Department of Civil Engineering

Department of Civil Engineering

Research Report 2006

Departmental Profile

The Department is involved in research in a number of diverse fields and has strong research groups in Water Engineering and Water Quality, Concrete, Geotechnics, Structural Engineering, Urban Engineering and Management and Urban Transport and GIS and Urban Water Management. It also interacts with research groups in other departments and institutions, such as CERECAM, Chemical Engineering and the Universities of Witwatersrand, Stellenbosch, KwaZulu-Natal and Pretoria, and with outside organisations such as the Cement and Concrete Institute, Water Research Commission, CSIR and City of Cape Town, City of Tshwane and Sasol. Most of the work is applied research from practice and of direct benefit to designers, contractors, industry and communities on the one hand, and the students and staff who develop high-level expertise on the other hand. The emphasis is on excellence in the conventional Civil Engineering disciplines of Structures, Geotechnics, Water Quality, Hydraulics and Materials. However, there is also a shift of emphasis to the provision of engineering infrastructure to developing communities, e.g. application of appropriate technology. To this end, the staffing structure of the Department has changed and new areas of urgently needed research are being developed. The disciplines of Urban Engineering and Urban Management were introduced in 1996. In 2000, further multi-disciplinary research in Urban Transport Policy, Planning and Modelling was introduced, coupled with a teaching programme in Transportation Policy which commenced in 2002 and in 2005. A postgraduate programme in Municipal Infrastructure Design and Management, and research in Urban Water Management was started as part of the Faculty’s Cities in Africa Network. In 2003 the Cell Life initiative was launched jointly with Electrical Engineering, which seeks to provide an innovative technology based platform for the management of HIV/AIDS.

Students

Research Fields and Staff

Permanent Staff
Professor Mark Alexander

Grant holder NRF/ Industry programme on concrete durability; concrete materials, durability; properties of aggregates; applications to structural design and construction

Associate Professor Neil Armitage

Hydraulics; urban drainage; urban catchment management

Dr Roger Behrens

Activity-based travel analysis; local movement network configuration and management; non-motorised transportation; and policy analysis in the fields of urban passenger transport and land use-transport interaction
Associate Professor Romano Del Mistro

Urban engineering and management

Professor George Ekama

Head of department - Director, Water Research Group; chemical and biological wastewater treatment; physical and biological process modelling

Associate Professor Richard Loewenthal

Water treatment; water chemistry

Dr Alvin Masarira

Structural engineering; stability behaviour of steel structures, cold-formed structures, composite structures, fire engineering in steel structures

Dr Pilate Moyo

Structural health monitoring and testing

Dr Ulrike Rivett

Spatial information systems and decision making in urban context; data acquisition using wireless technology

Dr Friedrich Scheele

Geotechnical engineering; rock mechanics; experimental testing and numerical modelling

Dr Marianne Vanderschuren

Assessment of urban transport systems; urban transport decision-making; transport policy

Professor Alphose Zingoni

Shell structures; space structures, structural mechanics; applications of group theory; engineering computation; finite element modelling; vibration analysis and structural dynamics; analysis and design of engineering structures

Contract Research Staff

Professor Mark Wentzel

Chemical and biological wastewater treatment; physical and biological process modelling

