China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) has become the second contractor working on Singapore’s MRT Downtown Line to order an Aquajet hydrodemolition robot.
The news comes shortly after Australian contractor, McConnel Dowell took delivery of the first Aquajet unit to be used on the project.
CSCEC will use its 710V robotic water cutter to speed up work on a diaphragm wall, which forms part of the construction outfit’s two contracts on the Downtown Line Stage 3 project.
Patrick Lee, regional sales manager for Aquajet distributor, Asia Waterjet Equipment, said: “In addition to high productivity and reduced manpower costs, they [CSCEC] were looking for very precise work, which is not possible to achieve with jackhammers.
“The contractor wanted only a shallow cut to expose the rebar, so that surface panels could be installed quickly and accurately. The degree of control possible with the hydrodemolition robot meant that the delicate process of removing concrete without damage to the rebar could be controlled to a very fine limit,” he explained.
The CSCEC and McConnel Dowell orders have “provided hydrodemolition technology with a huge boost in Singapore, enhancing the image of hydrodemolition efficiency,” according to Aquajet Systems. The Swedish company expects the use of hydrodemolition technology to increase in Singapore in the future, following government policies to improve productivity and reduce reliance on foreign labour.
Lee added: “In Singapore, there is now a genuine case for advanced water-cutting technology. Increasingly, contractors are keen to invest, and with government support, there is a tremendous amount of interest in what can be achieved in labour savings, health and safety, noise control, and increased quality productivity.”