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Civil Engineering | August 2011 1

August 2011 Vol 19 No 7

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERINGENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING• The Fracking Debate• The Fracking Debate• Disaster Risk Management• Disaster Risk Management• Fisantekraal Wastewater Treatment Plant• Fisantekraal Wastewater Treatment Plant

Western and Southern Cape ProjectsWestern and Southern Cape ProjectsSAICE AND PROFESSIONAL NEWSSAICE AND PROFESSIONAL NEWS• CESMM3 for Southern Africa• CESMM3 for Southern Africa• Photo Competition Winners• Photo Competition Winners

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EDITORIAL PANELMarco van Dijk (chairman), Irvin Luker (vice-chairman), Seetella Makhetha (president), Manglin Pillay (CEO), Dawie Botha, Wally Burdzik, Johan de Koker, Gerhard Heymann, Jeffrey Mahachi, Jones Moloisane, Michelle Theron, Linda Erasmus (communications manager), Marie Ashpole, Zina Girald, Verelene de Koker (editor), Cathy van der Westhuizen (editor’s assistant), Barbara Spence (advertising)

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The South African Institution of Civil Engineering accepts no responsibility for any statements made or opinions expressed in this publication. Consequently nobody connected with the publication of the magazine, in particular the proprietors, the publishers and the editors, will be liable for any loss or damage sustained by any reader as a result of his or her action upon any statement or opinion published in this magazine.

ISSN 1021-2000

F O R E X C E L L E N C E I N M A G A Z I N EP U B L I S H I N G A N D J O U R N A L I S M

AAP CA

R D SWW I N E R 2 0 0 7N W I N N E R 2 0 0 8

F O R E X C E L L E N C E I N M A G A Z I N EP U B L I S H I N G A N D J O U R N A L I S M

W I N N E R 2 0 0 9F O R E X C E L L E N C E I N M A G A Z I N E

P U B L I S H I N G A N D E D I T O R I A L

Winner of the 2009 Pica Awardin the Construction, Engineering and Related Industries category for the third year running



ON THE COVERThe AfriSam Slagment Operation in

Vanderbijlpark has provided ground

granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) over

the last 40 years for the construction of

major structures, including buildings, dams,

bridges, roads and water-retaining structures



ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

SAICE AND PROFESSIONAL NEWS

FROM THE CEO’S DESKRight down the middle 3

OPINIONIs it us, or is it climate change? 6

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERINGOn fracking in the Karoo, open forums and the power of public opinion… 9

The importance of independent construction quality assurance (CQA) services for the installation of geosynthetic lining systems 12

Disaster Risk Management – planning for resilient and sustainable societies 16

S&P JV on track with Cape Town’s Fisantekraal Wastewater Treatment Plant 20

Quantitative Analysis of EIA for Environmental Engineers 25

Public transport and the environment – the way forward 30

WESTERN CAPEImplementation of school construction in the Western Cape 35

Upgrade of rental stock in the City of Cape Town 40

SOUTHERN CAPELight-gauge steel frame development in the Southern Cape 43

MARKET CONTRIBUTIONPost-tensioning: the right solution 47

OMB Waste Logistics takes waste underground 50

Amanzimtoti rehabilitation of dune slopes using Green Terramesh 52

Mezzanines in minutes 54

IN BRIEF 56 World’s fi rst commercial wave power plant

inaugurated Veolia to upgrade Bellville Wastewater Works Corobrik pavers beautify PE inner city

Sika stands up for sustainability and health & safety Mapei helps to reinforce concrete columns

Precast concrete standards and the CPA Lady civil engineer wins 2011 L’Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship

SAICE AND PROFESSIONAL NEWSA new standard system of measurement for civil engineering quantities in southern Africa (CESMM3) 62

Winners of the AfriSam-SAICE Electronic Photo Competition 2011 64

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development for 2012 – Regional Workshop for Africa 66

Strengthening ties with our Nigerian colleagues 67

SAICE UCT Student Chapter – visit to the Berg River Dam 68

Obituary – Professor Richard Loewenthal (or Richard the Lionheart!) 70

Diarise This 72

AfriSam wins M&G “Greening the Future” award 4 AfriSam had committed itself to reducing its burden on the environment long before it became fashionable to do so

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D110602 Mapei Exhibition Green 2.ai 1 25/07/2011 09:42


F R O M T H E C E O ’ S D E S K

Right down the middle I HAVE NEVER BEEN one to enjoy golf.

I think it is boring like London weather.

Th e one good thing about golf, though,

is that it is an excellent barometer for

the state of the economy – the more golf

players on the golf course, the more en-

couraging the state of economic activity

in the country. But our golf courses are

starting to appear dejected and forlorn

with the scarcity of visitors. A civil engi-

neering colleague from a well-established

engineering fi rm in South Africa jokes

that the company’s golf diary remains

largely unscheduled. Th eir principal

engineers are hardly on the golf course

these days; they are too busy scampering

around the local and international market

places sniffi ng for work. Th is is not a good

sign – not for improving handicap, and

most certainly not for the infrastructure

engineering economy.

Other senior engineers and heads of

departments that I have been commu-

nicating with, appear to share the same

sad sentiment. Some companies with

excellent management and administrative

skills had the foresight to plan for lean

times, and are able to sustain their people

despite the lack of work. How long these

organisations will be able to maintain

this situation is uncertain. Small and

medium-sized businesses, however, have

insuffi cient economic depth to apply the

same liberalities as their larger and more

established counterparts.

For lack of sustainable project work,

fi rms are forced to release engineers back

into the market. Some are exploring in-

ternational pastures and others are reluc-

tantly looking over the fence into alterna-

tive work. Th e heads of civil engineering

departments from four of the leading

universities of technology in the country

all chorus a consistent grumble – their

students are unable to secure sustainable

work for in-service training, as well as

post-graduation employment.

So it appears that South African engi-

neers are starting to experience unemploy-

ment. Despite living in South Africa where

“job creation” and “unemployment” appear

in everyday conversation, it is uncommon

to hear the words “engineer” and “unem-

ployment” in the same sentence. In fact,

it leaves a frustrating void akin to worry.

And the South African government has the

audacity to bring engineers (together with

other professionals) from Cuba en masse,

with full and comprehensive packages, to

work in South Africa on South African

government funded projects.

Healthcare, education, water, sanitation,

housing and electricity are priority features

in the development plan and poverty al-

leviation objectives for South Africa. Th e

result of not meeting these objectives, that

had been promised during election cam-

paigns over recent years, has boiled over

into the streets in the form of mad mobs

brandishing pangas, wielding knobkerries,

and toyi-toying through burning tyres in

public spaces. Th ese images terrify not only

our own people, but they also discourage

foreign investors who are vital for genera-

ting economic activity in South Africa.

What confuses me is why we have

unemployed engineers when it is very

evident that there is a genuine need for

engineering capacity to pursue the na-

tional demands of social and economic

development. And why is there inade-

quate project roll-out from the biggest

civil engineering client, when the develop-

ment goals have already been announced

from the highest points of administration

in the country, to the tune of some R800

billion over the next three years?

It appears the weakness is a lack of

knowledge on how to identify projects

and how to spend the allocated money.

Th is is evident in the lack of structures,

processes and systems in government to

manage infrastructure spend. Th en there

is the cauldron of unsuitably qualifi ed

individuals, ineff ectually occupying tech-

nical engineering posts, nervously man-

aging engineering projects, and second-

guessing the allocation of funds.

But I am a prisoner of optimism,

so allow me to enter in a ray of hope by

referring to our well accomplished 2010

FIFA World Cup. Despite the incapacities

and inabilities, our world-class stadiums

confi rmed that South Africans can dream

with deadlines. When fi rst-world sceptics

and cynics said we would fall fl at, we raised

magnifi cent stadiums. Not only did we rise

to the occasion and deliver on demand, but

much to our encouragement we proved to

ourselves, and to the rest of the world, that

the people of this nation and South African

civil engineering are not to be trifl ed with.

To overcome the current infrastruc-

ture development challenges, national

government needs to apply the same

approach we adopted for the World Cup.

Th e current challenges are certainly not

due to insuffi cient funding or defi cient

engineering resources. It is, I believe, a

matter of political will and the re-capaci-

tating of the technical echelons within the

government structures.

Let’s get our principal engineers back

onto the golf course – our economy needs

them there.

4 Civil Engineering | August 2011

O N T H E C O V E R

LEADING BLACKCONTROLLED

construction materials group AfriSam

recently won a prestigious Greening the

Future award.

For the past eight years, the Mail

& Guardian (M&G) newspaper’s an-

nual Greening the Future awards have

honoured innovation and action in

environmental sustainability. Th is year

the awards built on past successes and

refl ected the latest thinking, trends and

practices to combat climate change,

reduce impacts on water, preserve biodi-

versity and improve eco-effi ciency. Th e

winning entries were those that could

clearly demonstrate the link and benefi t to

the company's core business activity.

In an interview with the M&G, AfriSam

South Africa’s chief executive offi cer,

Stephan Olivier, said the company had

committed itself to reducing its burden

on the environment long before it became

fashionable to do so. Today, AfriSam is an

industry leader in emissions reduction and

energy management, with the distinction

of creating the world's fi rst carbon dioxide

(CO2) measurement rating for its products,

thereby setting new benchmarks in the con-

struction industry, since cement production

is a key source of carbon emissions.

"We realised that a delicate balance

must be maintained between our emissions

and the imperative to protect the planet,"

Olivier said. "Our focus on CO2 reduction

and energy reduction initiatives have put

us at the forefront in balancing economic

progress and due care for the environment."

Th e company began monitoring its

greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 and

published an Environmental Policy four

years later. In 2000 it implemented a fully-

fl edged CO2 reduction programme and set

ambitious targets to reduce emissions as-

sociated with its products. AfriSam took

its fi rst major step towards CO2 reduction

by launching Project Green Cement in

that same year.

AfriSam’s environmental manager,

Claudene Moorgas, also told the M&G

that, by using carefully selected by-

products from the steel, energy and other

industries to extend cement, AfriSam has

been able to reduce the amount of clinker

without compromising on quality.

Raw clinker – the main ingredient of

cement – is highly energy-intensive and

has a signifi cant CO2 footprint. Blending

raw clinker with other materials means a

reduced carbon footprint and a signifi cant

saving on energy consumption.

From 2002 to 2005 AfriSam be-

came the fi rst southern African ce-

ment producer to install sophisticated

emission-measuring equipment in all

its kiln stacks. Th is, coupled with the

installation of the fi rst bag-house fi lters

for the cement kiln stacks, enabled its

Dudfi eld factory to have the cleanest kiln

emissions, from a particulate emissions

perspective, in the region.

"Between 1990 and 2010, we reduced

our CO2 emissions per ton of cement by

more than 30%," Moorgas said. “In 2009

we introduced a world-fi rst CO2 rating

system on all our cement bags, which

AfriSam winsAfriSam wins M&G “Greening the Future” award

1

1 The AfriSam team at the Mail & Guardian

Greening the Future awards function. From left:

Mike McDonald (product manager: cement),

Winston Malinga (cement sales consultant),

Claudene Moorgas (environmental manager),

Stephan Oliver (chief executive officer), Ntaga

Mojapelo (external communications specialist),

Lebogang Baloyi (cement sales consultant) and

Sharon Maleka (corporate affairs executive)

2 Bags of AfriSam Eco Building Cement

being checked prior to dispatch

3 An AfriSam Readymix truck delivering

product – a daily occurrence on

construction sites across the country


means that the carbon footprint of each

AfriSam product, relative to the world

average, is printed on every bag.

“As customers become increasingly

aware of climate change and other threats,

they look to make environmentally

responsible purchasing decisions. We want

them to be assured that we are making

environmentally responsible production

decisions," Moorgas said.

AfriSam launched its Eco Building

Cement in 2010, which uses more slag

instead of clinker to extend cement. Th is

product has a carbon footprint of 414 g per

kg – half the world average of 890 g per kg

for cement, as calculated by Cembureau,

the European Cement Association. Its latest

product, Eco Readymix Concrete, has an

even lower carbon footprint.

"We have achieved this reduction

without compromising on quality,"

Moorgas told the M&G. "Our Eco

Building products meet SABS standards

for their strength class and are competi-

tively priced."

Advanced fuel and energy effi cient

technologies play a major role in reducing

emissions. "We were the fi rst South

African company to install an energy ef-

fi cient vertical roller mill for raw material

preparation and grinding of cement.

"When we began Project Green

Cement, we installed state-of-the-art

blenders, which allowed us to blend ce-

ment with extenders. By using these

extenders we consume 60% less electrical

and thermal energy in the cement pro-

duction process," she said.

Th e company has also invested in

major energy effi cient upgrades of equip-

ment at its production plants and employ

a team of process engineers to get max-

imum energy effi ciency out of each plant

component. Th ese measures, alongside

behavioural, educational and staff advo-

cacy initiatives, have yielded signifi cant

energy savings.

Using 2000 as its base year, AfriSam

has reduced its electrical energy con-

sumption by 25% and its thermal energy

consumption by 40%. Moorgas told

the M&G that AfriSam prides itself on

“leading the pack” when it comes to CO2

emission reduction and energy manage-

ment in the industry.

INFO

Victor Bouguenon

AfriSam

011 670 5520

www.afrisam.com

2

3


Dawie Botha

Retired SAICE Executive Director

[email protected]

O P I N I O N

Is it us, or is it climate change?OUR SUMMER RAINS here in Gauteng

earlier this year brought us more than our

fair share of fl ooding. Damage once more

occurred and, despite the disputes that

the insurance companies are known to

engage in not to pay out, agreements were

eventually concluded and we all went on

our merry ways again.

During this time newspaper photos

and video footage, along with Facebook,

Twitter and mobile phone images, con-

tributed to the annual fl ood anxiety and

anguish. But we live in an instant society

– so, as fast as we see, we forget again.

But come tonight when we watch pro-

grammes like 50/50 and Carte Blanche on

television, and hear about power supply

and related problems, then we suddenly

sit up straight again, nodding in agree-

ment that, yes, the storms and the fl oods

are most probably going to increase next

year if we do not switch off our geysers

RIGHT NOW. And many claim that

Global Warming and/or Climate Change

are the culprits, and that we better do

something or we will perish.

But if it does not rain, the roof does

not leak.

And counting the costs – well, that is

for the insurance companies to worry about.

However, is CO2 indeed the culprit

and solely responsible for what we per-

ceive as increased incidents of fl ooding

and natural disasters?

In the fi rst instance, the question re-

mains – how trustworthy is our database

of incidents in terms of the length of time

that we have been keeping real records.

I often wondered about the accuracy of

the fl ood lines I calculated, taking into

account that I had South African rainfall

fi gures of only 100 years or so at hand.

And if developments now start taking

place upstream from that town (for which

I had calculated the fl ood lines) in such a

way that my safety factors become inade-

quate, can I now withdraw my signature

and refuse responsibility for what I did

30 years ago? And what if the one-in-fi fty

year storm now starts occurring every fi ve

years or so – when do we rewrite or recal-

culate our norms for what a one-in-fi fty

year storm constitutes?

Time Magazine recently speculated

about the damage and loss of life due to

tornados in the USA. Th e media showed

us horrifi c pictures of devastated towns,

and reported on hundreds of deaths. So,

are the tornado numbers increasing?

According to some scientists this is not

necessarily the case. But what is actually

happening then?

Whole new towns and cities have

been built in the so-called tornado alley.

Maybe we are building where we should

in fact not be building – where in the past

one would have seen minimal damage

when a tornado passed over farm land or

virgin land. A couple of broken trees and

a fl attened corn fi eld might have been

the “only” damage, along with what Time

called the loss of an outhouse or two.

Could it be that reporting has become

so much more sophisticated and instant

that we perceive the incidents to be on

the rise? Maybe one should therefore not

only ask whether the damage is due to, or

the result of, climate change, but whether

it could not also be blamed on increased

human activity in places where humans

had not previously resided.

A sobering philosophy was put for-

ward by Prof Dr Ing Sybe Schaap in his

inaugural lecture at the Delft University

of Technology in the Netherlands in

December 2010. A free translation of

the title of this lecture (Klimaat en over-

stroming een verleidelijk verband) could

read something like “Climate and fl ooding

– a tempting link”, or in my own words:

“Are we being led by the nose by

some, claiming a direct relationship be-

tween climate (change) and fl oods?”

In his substantial and thought-pro-

voking work Prof Schaap warns against

these too obvious conclusions that we

make. He mentions that we are in many

cases building in fl ood plains that had

been there for ages. In addition we are

dewatering those areas in such a manner

that some areas are “sinking” at a rate of

200 mm per annum. And when the rains

come we then perceive the fl ooding as

induced by climate change. He mentions

that it seems easy and logical to steer the

discussion away from the catastrophes to

the climate theme, and poses the ques-

tion whether we are really engaging in a

responsible and fully defendable debate.

He goes on to say:

“Because of this strong association

between climate and fl ooding, and be-

cause it easily sparks our imagination,

I considered adding a subtitle to what I

called ‘a tempting link’, namely Climate

and Imagination. Th e word ‘climate’ is

nowadays thought to be directly related

to ‘climate change’, and by extension to

consequent disruptions. Th e suggested

force of the concept of climate is therefore

much larger than necessary and justifi ed.

Changes in climate are undeniable. Th is in

itself is nothing special – they have always

been, and will also occur in the future. Th e

climate is not a static state of aff airs. How

climate changes come about, how it works

and what our responses should be is an

extremely complicated matter. However,

these complexities are very often swept

away with simplistic solutions or answers.”

Some years ago, at a congress of the

American Society of Civil Engineers, I

was present when a Disney employee

addressed us about imagineering and

the way in which animation, as used for


movies, became a fantastic tool in engi-

neering, in terms of designing complex

structures and then being able to ‘ani-

mate’ the construction in such a way that

the designer is able to resolve confl icts

and points of concern by manipulating

the drawings with the software.

So maybe we are wrongfully imagi-

neering things in terms of fl ooding, and

blaming it on that elusive concept of

climate change instead of on human set-

tlements and its consequences. Examples

are all around us for all to see, but maybe

our profession is also being blinded by the

foul criers, by the Green Peace activists

and by the herd-mentality of our times?

It is time to re-introduce thought-

provoking debates in an atmosphere of

trust, without competition or fear of being

ridiculed by peers for not being suffi ciently

“technically orientated”. In the early

1900s, debates at the Cape Society of Civil

Engineers (the forerunner of SAICE) in

Cape Town went on for hours, and some-

times continued a week later. According

to the proceedings of those meetings there

did not seem to be unhealthy rivalry or

holier-than-thou attitudes within those

walls at the time, no scoring points or

shouting louder. Hear ye! Th ose were the

times when an engineer reported on what

he had observed in the Cape Town harbour

– the below sea level concrete in the piers

was corroding, for example – but ……. he

refused to claim that he knew what the

cause was and what “was going on”.

So maybe the jury is out on what should

be attributed to climate change and what

not. Even a simple lack of maintenance,

such as cleaning out the stormwater catch

pit now and then, might be causing fl ooding

in my street. So, before I run about shouting

“beware, beware, doomsday is coming” if

I pump another kilogram or two of CO2

into the air while having another braai next

week, let us reconsider where our woes are

really coming from.

In closing, the CSIR studies for the

development of the Richards Bay harbour

are eye openers – a mere 20 000 years ago

the sea was 20 metres higher than today

and the Berea red dunes in Durban and

near Empangeni were where our ances-

tors went to the beach, and of course

Table Mountain must have been an island

at the time. But there is more – some time

before that the sea was 60 metres lower

than it is today, so one could possibly have

walked all the way from Robben Island to

Table Mountain!

I believe in climate change – it is the

one constant on Planet Earth, so it cannot

be ignored. But Prof Schaap has certainly

opened up a new debate for me – do we

worry about a few centimetres of rising

sea levels in isolation, or do we also think

about the deltas of the world that might

be hosting sinking cities at a rate of a

metre every fi ve years or so? Do we con-

centrate on CO2 only, or do we also look

at where we are going with development

of towns and cities and the downstream

consequences of that development?

