Outram Park - Tunnelling Completes

Tunnelling works for the T222 project have completed following the breakthrough of the third drive (TBM 1 refurbished) along the Woodlands Bound tunnel on Apr 27 and the fourth drive (TBM 2 refurbished) along the Changi Bound tunnel on Jun 21 between Outram Park and Havelock Station (800m).

This is the final tunnel to be completed under the C4 team, and the second final project along the overall line to complete bored tunnel excavation works.

Breakthrough of the NFM EPBM at Havelock Station, Woodlands Bound (April 27, Photo: Ram)

Outram Park Cast (V)

Excavation works progresses along the linkways & casting works at the station.

Outram Park Station

November Tunnel Progress

Bored tunnelling works progresses across the line, with multiple TBM breakthroughs due around the new year of 2018. The Changi bound tunnel was completed at Orchard last month, completing all bored tunnel works under the T219 project - the first project to do so along TEL3.

TBMs with envisaged completion between Dec 2017 and Jan 2018:

T209 TBM 1&2

T212 TBM 1

T215 TBM S-936

T227 TBM 1

T228 TBM 1

TEL1/2 November Tunnel Progress (No change since Sep)

Outram Park Excavation (III)

Excavation works across the network of new unpaid and paid linkway are progressing across the site. The project's second and final TBM relaunch took place at the end of Q3 for the Changi bound tunnel drive towards Havelock.

T222 Outram Park

August Tunnel Progress

The 2km long twin tunnels between Springleaf station and the RTS Facility Building have completed under the T207 project. These are the longest single mainline tunnel drives achieved under the MRT construction since the Circle Line 4 project a decade ago. TBM 2 brokethrough the facility building overnight (Jul 31), while TBM 1 completed the Woodlands bound tunnel on July 9.

Together with the completion of TBM C2 at Springleaf under the T208 project, bored tunnelling works are officially completed under the Civil Team 1 projects. With 4 TBM drives completed in July, 6 TBMs remain between 5XO and Caldecott station under Stage 2 of the line.

Envisaged completion for remaining 6 TBMs under TEL2:
T209 TBM 1/2 - Q4 2017
T211 TBM 1 - Sep 2017
T212 TBM 1 - Q4 2017
T212 TBM 2/3 - Q1 2018

TEL1/2 Tunnel Chart, July 2017

T207: TBM 1 breakthrough at Facility Building on July 9 (Photo: Raju)

Outram Park Cast (IV)

Structure of the station has reached the underplatform level. Excavation of the linkways and initial drive of the Woodlands bound TBM towards Havelock are in progress.

T222 Outram Park site

Outram Park Excavation (II)

The concourse slab has been cast and excavation works for the station are now at the platform level of the station. The final realignment of Outram Road was carried out last month for the excavation of the new interchange linkways, and would remain in position till the end of the project. TBM2 has almost completed the Changi bound tunnel towards Maxwell.

TBM 1 re-assembly works at launch shaft towards Havelock

Outram Park Excavation

Excavation and casting works are progressing at the station box.

T222 Outram Park

Outram Park Cast (III)

Completion of the last zone of roof slab took place concurrent with the demobilization of the D-wall grabs and ancillary silo & slurry equipment in August. Bulk excavation works are now underway at the Outram Park station.

Bulk excavation works across the Outram Park station

July Tunnel Progress

Tunnelling works are underway along all the projects along stages 1 and 2 of the line, with the first slurry TBM for the T211 project launched at Bright Hill this week. 5 bored tunnels have been completed by the first half of the year and a further 5-8 tunnels are envisaged to complete by year end.

TEL1/2 Tunnel Chart, July 2016

T206 - Launch preparations for the second drive of TBM 4 for reception tunnel 1 at Sembawang Airbase C&C (Photo credits: LTA)

Outram Park Cast (II)

Casting of the roof slab continues to take place in phases northwards, while works on the diaphragm wall are still being carried out. A minor realignment of Cantonment Road took place end April for the piling works along the interchange linkway.

May Tunnel Progress

The second bored tunnel was completed at the T208 project earlier this month, lining the Changi bound tunnel between Tagore and Lentor. Despite NFM's inagurual entry into the Singapore metro tunnelling market, the french-manufactured machine has set a new record of excavating and lining 23 rings (32.2m) in 24 hours, in addition to completing a 100-ring excavation within 6 days in March. TBM A will now commence dismantling and be retired after having completed the 8-month tunnel drive.

Completion of TBM A drive (T208, John Holland)

Outram Park Cast

The roof slab of the station is progressively being constructed from the south while the d-walling works continues along the new linkway. Both NFM EPBMs arrived on the site at the beginning of March, and the first TBM was lowered down the south shaft 2 days later. The machine is currently being assembled up.

Overview of the T222 site with the d-wall of the Outram Park station mostly completed

Outram Park D-walls (II)

Works on the diaphragm wall and bored pile continues at the Outram Park station and linkway. Excavation and shoring works have also commenced at both launch shafts. The 3rd project information center for the Thomson-East Coast Line's civil team 4 has opened to public at the project office here.

Outram Park Diverts

Several realignments along Eu Tong Sen St and New Bridge Road have been implemented at the Outram Park station site following the relocation of the ERP gantry. The slip road from Outram Road has been diverted beneath the roof of the NEL entrance to allow piling works to take place for the new interchange paid linkways. A realignment along the CTE bound Outram Road is currently being prepared as well.

