Capability Statements

Tall Building Aviation Assessments

Transportation

Transportation of people and goods is essential in building and sustaining successful economies. Our communities rely on good transport links to provide access between residential areas and another key service such as education, medical care, business
centers and agricultural land.

 

ACE has a long history of delivering transport projects. Formed in 1950, ACE built its early reputation in bridge design, including bridges in Cairo which serve the population to this day. Throughout the last 60 years, ACE has been at the forefront of delivering major transport infrastructure projects across Egypt, the Middle East, and Africa. Our engineering staff now exceeds 1300 and we have successfully designed and project managed national transport infrastructure
projects from the Peace Cable Stay Bridge, the Greater Cairo Ring Road, The Regional Ring Road, and Underground Metro Lines in the Greater Cairo Dubai Light Rail and the third runway at Cairo International Airport.

 

In more recent years we have built a reputation for providing environmental services and have been appointed to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments for transport projects. Our technical design teams work closely with our environmental specialists, geotechnical engineers, and cost engineers. Together they ensure that we provide transport solutions that not only meet the technical needs but provide sustainable, cost-effective solutions for our future transport infrastructure.

 

Our depth of experience in this field is recognized within the industry with several of our senior staff lecturing at universities in Egypt. Our links with academic institutions have ensured that we remain at the forefront of transport infrastructure practices and bring this expertise to our projects.

Transportation Planning

Transport planning requires a detailed understanding of existing infrastructure provision, current, and future demand, strategic development, economic feasibility, the simplicity of construction, environmental, and social considerations.

 

Our transport planning capabilities span highways, rail, and aviation. Our services cover master planning, demand and capacity analyses, transport modeling, layout planning, and the introduction of technologies to alleviate peak periods.

 

ACE's transport planning team uses software packages such as EMME3, VISSUM, VISSIM, TRANSCEND, HCS, and SYNCHRO to model forecast traffic demand, vehicle flows, road layouts, and traffic signals.

 

ACE has also conducted several traffic studies for developing urban corridors. These studies have included traffic demand analyses, traffic management, parking control, and capacity analysis. Examples of some of the projects we have been involved in include:

The upgrading and development of the Rod El-Farag Corridor, Corniche El-Nil in Cairo, EI-Lebbini Corridor in Giza, Majed Corridor in Jeddah, Tahlia Corridor in Jeddah, and urban corridors in Accra, Terna, and Komasi in Ghana.

ACE's involvement in the master plan for the Greater Cairo Ring Road resulted in the safeguarding of agricultural land surrounding Cairo and finding an appropriate route past the Pyramids at Giza. The construction of most of the Ring Road around Greater Cairo was completed in 2001 following the route outlined in the master plan. The last segment of the Ring Road was completed and opened for operation in 2010. The transportation and traffic studies for the new Regional Ring Road were also completed in 2004.

 

ACE has extensive knowledge of airport planning. Our team has been involved in delivering master plans at airports around the world including, Swaziland, Tanzania, Gabon, Sierra Leon, Bahrain, and the UK.

 

The team has a detailed understanding of demand and capacity analysis, using transport modeling tools to model future developments.

 

Our planners are skilled in layout planning, merging technical requirements with the necessary standards and guidelines to determine the optimum design. They work with our design engineers to ensure a seamless transition between planning, design, and construction.

Metro and Light Rail

Our involvement in railway engineering ranges from the design of railway tracks and stations to the repair and maintenance of buildings, for both heavy rail and light rail transport systems. We also have extensive experience in planning, designing, and implementing mass transit systems and all accompanying facilities.

Some of our most high-profile rail projects have been the three underground lines of the Cairo Underground Service. By combining the expertise of our rail engineers with our particular strength in tunnel design, we provided a high-caliber team to deliver this project of national importance. Our range of services extended from initial feasibility and transport studies, data collection, geotechnical and topographic surveys, utility diversions, structural design of stations and tunnels, cofferdam under the Ismailia Canal, water tightness assessments, and dilapidation studies. Our involvement spanned design, review, and site supervision.

 

Again working closely with our tunnel and bridges structural engineers, our rail team has recently been engaged on the project to bring light rail to Dubai. ACE provided the preliminary design for the different types of underground stations, cut and cover elements of the track, annexed structures, and TBM shafts. The team also provided the technical civil, electrical, and sanitary specifications for the underground elements of the development and the electrical and sanitary specifications for the elevated sections.

