AfriSam readymix for Ultimate Dynamic’s Droogheuwel Reservoir project

Gauteng continues to be an urban magnet drawing job seekers from far and wide, making the Droogheuwel municipal bulk water reservoir in Randfontein a vital piece of infrastructure to keep sufficient water flowing to the growing area of Randgate.

Hard at work on this 20 megalitre reservoir is the Stilfontein-based contractor Ultimate Dynamic, supported with concrete from construction materials leader AfriSam. The project is due for completion in March 2018.

According to Pieter van der Merwe, Ultimate Dynamic’s project manager, the 47,6-m-diameter structure, with a wall thickness of 500 mm, will require about 2,000 m³ of water-tight pump-mix concrete with a strength of 40 MPa.

“After the contract was awarded in December 2016, we started preparation on site in January and were ready for our first concrete pour in April,” says Van der Merwe. “We are now about a third of the way to completion, and are busy on the third lift (or level) of the reservoir wall, which will require eight lifts to take it to the required height of almost 13 metres.”

Readymix is being delivered from AfriSam’s Technikon plant in its six cubic metre capacity trucks, with each pour comprising about 60 cubic metres – or ten trucks of readymix. Concrete is raised and deposited into the formwork moulds by a truck-mounted boom pump with a reach of over 40 metres, according to AfriSam production team leader Mark Wernich.

“We currently deliver on average once every seven working days, and our plant is conveniently located less than 25 km from site,” says Wernich. “Our production capacity and specialised equipment will also allow a continuous pour of about 380 cubic metres for the roof of the reservoir, once the walls are completed toward the end of the year.”

Van der Merwe says the project covers the reinforced concrete construction of the reservoir walls and roof, as well as all pipes, valves, access manhole doors and step ladders. It also includes the inlet and outlet chambers for the reservoir, pump rooms and the access road from the existing tar road nearby.

Wernich says that AfriSam’s quality systems are a key element of its offering to customers.

“AfriSam’s plant laboratories – based at our cement, aggregate and readymix operations – ensure ongoing process control testing on all our products.”

More information from Maxine Nel, Tel: +27 011 670 5893 / email: [email protected] /www.afrisam.com