Honorary Research Associates

Ms Lisa Kane

Transportation engineering and planning

Contact Details

Postal Address: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701

Tel: +27 21 650 2584

Fax: +27 21 689 7471

E-mail: civil@ebe.uct.ac.za

Web : http://www.civil.uct.ac.za/

Research Output
ARTICLES IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS
Behrens, R., Diaz Olvera, L., Plat, D. and Pochet, P. 2006. Collection of passenger travel data in sub-Saharan African cities: towards improving survey instruments and procedures. Transport Policy, 13: 85-96.
Beushausen, H. and Alexander, M.G. 2006. Failure mechanisms and tensile relaxation of bonded concrete overlays subjected to differential shrinkage. Cement and Concrete Research, 36: 1908-1914.
Beushausen, H. and Alexander, M.G. 2006. Spannungen durch verformunsbehinderung in gebunden aufbetonen (Stresses in bonded overlays subjected to restrained deformations). Beton - und Stahlbetonbau, 101(6): 394-401.
Ekama, G.A., Wentzel, M.C. and Loewenthal, R.E. 2006. Integrated chemical-physical processes kinetic modelling of multiple mineral precipitation problems. Water Science and Technology, 53(12): 65-73.
Ekama, G.A., Wentzel, M.C. and Sötemann, S.W. 2006. Mass balance-based plant-wide wastewater treatment plant models - part 2: tracking the influent inorganic suspended solids. Water SA, 32(3): 277-286.
Ekama, G.A., Wentzel, M.C. and Sötemann, S.W. 2006. Mass balance-based plant-wide wastewater treatment plant models - part 3: biodegradibilty of activated sludge organics under anaerobic conditions. Water SA, 32(3): 287-296.
Ekama, G.A., Wentzel, M.C. and Sötemann, S.W. 2006. Tracking the organic suspended solids through biological treatment units of wastewater treatment plants. Water Research, 40(19): 3587-3595.
Gardner, T.J., Stanish, K. and Alexander, M.G. 2006. Critical review of rapid chloride test methods for concrete. Concrete Beton, September 2006(113): 11-17.
Heiyantuduwa, R., Alexander, M.G. and Mackechnie, J. 2006. Performance of a penetrating corrosion inhibitor in concrete affected by carbonation-induced corrosion. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 2006(November/December): 842-849.
Lee, B.J., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Measurement and modelling of ordinary heterotrophic organism active biomass concerntrationin anoxic/aerobic activated sludge mixed liquor. Water Science and Technology, 54(1): 1-10.
Muller, A.W., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Estimation of nitrification capacity of rock media trickling filters in external nitrification BNR. Water SA, 31 (Special Edition - WISA 2006)(5): 611-618.
Parco, V., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Kinetics in nitrogen removal in a MBR nutrient removal activated sludge system. Desalination, 199(1-3): 89-91.
Ramphao, M.C., Wentzel, M.C., Ekama, G.A. and Alexander, W.V. 2006. A comparison of BNR activated sludge systems with memebrane and settling tank solid-liquid separation. Water Science and Technology, 53(12): 295-303.
Ristow, N.E., Sötemann, S.W., Wentzel, M.C., Loewenthal, R.E. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. The effects of hydraulic retention time and feed COD concerntration on the hydrolosis rate of primary sewage sludge. Water Science and Technology, 54(5): 91-100.
Sötemann, S.W., Van Rensburg, P., Ristow, N.E., Wentzel, M.C., Loewenthal, R.E. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Integrated chemical, physical and biological processes modelling of anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Water Science and Technology, 54(5): 109-118.
Sötemann, S.W., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Mass balance-based plant-wide wastewater treatment plant models - part 4: Aerobic digestion of primary and waste activated sludges. Water SA, 32(3): 297-306.
Stanish, K., Alexander, M.G. and Ballim, Y. 2006. Assessing the repeatabilty and reproducibility of South African durability index tests. Journal of the SA Institution of Civil Engineering, 48(2): 10-17.
Van Wageningen, H.S., Ristow, N.E., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Development of a kinetic model for biological sulphate reduction with sewage sludge as substrate. Water SA, 31 (Special edition - WISA 2006)(5): 619-626.
Wentzel, M.C., Ekama, G.A. and Sötemann, S.W. 2006. Mass balance-based plant-wide wastewater treatment plant models - part 1: Biodegradibility of wastewater organics under anaerobic conditions. Water SA, 32(3): 269-276.
Zingoni, A. 2006. Behaviour, analysis and design of steel structures. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 62(1-2): 1-3.

Books
Vanderschuren, M.J.W.A. 2006. Intelligent transport systems for South Africa - impact assessment through microscopic simulation in the South African context: 196. Netherlands: TRAIL.

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS
Loewenthal, R.E. 2006. Chapter B5: Stabilisation. In F. Schutte (ed.), Handbook for the operation of water treatment works: 145-157. Pretoria: Water Research Commission.

