Talk to us about underground works
Name and mobile is all we need. We call back, usually same day.
Tunnel and TBM Demolition
Tunnel boring machines cut up and recovered, tunnel infrastructure demolished, and underground structures removed, in the tightest workplaces construction has to offer.
- ✓TBM breakdown, cutting and piece-out after drive completion
- ✓Tunnel services, linings and internal structure demolition
- ✓Shaft and cavern infrastructure removal
- ✓Brokk remote machines built for underground work
- ✓Confined space crews with major-project inductions
Underground demolition is logistics first, cutting second
Everything about demolition gets harder underground: every tonne must travel back up the shaft, the air must be managed, the exclusion zones are absolute, and the machine that does the work has to fit down the hole in pieces. This is exactly the work our Brokk fleet and confined space crews were built for, and it is why major projects call us after the drive is done.
A TBM at the end of its drive is thousands of tonnes of steel in a space with no crane access. We cut it into engineered pieces, recover what the client keeps, and scrap the rest, with every lift and every hot work permit planned before the first cut.
What we do underground
- TBM disassembly, cutting and removal from tunnels and shafts
- Demolition of temporary tunnel services, ventilation and conveyors
- Concrete lining, invert and internal structure removal
- Cross passage and connection breakouts
- Shaft furniture and headframe removal at completion
The machines that make it possible
Brokk remote demolition machines are the underground workhorse: electric, compact, and operated with the crew standing clear. Paired with wire saws and hydraulic splitters they demolish concrete in places a conventional excavator cannot reach and diesel plant should not run.
Major project compliance
Tunnel projects run the strictest site systems in the country. Our crews arrive with confined space, working at heights and tunnel inductions current, and our documentation, SWMS, rescue plans, hot work and lift plans, is written for tier one review, not adapted afterwards.
TBM drive finishing soon? The removal method should be locked before breakthrough. Send the machine spec and shaft details and we will start the methodology early.
Where we work
Sydney head office, Brisbane yard, crews Australia wide. Infrastructure and government work runs interstate on staged programs with cleared, inducted personnel.
Questions we get asked
Can you remove a TBM the client wants to reuse?
Yes, recovery for reuse changes the cut plan completely: we disassemble at bolted joints and protect what matters instead of flame cutting everything. Say so up front and we design for it.
How does spoil and scrap get out?
Through the project’s existing logistics: shaft cranage and tunnel haulage, booked into the project cycle. We size every piece to the crane and the clearance envelope.
Do you work under the project’s principal contractor?
Always, as a specialist subcontractor inside their systems. We are used to tier one interfaces and daily coordination.
What about live rail or road tunnels?
Possession-based work in commissioned tunnels is possible: night possessions, strict time windows and equipment that is in and out per shift. It is planned differently and priced honestly for what possessions cost.
Underground structure to remove?
Send the drawings and access details. You will get a methodology that survives tier one review and a price to match.
Call 02 8015 6345
Perfect Contracting acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Traditional Custodians of the country on which we live and work. We pay our respects to the Traditional Custodians and Elders past, present and future, and honour their connection to the land and ongoing contribution to society.