John Coetzee Project Leader Director: Jeffares & Green [email protected]

Kraaifontein Integrated Waste Management Facility

At a site in Kraaifontein, in the completion and final commissioning will The principle civil and building Cape Town Metropole, just off the N1, commence shortly. This has been one contactors were Haw & Inglis, and the is the first integrated waste manage- of the most challenging, yet satisfying mechanical plant and equipment were ment facility of its kind in South Africa. projects that the author has ever worked designed and installed by the Akura/ It comprises a refuse transfer station, on, and I believe I speak on behalf of Petrel Joint Venture group. a compaction hall, container handling everyone who has been involved – the A focal point of the project is the operations, garden refuse chipping client, the Solid Waste Management 148 m long x 122 m wide x 18 m high facilities, materials recovery facility, Department of the City of Cape Town, the structure designed by J&G’s Cape Town domestic recycling centre and a public professional teams and all of the contrac- structures section. This structure encom- drop-off. It also contains a workshop, tors – when I say that this flagship project passes a material recovery facility, a com- wash bay, diesel storage, security facili- will be handed over with a great sense of paction hall and a refuse receiving hall. ties, entrance building and weighbridges. pride and achievement. Some of the main features of this main Provision has also been made for a future Jeffares & Green (J&G), the lead structure involved: “resource park” and for the accommoda- consultants, in joint venture with GJA NN248 driven piles. tion of future “alternative technologies”, Consultants, undertook the project NNA framed and braced structure com- such as waste to energy. management, civil, structural, rail, roads, prising reinforced concrete and struc- The design capacity currently allows transportation and site supervision du- tural steel elements. for a maximum 100 tonnes/day materials ties. GJA was responsible for the building, NNA double-pitch roof with longitudinal recovery facility and a 1 000 tonnes/day electrical and mechanical duties. Several and transverse monitors to fit louvres refuse transfer station. other multi-professional consultants and translucent sheeting for lighting The planning, design and implemen- involved included surveyors, architects, and ventilation. tation of the project straddled a period quantity surveyors, a landscape architect, NNInternal floor levels which vary due to of three years. Construction is nearing and mechanical plant consultants. the sloping nature of the site plus the

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32 Civil Engineering | October 2010 Kraaifontein Integrated Waste Management Facility

provision of the elevated floor for in- was achieved by constructing 300 mm and specialist input such as roads, stallation of impact conveyors. reinforced concrete retaining walls civil, structural, rail and municipal NNA roof structure which is supported around the perimeter of the 6 000 m2 engineering, together with mechanical, internally at the edges of the refuse receiving slab. electronics and electrical engineering, receiving hall apron and at mid-span of The construction of the facility also architectural design, landscape architects, the compaction hall and material re- involved a specialised mechanical com- ground water specialists, traffic engi- covery facility rafters in order to cover ponent which included the supply and neering, transportation studies, economic the 122 m width of the building. installation of waste compactors, impact reviews, fire protection, telecom systems, NNA roof with a clear span of 45 m (in the conveyors and containers, and the mecha- ventilation, and financial planning. RTS), with no internal columns, so as to nisation of the refuse transfer station and Particular attention was paid to: facilitate the free movement of vehicles. materials recovery facility (by installing NNGreen engineering for the development. The 45 m span was achieved by using bag splitters, screens and balers). This sec- NNPollution prevention. steel trusses constructed with back-to- tion of the work was awarded to a JV be- NNSpecial storm water inlets, traps and back angle sections. tween Akura Manufacturing Engineering swales (channels) – to achieve this NNThe use of 600 mm deep cellular rafter Company and Petrel Engineering. overseas and local technologies were beams supported at mid-span in the A community liaison officer was incorporated into the design. roof structure of the compaction hall appointed, as this facility borders on and material recovery facility. low-income areas and the construction of 1 Aerial view from the north of the NNThe floor of the refuse receiving hall the facility lends itself to the training and new Kraaifontein Integrated Waste was elevated above the compaction hall employment of unskilled persons. Management Facility in Cape Town and material recovery facility floors, It cannot be over-emphasised 2 West elevation in order to incorporate an impact that a facility of this nature involves 3 Vehicle entrance conveyor system into the design. This practically every aspect of engineering 4 Tipping hall

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