Bridges

Since the foundation of ACE in 1950, bridge design has been one of our main activities. In Egypt, we have been involved in over 90 percent of all major built bridges. This tradition has successfully continued and we now have an integrated bridges department, offering services ranging from the structural and civil design of bridges to construction supervision on a global basis. This department is supported by our other divisions, including surveying, planning, geotechnics, public health, electrical engineering, and our software developers.

 

Bridge design is a complex engineering problem. The design process must take into account many considerations such as the choice of bridge system, materials, dimensions, foundations, aesthetics, and local landscape and environment.

 

Our bridges' department can call upon over 120 structural engineers and includes specialist civil engineers with extensive experience of various types of bridges, both in the design office and on-site. Our senior engineers have worked in the industry for over 15 years and have therefore been responsible for, or involved in, the majority of recently built bridges in Africa and the Middle
East.

 

We supervise the construction of a majority of our bridge design projects.

This experience has led to our involvement in a wide range of bridge construction schemes including:

With our strong links to universities within Egypt and our commitment to innovation,

we are proud that our engineers have developed bespoke software packages that are now used throughout the department to assist in the following fields:

Roads and Highways

ACE's portfolio of highway projects spanning over 50 years illustrates how our engineers have embraced new practices in planning, design, and project execution, delivering some of the region's largest highways commissions. Our experience is recognized through our appointment to many prestigious framework agreements including the General Authority for Roads and Bridges and Land Transport, and the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Development in Egypt, and the Jeddah, Makkah, and Jizan municipalities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 

From planning and delivering new roads, to rehabilitating and improving existing networks, ACE can draw upon a wide spectrum of engineering experts. Many of our engineers have strong links to academic institutions, ensuring that we are at the forefront of technical innovation. Our academic connections, in-depth knowledge of our industry, and wealth of experience enable us not only to advise our clients but to offer them solutions for the future and value for their investments.

 

ACE highways engineers have direct access to Ardaman-ACE (our geotechnical subsidiary company offering extensive geotechnical services), thus enabling
us to offer specialist knowledge of soils and highway materials. This close partnership means that our highway designs use the most appropriate materials
meeting all technical specifications whilst delivering cost-efficiency. We also have in-house experts in highway planning, geometric and structural design, and traffic control. Our commitment to environmental sustainability means that our designs incorporate appropriate landscaping and roadside development to restore, preserve and enhance the environment surrounding any development.

Our Services Cover:

Transportation Planning and Engineering:

Examining all types of public and private transport we are able to offer forecasting, capacity, and demand modeling, (optional) studies, and economical assessment including environmental impact.

Traffic Studies and Planning

Using existing data and data collected in the field, we are able to evaluate both present traffic patterns and forecast future changes in vehicle movement. We provide analysis of parking demand, capacity analysis, traffic management, signal design and optimization, signal coordination, analysis of pedestrian safety and pedestrian facilities.

Feasibility Studies

Our feasibility studies provide analysis and evaluation of different schemes, for example, proposing the merits and problems associated with rehabilitation versus maintenance or new construction. Analysis of direct and indirect benefits, cost/benefits analysis, evaluation of different economic indicators, and cost sensitivity analysis all form part of our feasibility process. As part of our involvement in major road developments throughout Africa, we have used H DM-4 as a powerful tool for assessing new highway proposals.

Highway Alignment and Design

Our Wide experience in road planning and design includes investigation and evaluation of existing geometrical and structural conditions, the establishment of design criteria, road planning and development utilizing the most recent software such as CIVIL 3D and others, preparation of bill of quantities, cost estimate, specifications, and the preparation of complete tender documents as per the client requirements.

 

Our engineers are committed to improving safety when preparing new and updated road designs.

 

For example, during the Agnona Junction - Elubo Road Rehabilitation Project in Ghana, the horizontal and vertical alignment of the road, and the road widthwere all improved to meet current safety standards. Using a combination of swamp displacement and surcharge techniques, the terrain was successfully prepared for the extensive earthworks needed to upgrade the road.

Pavement Design, Material Testing, and Quality Control

ACE engineers have a detailed understanding of pavement evaluation and material testing. The systems deployed include sampling and testing of construction materials, material testing, material improvement, pavement evaluation, pavement rehabilitation, and pavement design. Several common worldwide approaches and computer software tools are employed for pavement evaluation, design, or rehabilitation such as DARWIN, Paver, Asphalt Institute, TRL, and PCI.

