THE EZIMBOKODWENI BRIDGE
Jobsite description
Located in the Philani Valley in Umlazi (South Africa), the eZimbokodweni River Bridge was designed with the aim of securing the night crossing of the river below. Before its construction, the inhabitants and the wild flora then faced many problems due to the darkness – wild pollution – illegal exploitation of sands – risk of falling – criminality.
The municipality of eThekwini then launched a call for projects for the construction of a new pedestrian bridge, to which the engineering company Naidu Consulting responded by designing a bridge that becomes luminescent at nightfall, a first in Africa!
The project won 1st prize in the prestigious CESA AON ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2020 competition in the category Projects valued at <50 Million Rands.
CHRYSO expertise
For this construction, designers and engineers were able to rely on CHRYSO’s know-how and innovation, through its LuminTech®technology.
The bridge is 160 meters long and composed of 6 prestressed concrete spans.
Luminescent powder CHRYSO®Lumin SP have been infused into the top layer of the concrete and the process did not compromise the integrity of the polymer concrete that was used.
The path leading to the bridge was made of exposed aggregate concrete, using luminescent CHRYSO®Lumin P+ Jade aggregates.
The luminescence of the bridge thanks to this technology thus made it possible to reduce the operating costs of the structure compared to traditional lighting while improving the ecological footprint of the project: alternative to electricity, LuminTech® uses natural radiation of the sun to restore it at night.
PRODUCTS USED
- Luminescent powder: CHRYSO®Lumin SP
- Luminescent particles: CHRYSO®Lumin P+ Jade
Project technical challenges
The use of LuminTech® luminescent powders, infused into the top layer of the concrete, and luminescent particles on exposed aggregate concrete paths, made this innovative project a reality, without affecting the characteristics of the structure.
The project’s ecological and economic footprint is also improved compared to traditional lighting.
eZimbokodweni river bridge photo gallery
Project participants
Client: Thekwini Municipality, Water and Sanitation Unit
Consulting Engineer: Naidu Consulting
Contractor: Afrostructures
Sub-contractor: ResocreteComposites
Other references
VLAKFONTEIN RESERVOIR
In November 2020 started the construction in South Africa of the Vlakfontein reservoir in Benoni, Gauteng. The circular post-tensioned reservoir, which will store 213.4 million litres of potable water, is the country’s largest cylindrical post-tensioned concrete reservoir, one of the biggest in the world. Due to its enormous size, it may also be classified as a dam.
CEBU – CORDOVA LINK EXPRESSWAY (CCLEX)
The Cebu – Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) is a four-lane, 27-metre wide bridge across the Mactan Canal connecting Cebu City to Cordova, Philippines.