Peer-Reviewed published Conference Proceedings
Alexander, M.G., Stanish, K. and Ballim, Y. 2006. A two-level approach to performance-based durability specifications for corrosion prevention. In K. Kovler (ed.), Proceedings of the International RILEM-JCI Seminar on Concrete Durability and Service Life Planning, 14-16 March 2006, Dead Sea, Israel, 281-291. ISBN 2-912143-89-6.
Armitage, N.P., Carden, K.J., Winter, K.J., Rivett, U.K. and Sichone, O.B. 2006. Developing a model to assess management options for greywater in the informal settlements of South Africa. In A. Deletic and T. Fletcher (eds), Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Urban Drainage Modelling and the 4th International Conference on Water Sensitive Urban Design, 3-7 April 2006, Melbourne, Australia, 733-739. ISBN 0-646-45903-1.
Behrens, R. and Del Mistro, R. 2006. Methodological problems in the analysis of chanhging habitual travel bahaviour over time. Proceedings of the 25th Southern African Transport Conference (SATC 2006), 10-13 July 2006, Pretoria, South Africa, 195-205. ISBN 1-920-01706-2.
Behrens, R. and Venter, C. 2006. Unravelling travel costs: Towards improved data collection and transport expenditure policy indicators. Proceedings of the 25th Southern African Transport Conference (SATC 2006), 10-13 July 2006, Pretoria, South Africa, 234-243. ISBN 1-920-01706-2.
Brown, S.L., De Jager, D., Wood, R. and Rivett, U.K. 2006. A pharmacy stock control management system to effectively monitor and manage patients on ART. Proceedings of the 4th IEE Seminar on Appropriate Healthcare Technologies for Developing Countries, 23-24 May 2006, London, United Kingdom, 29-35. ISBN 0-86341-633-0.
Cunninghame, M.E. and Armitage, N.P. 2006. A numerical model for local scour at piers according to the unit stream power approach. In R.M.L. Ferreira, E.C.T.L. Alv Es, J.G.A.B. Leal and A.H. Cardoso (eds), Proceedings of River Flow 2006 – International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics, 6-8 September 2006, Lisbon, Portugal, 741-746. ISBN 0-415-40815-6.
Dzvukamanja, S.K., Moyo, P., Alexander, M.G. and Mukwena, T. 2006. Quantification of uncertainty in damage detection techniques. Proceedings of the 3rd European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring, 5-7 July 2006, Granada, Spain, 643-650. ISBN 1-932078-63-0.
Fyn, R.W., De Jager, D., Chan, H.A., Rivett, U.K. and Anand, S.A. 2006. Remote HIV/AIDS patient monitoring tool using 3G/GPRS packet-switched mobile technology. Proceedings of the 4th IEE Seminar on Appropriate Healthcare Technologies for Developing Countries, 23-24 May 2006, London, United Kingdom. ISBN 0-86341-633-0. [CD-ROM].
Loudon, A.M., Rivett, U.K. and Richards, T.L. 2006. Open source GIS and mobile devices for water demand management. In A. Bytheway and C. Strumpfer (eds), Proceedings of Community Informatics for Developing Countries (CIDC) 2006: Understanding and Organising for a Participatory Future Information Society, 31 August – 2 September 2006, Cape Town, South Africa, 15-175. ISBN 0-620-37058-0.
Martin, L. and Scheele, F. 2006. The application of ground penetrating radar in road pavement assessments. Proceedings of the 3rd IRF/SARF Regional Conference for Africa, 11-13 September 2006, Durban, South Africa, 46-55. ISBN 0-620-37058-0.
Ojungu-Omara, I.P. and Vanderschuren, M.J.W.A. 2006. Ways of reducing accidents on South African roads. Proceedings of the 25th Southern African Transport Conference (SATC 2006), 10-13 July 2006, Pretoria, South Africa, 454-464. ISBN 1-920-01706-2.
Vanderschuren, M.J.W.A. and Cloete, R.O. 2006. The improvement of public transport operational performance: The case for Gauteng Province, South Africa. Proceedings of the 25th Southern African Transport Conference (SATC 2006), 10-13 July 2006, Pretoria, South Africa, 130-140. ISBN 1-920-01706-2.

