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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
MARCH
2015
PROJECTS AND CONTRACTS
Agilia™ met the requirement that all materials used in the
taxi rank had to be environmentally friendly and contribute
to a low carbon footprint for the facility. As well as producing
high strength, durable concrete, Agilia™ is popular with architects for
extending the avenues of creative concrete expression.
Lafarge South Africa is the local presence of the international
Lafarge Group, the world leader in building materials. The Group is
committed to creating solutions that help to build better cities that
are more durable and desirable environments to accommodate the
enormous global trend to urbanisation.
Innovation is a core strength of Lafarge, which operates one of
the largest building materials research and development centres in
the world.
The Lafarge Tygerberg Readymix plant supplied 133 m³ of Agilia™
concrete to construct the columns and beams of the taxi rank structure.
The product’s exceptional fluidity enables it to fill all corners and areas
in formwork or moulds without the need for vibration, while remaining
homogeneous. It is also an ideal product for achieving smoother
architectural concrete finishes with minimal need for remedial work.
The Lafarge Readymix team from the company’s Cape Town branch
provided technical advice and on-site support for the project.
Durability is a key issue in this type of high traffic public facility.
Costing approximately R25-million, the taxi rank is expected to serve
around 5 000 commuters daily travelling in 50 minibuses.
The challenging aspect of running cost has been exceptionally well
addressed with the structure’s PV panels and battery backup almost
eliminating Eskom power usage. Stormwater is captured and stored
in underground tanks and recycled for washing vehicles.
“This has been a fascinating project,” comments Herbert Groe-
newald, building marketing manager – Lafarge South Africa. “Lafarge
is proud to have provided the concrete solution for this taxi rank
initiative and firmly believes it will be the model for future transport
infrastructure development.”
standards of quality and efficiency, we worked
with internationally renowned smokestack
and industrial chimney specialist, Beaumont
Specialist Consulting,” notes Zinn.
Zinn admits that the work is physically
demanding, with hot weather posing particular
challenges. “The team wear backpacks that
carry water and start work as early as possible
in order to limit the time they work during
the heat of the day. Despite these obstacles,
Skyriders’ scope of the project has been highly
successful to date, as the company has the
best team in the business, which boasts string
of successful industry results,” he concludes.
A routine inspection carried out by a rope
access specialist at Syma gold mine.
Skyriders was contracted by Sociètè
des Mines Syama Sa, Mali to carry
out routine inspection work on a
replacement smokestack that the company
successfully helped to erect in 2013. Marketing
manager Mike Zinn says: “In 2013 we assisted
with the erection of the replacement stack,
and recently our two-man team – including a
Level III rope access technician and inspector
– inspected the rebuilt stack.”
The scope of their work includes inspecting
the external and internal components of
the structure – a task that takes four days to
complete. During the inspection, the team
conducts visual surveillance and, using ultra-
sonic meters, tests wall thickness. Findings
are then submitted to an external consultant
for final reporting. “To ensure the highest
PROJECT OFF THE GROUND IN MALI
Skyriders continues to live up to its reputation as the leading provider
of rope access-aided inspection, non-destructive testing and
maintenance services to African industries, following the company’s
second permanent appointment at Syama gold mine in Mali.
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FIRST GREEN
TAXI RANK
South Africa’s leading building
materials company, Lafarge South
Africa, worked closely with Cape
Town architects Stauch Vorster
right from the design phase of
South Africa’s first green taxi rank
in Wallacedene, in the northern
suburbs of Cape Town. For the
construction of the building,
Lafarge supplied its innovative, market-leading
product, Agilia™ self-consolidating concrete.
Lafarge Agilia
TM
concrete was used to construct
South Africa’s first green taxi rank in Cape Town.
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