HMAS Albatross is a Royal Australian Navy Air Station, and is located on Albatross Road, about 8km SW of the town of Nowra, NSW. The HMAS Albatross Redevelopment project is essential to the remediation of the facilities, infrastructure and engineering services for the Navy’s future requirements, by upgrading and refurbishing existing facilities and infrastructure.

The geotechnical works included geotechnical investigations for new buildings – Intake Switching Station (ISS) #1, Intake Switching Station (ISS) #2, Central Emergency Power Station (CEPS),Water Pump House, Fitness Facilities A, and Fitness Facilities B. Geotechnical investigations were also required for the Hot Refuelling Point & Fuel Pipeline, as well as for the new taxiways adjacent to the airport runways. This also required the installation and monitoring of groundwater wells. Given that the taxiway subgrade comprised very low CBR clay material, so we conducted lime stabilisation trials to determine the best and most efficient subgrade stabilisation treatment. Soil Resistivity Testing was also carried out at the locations of six new substations.

The road pavements throughout the naval base also required reconstruction, and we conducted a pavement investigation, including an assessment of the existing pavement condition, determined the existing pavement composition, established the subgrade type, and provided recommendations for the new pavement construction and rehabilitation.