NON PEER-REVIEWED PUBLISHED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Alexander, M.G., Gardner, T.J. and Stanish, K. 2006. Critical review of rapid chloride test methods for concrete. Proceedings of 3rd Young Concrete Engineers', Practitioners' and Technologists' Conference, Cape Town and Midrand, 13.
Alexander, M.G., Stanish, K. and Ballim, Y. 2006. Performance-based durability design and specification: overview of the South African approach. Proceedings of International RILEM-JCI Seminar on Performance Based Evaluation Indicators for Concrete Durability, Madrid, Spain, 1-10.
Beushausen, H. and Alexander, M.G. 2006. Durability as a design criteria for concrete patch repairs. Proceedings of 7th CANMET/ACI International Conference on Durability of Concrete, Montreal, Canada, 705.
Carden, K.J., Armitage, N.P., Sichone, O.B., Winter, K.J. and Rivett, U.K. 2006. Management options for the safe use and disposal of greywater in the non-sewered areas of South Africa. Proceedings of WISA - Biennial Conference and Exhibition 2006, Durban, 11.
Dzvukamanja, S.K., Moyo, P., Alexander, M.G. and Mukwena, T. 2006. Vibration-based statistical techniques for detecting damage in concrete structures. Proceedings of 3rd Young Concrete Engineers', Practitioners' and Technologists' Conference, Cape Town and Midrand, 7.
Ekama, G.A., Sötemann, S.W. and Wentzel, M.C. 2006. Tracking and modelling organics and inorganics through whole wastewater treatment plants. Proceedings of Monitoring and Control of WWTPs: Plant Wide Models As A Tool, Kortrijk, Belgium. [CD-ROM].
Ekama, G.A., Sötemann, S.W., Wentzel, M.C. and Loewenthal, R.E. 2006. Three phase mixed weak acid/base chemistry kinetic modelling of multiple mineral precipitation problems. Proceedings of Hemmis/West Wastewater Treatment Plant Modelling Workshop, Kortrijk. [CD-ROM].
Ekama, G.A., Wentzel, M.C. and Sötemann, S.W. 2006. Tracking influent suspended solids through wastewater treatment plants. Proceedings of the IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition, Beijing, 8.
Mukwena, T., Moyo, P., Alexander, M.G. and Dzvukamanja, S.K. 2006. Modal analysis for detecting reinforcement corrosion induced damage. Proceedings of 3rd Young Concrete Engineers', Practitioners' and Technologists' Conference, Cape Town and Midrand, 11.
Mumenya, S.W., Tait, R.B. and Alexander, M.G. 2006. An appropriate specimen geometry for direct tensile testing of textile concrete. Proceedings of 3rd Young Concrete Engineers', Practitioners' and Technologists' Conference, Cape Town and Midrand, 1-10.
Rivett, U.K. 2006. Giving access to spatial information - open source GIS. Proceedings of Web-enabled GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and LBS (Location Based Services), Rosebank, Johannesburg. [CD-ROM].
Wentzel, M.C., Ramphao, M.C., Du Toit, G.J.G., Parco, V. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Comparison of the performance of conventional and membrane bioreactor (MBR) biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems. Proceedings of the IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition, Beijing, 8.
Vanderschuren, M.J.W.A. 2006. Assesment of ITS measures for South Africa. Proceedings of 13th World Congress and Exhibition on Intelligent Transport Systems and Services, London, UK, 12.

