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Resilience in Rail Infrastructure
Rail Infrastructure Challenges
Queensland’s rail network is a vital component of its economy, but it faces significant challenges due to ageing infrastructure and the increased severity of weather events. “The rail system is as vulnerable as roads to climate change, particularly when it comes to floods and heatwaves,” says Ryan O’Neill. Civil Project Partners has been at the forefront of integrating resilience into rail design, ensuring that lines remain operational even during extreme conditions.
Climate and Extreme Weather Considerations
To future-proof rail infrastructure, upgrades must consider extreme weather events, including heat-induced track buckling and flood damage. “Technology is key here. By embedding sensors in tracks, we can identify weaknesses before they become problems,” says Ryan. Civil Project Partners has employed this approach in various projects, integrating climate resilience measures such as elevated tracks and flood-prevention technology.
Learn more at: Queensland Rail Climate Adaptation Plan
Costs of Non-Resilient Rail Infrastructure:
The 2011 Queensland floods caused an estimated $439 million in damage to rail infrastructure, underscoring the economic impacts of non-resilient systems. “When the rail network goes down, it’s not just about the cost of repairs. It’s the cost of lost productivity, delayed freight, and disconnected communities,” Ryan explains.
Examples of Successful Rail Projects
The Cross River Rail project stands out as an example of resilient rail design. By incorporating climate models into the early design phases, the project ensures that tunnels and tracks will remain operational even during extreme weather events. Civil Project Partners played a key role in ensuring that the project’s infrastructure was built with future climate risks in mind.
Private entities such as Aurizon have also looked at how their capital investments can support upgrades to their rail assets to improve resilience and minimise disruption.
As part of the various packages for the Financial Year 2024 Capital Asset Program of the Capital Works Program for Aurizon, Civil Project Partners worked with the Joe Wagner Group on sectors of the rail network upgrades and improvements. These included:
- Railway removal and replacement, cut and weld new rail
- Formation replacement
- Ballast and capping placement; and
- Shutdown works – from 48 hours to 96 hours (24-hour shifts).
The project enabled Aurizon to take a proactive approach to managing future weather challenges, minimising future risks, and improving elements such as drainage culverts, building network resilience and alleviating the impacts of future events.
“Aurizon’s approach, managed by the Joe Wagner Group, shows how a proactive approach to maintenance and future network needs can align to build resilience in a transport network and ensure that in the event of future natural disasters, the infrastructure has a greater chance of surviving, minimising downtime and remediation work,” said Ryan.
Learn more about the project here: HERE