WA wins big at engineering awards

Engineering firm, SKM has taken out the top prize at the Engineers Australia, Engineering Excellence Awards for its work on Rio Tinto Iron Ore's US$1.4 billion Dampier Port Upgrade in the Pilbara, with two Western Australians taking out individual honours.

This follows the DPU project's win as the Most Outstanding Engineering Achievement in the Western Australian Engineers Australia awards in September.

On the individual award front, Western Australia took home two of the four honours that were up for grabs.

Vaughn Grey, a mechanical engineer and chemist from SKM's Perth office, was awarded the Snowy Hydro Young Professional Engineer, specifically recognising the work that he does for Engineers without Borders.

Mr Grey is currently leading projects in Indonesia, East Timor and within remote regions of Australia focusing on water and sustainability issues.

Engineering Officer of the Year Award went to Francis Norman, the regional engineering manager in Western Australia for Aker Solutions.

Mr Norman is responsible for overseeing the day to day execution of all engineering activities, along with recruitment, development and retention of all required personnel.

Mr Norman also participates in the UWA mentoring program, working with engineering students to help them integrate into their working environment as well as providing guest speaker services for various institutions.

Engineers Australia praised the DPU's innovation and successful delivery, which was ahead of time, under budget, with an outstanding safety record of 5 million manhours LTI free, and incorporating technological innovation.

The project increased the port capacity by 90 per cent, to 140 million tonnes per annum, during a period of record iron ore exports for the region.

SKM's engineering manager on the project, Phil Beddoes said SKM is very proud that the DPU has been recognised by Engineers Australia.

"The project set new benchmarks in engineering design and construction practices that have since been employed in other port developments around the globe," he said at the awards ceremony in Canberra.

Beddoes also made special mention of the importance of teamwork and the average young age of the project team members (35 years) who delivered the project.

Full announcement below:

SKM Wins National Engineering Award for Dampier Port

Thursday 20 November, Canberra: Global engineering, project delivery and sciences firm Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) has won top engineering honours for Rio Tinto Iron Ore's US$1.4 billion Dampier Port Upgrade (DPU), in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

The project was declared 'Winner' at the Engineers Australia, Engineering Excellence Awards gala dinner at Parliament House in Canberra. This follows the project's win as the Most Outstanding Engineering Achievement in the Western Australian Engineers Australia awards in September.

In bestowing the award, Engineers Australia praised the project's innovation and successful delivery, which was ahead of time, under budget, with an outstanding safety record of 5 million manhours LTI free, and incorporating technological innovation.

With the Pilbara region experiencing unprecedented expansion, SKM and Rio Tinto found new and innovative solutions to increase the port capacity by 90% to 140 million tonnes per annum, during a period of record iron ore exports. An Engineers Australia spokesman said, "The project set a new benchmark with over five million man-hours free of lost time injuries and delivered a world-class solution."

A key feature of the project delivery was a focus on all aspects of long term sustainability. The project team delivered a new port, with significant social benefits, economic wealth creation and improved safety for workers.

On receiving the award, Phil Beddoes, SKM's engineering manager on the project, acknowledged the vision, experience and dedicated efforts of the SKM and Rio Tinto teams in delivering a showcase of Australian engineering.

"SKM is very proud that the DPU has been recognised by Engineers Australia. The project set new benchmarks in engineering design and construction practices that have since been employed in other port developments around the globe. This clearly demonstrates that the Dampier Port Upgrade is a significant achievement in engineering and project delivery excellence, and long term sustainability," Beddoes said.

Beddoes also made special mention of the importance of teamwork and the average young age of the project team members (35 years) who delivered the project.

Vaughn Grey from SKM's Perth office was also awarded the Snowy Hydro Young Professional Engineer, specifically recognising the work that he does for Engineers without Borders.

