SA Affordable Housing May - June 2019 // Issue: 76 | Page 5

NEWS
40 years on: a force
to be reckoned with
Quality and technical excellence has been at
the forefront for Terraforce since 1979.
T
he well-known Cape Town based
pre-cast concrete manufacturer,
specialising in modular hollow-core
concrete blocks, has maintained a strong
foothold in the South African concrete
retaining wall market.
2019 marks the companies 40th
anniversary of being engaged in the
earth retaining and erosion control
industry. Initially as a supplier and
installer of wire mesh gabions, Terraforce
soon switched to the more sustainable
concrete block method of their own
design that was pioneered in 1984.
Proven as a solid choice, and with only
one competitor in this sector situated in
Europe, their business has grown
steadily and is now represented by
dedicated licensees on all continents
around the world.
Terraforce has managed to establish
production in Canada, Australia, Spain,
India, Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria,
Swaziland, Lesotho, Ghana, United
Kingdom, Namibia and United Arab
Emirates. Their product presents one of
the most energy efficient segmental
retaining wall systems.
The blocks require low hardware input
for manufacture, low transport costs and
low inventory requirements at sales
outlets. Being hollow, yet strong enough,
they require less concrete to do the job
when compared to solid block systems.
All Terraforce earth retaining systems are
plantable, and if irrigation and
maintenance is set up properly an
installed wall can be completely covered
in vegetation.
From the beginning Terraforce knew
that robust research, testing, and design
guidelines were indispensable, not only
as a service to their customers, but also
to keep the free-riders that can and do
pop up at bay. Over the years several
laboratory tests (crushing resistance,
inter-block sliding resistance, block-
geogrid connectivity tests and block-
geogrid shear resistance), three design
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za
manuals and a wealth of supplementary
information were conducted and
published by the company
Says Holger Rust, Founder and
Member, Terraforce: “In 2004 our first
design software was launched, and soon
many of our clients requested the
introduction of a design service.
Subsequently Terrasafe (a professional
design service for exclusively for
Terraforce walls) was launched in 2011
and in 2018 we launched a state-of-the-
art design software, Maxiwall – another
design tool for experienced professionals.
Currently we are completing a
comprehensive design course for gravity
and composite retaining walls, in
compliance with SANS 207 - based
largely on BS 8006 This necessitated the
verification of some of the findings of
the aforementioned tests conducted
in 1991 and 1995 (in South Africa
and Canada).
“To achieve this, we commissioned
Curtin University in Perth, Australia,
under the guidance of Johan Joubert of
Wave International, to conduct shear
strength tests between closed-face
Terraforce blocks and geo-grids in
accordance with ASTM-D6916-18, which
is a performance test based on the
strength between segmental concrete
units (with and without geosynthetic
reinforcement) used in design of
reinforced soil retaining walls. The
report conclusively re-confirmed shear
strength between the blocks and
geo-grid material.
Going forward, we plan to unfailingly
re-affirm our position as an ethical
business by practicing fair competition,
truthful representation and honest
advertising. Above all, we will continue
developing our knowledge base and
skill to the highest level of excellence.
In light of this commitment, we are
currently also looking into achieving
a green certification from a
reputable authority. “
MAY - JUNE 2019
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