety in accordance with the relevant
Statutory Occupational Health and Safety Acts. The system element shall provide
prompt notification to the Superintendent of any accident or injury occurring at site.
When requested by the Superintendent, the Contractor shall convene a meeting for
the purpose of reviewing occupational health and safety matters relating to the
contract.
The Contractor shall provide and maintain an environment that is safe and without
risks to health and safety for employees and others, in the course of their work and
entry onto site.
The Contractor shall comply with all requirements of the relevant Rail Safety Act.
The Contractor shall take measures necessary to abide by EPA Regulations and
keep airborne dust on site to a minimum. No separate payment will be made for the
suppression of dust. The Contractor shall effect adequate dust control measures
and ensure the safety and convenience of the public, are not adversely affected.
If the Contractor fails to achieve dust control, particularly where the safety and
convenience of the public are affected, the Superintendent may take action
necessary and deduct the cost of such action from moneys due or becoming due to
the Contractor.
The Superintendent may direct the suspension of work where that work creates a
dust hazard or nuisance to the public, personnel working on the site or property in
the vicinity of the work. No claim for increased costs due to such suspension will be
considered.
The Contractor shall comply with all statutory obligations with respect to the
management of bushfire hazards.
The Contractor must comply with any Total Fire Bans imposed by Government
Authorities. No burning off, hotwork or naked flame of any type is allowed during
this period except as exempted in the relevant Acts.
To effectively manage fire risk on site, the Contractor shall prepare work method
statements as part of his Quality Plan.
4.1 General
All design, materials, equipment, workmanship and installations shall comply with
the latest revision of the ARTC Engineering Standards, RIC Engineering Standards
and Australian Standards relating to the relevant element or component of Works
unless otherwise noted in this Specification or advised at the time of Tender.
For items of overseas manufacture that are not in accordance with Australian
Standards, relevant overseas standards shall be subject to consent from the ARTC
prior to proceeding with design or manufacture of equipment.
Other ARTC Specifications that should be read in conjunction with this Specification
if appropriate for the scope of works include the following:
A number of ARTC Standards have been changed to meet operational and financial
objectives. Details of these changes are specified in Appendix D.
The following Track and Civil Standards listed apply to this Specification and are
available on the ARTC website at www.artc.com.au .
5. Access
If the Contractor requires access to a part of the Site where no access has been
provided the Contractor shall supply to the Superintendent any plans for obtaining
such access and shall not commence work on the access until approval has been
given.
The completed formation shall be used as an access road only where approved by
the Superintendent. Where approved it shall be used in such a manner to afford
minimum damage to the capping, formation, ditches, shoulders and slopes. All tyre
ruts shall be removed. All repairs required to restore the capping material or the
formation to its original condition shall be at the Contractor’s expense.
The Contractor shall notify Superintendent of its proposals for the use of public
roads for access and material haulage purposes.
If the Contractor wishes to use public roads surrounding the site for the purpose of
undertaking work under the Contract, the Contractor shall obtain approval from the
relevant authority for the use of these public roads. Any condition for such use is a
matter between the Contractor and the relevant authority.
The Contractor shall comply with local and statutory authority requirements with
respect to the use of public roads in gaining access to the Site. No additional
payment will be made to the Contractor resulting from its failure to make sufficient
allowance in its tender for public road usage.
Vehicles or equipment hauling material over public roads shall be fitted with tight
tailgates. Vehicles, when loaded, shall comply with the requirements of the relevant
Roads Acts, or such lower load limits as set by the relevant authority.
The Contractor shall promptly remove from existing roadways all dirt and other
materials that have been deposited by its hauling and other operations.
The Contractor shall take suitable precautions to ensure that no rocks fall onto any
adjacent roadway or railway track in use. Where the precautions are not considered
satisfactory by the Superintendent, the work is to immediately cease until the
necessary precautions are taken.
with a Design Loading greater than that shown on the Drawings for the bridges and
culverts shall travel on the structures.
