A BULK EXCAVATION SHOWDOWN

BULKX VS CLAMSHELL

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

Check out the video below showing the difference between 2 common bulk excavation methods - the BulkX, (a bulk excavation bin system by Conquip), and a Clamshell Excavator, (a long-reach, hydraulic excavator with a grab on the end of its arm).

Would it work for your project?

Let's find out.

Why did we look at this scenario?

Over the past few years, we've seen an increase in complex bulk excavation projects. This has been driven by a sharp increase in public-backed, major infrastructure works, such as Sydney Metro, the Metro Tunnel in Melbourne and WestConnex. On many infrastructure projects, a large amount of excavation is required, for example, sinking a shaft or removing spoil from a tunnel.

In the past 20 years, we have seen major projects have their budgets or programs derailed as a result of poor management of those early stages, including bulk excavation. This could be not having the right solution on-site, not estimating the volume of muck correctly / time it is going to take, or not thinking about the solution early enough in the preconstruction phase and specifying other equipment that they might need on-site to ensure it is run on time.

So, we have taken two commonly used methods and put them against each other to see which option "wins".

BulkX excavation on Melbourne Metro project

Why compare BulkX and clamshell excavator?

We're seeing excavations become less planned, people not thinking about their excavation method until late in the project, which can leave them with less options for their methodology and often end up costing them more money.

Clamshell excavators are a good example of a methodology which can be quickly rented from a machine hire company, but they might not be the most effective method.

Also, BulkX is still a relatively new concept and while it has been used on Sydney Metro and Melbourne Metro, there are a lot of contractors who haven't yet used it. So, here's a scenario, using real-life data* to give you insights into how BulkX compares to a Clamshell Excavator.

*All data, including costings and shaft size, is based on site feedback from a live project in Australia, during December 2022.

What's important in bulk excavation?

IMPACT ON LOCAL COMMUNITY

Normally bulk excavation means that there are large lorries leaving the job site constantly. In inner city communities with congested, tight roads, busy highways, busy housing communities and local schools, it's incredibly important that vehicle movements are managed well. Often there are restrictions on the time of day that large vehicles can arrive and leave site.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Larger infrastructure projects often have stringent environmental and sustainability targets to meet during the build, including reducing waste and limiting pollution and embodied carbon. For bulk excavation this means reducing use of conventional machinery, trying to reduce overall program (faster excavation means less pollution) and efficiency of methodology - is the least environmental impact for the quickest / best result?

SPEED

The faster the dig, the shorter the program, the shorter the program the lower the costs. We understand that some projects can cost the contractor anywhere from $100,000 - $1,000,000 / day to run the job site during bulk excavation. Every day that can be reduced, could save the project millions of dollars. To see an example of this, view our Crossrail, London case study here.

SPACE RESTRICTIONS

Often these projects are heavily constrained on space, so it's important that any method is compact and has a minimal footprint on-site.

SAFETY & RELIABILITY

These projects are big disruptors to millions of people's lives, it's important that the method of excavation is reliable and doesn't lead to breakdowns, accidents, program delays and queues of trucks in the street. A 'near miss' incident will shut down a construction project while an investigation takes place, this could take days or weeks to resolve. While an investigation is absolutely the right thing to do, this downtime costs the project millions, often when it could have been avoided in the first place.

PROS OF BULKX

Fail-safe - No spoil can fall during lifting. The BulkX Bin is loaded when the doors are closed. The doors remain closed and only open when discharging on a gantry.
No breakdowns - It is operated by a simple mechanism and gravity, there is no complexity with hydraulics that could break down and cause downtime.
Fills truck in one discharge - It fills the truck to full capacity in one-hit (depending on size), this means no trucks leave half empty, maximising efficiencies on cost and time, and reducing the number of trucks on the road.
No breakdowns - It is operated by a simple mechanism and gravity, there is no complexity with hydraulics that could break down and cause downtime.
No need to stockpile - BulkX was designed to discharge directly into a truck, reducing double-handling.
Flexible discharge location - The discharge location is relocatable, both with Gantry and Direct-to-Truck models. This gives further flexibility, allowing barge discharge and other applications. The only limitation is crane reach.
Can operate in low headroom - If operated using a gantry crane, it doesn't matter about reduced 'head height' or operating within an acoustic shed, as seen at Sydney Metro.

LIMITATIONS OF BULKX

You need a crane on-site to operate it, with enough capacity. Although BulkX has been used with tower, crawler and gantry cranes in the past.

TIME TO GET STARTED...?

As you can see BulkX has the ability to save you money, reduce the number of trucks needed on site, and provide a fail-safe solution - BulkX is the smarter choice for your excavation.

But don't just take our word for it. Our team of experts has years of experience from projects all over the world, from Parramatta Square in NSW to the Mersey Gateway Bridge in the UK. We bring unique insights and a different perspective to your preconstruction table, helping you maximize efficiency and achieve your goals.

So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with our technical team today and see the difference that BulkX can make for your excavation and build program. The future of excavation is here, it's time to join us on the cutting edge!

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