Page 77 - SAICE book proof 2 LATEST JULY 2014

s a i c e
LIMPOPO PROVINCE

4. De hoop Dam near Burgersfort is one of ◊ Below: De Hoop Dam
the big dams in South Africa and incorporates world- ◊ Bottom: Medupi Power Station
class technology in terms of roller compacted concrete
of which over one million cubic metres went into the
wall. South Africa is a leader in this technology where
concrete is not poured in its traditional way but with a
special drier mix and then compacted with rollers.

32°27′5″ S, 24°25′23.6″ E

5. Power stations in this province are fairly re-
cent developments although the construction of Mat-
imba at Ellisras started in 1981. Since the discovery
of the vast coal fields in the area the quest to supply
energy was turning to this province. Water is scarce
in this area and Matimba has been designed to be the
largest direct dry cooling power station in the world.
The coal reserves guarantee a minimum life span of
about 35 years at a consumption of 3 800 tons of coal
per hour. It generates about 24 000 Giga Watt Hours
per annum and also holds a world record of 80 days for
six generating units on load.

• Medupi at Lephalale is still under construction in
2013 and will generate a total of 4 800 Mega Watt.
Construction activities commenced in May 2007 and
obviously involve major civil engineering components.
During construction some 350 000 tons of reinforced
concrete will be poured. The boiler house will stand
approximately 130 m in height.
The power station will be the fourth largest coal plant
in the world, and will be the biggest dry-cooled power
station in the world. The boiler and turbine contracts
for Medupi are the largest contracts that Eskom has
ever signed in its 90-year history. The planned opera-
tional life of the station is 50 years. Once the pool or dam is complete the reservoir is filled
up and eventually the pool or ultimate roof floats up-
ward without any additional support, stresses or strains
23°42’06.16” S, 27°33’57.55” E to be fixed once it reaches the top.

6. Rustfontein reservoirs near Haenertsburg 23°42’06.16” S, 27°33’57.55” E
are two 9 Ml reservoirs which were constructed in 1988.
Although there is very little visible for the tourist, the
interesting fact is that the two roofs of the reservoirs 7. Peter Mokaba Sports Stadium at Polokwane
were floated into place, a method that was first used in is another spin-off from South Africa’s successful 2010
the Cape at the Melkbos reservoir in 1977. This method FIFA World Cup South Africa bid, hosting four first-
obviates the use of heavy scaffolding and formwork for round matches. The facility seats 46 000 people. The
the roof of the reservoir since it is built on the floor of form of the largely concrete structure is inspired by the
the reservoir in the form of what could be defined as locally iconic Baobab tree, with the steel structure sup-
a water tight pool-like structure with sleeves through porting the roof plane gathered together at each corner
which the pillars which support the roof are inserted. of the stadium and supported by giant trunk structures

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