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BEST
PR
O
JECTS
41
DECEMBER • 2016
GREEN AND FUNCTIONAL HARD
LANDSCAPING FOR SILVERSTAR CASINO
The walls were constructed after an amphitheatre, The Dome,
designed and built by Otto Wijnberger of In2Structures, had been
added to the site.
Backing onto Roodekrans Ridge, the largest wall is 128 m
from end-to-end and tops 6,5 m at its highest point. Running
adjacent to the amphitheatre, it was built by Powergate
Construction at an angle of 70˚. Backfill, which varies in depth
between 3-3,5 m, was reinforced with Kaytech PC 50/50 geofabric
at every third block layer.
Wick drains were installed on the cut face at 45˚ every two
metres and these channel water into a sub-soil drain. Further
drainage is provided by a rain channel which was installed in the
backfill behind the top layer of blocks.
Indigenous trees, grasses and shrubs combine with the
foreground paving to complement and soften the retaining wall
particularly well, while the red soils used for the backfill have
stained the grey blocks, resulting in a colour mix that blends in well
with the surrounding environment.
Three concrete retaining block walls have been built
at the Silverstar Casino entertainment complex in
Krugersdorp using CMA member, Terraforce’s L11
blocks. The blocks were supplied by Terraforce licensee
and CMA member, ReMaCon Products cc, and the walls
were designed by ReMaCon CEO, Silvio Ferarris.
The two other walls, one 95 m long and three metres high and
the other 91 m long and two metres high, were built to secure
embankments on the fringes of two parking areas. Both were built
by Powergate Construction using the same L11 block and to the
same design specifications as the larger wall.
The Terraforce L11 block has a round face finish which is easily
planted. Moreover, the L 11 system is also cost-effective and easily
constructed in uniform concave curves.
Terraforce blocks are exclusively manufactured in Gauteng by
Remacon Products.
MAIZE SILOS AT MASHAMBA,
Democratic Republic of Congo
The findings of the geotechnical investigation conducted by
MSJ were used to determine representative in situ geotechnical
parameters for the geogrid reinforced soil foundation mattress
design. The investigation consisted of 11 TLB dug test pits and
five rotary cored boreholes. Pocket penetrometer tests, vane shear
tests, and point load index tests were carried out in addition to
laboratory testing comprising grading analysis, Atterberg limit
determination, Mod. AASHTO compaction and CBR tests. The
investigation highlighted rock at level between 11 m and 12,7 m
below natural ground level and a completely weathered clayey
zone between 14,2 m and 16 m below NGL. Moreover, rock level
was found between 18,78 m and 20,5 m below NGL. Rock has been
found above these levels but there are also completely weathered
zones and a relatively thick clayey zone between 12,5 m and 20,5 m.
The combination of high pressure loading and the presence of
clay with an undrain shear strength in the range of 50 to 100 kPa
for the first 6 to 10 m resulted in failure in bearing capacity resulting
in the need for foundation improvement techniques. The remote
location of the site has strained and limited the possible solutions
as access and the availability of material and equipment would
have had to be brought in, delaying the execution of the project.
MSJ and Maccaferri Africa had successfully used basal
reinforcement techniques in the past for similar situation and it
has been proven to be cost effective with high margin of safety
and short installation time.
The proposed solution consisted of excavating the in situ
material to a depth of 2 m below the soil mattress level. Two
layers of Paralink
®
600 are then placed bi-directionally (second
layer placed with straps at right angles to the first) onto the in situ
material. A separation layer comprising 100 mm graded gravelly
sand specially selected from the laterite source, lightly rolled, is
placed between the Paralink
®
600 in order to enhance the friction
between the geogrid and the soil in order to transfer the stresses
from the soil.
MSJ Geotechnical Consulting Services were appointed
to carry out the foundation design for the New Maize
Silos at Mashamba, Democratic Republic of Congo in
order to cater for the 322 kPA loading from the strip
footing and 180 kPa from the 28 m high maize.
Project information
• Company entering: Remacon
• Start date: May 2015
• End date: October 2014
• Main contractor: WBHO
• Consulting engineer: Remacon Products
• Subcontractor: Powergate Construction
Project information
• Company entering: Maccaferri Africa
• Start date: January 2016
• End date: March 2017
• Project team: MSJ Geotechnical
Consulting Services
• Consulting engineers: MSJ Geotechnical
Consulting Services