Preparation of Tender Documents

The team undertakes the preparation of tender documents based on client requirements including detailed design reports and drawings, technical specifications, general conditions, special conditions, and priced bills of quantities. Supervision of construction, quality control, and maintenance.

 

The site supervision team in ACE has extensive experience in Egypt and overseas. This team is dedicated to providing on-site management ensuring quality procedures are enforced. They also oversee maintenance procedures, material testing, and site preparation, and construction management.

 

Our projects range from smaller local road networks to meet the traffic demands of larger developments such as hospitals, schools, and shopping centers, to large
national road schemes such as the Greater Cairo Ring Road. The highways team works closely with our structural and utility engineers to deliver a seamless
package of engineering skills. For example, our wealth of structural expertise includes bridges and tunnels. Our engineers have delivered major highway
infrastructure projects such as the upgrade of over 500km of gravel roads in Uganda to paved surfaces including 22 bridges. This project included not only design but environmental, social, and resettlement studies.

Tunnels

ACE is acknowledged as being an industry leader in tunnel engineering and design. Our proven track record of delivering underground structures and facilities includes the Cairo Underground, Alexandria Underground, and Salah Salem Tunnels in Nasr City.

 

Our tunnel engineers work in a number of sectors including highways, rail, and aviation. They have also provided engineering solutions for underground utilities, water storage, transportation tunnels, and underground buildings. As a large multi-disciplinary company we are able to provide services including tunnel lighting, ventilation solutions, drainage, power supply, fire detection, and extinguishing systems.

Aviation

The Aviation Team at ACE has a wide range of expertise in the Aviation sector. Projects range from acquisition due diligence, through planning and engineering design. We have worked at regional and international airports across the world.

Airport Acquisition Support

Our services cover a wide area of business including; Acquisition Support, Vendor due diligence, Feasibility studies, Business planning, and Privatization. With an experience of participation in excess of 15 transactions, ACE is able to offer timely and accurate advice on the key issues affecting our client's business objectives.

Demand and Capacity Analysis

ACE has a wide range of expertise in providing demand and capacity analysis. This ranges from the use of simple spreadsheet analyses to bespoke computer packages. A variety of airport functions can be analyzed from passenger flow through terminal buildings, to the capacity of a particular runway configuration, to the predicted demand facing a new baggage system.

Airport Master Planning

Airport Planning is at the core of ACE's capability having worked on over forty airport planning projects around the world. Effective land-use planning is essential in developing an efficient, functional airport. A well-designed airport will be able to maximize the potential capacity of its facilities, provide a good level of service to its customers, and generate a healthy business for its investors.

 

A Master Plan will typically include a review of any existing facilities; a forecast of future demand based on specified time horizons, an assessment of existing capacity, and any additional development that may be required. Depending on the study, a series of options is provided showing the layout and incremental growth. A preferred option may be identified for further study.

Airfield Planning

Airfield Planning is one of our core skill areas. Our Planners have undertaken a wide variety of airfield planning studies, from detailed apron analysis to
understand the intricacies of peak stand demand, to runway system layout studies designed to improve capacity, flexibility, and safety at major airports.

 

The design of the airfield and associated infrastructure determines the airports' ability to operate safely and effectively. Operational functionality is essential
whether planning a new airport or redeveloping an existing site. We take care to ensure that each element of the airfield is considered both in its own right but also as part of the whole airport system.

 

ACE's staff has experience working in airports of different sizes across the world. We are used to working to ICAO Annex 14 standards whilst taking into account other standards as required.

Terminal Planning

The terminal building and its facilities are fundamental to the operation of the airport. Our Airport Planners have worked on over 20 Airport Terminals around the world and understand that the needs of each airport are unique. The terminal building must be sufficient in size to allow for future growth but yet be functional, cost-effective, and manageable. A terminal is a series of discrete functions, each of which must be designed to maximize the efficiency of the processes preceding and following it. Our knowledge of forecasting, demand, and capacity analysis enables us to design terminal buildings which are tailored to the needs of each individual airport. We use our detailed understanding of both passenger and airline service levels to ensure that our designs meet the needs of all users.

