Main haul route rebuilt and placed under standing maintenance

The operation's main haul route had been patched rather than maintained for several seasons. Cross-fall had flattened, the wearing course was gone in the wheel paths, and standing water after rain was cutting the surface faster than it could be repaired. Tyre spend was climbing and cycle times had drifted well off the planning assumption.

We proof-rolled the existing subgrade and cut out the soft areas rather than building over them, then placed and compacted a selected layer and a new wearing course to design thickness. Cross-fall was reinstated across the full length and table drains were cut on both sides with mitre drains discharging clear of the formation.

Once the road was handed over, it went onto a standing maintenance circuit — grader passes on an agreed frequency and a water bowser circuit with application rates set for the gradient rather than applied uniformly.

The route has held its profile through two rain seasons. Defects are cut out at the weekly grader pass instead of being allowed to propagate, and the maintenance circuit continues under a rolling contract.