1

1 Roodepoort, Gauteng: what was once

a small stream now eroding the banks and

destabilising pylons that had been standing

there for the last 30 years or more


E N V I R O N M E N T A L E N G I N E E R I N G

On fracking in the Karoo,open forums and the power of public opinion...

SOUTH AFRICA IS [thought to be]

home to the world's fi fth-largest shale gas

reserves, a resource seen as a potential

"game changer" in the energy sector. Shale

gas could add much-needed primary

energy diversity to the country's power

generation industry, and create jobs in

gas-to-liquid plants, combined-cycle gas

turbine (CCGT) power stations, steel

works and a variety of other plants, facto-

ries and secondary commercial, business,

transport and hospitality activities.

Extracting the shale gas, however,

calls for the process of hydraulic frac-

turing (or "fracking") in the Karoo, an

issue considered highly controversial by

those who, like Umvoto technical director

and former UCT associate professor of

geological sciences Dr Chris Hartnady,

approach the matter with caution: Will

the full life-cycle "fugitive" emissions and

greenhouse-eff ects of shale gas extrac-

tion, they ask, indeed be lower than that

of coal? Does the economics make sense

when measured on the basis of energy

return on energy invested? Would drilling

in the Karoo aff ect the geological stability

of the region and increase the likelihood

of earthquakes? What of the integrity of

sub-surface water resources?

These and other concerns are widely

echoed, turning the "fracking debate"

into an issue of national and public

interest. Already this has resulted in a

government-announced moratorium on

the licensing of exploration for shale gas

in the Karoo. This affords government,

oil and gas companies, the media and

the public an opportunity to reflect,

engage and debate the issues in an open

and transparent way at a scientific, eco-

nomic, social, engineering and environ-

mental level, rather than at a knee-jerk,

emotional, environmental level, in order

to reach a rational decision in the public

and national interest as to whether

fracking in the Karoo should continue

or not.

Such a forum was provided recently

when EE Publishers and the Johannesburg

Press Club convened a public debate at

the Axiz Auditorium, Midrand, titled

"Fracking in the Karoo – for and against..."

Th is brought together diverse expert pre-

senters to express their views and argue

the case, thus raising media and public

awareness, improving the understanding

of the issues, and thereby resulting in

better informed opinions.

Th e motion that was debated was

framed in terms of the usual "green"

activist agenda, namely: "Th is house be-

lieves that the current moratorium on the

exploration and production of shale gas in

the Karoo through the technique known

as hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking',

should be extended indefi nitely, and that

fracking in the Karoo in its current form

should be abandoned."

Speaking in favour of fracking were

Prof Philip Lloyd of the Energy Institute

at the Cape Peninsula University of

Technology (CPUT), and well-known

journalist and writer, Ivo Vegter. Th e

case against fracking was argued by

Dr Chris Hartnady and water resource

scientist Dr Anthony Turton, professor

at the University of the Free State's

Centre for Environmental Management.

Th e debate was moderated by Dr Rod

Crompton, the member of the board of

The debate around hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo is an issue of national

and public interest. Shale gas extraction has the potential, some say, to

change the face of the country's power industry and improve the lives

of millions of South Africans. Public opinion, however, is a powerful force

well known to have hampered the nuclear industry in the past

This article, written by Mark Botha and Chris Yelland, was published by EE Publishers

(www.eepublishers.co.za) in EE-News, Issue 142, June 2011, and is republished here with permission


the National Energy Regulator of South

Africa (NERSA) responsible for regulating

petroleum pipelines. Also invited to par-

ticipate, but whose only contribution was

their telling absence, were Sasol and Shell,

two companies vying for shale gas explo-

ration licences in the Karoo.

Th e general consensus indicated by

a vote after the debate was that, although

the risks are signifi cant, the proper use of

regulation could transfer most of these

risks to the companies involved, while the

benefi ts to South Africa as a whole would

outweigh the dangers.

A case in point is the matter of

water use and contamination. Fracking

would require some 1 000 m3 of water

per gas well – a real concern in a water-

restrained country. Dr Turton pointed

out that South Africa had entered an era

of trade-off s, one such being between

energy and water. In his response, Mr

Vegter pointed out the "irrelevance" of

how or where the required water would

be sourced, as long as fracking did not

tap into the nation's 45-billion litre na-

tional fresh-water resource.

Prof Lloyd argued that there was

"minimal" evidence that water used in

fracking had ever contaminated under-

ground drinking water. He said the ad-

ditives used in the water during fracking

constituted only 0,5% by volume, and even

if the "contaminated" water were mixed

with drinking water, it would still be fi t

for human consumption.

Prof Lloyd also stressed that the deep

underground water in the Karoo was,

in any case, brackish and contaminated

with natural uranium radio-activity and

arsenic, and was already unfi t for human

consumption. In any event, it was stated

that, as with many other industrial pro-

cesses, waste water from the fracking

process could be treated properly, and

potential spillage could be easily miti-

gated. "Industrial waste," said Mr Vegter,

"is no new problem".

Dr Hartnady pointed out that pros-

pecting companies would have to absorb

the full project life-cycle costs, and that

obtaining licenses and sourcing water

would be costly. Rather than measuring

the upstream and downstream costs in

monetary terms, he said, they should be

measured in terms of energy. Th e energy

return on energy invested was poor, and

if the full life-cycle of fracking was taken

into account, the total greenhouse gas

emissions may be higher than those of

coal generation, and not lower as was held

by the pro-fracking camp.

Dr Turton proposed that water, en-

ergy, climate and agricultural scientists,

policy-makers and practitioners need to

forge a transparent policy on fracking and

on the "super nexus" of water, energy, food

and global climate change. Meanwhile,

he said, the "precautionary principle"

should apply. Prof Lloyd responded that

the so-called precautionary principle was

fundamentally philosophically fl awed in

such matters, and in practice could not be

applied in the context of fracking, whose

viability and worth could never be proven

one way or another without exploration

and pilot production to establish the

extent and sustainability of the shale gas

resource, and to confi rm its economics

and environmental impact.

Fracking had the potential, Prof Lloyd

said, to change South Africa's energy

economy and create "thousands" of jobs.

Th e potential gas resource was in the

order of 1 000-trillion cubic feet, making

this country's unconventional gas re-

source second only to those of Argentina,

China, Mexico and the USA. He said the

potential environmental impacts were

"manageable" and that the relatively small

footprint of fracking plants would make

them "nearly invisible" in the Karoo.

Dr Turton noted that South Africa

was entering a period that would be

defined by a new social contract based

on trust. Large companies, he said, were

realising that the business landscape

was changing, that society was de-

manding – and deserved – transparent

information, with respect for communi-

ties and environmental impact assess-

ments that are rigorous and truthful.

In Mr Vegter's words, "a developing

country [like South Africa] cannot af-

ford to have a pathological distrust of

capitalism or industrial development".

On this issue of trust, Sasol's and

Shell's absence and lack of engagement

with the media at the debate spoke vol-

umes. Initially they complain about the

level of the public discourse. Th en when

there are serious scientifi c, engineering

and environmental issues to answer, they

retreat behind classic corporate defensive

behaviour and decline to participate,

preferring instead to engage behind

closed doors with the powers that be, out

of public and media scrutiny. Or perhaps

the energy companies are simply too

complacent about the need to get their

Fracking had the potential, Prof Lloyd

said, to change South Africa's energy

economy and create "thousands"

of jobs. The potential gas resource

was in the order of 1 000-trillion

cubic feet, making this country's

unconventional gas resource

second only to those of Argentina,

China, Mexico and the USA. He

said the potential environmental

impacts were "manageable" and

that the relatively small footprint of

fracking plants would make them

"nearly invisible" in the Karoo


acts together, engage openly and respond

honestly to justifi able public concerns.

Th e anti-nuclear sentiment of the past

two decades is a case in point. Th e nu-

clear industry, with its huge fi nancial,

scientifi c and engineering resources, let

a well-organised but amateur legion of

environmental and anti-nuclear activ-

ists run rings around them to delay the

peaceful application of nuclear power

for decades. In so doing, the nuclear in-

dustry let itself down badly.

Th e vast expanses of the Karoo are

dotted with picturesque towns with a

colonial heritage. However, those who

would like to retain the Karoo in its cur-

rent pristine state would do well to re-

member that the outskirts of these towns

are also home to a signifi cant majority of

shanty dwellers living in varying degrees

of abject poverty. Th ese voters are des-

perate for change and opportunity, aspire

to improved living conditions, jobs,

housing, clinics and schools, and look to

local and national government and the

private sector to improve their fate.

Th e motion debated was framed in

terms of the usual "green" activist agenda,

namely: "Th is house believes that the

current moratorium on the explora-

tion and production of shale gas in the

Karoo through the technique known as

hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking', should

be extended indefi nitely, and that fracking

in the Karoo in its current form should be

abandoned." After hearing the arguments

both for and against, the motion was

overwhelming defeated in a vote with a

majority of more than 2 to 1.

Th e outcome suggests that the public

and the media in South Africa are

indeed open and receptive to rational

debate, and are not prepared to simply

go along with the green activist agenda

to STOP FRACKING NOW. Th is is not

to say that the defeat of the motion at

the debate should be seen as simply pro-

fracking or a green light to proceed with

fracking in the Karoo forthwith. Rather,

the defeat of the motion may be seen

as a pragmatic acknowledgement that

further studies and exploration of the

shale gas resource in South Africa needs

to proceed with due care to determine

its potential, size, depth, sustainability,

environmental impact, etc, so that the

resource can be properly evaluated, and

a rational, informed decision made in

due course on whether or not to proceed

with natural gas production in the na-

tional and public interest.

Th e debate was hosted on

24 May 2011, one day after a UK parlia-

mentary committee found no evidence to

support the need for the implementation

of a moratorium on drilling for uncon-

ventional gas, and a week after the French

parliament voted to ban fracking, a deci-

sion that must still be approved by the

senate in France before becoming law.

COMMENTWe approached Dr Chris Herold,

past chairman of the SAICE Water

Engineering Division, for his

comments on the EE Publishers

article in particular, and on the

fracking issue in general. These

are a few of his thoughts

Th is is an interesting article, but I am

no expert on this subject. I agree that

it would be good to air this issue in our

magazine. However, as a learned society

we should address it on its technical

merits, rather than as a debate such as the

one described. After all, truth is absolute

and is not decided by majority vote.

With regard to the amount of water

needed for the fracking, and whether

a water scarce country can aff ord this,

1 000 kl of water per borehole is pretty

small. It is also a once-off use of a renew-

able resource. Moreover, use can be made

of unpalatable water that would otherwise

remain unused (and unmissed).

As for cheaper alternatives, let that

fall where it may. After due exploration no

one would be crazy enough to spend lots

of money and many years drilling 5-km-

deep production wells and developing

distribution systems unless it is cheaper

than what they can get elsewhere. Th e oil

companies are generally sensitive to envi-

ronmental issues and are mindful of the

need to avoid unnecessary controversy –

perhaps that is precisely why they want to

use shale gas?

Regarding concerns about the possible

destruction of part of our national heritage

– the Karoo is a big place and the footprint

of the operations would be very small in

comparison. And even if there is a small

local impact, what is diff erent from the in-

evitable impact of any kind of worthwhile

development? Also, in terms of impact,

shale gas has a low carbon footprint.

We have always bemoaned our lack of

oil. Shale gas could potentially swing that

right around, with a potential as big as the

world’s original oil reserves. If it is true

that we could become the world’s fi fth

largest producer then we would be insane

not to investigate it.

Share your knowledgeWe invite members to share their technical

knowledge about fracking via our magazine.

Please send your comments to the editor

([email protected]).

Members who are interested in the

results of the UK parliamentary enquiry held

earlier this year to discuss fracking issues are

welcome to drop the editor an e-mail and

she will then send you the link per return

e-mail (it is too long to publish here).


Brendon Jewaskiewitz

Managing Director

Envitech Solutions (Pty) Ltd

[email protected]

The importance of independent Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) services

for the installation of geosynthetic lining systemsCONSTRUCTION QUALITY

ASSURANCE (CQA) would appear to

be a relatively misunderstood concept in

the South African civil engineering fra-

ternity, specifi cally with reference to the

construction of solid or liquid waste con-

tainment facilities incorporating geosyn-

thetic lining systems. Civil engineers are

comfortable with conventional construc-

tion monitoring activities, which may

be carried out on a part-time or resident

engineer basis, but is the true meaning

and value of independent Construction

Quality Assurance really understood?

Koerner (1993) describes

Construction Quality Assurance (CQA),

as opposed to Construction Quality

Control (CQC), Manufacturer Quality

Control (MQC) and Manufacturer

Quality Assurance (MQA), as: “A

planned system of activities that provides

the owner and permitting agency assur-

ance that the facility was constructed

as specifi ed in the design. CQA includes

inspections, verifi cations, audits, and

the evaluation of materials and work-

manship necessary to determine and

document the quality of the constructed

facility. CQA refers to measures taken

by the CQA organisation to assess if the

installer or contractor is in compliance

with the plans and specifi cations for a

project.” It must also be understood that

CQA and MQA are performed independ-

ently from Construction Quality Control

(CQC) and Manufacturer Quality

Control (MQC). Strictly speaking, for

CQA to be classifi ed as independent, it

should be carried out by a third party,

working alongside the installation con-

tractor and consulting/design engineers.

Although most CQA work is focused

on project documentation and recording

the facts and circumstances surrounding

the installation of a lining system, the

real essence of on-site independent CQA

services is to identify possible non-con-

formances before and during the installa-

tion phase and to immediately initiate and

monitor remedial work. Even though an

independent CQA engineer has little or

no authority over work progress on site, it

is his/her duty to provide suffi cient moti-

vation to the installation contractor and

consulting/design engineers to rectify any

non-conformances, the failure of which

could result in non-approval and failure of

the lining system as a whole.

Th e correct understanding and appli-

cation of CQA is now of vital importance

in the South African waste management

WASTE

200 mm TYPE B AGGREGATE Stage 5: SEPARATION/FILTRATION GEOTEXTILE 400 g/m2

300 mm SAND (k = 10-2 cm/sec) Stage 4: GEOCOMPOSITE DRAINAGE NET 220 (GEONET LAMINATED TO 300 g/m2 GEOTEXTILE) Stage 3: SOLMAX HDPE GEOMEMBRANE 2,0 mm THICK Stage 2: GCL BENTOMAT AS3500 COMPACTED GENERAL SELECTED FILL Stage 1: GEOGRID 3030

EARTH

1

1 Schematic cross section detail for

the geosynthetic lining system

2a and 2b Shell Pearl GTL Project: Hazardous

Industrial Waste Cell, Ras Laffan, State of Qatar


industry, as the new waste disposal regu-

lations for landfi ll containment systems

specifi cally call for CQA to be performed

on all new liner installations.

CASE ILLUSTRATIONThe Shell Pearl GTL Industrial Waste Landfi ll,

Ras Laff an Industrial City, State of Qatar

(September 2010)

As part of the construction of the

Shell Pearl Gas-to-Liquids (GTL)

facility within Ras Laffan Industrial

City (RLC), the effective disposal and

containment of hazardous industrial

waste products to be generated by the

facility had to be considered. Since the

facility is in many respects a ‘world

first’, the chemical composition of the

industrial waste product could only be

predicted theoretically. A multi-layered

geosynthetic lining system was selected

for the containment facility to ensure

negligible ground water contamination.

The waste cell was divided into two

‘compartments’ separated by an internal

berm, the smaller of the compartments

designated for salt storage, and the

larger for bio-sludge containment.

The DAMAC Group was appointed

as Construction Project Managers for

the excavation and shaping earthworks,

leachate and rainwater management

system construction, as well as con-

struction of the access road into the

waste cell. The specialist geosynthetic

liner installation was performed by

Arabian Specialised Materials Co

(ASMA). Envitech Solutions (Pty) Ltd

assisted with part of the technical de-

sign and slope stability calculations and

was also responsible for the provision of

independent on-site CQA services.

DAMAC used their own construc-

tion labourers during the installation

of the liner system and only six trained

ASMA geosynthetic liner installation

staff members were on site for the dura-

tion of the project. Th is in itself created a

2a

2b


problem, not only as the labourers had to

be trained from scratch, but as there was

also a signifi cant language barrier. Some

of the most important CQA tasks for the

project included:

■ Inspection of all lining mate-

rials delivered to the site.

■ Checking that the relevant MQC

documentation was supplied for the

delivered material to site, and checking

the MQC documentation for conform-

ance to the material specifi cations.

■ Inspection of the completed anchor

trenches and sub-grade preparation.

■ Providing advice to the contractor with

respect to the anchor trench construc-

tion and sub-grade preparation.

■ Observing the ongoing deploy-

ment of all lining materials.

■ Inspection of all deployed geosyn-

thetic clay liner (GCL), drainage

geocomposite, protection/drainage

geotextiles and geomembrane (HDPE)

panels for any defects, physical

damage and correct overlapping.

■ Observing seaming pre-weld

performance and checking

destructive test results.

■ Observing and inspecting fi eld seaming

of all geosynthetic membrane panels.

■ Observing and verifying non-destruc-

tive air pressure testing of seams,

vacuum box testing and high-voltage

spark testing of fi eld seams, extru-

sion welds, patches and repairs.

■ Removing destructive test sam-

ples from completed field seams

at regular pre-defined intervals,

on-site testing of destructive sam-

ples, recording results, and keeping

archive samples for the Employer.

■ Identifi cation and notifi cation of

non-conformances, as well as closely

monitoring all rectifi cation work.

■ Inspection of sand drainage ma-

terial and aggregate layers.

■ Checking and confi rming the in-

staller’s fi eld installation reports.

■ Updating sketches of as-built geo-

synthetic membrane panel layouts.

■ Keeping a detailed photographic record

of the GCL, drainage geocomposite,

protection/drainage geotextiles and

geomembrane (HDPE) liner installation.

3

4

3 Area cleared of sand backfi ll, damaged

geocomposite drainage net replaced,

geocomposite liner inspected and tested for leaks

4 Pinhead size leak detected on geomembrane

through high-voltage spark testing


During the liner installation phase, a

number of problems were found, many

of which would have gone unnoticed

– buried beneath 300 mm of drainage

sand – had they not been identified

during the course of the installation

phase through continuous CQA scru-

tiny. Sand backfilling is known to be

responsible for up to 73% of overall liner

defects (survey data: Nosko et al 1996).

In this case, the use of a non-cohesive

beach sand (k=10-2cm/sec), perfect as

a drainage layer but very difficult to

place effectively, caused significant

damage to the geocomposite drainage

net below, and some minor damage

to the underlying geomembrane, par-

ticularly in areas heavily trafficked

during the sand placement. After the

sand placement had been completed,

spot checks were initiated by the CQA

engineer, revealing the damaged areas.

Areas marked out were cleared of

sand backfill, repaired and tested for

leaks (high voltage spark and vacuum

box testing), and the geocomposite

drainage net restored, before final ap-

proval was given and the sand backfill

replaced. Without effective independent

CQA, this entire exercise would not

have taken place, and the damage

would have remained undetected.

Some additional problems addressed

through effective CQA included preven-

tion of damage to geosynthetic liners

through puncturing by the removal of

large or sharp-edged stones in the sand

backfill by ordering on-site sieving;

stopping geomembrane welding during

unfavourable – too hot/windy – weather

conditions; re-compaction of certain

sub-grade areas to ensure uniform and

compacted subgrade, free from sharp

objects, prior to liner deployment; mini-

misation of wrinkle formation below the

sand backfill by ordering night work and

training earthmoving vehicle operators;

and assisting the contractor with plan-

ning the installation activities to ensure

minimal damage to the lining system as

a whole.

This particular project example

clearly illustrates that the extensive

time, money and other resources spent

on the design and development of a

complex geosynthetic lining system can

be easily wasted if the system’s integrity

is compromised during the installation

phase, not to mention the potential cost

of failure, de-commissioning and repair

of the completed facility. The use of in-

dependent CQA services should provide

the reassurance that every measure is

taken to ensure the installation of a geo-

synthetic lining system of the highest

quality and workmanship.

REFERENCESDaniel, D E & Koerner, R M 1993 (September).

EPAl600/R•93/182: Technical Guidance

Document: Quality Assurance and Quality

Control for Waste Containment Facilities.

