Construction World December 2022

CONSULTING ENGINEERS

PROJECT INFORMATION

• Company entering: Naidu Consulting • Client: KZN Department of Transport

• Start date: 3 February 2020 • End date: 26 November 2021

• Main Contractor: Icon Construction • Principal Agent: Naidoo Consulting • Consulting Engineer: Naidu Consulting

MSUNDUZE BRIDGE L ocated in the heart of the Mandeni Local Municipal i ty features the successful ly completed Msunduze River Bridge, a four-span cont inuous reinforced concrete river bridge, straddl ing a total of 65 m over the Msunduze River. In addi t ion to the construct ion of the bridge, the works included the upgrade of the gravel Local Road L3110 and i ts associated stormwater inf rastructure. The successful complet ion of the project has not only improved the level of ser vice del iver y for the Nyoni and neighbouring communi t ies by providing inf rastructure development , but has also lef t i ts mark through the real i sat ion of s igni ficant social ini t iat ives that have upl i f ted and developed the ski l ls of local communi ty members and targeted enterpri se contractors . The project boasts surpass ing the contract targets in al l areas of communi ty-based ini t iat ives such as job creat ion, contract part icipat ion goals as wel l as accredi ted and on-the- job pract ical Training to both local communi ty members and emerging contractors . Through a col laborat ive ef fort of the KZN Department of Transport , Naidu Consul t ing and Icon Construct ion thi s was real i sed through detai led planning, social faci l i tat ion and the implementat ion of labour- intens ive construct ion principles . Despi te the complexi t ies associated wi th the construct ion of a reinforced concrete river bridge and the chal lenges faced wi th the COVID-19 nat ional lockdown restrict ions , the main

contractor, wi th the extens ive part icipat ion of the emerging contractors were successful in overcoming these chal lenges and successful ly completed the project in November 2021, whi lst strict ly adhering to qual i ty control and programme related constraints . Naidu Consul t ing was appointed by the KwaZulu Natal Department of Transport to undertake the des ign and construct ion super vi s ion of the Msunduze River Bridge. The mot ivat ing factors that contributed to the requi rement of a river cross ing was not only to faci l i tate safe travel for pedestrians including scholars and the elderly but also to improve access for emergency ser vices and encourage long term economic development by ‘unlocking land’ and promot ing publ ic transport to the Nyoni and neighbouring communi t ies . The structure compri ses of a four span, cast in s i tu sol id concrete deck . The deck slab was made cont inuous over the piers to el iminate the necess i ty for expans ion joints , l imi t ing them to the abutments only. Abutments and piers are reinforced concrete that are on pi le caps cons i st ing of 750 mm diameter pi les socketed into bedrock . At des ign stage, the social aspects of the projects were given high priori ty by the intent ional inclus ion of des ign elements that were able to incorporate labour intens ive construct ion methods as wel l as by the inclus ion of work sui table for targeted enterpri ses . Innovat ive ways to achieve CPG were thought of at des ign stage, making the approach of the project unique. 

70 21 st Best Project Awards 2022