DYNAMIC 3D DESIGN
ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE EXPLORES HOW SEEQUENT’S LEAPFROG WORKS SOFTWARE HELPED JACOBS AUSTRALIA VISUALISE AND COMMUNICATE THEIR EMU SWAMP DAM BUSINESS CASE.
T
he Emu Swamp Dam project, a proposed 12,100 megalitre urban and irrigation supply dam on the Severn River in Stanthorpe Queensland, aims to increase security and agricultural proficiency in the state. It specifically caters to the Southern Downs Region, known for drought and subsequent water supply issues. The project has been ongoing since 2006, when the initial advice application was submitted. Since then, private farmers and developers have committed to funding 29 per cent of the project, with the Federal Government announcing it will look into co-funding earlier this year. The project is designed to provide a surety of additional water supplies,
enabling increased cultivation and benefit to the local economy. Additionally, the project is estimated to secure 700 local jobs, while increasing production for Queensland fruit farmers and viticulturists, who have been previously forced to truck water in from New South Wales. Jacobs Australia, an engineering and technical services firm, was engaged by the Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce to develop the Emu Swamp Dam business case and reference design. Jacobs Technical Director Engineering Geology, Graeme Jardine, says developing the business case involved providing engineering expertise, stakeholder communication, environmental works to offset harm, baseline
Risks associated with any dam project are considerable.
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ROADS JULY 2019
economics and provisional water sales assessment. “The project faced many challenges including determining an economic and safe design, securing water resources without affecting downstream flows, and incorporating the project into state water plans,” says Mr. Jardine. “Jacobs was also required to liaise and communicate with a variety of stakeholders, from local councils, chambers of commerce and government to private farmers, developers and the local community.” To assess project risk and communicate that risk effectively to stakeholders, Jacobs used Seequent’s 3D subsurface modelling solution Leapfrog Works. Leapfrog Works is a 3D subsurface modelling solution, specifically designed for the civil engineering and environmental industries. The software produces highly visual 3D subsurface models to help users understand the geological risks of a project, which can then be accurately communicated to all stakeholders through a range of collaborative sharing tools. Mr. Jardine says the risks associated with any dam project are considerable, not least due to the risk of valley bulging and associated permeability. “By using Leapfrog Works to create a subsurface model, Jacobs were able to gain a clear understanding of the geology and mitigate the risks they faced,” Mr. Jardine says. “This included proposing a grout curtain to stop seepage and piping failure. The subsurface model also identified weathered decomposed granite in the south-east abutment, which meant the dam footprint could require widening
