March_1965 — Page 38

THE NEW JURONG RAILWAY

Lifting 65 ft. pile for bridge foundation

By V. Nadarajah, AMICE,

Executive Engineer Economic Development Board Singapore

T WAS realised in the early plan- ning stages that to serve the net- work of industries in Jurong it would be necessary and vital to provide rail facilities for transporting heavy mer- chandise such as iron-ore, timber and cement.

Advice from foreign experts was sought and preliminary surveys were made to determine the ideal location. Eventually the present route from Bukit Timah via Clementi Road and Ulu Pandan was considered the most favourable and work commenced in June, 1962.

The take-off from the main-line is from south of Bukit Timah Railway Station. Here the new railway line

Work in progress on Armco Plate tunnel under Clementi Road

passes through very hilly country which has required the deviation of existing roads and the diversion of many streams. The demarcation and possession of the railway also necessitated the eviction of the many squatters en route.

reserve

Earthworks in this project amount- ed to 1,000,000 cu, yd. The contracts were considerably delayed by an exceptionally wet year (1964). Maxi- mum concentration was devoted to drainage, but even so construction work in the deep cuttings had to be suspended for a long time owing to prolonged inclement weather. At the same time difficulties were experien- ced in the peaty regions with slips and floods.

Strata Variation

The wide variation in strata, even within short distances, from very hard rock to soft plastic clay, pre- sented many problems to the engin- eers, and would have inspired the interest of any geologist. A fine dis- play of natural colours was exposed in the terraced deep cuttings.

Twenty different culverts of vary- ing sizes were built using reinforced concrete Hume pipes encased in con- crete and supported on Bakau or concrete piles. In view of the exces- sive depth of silt in the swampy regions some of the streams had to be diverted to better ground to faci- litate construction of these culverts.

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Seven new steel bridges one of 300 ft. length

are being built in high limit steel. Rubber bearings have been introduced and the mass

68

Cluster of piles for a bridge pier

Excavating for the Armco Plate tunnel

Far East Architect & Builder March, 1965