Concrete is playing a central role in the delivery of Australia’s monumental infrastructure pipeline – and there’s no better showcase of its material qualities than on the country’s largest road project, WestConnex.

“When it comes to WestConnex, concrete is the great enabler. No other material could have made this game-changing infrastructure project possible,” says CCAA CEO, Ken Slattery.

When completed in 2023, WestConnex will link western and south western Sydney with the city, airport and port in a 33km continuous motorway – most of it underground.

Construction of the $16.8 billion project commenced in 2015, with stages one (M4 widening and New M4) and two (M8) now complete, and the third and final stage (M4-M5 Link Tunnels and Rozelle Interchange) well underway.


Concrete is playing a central role in the delivery of Australia’s monumental infrastructure pipeline – and there’s no better showcase of its material qualities than on the country’s largest road project, WestConnex.


Mr Slattery said projects like WestConnex underlined the key role concrete plays in creating liveable cities.

“WestConnex is part of a 10-year, $110 billion pipeline of land transport infrastructure projects that will provide social and economic opportunities and benefits for future generations of Australians,” he says.

projects like WestConnex underline the key role concrete plays in creating liveable cities


“Concrete will be front and centre in the delivery of this enormous pipeline. There’s simply no other material that matches it for strength, durability and versatility, or is supported by a cost-efficient supply chain of the scale required.

“It’s also the most resilient and sustainable choice for major Infrastructure. Because concrete structures have a long, low maintenance life and are recyclable at the end of that life, their whole of life environmental impact is relatively low.”

The construction team took no chances in delivering this critical component of the project. A prototype was developed and tested off-site before construction began underground, and a special temperature-controlled sheeting was used to provide optimal thermal control during the concrete curing period.

Mr Slattery says the 110,000 Australians who work directly and indirectly in the heavy construction materials industry are the unsung heroes of WestConnex and projects like it.

“The frontline construction teams are totally dependent on the quarry workers, the cement plant workers and the people in the concrete batching plants – not to mention the transport workers who move materials across the supply chain,” he says.

“They all play an equally critical role in the delivery of Australia’s infrastructure pipeline.”

The WestConnex M4-M5 Link Tunnels is the latest stage of WestConnex to experience these benefits. So far, with more than a year of construction still to come, well over 500,000 cubic metres of concrete have been used across the Tunnel applications.

One of the most significant concrete components delivered so far is the bridging slab in the mainline tunnels. This provides additional reinforcement where the Rozelle Interchange ramp passes over the mainline tunnels in Leichhardt. It was constructed in 16 separate pours, using over 4500m3 of concrete and 160 steel cages.


It was constructed in 16 separate pours, using over 4500m3 of concrete and 160 steel cages.


Concrete's strength, durability, availability and sustainability makes it the firstchoice for infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, tunnels, rails, dams, air and seaport facilities. Find out more at Futureproof Your Build.