Martin Diabri, Coordinator of the North Contouring Works: "Our strike force lies largely in the logistics of the company"

The North bypass project of the North-South bypass motorway project of Ouagadougou is coordinated by Martin Diabri. Civil engineering engineer with several experiments in the construction of road infrastructure, he led masterfully the front from the RN04 (Gampela) to the RN01 (Yimdi) through the RN03 (Loumbila), the RN22 (Pabré) and the RN02 (Route de Ouahigouya). Here it identifies the activities carried out, the progress made and the means deployed on the ground.

Do we present the North bypass site and the activities currently being carried out?

The North bypass site is part of the North-South Contouring project of Ouagadougou. It is the section that bypasses the capital from the north, from the branch line of the RN01 to Yimdi, from the RN04 to Gampera, through RN22 (Pabré), RN03 (Loumbila) and RN02 (Ouahigouya road). Either on a length of 55,175 Km. It consists of a 2x3-lane roadway, with a central floor of 10 m, coated with bituminous concrete with all the necessary sanitation works, i.e. most dalots and then two crossing structures, i.e. bridges at the level of the rail crossing.

What work is currently under way at the Contournement Nord site?

The construction site officially started on the 1st day^andOctober 2019 for a total of 36 months. So to date, we are only eight (8) months away from work. In terms of estimates, this is a time frame of around 22% for the project duration and 26% for the work carried out. The activities carried out at the moment mainly concern earthworks, i.e. embankments. Over the length of 55,175 km from the Contournement Nord, the earthworks are 24 km long. The foundation layer is laid on 02 km, the borders on 07 km. For the works, 24 of the 49 works are erected. If one refers to the rate of execution of the works which is 26%, the operation of the site is ahead of the deadline. The axis of the North Contouring is already visible from the RN04 (Gampela) to the RN22 (Pabre) which it crossed by 6 km.

It is noted that impregnation has already begun in some places. Does that mean that the bitumen application is coming soon?

In view of the progress of the work, we envisage in the next few days the coating between RN03 and RN04, i.e. from PK55 to PK48. To do this, we made all the necessary adjustments, obtained the authorization of the inspection mission to start the coating. Already this morning (NDLR: 28/05/2020), impregnation is underway from the roundabout of the RN03. This task will continue and in two weeks the application of bitumen can really begin. The activity of the coating consists of two phases: the gravel bitumen first and the bituminous concrete then.

What are the material, human and technical means available to you to go so quickly on such a delicate construction site as bypass?

This project has a wide range of resources for the subsequent implementation of this road project. For example, in terms of human resources, this project benefits from the combined effort of more than four hundred (400) workers. About ten engineers are on foot for the design, organisation, monitoring and coordination of activities. They are supported in their tasks by civil engineering, public works and hydraulics technicians who are responsible for supervising the various workers' teams in the field. Not to mention all those involved in outsourcing. On the material level, the construction site is supported by four (4) full brigades.

A brigade consists of two (2) bulldozers, two (2) graders, three (3) loaders and as many trucks. The Contouring Nord has about 30 trucks, including dump trucks and tanker trucks. There are also special equipment such as recyclers to implement litho-stabilization. In terms of technical installations, there are concrete and coated plants as well as a granite quarry with two crushing stations that refuel the site in any way. Prefabricated laying machines produce pedals and edges. Almost all the equipment used on this site is at the cutting edge of technology. This makes it possible to achieve optimum yields.

You who have certainly worked on other projects, what is the advantage of working with EBOMAF on the largest road project ever carried out in Burkina Faso?

As pointed out earlier, it is very easy to work on this type of infrastructure with a company that really has the means to its ambitions. To tell the truth, EBOMAF has a particular strike force. And this considerable advantage is felt on several levels in terms of mobilizing logistical, human and financial resources. All of these combined strengths make it possible to obtain significant returns within a period of time. In short, the implementation of the North-South Contouring Development and Bitumage Project benefits from a considerable advantage that lies in the company's logistics. This is his main strike force to quickly achieve the overall target.

Despite the significant advances listed above, difficulties remain. What are the constraints facing this project?

Obviously, there are many difficulties in implementing a major road project like this. Thanks to a good organization of work, they are circumscribed as they progress. A team of engineers and construction managers are working to anticipate the various obstacles. The construction site has an organisation and study office to understand the difficulties and help overcome them. This was the case when it came to clearing the rights-of-way in agglomeration. The company's first manager weighed his weight to get residents to free the areas concerned so that the works could actually start. Compared to the forecast rainy season, arrangements are already being made to go through this period without much difficulty.

Interview with JESP

office 2016 satın al