Construction Engineering Australia V3.01 - Feb 2017

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Publisher and Managing Editor Anthony T Schmidt Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0414 788 900 Email: ats@epcgroup.com Deputy Editor Rex Pannell Mobile: 0433 300 106 Email: rex@epcgroup.com National Advertising Sales Manager Yuri Mamistvalov Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0419 339 865 Email: yuri@epcgroup.com Advertising Sales - SA Jodie Chester - G Advertising Mobile: 0439 749 993 Email: jodie@gadvertising.com.au Advertising Sales - WA Licia Salomone - OKeeffe Media Mobile: 0412 080 600 Email: licia@okm.com.au Graphic Design Annette Epifanidis Mobile: 0416 087 412

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Copyright ©2017 - EPC Media Group

CIRCULATION 15105 Registered by Australia Post Publication No. 100001889

ISSN 2204-7247

FEBRUARY 2017 Volume 3 Number 1

10 Cover Feature: Mainmark

14

14 Precast Technology 16 Construction Technology 18

Staffing and Recruitment

22 Underground Assets

22

26 Special Feature: Kennards 70 Years 30 Concrete Institute News 38 Product Focus

39

40 IPWEA NSW News 43 Special Report: AMEX Outlook 44 National Precast Feature

52

About the Cover Tim Pope, Chief Operating Officer, Mainmark (left) with Dr Alan Jeary at Mainmark's recent launch of the STRAAM (STructural Risk Assessment and Management) world-first structural analysis technology.

Turn to Page 10 for the full story.

EDITORS COLUMN

The new quality challenge...

Preventing Australia from becoming a dumping ground for non-conforming construction materials in a rapidly changing global marketplace Dear Readers, In recent years, pricing pressures, combined with efforts to maximise margins in what is often a tough and unforgiving marketplace, has seen a significant increase in the amount of sub-standard building materials be used in Australian buildings. Unfortunately, this issue looks set to become more difficult to overcome, thanks to recent major political and trade developments.

Before I continue...

I refuse point blank to be drawn into any discussions relating to the election of President Trump. I am, after all, not an American citizen or American voter and therefore, any opinions that I might have on that matter are completely irrelevant. There are, however, a number of critical global issues which have arisen as a consequence of the recent US elections which may also impact Australia - particularly in the area of global trade. The following commentary is aimed squarely at those issues... and those issues alone.

Whilst I refuse to buy into alarmist rhetoric from either end of the political spectrum, I believe that recent events, including the apparent dissolution of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the much discussed focus on the USA limiting imports and reviving US manufacturing - particularly in the 'hard' industrial sector (steel manufacturing, construction materials, etc.) - may have a seriously detrimental impact on construction in Australia.

Unfortunately, in a global economy, removing a major player from the mix, can, and generally does, have serious consequences for the remaining players.

And no, I am not going to provide an opinion as to the pros and cons of globalisation - there aren't enough pages for that discussion!

My immediate concern with the USA's move away from Free Trade Agreements (FTA's) is more about what happens to the 2

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

'glut' of material that is no longer going to be imported by the USA. More specifically: • How do we prevent ourselves from becoming a 'dumping ground' for materials originally intended for the US market that may not conform with the relevant Australian Standards? and • How do we protect ourselves without contravening the conditions of our FTA's?

Irrespective of whether you agree or disagree with globalisation and free trade, Australia has a free trade policy which severely limits our ability to apply any rules that can be seen as placing a barrier on trade. The only way to limit 'dumping' is to remove the market for products that do not conform with the required Australian Standards. At least that way, we can ensure that there is a level playing field in terms of quality - regardless of the country of origin.

Unfortunately, even though that may seem to be a relatively simple solution, there are a number of other matters that need to be taken into account, namely: • How do we ensure that the products being used in Australian buildings ACTUALLY meet all of the relevant Australian Standards? and, perhaps more importantly; • How do we prevent non-conforming materials from being used in Australian buildings and other projects?

Take, for example, construction steels and reinforcing. While we, thankfully, have organisations such as ACRS (Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels Ltd) to provide a fully independent expert assessment and certification for both Australian and internationally sourced construction steels to help builders and contractors ensure that they are getting the Australian Standard compliant materials that they ordered, the fact that ACRS Certification is not mandated, means there are still some projects in Australia being constructed with

steels that do not non-conform with the relevant Australian Standards.

I believe the only way to truly overcome this problem is to eliminate demand. And the only way to achieve that is to make it virtually impossible to construct a building using steels that can't be independently and expertly verified as conforming with the relevant Australian Standards.

With that in mind, it's important to note that the two things which all buildings being constructed in Australia have in common are: • a requirement for building inspections & approvals during various phases of construction; and • mandatory insurance.

I believe that those two mandatory requirements present us with an ideal avenue by which we could, for all intents, eliminate the use of non-conforming building products in Australia - without introducing legislation restricting imports that may contravene the conditions of our FTA's.

More specifically, if building approvals and insurance contracts required all construction materials to be independently and expertly certified as conforming with all of the relevant Australian Standards prior to their use in an Australian building, there would be very little latitude for builders and specifiers to use non-conforming products.

That in turn should, if not completely, at the very least significantly reduce the amount of non-conforming products being used.

After all, this isn't about limiting trade, increasing bureaucracy or burdening people with additional administrative tasks, it's about health and safety - and may even be a matter of life and death

Anthony T Schmidt Managing Editor

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ICT YEARBOOK NEW PRESIDENT FOR ASTM ST 2016/17 (21 EDITION) INTERNATIONAL OUT NOW The Institute of Concrete Technology has just issued the 21st edition of its Yearbook, containing an array of technical papers that were presented at its annual Convention by distinguished speakers at the forefront of their field.

It opens with a celebratory note by longstanding editor, Professor Peter Hewlett, to mark the Yearbook’s 21st issue, and continues with two specially commissioned features: an article on the current use of formwork systems by former Concrete Society president, Alasdair Stables, followed by the latest in a series of pieces on pioneers of concrete technology. This describes the life of Maj. Gen. Henry Scott, who, besides directing the construction of the Royal Albert Hall and South Kensington Museum, discovered the role of gypsum in cement making, developed Selenitic cement and invented an innovative method of cement making from recycled sewagetreatment residues.

In the central section, symposium papers from the annual Convention address the theme of ‘The Future of Precast’, and reports of technical seminars held later in the year conclude with a prize-winning paper on superabsorbent polymers, presented at the Young Researchers’ Forum.

Also included is a paper by the ICT President, Professor Mike Grantham, entitled ‘In situ strength of concrete – the engineer’s holy Grail’. The Yearbook ends with a summary of dissertations submitted in part-fulfilment of the MSc in Advanced Concrete Technology at Queen’s University Belfast.

Packed with content, this latest Yearbook is a confident statement of the Institute’s role in promoting Concrete Technology as a recognized engineering discipline. Copies may be purchased directly from the ICT, or individual papers downloaded at: www.concretebookshop.com 4

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

On February 1st, Katharine “Kathie” Morgan began serving as president of ASTM International, one of the world’s largest standards development organizations. Morgan will lead a team that supports thousands of members, customers, partners, and other stakeholders worldwide. She succeeds James A. Thomas, who served in the role for 25 years.

“I am thrilled and humbled to serve as president of an organization that has played such a foundational role in meeting societal needs for over a century,” Morgan said today at the organization’s first major meeting of 2017 in Norfolk, Va. “We will build on the legacy of Jim Thomas, attracting even more of the world’s top technical experts to our committees while also serving people and organizations that rely on our standards and services.”

Morgan was joined at the inauguration event by Thomas Marsh, CEO of Centrotrade and ASTM International’s 2017 chairman of the board.

“Kathie brings proven leadership skills, a deep understanding of the global standards community, a passion for ASTM International’s mission, and much more,” Marsh said. “ASTM International will continue to grow and thrive under her leadership.”

Following the event Morgan visited the Virginia Beach Fire Department Training Facility to see demonstrations of emergency response robots and drones.

Manufacturers, first responders, and others tested robot capabilities and operator proficiency using 50 test methods, many of which have been developed through ASTM International’s Committee on Homeland Security Applications (E54).

Morgan is a 33-year veteran of ASTM International. She served as executive vice president for the past two years.

Prior to that, she was vice president of Technical Committee Operations, leading a 50-member team that supports the volunteer work of ASTM International’s 30,000 members worldwide.

Morgan is one of the world’s most prominent voices on standardizationrelated issues. She is a board member

of the American National Standards Institute’s Board of Directors, the Council of Engineering and Scientific Executives, the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization, the Society for Standards Professionals (SES), the American Society of Association Executives, and a former member of the Standards Council of Canada’s Standards Development Organization Advisory Committee.

Morgan holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., and a master’s degree in business administration from Widener University in Chester, Pa. Follow her on Twitter at @ASTMpres.

About ASTM Over 12,000 ASTM standards operate globally. Defined and set by ASTM, they improve the lives of millions every day.

Combined with ASTM's innovative business services, they enhance performance and help everyone have confidence in the things they buy and use.

Working across borders, disciplines, and industries ASTM harnesses the expertise of over 30,000 members to create consensus and improve performance in manufacturing and materials, products and processes, systems and services.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM SHOWCASES GEOSPATIAL’S ENABLING ROLE IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Sydney event provides a unique chance to understand digital transformation practices from around the globe and identify innovation opportunities.

Geospatial data’s enabling role in digital transformation will be on show at the International Symposium on Digital Earth & Locate17 in Sydney in April, combining one of the world’s most prestigious symposiums with Australia’s premier geospatial conference.

Dr Zaffar Sadiq Mohamed-Ghouse, chair & convenor of the Locate17 and Digital Earth Symposium Organising Committee, says attendees will come away with the knowledge to transform business practices in industries as diverse as agriculture, transport, construction and medicine.

“Both government and the private sector will be able to identify opportunities based on what is happening around the world,” he says. “Geospatial data underpins many disruptive and innovative organisations.

Without it, companies like Uber would not be in business.”

According to Dr Mohamed-Ghouse, who is also director for NSW & International Relations of the Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information (CRCSI), the event comes as governments around Australia open up access to geospatial data to promote innovation.

Australia’s now freely available Geocoded National Address File is used online 6

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

to validate people’s addresses. The biggest Australian subscriber group for the Global Navigation Satellite System is not transport or surveyors, but the agricultural industry.

With a program featuring more than 130 international and Australian speakers, Digital Earth & Locate17 provides a unique opportunity to understand digital transformation practices from around the world, and to develop and leverage geospatial data.

The two main conference days will be split into eight separate streams with topics including smart cities, virtual globes, intelligent transport, agriculture, engineering/ utilities, smart sensors for natural resource management, water & climate, disaster & emergency management, and the geospatial economy.

Some of the symposium’s highlights include: • Susan Moran from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive Science Team presents a special session on remote sensing and applications of global soil moisture monitoring • Trisha Moriarty, Geological Survey of NSW delivers a keynote on the application of open data policy in the Earth Sciences across government, scientific and industry • Singapore Land Authority & AAM presents, ‘Singapore Smart Nation: Measuring from the ground up' • David Wortley, Gamification and Enabling Technologies Strategic Solutions, delivers,

‘The role of Digital Earth technologies in digital medicine’.

The joint conference will be held 03-06 April 2017 at the new International Conference Centre Sydney.

About the International Symposium on Digital Earth The International Symposium on Digital Earth is a flagship event of the International Society for Digital Earth. Founded in Beijing in 2006, ISDE is a non-political, non-governmental and not-for-profit international organisation principally promoting academic exchange, science and technology innovation, education, and international collaboration towards Digital Earth.

