Expertise

Historically Vela VKE has made a significant contribution to the development of South Africa’s extensive rail network through its experience in railway design and construction as well as its broader expertise in tunnelling and major bridges.  Vela VKE’s design for the Zungwini Tunnel on the Richards Bay Coal Line was accepted as the standard for twin-track tunnels in South Africa.  Vela VKE was extensively involved in both the initial design, construction and the subsequent upgrading of the Ermelo Richards Bay Coal Export railway line.  This involvement included the design and construction of several bridges and tunnels.

Vela VKE’s expertise includes such areas as rail alignment, track structure (including platelaying materials and pavement design), formation construction and rehabilitation (including materials design and stability analyses of cuttings and embankments) and rolling stock interaction with track design.  Our project experience range from mainline development and improvements through commuter rail studies and design to marshalling yards and private sidings for industrial developments.

The core of the railways division is located in the Johannesburg office.  A number of supporting staff members are also employed at our offices in East London, Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town.

Detailed Capabilities:

• Rail master planning
• Route planning
• Track alignment design
• Design of appurtenant civil engineering works
• Track design
• Logistics
• Design of other railway facilities such as maintenance depots
• Construction supervision

Vela VKE offers a fully comprehensive service on all projects. The Railways Division works in close collaboration with specialists in other divisions in order to provide efficient and cost effective solutions.

Barend Christiaan Viljoen obtained a  Hons. B. Eng (Cum Laude) degree from the University of Stellenbosch.  Chris has since accumulated 25 years of experience in a variety of engineering disciplines.  In particular he has several years of design, supervision and project management experience on railway, tunnelling and water projects. 

He is presently working on a railway line interchange project for the South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) at New Canada south of Johannesburg as well as a locomotive maintenance depot project for Transnet Rail Engineering.  Recent projects include the Toliara Sands Heavy Minerals Project in Madagascar as a Railway Specialist where his responsibilities included CAPEX and OPEX analyses of various rail transportation options.  He has also recently concluded an assignment as underground design manager for the Gautrain high-speed rail link between Johannesburg and Pretoria.  The underground portion of the project required the design of 33 km of railway tunnel and four underground passenger stations.  He also was the design leader on two rail commuter projects in the Johannesburg metropolitan area.  The one project for Metro Rail at Daveyton on the East Rand was taken to basic planning level and the other for the SARCC at Naledi on the West Rand covered both route location and basic planning stages. 

He started his career with the then South African Transport Services on the Coal Line project and later moved on to become the District Engineer Track Maintenance for the region responsible for the Germiston - Broodsnyersplaas - Volksrust - Vereeniging complex.

Chris is presently head of the Vela VKE Structures division and is a member of EXCO.  He is a registered professional engineer, represents Vela VKE at the South African Association on Tunnelling and is a member of the structures, railways and harbours and geotechnical divisions of SAICE.

When not at work Chris enjoys travelling, hiking, Koi keeping and gardening with his family.

Email :  viljoenbc@velavke.co.za