If the Contractor proposes to use any heavy plant on any structure, calculations
prepared and certified by a practising structural engineer, which demonstrate the
structural adequacy of the structure, shall be submitted to the Superintendent for
approval at least two weeks prior to the proposed use of the structure by the plant.
These calculations shall be prepared in accordance with the Quality Assurance
requirements of the Contract and shall be accompanied by details of wheel contact
locations, areas and weights, path of vehicle, speed and frequency of use.
On completion of use, the Contractor shall restore each property in accordance with
all such agreements.
The Contractor shall inform the Superintendent of any change to any agreements
with the private property owner and also inform the Superintendent of any matter,
which may adversely affect the relationship between ARTC and any private property
owner.
No additional payment will be made to the Contractor for provision of access roads
through any private property.
6. Survey
Setting out of the works shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the
relevant Government Regulations and the design drawings.
The Contractor’s proposals for the setting out of the works shall be included in the
Contractor’s Project Quality Plan.
The contractor shall mark out on site all equipment and services that may be
affected by the works. Signalling equipment and cables shall be marked with a
bright orange paint. All other equipment shall be suitably marked so as to avoid
unintended damage.
7. General Earthworks
During construction the Contractor shall provide for the effectual diversion of surface
water from the Works and provide and ensure proper flushing for storm and subsoil
water across and beyond the Works. The flow of stormwater and drainage along
existing gutters and water tables shall be uninterrupted. These requirements shall
apply equally to off-site construction including access roads and borrow area and
stockpiles.
The Contractor shall provide efficient pumping equipment on site and shall keep
trenches and excavations dewatered at all times during construction.
The Contractor shall plan and carry out the whole of the works to avoid erosion,
contamination, and sedimentation of the site, surrounding country, watercourses
and streams. This shall constitute a hold point prior to the commencement of any
clearing works on site.
The Contractor shall provide and maintain slopes, crowns and drains on all
excavation and embankments to ensure satisfactory drainage at all times. Catch
drains, where required, shall be completed before adjacent earthwork operations are
commenced. Water shall not be allowed to pond in the area of work.
The Contractor shall construct and maintain all temporary erosion and sediment
control measures required, or directed by the Superintendent to control runoff from
the earthworks area before discharging into natural watercourses, and these may
include the construction of temporary drains, berms, dykes, flumes, graded contour
banks, dams, sediment basins, sediment traps, energy dissipaters and spreader
banks. Any damage resulting from contamination and/or siltation shall be rectified
by the Contractor at its cost.
Temporary erosion and sediment control measures shall be coordinated with the
construction of permanent drainage and other permanent control measures and
shall be constructed prior to commencement of the stripping of topsoil, unless
otherwise approved by the Superintendent, to ensure effective and continuous
erosion and sediment control.
Seven days prior to the start of each section of work, the Contractor shall submit
details of the proposed temporary erosion and sediment control measures and the
All temporary erosion and sediment control works are to be inspected after each
rain, cleaned, and repaired if required, to the satisfaction of the Superintendent.
Any damage resulting from the Contractor not observing these requirements shall
be rectified by the Contractor at its cost.
The cost of the temporary erosion and sediment control measures is deemed to be
included in the earthworks items and no additional payment will be made for this
work.
Inspection, sampling and testing of the earthworks for acceptance shall be carried
out by the Contractor to the satisfaction of the Superintendent and in accordance
with ARTC Standard RCP01. The Contractor shall undertake additional testing at
no cost to the Superintendent if in the Superintendent’s opinion the tests carried out
are inadequate or unsatisfactory. The Contractor shall also undertake additional
testing at no cost to the Superintendent if in the Superintendent’s opinion the
Contractor supplied materials do not conform to the requirements of this Contract.
At all times during the course of the Contractor's normal shifts, the work associated
with compaction of embankment fill, backfill around structures, formation and
capping shall be planned to allow reasonable access for the Superintendent or its
staff to carry out inspections and review of testing methods and results.