Nosko, V, Andrezal, T, Gregor, T & Ganier, P

1996. SENSOR Damage Detection System

(DDS) – The Unique Geomembrane

Testing Method, Geosynthetics: applications,

design and construction. De Groot, M B, den

Hoedt, G & Termaat, R J – Editors, Balkema,

Proceedings of the First European

Geosynthetics Conference EuroGeo1,

Maastrict, Netherlands, pp 743-748.


Dr Elretha Louw

Technical Director

Disaster Risk Management and GIS

Aurecon

[email protected]

Simon van Wyk

Senior Risk Consultant

Aurecon

[email protected]

Disaster Risk Management – planning for resilient and sustainable societiesINTRODUCTIONIt is generally accepted that disasters are having an increasing

impact on our lives, property, environment, infrastructure, and

economic and social activities. Globally, severe weather and

other natural phenomena, as well as human activities, are ex-

acting a heavy toll on us and the environment we depend on.

The results of disasters are human suffering, and damage

to the resources and infrastructure on which humans rely for

survival and quality of life. In the aftermath of a disaster, it is

critical to rapidly determine the exact nature of the impacts

and what will be required to restore the situation, or prefer-

ably to improve the situation by reducing vulnerability to

future impacts.

It is even more important to intervene pro-actively, before

disasters occur, to infl uence the process by which disaster and

operational risks develop, due to increasing vulnerability, re-

sulting in decreasing coping capacity.

DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT – AN OVERVIEWAs defi ned by the South African Disaster Management Act

(Notice 654 of 2005), Disaster Risk is defi ned as the possibility, or

chance, of harmful consequence, or expected loss (of lives, people

injured, property, livelihoods, economic activity disrupted or en-

vironment damaged) resulting from interactions between natural

and human-induced hazards and vulnerable conditions. It is im-

portant to note that not all disasters happen with a sudden onset,

such as earthquakes or tsunamis. It is often the slow onset disas-

ters (e.g. environmental degradation, drought, changes in fl ood

prone areas / fl ood lines) that pose the higher risk if not identifi ed

and planned for in the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) process.

Although generally perceived as such, DRM is not only

reactive (the so-called response paradigm). Th e South African

Disaster Management Act (Act 57 of 2002) defi nes DRM as a

Prevention &

Mitigation strand

Preparedness

strand Relief & Response

strand

CRISIS

Recovery &

Rehabilitation strand

Prevention &

Mitigation strand

Time

1

1 The Disaster Risk Management continuum

2 The relationship between disasters (risk) and development


“continuous and integrated multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary

process of planning and implementation of measures aimed at:

(a) preventing or reducing the risk of disasters

(b) mitigating the severity or consequences of disasters

(c) emergency preparedness

(d) a rapid and eff ective response to disaster, and

(e) post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation.”

Figure 1 illustrates this life cycle of Disaster Risk Management –

the DRM continuum – illustrating a strong paradigm shift from

response towards risk reduction, shown as a continuous process

(the green strand), even during an event.

Internationally, governments have committed themselves to

taking action against disaster risk, and have adopted a guideline to

reduce vulnerabilities to hazards. Th is guideline is known as the

Hyogo Framework for Action, as defi ned by the United Nations

International Strategy for Disaster Reaction (UNISDR 2004).

Th e fi rst step for action is to make risk reduction a priority with

a strong institutional basis for implementation. In South Africa,

DRM is now regarded as ‘everybody’s business’, emphasising the

responsibilities of all role-players, and is especially not limited to

those historically associated with DRM. Th e Act (Act 57 of 2002)

also recognises that disasters know no boundaries and that plans

and strategies should be fi nalised in conjunction with neigh-

bouring municipalities and higher/lower spheres of government to

curb, where practical, the onslaught of disaster risk.

DISASTER RISK AND INTEGRATED PLANNINGTh e Act (Act 57 of 2002) requires that the disaster management

plan forms an integral part of the Integrated Development

Planning (IDP) process. Th is inter-relationship is also refl ected

in Section 26 of the Municipal Systems Act (Act 32 of 2002).

Th e National Spatial Development Perspective has broad-

ened the functionality of the IDP. It focuses on development

planning within a spatial extent, not a managerial entity, ir-

respective of the sphere of government responsible for certain

functions. Th is new approach gave rise to the so-called second

generation IDP, where integrated development planning is

performed through the implementation of a systematic process,

targeting distinct deliverables portrayed in the IDP to be ad-

dressed by councils for implementation (Louw 2007). It is

within this planning context that disaster risk must be identi-

fi ed, quantifi ed, planned for and implemented.

A FOCUS ON RISK REDUCTIONRisk reduction initiatives are essential as they form the fi rst

‘real’ barrier that, if nothing else, acts as a buff er by lowering the

vulnerability of the area impacted. Furthermore, reduction is

pre-emptive and is based on the perceived ‘anticipated’ risk sup-

plemented by historical data.

A disaster risk assessment is the fi rst step towards risk reduc-

tion. Disaster risk assessments, supported by eff ective moni-

toring, are essential for:

■ eff ective risk management planning

■ sustainable development planning

■ identifying potential threats that can undermine a develop-

ment’s success and sustainability, making it possible to incor-

porate risk reduction measures into project design prior to

implementation

■ identifying high risk periods and conditions, and

■ activating response and preparedness actions.

Relevant national organs of state must execute systematic dis-

aster risk assessments in the following instances:

■ prior to the implementation of any risk reduction, prepared-

ness or response programme

■ as an integral part of the planning phase for large-scale

housing, infrastructure or commercial/industrial develop-

ments of national signifi cance

■ as an integral component of the planning phase for nationally

signifi cant initiatives that aff ect the natural environment, and

2

Linking Disasters and Development: Some requirements are undefi ned

Positive developmental outcome

Negative developmental outcome

Disaster

ImpactDevelopment

Intervention

Disasterscreate

developmentopportunities

Disastersdestroy

development

Developmentreducesdisaster risk

Developmentincreasesdisaster risk


■ when social, economic, infrastructural, environmental, cli-

matic or other indicators suggest changing patterns of risk.

Risk assessments must be undertaken to ensure that develop-

ment initiatives maximise their vulnerability reduction out-

comes. Th e relationship between development and Disaster

(Risk) is illustrated in Figure 2.

Th eoretically, the measures that can be considered for re-

ducing the risk of an area are fi ve-fold, taken from Botha and

Louw (2004) and summarised in Louw (2007):

1. Physical planning measures

Physical planning measures include the location of public

sector facilities that can reduce the vulnerability of an area,

such as schools, hospitals, major infrastructural elements

like wastewater treatment works and power transformers.

However, the consideration of disaster risks in spatial plan-

ning is extremely important. The development of residential

areas and the supporting infrastructure should always aim to

reduce risk.

2. Engineering/construction measures

Two types of engineering measures are possible. Th e fi rst option

results in stronger individual structures which are more resistant

to hazards, while the second option creates structures to protect

and alleviate against hazards, e.g. dykes, levees and dams.

3. Economic measures

Risk reduction measures that increase the capacity of a

community to cope with future losses create resilience in

dealing with losses and recovering from it. Examples include

incentive grants, tax rebates and economic diversification.

Economic development should be one of the main focuses of

regional planning.

4. Management and institutional measures

Institutional measures are very important and a longer term

initiative, requiring institutional buy-in. Education, training, pro-

fessional and technical competence, as well as budget allocations,

are crucial for success. It includes measures such as the regula-

tion of building below fl ood lines.

5. Societal measures

Public awareness is a key component of reducing risk. Th e crea-

tion of a safety culture is encouraged, where the community

reaches consensus that risk reduction measures are desirable,

feasible and aff ordable.

CONCLUSIONTh e risks involved in disasters are determined by our ‘everyday’

living conditions through the vulnerabilities created by such

conditions (Wisner et al 2004). Disasters are therefore a com-

plex mix of natural and other hazards and human action (and

vulnerabilities). Th ey consist of a combination of factors that

determine the potential for people to be exposed to particular

types of hazard. Th e impact of the disaster also depends fun-

damentally on how social and political systems interact in dif-

ferent societies. Th ese factors determine how groups of people

diff er in relation to income (economy), health, employment,

housing and social environment.

Resilience can also be impacted (positively or negatively)

by risk reduction initiatives and measures. DRM therefore

entails a holistic and considered approach which includes,

amongst others, risk management planning, advisory services

and engineering innovation. Assessing risk is the first step

towards planning for it. Risk reduction measures must be

inter-sectoral, inter-departmental and be part of a continuous

process. DRM is a coordinating function, recognising that

solutions towards risk reduction are a team effort – therefore,

‘everybody’s business’.

REFERENCESBotha, J J & Louw, E J M 2004. Step by step guidelines to prepare a

disaster management plan ~ Guideline 2: how to prepare disaster

risk reduction plans. Cape Town: Business and Information Solutions

Division, AFRICON. Unpublished guidelines.

Louw, E J M 2007. Climate Change in the Western Cape – a Disaster Risk

Assessment of the Impact on Human Health. Unpublished PhD

Dissertation. University of Stellenbosch.

South Africa (Republic of) 2003. Disaster Management Act No 57 of 2002.

Pretoria. Government Printer.

South Africa (Republic of) 2003. Municipal Systems Act No 32 of 2002.

Pretoria. Government Printer.

South Africa (Republic of) 2005. National Disaster Management Act: Policy

Framework. Notice 654 of 2005. Pretoria. Government Printer.

United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction 2004.

Hyogo Framework for Action, 2005 - 2015. Available from

http://www.unisdr.org/hfa

Wisner, B, Blaikie, P, Cannon, T & Davis, I 2004. At Risk: Natural hazards,

people's vulnerability and disasters. London: Routledge.

WITH SAMSUNG’S NEW ML-3310 AND SCX-4833 PRINTER SERIESPAPER JAMS ARE A THING OF THE PAST. SCHWEET!


Kevin Fawcett

Associate: Water & Wastewater Treatment

PD Naidoo & Associates

[email protected]

Boris Vassilev

Principal Specialist

SSI Engineers and Environmental Consultants

[email protected]

Kevin Pillay

COO and Water Sector Head

PD Naidoo & Associates

[email protected]

S&P JV on track with Cape Town’s Fisantekraal Wastewater Treatment Plant

S&P JV A JOINT VENTURE between

PD Naidoo & Associates, and SSI – is

nearing completion on a multi-million

rand contract awarded in 2007 by the

City of Cape Town to launch one of the

fi rst greenfi elds wastewater treatment

works to be constructed in Cape Town for

many years. Th e total cost of the project is

around R150 million.

Th e contract involves the detail de-

sign, tender adjudication and construction

monitoring of the civil, building, me-

chanical and electrical works for the new

24 Mℓ per day Fisantekraal Wastewater

Treatment Works (WWTW). Included

in the project are new access roads, inlet

works, biological reactors, clarifi ers,

maturation ponds, UV disinfection,

sludge thickening and dewatering, effl uent

reuse as well as odour control. Th e de-

sign makes allowance for upgrading to a

maximum design capacity of 50 Mℓ/d.

CSV Construction commenced

with the civil works in November 2008

and completed construction in

November 2010. Th e Ikewe Joint Venture

(mechanical/electrical contractor), com-

prising Inenzo Water, Kaltron and Exeo

Khokela, recently completed the electrical

and mechanical works installation.

Various treatment options, including

MBR, were investigated. However, oper-

ating considerations eventually infl uenced

the choice of a conventional activated

sludge plant as the preferred option.

Th is greenfi elds treatment works was

necessary to augment the capacity of the

Kraaifontein WWTW, which has reached

its design capacity, and to provide ca-

pacity for the rapidly increasing housing

developments in the area. Th e technology

selected for this plant will promote

effi cient operation and maintenance of the

works and will ensure maximum utilisa-

tion of the effl uent for reuse purposes.

Th e new Fisantekraal WWTW is

located 10 km north of Durbanville, east

of the R302 Malmesbury Road and the

north-south railway line. Th e treated

1

1 Activated sludge reactors under construction

2 Two 12 Mℓ/d activated sludge reactors


effl uent is discharged to the Mosselbank

River, which lies approximately 300 m to

the west of the works.

Th e works rely entirely on a pumped

feed which is discharged in the inlet

works, where it is screened, degritted,

measured and divided between the reac-

tors. Two front raked screens are used

with the screenings being transported

to a washing and compaction facility.

All screenings are disposed of into skips

which are housed in an enclosed building

fi tted with an odour control air extraction

system. To cater for the proposed phases

of development, four Vortex de-gritters of

3,5 metres in diameter were constructed,

but only two were fi tted with the required

mechanical equipment. Th e grit is trans-

ported to grit classifi ers and conveyed to

collection skips which are located in a

separate enclosed building equipped with

an odour control extraction facility. Th e

grit and screenings skips are located on a

rail system which permits easy removal of

these units out of their respective build-

ings prior to removal from site.

Th e wastewater characteristics indi-

cated that treating the raw sewage in an

activated sludge reactor confi gured as a

University of Cape Town (UCT) process

will readily achieve suffi cient biological

N and P removal to meet the new effl uent

discharge standards specifi ed. A standby

chemical P removal facility is, however,

provided for use during periods of poor

biological P removal.

Th e screened and de-gritted raw

sewage gravitates directly to two 12 Mℓ/d

rectangular bioreactors. Th ey are each

divided into an anaerobic, anoxic and aer-

obic zone to conform to the UCT process

confi guration. Th e unaerated zones are

mixed by bridge-mounted vertical spindle

mixers, while the aerated zones are aer-

ated by six bridge-mounted, vertical

spindle mechanical aerators. Axial fl ow

mixed liquor pumps are provided to re-

circulate mixed liquor from the aerobic

to the anoxic zones (A-recycle), and also

from the anoxic to the anaerobic zones

(R-recycle).

Th e mixed liquor gravitates to four

30 metre diameter, fl at-bottomed, suction

lift secondary settling tanks (SSTs). Th e

SSTs are equipped with a peripheral-

driven half-bridge mechanism. Th e over-

fl ow gravitates to the maturation ponds

and the underfl ow gravitates to the return

activated sludge (RAS) pump station

where it is pumped to the anoxic zone in

the reactors.

Th e waste activate sludge (WAS) is

pumped directly out of each reactor to

the sludge dewatering building where it

is thickened and dewatered by means of

two linear screen/belt press trains. Th e

dewatered sludge is pumped via progres-

sive cavity pumps to a reinforced concrete

elevated hopper from which sludge will be

discharged to trucks for disposal. Th e fi l-

trate and wash water from the thickening/

dewatering trains gravitate back to the

RAS division box where it is mixed with

the RAS before entering the anoxic zones

of the bioreactors.

Th e effl uent stream passes through a

series of maturation ponds upstream of

the disinfection facility. Several disinfec-

tion options were investigated. However,

in view of safety, environmental and

logistical considerations, it was decided

that UV radiation be selected for dis-

infection of the fi nal effl uent. Th e fi rst

two maturation ponds out of a total of

thirteen were constructed with concrete

fl oors and a vehicle ramp to enable pe-

riodic removal of any settled sludge. A

2


facility to bypass the maturation pond

system was also provided.

Th e design of the works took the reuse

of effl uent into consideration and provides

for a service water pump station which

distributes water to the plant for opera-

tional purposes. Other reuse considera-

tions included the distribution of effl uent

to adjacent farms and a proposed golf

course. Th e balance of the effl uent is dis-

charged into the Mosselbank River.

Th e initially low sewage fl ows and the

long retention period in the rising main

feeding the works are expected to result

in the raw sewage feed being septic and

hence creating the potential to generate

excessive odours. Th ese potentially ad-

verse conditions will be unacceptable,

particularly considering the close prox-

imity of the works to the proposed adja-

cent housing developments, and patrons

of the proposed golf course. Th e provision

of an adequate odour control system was

a critical component of the overall design.

Th e major source of odour will arise

from the inlet works, particularly at

the discharge point of the rising mains,

screens, grit removal, fl ow measurement

and division channels. Purpose-built and

designed covers have been installed to

cover all open channels between the inlet

rising main and the division channels to

the biological reactors. Th ese covers also

include the pista grit tanks.

A second source of odours will arise

from the sludge dewatering process. Th e

sludge storage silo has been identifi ed as

the major source of odours, with further

odours coming from the linear screens

and belt presses. Th e storage silo is en-

closed while the linear screens and belt

presses are housed in a large structure

and the foul air is extracted by means of

specially designed hoods over the equip-

ment. Th e foul air extracted from the

enclosed areas is vented to the specifi cally

designed odour treatment unit.

Th e connection of the main power

supply feeder to this greenfi elds waste-

water treatment works was recently

installed and commissioning of the

Fisantekraal WWTW will commence in

August. Th e plant is due to be operational

by the end of 2011.

3

4

5

3 Layout of the Fisantekraal WWTW

4 Sludge dewatering building and

sludge storage hopper

5 Inlet works and effl uent storage

reservoir (foreground)

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tarin

e 33

82/A


Khin Aung Han

Lecturer

Dept Civil Engineering and Surveying

Durban University of Technology

[email protected]

Quantitative Analysis of EIA for Environmental EngineersBACKGROUNDMany environmental impact assessment

(EIA) reports are lacking in science and

technology, in that they contain more de-

scription than scientifi c calculation. EIA

reports, which are vital tools for decision-

makers, involve specialised studies in spe-

cialised fi elds, many of which are based

on environmental engineering.

According to Brockman (2009), “Th e

main business of engineering is to apply

technology in concert with natural phe-

nomena to develop these things that we

need or want. Whereas the natural sci-

ences traditionally seek to discover how

things are, engineering focuses on the

question, ‘What form should we give to

this thing so that it will eff ectively serve

its purpose?’

“Most engineering problems are open-

ended, in that they don’t have a single

solution. Engineering approaches are

based on:

■ how to represent a design problem

■ how to make assumptions

■ how to generate possible ideas for designs

■ how to eff ectively conduct a search for

a solution

■ how to plan and schedule activities

■ how to make effi cient use of resources

■ how to organise the components and

activities of a team design project.”

Based on the above-mentioned approaches,

EIAs prepared by environmental engineers

are supported by calculations. Th is is the

main diff erence between EIAs written by

environmental engineers and EIAs written

by environmental scientists.

Nowadays most project owners/

managers are willing to cooperate with

EIA specialists from the planning stage to

avoid EIA-recommended alterations at a

later stage.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTAn EIA report consists of:

■ Baseline data (existing environment

such as air, water, noise, community,

infrastructure)

■ Project data

■ Impact prediction, i.e. above-mentioned

two items combined

■ Mitigation measures, and

■ Monitoring programme.

Firstly, a project plan indicating the loca-

tion of the project site and surrounding

areas is given to the EIA specialist. It is

the responsibility of the EIA specialist to

then check the existing main drainage

system, and the drainage system of the

proposed project, as well as to estimate

the increased future stormwater runoff .

The Rational method is used to

estimate the quantity of runoff in the

project area:

Q = CIA

where

Q is the maximum fl ow

C is the coeffi cient of runoff areas

I is the average rainfall intensity, and

A is the drainage area.

Th en the sizes of the drains are

checked to determine whether they can ac-

commodate increased fl ow or not. For this

step: read the site map, and fi nd out the

size of the main drain and its direction.


Water quality monitoring stations

Ambient air quality monitoring stations

Ambient noise level monitoring stations

Project Site

Project location and surrounding areas showing the following:

1


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Specialist Waste Management Consultants

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Highlands Materials Recovery Facility

Pearly Beach Drop-Off Facility

Hermanus Materials Recovery Facility

The velocity of f low and the size of

the drains are checked by using conti-

nuity equation Q = Av and the Manning

formula v = (1/n) m2/3s½ where “v” is

the f low velocity, “n” is the Manning’s

roughness factor, “m” is the hydraulic

mean depth and “s” is the bed slope.

Using the project detail drawing

and P&ID diagram, determine the mass

balance of all inputs and all outputs.

All inputs are energy (power, steam,

fuel, compressed air), water and raw

materials. All outputs are solid waste,

liquid waste, gaseous waste, noise,

products and by-products. This entails

drawing material balance sheets based

on the chemical process diagrams.