ISDE also explores Digital Earth as an enabling technology to play key roles in economic and social sustainable development, environmental protection, disaster mitigation, natural resources conservation and improvement of living standards.

About Locate17 The Locate Conference (Locate17) is the national conference of the spatial and surveying industries of Australia and New Zealand. The event is an initiative of the Surveying & Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI), Spatial Industries Business Association (SIBA) and Geospatial Information & Technology Association (GITA).

INDUSTRY NEWS

ESTIMATED $150 MILLION WASTED ON PERTH CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AS DELAYS CONTINUE WITH ENGINEERING CAPACITY PROBLEMS A leading engineer association has said that the debacle that is the Perth Children’s Hospital is another reminder to West Australians of their state’s poor engineering capacity.

The Association of Professional Engineers Australia (APEA) CEO Chris Walton said Western Australia’s ability to deliver projects safely and on time has been compromised by the State Government’s failure to maintain its engineering workforce.

“It’s likely many of the issues with the project would have been discovered earlier and rectified if the State Government had invested in its internal engineering capacity.

Engineers are critical in risk management processes, and the best engineers would have identified many of the issues we’re now hearing about.

“What we’re seeing is the direct result of the State Government’s poor planning

and management when it comes to major infrastructure projects, and that comes down to engineering capacity,” said Mr Walton.

“The Government no longer invests in developing and training engineering roles in the public service, and instead relies on external bodies for all major projects. This means more mistakes are being made, and problems are taking longer to be addressed."

“We’ve seen $1.2 billion spent on this project, it’s already more than 12 months behind the initial completion date, with no end date in sight,” said Mr Walton.

The APEA Better Infrastructure report outlines average waste for projects over $1 billion is 12.6 per cent, drawn from extensive industry research.

“For infrastructure projects of this size we would expect to see over $150 million wasted thanks to deskilling of engineering capacity,” Mr Walton said.

APEA CEO Chris Walton

“This is a major project that is clearly being badly managed, as a result the community is suffering, and taxpayers foot the bill."

“We need the State Government to stop wasting taxpayer money and to start investing in the engineering profession so that the people of WA get the quality infrastructure they deserve."

“There just aren’t enough in-house engineers to effectively scope, design and manage projects thanks to the Government’s short sighted preference for outsourcing.

Governments have a responsibility to make sure that taxpayers’ money is not needlessly wasted,” said Mr Walton.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

HANKOOK TIRE ACQUIRES JAX TYRES In a move which looks to set to benefit fleet owners across Australia, Hankook Tire has entered into a binding agreement to acquire Australia’s leading retail tire franchise, JAX Tyres. Hankook Tire will incorporate JAX Tyres into the Hankook Tire Group by acquiring a 100% stake from Ian Hurrell, Chairman and Jeff Board, CEO. With the acquisition, Hankook Tire group plans to grow into a global toptier company by expanding customer relationships and strengthening its competitiveness in the B2C distribution sector as a mainstay of new business, as an extension of the B2B characteristics of tire manufacturing industry. The companyalso plans to strengthen its distribution competitiveness from Asia to the global market by applying an advanced franchise system to its distribution network. Hankook Tire will expand its growth model not only from the hardware-oriented business such as a plant establishment but also the software’s growth including distribution channels and premium services.

Hankook Tire plans to achieve a “winwin” outcome, whereby JAX Tyres can achieve continued growth by the strengthening and expansion of existing stores, boosting online capabilities and expanding the premium offers of JAX Tyres products and services. Hankook Tire anticipates large-scale synergies regarding this transaction, with the combination of JAX Tyres’ franchise system and Hankook 8

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

Tire’s global footprint. The acquisition will provide Hankook Tire with an opportunity to expand in non-tyre business segments, by pursuing initiatives in light repairs and other new product and service segments.

JAX Tyres has been servicing the needs of Australian motorists for over 65 years, and has built an excellent reputation for price competitiveness and high-quality customer service. The Company opened its first store in Sydney, Australia in 1949 and currently operates 83 franchise stores.

Unlike traditional tyre retail stores, the JAX store network is aligned to the open, fresh and modern model of luxury car dealerships. JAX Tyres has differentiated itself in the Australian tyre industry with its sleek store design and stylish exteriors combined with a unique in-store experience.

Mr. Seung Hwa Suh, Vice Chairman & Global CEO of Hankook Tire said, “We will solidify the position as the global top tier brand by extending the role of the holding Company.” He added, "We will concentrate more on enhancing global competitiveness by diversifying the Inorganic business in the automotive sector based on organic growth of our tyre business.”

JAX Tyres CEO, Jeff Board, said, “This deal, combining Hankook Tire’s global position and the JAX Business system is a timely opportunity given the market’s noticeable trend to vertical slimming and integration, stimulated by the power of

online and B2B/B2C opportunities and we look forward to realising significant opportunities afforded by this deal, both in Australia and elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Hankook Tire customers in Australia are offered the same products and services of Hankook Tire in about 1,000 Retail Stores such as 'Bob Jane' and 'Hankook Masters' including JAX Tyres regardless of the equity acqusition.

About Hankook Tire Co., Ltd. Hankook Tire is one of the world’s top five companies in the mass production of tyres. The Company is dedicated to leading the industry in innovation with its proven technological excellence. It offers award-winning products through five R&D centres and seven production facilities around the world. It is also committed to actively investing in the expansion of its core capabilities, allowing the company to deliver consumers the utmost in driving satisfaction. Hankook Tire produces superior quality, high performance radial tires for passenger cars, 4x4s, SUVs, light trucks, campers, trucks, buses and motorsport vehicles. It currently employs approximately 22,000 people around the world, and its products are available in over 180 countries. For additional information, please visit Hankook Tire’s global website at www.hankooktire.com/global

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PROFILE: PROJECT : PROFILE: BUILDER: ® KF70 BUILDER: Lend Lease PROFILE: KingFlor INSTALLER: Mitcon Formwork INSTALLER: Lend Mitcon Formwork BUILDER: Lease INSTALLER: Mitcon Formwork

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THE PROJECT THE PROJECT The $350 million redevelopment of the Adelaide Convention The $350 millionAustralia redevelopment the Adelaide Convention Centre in South is set to of boost the state’s economy by THE PROJECT Centre in South is set to boost the state’s economy more than $1.92Australia billion over 25 years, elevating Adelaide as a by The $350 million redevelopment of the Adelaide Convention more than $1.92onbillion over 25 years, elevating Adelaide as a true competitor the global conferencing and exhibition stage.

Centre in South Australia is set to boost the state’s economy by true competitor on the global conferencing and exhibition stage. moreStage than $1.92 billion over 25 years, Adelaide as a With 1 completed in 2014, stageelevating 2 of the centre’s Withcompetitor Stage 1 completed inin 2014, stagewhich 2 ofand the centre’s true the global conferencing exhibition redevelopment isoncurrently progress replaces thestage. redevelopment is currently in progress whichWhen replaces the original Plenary Building constructed in 1987. complete With Stage 1 completed in 2014, stage 2 of the centre’s original Building constructed in 1987.

When complete in 2017,Plenary the facility will boast a capacity increase of 3,500 redevelopment is currently in progress which replaces the in 2017, the facility will boast a capacityconvention increase ofand 3,500 seats with state-of-the-art, world-class original Plenary Building constructed in 1987. When complete seats withspace. state-of-the-art, world-class convention and exhibition in 2017, the facility will boast a capacity increase of 3,500 exhibition space. seats with state-of-the-art, convention and Fielders were contracted byworld-class Lend Lease and Mitcon to Fielders were contracted

by LendKF70 Lease andflooring Mitcon to exhibition space. supply over 6,000m2 of KingFlor steel supply overthe 6,000m2 of KingFlor KF70 steel flooring throughout development.

Fielders were contracted by Lend Lease and Mitcon to throughout the development. supply over 6,000m2 of KingFlor KF70 steel flooring throughout the development.

THE SOLUTION THE SOLUTION KingFlor KF70 was chosen for this project due to its longer KingFlor KF70 wasas chosen for this due decks to its longer spanning capability compared to project other steel on the THE SOLUTION spanning capability as compared othercoverage steel decks the market.

KF70’s unique design withtowider willon not only KingFlor KF70 was chosen for this project due to its longer market.

KF70’s unique design wider that coverage will not only save on preparatory costs, but with also mean the laying of the spanning capability as compared to other steel decks on the savewill on preparatory costs, but also mean that the laying of the floor overall be executed faster. market. KF70’s unique design with wider coverage will not only floor will overall be executed faster. savePROCESS on preparatory costs, but also mean that the laying of the THE floor will overall be executed faster.

THE PROCESS The supply of KF70 at the Adelaide Convention Centre The supply ofinKF70 at the Adelaide Convention Centre commenced September 2015 with an estimated supply THE PROCESS commenced in September 2015The withentire an estimated supply completion date of March 2016. development is due The supply of KF70 at the Adelaide Convention Centre completion date and of March The entire development is due to be completed open 2016. for business in June 2017. commenced in September 2015 with an estimated supply to be completed and open for business in June 2017. completionSPECIFICS date of March 2016. The entire development is due PROJECT to be completed and open for business in June 2017.

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COVER FEATURE

mainmark brings world-first structural

monitoring technology to Australia

G

round engineering and asset preservation specialist Mainmark has made STRAAM, a world-first structural analysis technology developed in the USA, available in Australia and New Zealand. STRAAM is the most effective way to pinpoint structural damage and stability issues in real-time to mitigate risk and enhance safety.

Developed by global pioneer in dynamic structural monitoring, Dr Alan Jeary, STRAAM (which stands for STructural Risk Assessment and Management) measures the unique dynamic signature, or ‘heartbeat’, of any above-ground structure. It uses fullscale, non-destructive testing and reporting.

It works by using non-destructive ground monitors to conduct a StructuralCardiograph (SCG) to measure the vibrations that occur in response to environmental factors. This establishes the building’s dynamic signature and provides real-time reports that accurately assess the stiffness of a structure and changes 10

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

in its capacity due to subsidence, ageing, earthquake damage or other activity.

“Real-time structural analysis can indicate causes of structural damage, likely risk of further damage and overall structural stability,” explains Tim Pope, Chief Operating Officer at Mainmark. “The data can be used to improve asset management, navigate litigation, enhance occupant safety and help to make communities and buildings more resilient to natural disasters.

“It provides the construction industry with an assessment of dilapidation risk for adjoining properties, engineers and architects with an analytically accurate starting point for engineering design, and building commissioners with evidence that a structure has been built to code and performance specifications.

“Local councils can use the information to manage assets more strategically for better return on investment and bridge and dam asset owners can be confident in the structures’ ongoing integrity and usefulness.”

STRAAM is one of many new offerings that the company, which won the 2016 International Project of the Year at the Ground Engineering Awards, has introduced in the last year. “Offering truly unique and non-invasive solutions for ground engineering and asset management problems is at the core of what Mainmark does,” said Mr Pope.

“We have built our reputation on offering unique resin injection solutions for more than 25 years and in the last year, have introduced a suite of new solutions that, in most cases, allow asset owners to repair rather than replace ageing or damaged structures at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.”

Mainmark introduced Terefil® in 2016, which is a proprietary lightweight, polymer-modified, cementitious fill material that can solve a wide variety of geotechnical challenges in the construction and mining industries.

COVER FEATURE

LEFT: STRAAM building monitoring technology uses non-destructive ground monitors to measure the unique dynamic signature, or ‘heartbeat’, of any above-ground structure. RIGHT: Mainmark applies a patented resin injection to re-level a bridge approach slab in just two days.

