Project Details

Chapman's Peak Drive Rehabilitation

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A South African first and multiple award-winning project, Public Private Partnership to construct, operate and maintain the Drive as a tolled concession. This included rockfall shelters, high-energy catch fences, structures, civil, geotechnical, electrical, project management and tolling work.

Chapman's Peak Drive (CPD), between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, is acknowledged as one of the most beautiful mountain / sea drives in the world. It was closed to traffic early in 2000 after a rockfall killed a passenger in a car and after severe fires on the mountain slopes. The firm was a member of a Consortium of contractors, consultants and funders appointed to rehabilitate CPD and to make it safe for vehicles, cyclists, joggers and walkers. The project is a 30-year Public Private Partnership toll road concession contract.

The rockfall protection measures were handled in two main ways, namely, using state of the art catch fences as used in Europe, and half tunnel excavations with concrete approach canopies. The design of the catch fences entailed the development of a detailed DTM using aerial and ground surveys. This DTM was used to analyse rockfalls using sophisticated 3D modelling software in Zurich, as well as local 2D modelling. This provided details of the concentrations of rockfalls to indicate the location and extent of the fences, the bounce height of the rocks for the height of the fences, and the energy of the rocks at the fence for the capacity designs. The half tunnel excavation (155m), also a first in SA with respect to extent, is located below a 400m high sheer cliff. Extensive rock anchors support the half tunnel crown. Cantilevered concrete canopies protect the approaches to the half tunnel. Both the half tunnel and the canopies enable unimpeded views of the ocean below.

The entire road pavement was rehabilitated using cold in situ recycling to produce an emulsion treated base with an asphalt overlay. There is a toll plaza at Hout Bay end and an access control structure at the Noordhoek end. The project has won numerous national awards for innovative design including the SAACE, SAFCEC, Fulton, and Bentley International Awards. The entire project was designed and constructed in the very limited period of 13,5 months and re-opened to traffic, on schedule, on 20 December 2003. 
 

Location

  • South Africa
  • Western Cape
  • Cape Town
  • 34º4'37.53"S, 18º21'19.33"E
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Design Office: Cape Town
Project No: C0890
Client: Western Cape Provincial Administration (WCPA)