Check the water demand for the project

(including processing and cooling

tower if necessary) and calculate the

percentage demand for the project

based on the existing usage of the sur-

rounding areas.

DEFINE INVENTORY

AND STORAGE CONDITIONS

OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

FLAMMABLE

GAS LIQUID

OR TWO-PHASE

BLEVE OTHER CASES

GAS LIQUID

OR TWO-PHASE

TOXIC

Flammable Gas

Event TreeFlammable

Liquid

Event Tree

BLEVE

Model

Toxic Gas

Event TreeToxic Liquid

Event Tree

Nature of Hazard

Phase in the

Process or

Storage vessel

Release Case

Event Tree

of Model

2

1 Project location and surrounding areas

2 Failure case defi nition tree


CALCULATIONS AND PROBLEMS ENCOUNTEREDWater pollution impact

Th e quality of the receiving water course

can be aff ected by the treated wastewater

discharged from the project. One of the

main tasks of the EIA specialist is there-

fore to analyse the effl uent to check the

removal effi ciency.

Use the equation:

Removal

Effi ciency (%) =

Infl uent C-Effl uent C

Infl uent C x 100

and check the removal effi ciency of each

unit in the proposed wastewater treat-

ment plant for SS, COD, BOD, NO3

- and

Cl-, etc. Th en compare the quality of the

fi nal effl uent with the standard set by the

governing body.

It is necessary to estimate the impact of

effl uent on the receiving water course. First

locate the outlet pipe of the project at the

water course. Th en take water samplings at

the outlet location, 50 m before and 50 m

after the outlet. Next, calculate the impact

on the constituents (BOD, COD, phenol,

grease and oil, SS, NO3

-, etc) in the receiving

water by using the Mass Balance equation:

Cmix = Qwater Cwater+Qeff Ceff

Qwater+Qeff

Air pollution impact

To estimate gas emission from the project,

extract the gas emission from the mass

balance sheets of the project description.

Th e type of gas and concentration, emission

temperature, stack height, stack diameter

and emission velocity are determined from

the project data sheets. At the beginning of

the EIA project, the existing air quality is

measured (SO2, NO

3, CO

2, TSP, etc). Use the

above-mentioned gas emission data as input

data and run air modelling (e.g. ISCST/

LT) to predict the ground level concentra-

tion. Th e modelling results are shown by

isopleths. Also check the air quality at the

receptors (the most vulnerable places are

schools, hospitals, clinics and community

centres). Th en compare the results with the

ambient air criteria.

Noise pollution impact

High-level noise-producing areas should

be identifi ed and, using the compounding

eff ect of the noise level, its impact to the

nearest community should be calculated

by using the following equation:

Lp2 = Lp1 – 20 log (R2/R1)

VAPOUR CLOUD EXPLOSION

DELAYED IGNITION

LIQUID SPILL CLIMATIC

CONDITION FOR

DENSE GAS

FORMATION

NO

IMMEDIATE

IGNITION

Xa = 1 (Delayed ignition

source existed) = 0 (No delayed

ignition source)

PE

P3

P2

= 0,04

P1

= 0,5

3

4


0860 CRANESHead Office Tel: +27 (011) 455 9222Head Office Fax: +27 (011) 455 9230Email: [email protected]

www.jch.co.za

TOTAL COSTEFFECTIVENESS

RELIABILITYAVAILABILITYMAINTENANCESAFETY

where Lp1 and Lp2 are noise levels at R1

and R2 distances.

Th en the composite noise level (ambient +

noise from project) is calculated by:

Lp total = 10 log (1/n) (S 10Li/10)

Fire and explosion impact

Th is concerns only catastrophic failure –

fatality and property damage. First, based

on the storage inventory, high pressure,

temperature and fi re /explosion index,

identify hazardous substances / process

areas. Th e analysis of the potential hazard

is recorded by using the HAZOP study

and fault tree diagram. Th en the prob-

ability of each hazard is calculated, and its

consequences (e.g. fi re and/or explosion)

analysed by using a hazard model such

as WHAZAN. Th e hazard impact is then

shown on the project area and its sur-

rounding by diff erent impact intensities.

Fire prevention and safety

Based on locations and the number of fi re

hydrants, the fi re prevention areas are

checked together with water pressure and

water storage demand.

CONCLUSIONEIAs for industrial projects are challenging

and require engineering science and tech-

nology – hydraulics and hydrology, water

and wastewater engineering, building

engineering, pipeline engineering, water

pollution analysis, drawing interpretation,

chemical process engineering, air model-

ling, and hazard modelling. All these ap-

plications prove that the EIA is pertinent

to environmental engineers.

REFERENCES1. Brochman, J B 2009. Introduction to

Engineering: Modelling and Problem Solving.

John Wiley & Sons Inc.

2. Final Report, Environmental Impact

Assessment of Olefi ns Plant (Expansion),

Map Ta Phut, Rayoung, Thailand, 1996.

3 Fault tree diagram for unconfi ned

vapour cloud explosion

4 Boundary of hazard consequences

from vapour cloud explosion

EIAs for industrial projects are

challenging and require engineering

science and technology – hydraulics

and hydrology, water and wastewater

engineering, building engineering,

pipeline engineering, water pollution

analysis, drawing interpretation,

chemical process engineering, air

modelling, and hazard modelling


Andile Gqaji

Project Manager

SANRAL

[email protected]

Public transport and the environment –

the way forwardBACKGROUNDTh e vision for South African transport is of

a system which will:

"Provide safe, reliable, eff ective,

effi cient, and fully integrated trans-

port operations and infrastructure

which will best meet the needs of

freight and passenger customers

at improving levels of service and

cost in a fashion which supports

government strategies for economic

and social development whilst being

environmentally and economi-

cally sustainable." (White Paper on

National Transport Policy 1996)

Th ere is no denying that the state of public

transport in South Africa is in a terrible

state and defi nitely does not support the

above transport vision. Public transport in

South Africa is expensive, unreliable and

ineff ective. Th ese are some of the chal-

lenges faced by commuters, many of whom

are from the poorest of the poor.

Partly due to the current state of the

public transport system, there has been

a rapid increase in private vehicle owner-

ship in South Africa over the last few

years, resulting in our roads and transport

systems being overloaded at the same

time every day. Billions of rands are spent

by government on capacity improvements

to accommodate the ever increasing

private vehicle ownership. It is estimated

that there are about 9 970 381 registered

vehicles in South Africa, of which approx-

imately 57% are a combination of motor

cars and station wagons (eNaTIS 30 April

2011). According to eNaTIS there were

5 675 628 motor cars and station wagons

on our roads by 31 March 2011.

When the new government came into

power in 1994, it listed transport as one

of its fi ve top national priorities. From the

supply side, government is tasked with

the provision of roads, rail infrastructure,

rolling stock and ancillary items. It is also

tasked with supplying services such as

subsidised bus and train services, main-

tenance of transport infrastructure and

regulation of the use of these facilities.

Th e spatial structure of our country

can be divided into rural and urban areas,

with cities fragmented into zoned areas of

specialised land use. Th e need for avail-

able transport in this space is a given.

Th e cost of transport infl uences

wealth, as it reduces the resources that

could have been saved, invested or spent

on other needs. Th e cost of commuting to

work should not exceed 10% of a worker’s

remuneration (White Paper on National

Transport Policy 1996), but there are

many cases in our country where this

policy guideline cannot be achieved,

which is a pity, as reduced transport costs

could result in a higher standard of living

for workers. Th e cost of providing road

infrastructure, which encourages more

private travel and congestion, should be

redirected at promoting public transport.

Two of the strategic objectives, re-

garding public transport, listed in the

1996 White Paper on National Transport

Policy, are:

(i) “To promote the use of public transport

over private car travel, with the goal

of achieving a ratio of 80:20 between

public transport and private car

usage.” Th is objective was too ambi-

tious, and had been listed without

fully understanding the issues around

public transport and the challenges

faced by commuters.

(ii) “To ensure that public transport is af-

fordable, with commuters spending less

than about 10% of disposable income

on transport”. Th is objective is also not

realistic, as many people live very far

from employment centres as a result of

the previous apartheid policies.

ROLE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN SOUTH AFRICAPublic transport has three objectives:

1. Strategic: to off er an alternative

equivalent in quality to private car

usage, and to support the modal split.

2. Social: to off er travel possibilities to

people who do not possess cars, and

support sustainable access.

3. Commercial: to make a profi t or

minimise the loss.

Public transport has a crucial role to play

in improving accessibility, in combating

congestion, and in supporting improved

road safety and air quality. Logically,

the basic requirements for a good public

transport system are:

■ Aff ordability

■ Reliability/Frequency

■ Accessibility

■ Comfort

■ Safety

■ Availability

Th e current public transport system does

not come close to meeting these require-

ments.

THE NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD TRAVEL SURVEY (NHTS) 2003From the NHTS we can understand the

current travel situation in South Africa.

According to the NHTS, the reasons

why commuters do not use trains and

buses on the one hand, or minibus-taxis

on the other hand, are their unavail-

ability and high fares respectively. These

reasons in fact constitute some of the

basic requirements of a good public

transport system.

Some facts as recorded in the NHTS 2003

Access to public transport services

Figure 1 shows that the majority (76%) of

households did not have access to train

services, while 38% of households did not

have access to bus services (stops).


Th e signifi cance of the taxi mode

(minibus, sedan or bakkie) as a convenient

form of public transport is also illustrated

in the graph. Only 9% of households

indicated that there was no available taxi

service near their homes.

Customer perceptions about

the quality of public transport services

Respondents were given the opportunity

to report on the main transport problems

experienced by their households. Table 1

shows that many households, in all

areas, did not experience any transport

problems. Th is applies particularly to

the smaller urban areas where travel dis-

tances to services and amenities are rela-

tively short. On the other hand, only 18%

of rural households reported no serious

transport problems.

Travel choice factors

All race groups, and people in every pro-

vince, indicated that the most important

factor to consider when travelling is safety

from accidents (see Figure 2).

Of people 15 years and older, 83%

did not use buses. Th eir reasons were

that buses were too infrequent, did not

depart/arrive at appropriate times and

that travel times were too long. About

19 million people 15 years and older

(over 59%) had used a taxi in the previous

month. Th ose who did not use taxis were

deterred by cost, by crime and by the

number of taxi accidents.

Almost half (48%) of the minibus-taxi

passengers, 42% of train passengers and a

third of bus passengers were dissatisfi ed

with the overall quality of the service.

Th e main complaints about public

transport services were the following:

■ Trains

Overcrowding

(71% of users dissatisfi ed)

Security when walking to stations (64%

dissatisfi ed)

Security on trains (63% dissatisfi ed)

■ Buses

Lack of facilities at bus stops

(74% dissatisfi ed)

Overcrowding on buses

(54% dissatisfi ed)

Low frequency during off -peak times

(51% dissatisfi ed)

■ Minibus-taxis

Safety from taxi accidents (67%)

Lack of facilities at ranks (64%)

Lack of roadworthiness of vehicles (60%)

Travel to Work

Th ere are about 10 million people who

regularly travel to work. Th e modal share

for work trips is depicted in Figure 3. Th e

modes used vary, but about a third of

all commuters travelled to work by car.

Another signifi cant group of commuters

(almost a quarter) walked to work.

Figure 4 shows the modes used by the

commuters who travelled to work using

public transport. Th e vast majority of

taxi users travelled in minibus-taxis (over

98 percent) as distinct from sedan-taxis

or bakkie-taxis.

Th ere are approximately 3,9 mil-

lion public transport commuters. Th e

2,5 million taxi commuters account for

over 63% of public transport work trips.

Bus services account for another 22% of

public transport commuters and the bal-

ance are carried to work by train.

The cost of getting to work /

the aff ordability of transport

The most serious concerns about

transport costs related to the cost of

travelling to work, particularly for low-

income earners. Figure 5 shows the

monthly cost of commuting to work at

the time of the survey. Figure 6 shows

the relationship between monthly

household income and the households

that spent more than 20% of income on

public transport. For South Africa as a

whole 18% of households spent 20% or

more per month on transport.

Th e benchmark used in the White

Paper on National Transport Policy

(DoT 1996) to assess whether trans-

port costs were creating hardship for

households or individuals, was 10% of

disposable income. Th is may either be the

percentage of the household income or

the percentage of the personal income of

Table 1 Absence of

transport problems by type of area

Type of area % of household

Metropolitan 27

Urban 41

Rural 18

RSA 28

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

1 – 15 16 – 30 >30 No Meanmins mins mins service

Walking time

% o

f h

ou

seh

old

s

Train station

Bus stop

Taxi service

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0African/Black Coloured Indian/Asian White

% o

f h

ou

seh

old

s

Accessibility of service

Driver’s attitude

Flexibility

Security from crime

Safety from accidents

Travel cost

Travel time

47 53 61 51

1310

15

1

2

1 Household access to public transport

2 Travel choice factors


commuters. Th e percentage of personal

income spent by workers on public trans-

port to work is shown in Table 2.

Considering expenditure on travel

to work as a percentage of commuter

income, there is strong evidence that poor

people are using a large proportion of their

income to get to their jobs. As shown in

Figure 6, on average, commuters who earn

R500 or less are paying over a third of their

income for travel to work. Table 2 shows

that some 82% are spending more than

20% of their income on transport. Th is

means that the disposable income left for

basic necessities is relatively small.

In summary, the NHTS 2003 identifi ed

the following as commuters’ main problems:

1. Almost half of the households in South

Africa said that their main transport

problem was that public transport was

either not available or too far away.

2. One third of households reported

that safety from accidents and bad

driver behaviour was the most se-

rious transport problem.

3. For 20% of the households, the cost

of transport was a serious problem.

4. Crime.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION VERSUS PRIVATE CARTh e number of private cars on the road is

rising rapidly and will continue to do so,

but a good public transport system could

be more convenient, quicker and cheaper.

No Parking:

One of the most frustrating and time-

consuming things about driving a car is

hunting for parking, which is often scarce

and usually expensive. Th e bonus of get-

ting on public transport is being able to

alight and nothing else.

Cheaper:

Contrary to popular belief, nearly all forms

of public transport are cheaper than run-

ning a private car. In addition, regular com-

muters could make use of season tickets and

similar special off ers. Th e cost of running a

car entails much more than the mere cost

of petrol, which in itself is already expensive

enough. Car insurance, maintenance, etc,

all add up to substantial amounts.

Quicker:

Despite the occasional delay, a public

transport journey from A to B could be

quicker and often more direct, as in-

creasing investments are made into public

transport systems.

Convenient:

Th e great thing about reliable public trans-

port is that it gets you where you want to

be, particularly in cities and towns. Rather

than being able to drive to a certain point

only before getting stuck in a one-way

system, you can reach your central point

directly. Plus you have the bonus of sitting

back, relaxing with a newspaper and let-

ting someone else do the driving.

Granted, cars and motorbikes are

more fl exible at times, off ering an easier

and quicker form of travel, but the green

credentials of this mode of travel are

far less attractive to anyone wanting to

reduce his/her carbon footprint. When

there is a realistic public transport alter-

native to driving, the biggest challenge is

changing our preconceptions.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT Catching public transport is a great way

for people to contribute to a cleaner

environment.

Given the proportion of South Africa’s

total carbon emissions that can be attributed

Public Transport modes

TrainBusTaxiCarWalkOther

6%

9%

25%

32%

23%

5%

Train

Bus

Taxi

RSA

15

22

63

250

200

150

100

50

0Train Bus Taxi

Mo

nth

ly c

ost

of

com

mu

tin

g

Main mode of travel to work

R172

R201

R222

3

4

5

3 Main mode of travel to work

4 Public transport modes used for work trips

5 Cost of commuting by public transport


Africa’s

leader in

natural

resource

and

development

solutions

Tel: +27(0) 11 441 1111 www.srk.co.za

Table 2 Percentage of personal income spent on public transport to work

Income group <5% 6-10% 11-15% 16-20% >20% Mean %

R1 – R500 1,5 1,0 3,4 12,1 82,1 35

R501 – R1000 1,9 11,1 18,7 19,4 48,9 23

R1001 – R2000 9,6 27,7 27,0 16,8 19,0 14

R2001 – R3000 29,5 39,7 19,3 8,0 3,6 9

>R3000 65,0 26,0 6,2 2,0 0,8 5

to private cars, there is a very strong need for

investing in public transport to mitigate the

eff ects of these emissions. Traffi c volumes

are escalating by 7% per year in the econom-

ically active corridor between Johannesburg

and Tshwane. It is expected that the Rea

Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems will

contribute to cleaner cities by reducing

carbon dioxide emissions. Environmental

impact studies predicted an expected saving

of 382 940 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emis-

sions by 2010 as a result of the implementa-

tion of the BRT system. Th e operation of the

BRT system through to 2020 was estimated

to save 1,6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent

emissions. It is further estimated that if only

15% of private vehicle users who live within

500 metres of a Rea Vaya trunk route switch

to Rea Vaya, some 370 148 tonnes of CO2

would be saved per annum. Th is will reduce

dangerous vehicular emissions considerably

(http://www.arrivealive.co.za).

Th e South African National Roads

Agency Limited (SANRAL) is also

playing its role in preserving the envi-

ronment by providing and managing a

sustainable national road network, while

keeping environmental issues clearly in

mind (Th e South African National Roads

Agency Limited, Horizon Twenty Ten).

By removing cars from our roads,

in favour of using public transport, air

pollution from private vehicles could

be reduced dramatically, with obvious

health and economic benefi ts to all.

In addition, reducing pollution is

essential to preserving South Africa’s

unique natural environment.

CONCLUSIONIncreasing the use of public trans-

port would not only contribute to a

cleaner environment and improved

living standards, but would have

long-term economic benefits as

well, which indeed makes public

transport the way forward.

REFERENCESDepartment of Transport 1996. White Paper

on National Transport Policy. Pretoria.

Department of Transport 2003. The National

Household Travel Survey (NHTS). Pretoria.

http://www.arrivealive.co.za

http://www.enatis.com

The South African National Roads Agency

Limited – Horizon Twenty Ten.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTThe author gratefully acknowledges Peter

Copley (Transportation Specialist at the

Development Bank of Southern Africa) for

his support and advice during the prepara-

tion of this article. This article is published in

the author’s personal capacity and the views

expressed are not those of the South African

National Roads Agency Limited.

% o

f h

ou

seh

old

s sp

en

din

g >

20

%

of

inco

me

on

pu

blic

tra

nsp

ort

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Up to

R500

R501 to

R1000

R1001 to

R3000

R3001 to

R6000

R6001+

Monthly household income

49

18

10

6

6 Households spending more than 20%

of income on public transport

BACKGROUNDIn February 2010, Aurecon was

awarded a contract by the Provincial

Government of the Western Cape to

establish a Programme Implementation

Unit (PIU) within the Western Cape

Education Department (WCED) to as-

sist in the implementation of school

infrastructure projects.

Some of the main aims of the PIU are

to facilitate, implement and expedite in-

frastructure delivery for the WCED. Th is

is achieved by acting as a second parallel

delivery mechanism to the Department

of Transport and Public Works (DTPW)

which continues to implement the ma-

jority of the WCED’s projects as the pri-

mary delivery agent.

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONNow halfway through the three-year

contract period, the PIU has been in-

volved in the implementation of a wide

range of projects at over 200 schools,

totalling over R250 m, including:

■ construction of two new schools

■ construction of 120 classrooms at

64 overcrowded primary schools

■ construction of additional facilities at 14

top-performing schools to allow for the

enrolment of an additional class per grade

■ renovation of a disused teachers’

training centre into a new high school

■ additions of various facilities such as

halls, administration blocks, fi elds,

laboratories, etc, at numerous schools

■ planned maintenance at 39 schools

■ placement or relocation of over 200 mo-

bile (prefabricated) classrooms at over

100 schools, and the

■ development of workshops and special fa-

cilities at schools for Learners with Special

Educational Needs (LSEN schools).

1

1 Perspective of the new Claremont

High School after a R10 m facelift

2 The old Barkly House Teacher’s

Training College before its transformation

into the Claremont High School

3 Internal courtyard at the new

Claremont High School

Jonathan Webb

Associate:

Civil Engineering/Project Management

Aurecon SA (Pty) Ltd

[email protected]

W E S T E R N C A P E

Implementation of school construction in the Western Cape

2 3



In all this, Aurecon fulfi ls a programme

and project management role. As

such, a permanent programme offi ce

has been established within the

WCED to assist in the coordination,

communication, reporting, fi nan-

cial control and project information

management of the programme.