BELOW: Repairing a culvert with spray-on corrosion protection system, ENCAP6

Terefil has been successfully used for a number of projects across Australia. It filled a damaged 280-metre culvert beneath a busy runway at Brisbane Airport in just six days; was used to decommission an old gas pipe running beneath a main street in St Kilda, Melbourne, in one day; and was successfully placed in flowing water to return a large and fatal weir in Dubbo, New South Wales, to safety.

Terefil is approximately 60 per cent lighter than conventional fill materials and

highly flowable, which makes it ideal for mission-critical projects where granular or aggregate fills are too heavy, site access is limited or project schedules are tight.

The company also launched Teretek®, a new state-of-the-art resin injection solution that solves subsidence and ground instability problems before they escalate.

This proprietary, two-in-one solution raises, re-levels and re-supports buildings and other above-ground structures. It increases ground bearing capacity, fills voids, and can

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

11

COVER FEATURE

TOP: Mainmark’s proprietary, lightweight Terefil solution is used to decommission a gas pipe beneath a busy road in Melbourne’s St Kilda.

LEFT: Creating ground cohesion before excavation with Permeation Grouting in Rosebery, New South Wales.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Mainmark rehabilitates one of 150 manholes in Rockhampton, Queensland, using its spray-on corrosion protection system, ENCAP6.

mitigate soil liquefaction, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional underpinning and ground engineering methods, and with no detrimental effects on the environment.

Mainmark’s new, patented ENCAP6® solution has proven to be a durable and

“Mainmark allowed us to address a challenge that many local governments faced and one that has long been without any viable solutions.”

Evan Davison, Coordinator Network Operations, Rockhampton Regional Council.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

cost-effective method for rehabilitating ageing concrete and steel infrastructure. It is a spray-on corrosion protection system that bonds tenaciously to concrete to effectively seal, and vastly improve, the durability of an asset. The permanent solution features superior chemical resistance and adhesion, structural enhancement of assets, abrasion resistance, and can also be used to repair and stabilise cracks.

ENCAP6 has been used extensively by the Rockhampton council in Queensland to rehabilitate more than 150 concrete manholes and access chambers, while the Gladstone council has used it to rehabilitate a large underground steel pipe. In both cases, ENCAP6 provided the council with a fast, cost-effective alternative to excavation or replacement.

Mainmark has also introduced Primus Line®, a cost-effective and environmentally inert trenchless technology for rehabilitating and fixing high pressure hoses and pipelines; Permeation Grouting, a long-established and widely used pressure grouting technique for filling cracks, joints and small defects in cohesive soils, sand or other porous ground; and Ultra-Panels, high-tech, precast concrete panels that can eliminate the need for resurfacing concrete slabs or roads in marine, road, public infrastructure, agriculture, defence, manufacturing, and mining environments.

“Looking forward, Mainmark will continue to invest in developing advanced, innovative solutions to tackle asset management and ground challenges faced by civil engineering, commercial, mining, industrial, residential and heritage sectors,” said Mr Pope.

For further information, contact Mainmark, phone: 1800 623 312 or visit: www.mainmark.com

PRECAST TECHNOLOGY The Form Master shuttering and deshuttering robot automatically positions the shutters on the pallet in accordance with CADCAM instructions.

AUTOMATION IN PRECAST PRODUCTION:

SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT DUE TO AUTOMATED SHUTTERING "Time is money" – this slogan remains true for the precast concrete industry in the Australian market.

Success comes if you have firm control over your costs and can also supply the highest quality products quickly and reliably to the customer – at a good price.

The shuttering and deshuttering processes stand out as time-consuming individual operations.

PROGRESS GROUP has for decades been developing automated solutions for precast concrete plants and has become a leader in this area. With its in-house shuttering and deshuttering robot, known as Form Master, the consortium has optimised production processes for dozens of customers.

An integral plotter plots outlines and other data, such as the position of built-in parts.

AUTOMATION AND WORK SAFETY In any carousel system the shuttering and deshuttering process is one of the most time-intensive individual operations. In addition, handling frequently very heavy shutters is often a safety hazard.

Nevertheless, in majority of precast concrete plants shuttering is still performed manually. Automating this operation cannot only reduce the time required, it can also increase safety for the workforce and improve the quality of the precast concrete elements. It is no accident that many customers now describe the Form Master as the "core" of their plant.

MODULAR PERFORMANCE LEVELS Depending on the customer's requirements PROGRESS GROUP offers solutions with one, two or three robots, in order to improve the degree of automation, productivity and safety at work. Therefore it is possible to install both an automatic shuttering robot with integral plotter and a deshuttering robot. For speedy stock entry and retrieval of the shuttering emplacement units, an in-house storage robot can be used.

This flexible, modular design concept makes the Form Master ideal for modernising existing plant.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

Ideal combined with ebos® software If the in-house ebos® software is also used, all the aspects of the production process can be progressively improved. ebos® is thus an optimally integrated overall concept, which can replace a large number of individual solutions. The GPA (Graphical Performance Analyser) analysis tool allows you, for example, to investigate retrospectively your production processes. Bottlenecks and opportunities for optimisation can thus be spotted at the first glance.

The ebos® in-house software optimises all aspects of the production process.

Mesh Welding Plants M-System BlueMesh Flexible mesh welding plants for the cost-effective production of bespoke mesh for precasters and mesh producers.

Progress Maschinen & Automation AG Julius-Durst-Str. 100 I-39042 Brixen Tel. +39 0472 979 100 info@progress-m.com www.progress-m.com

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY OFFERS THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY A BRIGHTER FUTURE

By Chris Richardson, Business Area Manager for Construction software Trimble Inc., Civil Engineering and Construction Division

Despite continuing gloomy economic projections, there is a major bright spot on the global economic landscape. Surprisingly, it is not gadgets nor the myriad opportunities promised by the cloud. It’s actually one of the most traditional hard hat industries – construction.

Looking ahead we can anticipate an uptick in construction spending in 2017. A total of US$97.7 trillion will be spent on construction globally during the next decade and by 2020 construction will account for 13.2% of world GDP. And Australia is one of seven key countries that by 2020 will account for 65% of the growth in global construction.

However, the industry may struggle to hold on to that revenue. That’s because traditionally the uptake of technology among construction firms has been slow.

Fortunately, things are changing. Increased competition within the industry has shifted perceptions and the hesitation towards technology adoption is diminishing. Software is the key to tying all the processes together supporting fast data input and retrieval and streamlines workflow processes, which is enabling a fresh paradigm. Technology can help people from multiple disciplines – both on and off site – to save time, improve operational efficiencies, aid collaboration and, fundamentally, boost the bottom line.

NOT A PIECEMEAL APPROACH But there are inherent challenges. The construction business involves teams working across multiple companies and disciplines, who come together to complete a project. It’s an extremely complex business.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

Accordingly, collaboration is vital for organisations that want to profitably achieve their individual business objectives. And technology, from GPS to wireless data solutions and software solutions, play a major role. Advanced modeling and powerful visualisation software can automate much of the design, engineering and construction requirements.

The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM), enables design and construction firms to improve communications amongst the different disciplines collaborating around a common model. This in turn can eliminate waste by identifying clashes, planning for construction sequencing problems, and better planning and scheduling processes.

It is important that technology is integrated, not implemented as individual, unconnected solutions. Combining solutions can provide a high level of process and workflow integration, from the planning and design phase through to the finished project.

TO THE CLOUD AND BEYOND Increasingly we will see construction firms adopting cloud-based applications that streamline the creation, access and sharing of project information between offices and the field for more accurate and predictable project delivery. Real-time information improves accuracy and reduces delays, positively impacting on the bottom line.

Whether companies use cloud-based apps for their field service, applications for business management software or traditional onsite systems, serving data analytics and insights on mobile applications can help businesses to improve communication, collaboration and process automation in order to keep operations running efficiently.

This year has also seen an explosion in the mixed reality space. These solution gives users the ability to understand and communicate complex spatial conditions in one comprehensive and immersive experience.

Mixed reality bridges the gap between physical and digital enabling remote teams to effectively review and collaborate in order to resolve constructability issues in real time. Mixed reality usage will continue to grow at a rapid pace over the next few years.

In fact, construction companies that have not yet explored mixed reality might be well advised to reevaluate their strategy.

GO MOBILE This sort of tangible collaboration is dependent on how seamlessly information flows back and forth. Going mobile will be key to this approach, and Australia is well-positioned to take full advantage of wireless digital solutions. For a start, much of Australia has already gone mobile. According to an IAB Australia and Nielsen report earlier this year, as of February 2016 the total active digital universe in the country included nearly 20 million people, connecting via computers, smartphones and tablets.

The construction industry can leverage this resource. In fact, it is quite likely that term ‘mobile’ will be used less frequently in future, because it will be assumed that is how we are communicating.

While the speed of mobile phone coverage is improving, the cost of cellular service on a jobsite is still relatively high because contractors must pay for multiple users and assets. This is why new advancements and options to bring high-speed broadband connectivity to a job site, at relatively low cost, are truly ground breaking.

Rugged wireless connectivity solutions are already available and being used to manage shipping containers at harbours and ports.

Today, these wireless networks monitor inventory and continually process containers across the yard. The civil engineering industry will flock towards this calibre of reliable Wi-Fi hotspot technology. Wi-Fi will become more typical for corrections and data transfer, sharing of data between a machine and a field asset, or machine-to-machine or field asset-to-field asset, and then back to the office as well.

These small, rapid-to-deploy Wi-Fi solutions will allow contractors to deploy more technology on the job site, but they will also enable more data gathering and data sharing technologies. This will drive greater change in terms of information management, and it will give contractors more flexibility, at significantly lower costs.

KEEPING UP AND REMAINING RELEVANT Yesterday’s breakthroughs are often obsolete tomorrow. To avoid being ensnared in the commoditisation trap, companies need to ask what their source of competitive differentiation is, and then leverage it to create long-term value. Technology offers a way for construction and civil engineering firms to do precisely that, enabling greater drive and growth.

Mobile Media Blasting - Soda & Garnet • Specialising in Concrete preparation for Carbon Fibre application • Abrasive & Non Abrasive Blasting • Paint, rust & contaminant removal from many substrates • Line marking removal • Graffiti removal & protection • Compact machinery for easy access • Low media usage which means less environmental issues with containment and dust • Suitable for confined space blasting Recent Carbon Fibre preparation projects • M80 - Western Ring Road Upgrade

EnviroBlast Australia

1300 240 337 www.enviroblast.net.au Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

17

STAFFING & RECRUITMENT

RECRUITMENT PREDICTIONS FOR 2017 Most of the business world is experiencing disruption and recruitment is no different.

Businesses looking to attract and retain top talent in 2017 face a fragmented marketplace where job candidates are using different types of platforms to find opportunities and are looking for nontraditional types of employment.

Julian Sallabank, CEO with recruitment specialists Ignite, said, "Despite the changes in recruitment methods, basic principles still apply. It’s important to find people with the right skillsets and it’s absolutely crucial to make sure there is a strong cultural fit. Employers should be looking for employees that can deliver business results, not those who can simply fulfil attendance requirements.”

To get on the front foot for 2017, Ignite recommends businesses embrace five key trends.

1. MORE DEMAND FOR PARTTIME WORK Part-time work has made Australia a more competitive economy and many skilled workers are choosing to work part-time so they can spend more time with family or pursuing hobbies. This results in a more flexible labour market and it can mean that businesses can get the help they need, when they need it, without having to pay full-time rates.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), there are now around 120,900 more people working part-time than there were a year ago, and around 35,300 fewer people working full-time.(1) Julian Sallabank said, “Organisations should consider part-time arrangements because it can be a very effective way to get the skills you need in the business.