Australia's top 2008 engineering achievements
Beijing's National Aquatics Centre (Water Cube) took out top honours for engineering excellence
for Arup at the 2008 Australian Engineering Excellence Awards (2008 AEEA) gala dinner at the
Great Hall of Parliament House Canberra last night, Wednesday 19 November.
The Sir William Hudson Award was presented by Julie Hammer AM, National President of
Engineers Australia, and accepted on behalf of Arup by Dr Marianne Foley.
The Chair if the 2008 AEEA judging panel, Ian Pedersen, said, "This world renowned project by
Australian engineers exhibited the highest standards of engineering innovation, environmental
sustainability and engineering excellence.
"The engineering team made the dreams of the architects and the client come true, and the
Beijing water cube has taken its place as one of the world's most iconic and popular structures."
The building was officially opened in January 2008 for the Beijing Olympic Games. Enclosed
within the amazing blue bubble ethyl tetra fluoro ethylene (ETFE) walls are the pools for the
swimming and diving competitions, along with seating and facilities for 17,000 spectators.
The Water Cube is essentially a structure made from an organic network of steel tubular
members - based on the design using the geometry of foam - and clad with translucent ETFE
pillows the venue continues to be used as one of Beijing's premier recreation centres.
Australian Engineering Excellence Awards Winners
Dampier Port Upgrade - Sinclair Knight Merz
Western Australia's Pilbara region is experiencing unprecedented expansion of its industry,
driven by global demand for iron ore. Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) found new and innovative
solutions during a major resources boom to increase the port capacity by 90% while exporting
record tonnages. The $US1.4B project included a 600m wharf extension, two car dumpers, a
stockyard extension, four stackers, a reclaimer, two shiploaders, two Screenhouses and
associated conveyors and was completed on budget and ahead of schedule. The project set a
benchmark with over five million work man-hours free of lost time injuries, and delivered a world
class solution.
Amazon Waterlily Pavilion - Connell Wagner Pty Ltd
The stunning Amazon Waterlily Pavilion sets a new benchmark in Adelaide for innovative
structural glass engineering, delighting admirers of modern architecture and botanists alike. The
unique glasshouse was constructed as part of the Botanic Gardens' 150th anniversary
celebrations and replaces the original Victoria House, designed in 1867. Glass forms the
majority of the supporting structure; steel provides lateral support. A steel framework supports
part of the canopy roof structure, constructed in a pattern resembling the veins on the waterlily's
giant leaves.
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The Freedom Wheelchair - Lu Papi & Associates
No wheelchair exists that can be used as an everyday chair, a commode chair, a shower chair
and a traveling chair. Wheelchairs are also very heavy causing shoulder, arm and back injuries
to disabled users, carers and health professionals. The Freedom Wheelchair has been designed
to meet the end user's needs. This required innovative thinking incorporating input from
wheelchair users, doctors specialising in spinal cord injuries, bio-mechanical engineers, and
professional specifiers. The complex engineering design was design with 3D software and CAE
Finite Element Analysis. The result, an axle-less design utilising advanced materials, simplicity
of manufacture, for assembly by disabled people that is sold at a reasonable price. It is ultralight,
multifunctional and elegant.
AP-3C Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) - P3 Accord - Maritime Patrol System
Program Office, BAE Systems Australia and Australian Aerospace
An upgrade to the RAAF Orion AP-3C Capability System enables crews to provide coalition
commanders with valuable real time aerial views of their surrounding environments. The
introduction of TCDL technology means that detailed aerial visuals of an area can be beamed to
ground troops, day or night, to help identify hostile or suspicious activities. This has never been
successfully achieved by a major Australian defence system to date, let alone from an aircraft to
individual soldiers.
Wembley Stadium, Arch and Roof - Connell Wagner Pty Ltd
With its stunning arch visible from over 20km, the new A$1 billion UEFA 5-star Wembley
Stadium stands as a landmark on London's skyline. The unique toroidally-shaped rectangular
roof, hung from a basket weave lattice arch with a record breaking span of 315m, is an
innovative and structurally efficient solution to providing fully covered, unobstructed views to all
90,000 spectators and a shadow - free playing area. With a circumference of 1km, enclosing
four million cubic metres inside its wall and under its roof, the stadium's strong architectural
statement and excellent facilities make Wembley arguably, the best stadium in the world.
Australian Government Engineering Innovation Award (AusIndustry)
UltraCMOS™ Manufacturing - Peregrine Semiconductor Australia Pty Ltd
Peregrine is producing integrated circuits that are expanding customer options using the unique
properties of its UltraCMOS™silicon-on-sapphire (SoS) technology by providing major advances
in speed and power at a lower cost. Peregrine's manufacturing techniques allow the
unprecedented combination of high-performance microwave, analogue and digital functions onto
a single chip. Peregrine Semiconductor Australia Pty Ltd is the only commercial semiconductor
manufacturing operation in Australia and is now making a significant impact on the global
electronics economy.
Environmental Engineering Excellence Award (Sponsored by UTS)
Bundamba Advanced Water Treatment Plan (AWTP) - Stage 1A - Thiess Pty Ltd
and Black & Veatch
The design, construct and commissioning of this project as the first of three such plants in SE
Queensland is part of the $2.5billion Western Corridor Recycled Water Project, the largest water
recycling project in the Southern Hemisphere. The plant, located in Ipswich, QLD, produces
20ML per day of purified recycled water, which has previously discharged into the nearby river a
lower quality effluent. This alliance project, including 16km of 800mm pipelines, was designed,
constructed and commissioned in less than ten months to international standards using the
highest quality materials, equipment and technology.