Page 76 - SAICE book proof 2 LATEST JULY 2014

s a i c e
LIMPOPO PROVINCE

Civil engineering obviously features in the form ◊ Below: Freeways and roads in Limpopo Province
of general infrastructure in the towns and for the ◊ Bottom: Magoebaskloof
industrial and commercial activities of this province.
What is commonly overlooked is that nature reserves
and wildlife reserves require civil engineering services
which are required to be non-intrusive and ecologically
friendly, especially in terms of water supply and sewage
purification.

This province features:

1. The N1 Toll road from Bela-Bela, previously
Warmbaths, to Polokwane was the first and biggest
contract of its kind in the mid-1990s. For this 155 km
road the cost to build it was so high that a toll-based
financing option was selected and a private operator
built, maintains and operates the road at present. From
Pretoria to Bela-Bela it traverses the Springbokvlakte
with its notorious heaving clays. The solutions for the
foundations for this road included the relatively novel
idea to drain water towards the road base layers to en-
deavour achieving a stable moisture content to prevent
drying out from time to time which results in major
cracking under these circumstances. In spite of all the
precautions this road has necessitated many remedial
procedures over the years to prevent and rectify the
roller coaster ride experience caused by the founding
problems.

This road is the major transportation link between Gau-
teng and Zimbabwe and other African countries north-
wards. At Musina the road terminates at the Limpopo
River border with Zimbabwe at the Beit Bridge crossing.
This border post currently handles 2.52 million tons of
road freight per annum, making it one of the largest trast to the conventional draining away from the sub
border posts in South Africa. base. This facilitates a more even moisture content of
the clay owing to a solution that brings in water rather
than keeping it out, seeing that one could not prevent
25°01’47.56” S, 28°20’02.56” E drying out causing cracking and subsidence.
3. Magoebaskloof is one of the famous recre-
2. freeways and roads in this province are well ation areas in this province and to get there one needs
developed and the two major transport corridors to Bo- a road courtesy of civils. Beautiful vistas unfold when
tswana and Zimbabwe are strategically important for one drives along this pass. Over time various challenges
all the countries. Two toll roads were built according had to be overcome to stabilise cuttings and to prevent
to high standards and the great north road had to go mud and rock slides along the route. Many civil engi-
through the Soutpansberg and the Strijdom Tunnel was neering professionals are known to have an above av-
constructed to cut out a long byway. Just beyond the erage yearning for adventure and in this kloof there is
town of Musina the road crosses the Limpopo River at even a canopy tour, gliding along cables above gorges
Beit Bridge. Just beyond the Gauteng border the free- and tree tops have become popular in recent times.
way crosses the Springbok Flats which are known for
severe heaving clays. In this case the quest to ensure a
smooth ride produced a novel idea in the form of drains 23°52’14.97” S, 30°00’53.04” E
that bring water towards the road foundation in con-

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