Often, part-time workers can deliver higher productivity and better results than fulltime workers because their attention is more focused when they’re at work. The key is to choose the right people for the right role.”

2. INCREASED DEMAND FOR FLEXIBLE WORKING CONDITIONS For some organisations it simply isn’t possible to pay top dollar for skilled employees. However, for many employees, it isn’t just about their salary; they may be interested in other benefits such as flexible working conditions. This can be a win-win as the business gets the high-performing, skilled staff it needs while the employee gets the flexibility they need to attend to other commitments.

Julian Sallabank said, “Employment and family life shouldn’t have to be a proposition. Most businesses can offer flexible working arrangements where an employee comes into the office later, goes

home earlier, or takes work home with them.

“For example, the ABS found last year that around 30 per cent of dads now take advantage of flexible work hours to look after children, compared with 16 per cent of dads two years ago.”(2)

3. A FOCUS ON BUSINESS OUTCOMES RATHER THAN THE HOURS WORKED More businesses will start to focus more on the outcome they want to achieve rather than forcing process for how work is performed or demanding that a specific number of hours be worked. They will place the emphasis on meeting objectives, being future focused and ensuring employees understand the measurable impact of their actions.

Julian Sallabank said, “While many organisations claim to be outcome-focused, many job descriptions still remain focused more heavily on the how rather than on the what and why. Organisations that want to get the most out of their employees will empower them to contribute beyond a role description by setting broad target outcomes and unleashing them to achieve them however they wish. In addition to creating a culture of accountability, placing the emphasis on outcomes encourages collaboration, innovative thinking and adds a much greater sense of freedom and ownership.”

STAFFING & RECRUITMENT

12d Model 4. MORE GIGS AND MORE CONTRACTORS

Workers, especially millennials, don’t necessarily want to be tied down to a single employer. Instead, they would prefer to market their skills more broadly, taking on projects for various employers. The rise of the gig economy, as it’s called, means employers have the ability to manage short-term demand spikes without the overhead that comes with managing full-time employees.

Research shows that a third of the national workforce currently participates in contingent work, and more than three in four employers believe that it will be normal for people to complete additional work through freelance job related websites or apps.(3) Julian Sallabank said, “Hiring people to complete a specific project is nothing new: contract work has always been available.

Now, we’re seeing an upsurge in the number of people preferring the flexibility and excitement of contract work as opposed to what they see as the boredom of working for a single company. That delivers benefits to organisations who can “tool up,” hiring specialists for specific projects instead of trying to find the rare perfect employee who can go from project to project in the organisation seamlessly.”

5. MORE REMOTE WORKERS Technology and globalisation continue to drive an increase in remote workers who

prefer to work from home or any other location rather than commute to an office each day. These employees may go to the office once a week, a few times a month or never; but they remain productive due to their cultural match with their employer, use of sophisticated communication and collaboration tools.

Julian Sallabank said, “Whether workers live across the country from their employer or are local and work from home, remote work arrangements often get better results, as businesses are able to find the right person for the role regardless of where that person performs the work.

At Ignite, we not only advise our clients to consider these sorts of arrangements but we practice them ourselves. We offer work-from-home flexibility, our talent is dispersed throughout the country and we even have key team members working from the other side of the world. I believe this is good for business and great for morale.”

References (1) ABS 2016:- http://www.abs.gov.au/ ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/46DFE12FCDB783D9CA256B740082AA6C?OpenDocument (2) ABS 2016:- http://www.huffingtonpost.com. au/2016/09/14/how-flexible-working-policies-areworking-for-aussie-families/ (3) http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/mark-mccrindle/how-australia-will-change-in-2017/

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

19

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distributed exclusively by

UNDERGROUND ASSETS

VAC-U-DIGGA

EARTH SPY SOIL TRANSFER

CHANGING THE

EXCAVATION EQUATION

SAVING TIME, MONEY & INFRASTRUCTURE From water, gas and sewer pipelines, through to electrical, data, communications and other underground assets, the task of locating and working around underground infrastructure is one of the biggest - and potentially most costly - risks facing contractors, councils and authorities at worksites around the country every day.

And it's not only about the potential risks, costs and inconvenience that can arise from accidentally damaging infrastructure.

Even in situations where all of the underground infrastructure has been correctly located and identified, the cost of excavating around the infrastructure using traditional vacuum excavation methods can be extremely high - especially when it comes to transporting excavation slurries from the site for disposal.

22

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

UNDERGROUND ASSETS

W

ith that in mind, Australian

This is especially true in major capitals and

underground asset

regional centres.

protection specialists, VAC

Together with issues arising from

Group, set out to improve

incorrect initial placement or mapping of

this 'excavation equation' -

infrastructure and underground services

developing an array of innovative systems and

(with problems sometimes occurring many

services which not only reduce the complexity

decades ago), other factors including

of locating, identifying and excavating around

changes in responsible authorities, lost

underground assets, but also deliver significant

plans, ambiguous data, data transfer errors,

cost savings for projects large and small.

undocumented additions and modifications

VAC Group's Director Strategy & Market Development, Neil Costello, explained: "In the past, working with or around

to services, and even instances of obsolete infrastructure simply being buried and forgotten about, excavation works can often

underground infrastructure has not only

be a case of trying to pick your way through

carried significant risk, it has also proven to be

an unknown maze of underground assets.

extremely costly."

Even with services such as 'Dial Before

• Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) scanning "Identifying and excavating underground

"What's more, it's essentially a 'two-

You Dig', the information provided is only as

assets and infrastructure has always been a

pronged' challenge. First, there's the initial

accurate as the available recorded data, and

major challenge, especially when working in

challenge of finding the assets, and then

in many instances, the data is inaccurate or

built-up areas," Neil Costello said.

there's the cost of excavating around them."

incomplete... and that can spell disaster.

"Even after all of the assets have

To address this 'asset location challenge'

"Our equipment enables us to 'make the invisible, visible' with highly accurate and

been correctly identified and accurately

VAC Group's Australian designed and built

highly detailed reports that can be delivered

located - which can be a major undertaking

equipment utilises a range of innovative

to the client in a range of formats including

in itself - the costs involved with traditional

scanning and mapping technologies to

AutoCAD or Bentley MX drawing format with

vacuum excavation can be truly staggering.

identify, locate and protect all types of

associated images."

This is especially true for worksites which are

underground utility infrastructure, including

located in the centre of a city or a significant

subsurface power lines, water and sewerage

Aided Radar Tomography (CART) system,

distance from a suitable disposal site for the

pipes, gas lines and telecommunication

we can even provide a highly detailed, fully

excavated slurries," he said.

services. VAC Group's equipment is able

navigable 3D rendering of the underground

to identify the myriad of materials used in

and above ground environment showing all

Neil added. "So we set out to find a solution

underground utilities, including metal, plastic

assets and infrastructure," he added.

for both issues - the asset location and

and concrete pipes, cables, wires (including

identification challenge, and the excavation

fibre-optic cables) and conduits, as well as

cost challenge."

any other hidden subsurface infrastructure.

Making the Invisible, Visible

technologies on offer, including:

been located and identified, VAC Group can

When it comes to excavation work, one of

• Computer Aided Radar Tomography

utilise its unique and innovative technology to

"We knew there had to be a better way,"

VAC Group has a range of scanning

"In addition, thanks to our new Computer

Changing the face of vacuum excavation Once the subsurface assets and utilities have

the biggest risks facing contractors, councils

(CART) - the only product in Australia

undertake non-destructive vacuum excavation

and authorities alike, is that of damaging

that delivers underground video

- another area in which VAC Group has earned

underground assets - and one of the biggest contributing risk factors is a lack of accurate data relating to the exact location of all underground assets and infrastructure.

• 2-Dimensional Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) • Electro-Magnetic Induction (EMI) scanning

an enviable reputation as an industry leader.

In fact, VAC Group has designed, built and now operates, Australia's largest fleet of Vacuum Excavation trucks.

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

23

UNDERGROUND ASSETS

"Our equipment enables us to 'make the invisible, visible' with highly accurate and highly detailed reports that can be delivered to the client in a range of formats including AutoCAD or Bentley MX drawing format with associated images."

While non-destructive vacuum excavation

In short, when it comes to non-destructive

has now gained widespread acceptance

vacuum excavation, the actual site excavation

throughout Australia as a quick, safe and highly

works generally only account for around 25%

effective method of working around sub-surface

of the total cost - making it the cheapest

infrastructure, there are a number of associated

component of the process. As a general

costs which until now have presented a

rule, the remaining 75% of the cost can be

significant price barrier for many projects.

broken down into LOGISTICS (travelling to

fewer liquid waste disposal sites when compared

the site and transporting spoil from the site

to solid waste disposal facilities.

for disposal) 32.5% and DISPOSAL, which is

Disposal 42.5%

Excavation 25%

Logistics 32.5%

With that in mind, VAC Group set out to

by far the largest single cost component at

develop a solution that addresses both the

around 42.5% of the total cost. The high cost

productivity and environmental issues related

of disposal stems from the fact that due to the

to transporting excavated spoils over extended

nature of non-destructive vacuum excavation

distances, as well as the high costs associated

- which uses high pressure water to convert

with logistics and disposal of the excavated

the solids into a slurry which is then vacuumed

material. The solution, came in the form of a new

away - the spoils generated are classified as

patented soil recovery and transfer system.

liquid waste which costs significantly more

Neil Costello explained: "With the excavation

to dispose of when compared to solid waste

works only representing an average of 25% of

streams. These additional costs not only stem

the total cost, we felt that rather than focusing

from the strict EPA controls on liquid waste,

on making larger vacuum excavation trucks, it

but also the fact that there are significantly

would make more sense to develop a solution that addressed the two highest cost components, namely: logistics and disposal."

Importantly, VAC Group's R&D focussed on reducing both the financial cost of transporting and disposing of the excavated spoil material and the environmental impact of the non-destructive vacuum excavation process.

"We figured if we could develop an on-site solution that would enable us to recover and reuse the excavated solids as clean fill while also recycling the water used in the excavation process, we could significantly reduce both the cost and environmental impact of the excavation operations. It was also clear that such a system would dramatically improve productivity and reduce the number of heavy vehicle movements to and from a site," Neil Costello added.

Interestingly, by eliminating the need to focus on maximising tank hopper capacity in an effort to minimise the number of often lengthy and expensive (in terms of both time and money) trips to a suitable disposal facility, this innovative Soil Transfer System also enabled VAC Group to develop a more compact and manoeuvrable high performance vacuum tanker.

"Because each Soil Transfer Unit is able to process the slurries from up to ten tankers on site, we can use a fleet of compact, highperformance tankers to achieve the same

24

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

UNDERGROUND ASSETS

Soil Transfer system allows this material to be deposited into a large container or vehicle for bulk transfer, resulting in a significant reduction in vehicle movements to and from the site even in case when the collected material is being sent for disposal.

Another major advantage of the VAC Group Soil Transfer systems lies within the fact that the dewatered 'spade-able' material is classified as a solid waste rather than a liquid waste - making it significantly easier to handle, transport and dispose of correctly and safely.