Th e PIU also includes a team of tech-

nical advisors or specialists to provide

technical oversight and input where

necessary. Th is team includes architec-

tural (EHH Architects) and quantity

surveying (De Leeuw Group) advisors.

Specialist input for engineering, contrac-

tual, legal, environmental and community

liaison matters is provided by Aurecon.

Each project is managed by one of

a team of ten project managers who

manage the day-to-day aspects of the

project and facilitate communication

between the WCED, the schools and the

project professional teams. Diff erent pro-

fessional teams are appointed per project

and contract directly through Aurecon

to manage the planning, design, tender

documentation and contract management

at each school. Tenders are advertised by

Aurecon, and CIDB prescripts are applied

in the tender process and documentation.

Once PGWC approval has been obtained

for a recommended tenderer, Aurecon

contracts directly with the tenderer for

the further roll-out of the project.

CHALLENGES, INNOVATIONS AND SUCCESSESFast-track delivery

One of the key aspects on this programme

has been meeting some extremely tight

delivery deadlines. It is not unusual for

project expenditure to be restricted to one

fi nancial year, which often results in very

tight project time lines. Compounding

this is the need to often deliver a project

in time for the start of a school year or

new school term, which results in limited

fl exibility or ability to extend or overrun

on a programme.

Two particularly successful fast-

track projects have been the Khayelitsha

COSAT and Claremont High Schools.

4

4 The new Khayelitsha COSAT school

which opened in January 2011 after

just fi ve months of construction

5 The front entrance of Wallacedene

Primary School, completed in late 2010

6 Additional classrooms at Mandalay Primary

School in Mitchells Plain were designed to

match the existing look of the school


Both projects were allocated to the PIU to

manage in late May 2010 with stipulated

delivery for initial occupation by January

2011. Both high schools are STEM

schools (Science, Technology, Engineering

and Maths), which aim to attract top-end

maths and science learners.

Design, documentation and approvals

of the Khayelitsha COSAT school were

fast-tracked and tenders closed in early

August 2010, with a contractor on site

shortly thereafter. Luckily the site was

serviced and presented few constraints.

Delivery of Phase 1 (ten classrooms and

administration facilities) was achieved

on time for occupation in January 2011,

and practical completion for the full

school for 600 learners, including a

hall and sports fi eld was achieved four

months later. Several measures in design,

constructability, phasing, layout and

documentation were implemented by

the professional team to ensure this pro-

gramme could be achieved.

Th e R10 m renovation and exten-

sion of an old teachers’ training college

into the new Claremont High School

for 500 learners similarly followed an

accelerated design, documentation and

tender process. A contractor was on site

in August 2010 and delivery was achieved

for the school to take occupation by

January 2011, with fi nal works being com-

pleted by March. Renovation projects al-

ways present challenges, and numerous un-

expected hurdles were indeed encountered

along the way, ranging from the discovery

of a freshwater spring beneath the building’s

foundation to encountering asbestos insula-

tion which had to be removed by specialist

contractors. To deal with the myriad issues

typical of renovation projects, the Principal

Agent placed a resident architect on site to

manage daily queries. Th e success of this

project in terms of timeous delivery was

largely due to the excellent teamwork which

developed between the professional team

and the contractor.

Capitalising on economies of scale

School projects are frequently grouped by

the WCED into programmes, depending

on the nature of the project or the source

of the funding. One such example is the

“Relief Programme” which comprised

the construction of 120 classrooms at

64 overcrowded primary schools. Each

school was provided with between one

and four new classrooms. It was decided

to group school projects geographically

5

6


into clusters whereby certain benefi ts

could be achieved, including:

■ reduction in the management eff ort of

numerous small contracts, both on a

programme level and in terms of site

management by the principal agents

■ increased contract values which

allowed for a higher grading of

contractor to be targeted, and

■ the benefit of economy of

scale both in construction

costs and professional fees.

A total of four sites per contract seemed

to be the optimum size in order to

increase the contract value, while not

exceeding the capacity or capability of the

target group of contractors to resource

multiple sites simultaneously.

Th is approach proved successful, al-

though a number of issues arose and had to

be dealt with along the way, for instance:

■ Although a Community Liaison Offi cer

(CLO) had been allowed on each con-

tract, several communities demanded a

dedicated CLO for each site, leading to

additional costs on the programme.

■ Contracts where sites were further

apart proved challenging to some of the

contractors.

Despite the above, the majority of the

64 schools had their classrooms delivered

on time and within budget, with a few

remaining problematic contracts fi nishing

slightly behind the rest.

A similar approach of clustering

projects was also adopted for the imple-

mentation of the planned maintenance pro-

gramme at 39 schools, with similar success.

Norms, standards and other requirements

Th e aim of the PIU has never been to

reinvent the wheel. Rather, it has been to

achieve any possible time, cost or effi ciency

benefi t on behalf of the Client without com-

prising the integrity of Government’s proc-

esses or the quality of the end product. As

such, projects are structured to match those

delivered through other conventional de-

livery mechanisms. For instance, the norms

and standards for schools are applied on all

projects to ensure quality end products and

Project 2Project 1

PROGRAMME OFFICE AT WCED

WCED: Infrastructure Development and Planning

Programme Manager

Project Management Technical Advisors Specialist Advisors

Architect

Quantity Surveyor

Civil, Structural, and Electrical Engineers

OHS

Legal

Environmental

Contract Documentation

Administrative Support

Professional Team Professional Team

Contractor Contractor

7

8

7 Impendulo Primary School – one of

64 schools for which additional classrooms

were added under the Relief Programme

8 The structure of the Programme

Implementation Unit (PIU)


Construction

Data and Telecommunications

Defence

Energy

Government

International Development Assistance

Manufacturing

Property

Resources

Transport

Water

Aurecon provides engineering, management and specialist technical services to government and private sector clients globally. The group has successfully delivered world class technical expertise and innovative

the Middle East.

The key to our success lies in our business model which focuses on

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Your success is our success.

For more information contact us at tel: +27 12 427 2000 or email: [email protected]

Engineering your success

Industries:

uniformity, and standardisation between

schools. While layout design is approved

by the WCED at concept stage, drawings

and designs are submitted for approval to

DTPW as the ultimate custodian of the

facilities on behalf of the WCED. Local

authorities are also provided with courtesy

drawings for scrutiny and comment.

Along the way, some peculiarities

have been encountered relating to zoning,

sub-division or ownership of existing edu-

cational facilities. Th ese matters are dealt

with between the PIU, WCED and DTPW

property on a case-by-case basis.

All permanent construction to date

has been of a conventional nature (brick

and mortar), although the WCED has

expressed interest in investigating appro-

priate certifi ed/standardised alternative

construction technologies to expedite

delivery and/or reduce costs in future.

At a contractual level, the PIU imple-

ments similar contractual requirements in

terms of utilisation of local labour as are

required on other provincial projects. Th e

involvement of local communities is usually

facilitated through the School Governing

Bodies who identify appropriate CLOs for

the projects. As with most projects, those

projects which have the buy-in of the local

community from the beginning inevitably

have proven to be the most successful.

Financial Expenditure

Financial performance is always a critical

Key Performance Indicator. Th e PIU as-

sisted the WCED in achieving, for the fi rst

time, a 100% spend on their budget for the

2010/2011 fi nancial year. Moreover, only a

few months into the current fi nancial year,

and everything already appears on track

for the WCED to match their achievement

with an even larger budget this year.

CONCLUSIONTh e need within both the Western Cape,

and indeed the country as a whole, for

delivery of educational infrastructure is

immense. Th ere are tremendous pres-

sures on thinly stretched resources to

deliver, expand and maintain educational

infrastructure. Mechanisms such as the

WCED PIU off er a viable alternative or

additional delivery mechanism to assist in

expediting infrastructure delivery.

PROJECT TEAM

Client

Western Cape Education Department (WCED)

Programme Management Unit

Programme and Project Managers Aurecon SA (Pty) Ltd

Architectural Technical Advisor EHH Architects

Quantity Surveying Technical Advisor De Leeuw Group

Engineering Technical Advisor Aurecon SA (Pty) Ltd

Project Teams

Professional Teams (all disciplines) Numerous Professional Service Providers

Contractors Numerous Contractors


AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECTTh e project aims, fi rstly, to provide community upliftment and

act as a catalyst in presenting new development opportunities

for historically downtrodden communities. Secondly, the project

aims to ensure the upgrade of rental stock within budget and

on time. Th e project is a government-funded project, hence the

focus is on ensuring that the available budget is utilised in the

most advantageous manner for residents, as well as for the City,

who has to maintain these assets.

OVERVIEW OF THE UPGRADETh e upgrade includes general renovations to buildings, roofs,

electrical and plumbing systems, as well as the installation of

new ceilings, fl oor coverings, cupboards and geysers, fencing,

refuse management, area lighting, greening of areas and recrea-

tional facilities.

Th e process of rolling this out requires precision planning. A

temporary village has been established for the tenants to move

to whilst upgrading is in process. A block takes fi ve weeks to

complete, after which time the residents would be assisted to

move back to their upgraded units so that the next block could

be vacated for the builders to transform. Th e location of the tem-

porary accommodation is in close proximity to the rental units,

minimising disruption to the tenants’ daily lives. By arranging

new refuse collection points, cleaning of units between moves,

installing fi re hydrants, etc, Aurecon ensured that the village is

kept in a good, clean condition, without compromising the safety

of the residents, and ensuring a safe environment at all times.

Community participation is also a key element in the success

of the project. Comprehensive engagement of communities began

with the establishment of Project Steering Committees. Various

community representatives, including the local Ward Councillor,

serve on these committees and attend the monthly meetings.

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED AND INNOVATIONSProblem 1

Initially there was a notion that the tenants should stay in the

buildings during the renovations. However, it was acknow-

ledged that, due to the magnitude of work required to upgrade

these units, their staying in the units would not only slow down

progress to unacceptable levels, but tenants would be at great risk

of getting injured.

Innovation 1

All options for relocation were considered to ensure that costs

were kept within budget, and to ensure minimal disruption to

the residents’ daily lives. Tenants were fully consulted in order

to identify the most suitable solution. Aurecon designed a tem-

porary village which met the stringent standards set by the City

– converted containers for residents to stay in whilst their fl ats

are being refurbished.

Th e 12-metre converted containers have windows and doors,

insulation, partitions, a bathroom, free electricity, and free hot

and cold water. Aspects such as garbage collection and delivery

of mail were also considered to ensure a comfortable stay.

Communal dish antennas were even provided for those who have

decoders. Th is arrangement is cutting down by half the con-

struction time for each block.

Th e temporary village will be dismantled at the end of the

project to prevent the formation of an informal settlement.

Problem 2

Many buildings have families residing in informal structures at

the back of the buildings (back-yarders). Th ese are often attached

Johan Keuler

Associate:

Project Management

Aurecon SA (Pty) Ltd

[email protected]

Upgrade of rental stock in the City of Cape Town

The City of Cape Town realised that unsatisfactory

maintenance conditions prevailed in their housing

stock of 43 500 units. As a start 7 775 rental units

were identified in eleven areas across the Cape

Metropole in a pilot project programme for basic

upgrade refurbishment in terms of the Community

Residential Unit (CRU) Programme of the National

Government. In August 2008 Aurecon was

appointed as implementing agent for the upgrade

of 3 840 units (R506 million). The areas included

Hanover Park, Heideveld, Ottery (Marble Flats),

Kewtown (Athlone) and Elsies River (The Range)


to the main building and are in the way of the scaff olding

that needs to go up next to the building for renovation work.

Furthermore, there are no funds to accommodate the back-

yarders in temporary villages as in the case of the main tenants.

Innovation 2

After consultation with the back-yarders it was agreed that

the scaff olding would be erected by going through roofs and

anchoring on open spaces between the shacks. Th e part of the

shack which is under the scaff olding is partitioned off and is not

accessible to anyone. Cantilevers are used to protect the parts of

the shacks next to the scaff olding. Th ese measures ensure that all

health and safety regulations are adequately adhered to.

Problem 3

Th e project continuously runs the risk of delays and political

interference.

Innovation 3

To this end, proper screening measures for contractors were put

in place and the community was involved in the planning of the

project from the outset.

Problem 4

Th e expectation of communities in relationship to job opportu-

nities proved diffi cult to manage.

Innovation 4

In an effort to address the huge need for job opportunities this

aspect was captured in the tender document and is strictly

monitored. Over the five contracts approximately 50% of the

labour bill is allocated to the local community. Training and

skills are transferred to participants. Following the hard-skills

(technical) training that is provided, the trainees are em-

ployed in the projects.

Before families move back into their refurbished units they

also undergo education relating to the maintenance of a rental

unit, payment of rent, management of electricity and water ac-

counts, management of refuse, and so forth.

Problem 5

All the project areas are gang-dominated and gang fi ghts occur

regularly. Th e tenants in the temporary villages are exposed in

this regard, since the villages are used by the gangs as places to

seek cover during shootouts.

Innovation 5

Aurecon approached the South African Police, the City of

Cape Town‘s Metro Police, and the City Law Enforcement and

Community Crime Prevention Bodies to coordinate their patrols

in order to obtain 24/7 surveillance, as well as occasional patrols

in the temporary villages. Th e refurbishment is scheduled spe-

cifi cally to ensure that no rival gang members are residing in the

temporary village at the same time.

1 2

3 4

1 Kewtown (Athlone) – before

2 Kewtown (Athlone) – after. Also shown in this picture is

part of the temporary village of containers (blue)

3 The Range (Elsies River) – before

4 The Range (Elsies River) – after


Problem 6

Some of the blocks were built with precast concrete walls, which

resulted in serious damp and water ingress problems, especially

in winter.

Innovation 6

Th e precast concrete walls at the rental units were assessed and

a new brick skin was suggested. Th e newly built façade acts as a

cavity wall and gives the building a fresh look, reduces dampness

inside units and solves water ingress problems at window sills.

Problem 7

Th e policy of the funding regime (the Community Residential

Unit) provides for the refurbishment of the buildings, but not for

the external environment, i.e. the public open spaces between the

buildings. Without being able to upgrade the external environ-

ment, the upgraded areas would lack complete transformation

and would not achieve a sense of place to instill community

pride.

Innovation 7

Additional funding was sourced from the Social and Economic

Facilities Programme (SEFP) to develop these public open spaces.

PROJECT STATUSTo date 484 units out of a total of 3 840 units have been

completed. Th e project is scheduled for fi nal completion by

30 June 2015. Th e fi rst two parks are also currently under con-

struction.

CONCLUSIONTh is direct intervention ensures enhancement of the lives of

these tenants who have become accustomed to unsafe and not

always well maintained rental accommodation, thereby uplifting

their standard of living.

5

6

7

5 Hanover – scaff olding next to the building erected

over informal shacks in the backyards

6 Kewtown (Athlone) – model of developed public open space

7 Kewtown (Athlone) – public open space under construction;

note the temporary village of containers in the background


Hans Bosch

Consulting Structural Engineer

Mossel Bay

[email protected]

S O U T H E R N C A P E

INTRODUCTIONIn 2007 the light steel frame system was

introduced in the Southern Cape under

the guidance of the Southern African

Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC).

Shortly thereafter two manufacturing

plants opened their doors, one in George

and the other in Mossel Bay.

Th e system consists of automated roll-

formers with cutting, punching, bending

and dimple-forming modules. Th e roll-

former machine is controlled by computer

and a specifi cally developed CAD pro-

gram (Framecad) to enable it to produce

ready-for-use sections from 0,75 – 1,0 mm

pre-galvanised plates. Th e sections are

then screwed together to form various

components (such as panels, trusses or

girder trusses) that can be joined together

to build the frame of a house, for example.

SASFA CODE OF PRACTICETh e SASFA (Southern African Light Steel

Frame Building Association) Code for

Low-rise Light Steel Frame Buildings was

published in October 2007. Th is code

provides the rules and requirements for

the design, fabrication and construction

of buildings with light-gauge steel frames,

primarily houses and other buildings of

limited size. Supervision of an engineer

is recommended, and is compulsory for

buildings falling outside the scope of the

code. Th e code has since been superseded

by SANS 517:2009.

HOUSING SYSTEM OR STRUCTURAL MATERIAL?From May to August 2008 experience was

gained on this system through a dozen

housing projects. Lighter foundations

were designed to suit the reduced weight

and higher fl exibility of the steel. Various

beam and connection options were also

analysed and discussed.

After the initial phase, two project

proposals exposed the need to move

beyond the scope of the code. Th e fi rst

was the proposed Hornlee Village in

Knysna, where the developer was plan-

ning a number of four-storey blocks of

fl ats, comprising eight units each, with

an average unit size of 60 m2. A three-di-

mensional steel frame made up of I-beams

was proposed to serve as skeleton for the

light-gauge steel.

Th e second proposal came from Titan

Aviation in George, who required an exten-

sion to their 23 m span helicopter hangar.

Th e architect requested a comparison

between a truss made from angle iron

and one made from light-gauge steel. Th e

light-gauge truss showed considerable

promise in both cases.

Although the two proposals did not

progress to construction, the experience

gained was used in later projects, such

as the following three projects that were

completed successfully.

House Blue Myrtle, Vleesbaai

In October 2008 Ictus Studio Architects

headed the design and construction of

a double-storey luxury sea-facing house

with the intent to utilise light-gauge steel

for the structure.

A raft foundation, made up of two

parts that hinge around the internal re-

taining wall, was designed to make use of

the greater ductility of steel compared to

masonry. Square hollow-section steel was

used for the external columns supporting

both the balcony and the overhanging

roof. Each column had a diff erent orien-

tation to improve the aesthetics of the

façade. Two square hollow sections were

also used as internal columns to support

the fl oor and roof over the wide opening.

Th e wall panels were planned to ac-

commodate the curved roof, and in the

main bedroom a curved wall was built.

All services were accommodated within

the walls.

Th e roof and fi rst fl oor joists were

slotted into the wall panels and sides,

hanging from the bearer trusses. Th e

Light-gauge steel frame development in the Southern Cape


connectors were made from hand-

machined plates, while the ring beam on

the outer ring of the balcony consisted

of two standard C-sections forming an

enlarged box section.

Th e house was completed in 2009 and

valuable experience was gained in the use

of light-gauge steel together with standard

square hollow sections. Th is project proved

that it is possible to construct aesthetic

buildings with light-gauge steel. Th e project

was shortlisted for the 2010 SAISC awards.

Mezzanine fl oor for Bali Trading, Riversdale

Th e client required a mezzanine fl oor

as a furniture showroom. Design and

construction had to take place within two

months and with minimum disruption to

the existing store on the ground level. Th e

U-shaped fl oor area of 290 m2 was there-

fore constructed in two stages, allowing

the shop to continue doing business during

construction. A series of three parallel

trusses and one cross-bearer truss allowed

the use of 5 m light-girder trusses spaced

at 500 mm centres to be used on top of

the bearer trusses. Each bearer truss was

made up of two lattice girders side by side

and screwed together with plate stiff eners

at maximum hogging and sagging mo-

ments. Th e continuous-bearer trusses were

supported at 5 m centres, and at the end

by angle iron brackets to the steel portal

frame. Th e seven supporting columns

consisted of two 400 mm deep lattice

trusses each. No strengthening of the fl oor

was required as it had been designed for

110 mm masonry walls.

Th is simple arrangement made for

fast and easy construction. Th e total

structural weight was about 2 600 kg or

8,85 kg/m2 for a 2 kN/m2 load. Th e project

was completed within the four-week con-

struction period, illustrating that the ma-

terial can be used effi ciently in suspended

fl ooring applications.

1

4 5

1 House Blue Myrtle: frame

exposed during construction

2 House Blue Myrtle: front view

of house after completion

3 House Blue Myrtle: trusses

as feature in living room

4 Bali Trading mezzanine fl oor: lattice

girder truss on joist, and stiff eners exposed

5 Bali Trading mezzanine fl oor: the fl oor

two weeks later as part of the showroom

6 Steyns-Holzfaller shop and fl ats: hot-

rolled skeleton inner frame and a light-

gauge outer frame before cladding


Steyns-Holzfaller shop and fl ats, Danabaai

In August 2010 planning and design

commenced for the construction of a

two-storey 760 m2 building comprising a

hardware store on the ground fl oor and

four apartments on the fi rst fl oor.