 

Working with our in-house architects and in partnership with other architecture firms, we are proud to have delivered airport terminal buildings that provide a high level of service and functionality whilst incorporating local culture and architectural design.

 

We are able to offer our design services on a fast track program to allow our clients the ability to deliver on time.

Support Facilities

A wide variety of support facilities are located either on the airfield or within the vicinity of the airport. ACE has a wide range of experience in planning facilities from fire stations to hangars and fuel farms. ACE is able to provide outline planning and detailed design services for the development of the varied support facilities associated with the airport and its infrastructure.

 

Each airport has a unique set of associated support facilities. Our experience covers a broad spectrum of facilities from hangars to catering units and cargo buildings. Each facility in turn has its own requirements. We take care to ensure that these needs are taken into account when planning and designing a new building. Our design team is dedicated to providing appropriate solutions for our

Surface Access Planning

ACE has significant experience in planning and executing both airside and landside surface access studies, ranging from capacity analysis of existing facilities to designing new surface access networks. Our capabilities extend to include the detailed design and site supervision of major highways, car parking, and associated infrastructure projects. In particular, ACE has in-depth knowledge of tunnel engineering which can offer a unique solution to difficult problems of surface access.

As set out in ICAO documentation all planning applications regarding the development of tall structures up to 15 km away from an airport may need to be reviewed by the affected airport operators.

 

ACE has successfully assisted clients in receiving letters of no objections from airport operators in challenging safeguarding environments. If engaged, ACE will advise
the developer and its agents on the maximum permissible development envelope for the site.

 

We also advise on various mitigation measures that can be used to reduce the potential for an objection. Should a site be vertically constrained, we are able to
act in the role of an honest broker and advise the developer if the airport operator would be amenable to a permitted variation. We would then work with the solution.

Our Services in Relation to Tall Building Aviation Assessments Include:

Site Acquisition Advice

ACE advises clients on aviation issues related to increasing or maximizing the development potential of the property while protecting airspace and aviation interests. Please contact us to discuss your site, as, many times, a general indication can be provided using just a postcode.

Site Envelope Potential

It is preferable to involve ACE early in the design development process to mitigate against the future discovery of aviation-related obstacles to development. With this approach, ACE is able to provide a site envelope potential report, determining the maximum reasonable height attainable, and listing the various mitigation measures that would need to be incorporated in the design. These measures can help the client avoid potentially expensive design and planning that would be abortive.

Development Management

ACE has been successful in advising clients on aviation issues and potential mitigation measures for tall building developments. ACE advises on the planning
risks related to alternative development strategies and helps develop, if appropriate, innovative solutions to address the safety concerns of airport operators and regulatory bodies.

Safeguarding Assessment

The key output of ACE involvement would be a safeguarding assessment of the proposed development for the planning application. The assessment report would contain all information required to allow the airport operator to make its decision in a timely manner, thus avoiding delays in its response to the local planning authority.

Aerodrome Safeguarding

Each airport has a series of safeguarded surfaces that are designed to protect an aircraft during approach and take-off. The configuration of the surfaces is
dependent on the type of aircraft operating from the airport and the navigation facilities available.

We are able to offer the following services:

ACE's portfolio of highway projects spanning over 50 years illustrates how our engineers have embraced new practices in planning, design, and project execution, delivering some of the region's largest highways commissions. Our experience is recognized through our appointment to many prestigious framework agreements including the General Authority for Roads and Bridges and Land Transport, and the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Development in Egypt, and the Jeddah, Makkah, and Jizan municipalities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

From planning and delivering new roads, to rehabilitating and improving existing networks, ACE can draw upon a wide spectrum of engineering experts. Many of our engineers have strong links to academic institutions, ensuring that we are at the forefront of technical innovation. Our academic connections, in-depth knowledge of our industry, and wealth of experience enable us not only to advise our clients but to offer them solutions for the future and value for their investments.

 

ACE highways engineers have direct access to Ardaman-ACE (our geotechnical subsidiary company offering extensive geotechnical services), thus enabling
us to offer specialist knowledge of soils and highway materials. This close partnership means that our highway designs use the most appropriate materials
meeting all technical specifications whilst delivering cost-efficiency. We also have in-house experts in highway planning, geometric and structural design, and traffic control. Our commitment to environmental sustainability means that our designs incorporate appropriate landscaping and roadside development to restore, preserve and enhance the environment surrounding any development.

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