Together with their performance in all manner of non-destructive vacuum excavation projects, VAC Group's high performance vacuum tankers and innovative Soil Transfer results as even a fleet of full size units with a

System have not only changed the face of

comparative total tank capacity in a fraction of

vacuum excavation, they also look set to

the time and at a fraction of the cost!"

revolutionise post-disaster cleanup and recovery

The VAC Group Soil Transfer System delivers

operations - eliminating the need for tankers

a range of significant benefits, including:

to travel in and out of the clean-up zone (on

• a reduction in the total number of truck

what is often a badly degraded and extremely

movements to and from the site; • a reduction in the total number of kilometres

dangerous road network) to dispose of the collected material. What's more, the fact that

travelled between the site and suitable

the tankers remain in the cleanup zone rather

disposal / treatment facilities;

than spending many hours each day travelling

"From the outset, our goal has been to

• a reduction in total machine operating hours

back and forth, means that the cleanup works

develop a fully-integrated solution for the

and the CO2 emissions generated; • reduced disposal costs;

can be completed in a fraction of the time and

identification, protection and excavation of

for a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.

underground assets. We knew there had to be a better way - and we believe that we've found it,"

• recycled water used for vacuum excavation;

Neil Costello said.

and • on-site availability of suitable 'spade-able' fill material.

Fully-Scalable System VAC Group's innovative Soil Transfer system has been developed as a fully-scalable on site recycling and recovery solution that can be set up at most locations within a matter of hours.

Once operational, it is simply a matter of the vacuum excavation vehicles backing up the ramp and emptying the contents of the collection hopper into the Soil Transfer unit's receival hopper. From there, the excavated spoil - usually in the form of a slurry containing a high

"Indeed, even on a relatively small project, the savings can be significant - and when it comes to major infrastructure projects, the savings can, quite literally, equate to tens of millions of dollars."

"By focusing on the two largest cost components of vacuum excavation, namely transport and disposal, we believe that our integrated Soil Transfer System and compact, high-efficiency vacuum tankers have forever changed the 'excavation equation' for the better."

"Indeed, even on a relatively small project, the savings can be significant - and when it comes to major infrastructure projects, the savings can, quite literally, equate to tens of millions of dollars," Neil Costello concluded.

For further information on VAC Group's full range of services, Ph: 1300 822 834 (24 Hour Service) or visit: www.vacgroup.com.au

percentage of water - passes through a number of treatment processes where it is separated into two component streams, namely: • Recycled Water - which is reused by the vacuum tankers in the non-destructive excavation process; and • Recovered ‘Spade-able’ Material (solids) which is either stockpiled ready for use on site following completion of the job or sent for disposal.

Importantly, even if the recovered 'spadeable' material is not going to be used on site, removing the water from the excavated spoil results in a significant reduction in the total quantity of material being disposed of. The

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

25

SPECIAL FEATURE

KENNARDS HIRE – 70 YEARS ON…

By Erik Bigalk

Almost everybody has heard of Kennards Hire, be it noticing their distinctive red and grey signage at hire locations dotted around the country, their banners at major sporting events or actually walking into a branch to pick up the necessary tools for that DIY job on the weekend. Or perhaps, you’ve hired some urgently needed specialty equipment, trades tools, or a trailer…

What most don’t know is that Kennards Hire started much by chance right here in our backyard, or that to this day the business is family run, and that without the quick off-the-cuff thinking from founder Walter Kennard, we probably would not have Kennards Hire in our lives.

It was 1948, and ‘Wally’ Kennard had kicked off a traditional hardware store in Bathurst, selling the usuals from nails and saws, wheelbarrows and tools, and right through to timber and cement mixers. Then one day a chap walks in and says he needs a mixer but didn’t want to buy it, and asks whether he can borrow it.

Quick of the mark, Wally says, ‘I won’t lend it, but you can hire it!’ Thus, Kennards Hire was born. Of course, they did not open countless outlets around the country right away, but the concept of offering equipment for hire rather than sale, made for an innovative and now brand defining aspect of their business, which has seen the Kennards Hire one-store operation become what it is today.

Now, after almost 70 years and three generations serving at the helm of the family business, Kennards Hire boasts almost 170 branches across Australia and New Zealand, countless specialty tools, and specific industry divisions.

Mind you, all this did not happen overnight. From the humble singlestore beginnings at 142 Russell Street in Bathurst, the Kennard’s moved to Sydney in 1951, bought their first set of trucks and designed their first logo in the mid-60’s. Walter’s sons, Neville and Andy, bought into the business in the late 1950’s – early 1960’s, bringing an entrepreneurial spirit and an ‘adopt and adapt’ attitude.

Fast forward almost thirty years, by 1991; the business had substantially expanded to include storage solutions. It was now that Neville and Andy decided to split the Kennards Self Storage and Hire sides of the business. This resulted in the opening of 50 more hire branches by 1998 and the employment of 500 employees by 2001, just on the hire side alone. The same year Kennards Hire received the inaugural ‘HRIA National Hire Company of the Year’ accolade.

Interestingly, the Kennards contribution to the hire industry extended outside of our own shores. Having been amongst the earliest overseas 26

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

American Rental Industry Association members, with Andy Kennard inducted into the ARA Hall of Fame in 2003.

Kennards Hire continued to expand, commencing their ‘Lift & Shift’ and ‘Concrete Care’ divisions in 2003 and 2004 respectively. With their strategic growth plan centred on sustainable rather than fast growth, they continued to open up in new States across Australia, and expanding into New Zealand in 2013. In the following year, they opened their 150th branch and reached 1,100 employees.

Advocating innovation and new initiatives to take hire higher, it is not only business that drives Kennards Hire; there is also the joy of giving back to the community. Kennards Hire branches support many school fetes, local events, and charity organisations and they are just about to launch their latest Kennards for Kids campaign helping to raise funds for sick and disadvantaged children’s charities across Australia and New Zealand. In 2016, they raised over $365,000 alone to support organisations such as Variety – The Children’s Charity in Australia and KidsCan in New Zealand.

On the commercial side, Kennards Hire has also been successful in securing partnerships with key sporting events. Really, who doesn’t love to see the dust-stirring action of a good motor rally? Especially in the harsh and rugged conditions of the Australian bush on the Coffs Harbour Coast in Northern New South Wales. With Kennards Hire not only taking on the naming rights, but the supply of truckloads of road barriers, safety fencing, on-site offices, generators, kilometres of scrim and around 200 porta-loos, it was always going to be an exciting yet logistical challenge, one that the entire team was obviously able to tackle well.

In October last year, Angus Kennard, Andy’s eldest son, took the reins of the family business as CEO. He had already spent over 20 years in the company, and the time had come to step up and steer the hire brand into 2017 and beyond.

SPECIAL FEATURE

In a recent TV interview, Angus touched on some of the key lessons that have made part of the success journey of the household-hire brand.

Apart from the fact that growing a family business with family members is not always easy, especially when not everyone agrees on everything.

He heralds innovation, collaboration, communication and vision as key stakes that have allowed Kennards Hire to become what they are today.

Being able to evolve with the times, meeting the demands from tradesman and DIYer alike, addressing special industry needs and morphing with the market trends, has led Kennards to not only be one of the biggest brands in hire here in Australia and New Zealand but also operate across diverse industry sectors. Some of which existing Kennards Hire customers might not even be familiar with.

Apart from the general hire outlets that cover 24 categories of equipment for hire, from trailers and drills, to jackhammers and the like, they also have a whole range of events related hire such as marquees, tables, chairs, and BBQs. Then there are their specialist divisions such as Lift & Shift providing equipment such as conveyor belts and forklifts and Test & Measure, which boasts everything from gauges to special water mains pressure testers used by councils, as well as specialised

electronic gadgets. Not to mention Concrete Care, Rail, Traffic, and Pump & Power. Their specialist equipment ranges extend to a variety of heavy industry sectors such as mining through to construction-focused onsite pop-up branches that cater to a specific group of Kennards’ customers.

Not forgetting the army of portaloos, barrier fencing, onsite offices, scaffolding, kilometres of cable, and generators that were brought out for the likes of the Kennards Hire Rally Australia, the Summer of Surf circuit or the TV series The Block, you can imagine that the operation of Kennards Hire has grown significantly in equipment and logistics from the early days in Bathurst when ‘Wally’ first hired out a cement mixer. They now employ over 1,300 people across Australia and New Zealand.

Whether you simply need to use a demolition saw for a few hours or you’re digging a trench in the backyard over the weekend, if you need an extra loo or three for your next event, or rely on specialised equipment to move tons of gear, the ‘Make Your Job Easy’ motto of Kennards Hire rings true, and is only a click, call or short drive away, no matter where you are in Australia or New Zealand.

For further information, visit: www.kennards.com.au

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

27

CONCRETE INSTITUTE of

AUSTRALIA

SPECIFICATION OF STRUCTURAL CONCRETE  DATES PERTH 3 APRIL ADELAIDE 5 APRIL BRISBANE 6 APRIL SYDNEY 10 APRIL MELBOURNE 11 APRIL HOBART 13 APRIL

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

T

he specification of structural concrete is a vital ingredient in the process of construction to ensure we achieve durable, sustainable, and serviceable infrastructure. However, the Australian heavy construction materials industry is facing a number of technical challenges in maintaining the position of concrete as a material of choice for the construction industry, and this is having an impact at the specification stage.

With increasing pressure and expectation on suppliers, specifiers, and construction companies to complete projects within difficult time frames and budgets, and without key personnel and resources, it means that specifications are not being developed to allow for continued superior performance of concrete structures. Many specifications are just repeating historic properties and benchmarks with little understanding of their purpose and potential implications. More worryingly, there are often perverse outcomes arising from this confusion.

At the same time, new and innovative materials are being introduced into the concrete supply chain, which must be shown to perform in a manner that equals or betters the existing suite of materials, yet at the same time improve the environmental performance of the project in which it is utilised. In many cases, this can only be ascertained from a performance approach to specification, with appropriate tests and performance specified to ensure desired outcomes and durability in the structure.

Our seminar on Specification of Structural Concrete, featuring world renowned concrete technology expert Michelle L. Wilson from the Portland Cement Association, USA, and one of Australia’s most experienced practitioners in this field, Daksh Baweja from BG&E Materials Technology, will look to: • Review modern approaches to the specification of concrete and its constituent materials.

For more information and to register visit www.concreteinstitute.com.au/structuralconcrete.

• Outline the vital properties of concrete, how they are applied, and how this information can form a practical specification for the supply of concrete.

• Compare and critique Australian and USA concrete codes and standards.

• Provide guidelines on specification detail for the inspection and construction of concrete.

• Present real-life problems caused by inadequate design, construction, and maintenance practices, and based on various problems, show delegates how to come up with suitable solutions.

• Look at how durability specification can be considered in conjunction with this, with particular reference to planning and testing.

The seminar will also look at some of the hot topics in concrete specification both locally and overseas, and provide delegates an opportunity to table some of their concerns to the Institute in an open forum.

This is a wonderful opportunity to bring contemporary thinking and practices to specifications for concrete and concrete materials in Australia, and is targeted at all civil and structural engineering and materials academics and researchers, commercial design and material consultants, government engineering bodies, and concrete material suppliers.

PRICING

Michelle L. Wilson

Michelle Wilson is Director of Concrete Technology at the Portland Cement Association.

With over 20 years of experience relating to concrete materials, specifications, performance, troubleshooting and repair, she is responsible for the development, content, and delivery of PCA’s education and training programs and technical products covering the entire spectrum of concrete technology. Michelle is co-author of PCA’s Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures and is a member of ASTM Committee C09 Concrete and Concrete Aggregates, and ACI Technical Committees — 201 Durability, 311 Inspection of Concrete, 329 Performance Testing Requirements, E707 Specification Education, and is chair of 301 Specifications for Structural Concrete.

CIA Members

$490

CCAA Members

$490

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$210

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$210

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$640

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$710

AGENDA 8:45

Introduction

9:00

Specification of cement, aggregates and other constituents

10:00 Australian specifications 10:30 Morning tea

Daksh Baweja

Daksh Baweja is Director of BG&E Materials Technology, a specialist group that provides strategic advice in areas relating to civil engineering materials.

