Work on Neckertal dam wall to start in November

Salini Impregilo, the contractor selected to build the N$2.8 billion Neckertal Dam, is well on course to finish the project on time and will in the coming month start work on the Roller-Compacted concrete dam wall while also rounding off work on the second phase of construction of the coffer dam and structures for the diversion culvert.

This was explained to the Economist by Salani spokesperson, Gilles Castonguay.
A notable construction achievement Castonguay highlighted was that all the excavations of the dam have been completed, estimated to be 400,000 cubic metres. Salini have subsequently started work on the permanent structures.
“Salini is completing the foundations of the dam in concrete works and is working on the structures for the diversion of the river which will include the diversion culvert and work on the second phase of the coffer dam. In September, approximately 5000 cubic metres of concrete were cast, explained Castonguay.
Construction of the Roller-Compact Concrete (RCC) dam wall is planned to start next month (November) and Salini expects to process approximately 50,000 cubic metres of RCC before the end of December 2015. The production of RCC will increase in the next year, with at least 60,000 cubic metres of cement to be used per month., the contractor said.
He added that all the production plants and machinery required was in place, on site and in good working condition. “Salini is working to complete phase 2 of the coffer dam to protect the working area on the left side from the passage of the river [which is] foreseen for next January,” in anticipation of the rain season.
According to Castonguay, work also commenced on the concrete works in the Inlet and Outlet Structures while the necessary hydro mechanical supplies are already on site.
In preparation of the first phase excavations and the main construction phase, an entire village had to be erected at the building site to accommodate Salini’s 815 strong workforce. Castonguay said. “The village was built on private property. Part of the village will be dismantled at the end of the project, while the other part will remain in the hands of the owner of the land. Salini only has to build the dam and hand it over to the client, which is the government.”