PUBLISHED CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS
Behrens, R. and Del Mistro, R. 2006. Shocking habits: methododlogical issues in analysing changing personal travel bahaviour over time. 11th International Conference on Travel Behaviour Research. [CD-ROM].
Del Mistro, R. and Behrens, R. 2006. Variability in traffic streams: a gateway to successful travel demand management. 11th International Conference on Travel Behaviour Research. [CD-ROM].
Du Toit, G.J.G., Parco, V., Ramphao, M.C., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Design and performance of BNR activated sludge systems with flat sheet membranes for solid-liquid separation - part 1. Proceedings of the 9th Biennial WISA Conference and Exhibition. [CD-ROM].
Muller, A.W., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Estimation of nitrification capacity of rock media trickling filters in external nitrification BNR. Proceedings of the 9th Biennial WISA Conference and Exhibition. [CD-ROM].
Muller, A.W., Wentzel, M.C., Saayman, G.B., Esterhuyse, C.M., Prinsloo, J.P. and Snyman, J.S. 2006. Two-years operating experience of full-scale external nitrification BNR activated sludge. Proceedings of the 9th Biennial WISA Conference and Exhibition. [CD-ROM].
Parco, V., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Evaluation of kinetics in a membrane bioreactor biological nutrient removal activated sludge system. Proceedings of the 9th Biennial WISA Conference and Exhibition. [CD-ROM].
Parco, V., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Kinetics of nitrogen removal in a MBR nutrient removal activated sludge system. Proceedings of Euromembrane 2006. [CD-ROM].
Poinapen, J., Ristow, N.E., Wentzel, M.C., Rose, P.D. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Biological sulphate reduction of acid mine drainage using sewer sludge in an upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB)reactor. Proceedings of the 9th Biennial WISA Conference and Exhibition. [CD-ROM].
Rodda, N., Carden, K.J., Armitage, N.P., Buckley, C.A., Murphy, K. and Du plessis, M. 2006. Developing guidelines for greywater reuse for small-scale agriculture in South Africa. 57th IEC Meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) and the International Workshop on EWnvironmental Consequences of Irrigation with Poor Quality Waters: Sustainability, Management, Institutional, Water Resource, Health and Social Issues. [CD-ROM].
Sötemann, S.W., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Towards developing a mass balances based wastewater treatment plant model. Proceedings of the 9th Biennial WISA Conference and Exhibition. [CD-ROM].
Van Wageningen, H.S., Sötemann, S.W., Ristow, N.E., Wentzel, M.C. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Development of a kinetic model for biological sulphate reduction with sewage sludge as substrate. Proceedings of the 9th Biennial WISA Conference and Exhibition. [CD-ROM].

UNIVERSITY PUBLICATIONS AND WORKS OF A POPULAR NATURE
Beushausen, H., Alexander, M.G. and Torrent, R.J. 2006. Durability design criteria and permeability tests - and international overview. Concrete Plant International, 2(April): 54-61.
Heiyantuduwa, R., Beushausen, H. and Alexander, M.G. 2006. Prediction models for concrete durability. Concrete Plant International, 3(June): 80-88.
Nattrass, N.J., Rivett, U.K. and Wessels, X. 2006. Improving the Efficiency of monitoring adherence to antiretroviral therapy: A case study of the introduction of electronic technologies in Gugulethu, South Africa. CSSR Working Paper, 148: 1-19.

EXTENSION AND DEVELOPMENT WORK
Ristow, N.E., Sötemann, S.W., Rajkumar, S., Wentzel, M.C., Brouckeart, C.J., Buckley, C.A. and Ekama, G.A. 2006. Integrated physical, chemical and biological processes kinetic models for anaerobic digesion of primary sewage sludge. Water Research Commission.
Vanderschuren, M.J.W.A., Kane, L. and Tyler, C. 2006. Sustainable transport assessment for South Africa (STASSA): Technical User manual. Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA).


Department of Construction Economics and Management

Research Report 2006
Head of Department: Professor Paul Bowen
Departmental Profile
Research and allied scholarly work in the Department is focused mainly on improving construction industry practice although research in the field of property studies continues to grow alongside teaching in this area.
Ongoing research covers construction industry development, building procurement, strategic property management, project management, quality management, sustainable building and human resource issues within the sector. Strong research links exist with academic institutions in the UK, Australia and Central and East Africa, and India, as well as with institutions within South Africa.
During 2006, papers have been presented at key international conferences in the UK, China, Australia and Norway. Journal papers have been published in leading international journals including as well as South African journals frequently with international co-authorship underlining the Departments international profile and collaborative research philosophy. Nationally, the Department continues its engagement with local organization such as SAPOA and the CIDB and has presented research at local conferences in Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Stellenbosch and Cape Town during 2006.
Ultimately, the quality and quantity of research is dependent on the Department’s research students. The Department successfully graduated 2 PhDs during 2006 and registered 5 new PhDs in 2006, supported through NRF and USHEPia programmes. The Department hosted its second Post Doctoral Fellow during 2006 and continued to benefit from Prof. Akin Akintoye’s presence as Visiting African Scholar.

Departmental Statistics
Permanent and Long-term Contract Staff

Professors	1
Associate Professors	1
Senior Lecturers	5
Lecturers	2
Administrative and Clerical Staff	4
Departmental Assistant	1

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