We’re proud to announce the completion of our latest riverbank erosion protection project for the Toutes à l’Ecole Organization at Happy Chandara School.
Project Background
Happy Chandara School is a comprehensive campus that includes a primary school, a middle school, a high school, a boarding school, a vocational training center, and a medico-social center. The school provides education, food, and medical support to its female pupils and their families. More than 1,300 pupils are currently enrolled, with 100 new young girls joining the school each year.
The school is positioned along the bank of the Bassac River south of Phnom Penh. The riverbank was experiencing significant erosion every year. The erosion caused a partial collapse of the schools concrete slab upon which teachers and students could view the river. They contacted us to study the issue and to propose solutions.
The Solution
Initially, we launched into a feasibility phase with comprehensive studies to understand the site context and produce potential solutions:
- Topography
- Bathymetry
- Current Velocity
- Soil Investigation
From this feasibility phase, our design engineers developed detailed engineering designs for the protection of the riverbank. The design incorporated client-requested features such as boat mooring for a school boat, stairs, and greenery. The design ensured the protection from erosion and the additional features were accepted by the client.
We then launched into the construction phase. Before actually building the riverbank protection, we first built an access road, site camp, demolished fencing and walls for the access of machinery and equipment to the construction site. The fencing and walls were rebuilt after completion of the riverbank.
Great care was taken during the construction project to not disturb daily school operations and to safeguard the children, school staff, and construction team from any incidents. This was ensured by closely following our internal Health, Safety, and Environmental policies.
Project Stats:
- 8,130 m2 of geotextile
- 1,380 m3 of sand
- 1,253 m3 of rock armor
Project Highlights:
- Four month project duration from initiation to completion and handover
- Two phase project, above water and below water construction work
- Creation of graded and compacted benching (14 steps) for the placement of 757 gabion boxes
- Built an accessible walkway and stairs
- Built a basic drainage system
- Installation of two boat moorings
- Area beautification by planting grass and trees
The Results
This design-build construction project transformed the school’s riverfront into a safe and sustainable area for students and staff. By implementing our surveying, engineering, and construction expertise and through following strict HSE protocols, we were able to complete the project within four months and significantly reduced the natural erosion of the riverbank. The end result is a 62-meter-long stepped, accessible, and sustainable riverfront for Happy Chandara School!
Give us a call or a message if you need to safeguard your riverfront property.