At all times the Superintendent will be guided in the field by the results of the
compaction testing in its determination of the actual compaction achieved by the
Contractor. Notwithstanding the results of the in-situ tests, the Superintendent may
direct, that any area that in its opinion has not been compacted to the required
standard, shall be re-compacted.
7.5 Stockpiles
height of a stockpile shall not exceed 2.5 metres unless otherwise approved by the
Superintendent.
Fill imported from borrow sites shall comply with the clause 7.15 "Embankment
Material".
Borrow areas shall be maintained in a tidy, graded and formed condition such as to
drain into natural watercourses and to avoid soil erosion.
The Contractor shall remove only such materials and excavate only to such levels
as previously approved by the Superintendent. If the Contractor removes material
without the approval of the Superintendent it shall fill, consolidate and restore the
area at its own cost.
Prior to commencing excavation from a borrow area the Contractor shall submit the
following details to the Superintendent for approval:
• Edges of the borrow excavation be not closer than 6 metres from any track
centreline or ARTC boundary fence;
• Each borrow area slope away from the railway formation when excavation is
completed;
• Bases of the borrow pits be at least one metre above nearby creek beds and
be sloped towards the creek beds at a slope steeper than 0.5 percent; and
Clearing and grubbing shall be in accordance with ARTC Standard RCP01 and
includes the removal from the site of all trees, saplings, bushes, scrub or similar
growth, also stumps, buried logs and other material considered unsuitable by the
Superintendent for incorporation in the Works. All property improvements shall be
similarly removed. Should any trees or boughs lean over the boundaries, they shall
be removed.
The Contractor shall plan and carry out clearing operations to avoid erosion,
contamination and sedimentation of the site, surrounding areas, watercourses,
streams and other drainage systems.
Grubbing operations shall be carried out to a minimum depth of 0.5 metres below
the natural surface or 1.5 metres below the subgrade level, whichever is lower.
Trees, shrubs, other landscape features and improvements within the limits of the
reserve which are designated by the Superintendent for preservation shall not be
removed or damaged and shall be protected during the progress of the work in a
manner satisfactory to the Superintendent.
The Contractor shall take all necessary precautions to ensure that natural vegetation
and fauna habitat outside the areas defined for clearing and grubbing are
maintained without damage or disfiguration for the duration of the contract.
Holes left after trees are grubbed out will be inspected by the Superintendent before
being filled in, and, after approval, shall be filled with sound material which shall be
compacted in layers and as specified for embankment material.
Topsoil over the full width of formation plus a margin of 2.0 metres each side of all
cuttings, sections on natural surface and the base of all embankments throughout
the length of the work, and over other sections affected by the construction, shall be
removed to a depth of 150 millimetres or as directed by the Superintendent and
stockpiled clear of the work.
The Contractor shall plan and carry out removal of topsoil to avoid erosion,
contamination, and sedimentation of the site, surrounding country, watercourses
and streams. Attention is drawn to the requirements of the Clauses "Temporary
Erosion and Sediment Control" and "Stockpiles".
Where the Superintendent considers that material in the bottoms of cuttings or in the
natural surface beneath embankments is unsuitable for track structure or
embankment support, such material shall be excavated as directed by the
Superintendent and disposed of to spoil off site. Some unsuitable materials are
specified in ARTC Standard RCP 01. Alternatively, if the Superintendent considers
the material is unsuitable only because of its high moisture content, the
Superintendent may direct that the material be placed on adjacent embankment
areas, dried out and incorporated in the works. No additional payment will be made
for the drying out of the material.
The excavations from which unsuitable material has been removed shall be
backfilled with suitable material obtained from cuts and compacted as specified in
the Clause "Embankment Construction".
As shown on the typical cross sections on the Drawings, the top edges of cuttings
shall be neatly rounded to the dimensions given. Such work shall be deemed to be
part of excavation and no additional payments shall be made for this work.
