SANRAL
SANRAL
Keeping SA’s
Wheels Turning PRODUCTION: Benjamin Southwold
SANRAL knows exactly how important South Africa’s roads are to its prosperity; it calls them the ‘arteries’ of the country’s economy, and as such invests all of its knowledge and expertise into keeping them in the greatest working order. “At SANRAL we endeavour to enhance your travel experience and improve and maintain the national road network for the social development and economic growth of South Africa,” the agency announces.
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The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) is an independent, statutory company of which the South African government, represented by the Minister of Transport, is the sole shareholder and owner. SANRAL’s mandate is clear and distinct: to finance, improve, manage and maintain the national road network. In line with government’s objective of transforming the public sector, SANRAL was established in April 1998 to maintain and develop South Africa’s expanding national road network, which currently stands at in excess of 700,000 kilometres (21,000
under SANRAL stewardship). “SANRAL harnesses more than 600 person years of core skills and experience in road development and management,” the agency elaborates, “within a highly motivated, professional and passionate team operating out of its Tshwane (Pretoria) head office.” This is joined and bolstered by four regional offices in Tshwane, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg and Port Elizabeth. “SANRAL has two primary sources of income,” it outlines. “Non-toll roads are funded from allocations made by the National Treasury. Toll roads are funded from borrowings on the capital and money markets – bonds issued
on the Bond Exchange of South Africa (BESA) in the name of the South African National Roads Agency Limited.” SANRAL manages assets worth in excess of R30 billion, without land values. “Our vision is to be a world leader in the provision of a superior national road network,” it lays out. “As the custodian of the national road network, we are committed to the creation of economic value for the nation, through the provision of road infrastructure with a motivated and professional team, consideration for community needs and state-of-the-art technology.” Continues on page 6
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LEADERS IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION & REHABILITATION Since establishing the Company in 2004, it has grown to a CIDB 9 CE Contractor, with its main focus on Road Building and Rehabilitation Projects. In becoming more competitive with its main competitors, Tau Pele acquired the Capabilities to manufacture Asphalt and Modified Bituminous Binders internally, and for that purpose, “ringfenced” these activities in two separate entities; these being:
supervised by Aurecon, contractual Engineer on the project. Pictures 1 and 2: Dura-Tech Surfacing in Stutterheim The Dura-Tech Surfacing System was developed under Tau Pele/At-Road’s initiative by WHCES Pty Ltd. (www. whces.com) The layer was constructed as a surfacing over a newly constructed asphalt inlay. The purpose of the product includes:
DURA-TECH SURFACING SYSTEM
• • • • • •
At-Road Construction and Tau Pele Construction recently did a DuraTech Surfacing Trial Section (UltraThin Surfacing) on the N6 Route in Stutterheim. SANRAL agreed to the Trial Section, and the works were
Improved skid resistance Spray reduction Noise reduction Improved riding quality Surface sealing Improved tack coat application with exceptional bonding properties
The Dura Tech Surfacing system includes the use of a specialised modified binder and the performance of the mix was tested using the Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test (HWTT), which was included over and above the conventional Agrément requirements to ensure a durable and long lasting surfacing product
A-R1 ASPHALT MIX
The Marshal Mix Design process was used as the predominant method for the design, supported by a number of Specialized tests as required in Project Specifications. These tests were carried out on Laboratory Prepared Samples in controlled conditions, as per the various and most recent testing protocols.
