Client Yencomad Construction Plc
Total Amount Works Euro 2,000,000.00
Duration of works 2018-2019
Construction of the Ataye - Mehal Meda road and reinforced earth walls.
Unimpresa SPA Branch has been contracted by Yencomad Construction Plc to construct reinforced earth slope walls as part of the construction of a new 60-km-long road between Ataye (1400 m asl) and Mehal Meda (3400 m asl) in the Ahmara Region, 300 km northeast of Addis Ababa. This project, worth more than 1 million euros and lasting 27 months, represents the first application in Ethiopia of "Natural Engineering Works."
The technique made it possible to create reinforced walls with high geotechnical stability and a slope angle between 60° and 75°, significantly higher than the 45° of traditional techniques. The Ethiopian Road Authority (ERA) appreciated the result and considers future adoption of this technology in other infrastructure projects.
Technical aspects of construction and geological challenges
The project included 12 lots, with 9 concentrated on a 2-km section characterized by slopes between 40° and 45°. Under such morphological conditions, the road surface was protruding beyond the slope, making ineffective both the traditional technique with 45° embankments (which would have required huge amounts of material and space) and the construction of dry-stone walls ("masonry walls"), which would have entailed high costs and risks for workers.
To overcome these limitations, reinforcements were inserted at regular spacing in the compacted soil, ensuring stability and safety. This solution was approved by ERA and Core Consulting construction management, demonstrating its effectiveness and sustainability in morphologically complex contexts.
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