With a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering by research on durability aspects of fly ash and other concrete types, and a PhD in civil engineering on corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete, Daksh has worked has been actively involved in technical development, knowledge management, marketing and commercial R&D for over 30 years and is the author of over 100 research papers into aspects relating to concrete materials, structural design, concrete durability and serviceability in major infrastructure.

11:00 Concrete inspection and construction 11:45 Troubleshooting 12:30 Lunch 13:30 Durability specification in practice 14:15 Durability specification in Australia 15:00 Afternoon tea 15:30 Open forum discussion/Q&A: • Predictive Modeling for Durability of Concrete (ASR Testing) • Thermal Control (DEF) • Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) • Concerns with AS 3600 • Recent Industry Research Update • Alkali–aggregate reaction and Shrinkage

17:30 Close

NATIONAL SEMINAR

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

2017 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN CONCRETE PROGRAM CALL FOR ENTRIES ARE OFFICIALLY OPEN The Concrete Institute of Australia is very pleased to welcome entries for the upcoming 2017 Awards for Excellence in Concrete program. The Institute’s Awards program has been recognising and publicising significant contributions to excellence in concrete design, construction and materials in Australia for the past 45 years.

The Institute’s Awards for Excellence in Concrete program has been designed to cater for both small and larger scale projects and organisations, with a fair judging system and criteria. Projects and the use of innovative technology in concrete applications are eligible to receive an Award for Excellence, with entries to be judged separately in clear categories.

SIX AWARD CATEGORIES TO CHOOSE FROM: • Residential buildings o Single dwellings or multi-storey dwellings used for residential purposes only (up to 11 storeys).

• Commercial buildings o Offices, industrial buildings, institutional buildings, large residential complexes or combinations of these.

• Infrastructure projects o Buildings such as schools, hospitals etc., engineering infrastructure projects such as bridges, roads, wharves, water resources etc.

• Repairs & rehabilitation o For both buildings and infrastructure.

• Sustainability & environment o A specific category recognising advances in the environmentally sustainable use of concrete. These may include buildings and infrastructure, technology and innovation. Entries submitted under other categories may also be entered under this category.

• Technology & innovation o This category includes significant contributions to the understanding or use of concrete as evidenced by research, technical publications, patent applications, new products or pieces 30

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

of equipment, new techniques, design innovations or educational activity.

AWARDS WILL BE PRESENTED AT STATE LEVEL AND NATIONALLY: • State o All project entries are judged under the state in which they are completed, and winners will be presented with an Award for Excellence in Concrete. o More than one award may be granted in each distinct category. These awards will be presented at Institute Branch Awards functions, scheduled for July and August 2017.

• National o Winners of state-based Awards for Excellence will be judged in their respective categories for an overall, national winner. The winner will receive a Medallion for Excellence in Concrete. o It is important to note that Technology & Innovation entries will only be judged and awarded at National level. o From those entries receiving a Medallion for Excellence in Concrete, one will be judged to receive the Kevin Cavanagh Trophy for Excellence in Concrete. o National Awards will be presented at the Institute’s 2017 Conference Dinner on 22 October 2017.

We look forward to receiving project entries that continue to develop and innovate concrete in structural applications, such as two previous winners highlighted here.

PROJECT REVIEWS Hunter Expressway – 2015 Awards for Excellence in Concrete – Engineering Projects Winner The Hunter Expressway involved the construction of a new four lane freeway link between M1 Pacific Motorway (formerly referred to as the F3 freeway) near Seahampton and the New England

Highway west of Branxton. The Expressway provides a new east-west connection between Newcastle and the Upper Hunter and has cut travel times by 28 minutes. The Expressway also relieves

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

the congestion between Newcastle, Thornton, Maitland and Rutherford, supporting the growing Hunter region traffic which is increasing by 4% per year.

The Hunter Expressway Alliance (HEA) included Roads and Maritime Services, Thiess, Hyder Consulting and Parsons Brinckerhoff who delivered the eastern section of the expressway. Traversing the Sugarloaf Range, the Alliance team navigated steep environmentallysensitive terrain within the constraint of a challenging ground clearing limit.

The project included the design and

construction of 13 km of new expressway, which included substantial mine filling, 29 bridges of which 27 were completed in concrete (including six high-level viaduct bridges over three deep gullies within the mine subsidence areas), and 2.1 million cubic metres of earthworks. The works also included a new interchange at Buchanan and upgrading of the Newcastle Interchange at the Pacific Motorway.

The concrete structural solutions provided the client and the road user community the assurance of durable, attractive and cost effective bridges on this nation building project. The concrete bridges also were also completed with demonstrable quality ahead of programme by the Alliance design and construct team.

UQ Oral Health Centre – 2015 Awards for Excellence in Concrete –Building Projects Winner The University of Queensland Oral Health Centre is a 30,000m2 research and teaching building on the university’s Herston Campus, adjoining the Royal Brisbane Hospital. The Centre is the most comprehensive in the Southern Hemisphere dedicated to oral health

care and research. The core purpose was to humanise this large institutional and laboratory based building by materiality and craft. Concrete was recognised at the outset as the only material with the plasticity to shape and articulate the forms devised to impart the intricacy essential to human engagement and tactile response.

The design explored concrete’s incredible versatility and sculptural capacity through its structure, skin and interior spaces, all of it poured in situ. The heart of the building is a four level high, glass roofed atrium breezeway where the structural dynamic of concrete is dramatically expressed. From it, white pigmented concrete is employed to enfold the building in organically-shaped spaces that foster collaboration between disciplines beyond the laboratory clinics.

The spaces project, cantilever and indent to both preserve and relate to stands of eucalypts that characterise the adjoining park. A correlated aim of exploring the limits of concrete’s versatility was to reflect dentistry as both a technological discipline and as a craft.

This abstraction is not only evident in the sculptural forms but in the subtly varied quality of the finishing from opaqueness to seeming translucency.

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

31

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

CONCRETE BULLETINS NOW AVAILABLE The Concrete Institute of Australia has recently uploaded 4 new Bulletins from the International Federation of Structural Concrete (fib) which are now available in the Resource Centre of the website.

These Bulletins are:

• Bulletin 72: Bond and anchorage of embedded reinforcement: Background to the fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 • Bulletin 73: Tall Buildings – Structural design of concrete buildings up to 300 m tall • Bulletin 75: Polymer-duct systems for internal bonded post-tensioning • Bulletin 76: Benchmarking of deemed-tosatisfy provisions in Standards: Durability of reinforced concrete structures exposed to chlorides.

The fib, formed by 43 national member groups and approximately 1,000 individual

CraCking under pressure?

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or corporate members, is a not-for-profit association committed to advancing the technical, economic, aesthetic and environmental performance of concrete structures worldwide.

The Institute is the National Member Group of fib in Australia. This allows the Institute to bring the work being done by fib to Australia, and provides members access to these 4 new technical bulletins, as well as all the other documents prior to these. Institute Members of all categories can access these documents electronically from the Resource Centre on the web site.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

BildaVoid-181x135.indd 1

23/08/15 1:09 PM

Prefabricated concrete – Fiona Stanley Hospital

FIB 2018 CONGRESS The Institute will also play host to the fib 2018 Congress, to be held in Melbourne in October 2018. With the theme BetterSmarter-Stronger, the 2018 Congress will bring world leaders in concrete to Australia to share knowledge with local experts and practitioners. Congress Chair, Professor Steve Foster from UNSW, has already gathered an illustrious group of key note speakers for the event, and the program promises to be the biggest ever presented on these shores.

PREFABRICATED CONCRETE ELEMENTS- ARE YOU UP TO DATE? In 2015 the revised Australian Standards, AS 3850 - Prefabricated Concrete Elements Parts 1&2, were released. Previously recognised as the precast concrete tilt-up construction code, the revised Standards outline the important reforms made to the industry following significant growth in the use of prefabricated concrete in tiltup applications and changes in the way this was done. The revision was vitally important for the construction industry to ensure that current industry requirements and practice are understood and being implemented across the country by all stakeholders, and to ensure that risk and

safety are not compromised in design, supply and construction.

The title was changed to Prefabricated Concrete Elements to reflect on the use of concrete that was prefabricated and lifted or erected at site. It was split in to 2 to cover general requirements and building construction, and so that there was a more comprehensive coverage of these.

Designers, specifiers, and builders are at particular risk if processes involving prefabricated concrete elements are not followed in accordance with the new Standard. This includes an understanding of:

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

33

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

• New safety requirements that must be part of the design process • The role of the Erection Designer and In-service Designer • Who is responsible for transporting, lifting, erection and overall site supervision The new Standards also provide details on current design procedures in general for prefabricated concrete elements; revised requirements for manufacture and production with respect to design, safety, and erection; new performance specifications, particularly with respect to testing, and how

A WORLD OF DURABLE CONCRETE The 28th Biennial Conference of the Concrete Institute of Australia, Concrete 2017, is to be held in Adelaide in October.

The conference theme “Advances in Concrete Materials and Structures” will give concrete researchers, designers, and practitioners from all over the globe an opportunity to showcase innovation and trends in the design, research, construction, maintenance, and repair that are making a difference around the world.

Concrete 2017 is also hosting the 3rd International Congress on Durability of Concrete (ICDC) from 22nd to 25th October 2017 The 3rd ICDC is jointly organised by the Norwegian Concrete Association and the Concrete Institute of Australia. The ICDC durability streams will be held over the entire 3 days and delegates will be able to attend sessions in ICDC and Concrete 2017 as well as attend social events for both events.

The International Congress on Durability of Concrete (ICDC) series is built on the heritage of the former CANMET/ACI Conferences on durability of concrete and Mohan Malhotra is the Honorary Chair of this series. The 1st ICDC was held in Trondheim, Norway, in 2012, and the 2nd ICDC was held in New Delhi, India, in 2014. ICDC serves as a forum for exchanging current research results and for displaying how concrete will continue to ensure durable buildings and structures for sustainable development in both local and global contexts.

The 3rd ICDC is a great chance for participants from around the world to connect face to face and to share information and experiences related to advances in concrete durability.

Congress themes include: • Durability design • Durability planning • Exposure assessment • Deterioration mechanisms • Good practice • Modelling of deterioration processes • Performance of existing structures 34

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

these affect typical materials required in prefabricated construction.

In conjunction with National Precast, the Concrete Institute of Australia embarked on a series of Information Seminars in 2016 to highlight these changes. These sessions have been captured in electronic format and can be accessed via the Institute On-Line Learning Portal for anyone who needs to be up to speed with the changes to this important standard in the concrete industry. http://www.concreteinstitute.com.au/Online-Learning-Portal/ LearningModule-List

• Concrete penetrability • Cracking and crack control • Maturity and matched curing • Sampling and laboratory tests • In service inspection and testing • Structure health monitoring • Concrete repair • Cathodic protection • Quality assurance.

This will be the biggest congregation of worldwide concrete durability experts ever to come to Australia. Speakers will include: Professor Doug Hooton is NSERC/Cement Association of Canada, Senior Industrial Research Chair in Concrete Durability and Sustainability in Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on durability performance of cementitious materials in concrete as well as on performance testing and specifications. He serves on the ACI Board of Directors and chairs committees at ACI, ASTM, CSA and RILEM. Doug will also update the delegates on work being undertaken by the ACI201 Durability committee.

Professor Karen Scrivener obtained her PhD at Imperial College in 1984, continuing as lecturer. In 1995 she joined Lafarge in France.

In 2001 she was appointed Professor and Head of the Laboratory of Construction Materials, at EPFL, Switzerland, which focusses on the sustainability of building materials. She is the founder of Nanocem and Editor in Chief of Cement and Concrete Research. In 2014 she was made a fellow of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering Dr Stuart Matthews will introduce the durability provision in Model Code 2010 and discuss the foreseen developments for MC2020 in a session on durability provisions in codes. MC2020 will for the first time include provisions for existing structures in a comprehensive way.

