Construction World January 2016

CONSTRUCTION WORLD

JANUARY

2016

GIBB Engineering, South Africa’s leading black-

owned engineering consulting firm, recently

completed a feasibility study to evaluate and

investigate the construction and operational

feasibility of connecting the existing Western

Precinct to the Midfield Development at the OR

Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

The study, which started in January 2015, cemented the agreement

between GIBB and Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA).

The research, headed up by GIBB’s associate engineer for dams,

hydropower and underground works, Monique Wainstein, in collaboration

with Sumeshin Naidoo, business development manager in GIBB’s trans-

portation sector, developed a three-phased approach which will invariably

lead to the airport being divided across the two major terminal precincts

by an underground tunnel. The tunnel aims to bridge the geographical gap

between the aircraft stands and the cargo/terminal buildings.

GIBB saw a clear need for connecting these precincts and this particular

study focuses on:

• Airside transportation connectivity, for the transportation of bags,

airside passengers, freight and general airside support vehicles;

• Airside technical operational connectivity, for general airport

operational access such as fire and rescue, marshalling, and

security patrolling; and

• Bulk services connectivity, which could potentially include, but

is not limited to data links, electrical supply, water supply, and

fuel supply.

“The tunnel connectivity is key to the future master planning and infra-

structure development of the airport. The tunnel will enable the linking

of the current Western Precinct (existing terminal and associated aprons)

to the new future cargo and new mid-field terminal developments. This

linkage, once fully constructed and operational, will provide access to

shorter connection times of people, baggage and services within the current

infrastructure and future airside developments.

“Passengers will experience seamless travel between terminals and

between airline partners without fully understanding the complex opera-

tions behind the scenes that will be taking place to ensure that their travel

demands are met,” commented Naidoo.

“In addition, aviation service providers (baggage handlers, fuel re-fuellers,

marshallers) will benefit from having shorter distance and travel times to

get to servicing aircraft. Airlines will be able to improve aircraft connection

times and ensure that aircraft can spend more time in-flight than waiting

on the ground to be serviced and/or filled up with passengers. This project,

if it proceeds to construction, will support ACSA’s initiatives to reduce their

carbon emissions and carbon footprint,” he added.

The scope of work defined in Phase III of the study evaluates

the tunnel connectivity time and a possible route between the

two terminals, an overall assessment on the closure of aircraft facilities

during the construction, the cost implications, the duration of the project,

the advantages of the new connecting tunnel and the viable tunnel and

road connector assess points.

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR AFRICA’S LARGEST

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

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