AT-GRADE CONSTRUCTION OVER DOLOMITES
Background Between Centurion and Pretoria, in the northern section of the Gautrain route, the rail alignment traverses about 16km of dolomitic ground, of which 5.8km will be on viaducts (elevated structures) with the remaining portion constructed at ground level. This band of dolomites is part of a broad swathe of dolomite bedrock which surrounds the Johannesburg Granite Dome and which separates...
Read MoreCONSTRUCTING THE GAUTRAIN UNDERNEATH THE N3 HIGHWAY
Background Between Marlboro Station and Linbro Park the Gautrain alignment passes underneath the busy N3 highway. It is at this point that the route splits into two – one leg travelling northwards towards Midrand and Pretoria, and the other eastwards towards Rhodesfield and the OR Tambo International Airport. The construction underneath the N3 freeway utilizes the “cut-and-cover”...
Read MoreCONSTRUCTION OF SEGMENTAL VIADUCTS
Most of Gautrain’s sixteen viaduct structures are being constructed using pre-cast segments installed using the underslung girder technique. The advantage of this technique is that it enables the viaduct deck spans to be erected very rapidly on site with minimal disruption to traffic below. Viaducts are essentially multi-spanned bridges crossing over roads or rivers or valleys. On the Gautrain...
Read MoreVIADUCT ERECTION THROUGH CENTURION
To date Gautrain viaduct construction has primarily focused on the Johannesburg, Midrand and Ekurhuleni areas, whilst construction in Centurion has focused mainly on ground improvement and foundation installation. Viaduct erection has however recently commenced on the longest Gautrain viaduct (Viaduct 5) which traverses through Centurion and has a total length of over 4km. Figure 1 : Aerial view...
Read MoreBALANCED CANTILEVER VIADUCTS
An innovative construction technique is being used for the construction of the Gautrain viaducts crossing over the busy N1 and N14 freeways on either side of Centurion. The so-called Balanced Cantilever construction method is used for building long-span bridges over areas where construction from the ground upwards is not possible. The method is therefore ideal for the viaducts being constructed...
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Construction Update
- CONSTRUCTION UPDATE – JUNE AND JULY August 26, 2011A) CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION AND THE START OF PHASE 2 OPERATIONS On 02 August 2011 the second phase of the Gautrain System – the route linking Rosebank Station in Johannesburg to Hatfield Station in Tshwane – was opened for commercial service. This follows the initial launch of Gautrain services on 08 June 2010, just three days […]