Th e use of the ‘solid wall’ system was

requested to improve wall insulation and

reduce noise. Th is system consists mainly

of vertical sections clad both sides with

fi bre cement boards. Horizontal steel sec-

tions are fi xed and holes are made at stra-

tegic positions. Hereafter a light-weight

concrete mix with polystyrene bubbles

is pumped into the cavity. Th e solid wall

system was also used upstairs as fi rewalls.

Th e typical wall will induce a load of only

1,2 kN/m onto the slab.

Th e core structure consisted of three

portal-type frames with square tubing

columns and horizontal I-beams. A com-

posite fl oor was developed, drawing on

factory trials and experience gained from

previous projects.

A concrete slab was chosen to re-

duce fire risk and noise transmission, as

well as to reduce the weight, and hence

the cost. The composite slab was made

up of light-gauge steel joists of 300 mm

deep, with a 58 mm concrete slab cast

on permanent plywood shutters. The

shear connectors consisted of two types

of bent plate sourced from machine

offcuts that would also act as spacers

for the steel mesh. Hogging reinforcing

steel was placed in the concrete in both

6

2 3


directions to make the composite slab

continuous in both directions.

Th e project was completed nearly on

schedule. Delays were caused by subcon-

tractors not delivering components to speci-

fi cations. Although the hogging steel details

were changed, unwanted web sagging in the

joist trusses occurred during casting. Th is

was rectifi ed by propping the trusses until

the concrete had cured and composite ac-

tion developed suffi cient strength.

SUMMARYTh e use of light-gauge steel was initially

associated with the construction of

houses. Due to a combination of eco-

nomic need, constant requests and a

willing team, the scope of usage has been

broadened. Th e three projects discussed

above prove that light-gauge steel can be

used successfully outside the scope of the

design code and the suppliers’ CAD pro-

grams. Th e notion that light-gauge steel

is a housing system only has been chal-

lenged. Light-gauge steel should rather be

seen as a variation of cold-formed steel

design, using screws for the connections.

Continued development will improve

both the scope and the effi ciency of con-

struction with light-gauge steel. Some

possible improvements are:

■ In view of the limits of the CAD opera-

tors, the practice of making workshop

drawings should be enforced.

■ An erection code similar to SANS 10243

(timber) may assist the erectors to

prevent damaging panels, speed up con-

struction, and increase safety.

■ Th e support from the SAISC was

encouraging, but more focus could be

placed on project management and the

important role of the architect in areas

where formal contracts are not used.

■ Investors in machinery and building

equipment could be approached to de-

velop more productive methods.

Th e introduction of light-gauge steel to

the Southern Cape raised considerable

interest, with a number of entrepreneurs

becoming involved. Many lessons were

learnt, and mistakes were made. Th is is all

part of pushing the boundary.

7

8

9

7 Steyns-Holzfaller shop and fl ats:

composite slab made up of concrete

and light-gauge steel joists

8 Steyns-Holzfaller shop and fl ats: pumping

of light-weight concrete into wall panels

9 Steyns-Holzfaller shop and fl ats: front view

of building during construction of second fl oor


THE 14-HOUR POUROn Monday 11 October 2010, possibly

the largest ever (area-based) single-pour

post-tensioned (PT) slab on ground pave-

ment was completed at Toll-Intermodal’s

container storage facility in Laverton,

Victoria, Australia. At 5 824 m2 it incor-

porated over 50 tonnes of post-tensioning

cable and required some 1 590 m3 45 MPa

concrete. Th e 260 mm thick slab is the

largest single pour area of post-tensioned

concrete ever constructed in Australia.

Commencing at 3:30, the pour took

approximately 14 hours to complete, using

three concrete boom pumps, two laser-con-

trolled screed machines, three twin-head

ride-on trowelling machines and coordi-

nating over 260 concrete truck deliveries

from two dedicated concrete batch plants.

Th is pour was the fi nal slab section

in a two-year pavement replacement pro-

gramme undertaken at the site to repair

approximately 20 000 m2 of failed and

badly cracked concrete pavement. For this

project, the structures team from Hyder

Consulting’s Melbourne offi ce prepared the

design and documentation and provided

construction planning, advice and super-

vision services to Toll-Intermodal while

Structural Systems were contracted for the

post-tensioning site installation works.

Th e pavements were designed to sup-

port 35 tonne container boxes stacked up

to three high, and they can accommodate

unlimited repetitions of 110 tonne axle

load ‘reachstacker’ forklift vehicles. A

260 mm thick post-tensioned concrete

pavement slab was adopted, using a range

of pour sizes to suit the site conditions

and areas of damaged slabs that needed to

be replaced.

Reconstruction work included demoli-

tion and removal of the existing damaged

and/or settled concrete, reworking of the

underlying subgrade (generally reactive

basaltic clays), provision of a 150 mm

thick cement-stabilised sub-base, the

addition of subsurface drainage, and pave-

ment reconstruction using high-capacity

post-tensioned concrete.

A feature of completed post-tensioned

slabs is the large joint-free areas produced.

Th is was a particular attraction for this

site, given the problems experienced with

maintaining and sealing the many closely

spaced joints in the original pavements.

THE PURPOSE OF POST-TENSIONING IN CONCRETE GROUND PAVEMENTSPost-tensioning in concrete pavements

has two functions – fi rstly, to counter-

act shrinkage cracking from about

18 – 24 hours onwards, and secondly, to

pre-compress the concrete to counteract

cracking due to ongoing shrinkage,

fl exural tensile stresses from service loads

and temperature gradient in concrete.

Th e post-tensioning system used is a

bonded fl at-slab system that follows the

following basic methodology:

1. Slabs are cast with high-tensile pre-

stressing strands running through the

slab from edge to edge, at regular spac-

ings, inside galvanised fl at oval ducts.

2. Tendons are unprofi led (fl at) in one

layer, with equal or close-to-equal

quantities in orthogonal directions.

3. Tendons are anchored at the slab edges

and stressed after concrete placement,

thereby placing a permanent two-way

compression force on the slab.

4. Th is force is then locked in by grouting

the ducts with a high-strength grout

which also acts as corrosion protection.

5. Post-tensioning couplers are available

for up to fi ve 12,7 mm strands, or fi ve

15,2 mm strands, and are valuable for

construction joints.

Post-tensioned slabs on grade are used

in industrial structures where the main

1

1 The crew from Structural Systems installing

bonded post-tensioning system for the

5 842 m2 post-tensioned ground slab at

the Toll-Intermodal container storage

facility in Laverton, Victoria, Australia

M A R K E T C O N T R I B U T I O N

Post-tensioning: the right solution


objective is to eliminate joints that are

the major weakness in ground slabs.

The post-tensioning system allows a

significant reduction in the number

of joints, while keeping the structure

within allowable tensile stresses, re-

sulting in lower maintenance costs over

the design life of the slab.

Concrete has limited capacity to

resist tensile stresses. For conventional

reinforced concrete slabs, or slabs with

steel fi bre reinforcement, the thickness

and primary reinforcement are increased

so that the stresses do not exceed the

concrete tensile strength. Post-tensioning

allows balancing of the tensile stresses

in the concrete, leading to thinner slabs

without the need to signifi cantly increase

the amount of reinforcement.

Th e major advantages of using a

post-tensioned slab on grade solution

compared to other ground slab systems

are as follows:

■ Eff ective load support – it is a properly

engineered fl oor designed for any load

system.

■ Active crack control – post-tensioned

slabs reduce the risk of cracking far

more eff ectively than any other method,

due to the active compression force

exerted on the slab.

■ Fewer or no joints – the use of a post-

tensioned slab on grade solution greatly

reduces the joints required in a fl oor,

with resulting reduced maintenance.

2

3

4

2 Post-tensioned ground slab of 5 824 m2

ready for concreting at the Toll-Intermodal site

3 Construction of a heavy-duty external

post-tensioned ground slab at Molineaux

Point in Botany, Australia – PT slab design

and site PT works by Structural Systems

4 Completed post-tensioned 28 000 m2

ground slab for Coca Cola’s Amatil Distribution

Centre in Sydney, Australia – PT slab design

and site PT works by Structural Systems


Structural Systems (Africa) is a specialist engineering company providing Design, Materials, Equipment,on-site services and expertise throughoutSouthern Africa in the following fields:

www.structuralsystemsafrica.com

T: +27 (0) 11 4096700e-mail: [email protected]: +27 (0) 79 512 6310F: +27 (0) 86 616 7482

i.e. silo’s, bridges etc.

un-bonded post tensioning

■ Th e risk of slab curling is substantially

reduced due to the fewer joints and

better joint spacing. Th is produces a

smoother ride for forklifts, and less

maintenance on these machines.

■ Greatly increased resistance to prob-

lematic soils.

■ Th e reduced sub-grade preparation,

and a thinner slab with few or no joints,

saves on construction time and cost.

Post-tensioning achieves the highest ef-

fi ciency, based on:

■ Th e external eff ects that apply to the

structure (including temperature, tem-

perature diff erential and loadings)

■ Th e internal eff ects such as concrete

shrinkage

■ Th e size of the structure

■ Th e quality of the supporting ground.

Th e design of a post-tensioned slab on

grade optimises the overall cost of the

structure, including cost of ground prepa-

ration and the cost of the slab itself. Th e

system uses an optimum combination

of post-tensioning, slab thickness and

concrete tensile strength to produce a cost-

eff ective slab on grade solution. Moreover,

the design provides a joint-free and crack-

free area with greatly improved durability.

THE RIGHT SOLUTIONCompared with conventional reinforce-

ment, post-tensioning provides a long

service life and high loading capacity,

requires almost no maintenance and

retains a high resale value. Post-tensioned

slabs on grade have been used successfully

worldwide in various types of logistics

and manufacturing facilities, workshops

and other structures.

Th e Structural Systems group has a

long-standing track record in the design

and site installation of post-tensioned

slabs on grade and has completed well in

excess of two million square metres of

post-tensioned slabs on grade in Australia

alone over the past 15 years.

INFO

Paul Heymanns

General Manager

Structural Systems Africa

011 409 6700

[email protected]

Concrete has limited capacity to

resist tensile stresses. For conventional

reinforced concrete slabs, or slabs

with steel fibre reinforcement, the

thickness and primary reinforcement

are increased so that the stresses

do not exceed the concrete tensile

strength. Post-tensioning allows

balancing of the tensile stresses in

the concrete, leading to thinner slabs

without the need to significantly

increase the amount of reinforcement


IMAGINE A WORLD where dustbin over-

fl ow no longer exists, and where no waste is

being blown around the countryside. Th is

ideal can become a reality with Translift’s

underground waste collection and storage

systems, which are not only able to handle

increased amounts of waste, but can keep

waste out of sight by taking it underground.

A precast concrete shell, fi tted with

a platform which holds the refuse bin,

is buried in the ground, with a mounted

swing-away lid on top that carries the

entry tower. Th is lid is fi tted with a seal

which renders the system weather- and

tamper-proof. Th e entry tower is the only

visible indication that there is a waste

storage site underfoot. Th e entry tower

can be supplied to handle a variety of dis-

posal and access control methods.

Th e storage bin can be from 1,1 m3 to

4,5 m3, depending on the local municipal

collection system. Th e unit can be wired to

send a signal to the collection depot once it

has reached its capacity. A compactor can

also be installed below the surface to allow

for up to 20 m3 of waste to be stored out

of sight. Emptying takes only a few min-

utes. Th is system is ideal for townhouse

complexes or areas of dense population in

and around city centres. As the concrete

shell is precast, there is no need for in situ

concrete works, and installation therefore

takes only a few days to be operational.

Having the stored waste fully con-

tained underground will not only elimi-

nate any unpleasant odours, but will also

drastically reduce the scavenging through

refuse that currently takes place.

Th e system can be customised for

separation at source so that non-organic

waste, which does not decompose fast,

can be collected only once those bins are

full, thereby reducing the time collection

vehicles spend on the road. Th is arrange-

ment would be helpful particularly in

high-volume areas like security complexes

and shopping centres where it is not

practical to empty bins during peak times.

Of course, fewer trucks on the road also

contribute to a smaller carbon footprint.

A previous study undertaken showed that

this system, properly managed, has the

potential to reduce the operational refuse

collection costs by up to 50%.

An optional extra is the fi tting of a

‘smart card’, which would allow controlled

access to people who are charged only

for the amount of waste they deposit. Th e

card system could also be used to create

jobs – people could be paid according

to the amount of waste they collect and

discharge into the system; the system has

the potential to create one job per 100 kg

of generated waste.

A variety of options exist to power the

unit – solar energy, battery pack, main elec-

trical grid, or power via an umbilical from

the collection vehicle (in instances where no

alternative power supply is available).

To summarise, the system off ers the

following integrated waste management

features:

■ Colour-coded installation for separa-

tion at source

■ Access control for integrated management

■ Secure tamper-proof components

■ Underground bin status control

■ Tamper alarm

■ Auditing software

■ Accounting software

■ Container identifi cation

■ Collection management

■ Community participation

INFO

Les Penny

OMB Waste Logistics

A division of Translift (NLBV)

012 460 1973

[email protected]


OMB Waste Logistics takes waste underground

1

2

1 Neat and tidy – the only visible indication

of waste being stored underground

2 Collecting waste while supplying

power to the unit via an umbilical chord

• • ••

•

•



Amanzimtoti rehabilitation of dune slopes using Green Terramesh

DURING THE STORMS of June 2008,

more than 100 mm of rain fell during a

15-minute period in the Amanzimtoti

area, causing a fl ash fl ood that sent water

through an old age home adjacent to the

N2 national route, across Kingsway Road

and down the 80 m high dunes, taking

with it some 60 000 m3 of material and

leaving a trail of damaged houses and

roads in its wake.

During the fl ood the dune was eroded

to a depth of approximately 30 m in

places, fortunately mainly seawards of

the front row of houses that had been

built on top of the dune. Th e foundations

of the nearest houses were undermined

and patios, outbuildings and swimming

pools were lost into the dongas, resulting

in many of the threatened houses having

to be evacuated until the damage could

be repaired and the area made safe again.

Repair would include backfi lling and rein-

stating the damaged dune slopes.

Th ese dunes have a history of similar,

but not as severe, slope failure, due to the

fact that the dunes in the Durban area con-

sist of fi ne-grained sand with an internal

angle of friction as low as 28 degrees. Th e

dunes had, over the years, been banked and

reinforced with vegetation to an unnatural

and unstable slope of approximately

37 degrees. Th e top of the dunes had been

cleared for development, and this made the

slopes vulnerable to wash-aways.

Th e only practical and environmen-

tally acceptable solution to fi lling the huge

dongas was to import sand and reinforce it

with geosynthetics placed in layers within

the compacted backfi ll material. A wrap-

around system could have been used to

provide a facing to the reinstated slope, but

it was very important to fast-track the back-

fi lling process and provide immediate pro-

tection to the front face to avoid any further

failures during the period of reinstating.

Th is was achieved by using Maccaferri’s

Green Terramesh system – a structural

unit manufactured from double-twist mesh

which incorporates a reinforced front face

lined with BioMac, a biosynthetic coconut

erosion control blanket. Th e mesh that

forms the backbone of the Green Terramesh

unit creates both the front face and a tail

1

2

1 Flash fl ood damage caused to the

80 m high dunes in Amanzimtoti

2 Repaired bank prior to vegetation

3 Close-up of Green Terramesh stepped

to match surrounding slopes

4 Completed vegetated slope


that provides the soil reinforcing as it

extends behind the front face into the com-

pacted backfi ll. Th is tail can be provided

in any length, but for practical purposes is

usually manufactured in 3 m lengths.

Th e design was undertaken by the

Coastal, Stormwater & Catchment

Management Department of the eTh ek-

wini Municipality, and the main con-

tractor on this particular stretch of work

was Devru Construction cc.

Th e vegetating of the front face of

the rehabilitated, reinforced slopes was

of paramount importance, as it would

provide both short-term protection of the

slope face and overall reinstatement of

an ecologically sensitive green belt. Th is

bioengineering function was delegated to

specialists Gold Circle Enviro Projects cc,

who ensured that the correct endemic

plants were reinstated and that these

plants would be monitored and nurtured

in both the short and the long term to

ensure the success of the rehabilitation.

Th e Green Terramesh system is well

suited for rehabilitation of vegetation,

as it fi rstly provides the initial engi-

neering requirements for soil reinforcing

of the backfi ll, and then provides the

landscapers and horticulturists with a

mechanisms by which they can vegetate

the exposed sloping face. Th e main char-

acteristic of Green Terramesh, from a

bioengineering aspect, is that topsoil can

be safely placed along the front face of the

reinstated slope without it being washed

away before the vegetation takes hold. Th e

topsoil is placed behind the BioMac lining

and is vegetated with seedlings which are

plugged through the mat into the topsoil.

Th e BioMac is biodegradable and provides

protective nutritious mulch over the pe-

riod that the plants are being established.

Th is R42 million rehabilitation project

was completed within six months, leaving

a slope that blended into the natural sur-

roundings and was stable enough so that

the houses could be safely reoccupied.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSOmesh Ori – area engineer

Devru Construction – photos

INFO

Michelle Neermal

National Marketing Coordinator

Maccaferri SA (Pty) Ltd

031 705 0500 / 0514

[email protected]

PROJECT TEAM

Client eThekwini Municipality

Civil Engineers eThekwini Municipality Engineering Unit Coastal, Stormwater &

Catchment Management Department

Project Managers Coastal, Stormwater & Catchment Management Department

Main contractors Ocean view – Devru Construction cc

Francis Place – Icon Construction cc

Specialist Subcontractors

Dune rehabilitation KRW Consulting

Gold Circle Enviro Projects

Specialist Suppliers Maccaferri Southern Africa (Tongaat) – Green Terramesh

3

4



Mezzanines in minutesTHE LATEST RELEASE of MultiSUITE

Mezzanine, software for the messanine

fl oor industry, makes almost instant quotes

and layout generation possible for both

single and multiple-tier mezzanine fl oors.

It enables the user to move quickly from

survey data, loading requirements and basic

fl oor geometry, to producing member sizes

including base plates and bracing, to a full

quotation and preliminary sales drawing in

a matter of minutes. It is very easy to try a

number of alternative confi gurations to see

how they might aff ect the structural calcu-

lations, quantities and pricing.

Detailed designs and an accurate

3D Model of the fl oor can be created

instantly in AutoCAD using MultiSTEEL.

From this accurate arrangement and

fabrication, drawings can be generated for

all of the members, with full structural

calculations.

Th is new approach to mezzanine pro-

duction covers the full work stream from

initial survey to fi nal production draw-

ings – design (single and multi-tier fl oors),

estimating (full material quantities are

produced), quotations (produced instantly

in Excel), and drawings (sales and fi nal

design drawings). Th e following are the key

features:

■ Internal design codes

■ Rectangular and irregular shaped fl oors

■ Single and multi-tier fl oors (to fi ve tiers)

■ User-specifi ed beam and secondary

beam data

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design

■ SDNF output to AutoCAD and other

CAD systems

■ Complete video training course

MultiSUITE MezzanineMultiSUITE Mezzanine is the product

of international collaboration between

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zanine industry professionals. Th e soft-

ware caters for all stages in the design

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takes into account the primary objective

of all companies in this fi eld, which is

to produce competitive designs in the

shortest possible time.

To achieve this the software con-

stantly takes data from one stage in the

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member sizing to the materials list, then

on to the pricing module where items

are automatically matched against price

data prepared by the user. Once a project

goes ahead, the design geometry is passed

into AutoCAD to create the intelligent

drawing model where the fabrication

drawings are produced.

Th e software also off ers the advantage

of treating the fl oor as a complete struc-

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component elements right down to the

foundations, completely automatically.

Th is means, for example, that an alterna-

tive arrangement of bays, bracing, or

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the eff ect on the material quantities, and

hence the price, can be seen immediately.