The excavation shall be so arranged that the working areas are adequately drained
throughout the period of construction. Any damage resulting from the Contractor not
observing this requirement shall be rectified by the Contractor at its cost.
In all cuttings, whether in earth or rock, undulations in the general plane of the slope
will not be permitted except that the batters will generally require progressive
flattening at the ends of cuttings due to the presence of less stable material.
The Superintendent may direct that any overhanging, loose or unstable material,
whether outside or behind the specified slope, be removed.
If the Contractor excavates the slope of a cutting beyond the specified line and the
tolerance applicable thereto, the Superintendent may authorise a minor change in
the general slope of the cutting to suit the convenience of the Contractor, but such a
change shall not be regarded as a redetermination of the slope under this Clause,
and no payment will be made for any increase in excavation quantities resulting
from the change in slope.
Rock cuttings and exposed rock surfaces adjacent to the roadways shall be
excavated so as to obtain smooth uniformly trimmed surfaces in accordance with
the Drawings and to the satisfaction of the Superintendent.
Excavation at the base of cuttings shall be finished at a level to suit the capping
thickness, normally 150mm, and with crossfalls shown on the Drawings. Tolerance
on levels is between +0 and -50mm. In addition the excavation shall not deviate
from the bottom of a 3 metre straight edge laid in any direction by more than 25mm.
The finished subgrade level of cuttings shall be to suit the thickness of capping layer
specified.
The Contractor shall shatter or loosen the material below the subgrade level of the
cutting for the full width of the formation to a minimum depth of 300 millimetres. The
loosening and recompaction shall be included in the schedule rate for earthworks,
and no account shall be taken for the volume involved in loosening when
determining the volume of excavation.
The material at the base of cuttings shall be trimmed and compacted to produce a
tight dense surface parallel to the finished capping layer surface so that the levels
do not vary from the levels shown on the Drawings by more than plus or minus 30
millimetres. The subgrade shall also not deviate from the bottom of a 3 metre
straight edge, laid in any direction, by more than 20 millimetres.
The area of the base of the embankment shall be cleared, topsoil removed and
appropriate arrangements for drainage shall be completed before construction of the
embankment is commenced.
Grubbed holes and other cavities below the level of the proposed subgrade shall be
filled with suitable embankment material to subgrade level. This material shall be
placed and compacted in layers as specified for the base layer of the embankment
to the satisfaction of the Superintendent. Any soft pockets or areas of unsuitable
material such as rubbish, peat, or organic soil shall be removed, backfilled with
embankment material and compacted in layers.
Prior to placing embankment fill the area of the base of the embankment shall be
thoroughly scarified and broken to a depth of 100 millimetres. Scarifying shall be in
a direction parallel to the axis of the embankment. The moisture content of the
scarified layer shall be adjusted to ensure compaction to the degree specified. A
layer of embankment material about 100 millimetres thick shall be spread over the
scarified foundation and compacted as specified for embankment fill.
The construction of any section of an embankment shall not be commenced until the
foundation for that section has been approved by the Superintendent.
Material for embankment construction shall be stable and not contain organic or
other materials classed as unsuitable. Dispersive soils shall not be used in
embankments. Stone, gravel and rock up to a size compatible with compaction
requirements may be used if mixed with sufficient fine materials to permit proper
compaction.
Unsuitable material as defined in Clause 4.12 shall not be used. Material not
complying with the above requirements is only to be used in embankments with the
approval of the superintendent’s Geotechnical Engineer.
Rock material shall be broken down and well distributed through the filling, and
sufficient fine material shall be placed around the larger material as it is deposited to
fill the voids and produce a dense compact embankment. Where insufficient fine
material is present to fill the voids, additional fine material shall be obtained from
other places in the work or by a change in the method of winning. The fill is to be
constructed so as to derive its stability from the adequate compaction of the fine
material embedding the large rock pieces rather than mechanical interlock of the
rock. The fine material so compacted shall meet the specified requirements for
compaction of embankments.
