Abstract
This paper describes how the author was able to become involved, with the Polytechnic, in assisting a village community in 'self-help' projects that included the construction of a vented ford to improve vehicular access across the Moremoholo river, in a remote location in the highlands of Lesotho. The previous crossing was by means of a bed level ford or 'drift' consisting of boulders pitched across the river bed, at the same level as the river bed. This made it impassable by vehicles during the rainy season, with depths of flow up to 1.3m. The vented ford that was constructed was designed to allow the normal flow of the perennial river to pass through openings below the roadway. The structure was designed so that, during periods of flood, the additional flow would pass over the structure and the roadway. Vehicular access was subsequently possible during the worst flood conditions when the depth of flow would only be up to the axles of vehicles. Several villages now benefit from this improvement, which currently caters for an average of 25 vehicles per day with significant horse and foot traffic.
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Schedule a callMore From: Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Municipal Engineer
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