Zutari was appointed to conduct both the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for the dragline walkway, which spanned approximately 18.5 km across greenfield and brownfield terrain. The scope included:
- Civil and electrical design of the temporary walkway and energising infrastructure
- Geotechnical investigations to assess subgrade conditions and ground risks
- Rotary core drilling, Shelby tube sampling, and SPT testing
- Laboratory analysis of soil and rock samples
- Advanced Plaxis and 3D modelling to simulate dragline movement and soil-structure interaction
- Risk-based design adjustments to accommodate real-time site conditions
The walkway crossed major infrastructure, including the N4 highway, provincial roads, a Transnet Freight Rail line, Eskom power lines, and buried utilities. After the relocation, the walkway was dismantled and the land rehabilitated.
