M.A. (Geography) / The development of a new airport usually brings with it the problem of aircraft noise pollution for land users located within about 15km of the airport boundaries. Excessive aircraft noise levels can cause health problems for residents and workers, and be responsible for a decrease in residential property values in the noise impacted areas. This dissertation reviews the problems associated with aircraft noise, examines the predicted noise impact of aircraft operations at the proposed airport at La Mercy in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, and concludes with recommendations for future land use around the airport. A number of relatively small urban settlements (Tongaat, Verulam, Waterloo, La Mercy, Umdloti Beach) are located around the La Mercy airport site. Almost all of the land not used for urban sett~ements is used for cultivation of sugar cane - very little land remains undeveloped. The agricultural land will probably eventually be converted to urban use, given the close proximity to Tongaat, Verulam and Durban. As such, comprehensive land use planning may still be done in order to avoid development of land for uses which will not be compatible with the anticipated aircraft noise levels. The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA of the United States) computerised Integrated Noise Model (INM), designed to model aircraft noise impact was used to derive contours representing aircraft noise exposure around the airport. Taking factors such as airport elevation, mean temperature, runway usage, aircraft type, and flight routes into account, a set of contours unique to the airport at La Mercy were produced. By overlaying the noise contours on land use maps, land uses which would be incompatible with aircraft noise, should the airport be constructed were identified. Recommendations were then iii made on future developments in those non noise compatible areas. Much of Tongaat would be exposed to a moderate noise impact, whilst small portions receive a substantial impact. The whole settlement of Waterloo, and the southern portion of Verulam would be exposed to a severe noise impact. The central and northern portions of Verulam would receive substantial and moderate impacts respectively. Mount Edgecombe and Duffs Road would be exposed to a substantial impact, whilst the northern suburbs of Durban including Westville would encounter a moderate impact. An examination was then made of the general principles for land development - physical requirements of commercial, industrial and residential land use, and locational requirements of these land users in relation to one another. Thereafter, undeveloped land (undeveloped from an urban point of view ie. land used for sugar cane cultivation) was identified, and broad recommendations made for developing that land for urban use, taking general land use development principles into account

M.Phil. (Civil Engineering) / The SIDRA (Signalised Intersection Design and Research Aid) is calibrated for South African traffic conditions. Traditionally, South African traffic engineers made use of American or Australian based information to analyze traffic operations at signalised intersections. Two major models used in South Africa are HCM (Highway Capacity Manual) by the Transportation Research Board in the USA and SIDRA by the Australian Road Research Board. SIDRA is gaining popularity in South Africa because of the practical problems of the mirror image, which has to be maintained in using the HCM method due to the right side driving in the USA and other possible differences on driver behavior, vehicle attributes, geometric design and traffic control. SIDRA seems to be more suitable for South African conditions. Recently the use of SIDRA in this country has been increased to 44 organizations. This study aims to prepare a unified default file for South African users. Due to the large number of model parameters in SIDRA, priority is given to important ones for which information is readily available. And this study is confined to signalised intersections rather than all intersection types.

M.Ing. (Transportation) / This reseach focused on a quick response transportation planning software package called QRS II which was developed by A J Horowitz at the Centre for Urban Transportation Studies, University of Wisconsin, United states of America. The programme achieves its quick response by incorporating, inter alia, a large number of default parameters within its formulation. Several of these parameters define the typical travel characteristics of the population within a study area and as such, suggest a particular socioeconomic, political, cultural and behavioral profile as existing in that area. These typical conditions may be representative of the behavior in many areas in the United States but may not adequately reflect conditions beyond that. This study has set out to determine whether the default parameters used in QRS II are different to those that would be appropriate in Black towns in areas such as the East Rand Metropolitan Transport Area (ORMET) in South Africa. Local parameter values were identified and compared with the default values in QRS II. It was found that these values were significantly different. More research is required before QRS II can be considered fully adapted to conditions in Black urban areas within a Metropolitan area such as ORMET. However, the new values suggested in this study will go a long way to improving the appropriateness of QRS II applications in South Africa.