This will bring repair and restoration design in step with reliability and performance based design concept as included in MC2010. Debate on inclusion in codes of specific features affecting durability will be encouraged.

Professor Carmen Andrade has worked as a scientist studying the durability of buildings with particular attention to corrosion of steel in reinforced concrete. She is author of numerous publications and several national and international patents. Professor Andrade has been Director of the Institute of Construction Sciences Eduardo Torroja (CSIC) for more than 10 years and has participated in Standardisation committees and been chair of several international organisations related to durability including RILEM, WFTAO, CIB, fib, IABSE, IASS, and ECCE. She has also been General Director of Technological Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science and is Advisor to the Secretary of State Universities.

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CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

ACI MANUAL OF CONCRETE PRACTICE RELEASED The American Concrete Institute (ACI) has just released the 2017 printed and digital editions of one of its most sought after documents - the Manual of Concrete Practice.

Containing more than 250 documents, the ACI Manual of Concrete Practice is one of the most comprehensive and largest single sources of concrete practice information available in one set. The Manual of Concrete Practice is a must have for professionals in the concrete industry all around the world and contains all of the ACI documents needed to answer any questions about code requirements, specifications, tolerances, concrete proportions, construction methods, evaluation of test results, and many more topics. The Manual of Concrete Practice also includes the totally reorganised version of ACI 318, Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary.

An encyclopaedia of concrete technology, the Manual of Concrete Practice has

information needed by the engineer, architect, contractor, concrete/concrete product producer. Topics include: • Design of reinforced concrete and masonry structures • Design and construction of floors on grade, pavements, and parking lots • Specification writing • Concrete mixture proportioning • Concrete mixing, transporting, and placing • Hot- and cold-weather concreting • Formwork • Inspection and testing • Construction tolerances • Repair, Renovation, and Rehabilitation • Troubleshooting The 2017 Manual of Concrete Practice is conveniently available in printed and digital formats and options include an eight-volume set with separate index, a USB drive, and an 1-year online subscription that includes all new and archived versions of the documents provided.

Members of the Concrete Institute of Australia are able to purchase the Manual of Concrete Practice at a 20% discount via direct order through the Institute’s web site.

Further to this, Individual Members of the Institute are able to join ACI at a significantly reduced rate, providing subscribers with all the typical benefits allowed to typical ACI members. For more information on how to join ACI or to order the Manual of Concrete Practice through the Institute contact the Membership Services Manager at member@concreteinstitute.com.au

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37

PRODUCT FOCUS

NEW AUTO SUB PUMP A heavy duty dewatering pump, factory fitted with an automatic stop/ start function is now available from Australian Pump Industries. Part of Tsurumi’s heavy duty KTZ Series, the new automatic pump can be left to operate unattended, eliminating the need for site supervision.

Tsurumi, the world’s biggest manufacturer of electro submersible dewatering pumps, developed the auto shutdown and start up system to add a new dimension of convenience and efficiency for contractors, mines, quarries and hire companies.

The system eliminates the need for the wiring in of traditional float assemblies.

“Traditional float systems are by their very nature, flimsy and can be subject to damage and subsequent failure,” said Aussie Pumps Dewatering Division Manager, Neil Bennett. “Tsurumi’s system is revolutionary, in that it removes the need for complicated and/or expensive shutdown equipment in the control boxes,” he said.

The new system is now available with Tsurumi’s KTZ series heavy duty cast iron dewatering pumps. Tsurumi designs and makes this product in their roboticised Kyoto factory in Japan. The pumps incorporate a wide range of standard features that make them ideal for heavy duty dewatering applications in new developments, bridge work, piling, concrete batch plants or any other tough application where dependability is the most important factor.

The pumps incorporate Tsurumi’s unique features including an antiwicking cable block and two double silicon carbide seals.

All Tsurumi pumps are fitted with an anti-wicking cable entry block. It protects the motor from moisture wicking inside the cable in the event of the cable being damaged or the end submerged.

The two silicon carbide seals are located in an oil chamber. The oil chamber features a patented ‘oil lifter’ that provides forced lubrication to the seals. This unique Tsurumi design provides real advantages to the user in extending seal life.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

The automatic versions of the KTZ series (identified as KTZE), vary in power ratings from 1.5kW to 3.7kW with flows of up to 1420 lpm and heads to 37m. The level electrode control has a timer function. This eliminates excessive activations caused by agitated water. The pump will operate for a further minute after the water/electrode contact is lost. The control prevents the pump dry-running, reduces power consumption and extends the operating life of the pump.

“This is a revolutionary move by Tsurumi to make what is already probably the most popular dewatering pump series in the world into an even more versatile and efficient piece of kit,” said Bennett.

“The new pumps are now entering into the Australian market and are already being picked up by hire companies and dewatering specialists who can clearly see the benefit of this unique product development," he added.

Further information on the Tsurumi KTZE submersibles is available from the Australian Pump website (www.aussiepumps.com.au) and authorised distributors.

The new KTZE automatic submersible reduces power consumption and extends pump life.

PRODUCT FOCUS

TAKING LIGHTWEIGHT MODULAR FORMWORK TO THE NEXT LEVEL Launched in Australia late last year by Allcon, the revolutionary GEOPLAST Modular Plastic Formwork System for concrete looks set to build on its outstanding success in Europe, the USA and a number of other major international markets - with strong demand from both form workers and concrete contractors.

Specifically designed to meet the needs of small to medium formwork jobs, the GEOPLAST system delivers the ideal combination of robust mechanical strength, shock resistance, thermal stability in temperatures ranging from -30° to +70°C, and lightweight handling.

Manufactured from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), GEOPLAST components can be easily handled by one person, without any need for cranes or lifting devices. In fact, with no components weighing more than 11kg, the GEOPLAST is, quite literally, setting a new benchmark in lightweight modular formwork. Its modular, tool-free assembly allows for incredibly fast set-up times, and the fact that it is so easy to use, means that it can be assembled by unskilled labour.

Importantly, despite its light weight, the system components are extremely robust. Designed with a focus on versatility and ease of use, the GEOPLAST panels can be reused up to 100 times - delivering a high quality off-form finish with no need for form release agents or oils.

GEOPLAST is available in Australia in a choice of four systems to suit a range of specific needs, including: • GEOPANEL STAR and GEOTUB PANEL: - adjustable formwork systems for square and rectangular columns • GEOPANEL WALL: - advanced formwork system for forming concrete walls, plinths, pits and other structural elements • GEOTUB ROUND:- specialist formwork system for simple forming of round and oval elements Components from each of the four individual systems have been designed to work together, thereby delivering an outstanding level of versatility and flexibility in formwork setup and component use, while also helping to minimise the total number of components that need to be held in inventory to complete a wide range of jobs.

Not surprisingly, the key to the success of the GEOPLAST lies within its simplicity. Once positioned, the individual components are simply locked together with a specially designed fibre-reinforced handle which - despite the fact that it only weighs 100grams - can resist up to 1400kg of force. Turning the handle at 90 degrees locks it firmly into place, with no tools required. When the job is complete, it's simply a matter of turning the handle to unlock the components and dismantle the formwork. All components are non-stick and can be easily cleaned with a pressure washer.

A simple, strong and versatile system that requires no tools, GEOPLAST looks set to change the face of concrete formwork for small to medium jobs across Australia.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

39

IPWEA NSW NEWS

STEWART MCLEOD RECEIVES ORDER OF AUSTRALIA AWARD All the staff and Board Members of IPWEA NSW would like to congratulate Stewart McLeod on being awarded The Order of Australia.

Stewart was at Dubbo City Council and Dubbo Regional Council for 37 years; not only did he go above and beyond to provide great service to local government and the community of Dubbo, he also dedicated a lot of time to IPWEA NSW. During that time, the qualified engineer rose to be director of technical services and also served on a large number of committees.

He was the chairman of the Local Emergency Management Committee (since 1998), the Rural Fire Service Standing Liaison Committee (since 2001), as well as the inaugural Local Emergency Management Officer (since 1991) until his retirement.

Stewart has been a member with us for 38 years – he helped us create the Environmental panel and then became the chair of the panel. He was also a board member and vice president of IPWEA NSW. He was a co-founder of the NSW Local Government Water Directorate and served a number of executive positions.

We would like to take this opportunity, not only to congratulate Stewart, but also to thank him for his contribution and dedication to IPWEA NSW.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS The Engineering Excellence Awards are going ahead again this year as part of the IPWEA NSW State Conference 2017 and, as always, IPWEA NSW members are invited to nominate people and projects in various categories for the awards. Nominations are judged on their merits and are not constrained by project size or council/organisation size.

IPWEA NSW Division presents the Engineering Excellence Awards each year to promote and recognise excellence of Local Government and Public Works projects. This is achieved through inspiration, innovation, development and completion of projects and technical management by members.

We had a record breaking 101 nominations last year and saw some incredible projects.

Here is an example; Auburn Town Centre Upgrade by Cumberland Council.

Auburn Town Centre has undergone a substantial $7.1M face-lift that has been planned for a number of years. In an address at the grand opening, Council’s General Manager, Mark Brisby, said that, “... the completion of the Town Centre Upgrade is a triumph for both Council and the Auburn community. The upgrade has given the Auburn community a new sense of civic pride that will last for many years to come.” (Brisby. M, 2014, Auburn).

This major project began with the development of the original concept plan in 2010 and continued through detail design, documentation and into construction. The project involved the reconstruction of the whole of the road infrastructure in the main commercial centre south of the railway line.

New footpaths were built with a high quality precast concrete paver surface. Over 90 new street trees were planted as well as significant kerb-side hedge planting to give a sense of separation between pedestrians and vehicles. Public art installations accompanied the upgraded streetscape.

Get involved in the IPWEA NSW State Conference 2017!

Here are some dates to look out for, also check our E Bulletins regularly for more information.

ACTIVITY

DATE

Award Submission Forms due

17th April 2017

Award full Project Submission due

22nd May 2017

Submission of synopsis, bio and photo due

5th June 2017

Project Inspections conducted

August 2017

IPWEA NSW Engineering Awards Gala Dinner 2017

9th November 2017

IPWEA NSW NEWS

2017 IPWEA NSW REGIONAL FORUMS The IPWEA NSW Regional Forums are entering their eighth year. These informative seminars and networking events have struck a chord with our audience.

This year, you will hear from Roads and Maritime Services and Pinpoint for the first time, as well as Boral Asphalt, Local Government Procurement, the Roads and Transport Directorate, Slashertek, Young IPWEA and more.

The Regional Forum is a state-wide program delivered to public works practitioners and is supported through a high profile program covering relevant and current issues.

The Forums are open to IPWEA NSW Members, Non-Members and all other Participants.

Please see below for date and locations.

Registration is now open, you can register at www.ipwea.org/nsw

2017 IPWEA NSW Regional Forums Locations and Dates

An on-going tradition at the Regional Forums is to do a site tour in each town.

Attendees get to experience first-hand what is happening in the local area. One of the site tours this year will take attendees to the Grong Grong Project. The Newell Highway bypass of Grong Grong is under construction and by the 27 May work crews should have completed bulk earthworks and be part way through construction of flexible pavements. Here we will get a chance to see the construction up-front while the Project Manager does a presentation on the project. You will also be able to ask questions about the Grong Grong Project.

