With Salus, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), successfully completing its second tunneling drive, SVCW’s contractor partner, Barnard-Bessac Joint Venture (BBJV), has started to disassemble Salus section by section. BBJV started with the disassembly of the cutter head at the front of the TBM, followed by the front and middle shield that forms the protective shell and body of Salus. Other sections of Salus and its supporting equipment (referenced as gantries) will be disassembled and taken out of the Surge and Flow Splitter (SFS) receiving shaft over this month. A total of 16 gantries that trailed behind Salus, were used to support Salus during its operation and excavation process. The disassembled components will be stored onsite adjacent to the Front-of-Plant project site temporarily and subsequently hauled away in combined truck loads to minimize the number of hauling trips.
Once Salus and its gantries have been removed from the tunnel and SFS receiving shaft, BBJV will be installing the first stick of Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) pipe at the entrance of the tunnel within the SFS shaft. This pipe will be cut to follow the curvature of the inside of the SFS shaft wall. To do so, a 3D model template of how the pipe will need to be cut will be developed before the pipe is cut to shape. After the first stick of pipe is installed, BBJV will continue with the installation of additional FRP pipe sections within the completed tunnel. These carrier pipe sections will be assembled in the tunnel and form the finished pipe that will carry raw wastewater by gravity to SVCW wastewater treatment plant.
