Drilling & Abseil Services Ltd

New Self-drilling Anchor System

drillabseil — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:30:20 +0000

For fractured and weathered rock or unconsolidated soil formations

We are now able to provide our clients with self-drilling anchors R25 to R38 with our new rotopercussion unit specially designed for that purpose.

A perfect complement to our grouting and testing systems.

Any place where access or work safety is a problem, in clay, gravel, sand or boulders…

We will still be happy to use our downhole hammers in good rock!

Yearly safety improvement on SH6 for NZTA – Nevis Bluff near Queenstown

drillabseil — Sat, 28 May 2011 10:32:55 +0000

In association with Downer Edi Works and Opus International, we have scaled and blasted 2 rock features from the 230m high face: Epsilon VI and the Lower West Column for a total amount of 35 cubic meters.
These features that are regularly monitored by Opus, were highly fractured and threatened the road and traffic below.

Epsilon VI direct access on rigging

: Setting up one of the three blast wirings at Epsilon VI. Click to enlarge

After the rock removal, we have drilled, installed, grouted and tested 10 rocks bolts (between 4.5 and 9 meters deep) at 100 meters high on the West column.

Also for reinforcement purpose, we then carried out a complete installation of a mesh on the Lower West Column, in a very overhanging zone. The location of anchors is carefully chosen to make sure the mesh fits well.

Click to enlarge

We want to thank the road users for their patience that allowed the State Highway 6 to be safer between Cromwell and Queenstown.

Third mesh at Frances Hodgkins

drillabseil — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:37:07 +0000

July 2010

Due to consecutive rock falls on the cliff at the end of the retirement centre building, 17 rock bolts were drilled and a mesh was installed.

Glorious morning in Dunedin

Completed mesh

Glenorchy Landslide Testing

drillabseil — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:27:13 +0000

In an emergency response to the rockslide on the Glenorchy-Queenstown road in May 2010, we intervened during the week-end to test the rock stability so that it reopened the following Monday (read the Otago Daily time article).

The helicopter dropped us off above the cliff, we scaled all the loose rocks. Then, we anchored the large rock of concern, so that a digger could tug it from the road with a cable. When no movement was observed, it was deemed safe enough to reopen the road, once cleared.

Second mesh at Frances Hodkins!

drillabseil — Sun, 16 May 2010 06:07:36 +0000

Access: Even with a fragile barrier at the top of the slope, we are still able to find a way to rig safely.

Drillability: The presence of clay at different depths has obliged us to alternate the use of a down hole hammer and drag bits, to drill top anchors 4m deep embedded in 90mm holes, whereas on most jobs of that kind just a hand-drill and 2m holes should do.

Quickly done, Well done!

drillabseil — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:36:46 +0000

Lindis Pass road is exposed to some rocks from bluffs near Camp Creek.

Lindis oct 09 (DAS)

Once again, helicopter sluicing and scaling by abseiling means have successfully permitted us to get rid of a few truck loads of rocks overhanging SH4 near Lindis Pass.

We made in five days the work planned for ten, to the satisfaction of Opus consultants . Thanks to NZTA maintenance manager from Downer EDI Works and the road management team who did a very professional work.

A Team Work

drillabseil — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:54:32 +0000

Do you know what some abseilers do during winter?

Ski-mountaineering races!

: Alexis, skinning up during Black Diamond Ohau Blast 2008

These races simply consist in racing on skis from one point A to B in steep mountaineering terrain, out of ski-field boundaries. It usually involves lots of skinning up, fast transitions and epic downhill skiing. Qualities required are endurance for the skinning up and pure off-piste skiing ability.

Very popular in Europe, see www.skimountaineering.org/, these competitions started 3 years ago in New Zealand : skimonz.blogspot.com/. Although this form of racing on skis was first developed in the 1920′s in Switzerland, the sport has recently benefited from fantastic improvement in gear and time, see Fast And Furious article by Andrew McLean.

Well done Gena & Alexis!

After your excellent results at Craigieburn last month, hard training, tenacity and team work have been paying once again at Mt Cheeseman competition The Tour NZ, last week-end.
Not unlike the Nevis Bluff

Check out lots of beautiful photos by John O’Malley of The Tour Backcountry Ski Touring Race 19th and 20th Sept 2009 on http://www.castlehill.net.nz/gallery/thetour.htm

You can expect Drilling and Abseil Services staff to be fit this spring !

Useful Mesh

drillabseil — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:08:57 +0000

150 m2 of mesh, with 5 x 4 meter deep top anchors, 24 x 2-3m deep bolts … and a lot of hard and smart work!

Result: 15 meters along the cliff are now protected from landslides, rockfalls and erosion.

This remedial work was done after a landslide, which took half of the barrier.

French visitor

drillabseil — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:59:21 +0000

Thanks for your expertise, Benoit ; Good drilling in New Caledonia!

During 3 weeks, we had the pleasure to share Ben’s experience, six years team leader at Ouest Acro (French leading abseiling company), on our last work : 150square meter mesh installation and rock bolting. Ben took the chance to go to THE Match… and we have not heard of him since!

Drilling

Nevis Bluff: successful and in due time!

drillabseil — Tue, 12 May 2009 03:36:03 +0000

Access and safety

Climbing up to the workplace, credit J Barbour (c) DAS

Installing the antirockfall barrier before start (c) DAS

With our previous references on the same cliff, we succeeded on that tender. A team of four of us equipped in two weeks an access on that remote part of the Nevis Bluff. From the top first. Then with Heliworks delivery, we were able to built a rock fall barrier above the area to be worked on. The installation of 120m of ladders and steps bridges allowed Fulton Hogan team and ours to gain access every morning, using a double fixed line system. For the following 5 weeks: hand drilling, blasting, hand scaling and helicopter watersluicing composed the program. Thanks to our ability and abseiling skills, Drilling & Abseil Services has been a successful part of the operations involving helicopters, heavy traffic management and work at height.

Rock Bolting

Rock bolting after rock removal, credit Dave McKinney (c) DAS

Nevis Bluff, Queenstown side (c) DAS