29 May 2024

RSS2 consumes tonnes of concrete pipe from Humes

Name: Humes
Address: New Zealand

RSS2 consumes tonnes of concrete pipe from Humes

Auckland Airport is well underway with its biggest redevelopment since opening in 1966. The project includes combining the international and domestic terminals along with a number of key associated projects such as a new transport hub and the construction of a new taxiway (to extend an existing one) and the delivery of six remote stands with in-ground jet fuel reticulation.

The RSS2 (Taxiway M or Taxiway Mike as its now known) - will eventually provide a crucial link between the existing runway and a much anticipated second runway, which is being planned as part of the airport’s 30-year vision.

The civil works have been underway for some time on the 25-hectare airfield expansion which is the first of eight ‘anchor projects’ the airport has planned as part of its multi-billion-dollar 2044 master plan. Stage one is in the capable hands of contractor Brian Perry Civil and subcontractor TDM Construction who have asked Humes to supply the many tonnes of specialised concrete pipe required for the new taxiway.

Works will eventually include 1 million m³ of earthworks and the laying of 130,000m³ of aggregate course on which a multitude of specialised concrete pipes from Humes, ranging in size from 1350mm to a massive 2400mm, have been or are about to be laid.

2400 Taxiway Pipe 2

“We have been producing highly specialised concrete pipe for TDM for RSS2 out of our Papakura plant,” explains James Patterson, Auckland Sales Manager for Humes. “All of the concrete supplied to this project is unique. They are Class 6 load rated, with specific cement additives, which are a requirement for this project due to the soil conditions and localised marine environment. We needed to specifically manufacture these products as they are not conventional ‘off the shelf’ pipes. This required detailed alignment on the installation plans with TDM’s team, such was the short turnaround.”

“A project of this size creates its challenges,” says, Rob Baxter, GM for TDM Construction. “With the pipes being all ‘made to order’ based on the specifications, we have had to balance longer than standard lead-times with design and programme changes. We have a good relationship with Humes and we have worked through things together.”

“Added to these challenges has been multiple work fronts opening up earlier than initially programmed, again putting pressure on having the product ready when required. With four to five drainage crews operating we have been happy to date how everything has lined up.”

Supply to the site started in September / October 2023 and the last of the deliveries to TDM should be made by June this year. Approximately 6,500 tonnes or 3.2 km of pipe will have been consumed by the taxiway project before the tarmac is laid above it.

Keeping sustainability top of mind:

An advantage to choosing Humes for the supply of the specialised concrete pipes is that the Papakura plant where they are manufactured is less than 20 kms from the airport, saving on transport costs and therefore reducing embodied carbon.
All Humes concrete pipe is manufactured using EcoSure cement from Golden Bay Cement. EcoSure Type GP cement is NZ's lowest carbon GP cement. EcoSure has 699kgsCO2e / tonne of cement … 27% less than the ISC 2020 baseline.

EPD: Our Reinforced Concrete Pipe (RCP) EPD sets a precedent in New Zealand by quantifying the environmental impact of our concrete pipes. With our EPD you'll have a transparent view of environmental performance, aiding informed choices for sustainable infrastructure.