The Ministry of Public Works and Communication is now better equipped to conduct soil testing with the acquisition of a modern Cone Penetrometer Testing (CPT) machine. This equipment can save millions of dollars because of the determination of ideal soil types for infrastructural projects, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.
The CPT was procured under the infrastructural component of the Eighth European Union Development Fund (EDF) sea defence project and was used in a review of the designs for sea defence construction in Regions Two and Three, GINA stated.
It was handed over on Wednesday to Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn by Egan Bazilio of B.K. International for use in construction projects that fall under the purview of the Public Works Ministry.
According to GINA, following the review of tests conducted by the machine, engineers changed the alignment for works in Region Two and the designs for construction at Hague.
These adjustments resulted in savings of more than $380M from the $3.6B project, GINA reported.
This modern CPT is capable of carrying out soil tests to determine strength, cohesion, friction and pore-water pressure on site. Previous soil testing technology by the Ministry of Public Works required collection of soil from possible locations and taking samples to laboratories for testing.
However, this machine can be used for developing the most cost-effective and appropriate designs for sea defence, roads and other projects. It will be used to carry out tests at Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara and areas on the Corentyne Coast which have been identified for sea defence upgrading under the Ninth EDF sea defence project. GINA said further that it will also be used at Leonora and Stewartville, areas that were damaged by high tides in October 2005.
The Eight EDF is currently being concluded at a cost of Euros 20M. Other components of the project target institutional strengthening of the sea defence management, socio-economic studies, public awareness programmes and supply of materials for emergency sea defence works.
Meantime, arrangements are being made for implementing the Ninth EDF sea defence project which comprises components similar to the Eighth programme. However, the infrastructural component will focus primarily on maintenance and rehabilitation of the sea defence shore zone, GINA added.
