2024
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Government of Sharjah, Department of Public works
Darwish Engineering
QHC Architects and Engineers
Khorfakan University Accommodation & Recreational Facilities
Section of Terramesh Wall
Challenge
Preamble
The University of Khorfakkan is a higher education institution founded in 2022 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Ruler of Sharjah. It is an independent, government-owned entity that utilizes state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, and innovation.
Problem
The new extension development site, assigned for new sports and leisure complexes, was directly adjacent to a challenging geological feature. The unstable, high mountain slope presented a serious geotechnical risk, demanding a robust and reliable stabilization solution to ensure the long-term safety of the valuable infrastructure and its users.
Solution
Solution:
The Terramesh System was the critical geotechnical solution deployed at the University of Khorfakkan campus expansion to ensure the absolute safety and long-term stability of the new recreational and residential infrastructure against the challenging high mountain slope. This advanced Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall utilized double-twisted wire mesh reinforcement tails extending deep into the compacted backfill, transforming potentially unstable mountain material into a robust, monolithic block that prevents sliding and settlement.
To align with the university’s environmental commitment, the final structure integrates with nature through greenery on its top surface and across the facia, allowing the structure to soften into the landscape. Furthermore, the wall’s rock-filled gabion facing acted as an immediate protective barrier, containing minor rockfall and ensuring free drainage to dissipate hydrostatic pressure. Protected by high-performance GalMac and Polimac coatings, this flexible, durable, and vegetated system secured the investment in the UKF’s sports fields and facilities, guaranteeing a safe, resilient, and aesthetically pleasing environment for generations of students.