The maximum size of rock pieces shall not exceed 2/3 of the approved loose layer
depth. Any larger rock pieces shall be used in rock facing or in rock drains or
reduced in size for incorporation in the embankment layers. Where the specified
density is not attained, the Superintendent may direct that the thickness of the
layers, and if necessary, the size of the rock pieces be reduced. The Contractor
shall not be entitled to any additional payment for any reduction in layer thickness or
rock size limitation necessary to meet the density requirements.
Material shall be compacted at a moisture content that will enable the specified
degree of compaction to be efficiently obtained. This moisture content shall be
within plus and minus 2 percent of the optimum moisture content for compacted fill
as determined by AS 1289, unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent during
the course of the work.
Material containing excessive moisture shall not be compacted until it has dried out
to the specified moisture content. The drying process may be assisted by aeration
or where, approved by the Superintendent, by the use of an additive such as lime or
cement. If there is insufficient moisture in the material for it to be compacted as
specified, water shall be added. The added water shall be the minimum required
and it shall be applied uniformly and thoroughly mixed with the material until a
homogeneous mixture is obtained. No additional payment will be made for wetting
or drying the material to be compacted.
Compaction shall be undertaken to obtain the specified relative compaction for the
full width of the formation over the length of the work within eight (8) hours of the
material being placed. At locations where it would be impracticable to use mobile
compacting equipment, layers of filling shall be compacted to the specified
requirements by other means approved by the Superintendent.
Any material placed by the Contractor that has attained the specified compaction but
subsequently becomes wet and the moisture content becomes greater than
optimum, shall be dried out and uniformly recompacted to the relative compaction
specified before the next layer of material is placed. Alternatively, the Contractor
may remove the layer of wetted material to a stockpile site for drying and later
reuse. No additional payment will be made for the drying out and recompaction of
the material.
The Contractor shall be required to route its hauling equipment over fill already in
place and distribute the new material evenly over the entire width of the
embankment so as to uniformly obtain the maximum amount of compaction. In no
case shall the rate of application of fill exceed the capacity of the compaction
equipment based on the actual operating speed and compacting ability.
The top 500 mm below the formation layer (ie earthworks level) shall be compacted
to not less that 100% Relative Compaction as determined by AS 1289-1993, Tests
E1.1 and E3.1 (Standard Compaction). Below this level the layers shall be
compacted to a minimum of 95% Relative Compaction as determined by AS1289
Tests E1.1 and E3.1 (Standard Compaction) - 1993
The "horizon" exposed at formation level at the intersection of cut and fill shall be
excavated and removed for the full width of the formation, for a length of 5 metres
either side of the intersection and to a depth of 500 millimetres and replaced by
approved embankment material compacted as specified for the fill adjacent to the
intersection. The excavation formed to remove this material shall be tapered off
both forwards and backwards along the track either side of the 10 metre uniform
depth section at a slope of approximately 8 to 1 (horizontal to vertical).
The Contractor shall protect pipes, conduits and structures, against damage by its
equipment and operations in accordance with the requirements specified in ARTC
Standard RCP01.
Should any subsidence or scour occur before the issue of the Final Certificate, the
Contractor shall make good any damage with approved material at its own cost
unless, in the opinion of the Superintendent, such failure was due to causes
warranting the cost being borne by the Superintendent.
The Contractor will not be responsible for cost of repairs associated with damage to
the proposed rail deviation works associated with mine subsidence.
The Contractor shall nominate if they propose to win material using this method.
8. Formation Capping
All formation capping shall be supplied in accordance with ARTC standard TDS 12.
The capping material shall be transported from the source to the work in vehicles
that are so constructed that loss of material does not occur. It shall be provided
suitably damp to prevent segregation during transit.
Where required for compaction purposes, water shall be added and mixed uniformly
with the capping material by approved mechanical means. Compaction shall
continue until the layer shows no further movement under the compacting
equipment and the density is a minimum of 95% relative compaction (modified) as
determined by AS 1289 Tests E1.1 and E3.1 (Standard Compaction) - 1993.
