SA Affordable Housing September / October 2017 // Issue: 66 | Page 38

PROJECTS
A rendering image of Entrance 3 of the mall.
Building on solid ground
A planned mall strategically situated in the centre of Mamelodi, a
township of over half a million inhabitants, is destined to become a
leading commercial and social hub.
MAMS MALL
Mamelodi mall is a R1-billion project by New Africa
Developments (NAD) partnered by Resilient Properties, is
set to boost the economy of the area. Much of the
groundwork is almost done and the mall is scheduled for
completion in April 2018. Located in Mahube Valley, off the
M10 and K54 the building will be 75 000m² and house
numerous high-end retail shops. The development will
also include a private school catering for 3 000 students
and a 150-bed private hospital.
PREPARING THE FOUNDATIONS
Upon inspection of the site, D & G Consulting Engineers
encountered extremely weak clay, sub-grade that could
neither support massive stormwater pipes nor future
construction of the platforms for the structures. With the
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2017
AFFORDABLE
SA HOUSING
only conventional option being an expensive layer of
dumprock (over one metre thick) to compensate for the low
bearing capacity of the in-situ soil, Danie Herbst of Kaytech
was consulted to recommend a favourable solution.
It was decided that PC 100/100 composite geotextile
would be installed as a separation and reinforcement layer
in the bedding of the stormwater pipes. This solution
helped facilitate a reduction in the layer of dumprock
required. The PC 100/100 composite geotextile was used
as the combination of a non-woven separation layer in
conjunction with high tenacity, bi-axially orientated
multifilament polyester yarns. The composite geotextile is
a high tensile modulus providing excellent reinforcement
properties and, compared to polyethylene or
polypropylene grids or woven fabrics, minimal creep
deformation. A total of 16 000m 2 of the composite
was installed.