The Construction Supervision of Your First Category III Dam - Aspects All Young Engineers Should Know - The Neckartal Dam, Namibia

The Construction Supervision of Your First Category III Dam - Aspects All Young Engineers Should Know - The Neckartal Dam, Namibia

Author: GL Coetzee
Conference: SANCOLD Conference 2017
Date: November 15-17, 2017

ABSTRACT
Young engineers are well equipped with knowledge regarding the design, engineering, and construction of Category III dams, but require in-field experience to develop both their project and program management skills for such an undertaking. The figures and statistics of these large scale projects can be overwhelming and it can often take months for young engineers to find their feet during the construction phase of such a project. Upon completion, the Neckartal Dam will be the largest dam in Namibia, with nearly three times the volume of the Hardap Dam, currently the largest reservoir in the country. The multi-billion Namibian Dollar, Category III Neckartal dam will contribute significantly to the sustainable economic development of the //Kharas Region, southern Namibia. The dam will provide water for crop cultivation covering approximately 5 000 hectares of irrigated farmland and provide employment for several hundred people in the process. For the author (a young engineer), it was a dream come true to be part of the construction of such a monumental structure. Projects of this magnitude may influence the direction of one’s career, cause lifestyle changes and challenge the perspective and vision of an engineer’s life. This paper shares lessons learned in overcoming project and individual challenges faced by a young engineer and provides a message to supervisors as to what may be expected from the younger generation.

 

Download the full technical paper.

Download

 

Perspectivas recientes

Febrero 2024
Empoderamiento y Resiliencia
Enero 2024
Balancing Act: Water Usage Management Vital for a Sustainable Future
Enero 2024
A Difficult Balance Between Engineering, Environmental, Social and Economic Aspects
Noviembre 2023
Knight Piésold Commences with the ESIA for Haib Copper
Noviembre 2023
Insights from the Compilation and Critical Assessment of Breach and Runout Characteristics from Historical Tailings Dam Failures: Implications for Numerical Modelling
Noviembre 2023
Earthquake-induced Deformation Analysis of a TSF Undergoing Tailings Reprocessing
Noviembre 2023
Case Study: Approach to Determining the Risk Mitigation Priority of a Historic TSF in North America
Octubre 2023
Data Management and Insights for Effective Tailings Storage Facility Management
Octubre 2023
The Role of Sensitivity Analysis in Selecting Dam Breach Parameters
Octubre 2023
Influence of Increased Confining Stress on Undrained Behavior of Tailings: A Case History at the Candelaria Mine
Octubre 2023
The Re-use of Existing Bituminous Stabilised Materials for the Rehabilitation of National Route 7 - Case Study
Septiembre 2023
Transición energética para gerentes de mina
Agosto 2023
Interview: Guillermo Barreda, Gerente General, Knight Piésold Perú
Julio 2023
Selection of Soil Shear Strength Parameters Based on Integrated In Situ Tests, Lab Tests and Numerical Calibration Approach
Junio 2023
Leveraging Knowledge and Experience of a Well-Formed Independent Tailings Review Board to Enhance Tailings Facility Safety
Mayo 2023
Is the Implementation of Dry Stacking for Tailings Storage Increasing? A Southern African Perspective
Febrero 2023
Canadian Consulting Engineer's Lifetime Achievement Awards: Jeremy Haile
Febrero 2023
Geotechnical Characterization of Collapsible Salty Sands Subjected to Monotonic and Cyclic Loadings – A Case Study for Areas with High Seismicity
Noviembre 2022
Application of the 3D Limit Equilibrium Method in Tailings Dam Breach Analysis
Noviembre 2022
Evaluation of Tailings Behaviour for Dam Breach Assessment