For South African educational campuses, sports facilities are always a top priority, and when Somerset College, one of the co-educational private schools in South Africa, was faced with a large, steep hill standing in the way of expanding their existing sports campus, major earth moving was unavoidable.
One of the ramps and staircases, as well as seating next to the hockey field
Creating space for new sports fields on a steep slope with Terraforce
Faced with exposed cut and fill slopes, the main contractor on site, Poplar Trading, needed a cost-effective and aesthetically pleasing way to retain these – up to five metres high embankments.
Says Coen Marais, Poplar Trading: “we needed to create space on a massive slope for two new rugby fields, two cricket ovals and a hockey field. To achieve this, we moved 80 000 m² of earth and placed 55 000 m² of drainage. Loxton Irrigation placed over 50 000 m irrigation, while Vredenburg Lawns and another company, Yokwana Contracting, installed 55 000 m² of the lawn. In addition, we also installed some gabions and Terraforce 4×4 Step block seating adjacent to the hockey field”
Sub-Contractor Decorton Retaining Systems were called in as expert installers for the Terraforce walls needed on site, specifically to build a retaining wall with staircases and wheelchair ramps for student access, as well as additional space for an entry road and pavilion above the AstroTurf sports field. SP van Blerk, Decorton, says installation went according to plan: “Icos Engineering submitted a great design that specified the necessary reinforcing to match wall height, soil and surcharge conditions.”
Terraforce wheelchair ramps for student access
A view down the slope gives an idea of the challenge faced
The earth moving and walls were completed February this year, however, some landscaping still needs to be completed to showcase the end result to full effect.
Project participants
Engineer: Icos Engineering
Quantity Surveyor: QS Bureau
Main Contractor: Poplar Trading
Sub-Contractor: Decorton Retaining Systems Pty Ltd
-
- The Terraforce 4×4 Step block seating with a solar powered score board
-
- One of the ramps and staircases, as well as seating next to the hockey field
-
- Poplar Trading moved 80 000 m² of earth and placed 55 000 m² of drainage on site
-
- Creating space for a new sports fields on a steep slope with Terraforce
-
- The Terraforce ramps blends in style with the main retaining wall
-
- The second Terraforce ramp and staircase above the rugby field