Rock and rock fines shall be distributed throughout each layer so that all voids are
filled. The top of the final layer shall be graded and trimmed and material shall be
added as necessary to produce an even surface.
Finished embankment and cutting surfaces including capping shall conform to the
profile specified on the Drawings and be in accordance with TDS08. The finished
surface below the capping layer and the finished surface of the capping layer shall
have no depressions or ridges which could hold water or prevent full drainage.
The width from the design centreline to the finished top of embankment slopes shall
in no case be less than the dimensions specified on the Drawings.
The finished surface of the earthworks and capping shall be within +0mm and -
15mm of the level shown on the Drawings, and for the capping layer:
• the algebraic difference of the departures from correct level for any two
points 20 metres apart on the centreline shall not exceed 15 millimetres; and
• the departure from a 3 metre straight edge laid on the surface parallel to the
centreline shall not exceed 10 millimetres.
When tested with a 3 metre straight edge line perpendicular to the centreline the
departure of the finished surface from design profile shall not exceed 10 millimetres
concavity.
The batter slope of the formation shall not depart from the design crossfall by more
than 50 millimetres per metre.
Where the new work joins existing track, the levels and crossfall of the capping may
be altered in consultation with the Superintendent to ensure proper drainage of the
formation. Such alteration shall not reduce the ballast depth to less than 300mm or
the capping thickness to less than 150mm.
9. Embankment Widening
The Contractor shall complete the earthworks in compliance with the construction
standards specified in ARTC Technical Standard RCP01 and this Specification.
On completion of work, the Contractor shall leave the whole site neat and tidy. All
cess drains, catch drains and toe drains shall be cleared to the correct section, and
any damage caused by the Contractor shall be repaired.
Completion of the Work for the purposes of the Contract will not occur until ARTC
has confirmed that the earthworks are constructed in accordance with the
nominated ARTC Standards and this Specification.
The Contractor shall submit preliminary copies of the drawings for review by the
Superintendent who will indicate their acceptability or alternatively indicate the
required modifications.
Prior to issuing the Final Certificate, the Contractor shall maintain the drainage so
that it remains compliant with the requirements for newly constructed earthworks.
The Contractor shall maintain the earthworks for the period of 12 months from
practical completion date. Items to include, but not limited to:
The Contractor shall provide a handover package containing, but not limited to, the
following data:
• Inspection and Test Plans (signed off by the Principal or its’ Representative).
The order and progress of the works shall be planned to eliminate disruption to
normal mainline operations. If constructed under traffic the length of the work face
shall be minimised with the work procedures and program approved by the
Superintendent.
A copy of a typical train graph will be provided for the information of the Contractor if
requested.
Temporary speed restrictions are to be avoided and should only be applied where
essential or in an emergency. Where essential speed restrictions may be applied
subject to a maximum length of 1 km or as agreed by the Superintendent. Prior to
his agreement the Contractor shall prepare and submit to the Superintendent a
submission detailing the reasons for applying the speed restriction, its severity and
the expected duration.
The Contractor shall submit to the Superintendent for endorsement a works program
within 28 days of award of tender.
The accepted Tender Construction Program will be the base Contract Construction
Program. When endorsed this program shall become the contract program for the
measurement of work performance and work control.
11.4 Safe-working
The Contractor is responsible for all safeworking including the operation / travel of
any rail bound equipment and communication with Train Control.
All staff performing work on site under the contract shall have Track Safety
Awareness certification for the respective jurisdiction.
Special Requirements
The track alignments for new loops and loop extensions may be designed with the
line and level not necessarily parallel to the main line, and may differ from the
requirements of drawing SP522.
Existing Section 4 should be replaced with the Table and Notes shown below.
Notes
(4) Ballast depth measured from underside of sleeper to top of capping layer at
the rail seat.
Section 5 Ballast
Section 6 Sleepers