MultiSUITE Mezzanine is an indis-

pensible tool for all companies operating

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MezzoQUOTEMezzoQUOTE is a standalone program

that allows the overall dimensions of the

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strength and defl ection criteria. Bays can

be added or removed simply by clicking

on the fl oor layout diagram. Bracing can

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way. Changes to the design data can be

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Quotation BuilderOnce the design is fi nalised and the

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fi nal quotation document in Microsoft

Word takes all of the fl oor parameters and

the fi nal total price information and lays it

3D sales drawing generated from MezzoQUOTE


MultiSUITE CAD employs the latest AutoCAD OEM 2010 technology from Autodesk. This technology allows Developers like MultiSUITE Software to

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MultiSUITE CAD Leading Structural Steel and Concrete Solutions Incorporating AutoCAD (OEM)

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out in the user’s preferred style for presen-

tation to the client. Th is two-stage pricing

and quotation process is referred to as

Quotation Builder. Fully documented

calculations are produced ready for sub-

mission to Local Authorities for approval.

Calculations can be printed, saved to PDF,

or saved to Microsoft Word format.

MultiSTEEL: drafting and detailing in AutoCADFeature Summary:

■ Fast , accurate layout and detail

drawing production

■ Easy editing to keep up with design

changes

■ Full international section libraries for

all hot-rolled fl oor beams and cold-

formed fl ooring joists

■ Extensive connections library for

various joists types

■ Full plate details for top plates, base

plates and beam connections

■ Cutting lists, material summaries, steel

weights

■ Stair detailing and new bracing detailer

included

■ Inset and oversail designs

■ Multi-level column detailing

Th e MultiSUITE can generate a com-

prehensive material list at any stage.

Automatic item numbers are allocated

to each component and these provide

a direct link to the drawing schedule.

Total weights of steel, surface areas, cut-

ting lists and steel summaries can then

be displayed. A drawing created with

MultiSTEEL becomes a working database,

which can also be exported to other ap-

plications such as Excel if required.

MultiSTEEL also includes macros for

designing stairs, ladders, handrailing and

bracing. Each macro is confi gurable to the

client’s exact requirements.

AutoCAD platforms supported ■ MezzoQUOTE is a standalone pro-

gram that will run on any Windows

platform and PC configuration.

■ Quotation Builder operates in

Microsoft Excel and all current ver-

sions are supported.

■ MultiSTEEL can be used with all

current versions of full AutoCAD.

Hardware requirements are as speci-

fied by Autodesk for the client’s par-

ticular version of AutoCAD.

■ MultiSTEEL CAD consists of

the MultiSTEEL application with

AutoCAD OEM, which is supplied by

MultiSUITE Software under licence

from Autodesk Inc.

MultiSUITE mezzanine options ■ MezzoQUOTE:

Design and pricing module only

■ MezzoQUOTE with MultiSTEEL:

Design, pricing, detailing with

MultiSTEEL utilising existing

AutoCAD license

■ MezzoQUOTE with MultiSTEEL CAD:

(includes AutoCAD OEM licence)

Full design, pricing and detailing suite

with AutoCAD OEM. Suitable for com-

panies that do not currently have a full

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INFO

ET Euro-Technology

021 762 3176

[email protected]

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ON 13 JULY THE BASQUE seaport of Mutriku, located between Bilbao and San

Sebastian in Spain, witnessed a historical day in energy generation history.

Utility Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE) offi cially inaugurated the Mutriku wave

power plant – the fi rst in commercial operation worldwide. Voith Hydro sup-

plied the equipment for Mutriku’s 16 power units that will provide an output

of 300 kilowatts in total – electricity suffi cient for around 250 homes.

“The rising global demand for green energy proves to be a strong

catalyst for the implementations of innovative forms of renewable energy.

The Mutriku project shows that our wave power technology is commercially

viable and ready for wide deployment on the global markets,” says Dr

Roland Muench, Chief Executive Offi cer of Voith Hydro Holding. “To further

this development, adequate feed-in-tariff s for wave power, as they already

exist for a number of renewables, can now set the right legal framework.”

Voith Hydro’s wave power technology can be deployed in new and

existing breakwaters, and in purpose-built structures. Building on its long-

term proven reliability, continual design improvements have developed the

technology to its leading-edge performance. The worldwide potential of

ocean energy is an estimated 1,8 terawatts and still remains largely untapped.

Voith Hydro’s OWC (oscillating water column) technology is the only one

that has been proven with regard to commercial utilisation, combining avail-

ability and effi ciency at the highest level. On the Scottish island of Islay, Voith

Hydro has been operating the wave power plant Limpet for over a decade

on a commercial scale, producing over 65 000 grid-connected hours.

INFO

Roy Webster

Marketing Manager

Voith Turbo

011 418 4036 / 4000

[email protected]

VEOLIA TO UPGRADE BELLVILLE

WASTEWATER WORKS

VEOLIA WATER SOLUTIONS & TECHNOLOGIES SOUTH AFRICA, a sub-

sidiary of Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, has been awarded a

R187-million contract by the City of Cape Town’s Department of Water

& Sanitation, to upgrade and extend the treatment capacity at Bellville’s

wastewater treatment works (WWTW).

With this upgrade, the Bellville plant will feature the largest mem-

brane bio-reactor (MBR) in the country to date, and its capacity will

increase by 20 Mℓ/day, to 70 Mℓ/day (average dry weather fl ow – ADWF).

The 20 Mℓ /day MBR will be separate from the existing activated sludge

plant. Hence, during the construction period, the existing plant will not

be impacted upon.

In addition, the design and build contract, including all mechanical

and electrical works, will see Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies

South Africa supply a new inlet works for the MBR plant, new biological

reactors and six membrane trains. A new sludge dewatering facility will

also be supplied, as well as an upgrade of the existing electrical and

control systems infrastructure at the Bellville WWTW.

“The water produced has to meet strict quality requirements

with regard to organic matter, viruses and bacteria removal, am-

monia and suspended solids content. The submerged ultra-filtration

membrane technology will increase capacity, while producing excel-

lent quality, treated water, which will be reused as process water to

industrial and commercial clients in the area,” explains Abrie Wessels,

Regional General Manager, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies

South Africa, Paarl.

The raw wastewater to the new plant will pass through coarse

screens for degritting, before passing through fi ne screens and un-

dergoing anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic treatment before undergoing

ultra-fi ltration and dewatering of sludge. OTV France, another subsidiary

of Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, will be providing design and

commissioning support.

The client was looking for a design and build company with suitable

experience, local representation and commercial backbone to deliver on

their commitments. Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies South Africa

has clearly demonstrated technical competence and a track record with

turnkey project execution of this size during the tendering process, while

being commercially competitive.

With this capacity increase, the strain on the existing Bellville facility

will reduce signifi cantly and the effl uent quality will improve. An added

advantage will be the potential for the reuse of the effl uent, which will

save the use of potable water.

Currently, in the basic engineering design phase, the plant is due

for commissioning in 2013. Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies

South Africa will provide training and maintenance support for the

first year of operation.

INFO

Gunter Rencken

Managing Director

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies South Africa (Pty) Ltd

011 663 3600

[email protected]

1 The world’s fi rst commercial wave power plant at Mutriku, Spain

1 An artist’s impression of the planned new membrane bio-reactor plant at the

Bellville WWTW


1


COROBRIK PAVERS

BEAUTIFY PE INNER CITY

INTERNATIONAL TRENDS CONFIRM the growing preference for clay paving

by urban design professionals abroad for providing functionality with char-

acter and charm to urban environments. Keeping pace with this trend lo-

cally it is no surprise then that more and more urban upgrades are opting to

use Corobrik clay pavers to bring life and vibrancy to our urban landscapes.

“It has been very rewarding to see our clay pavers being used in-

creasingly in large-scale metropolitan renovations around the country.

A recent, and certainly one of the largest, is currently under way in Port

Elizabeth (PE) where 90 000 m2 of Burgundy 50 mm clay pavers have

already been laid,” says Corobrik’s Peter Kidger.

He says that in KwaZulu-Natal 75 000 m2 of Corobrik’s clay pavers were

specifi cally sought for the upgrade of the Durban beachfront precinct,

Umhlanga Promenade and Amanzimtoti beachfront, with extensive use of

their clay pavers also having been made in Knysna, George, the Hillbrow pre-

cinct of Johannesburg, the Cape Town CBD and surrounding suburbs, and

other upmarket residential and commercial estates throughout South Africa.

The PE refurbishments, which began in September 2006, involved

Corobrik products from the start with Burgundy pavers being used for the

broadening of sidewalks from Whites Road to Russell Road. In Govan Mbeki

Avenue, the sidewalks were realigned and broadened using the same

50 mm pavers. To accommodate the loadings of vehicular traffi c, all the

vehicle ramps were paved with the thicker 65 mm paver in the same colour.

According to Kidger, the PE upgrade included the Donkin Reserve and

Govan Mbeki Avenue, both initiated by the Mandela Bay Development

Agency (MBDA) on behalf of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM).

Hedwig Crooijmans-Allers of Matrix Urban Designers and Architects

says, “The unique colour and texture of Corobrik Burgundy pavers was

ideal. The rich shade blended perfectly into the design and gave the

area an upmarket, rustic feel. Environmentally, we required that the solu-

tion be sustainable and eco-friendly, with the surface being resistant to

staining and corrosion, the latter most important to counter the salt and

high humidity levels prevalent in this vicinity of the city. The Matrix, in

collaboration with Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), opted for

the Burgundy paver as it fulfi lled the sustainability imperative well.”

“Looking at what has been achieved, our pavers have satisfi ed their

mandate to transform and uplift these urban environments, bringing a

richness of colour and texture that the eye relates to. The colour fastness

and enduring intrinsic qualities of fi red clay will provide a rewarding up-

market aesthetic appeal for decades to come”, adds Kidger.

Bryan Wintermeyer, of Workplace Architects, says, “Together

with the MBDA, we selected, for the Donkin Reserve, colours already

used in other projects to achieve coherence and consistency be-

tween the various projects in the city. The pavers in this instance

were laid in stack-bond pattern, forming long, continuous lines that

enhance the sense of directional movement. The product integrates

well with other materials and provides various opportunities for

layouts and patterns.”

250 000 metres of

TRENCHLESS PIPE

Successfully Installed Countrywide 08600 66 344

[email protected]

SPECIALIST IN DIRECTIONAL DRILLING

& PIPELINE REHABILITATION

1 and 2 The use of Corobrik Burgundy pavers has brought an authentic, rustic feel

to the Port Elizabeth city centre. Photo 1 shows the city centre with the City Hall in the

background, while photo 2 captures both the library (on the right) and the City Hall

1

2

“The upgrade taking place in PE has transformed the city centre to such

a degree that we understand NMBM has now decided to include neigh-

bouring streets that were not originally part of the project,” concludes Kidger.

INFO

Peter Kidger

Corobrik

031 560 3233

Hedwig Crooijmans-Allers

The Matrix Urban Design and Architects

041 582 1073

Bryan Wintermeyer

The Workplace Architects

041 582 4390

SIKA STANDS UP FOR SUSTAINABILITY

AND HEALTH & SAFETY

NOW IN ITS 101st year of supplying materials to the construction and

automobile industries, Sika also sets itself the highest standards of

environmental management by complying with ISO14001. Sika SA

Managing Director, Paul Adams, says, “Achieving ISO ratings neces-

sitates a continual improvement in management systems. In gaining

ISO 14001 Sika is demonstrating its total commitment to sustaina-

bility. We are continually striving to source new and environmentally-

friendly raw materials and are focusing on the elimination of harmful

solvents in production.”

Sika SA was the fi rst construction chemical company in South Africa

to achieve this in 2006, and is still the only construction chemical com-

pany to have this rating.

Adams claims it does not help to source a few products from third

parties and claim your company is green. He also advises end users and

specifi cers to visit manufacturing plants such as Sika to see that the company

is truly committed to sustainability. “Ask them about disposal procedures and

raw material sourcing. ISO 14001 helps us at Sika to commit to the ‘cradle to

the grave concept’. Many international companies are now looking to com-

panies that have the ISO 14001, as it gives them security in knowing that envi-

ronmental standards are being considered and adhered to by the supplier.”

Sika is now pleased to announce yet another achievement – the

Occupational Health and Safety Certifi cation (OHSAS 18001), awarded

in 2011. Sika is the fi rst construction chemicals company in South Africa

to be awarded this certifi cation.

OHSAS 18001 is an Occupation Health and Safety Assessment Series for

health and safety management systems. Intended to help organisations con-

trol occupational health and safety risks in the workplace, it was developed in

response to widespread demand for a recognised standard against which to

be certifi ed and assessed. Sika, in conjunction with OHSAS 18001, is fully com-

mitted to health and safety in the workplace, and the safety of the workforce.

Adams says, “As an OHSAS 18001 company, you have nowhere to hide.

All incidents are reported and recorded. Health & Safety offi cers have been

appointed who continually monitor H&S on Sika premises. No contractor

may perform duties on our premises until they have been fully inducted to

ensure all their equipment and staff comply with Sika standards. Our factory,

administration and distribution staff are continually updated regarding leg-

islation and new improvements at third-party training centres.”

OHSAS 18001 has been developed to be compatible with the

ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems) standards. The ISO 14001

enables the company to:

■ Identify and control the environmental impact of its activities, prod-

ucts and/or services.

■ Improve its environmental performance continually.

■ Implement a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives

and targets, and to demonstrate that they have been achieved.

Adams concludes , “As Sika is the oldest and largest construction chemical

company in the world, we cannot simply rely on being market leaders when

it comes to existing and new technology. The environment, and health and

safety need to be attended to seriously as well. Sika strives to ensure that the

full system approach, ‘Roof to Floor’, is sustainable.”

INFO

Paul Adams

Managing Director

Sika South Africa (Pty) Ltd

031 792 6500

MAPEI HELPS TO REINFORCE

CONCRETE COLUMNS

MAPEI SOUTH AFRICA, part of the global Mapei Group, with specialist

contractor Mndeni Structural Services, was contracted by Stefanutti

Stocks, to help with the repair of concrete columns in a multi-storey

parking garage for the University of Pretoria.

The columns were designed for a comprehensive strength of

30 MPa, but after construction they measured an approximate 25 MPa.

To accommodate this shortfall, the columns had to be strengthened.

1

1 Sika, the oldest and largest construction chemical company in the world


Sika

Roof

Completely seamlessCold appliedElastomeric and durableRoot resistant waterproofing membraneEasy to repair if puncturedCan be applied in damp conditionsQuick and easy to applyIncreases thermal performance

Advanced waterproofing technology for Africa – Sikalastic MTC®


Carbon fi bre wrapping was the preferred option, as it is strong but light-

weight, and MapeWrap C UNI-AX 600/40 met the project requirements.

Before the wrapping could be applied, the columns had to be thoroughly

prepared. First, laitance was removed with grinding and sandblasting to pro-

vide an open texture surface. In the next step, MapeWrap Primer 1 – an epoxy

primer specifi c to the MapeWrap system – was applied to promote adhesion.

All blowholes were then fi lled with Adesilex PG2, a two-component

epoxy resin-based product containing special hardeners that off er extended

workability and are ideal for structural strengthening and sealing large cracks.

MapeWrap C UNI-AX 600/40, a high-strength, uni-directional, con-

tinuous carbon fi bre fabric with a very high modulus of elasticity and

high tensile strength, was then layered tightly around the columns in

segments, with overlaps. To impregnate the MapeWrap, MapeWrap 31, a

medium-viscosity epoxy resin, was applied to the concrete.

In the next step, the MapeWrap C UNI-AX 600/40 was rolled on with a

steel roller to remove any trapped air bubbles, and blinded with silica sand.

After the epoxy had hardened, excess sand was brushed off and a skim-

ming mortar was applied to the columns. Planitop 200, a single-component

cementitious mortar with high bonding strength, was applied in the fi nal

step to smooth the surface, protect the wrapping and fi nish off the columns.

INFO

Lollita Pitso

Marketing Consultant

Mapei SA (Pty) Ltd

011 552 8476

[email protected]

1 High-strength MapeWrap C UNI-AX 600/40 was layered tightly around

the columns in segments, with overlaps

1

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PRECAST CONCRETE

STANDARDS AND THE CPA

ALTHOUGH THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT (CPA) has been in force

for several months, the jury is still out as to the impact it will have on

the South African economy and, more specifi cally, on precast concrete

manufacturers.

However, Hamish Laing, Director of the Concrete Manufacturers

Association (CMA), observes that companies which adhere or manu-

facture to a certifi able standard are in a far better position to face any

purchase disputes which may arise from the Act.

“Standards, especially those which originate from the South

African Bureau of Standards, will play a far more meaningful role than

had previously been the case, not only for precast concrete prod-

ucts, but for any product or service. In fact, the CPA makes it almost

mandatory for any supplier of any product to carry a SABS or other

recognised quality certification, as those who do not, lay themselves

open to the full force of the law in the event of a dispute.

Laing says the CPA does not only apply to the manufacturing

process, because in addition to inherent product quality, the Act

also covers correct application. “The onus is on the manufacturer to

inform the customer about proper product application. In other words,

manufacturers must inform their customers about the capabilities and

limitations of their products.

“For example, if a concrete retaining block manufacturer sells to

a nursery, he must inform the nursery management that blocks can

only be used for walls up to 1,4 m high; for higher walls an engineer

must design the structure. And the nursery in turn must inform its

customers. The same applies to other precast concrete products such

as pipes, culverts, hollow-core slabs, concrete block pavers, concrete

masonry and concrete roof tiles – in each instance the buyer must be

informed about correct application.

“The CPA places considerable onus on the supplier to off er fair

value in an honest and even-handed manner, and it provides the con-

sumer with a powerful mechanism to challenge those suppliers who

do not comply.

“The CMA welcomes the Act, because it weaves the whole

process of standards into the country’s economic fabric and justifies

the expense of carrying the SABS mark. One thing is certain, stand-

ards are going to play an increasingly important role in the years

ahead and that can only be to the benefit of all consumers,” Laing

concludes.

INFO

Hamish Laing

Director: CMA

011 805 6742

[email protected]

LADY CIVIL ENGINEER WINS 2011

L’ORÉAL-UNESCO FELLOWSHIP

L’ORÉAL AND UNESCO RECENTLY announced the winners of the

2011 L’Oréal-UNESCO Regional Fellowships for Women in Science in

Sub-Saharan Africa. This year, ten inspiring women scientists from across

Sub-Saharan Africa have been awarded fellowships of US$20 000.

The winners are Olutayo K. Boyinbode (Nigeria), Dalene de Swardt

(SA), Jeanne de Waal (SA), Valencia Jacobs (SA), Ifeoma Obidike (Nigeria),

1 Hamish Laing, Director of the CMA

1


Ruth Odhiambo (Kenya), Salome Muriuki (Kenya), Rachel Muigai (Kenya),

Kim Trollope (SA), and Madeleine Bihina Bella (Cameroon).

These Fellowships are awarded to young doctorate or post-

doctorate lady scientists. The scientific research areas being covered

by this year’s Fellows include studies in the fields of computer sci-

ence, microbiology, environmental science, medical virology, textile

science, chemistry, pharmacy, civil engineering and agriculture.

The L’Oréal Foundation doubled the number of Fellows from fi ve to

ten in 2011 based on the extraordinary success of the pilot programme

launched in 2010, which recognised and awarded fi ve lady scientists

with $20 000 towards the completion of their PhD research projects.

Philippe Raff ray, Managing Director for L’Oréal South Africa, says the

programme attracted an increased number of entries this year, proof of

the potential of these fellowships to make a real diff erence in the lives

and careers of Africa’s women scientists.

“The programme is open to all women scientists up to the age of 40

across Sub-Saharan Africa who are working towards their PhDs in all fi elds

of science. This year we received 175 applications from across the Sub-

Saharan region, a signifi cant increase from last year’s 104 applications.”

Rachel Muigai, who was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, but

who has been living in Cape Town for the past fi ve years, is one of

the ten new 2011 Fellows. She is currently completing her PhD at the

University of Cape Town, with research focusing on the sustainability of

concrete structures.

