A conference for the integrated engineering solutions was held last week by the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) in collaboration with Reinforced Earth East Africa PLC. The conference which consisted of around 150 participants from different sectors introduced advanced technology to build retaining walls.
Federal and regional road offices, academicians, experts from the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Ministry of Construction, Ethiopian Construction Management Institute, Ethiopian Railways Corporation, Addis Ababa City Government Transport Programs Management Office, and Addis Ababa River & Riverside Development Project office were the major participants.
Practical examples from around the about advanced technologies were presented by experts from the technological pioneer, Reinforced Earth.
After the ERA forbid the use of stone retaining walls the industry began using  concrete walls made solely through casted reinforcement technology was introduced to the stakeholders at the conference increase their options.
The half a decade old technology of pre-casted retaining wall building methods was implemented in Ethiopia for the first time with  the Awash-Hernia-Dengego road project, in the eastern part of the country, as the stone and concert retaining walls kept sliding, in 2004.
Turkish contractors Yapi Merkezi, used the technology for the Awash Hara-Gebeya Rail Road project in 2017 to build six over passing bridges.
Supplied by the South African branch of the Reinforced Earth the pre-casted retaining walls were proven to be a solution, according to Abinet G. Berga Regional Manager of the company.
“The solution which became more common in other parts of the world was used in Ethiopia a couple of times,” Abinet said. “After the conference which will introduce the technology we expect the specification of the technology will be registered in the ERA specification.”
The conference lasted for a day and presented how the technology works. The use of the technology in the urban areas where the use of space is crucial was among the benefits listed by the company. Also, the structure of every piece of pre-fabricated parts are designed to support each other and stay firm.
The technology is said to be saving 30pc of the cost of concrete reinforcement and stone walls. In Ethiopia 20 to 30 percent reinforcement walls are said to fail. With one year in Ethiopia, Reinforced Earth Technology is a French origin company which works all over the world. Its east African office, opened in Ethiopia, and is expected to reach neighboring countries.
“We want to introduce the technology and help the registration of the specification in the ERA list which will also attract other well-experienced companies to the country’s market,” said Daniel Engedashet, General Manager of the Reinforced Earth East Africa.