The initial laboratory prepared design showed an optimal binder content (BC) of 5.7% and 4.6% Voids in Mix. (VIM) Plant Trials done after the initial laboratory design showed a higher BC of 6.1% and 4.6% VIM. This mix was again tested in the laboratory with the slightly coarser grading, which yielded similar volumetric properties that those obtained in Plant Trials. Current Specifications in a Broader Context The use of Rubber Modified Asphalt mixes recently became more popular. The contributing fac- tors for the use of Rubber Modified Asphalt may include: • •
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Improved high-temperature benefits, but especially Improved low-temperature or fatigue properties, compared to the stiffer polymer modified binders. High UV resistant binder reducing oxidation and subsequent brittleness
The Hamburg Wheel Tracking Specification is of specific concern, including the testing proto- cols for testing plant-mixed asphalt. TRAC opted to specify a low rut depth of 4 mm after 20 000 passes. This limit is comparable with limits normally associated with stiffer mixes, such as A-E2 modified asphalt mixes. Caltrans (California Dept of Transport) for example, differentiate between PG 58; 64 and 70 performance grade binders, specifying a rut depth of 0.5 inches; thus about 12 mm after 20 000 passes. Asphalt Mixing At-Road established a Strocam Rubber-Blending Plant for manufacturing A-R1 Modified Bind-
er. The so-called ‘’wet’’ method of producing the A-R1 Modified Asphalt is being used. The mix consists of aggregates from Lafarge Quarries in Nelspruit and hot modified binder, as well as 1% active filler. (Lime) No Recycled Asphalt was permitted in the surfacing mix. (As opposed to the requirement for the BTB mix)
– Homo- geneous binders needs a different approach regarding evaluation and approval of mixes. It also became clear that the evaluation of the HWTT should be followed as explained in Sabita Manual 35 looking at the strip, slop and the creep slope and not the maximum rut only as this can result in misleading information.
Asphalt Testing A fully equipped Marshal Laboratory was used by the Contractor for process control purposes, whilst the Quality Engineer (KBK Consulting Engineering Services) also established a conven- tional laboratory for Quality Acceptance Testing. Although Specialized Tests (Especially Gyratory Voids & Hamburg Wheel Tracking) were not specifically required on Plant-Mixed Asphalt, it was expected that such tests would concur with Design Properties. However, some major challenges were encountered in an attempt to conduct these tests on Plant Mix Samples, and both properties (Gyratory Voids and Wheel Tracking) failed.
Marshal Testing was done on site, with freshly sampled asphalt mixes from the plant. Fairly consistent and comparative test results were obtained between the Contractor’s and Engineer’s Laboratories. Challenges observed related to the specialized tests, for which samples needed to be transported to Pretoria (A 2 to 3-hour drive).
Due to time constraints, the Contractor continued with Paving Trials and Construction, whilst these tests were being done. Further to the above, 150 mm diameter cores were sampled, some two to four weeks after construction, which cores were subjected to the Hamburg Wheel Track-ing Test. It became clear that the rutting values tested with the HWTT decreases over time (2 – 4 weeks after construction) compared to testing the same mix directly after manufacturing. Curing experiments in the laboratory don by STL laboratory also revealed the same tendency. From this finding it is important to note the difference between homogeneous and non
www.taupele.co.za t: +27 51 436 0103
With A-R1 modified asphalt, the digestion process continues, with the mix deteriorating over the time period, up the time when the laboratory receives the sample. Due to the cooling down of the sample, some reheating is required prior to the preparation (compaction) of the briquettes. This causes further possible deterioration of the binder, which again impacts on the reliability of the test result. Conclusions Implementing new equipment, incorporating latest best practice knowledge and information into mix design development and investing in some external research work on our asphalt mixes are all part of the company’s strategy to ensure a quality and durable product reach their clients. Specifications on Performance testing needs careful consideration on type of binders and type of mix to be used to ensure a balanced outcome as far as rutting and fatigue properties are concerned.
f: +27 051 436 0105 e: admin@taupele.co.za
INDUSTRY FOCUS: LOGISTICS
Continued from page 3 BUSY ROADS BOOST ECONOMY The number of cars on SA roads often takes people by surprise, and makes SANRAL’s task all the more challenging and crucial. South Africa has the highest cars per capita in Africa, with one in every five people in South Africa owning a vehicle. Wheels24 reported that the most recent data showed a total of 12,027,860 registered vehicles in South Africa, recorded by the electronic National Administration Traffic Information System (eNatis) at the end February 2017.
