Doosan mobilises on huge Kenyan dam project
A fleet of eight Doosan MT41 ADTsis being utilised on a dam project in the Chemususu in the Rift Valley.
Doosan ADTs are constantly moving up and down the steep mountain roads
A fleet of eight Doosan MT41 articulated dump trucks (ADTs) is being utilised on a dam project in the Chemususu in the Rift Valley, 250 km north east of the capital, Nairobi in Kenya.
This is one of several dams being constructed with heavy investment from the government of Kenya to make access to safe water much easier, removing the need for the long journeys to remote water sources made every day by women and children from small villages across the country to fetch water for their families.
The works for the Chemususu Dam started in 2009 and will cover a total of 95 hectares and the dam will provide a capacity of 11 billion cubic metres of water when it is finished. The Doosan MT41 ADTs are being used by a company called Frabo & Co Ltd to carry rock down the steep slopes of a nearby quarry and on to the site of the dam.
Several million tonnes of rock must be extracted from the hillsides and transported by the Doosan trucks to help form the gigantic dam wall which will have a height of 60 m.
Commenting on the Doosan MT41 ADTs, Booker Mbugua, Managing Director of Frabo & Co Ltd, said: “The Doosan ADTs are the best machines for the job. During the rainy season, the dusty roads turn into slippery and very muddy surfaces. With their tandem bogie system, the Doosan trucks have no difficulty climbing up the slopes. They always have traction. As a result, we do not have to stop working when the rain falls.”
According to Mr Mbugua, some of the roads on the project have near to 360° curves. With the turning ring mounted at the front of the trucks, the Doosan ADTs ensure excellent stability, preventing tyre wear and avoiding the use of a differential lock system.
To reach the dump site on top of the high stone wall at the dam, the operators have to drive backwards into a very narrow piece of road between the cliffs. According to the operators, the excellent visibility offered by the Doosan machines ensures that they can dump the load with no fear as they can see all around when driving in reverse.
The Chemususu Dam is due to be finished in the summer of 2013. It is estimated that it will produce a daily total of 35 million cubic metres of water. The water is treated in a specialised plant before being distributed to the various neighbouring communities. This will have a huge positive impact on the lives of many women and children, who will have fresh and clean water nearby, and will instead be able to spend the hours they normally lose every day collecting water, in education and in caring for their homes and families.
