Whale Trail Staircase
SAFAL STEEL INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY CATEGORY WINNER
ParaMatic was commissioned to measure the site then conceptualise and detail the new steel stairway to Stilgat at the De Hoop Nature Reserve . ParaMatic used a 3D scanner to capture the site and modelled and detailed the new stairway in Tekla Structures .
The De Hoop Whale Trail is a long-distance hiking trail in the Reserve . Part of the trail runs along a coastal ridge with a detour down a steep valley to a swimming cove and picnic spot at Stilgat . The hiking path runs approximately 100m from the sea . The original timber and wire rope ladders on the mountainside have long since decayed from rot and corrosion . With an increasing trend in the average age of hikers , the client realised that the route either had to be closed or made safe . A stairway was approved but the stipulation was that it had to be aesthetically unobtrusive , sympathetic with the area , modular and lightweight and make a minimal use of cement works . Maximum off site manufacture was required . Wherever possible , the staircase had to follow the mountainside to allow it to blend in with the undergrowth and avoid breaking the silhouette of the cliff .
The cost of a stainless steel structure was beyond the budget of the project . A structural , duplex hot dip galvanised solution was considered the most likely solution . Standard hot rolled sections were used for the stair stringers and platforms . All elements were limited in mass to ensure they could be hand carried onto site for bolted assembly . Site welding had to be eliminated or minimised . Drilling using battery packs would be acceptable , so anchor foundations into existing rock was considered the preferred route for fixing wherever possible .
The structure had to be essentially fire proof and if a component was fire damaged , the design should allow for replacement without welding . Steel is a perfect building element for elaborate builds – the ready availability of structural sections and the ability to bend and weld stock plate from the same material for a cost effective yet unique and hardy product . Joining and coating processes are simple and well understood and relatively simple .
60 Steel Awards