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Premier Project Profile

Point Promenade

The geotechnical and piling contract for Point Promenade was undertaken by the Stefanutti Stocks Geotechnical Discipline for the Stefanutti Stocks Civils Discipline (Coastal Region) that was project managing the construction of the promenade for Durban Point Development Company (Pty) Ltd – a joint venture formed between the eThekwini Municipality and UEM Sunrise, a Malaysian parastatal. The geotechnical and piling contract was undertaken between March 2018 and October 2018

Background: The promenade was constructed on reclaimed land on the beachfront, the lower-level houses public amenities, a water sports club and public parking. The upper level is a continuation of the public walkway going from Moya’s Pier to the Northern Breakwater (harbour).

The Project Scope

Piling

The most feasible founding solution identified, to accommodate the loads of the promenade structure, was the Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) type pile. Due to the existing sandy soils, and the absence of bedrock, the piles were designed as shaft friction piles only.

A total of 1 055 CFA piles (including 250 x 250mm, 426 x 450mm and 379 x 600mm piles) were installed, as well as two-hundred-and-twenty-one 130mm diameter self-drilling anchor type micro-piles. The highly variable ground conditions (that were different to the initial soil investigation) required additional extensive soil investigation and resulted in the piles having to be individually designed.

The promenade’s location on reclaimed land meant that bad pockets, boulders and rubble were encountered and these adverse in-situ ground conditions led to the refusal of some CFA piles. The self-drilling anchor type micro-piles were then introduced and used.

Ground conditions and water table

As the construction area was a reclaimed beach area a high number of weak pockets, approximately six metres deep were encountered. The shallow water table, at two-metres deep, affected approximately seventy per cent of the sewer trench and culverts, and a variety of other obstructions hindered the piling process. Nonetheless the project was completed within programme, and achieved a Lost Time Injury Frequency of zero.

Notable quantities

  • 1 055 CFA piles
  • 221 self-drilling anchor type micro-piles (130mm diameter)

Customer feedback

Stefanutti Stocks: Geotechnical Discipline

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