// SANRAL HARNESSES MORE THAN 600 PERSON YEARS OF CORE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE IN ROAD DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT //
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South Africa realised yet more year-on-year growth in new vehicle production in 2018, with a total of 610,854 new vehicles made across all sectors of the market. By way of comparison, in 2017, Naamsa reported 601,338 units and 599,812 vehicles in 2016. South Africa’s infrastructure is such that it can produce thousands of new vehicle exports, and has drawn manufacturers such as BMW, Ford, Toyota, and Volkswagen to all have factories across the territory where they produce vehicles for local and international markets. These numbers meant that the annual heavy traffic flows which characterise the post-holiday were more pronounced than ever in January this year, as thousands of holidaymakers made their way back to their homes after the Christmas holidays. Limpopo traffic authorities recounted more than a thousand vehicles passing through the toll gates on the N1 towards Gauteng, with traffic congestion on sections of the highway.
// OUR VISION IS TO BE A WORLD LEADER IN THE PROVISION OF A SUPERIOR NATIONAL ROAD NETWORK // “The number of cars stretches probably almost a distance of five or six kilometres,” declared Transport MEC Dickson Masemola. Traffic volumes increased on average by 1.8% when compared to the same period in the previous year, but, refusing to dwell on the potential downsides of this rise, SANRAL focuses purely on the economic boost it entails. SANRAL general manager for communications Vusi Mona, SANRAL’s spoke of the relationship between traffic volumes on the national road corridors and the status of the South African economy. Based on historic trends, the average increase in traffic volumes year-on-year on the national road corridors was at 1% above the GDP growth rate of the country.
SANRAL
POSITIVE RATING CHANGE In further good economic news, in August Moody’s changed the SANRAL outlook from negative to stable, saying that the change reflects the SA government’s plan to provide additional financial support to its Gauteng Freeway Improvement Projects (GFIP) for the next three years. “The rating is constrained by very high debt levels, high capital expenditure requirements as well as well as ongoing liquidity pressure related to low cash collections on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Projects,” Moody’s commented. According to Moody’s, this rating could be upgraded if the government introduces an alternative funding model which will include collection and enforcement strategies for the GFIP that will result in a structural improvement in SANRAL’s cash flows. Just days later, in September SANRAL received from the BRICS National Development Bank (NDB) a R7 billion loan, payable in 15 years. The loan will help to improve key national roads to construct additional lanes and
rehabilitate related infrastructure, such as bridges and intersections. “The loan is for both maintenance of roads and construction of new ones, bridges, etc. It will not be to refinance existing debt,” clarified NDB directorgeneral at the African Regional Centre Monale Ratsoma. “As a sovereign guarantee loan, it enjoys the best rates possible by the NDB in rand.” PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE SANRAL announced in August that it will issue major road construction tenders to the value of more than R40 billion to the construction sector over the next two to three years. National Treasury has allocated about R21.5 billion per year for the maintenance and improvement of SANRAL’s 19,262km non-toll network and Louw Kannemeyer, SANRAL’s engineering executive, described that this will go towards a total of 940 projects, of which 325 are already under construction. “We expect a surge in road construction projects over the mediumterm framework as part of the broader national efforts to invest in economic
infrastructure,” Kannemeyer said. “We are confident that this investment will help to boost the construction sector which has been under severe pressure in recent years, and also cascade down to black-owned and emerging enterprises who will receive much larger shares of tenders in future.” Kannemeyer added that SANRAL will issue smaller tenders related to routine road maintenance and periodic maintenance across the entire SANRAL network and in all nine provinces. “The projects will provide economic and social infrastructure that has the potential to unlock economic growth, stimulate local economies and create jobs within the communities that are located close to the construction activities.”
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February 2020
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