Project Background

The Melbourne Central Rail project was a pivotal component of the Victorian Government’s Victoria Big Build infrastructure program. This initiative aimed to enhance public safety while modernising crucial transport infrastructure across the state. Melbourne Central Station, one of the busiest railway stations in the network, was identified as a key location requiring significant safety upgrades. Given its strategic importance, the station needed to be reinforced against security threats, including potential terror attacks, while simultaneously preserving its heritage-listed status. The project required fire-rated and blast-resistant glazing solutions capable of protecting passengers from high-impact explosions while preventing the spread of fire in emergency situations. Melbourne Central’s architectural elements, including its iconic tiled interiors, had to remain untouched throughout the upgrade. This necessitated a highly specialised engineering approach to ensure both compliance with safety regulations and respect for historical preservation requirements.

Technical and Safety Requirements

Melbourne Central Station’s unique security profile meant that the glazing system had to meet stringent safety criteria. The selected DtS solution needed to withstand an 80kPa/235kPa-ms blast load, equivalent to the force of a Person Borne Improvised Explosive Device (PBIED) at a distance of 12.1 meters. The glazing also needed to provide two-hour fire resistance, ensuring that flames and heat would be contained in the event of a fire emergency. Achieving these dual safety standards posed considerable design challenges. The framing system had to be engineered to support the extreme loads imposed by both blast forces and fire exposure while integrating seamlessly into the heritage-listed architecture. This required advanced structural calculations to ensure compliance without necessitating alterations to existing heritage elements. Traditional installation methods would not suffice, as space constraints and safety concerns prohibited the use of standard fixing techniques.

Challenges Faced During Installation

One of the primary difficulties faced by the project team was the logistical constraint of working within an active railway station. Melbourne Central continued to operate throughout the installation process, requiring construction crews to adhere to a four-hour work window per day. Within this limited timeframe, workers had to undergo safety inductions, transport equipment to the site, and complete installation tasks with extreme precision. Further complicating the project was the lack of on-site storage. Due to space limitations, all materials had to be delivered on a just-in-time basis. The fire-rated glass panels, each weighing approximately 400kg, could not be stored at the station and instead had to be transported via rail and installed immediately upon arrival. The full project scope involved the delivery and installation of five shipping containers of high-performance glazing, requiring meticulous planning and coordination. Another major hurdle was the preservation of the station’s heritage-listed tiles and framework. Since the glazing had to be integrated into the station’s existing architecture, it was essential to avoid any damage to the original structure. This required the use of a customised narrow frame that provided the necessary strength and compliance without intruding on the protected elements of the station’s design.

Greene Fire’s Custom Solution

To address these challenges, Greene Fire developed a bespoke blast-resistant and fire-rated glazing system that combined cutting-edge safety technology with a design that respected Melbourne Central’s historical significance. The solution incorporated a 54mm thick Contraflam 120-5 insulated glass unit, engineered to deliver exceptional thermal insulation while withstanding extreme blast pressures. This high-performance Aluflam glazing system was housed within an 18mm reinforced steel frame, carefully designed to offer maximum structural integrity while remaining compatible with the heritage constraints providing a fire rating of -/120/120. A key element of the installation was the use of a pressure plate and gasketed rebate system within the AW60 framing, which ensured that the glass remained securely in place under high blast loads. To reinforce the framing system, Greene Fire implemented TORX30 7.5x182mm Zinc Concrete Screws, each capable of withstanding 560kg of tensile force. The combination of these advanced materials and installation techniques ensured that the glazing met all fire resistance and blast protection standards while seamlessly integrating with the station’s architectural features.

Execution and Project Success

Despite the considerable obstacles, Greene Fire successfully completed the project within the allotted timeframe. The highly restricted work schedule required the installation team to operate with extreme efficiency, ensuring that each task was completed to the highest standards within the designated daily four-hour window. This precision execution was essential to maintaining station operations while delivering the required safety enhancements. The just-in-time delivery strategy proved instrumental in overcoming the lack of on-site storage, ensuring that each 400kg glass pane was transported, positioned, and installed with minimal disruption to the surrounding environment. The specialised framing system not only met all fire resistance and blast impact requirements but also ensured that the station’s heritage-listed design remained fully intact. The success of the Melbourne Central Rail project underscores Greene Fire’s expertise in delivering high-performance safety solutions in challenging environments. By engineering a system that met the highest security standards while respecting architectural heritage, Greene Fire has set a new benchmark for fire-rated and blast-resistant glazing installations in public infrastructure. This project ensures that Melbourne Central remains a safer, more resilient transport hub, capable of withstanding potential threats while preserving its historic identity.