Pearls Centre have been vacated by the last quarter, and removal of the exterior cladding have commenced under the first phase of the demolishment works. Works on the diaphragm wall continues for the Outram Park station.

Diversion of Eu Tong Sen St & New Bridge Road and upcoming diversion being prepared along Outram Road

Outram Park D-walls (II)

The Pedestrian Overhead Bridge along Outram Road was successfully demolished on May 24 and most recently July 12 along the CTE bound and Cantonment bound carriageway respectively. This is the 4th POB to be demolished along Thomson Line project. In addition to preparations works for the upcoming numerous road diversions for the construction of the interchange linkway is the relocation of the ERP gantry along Eu Tong Sen Street.

Majority of the shops within Pearls Centre have started to vacate following the management's decision to cease all tenure lease by the end of this quarter. Demolishment of the complex can be expected by the first half of next year. D-walling and piling works continue around the site area.

Column remain of the demolished POB linking HSA to the existing station

Outram Park Hoards Up

Hoardings have started to come up around the surface of the existing Outram Park EWL station and Outram Road. A section of the iconic red covered walkway linking Pearls Centre to the EWL station has also been closed and demolished. D-walling works continue at the station.

The temporary POB across Outram Road is structurally completed and is slated to be operational by the end of the month. The temporary bridge will be accompanied by an elevator on both ends to provide barrier free access from the existing MRT station to the HSA and SGH. The existing bridge will then be demolished.

Across the road, several silos and a piling rig have been positioned at the HSA where 6m high hoardings have been installed.

Hoardings around Outram Road as well as the HSA

Temporary POB awaiting to be commissioned

Outram Park D-walls

Activities at the T222 Outram Park site has hyped up with the commencement of the D-walling works for the station. A hydrofraise, along with several crawler cranes and rebar cages scatters the site floor. The silt treatment plant is built next to Pearl's Centre.

Along Outram Road, 2 nights of beam launching works were facilitated over the past 2 weekends for the temporary POB that will replace the existing bridge that is to be demolished. The beam segment across the CTE and Cantonment bound carriageway were launched up on January 11 & 18 respectively. This is the third temporary POB to be built for the Thomson Line.

Construction signage, along with interlocking road barriers have been prominently placed around Eu Tong Sen Street and Outram Road, where utility diversions and the felling of small trees are currently taking place. The mentioned works seen around the corner of the two road's intersection are preparatory to facilitating future traffic diversions - for the construction of the new interchange linkages.

T222 Outram Park

Hydrofraise for the D-walling works

Temporary POB across Outram Road

Outram Park Assembles

Contract T222 is for the construction of Outram Park station and 2 twin bored tunnels to Havelock and Maxwell. The station is situated on an empty plot of state land north of the existing East West Line. The contract was awarded to Daelim Industrial. They have previously worked under Contract 487 of the Marina Coastal Expressway and this is their second project for the Client.

Site overview

Proposed TSL box parallel to the existing East West line (left)

Outram Park Station
The new station will have a very similar layout to its EWL counterpart. There will be 3 levels - a Concourse, Platform and Transfer level. An additional 2 entrances will be built along Outram Road to complement the existing interchange. Entrance A will be located near Pearl Bank, while Entrance B provide doorstep connectivity to the Health Sciences Authority. The station will be constructed top-down.

A&A to existing RTS
There will be an overhaul in the linkage design within the existing interchange. The new changes include:
- 1 new dedicated NEL-EWL paid link with 4 travellators
- 1 new dedicated NEL-TSL paid link to be extended from the existing NEL-EWL linkage
- 1 new EWL-TSL paid link to be constructed beneath both platforms on the transfer level. 2 new escalators will be installed down from the west end of the existing EWL platform for this linkage.
- 1 new unpaid link between all 3 lines to be constructed on the concourse level with 4 travellators

Outram Road which would see intensive phased traffic diversions to build the new linkages

New Entrance B to be built infront of HSA and enhance connectivity to the interchange station

Tunnelling
2 launch shafts will be constructed on either ends of the station box. 2 EPB TBMs will be procured under this contract. The TBMs will do an initial north drive to Havelock station before docking, dismantling and reassembling for the second drives to Maxwell at the south. The alignment of the TSL tunnels to Havelock run directly beneath the existing EWL tunnels for a good 500 meters. A cross passage will be located here. Similar to contract T212 at Upper Thomson, this will be the first time excavation of a tunnel parallel and beneath and existing operational MRT tunnel is being executed here.

Tunnels to Maxwell will go beneath the existing footings of shophouses near Kreta Ayer

Update Progress
The site office has just been completed and is located behind the soon to be demolished Pearls Centre. Works are midway to surface the slab on the site ground. On areas with the completed slab, the bentonite plant and silos have been erected. Trench Cutters are also being assembled on the site.

T222 Site office at 102A Eu Tong Sen St

Pre-assembled trench cutters and erected bentonite silos

Contract Awards - T218, T220, T222 & T225

Today the Land Transport Authority announced the award of 4 contracts to build stations and associated tunnels. With the award of these 4 contracts, there only remain 3 such contracts for all stations to be awarded to contractors.

The first award is for contract T218, involving the construction of Orchard Boulevard station only. This contract has gone to local company KTC that is currently working on the Tampines Central station on the Downtown Line.

The first render issued of Orchard Boulevard station. It lacks certain details made more prominent in subsequent renders.