Countries around the world have been developing ecological policies to protect their water resources and minimise the impacts of development on their river systems. The concept of ‘minimum flows’ was initially established as a solution but it did not provide sufficient protection as all elements of a flow regime were found to be important for the protection of the river ecosystem. “Environmental flows” were developed to determine these flow regimes to maintain a river in some defined ecological condition. Rapid, initial estimates of the quantity component of environmental flows may be determined using the Desktop Reserve Model in South Africa. However, the Desktop Reserve Model is dependent upon the characteristics of the reference natural hydrology used. The advancements in hydraulic and ecological relationships from the past decade have prompted the development of a Revised Desktop Reserve Model (RDRM) that would incorporate these relationships. The research in this thesis presents the development of the hydraulic sub-model for the RDRM. The hydraulic sub-model was designed to produce a realistic representation of the hydraulic conditions using hydraulic parameters/characteristics from readily available information for any part of South Africa. Hydraulic data from past EWR studies were used to estimate the hydraulic parameters. These estimated hydraulic parameters were used to develop hydraulic estimation relationships and these relationships were developed based on a combination of regression and rule-based procedures. The estimation relationships were incorporated into the hydraulic sub-model of the integrated RDRM and assessments of the hydraulic outputs and EWR results were undertaken to assess the ‘applicability’ of the hydraulic sub-model. The hydraulic sub-model was assessed to be at a stage where it can satisfactorily be incorporated in the RDRM and that it is adequately robust in many situations. Recommendations for future work include the refinement of estimation of the channel forming discharge or the use of spatial imagery to check the maximum channel width estimation. It is also proposed that a future version of the hydraulic sub-model could include flow regime change impacts on channel geomorphology and sedimentology so that flow management scenarios can be more effectively assessed.

Communities around the globe are confronted by environmental challenges such as waste management. These challenges are further aggravated by factors such the increasing volumes of waste, landfills that are running out of capacity and scarcity of suitable land to construct new landfill sites. The National Waste Management Strategy requires participation from all members of society including households, businesses, community organisations, nongovernmental organisations, parastatals and the three spheres of government, to promote practices that minimise the volumes of waste generated. The purpose of the research was to assess and investigate the current waste management practices at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), and recommend a waste management system. The research employed a quantitative approach, where participants were asked to complete a survey questionnaire. A literature review was conducted on waste management at higher learning institutions, with particular focus on the contribution that a university can make in alleviating some of the adverse effects of waste management. The outcome of the review highlighted some of the opportunities and barriers that can either disrupt or augment the process of implementing a waste management system. The results from the research revealed that CPUT does not conform to the hierarchy of waste management, and there is no waste management policy in place. The effect of this is that the stakeholders were not satisfied with the lack of leadership on waste related challenges. By developing a policy, providing leadership, conducting awareness campaigns and prioritising environmental challenges such responsible management waste, could improve the image of the institution in the eyes if its stakeholders.

Dissertation (PhD (For))--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this study is to develop a new method which can be used to forecast the Forest Engineering value chain. The method is then applied in the South African context in order to validate the use thereof. Finally, the South African results are used to propose strategies, which the industry should pursue in the future. To forecast the future an understanding of the past is required. To this end, the historical development of Forest Engineering is discussed, both globally and in South Africa. The current status quo in Forest Engineering in South Africa was determined through a national survey of plantations larger than 200 ha. The results are reflected in Chapter 2. Because of the importance of globalisation and technology, Chapter 3 gives a literature review of relevance of technology in today's business world, including various forecasting techniques that are relevant to the study. These techniques are a combination of traditional forecasting methods, technology forecasting methods and strategic planning methods. Various approaches to financial analysis have also been discussed, in order to determine the soundest method of comparing various forest engineering systems with each other. This includes an overview of traditional machine cost calculations. The core of the study lies in the combination of these methodologies into a useful method, which is particularly suited to forecasting the Forest Engineering value chain. Such a method is developed in Chapter 4, based on the literature review of forecasting methodologies. The method is then validated in Chapter 5, through the application thereof in the South African forestry industry. Global trends are established with the use of a Delphi study. This technique uses a panel of experts who give their views on future developments on a multiple round basis. The study then evaluates 14 Forest Engineering systems for pine sawtimber, pine pulpwood and Eucalyptus pulpwood, based on various scenarios of the future. The scenario matrix is based on the future cost of labour vs. the future cost of machinery. Finally, a strategy is proposed on how the South African forestry industry should prepare itself for the future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van die studie is om 'n nuwe metode te ontwikkel waarmee 'n vooruitskatting van die Bosingenieurswese waardeketting gemaak kan word. Die metode word dan in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks toegepas om die geldigheid daarvan te beproef. Die Suid-Afrikaanse resultate word voorts gebruik om 'n nasionale Bosingenieurswese strategie voor te stel vir die bedryf. Dit is nodig om die verlede te verstaan, voor die toekoms vooruitgeskat kan word. Om dié rede is die historiese ontwikkeling van bosingenieurswese bespreek, in beide 'n internasionale, sowel as 'n Suid Afrikaanse konteks. Die huidige status quo van Bosingenieurswese in Suid Afrika is vasgestel deur 'n nasionale opname waarby plantasies van groter as 200 ha ingesluit is. Die resultate van die opname word weergegee in Hoofstuk 2. As gevolg van die belangrikheid van beide globalisering en tegnologie, is 'n literatuur studie ingesluit in Hoofstuk 3 oor die relevansie van tegnologie in die besigheidswêreld van vandag, asook en 'n bespreking van verskeie vooruitskattingstegnieke wat in die studie gebruik kan word. Hierdie vooruitskattinge is 'n kombinasie van tradisionele vooruitskattings tegnieke, tegnologie vooruitskattingstegnieke en tegnieke wat gebruik word vir strategiese beplanning. Verskeie benaderinge tot finansiële analise is ook bespreek. Dit sluit tradisionele masjienkoste berekening in. Die rede hiervoor is om vas te stel watter metode die mees geskikte sou wees om verskeie Bosingenieurswese sisteme met mekaar te vergelyk. Die kern van die studie lê in die kombinasie van hierdie metodes om 'n bruikbare metode te ontwerp om die Bosingenieurswese waardeketting vooruit te skat. Hierdie ontwerp word in Hoofstuk 4 bespreek. Die metode word in Hoofstuk 5 beproef, deur die toepassing daarvan op die Suid Afrikaanse bosbedryf. Internasionale bosingenieurswese tendense is vasgestel deur middel van 'n Delphi studie. Hierdie vooruitskatting maak gebruik van 'n paneel van kundiges wat hulle siening oor die toekoms uitspreek deur verskeie rondtes van vrae wat aan hulle gestel word. Die studie evalueer hierna 14 Bosingenieurswese sisteme vir denne saaghout, denne pulphout en Eucalyptus pulphout, gebaseer op 'n scenario-analise van die toekoms. Die scenario matriks is gefundeer op die toekomstige koste van arbeid teenoor die toekomstige koste van masjinerie. As 'n finale stap word voorgestel hoe die Suid Afrikaanse bosbedryf kan voorberei om die toekoms tegemoet te gaan.

Submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Durban University of Technology. Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Insolvency may be broadly defined as an inability of business entity to meet pending financial commitments. For a construction firm, such a situation creates conditions whereby a business entity is unable to fulfill its contractual obligations with regard to work in progress or creditors owing. There are indications to suggest that during periods of adverse conditions the occurrences of insolvencies are mutually exclusive and remain a subject of debate. The occurrence of these financial failures adversely affect business concerns operating within the civil engineering construction industry. In South Africa, figures released by the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC) in 1992 suggested an expected general decline in workload handled by this sector. This was a result of scaling down of heavy infrastructure projects because of government shifting focus to housing and other related projects mainly towards meeting the needs of the previously disadvantaged communities. During that period large contractors suffered financially and some went through insolvency. The government had also put emphasis on transformation of the sector to allow participation of emerging and small contractors, but this was not properly regulated, so most of these contractors did not have the experience and skills to operate sustainable construction firms. The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) was established in 2000 as a statutory body to provide leadership to stakeholders and to stimulate sustainable growth, reform and improvement of the construction public sector for effective delivery and the industry’s enhanced role in the country’s economy. The CIDB’s regulations were implemented after 2003 and are continuously improving the construction public sector’s growth. This research study investigated and evaluated the factors associated with insolvencies amongst civil engineering contractors in KwaZulu-Natal. The study investigated the hypotheses that “the prominent factors associated with civil engineering contractors insolvencies are related to managerial/operational issues”, the prominent factors associated with civil engineering contractors insolvencies are related to financial issues”, “South African government initiatives create an environment for small to medium contractors to develop through their implementation”, and good management and operation of small to medium construction companies reduce insolvency in construction”. Operational management and strategic factors were found to be amongst the leading causes of companies failures. The study also made some recommendations from the research findings. The findings are relevant to the South African government infrastructure service delivery programs and the general issue of affordable infrastructure services. / M

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Please refer to fulltext for abstract / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sien asb volteks vir opsomming

