Gundagai Sewerage Treatment Plant

Dincel System Exceeds Expectations of Sceptical First Time User

Located at the lowest point in Gundagai, the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council Sewerage Treatment Plant needs to be able to withstand harsh weather conditions. Which is where DET Constructions came in.

The existing plant is around 100 years old and has suffered flood damage over the years particularly the 2012 flood. Using mostly custom lengths of Dincel 275mm, ranging from 2.7m to 5.7m high, the retaining walls at the Sewerage Treatment Plant are being built to survive a minimum 1 in 100-year flood.

The cost savings with using Dincel was a big benefit to David when it came to choosing Dincel for this project. “The cost savings the engineer put forward interested me.” David has estimated that using Dincel instead of the conventional formwork method is saving him around 60% per square metre.

“With conventional formwork you would need a lot more men, you’d need cranes, we’d build it here on deck and we’d be lifting it in. The cost savings are unbelievable. It’s a strong product.”

Apart from the cost benefits with Dincel, two things that David likes about Dincel is the ease of install and the minimal bracing required.

“It’s easy to install. Pay it some respect the bracing is minimal and you don’t have to spend a lot of time with uplift, which with conventional stuff you do. It takes a lot of worry out of concrete.”

As a first-time user, David initially had some concerns with the 5.7m height of the walls. He was quick to point out that Dincel offered a lot of support and walked him through the initial installation and concrete pour.

“Dincel were a massive help for this project. I hadn’t used Dincel before and these walls are very high walls. I was really concerned with doing it all in one lift. With conventional formwork you’d only do half and then have to do another lift.” He explained. “Dincel guaranteed me that they could do it, so they supplied me with two good men. We did the first two pours with them and it was brilliant.

“I just followed along and learned off them. Now I’m doing them by myself and I have the upmost faith in it as long as you follow Dincel instructions to the tee.”

Worried about how the Dincel panels would handle the 5.7m height of the walls, David pointed out that the Dincel team were right there to ease concerns.

“With the height of the walls I was initially worried about the pressures of the buttresses pushing against the face wall. With conventional formwork you have to put Z Bars right through the buttress from end to end. The Dincel team came and showed me how to pour. We poured the wall up 2m to start with to the take the pressure off, then went to the buttress. It worked really well. Its surprising how it holds together.”

When asked if he would use Dincel again, David didn’t hesitate. “I would definitely use Dincel again. It’s a great product.”