Construction Run-In to Year-End

With the year-end fast approaching, construction of the Dube TradePort and International Airport continues apace.

The countdown to the first flight in 2010 is well and truly underway!

Progress on site to date includes:

Runway:

The base course of the runway is complete and the laying of the first course of asphalt has commenced. In addition, duct laying on the primary runway is also underway.

Taxiways:

Stabilised layerwork on five of the airport’s eight taxiways is progressing well, while bulk earthworks are currently being completed on the remaining three.

Aprons:

The airport provides for a total of four aprons. At present stabilised layerwork is being carried out on two of these aprons, while bulk earthworks are being finalised in the other two areas.

Main Terminal:

Arrivals Level – The concrete slab and necessary piling for the airside corridor are complete. Steelwork for the baggage-handling conveyors has now commenced. Added to this is the fact that the fixing of frames for glazing has commenced on the north face of the building at the arrivals level.

Departures Level – Work on the concrete slab is nearing completion and preparations have been made for the major final pouring of concrete.
 
In addition, the office level concrete slab is progressing on schedule.

The first section of the terminal’s main roof trusses has been erected and the concrete slab for the airside corridor at both arrivals and departures level in being developed.

Multi-Storey Car Park:

Work on retaining walls has been completed along with the second level concrete slab.

The ramp is currently being constructed and the erection of steel roofing is progressing well.

Cargo Terminal:

All concrete for the building structure has been completed. Structural steelwork is nearing completion, while layerwork for the surface bed slab is progressing.

All brickwork, plastering and roof-sheeting is currently being completed. In addition, electrical and plumbing work has commenced in the cargo terminal building.

Control Tower:

The tower shaft is fully complete, as is the installation of access stairs. Further, the erection of the steel cab – to be positioned atop the shaft – has also been completed. This structure has now been lifted off the ground to allow for its fitting-out.

Strip footings and brickwork has commenced on the control tower building.

N2 Interchange:

Bulk earthworks for the on/off ramps are progressing well and piling for the bridge is underway. Shuttering for the western abutments of the bridge structure is also being carried out.

As regards the access road, bulk earthworks have been undertaken and the road is complete to formation level. Work on drainage, including storm-water pipe culvert preparation, is presently underway.

AgriZone:

Bulk earthworks for the AgriZone link road are now being developed and ducting for cabling along the link road is being installed.

Trade Zone:
 
Bulk earthworks for the Trade Zone access road have been completed and, in terms of drainage, pipe culverts are already in place and gabion embankment protection work has commenced.

Support Zone:

Final trimming of the completed platform is being undertaken.

Other Infrastructure:

• Crash Fire and Rescue Building – The building frame is almost complete and structural steelwork erection is progressing, along with brickwork and plastering activities;
• Maintenance Buildings – The steel framework is complete, while brickwork, plastering and the compacting of layerworks for the surface bed slabs is all progressing well;
• North Gatehouse – The building structure and frame are being developed at present;
• Refuse Sorting Buildings – The steel frames, roofing and sorting bays have all been completed;
• Fuel Farm – The erection of steel tanks is progressing well. The Western tanks are already at full height, while the Eastern tanks are currently being erected;
• Main Reservoir – With the main structure complete, work is now being undertaken on the pump station building and reservoir outlet chamber;
• Fire Reservoir – Bulk earthworks for road access to the reservoir are being completed along with storm-water pipe
  culverts; and
  
• Surface-Level Car Park – The base course and kerb installation is being undertaken, while a trial section of asphalt has been laid in the passenger surface-level car park. Bulk earthworks have been completed as regards the staff surface-level car park.