Thesis (MEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Peak mornmg traffic-flow data were obtained from video footage of three representative freeway sections on the Nl and N2 westbound towards Cape Town. Flow, speed, and density measurements were made from the footage with the aid of a stopwatch. Many researchers (2-12) have originated and developed models to describe the relationships between traffic flow characteristics (speed, flow, and density) on freeways. In this report, a number of these models have been investigated with data obtained from South African freeways. The ability of each model to predict flow parameters over the entire range of data was evaluated with the aid of statistical methods. The tests were performed by regressing average speed vs. average density. Flow-density and speed-flow relationships were derived through application of the steady-state equation (2.6). In each case, a final model was chosen through visual inspection that consisted of two separate curves, one for the uncongested flow regime and one for the congested flow regime. Furthermore, speed-flow relationships were examined for individual lanes and compared to relationships established for average lanes. The models were also compared to models obtained from overseas studies (1,16,19) as well as from studies done locally (17). A secondary objective of this study is to investigate the performance of existing freeway facilities through application of the relevant models to the traffic-flow data of a particular facility. The current peak-morning performance of the N2 freeway section is investigated in terms of travel-time and travel cost. The particular study section consists of three lanes, the right hand lane being an HOY lane dedicated to taxis and buses. Different hypothetical cases are investigated. The first hypothetical case is an investigation into the traffic situation on the freeway section without the influence of the HOY lane. The second hypothetical case investigates the traffic situation on the section with perfect operation of the HOY lane. The current performance of the N2 section is compared to the performance of each of the hypothetical cases. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oggend-spits verkeersvloei data is verkry vanaf drie verteenwoordigende seksies op die Nl en N2 deurpaaie naby Kaapstad met die gebruik van 'n video kamera. Vloei, spoed, end digtheid opnames is gemaak met behulp van 'n stophorlosie. Verskeie navorsers (2-12) het modelle gepostuleer en ontwikkelom die verhoudings tussen verkeersvloei eienskappe (spoed, volume, en digtheid) op deurpaaie te beskryf. In hierdie verslag word 'n aantal van hierdie modelle ondersoek met data wat verkry is van Suid-Afrikaanse deurpaaie. Die vermoë van elke model om vloei eienskappe oor die hele bestek van die data te voorspel is geëvalueer met behulp van statistiese metodes. Statistiese toetse behels 'n regressie analise van gemiddelde spoed teenoor gemiddelde digtheid. Volume-digtheid en spoed-volume verwantskappe is direk afgelei vanaf Vergelyking 2.6. Vir elke geval is 'n finale model m.b.v. visuele inspeksie gekies wat bestaan het uit twee afsonderlike kurwes, een kurwe vir die vryvloei regime en 'n ander kurwe vir hoë-digtheid toestande. Verder word spoedvolume verwantskappe vir afsonderlike deurpad-lane ondersoek en vergelyk met verwantskappe wat verkry is vir gemiddelde lane. Die modelle word ook vergelyk met modelle wat verkry is vanaf oorsese studies (1,16,19), sowel as met modelle wat plaaslik verkry is (17). 'n Sekondêre doel van hierdie studie is om die prestasie van bestaande deurpadfasiliteite te ondersoek deur die verskillende modelle aan te wend tot die verkeersvloei data van 'n betrokke fasiliteit. Die prestasie van die N2 deurpad seksie gedurende oggend-spits verkeer is ondersoek in terme van reistyd en ryskoste. Die betrokke seksie bestaan uit drie lane, waarvan die regter laan gereserveer is vir busse en taxis. Verskeie hipoteses is ook ondersoek. Die eerste hipotese is 'n ondersoek na die verkeers-vloei kondisie op die seksie sonder die invloed van die bus- en taxi-laan. Die tweede hipotese ondersoek die seksie met perfekte werking van die bus- en taxilaan. Die huidige prestasie van die N2 seksie is vergelyk met die prestasie van elk van die hipoteses.

Mining is one of the main economic sectors in South Africa. Mining activity contains hazards such collapsing of structures, presence of dangerous gases, accidental explosions and fires. Even though most of these hazards are identified and minimized sometimes accidents occur. These accidents lead to human injuries, direct fatalities and fatalities resulting from delays in victims getting medical attention as a result of delays in search and rescue missions. The rescue missions in underground mines present challenges where rescuers are not sure which locations are victims in, what the area conditions like in the rescue path. A quad rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for search and rescue missions is presented. The UAV is controlled from a remote location over Wi-Fi. The communication allows data relay to the ground control station. The communication system is tested on the university’s Wi-Fi network. The UAV also contains a vision system that contains a human detection algorithm to give an indication of human presence to rescuers. The human detection system is based on Haar- Cascade classifiers. The model developed was found to have a false alarm rate of 5×10-3% after training. The model was further tested on streaming data and the overall average positive human detection was found to be 97 %. In the same tests overall false average detection was found to be 2.5 %. The video feed is streamed from the UAV to the ground station (GS) and the flight control instructions are sent to the UAV from the GS via Wi-Fi. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.