Rachel’s academic excellence in subjects such as physics, chem-

istry and biology in high school, as well as her intense curiosity to

understand how things work, coupled with encouragement from her

teachers, nurtured her love for science. Civil engineering interested

her, as it offers a whole range of science-related subjects that one

could specialise in.

She completed a BSc in Civil Engineering at the University of Nairobi

(2001-2006), a Masters in Civil Engineering at the University of Cape Town

(2007-2008), and carried out ongoing PhD research at the Technical

University of Münich, Germany, in 2010.

Despite her affi nity for structural engineering, the 30-year-old re-

searcher says she still fi nds herself having to prove her worth in the sector.

“Civil engineering is still a male-dominated fi eld and I fi nd that you have to

continuously prove yourself. Despite having a deep interest in the fi eld, as a

woman I’m constantly challenged as to why I want to work in construction.

However, being confi dent in myself, as well as persistent and hardworking,

always wins the case for me!”

For her PhD, Rachel researches design and construction solutions that

could lead to sustainable concrete infrastructure in South Africa. The study

output aims to ensure that future concrete structures have the lowest pos-

sible carbon footprint, emissions, energy use and impact on the environ-

ment and society.

She says the L’Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship provides her with an op-

portunity to further enrich the research undertaken by UCT’s Concrete

Materials and Structural Integrity Research Unit (CoMSIRU) and, to an

extent, the local cement and concrete industry.

In her downtime, Rachel enjoys hiking, mountain-biking, volleyball,

and participating in environmental awareness programmes, like tree-

planting initiatives.

INFO

Sara-Lea van Eeden,

Taryn Fritz Public Relations & Communications

083 446 6109

[email protected]

www.forwomeninscience.com

1

1 Rachel Muigai, civil engineering PhD candidate, who was awarded a

2011 L’Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship recently


A new standard system of measurement for civil engineering quantities in southern AfricaA SOUTHERN AFRICAN edition of

Civil Engineering Standard Method of

Measurement (CESMM3) has recently

been published, following inputs from

local industry stakeholders. It is a regional

customisation of a well-established

standard for the preparation of bills of

quantities for civil engineering work,

developed by the Institution of Civil

Engineers (ICE) (London).

Th e current methodology for meas-

uring civil engineering quantities is

contained in Clause 8 of the SANS 1200

Standardised Specifi cations for Civil

Engineering Construction, read together

with the South African Institution of Civil

Engineering’s (SAICE) Civil Engineering

Quantities (1990). Th e SANS 1200 series

of standards, which were developed

and last updated during the 1980s, were

designed for use with SAICE’s General

Conditions of Contract. In line with

modern drafting requirements for docu-

ments embodied in the Construction

Industry Development Board’s

Standard for Uniformity in Construction

Procurement, SABS has published the

SANS 1921 series of standards for con-

struction and management requirements

for works contracts and most of the SANS

2001 series of technical standards for

construction works. Th e southern African

edition of CESMM3 is compatible with

these standards and is suitable for use

with international, national, organisa-

tional, industry and bespoke standards,

and most standard forms of contract.

Th e chairman of the SAICE Joint

Civils Division (a joint division of SAICE

and ICE), Dr Ron Watermeyer, says,

“CESMM3 became a logical choice as a

base document for the successor to the

current system of measurement em-

bedded in the SABS 1200 Standardised

Specifi cations, as it is a document founded

on the same thinking and philosophy

as the system that has evolved in South

Africa. It is widely used in Africa and

is well understood by the international

community. It is a well tried and tested

document that is adequately supported by

a range of comprehensive handbooks and

texts.”

Peter Becker, who was intimately in-

volved in the development of the current

system of measurement and under whose

guidance the new system was developed,

points out that in the southern African

edition of CESMM3:

■ No reference is made to any standard

form of contract, as the terms and text

are aligned with standard forms of con-

tract commonly used in the region.

■ Th e terminology is aligned with the

provisions of the CIDB’s Standard for

Uniformity in Construction Procurement,

and South African national standards or

international standards.

■ Adjustments have been made to items

and terminology to refl ect southern

African practices.

■ Th e fabrication of structural metalwork

items needs to be supported by separate

bills of quantities developed in ac-

cordance with the SAISC’s (Southern

African Institute of Steel Construction)

system of measurement.

■ Classes EA (Additional Earthworks)

and RA (Additional Roadworks), and

items within these classes, have been

introduced to provide fl exibility to ac-

commodate regional earthworks prac-

tices, i.e. to enable interim operations to

be measured.

The southern African edition of

CESMM3 costs R500, including VAT

but excluding postage, and may be

obtained from the South African

Institution of Civil Engineering

(+27 11 805 5947), the Association of

South African Quantity Surveyors

(+27 11 315 4140), Consulting Engineers

South Africa (+27 11 463 2022),

Engineering Contract Strategies

(+27 11 803 3008), and the South

African Federation of Civil Engineering

Contractors (+27 11 409 0900).

INFO

Dr Ron Watermeyer

Chairman: SAICE Joint Civils Division

[email protected]

S A I C E A N D P R O F E S S I O N A L N E W S

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Winners of the AfriSam – SAICE

Electronic Photo Competition 2011

1

1 FIRST: Dawning of a new day

Photographer: K Marais

2 SECOND: Hospital Bend at night

Photographer: Bruce Sutherland

3 THIRD: Cape Town Stadium during the FIFA World Cup

Photographer: Bruce Sutherland


For the first time in its history, SAICE’s ever popular photo

competition was presented in electronic format this year, drawing

126 high-resolution entries. The first round of voting was done

online by SAICE members (we received more than a thousand votes),

narrowing the entries down to a shortlist of finalists from which

the winning photographs were selected by a panel of judges. The

adjudication took place on Tuesday 21 June at the historic Liliesleaf

Farm in Rivonia, with AfriSam kindly sponsoring the event

2

3


The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 –

Regional Workshop for AfricaSAICE WAS INVITED by the

World Federation of Engineering

Organisations (WFEO) to attend the

Africa Regional Workshop, which

was held in Pretoria from 30 May –

1 June 2011. The event was organised

by the International Council for Science

(ICSU) (Regional Office for Africa)

and the United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organisation

(UNESCO), Nairobi. Manglin Pillay,

CEO of SAICE, and Lorraine de Ronde,

SAICE International Liaison Officer,

attended the workshop.

Th e United Nations Conference on

Sustainable Development 2012, also

known as “Rio+20”, is scheduled for 4 –

6 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the

same city where the fi rst Earth Summit

was held in 1992. In preparation for the

event, fi ve regional workshops for Asia

Pacifi c, Latin America and the Caribbean,

Africa, the Arab Region and Europe

were organised to aff ord scientists and

engineers from the diff erent regions the

opportunity to prepare joint positions and

concerted input into the processes leading

to Rio+20. Delegates came from various

African countries and included natural

and social scientists, engineers, policy-

makers and government representatives,

major group representatives, research

organisations, educational institutions,

UNESCO and ICSU.

Th e objectives of Rio+20 include,

among others:

■ To secure renewed political commit-

ment for sustainable development.

■ To assess progress to date of the fi rst

summit (1992 Earth Summit).

■ To identify the remaining gaps that

inhibit progress.

■ To implement the outcomes of the major

summits on sustainable development.

■ To address new and emerging challenges.

Delegates at the recent Rio+20 Africa Regional

Workshop in Pretoria – from left:

Prof Alice Abreu (ICSU, Paris),

Manglin Pillay (CEO, SAICE),

Edith Madela-Mntla (ICSU Regional Offi ce for Africa),

Prof Joseph Massaquoi (UNESCO, Nairobi),

Prof Lidio Brito (UNESCO, Paris) and

Lorraine de Ronde (SAICE International Liaison Offi cer)


During the regional workshop for Africa,

the following three main themes were

discussed:

■ Greening of the global economy for

poverty reduction

■ Building of institutional frameworks for

sustainable development

■ Identifi cation and confi guration of ap-

proaches to management of new and

emerging challenges for sustainable

development.

Discussions centred around four key

questions:

1) What are the priority issues for Rio+20

in 2012, as seen by the scientifi c and

technological community from the

region, taking into account the UN

General Assembly outline of Rio+20?

2) What are the needs of science and

technology in the region, in order to be

able to contribute best to sustainable

development in the region?

3) What are the major contributions from

the sciences and engineering towards

sustainable development at local, na-

tional, and regional levels?

4) What role can the diff erent stakeholders

and major groups play in enhancing

regional science and technology for sus-

tainable development, and what do they

need from science and technology?

Th e nine non-governmental stakeholder

groups, also referred to as major groups, are:

1) Women

2) Youth and Children

3) Indigenous Peoples

4) Non-Governmental Organisations

5) Local Authorities

6) Workers and Trade Unions

7) Business and Industry

8) Farmers

9) Scientifi c and Technological

Community

Th e important outcome of the Regional

Workshop was a document that expresses

the point of view of the African scientifi c

and technological community regarding

the three main themes of Rio+20.

Th e bottom-up approach that was

used in the preparatory process ensured

strengthening of regional and sub-re-

gional policy frameworks for sustainable

development. Africa will have an agreed-

upon position when going to Rio next year

to contribute to discussions around earth

systems, climate change and sustainable

development.

The Rio+20 Africa Regional

Workshop offered valuable opportuni-

ties to network with representatives of

UNESCO, WFEO and ICSU, who are

also involved in strengthening engi-

neering institutions globally.

Government offi cials from the

Departments of Environmental Aff airs,

Science and Technology, and Social

Development were also present during the

workshop. Relationships have also been

established with various engineers and

scientists from universities across Africa.

Th e workshop was a successful col-

laboration of the African SET (Science,

Engineering and Technology) opinion – to

be carried forward to the 2012 Rio+20 event.

Building international relationships,

not only in Africa, but with major stake-

holders across the world, is vital for the

sustainable future of institutions and

their members. Opportunities are created

for members to interact and work with

counterparts from other countries, and to

be exposed to international best practice.

INFO

Lorraine de Ronde

SAICE International Liaison Offi cer

[email protected]

A group of twenty transportation engineers from the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers visited

South Africa during the last week of June. SAICE, together with the BEPEC (Built Environment

Professions Export Council), arranged various interesting site visits for the delegation, including a

ride on the Gautrain. SAICE also entertained the group at National Offi ce, where President Seetella

Makhetha shared his “Credo of the African Engineer” with them. The picture shows members of

the delegation in the SAICE bookshop.

Strengthening ties with our Nigerian colleagues


UCT Student ChapterUCT Student Chaptervisit to the Berg River Damvisit to the Berg River Dam

THE BERG RIVER DAM is the fi rst

dam in South Africa to be designed,

constructed and operated in accordance

with the guidelines of the United Nations

World Commission on Dams.

Earlier this year, the third and fourth

year civil engineering students from the

University of Cape Town had the amazing

opportunity to visit this concrete-faced,

rock-fi ll dam, located in the upper reaches

of the Berg River catchment area. Th e

students were taken on a tour of the pump

station, the intake tower and the dam

outlet. Th e visit into the intake tower

was interesting, especially for the more

adventurous students who got a chance to

trek all the way down to the bottom. Th e

only problem was, once you reached to

the bottom of the tower, you had to climb

160 m back up to the top again! To round

off the perfect fi eld trip, the students were

treated to a picnic of pizza and cold beers.

Th e SAICE Student Chapter at UCT

would like to thank Bruce (GOBA) and

Wallie (DWA) for taking the time to

share their extensive knowledge and ex-

perience. Th anks also to GOBA for spon-

soring the refreshments and Bertrand

van Zyl (DWA) for organising the permit

for the visit. And fi nally, a huge thank

you to Prof Kobus van Zyl of UCT, as it

would not have been possible to organise

this visit without his assistance.

INFO

Alice Chang

SAICE UCT Student Chapter

[email protected]

1

2

3


1 The third and fourth year civil engineering

students from the University of Cape Town

visiting the Berg River Dam earlier this year

2 Examining the butterfl y valve

3 Admiring the magnifi cent Berg River Dam

4 The students at a model of the dam

5 Bruce (GOBA) addressing the students

4 5


In celebration of the life of Professor Richard Loewenthal

(or Richard the Lionheart!)

RICHARD DICK LOEWENTHAL retired to his olive farm in

Vermaaklikheid a few years ago. Dick was born on 26 August 1941

in Johannesburg and died at the age of 69 on 6 January 2011.

Emeritus Associate Professor Loewenthal started working at the

University of Cape Town in September 1974 as a Senior Lecturer

and was promoted to Associate Professor on 1 January 1987. He

retired from UCT on 31 December 2006. Th is is a short tribute to

the man that Richard Loewenthal was, rather than a record of all

his academic achievements (of which there were many!).

Richard was a husband to one, a father to three, and a father

fi gure, friend and educator, magnifi cent entertainer and inspira-

tional stalwart to a multitude. In his few years of retirement on the

farm, he would often sit on the stoep, look out over the olive trees

and the dusty road leading into the hills and refl ect on his friends,

on family, on cooking, on the universe, on the human condition,

on philosophy, in short on all the richness and joys of life. What

struck his family most about these moments was how incredibly

grateful he was for everything he had. “You know, Doug,” he would

say to his son, “sometimes when I think back on when I was young

and growing up, I still can’t believe how lucky I’ve been.”

Lucky he may have been, but if ever there was someone who

made his own luck, it was surely him – with an enormity of will

and spirit, with a singleness of purpose and a sheer joy of living

that is seen in very few people. Perhaps a good part of his char-

acter was the result of a tough childhood and, sadly, a father who

told him that he would amount to nothing in life. On one occa-

sion he was told that he lacked the basic intelligence to go further

than matric. His old friend, who knew him well as a young man,

said that to Richard this was like a red rag to a bull. Some rag,

some bull!

He left home at the age of fi fteen, eventually working on the

gold mines to fund himself through university. While working

as a miner, he was already educating himself by going to evening

classes – no mean feat, as his work started every day at four in

the morning with a trip two kilometres underground. Already

it was clear that the seeds of a mightily stubborn will had been

Obituary


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sown – that a fi ne spirit was being smelted in the crucible of

adversity. At university, as a somewhat wayward and lost fourth

year civil engineering student, he faced his fi rst real research

problem – given to him by his mentor, Professor Marais, who

was highly regarded in his fi eld at the time. Richard, after a huge

party on the Wild Coast, returned with the prospect of having

to do his fi nal year project in a week. Well, he solved the problem

and just managed to write up his thesis in time. On the fi rst

reading, Prof Marais declared that it must be nonsense, but on

the second reading he realised that Richard was onto something

very special. By the third reading, he said later, he felt that he

was witnessing the workings of a great mind. Professor Marais

was big enough to later admit that he had been working on the

problem for two years without success!

It was truly in research that Richard found his niche in life

and, from his fourth year onwards, began to realise his enormous

potential. He was, as someone else said, a researcher from his

teeth to his toenails. He once told his son, Doug, that, “Doing

research is like no other work you can imagine.” For most people

work consists of learning a formula and applying that formula

in life with varying degrees of success – reliable, but boring. But

when you are doing truly creative research, as with any creative

endeavour, there is no formula to rely on – every great research

problem is unique. It is a terrifying, humbling and exhilarating

experience all in one. You open a dark room, you stumble around

as best you can and try to bring some order to things. Th en even-

tually you fi nd the light switch and you switch the light on and

everything becomes bright and clear. For a short moment you

walk with the Gods, and the universe suddenly seems a much

friendlier, much more beautiful place. Th en other people enter

the room, often ignorant, often arrogant, usually self-assured,

wondering what all the fuss was about – except they didn’t have

to turn the light on. Th en you go into the next dark room.......

Marais, Dick’s long-time mentor and colleague, said that he

was a researcher who leapt from peak to peak while others toiled

away in the valleys. Th is perhaps gave the impression that he did

not work hard, but all who knew him witnessed his incredible

drive when faced with a truly massive research problem. Th e

harder the problem, the more excited and more tenacious he be-

came, and the more determined he was to solve it.

Needless to say, his students loved him and his eccentrici-

ties. He always entered the lecture hall without a single lecture

note, believing that keeping notes would make his lectures stale

and repetitive. Some of the words and phrases students used to

describe him have been recorded for posterity in student year

books. Here are a few:

“.....understands the mind of a student through and

through…..”

“…..he made complex concepts so simple to understand…..

that you went away wondering what the problem was…..”

“…..has the weathered face of a Keith Richards and a devilish

sense of humour.....”

“.....he often landed up lighting two cigarettes and placed

one at each side of the lecture hall, so that he could pace

back and forth taking regular puff s at each end as the ideas

fl owed…..”

Despite his achievements in the academic world, it was his

family and friends that he valued most, recognising that “to

know and to love one’s fellow human being is truly at the root of

all wisdom”. Certainly, it was with friends and family around

him, a glass of red wine in hand and a curry simmering on the

stove that he was very often at his happiest and most animated.

On these occasions he loved to shock people into laughter,

delightfully mixing profound conversation with the absurd and

giving vent to his magnifi cent, wonderfully vulgar and often

outrageous sense of humour.

But behind the jokes, the banter, the laughter and mag-

nificent mockery, one always sensed that there resided a fine,

grand and generous spirit. A spirit that never ceased to bring

joy to all those whom he came into contact with. He had a

magnetism that drew people to him from all walks of life.

He had the rare gift of making all people feel somehow more

special, more alive in his presence. That indeed was his magic

and a huge part of his legacy.

In the end he faced death as he faced the trials of life:

squarely and bravely, with honesty and integrity, and with that

magnifi cent mix of fl ippancy and profundity that he made

uniquely his own. He wanted all who were dear to him not to

wallow in sadness, but to celebrate his life.

As his old friend Dave McPhail said, he was indeed Richard

the Lionheart!

Cheryl Wright and Marianne Vanderschuren

[email protected] / [email protected]

Adapted from Doug Loewenthal’s memorial address


Date Event and CPD

validation numberPresenters

Contact details

8-9 September Durban

13-14 October Cape Town

17-18 November Gauteng

Business Finances for Built Environment

Professionals

SAICEfi n08/00405/11

Wolf WeidemannDawn Hermanus

[email protected]

5-6 September Durban

10-11 October Cape Town

Handling Projects in a Consulting Engineer's

Practice

SAICEproj08/00404/11

Wolf WeidemannDawn Hermanus

[email protected]

12 September Pietermaritzburg

21 November Johannesburg

Bridge Maintenance

SAICErail09/00495/12 Ed EltonDawn Hermanus

[email protected]

13-14 September Pietermaritzburg

22-23 November Johannesburg

Basics of Track Engineering

SAICErail09/00496/12Ed Elton

Dawn Hermanus

[email protected]

26-27 September MidrandGCC

SAICEcon10/00706/13Theuns Eloff

Cheryl-Lee Williams

[email protected]

20 September East LondonReinforced Concrete Design to SANS 10100-1

SAICEstr09/00432/11Greg Parrott

Cheryl-Lee Williams

[email protected]

21 September East LondonStructural Steel Design Code to SANS 10162:1-2005

SAICEstr09/00513/12Greg Parrott

Cheryl-Lee Williams

[email protected]

26-27 September Bloemfontein

17-18 October Durban

Network Analysis & Introduction to Surge Analysis

SAICEwat10/00804/13Prof Fanie van Vuuren

Cheryl-Lee Williams

[email protected]

1-2 November Port Elizabeth

8-9 November Durban


22-23 November Cape Town

Basic Coastal & Harbour Engineering

SAICEwat09/00611/12Keith Mackie

Cheryl-Lee Williams

[email protected]

15-16 September Pietermaritzburg


Rail Transport

SAICErail11/00887/14Ed Elton

Dawn Hermanus

[email protected]

For more information on courses, venues and course outlines please visit http://www.civils.org.za/courses.html

DIARISE THIS!DIARISE THIS!T !ISE TA THIST IS!IS

IAARISE TA THIST IS!ISDIAARISEAD

EltonDawn Hermanu

[email protected]

SAICEcon10/00706/13Theuns Eloff

ryl-Lee Willia

[email protected]

ember East Londoneinforced Concrete Design to SANS 1

AICEstr09/00432/11Greg Parrott

Ch

ber East LondonStructural Steel Design Cod

SAICEstr0

wwestern and southern cape projectsestern and southern ... · engineering quantities in southern...

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