https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Geosynthetic products supplied for substation

GEOSYNTHETIC SUPPLY Fibertex South Africa is providing an ongoing supply of a range of geosynthetic products for use in the construction of the Eskom Pinotage substation

STRUCTURAL REINFORCEMENT About 46 550 m² of Fibertex’s Secugrid 80/20 R6 uni-axial geogrid was installed to provide reinforcement for the peripheral precast segmental block retaining wall system at the electrical substation

19th May 2017

By: Tasneem Bulbulia

Senior Contributing Editor Online

     

Font size: - +

G

eosynthetic products manufacturer and supplier Fibertex South Africa is providing an ongoing supply of its geosynthetic products for use in the construction of State-owned power utility Eskom’s Pinotage substation, in the Western Cape.

This new large electrical substation is located in Faure, near Somerset West. The supply by Fibertex began in November 2016.

Fibertex geosynthetics divisional director Paul Baxter informs Engineering News that Fibertex was chosen to supply this product, owing to the company’s distribution of Secugrid in South Africa and the inclusion of its product in Eskom’s design of the substation.

This supply is in line with Fibertex supplying notable projects. The company is supplying construction company WBHO with more than 165 000 m² of Secugrid 200/40 R6 for the new MOGS Tanks that are being built in Saldanha. Further, the company has supplied geosynthetic products worth more than R40-million to Eskom’s Medupi and Kusile power stations.

Baxter is satisfied with the status of the ongoing supply, which has been substantiated by positive feedback from Eskom.

He says Fibertex, with vast geosynthetic solutions in construction and building works for separation, filtration, drainage, protection, erosion control and reinforcement, forms an integral part of structural designs.

He indicates that the substation, which consists of a 400 kV and 132 kV high-voltage yard, provided Eskom engineers with some initial challenges, including a large cut-to-fill operation, which was necessary to create a level platform for the new transformers. This necessitated the erection of a suitable peripheral precast segmental block retaining wall system, which is where Fibertex’s products could assist.

“Because correct geosynthetic reinforcement and drainage design are key to the stability and safety of any retaining structure, rigid Secugrid geogrids were used in combination with a heavy-duty precast concrete segmental block. Fibertex also supplied various components for an advanced subsoil drainage system.”

About 46 550 m² of Fibertex’s polyethylene terephthalate Secugrid 80/20 R6 uni-axial geogrid was installed. Owing to this product’s high residual strength at low strain, it forms an integral part of the block wall by adding tensile resistance to the reinforced soil zone. The wall in question is about 700 m in length, with heights varying from 7 m to 11 m, and was constructed by retaining wall contractor Terrafirma Retaining Walls.

Secugrid is designed to strengthen naturally unstable soil and subgrades so that the composite soil structure can withstand the required loading conditions through an interlocking and frictional effect, with little or no movement in the overlying soil materials over the structure’s lifetime.

This robust reinforcement material is also highly resistant to biological and chemical degradation, as well as installation damage. Secugrid is supplied in rolls and is quick and efficient to install, with minimal demand on labour resources.

Flexidrain, an extruded high-density polyethylene geonet, covered with a Fibertex F-25 polypropylene nonwoven geotextile jacket to form a 500-mm-wide wick-drain composite, was placed at 8 m centres horizontally and 45º to the vertical, between the G7 fill material and the selected granular fill.

The subsoil water is then led to a front collector drain behind the toe of the retaining wall and discharged into Fibertex Drainex DN160 drainage pipes, which are also chemically inert.

The products are being used by Eskom because of the composite reinforcement and subsoil drainage they provide to slopes and walls. Further, Baxter indicates that these products reduce the overall civil engineering construction costs.

He notes that the size of the quantities to be manufactured, and the logistics of importing them timeously, prove to be the biggest challenges. The company leverages its “great team and superior product range” to overcome all the manufacturing and design requirements and logistical obstacles posed.

“There are some wonder- ful geosynthetic solutions available in South Africa and the Fibertex group, with their strategic partners, is among the local and international market leaders in the field,” concludes Baxter.

Edited by Zandile Mavuso
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features

Comments

Showroom

Immersive Technologies
Immersive Technologies

Immersive Technologies is the world's largest, proven and tested supplier of simulator training solutions to the global resources industry.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.085 0.134s - 168pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now