The Crookwell 3 Windfarm Extension project comprised the construction of 16 Wind Turbine Generators (WTG) and associated infrastructure over an area of 1,100 Ha, generating a nominal capacity of 61MW. Associated infrastructure includes upgrades and improvements to 19 km road, extensive bulk earthworks to accommodate temporary and permanent hardstand and substation amenities.
D&N was commissioned to complete a desktop study and gap analysis of existing geotechnical data for the site and undertake subsequent intrusive investigation and interpretative reporting for the above project elements. The intrusive investigation comprises sixteen cored boreholes and groundwater monitoring wells, forty-three test pits, field mapping and surface conditions and seismic refraction surveys. Subsequent factual and interpretative reporting was prepared for each proposed WTG and hardstand.
The project faced many challenges for the intrusive investigation and subsequent footing design. Given the nature of the site and inclement weather, local access roads and properties were typically inaccessible for light vehicles and trucks, such that specialist drilling plant available to D&N was mobilised to site. Site access and safety management required out of the square thinking to our approach, utilising ATV’s for transport of staff and materials to reduce disruption to landholders and the wider community. D&N provided detailed geotechnical interpretation for each WTG footing to allow cost effective design for the project.
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