After living through two major earthquakes in Nepal of more than 7 magnitude, David Lees returned to Australia on 30th May 2015.

David has been working on the Melamchi Water Supply Project since July 2014 as a Senior Tunnelling Engineer. On April 25th a devastating earthquake hit the country, a second one occurred on May 12th and in between and after there have been many after shocks. The area in which the project lies Sindhupalchowk is the worst hit area and the community has suffered tremendously. Since the earthquake on 25th April David has been assisting the emergency response teams, coordinating road clearance with the local army major.

The new development at No 3 Mineapolis Crescent required an excavation for basement parking. GFWAust were appointed to create a retaining wall by permeation grouting around the site for a distance of 40m to enable excavation to bedrock at a depth of 3m below surface.

The ground conditions consisted of Botany Sands with minor layers of peat and Coffee Rock. The sand was stabilised with interlocking 500mm diameter columns of grouted sand.

David has published his new novel - The Age of Steam.

The book is available through Equilibrium Books at http://www.equilibriumbooks.com/steam.htm

The book is a work of historical fiction about the life and times of George Stevenson from the underground coal mining industry of Northern England at the end of the 18th Century through to the development of railways with the Stockton to Darlington Railway and the Liverpool to Manchester Railway.

The book describes the operation of steam pumping engines and the development of locomotive power, as well as showing Stephenson's education and the development of an inquisitive brain, from the workings of clocks, experiments in perpetual motion, and the development of the first mine safety lamp, as well as patents for steel rails and the development of steam locomotives.

After the successful completion of the grouting and concreting of the first compressor in 2011 GFWAust were invited back by APA in October and November 2012 to complete the works on the 2nd and 3rd compressors.

GWAust carried out a trial for Melbourne Metro to fix leaks in the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop. GFWAust demonstrated the effectiveness of the DryFlex injection resin in sealing the micro cracks in the concrete lining and stopping the water ingress into the tunnel.