Monday 27th February

Yamba

Wednesday 1st March

South West Rocks

Friday 3rd March

Newcastle

Monday 13th March

Canowindra

Wednesday 15th March

Bourke

Friday 17th March

Barraba

Monday 27th March

Narrandera

Wednesday 29th March

Thredbo

Friday 31st March

Wollongong

Monday 3rd April

North Sydney

Wednesday 5th April

Windsor

IPWEA NSW PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR 2017 The IPWEA NSW Professional Development Calendar 2017 is underway and offers lots of quality courses. Please see below for the next available courses running in February/March:

Contract Administration and Contract Law This program covers the administration of local government contracts and the basic elements of contract law. The program is designed for engineering, finance, administration and other managers who are involved in the decisionmaking process regarding the use of contracts and competitive tendering in their organisation, as well as design or construction staff working in the field or office.

Conduct Road Safety Audit The objective of this course is to explain the purpose and procedures followed in Road Safety Audits. The workshop works through the Austroads’ Guidelines and discusses case studies of audits already undertaken. A day audit of a selected local project is performed by delegates.

The guidelines provide practitioners and decision makers with ways to formally address road safety issues before accidents occur. They are based on the latest information available and incorporate the combined experience of

state road authorities throughout Australia, local government and Transit National.

The following are position titles that will find this course of interest; Design Engineers, Construction Engineers, NSW Police, Maintenance Engineers, Consultants, RMS personnel, Road Safety Officers and local government engineers and practitioners involved in the design, construction and maintenance of roads.

Australian Rainfall and Runoff (ARR) Many council activities require an assessment of the flood risk. The publication of a revised edition of Australian Rainfall and Runoff (ARR) has resulted in many changes in recommended approaches to the estimation of design flood magnitudes.

This seminar provides an overview of ARR and the changes in the recommended approaches to estimation of design flood magnitudes.

In this seminar, we will work through a number of key subjects, including:: 1. What is ARR and how it can be accessed; 2. Types of design flood estimation including flood frequency analysis, regional flood frequency estimation, and catchment modelling; 3. Types of flood estimation problems, including flow and volume dominated problems; 4. Access to ARR computer resources; and 5. Estimation uncertainty and how to manage the uncertainty.

This seminar will include discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches.

DATE

WORKSHOP

LOCATION

CPD HOURS

21 & 22 February

Contract Administration & Contract Law

Sydney

16

23 & 24 February

Conduct Road Safety Audit

Sydney

16

28 February

Australian Rainfall & Runoff

Regional

8

6 & 7 March

Powers & Duties of a Local Government Engineer

Sydney

16

9 & 10 March

IPWEA NSW Supervisors Workshop

Regional

16

21 & 22 March

Manage a Local Government Project

Regional

8

23 March

Emotional Resilience and Positive SelfManagement

Sydney

8

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

41

SPECIAL REPORT

BUILDING SECTOR CASH FLOW AND CAPITAL WORRIES MAR BUSINESS CONFIDENCE American Express Financial Foundations research finds one-of-three businesses struggling to access capital, worried about cash flow More than a third of Australian building and construction businesses are worried about being able to access new capital head of an uncertain financial year for the sector, according to American Express’ Financial Foundations report.

The report found 34% of industry leaders would struggle to find cash for business growth this year, despite the need for more capital becoming increasingly frequent. Some 43% of construction industry leaders said they needed to access capital monthly; with 11% looking for new funding options every week.

The stark findings were part of a mixed financial outlook for the building and construction industry. The report found 86% of sector businesses had an optimistic outlook for the coming year; however concerns about financial controls and curbed spending suggested a less optimistic picture.

Sascha Braun, Head of Corporate Finance and Loyalty Solutions, American Express said “The industry’s spending patterns during the past 12 months suggest a degree of financial caution and reflect a softening of the market. Over the coming year we expect to see organisations take longer to make major purchasing decisions and a contraction in overall market spend.”

“Sound cash flow management practices are critical during these times and organisations should limit the impact of tighter cash flow on their suppliers.”

As part of the Financial Foundations report, many building business owners said they struggled to get paid on time. Whilst a quarter of sector respondents said paying suppliers on time was an operational priority, only 34% had procedures in place to ensure this would happen.

Non-payment and delayed payment between contractors and suppliers remain some of the construction industry’s biggest challenges. According to industry data, the construction industry accounts for 22% to 24% of all Australian company insolvencies every year .

“Key for the next 12 months is how to balance aspirations and opportunities for growth with the longer term financial planning needed to respond to any potential changes in the housing and construction market.”

AUS PITS BUILDING TRUSTED SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS WITH AMERICAN EXPRESS American Express works with many companies in the sector, including Victorian precast manufacturing company Aus Pits.

As one of the country’s most respected pre-cast manufacturers, Aus Pits specialises in custom designed products for a wide range of construction projects, from small subdivisions to major road and infrastructure projects.

Ellery Collins, General Manager, Business Operations, Aus Pits said “We are operating in a business that is built firmly on relationships and trust.

The fact that we are able to give our valued suppliers more protection for their cash flow by paying them early with American Express has been a tremendous asset, not only for them but for our business.

“We have always understood that the key to our business is having a strong relationship with our local suppliers that can deliver an excellent product. We feel a responsibility to pay them early, and American Express has made the whole payment process infinitely easier for us and our suppliers.”

For more information about American Express Corporate Finance and Loyalty Solutions visit: www.americanexpress.com/au/content/ merchant/corporate-finance-and-loyalty-solutions/

BUILDING BUSINESSES STILL OPTIMISTIC FOR COMING YEAR: ROY MORGAN RESEARCH DATA

ABOUT FINANCIAL FOUNDATIONS

Despite these potential challenges construction businesses are bullish about the country’s economic outlook, with some 55% expecting positive economic conditions in the coming year - compared to 50% of businesses across all sectors according to additional Roy Morgan Research data .

“American Express works with many businesses in the building and construction industry and this research suggests our customers have a positive outlook for 2017 despite the potential challenges,” Mr Braun said.

The American Express Financial Foundations report includes two separate studies commissioned by American Express. This includes data from research by American Express undertaken with Roy Morgan in December 2016 and with RFi Group in October 2016. The Roy Morgan study included data from 710 business owners and decision makers within the Australian construction industry. The RFi research project included the views of 355 Chief Financial Officers from industries including construction, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, as well as professional services.

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.

Learn more at: americanexpress.com.au

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

43

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE Despite being white, precast manufactured

by Duggans Precast was ideal for Trinity Hill's facade. It is maintenance free and requires no paint or render.

while minimising short-term capital investment.

Sadly, the performance of new social housing developments, has been largely confined to consideration of environmental performance only, and even worse, restricted to water and energy efficiency only. Achievement of more far reaching sustainability targets, like embracing the benefits of off-site manufacture (such as high quality, minimal waste and fast construction), as well as focusing on high thermal efficiency, low life cycle impact, and long lasting, durable structures, have been minimal.

ACHIEVING REAL SUSTAINABILITY Properly sustainable social housing needs to address the needs of all three pillars of sustainability: society, the economy and the environment. In most cases this has neither been properly understood, nor delivered.

The downside of not providing sustainable and affordable social housing is large. The consequence is a society whose housing needs are mismatched with a supply of poorly designed, sometimes poorly located, low quality housing, with its tenants bearing the burden of increased running and maintenance costs, and ultimately, premature failure.

With a focus on short term gains, the result is a higher long-term capital investment in social housing. Our governments are shortchanging both current and future communities.

SOCIAL HOUSING – TIME FOR A RETHINK Not only does the provision of safe and affordable housing enable population growth, it has massive benefits for a vibrant and healthy community.

With impacts flowing through to a society’s ability to participate in education and employment, affordable housing is also a key driver in health and wellbeing.

While it’s a basic necessity, not everyone in our society enjoys the amenity of safe and affordable housing. It’s the more vulnerable in our communities who suffer. Vulnerability can come as a consequence of unemployment, youth, old age, homelessness, disability, poor mental health, domestic violence, or substance addiction. As well, our indigenous and immigrant communities can be at risk.

44

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

As populations grow and cities become more crowded, the pressure on governments to provide safe and affordable public housing is huge. For several decades and still today, the provision of social housing has been largely driven by political intent and short term outcomes. While it’s a major focus for state and territory governments, who take a leading role in funding social housing, there has been a somewhat more national approach in more recent times, with the federal government’s National Affordable Housing Agreement. Funding constraints however, are still a notable hurdle and demand of quality housing stock still far exceeds supply.

The main priorities for governments in providing social housing have been affordability

Trinity Hill's lift shaft panels tapered as they went up. Panels were angled with mitred corners in a pyramid shape and patterned with a etched circles.

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

A BROADER FOCUS Sustainable social housing needs to be more than just about affordability and water and energy efficiency. We need investment that focuses on the long term rather than acting as a short term bandaid. The real needs of the community and the economy - as well as the environment - need to be right up there on the agenda.

So what does that mean?

Simply, social housing structures must be designed to be adaptable to meet the needs of all of the vulnerable people in our community.

Its construction needs to be fast and safe, using local and recycled materials and supporting local businesses (not built using imported product), with minimal disruption to the surrounding community and generating minimal waste. It must deliver high quality, long lasting and durable results that are fire safe, rodent proof and flood proof. It should offer security to occupants, as well as good

thermal and acoustic performance to minimise operational costs. And it must not emit fumes if it burns. Most importantly, it must stand the test of time and be relatively maintenance free.

Internationally, there is some recognition of this. An evaluation framework that integrates project management and sustainability indicators has been developed, where all three facets of sustainability are evaluated. There is also a discussion around construction-based productivity which measures output around capacity, energy, operations and maintenance, disruption, risk, comfort, and quality. Increasingly around the world, we are seeing a small handful of governments breaking the mould to tackle the sustainable housing challenge in a holistic manner. While affordability is still high on the agenda, a modern, innovative approach involves delivering solutions that embrace the full spectrum of sustainability.

SHOWCASING: TRINITY HILL Committed to providing quality, sustainable services for Tasmanians on low incomes who are, or may become, homeless, Tasmania’s Department

of Health and Human Services has embraced the full breadth of sustainable housing. North Hobart’s $14.2 million Trinity Hill development provides independent and supported living for 46 young people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or those who have a disability. With access to training, meeting and computer rooms, a library and gym, the focus for tenants is on employment, education/training and developing young people’s living skills. As well, the project has created over 100 direct and indirect jobs and injected around $34 million into the economy.

Designed and constructed using thermally and acoustically efficient precast concrete manufactured by Duggans Precast, Trinity Hill is proving to be a huge success. It has broken the mould of traditional social housing and actually enhances the local area with its striking design.

Trinity Hill is an investment in now and in the future. It will stand the test of time, with its offwhite façade being robust and durable, fire and termite safe, long lasting and maintenance free.

And importantly, it is providing a safe and secure living and learning environment for Tasmania’s young people for years to come.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

45

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

BRIDGE TO WEATHER ANY STORM… KEEPING COMMUNITIES CONNECTED PROJECT: Poor Man's Gully Bridge, QLD PRECASTER: Stresscrete CONTRACTOR: RoadTek ENGINEER: GHD CLIENT: Queensland Department of Transport

and Main Roads

When a deluge of rain caused flooding on a major highway in Central Queensland in late 2014, authorities knew they had to act quickly. Bad damage to Poor Man’s Gully Bridge on the crucial Burnett Highway impacted the route from Biloela, heading south to Thangool. The solution was a replacement bridge in precast, designed to withstand flood waters, and ensure the Burnett Highway remains open through severe weather events.

INSITU REDESIGNED TO PRECAST FOR SPEEDY SOLUTION Precast concrete manufacturer and National Precast member Stresscrete was contracted to supply a single span bridge by Roadtek, the commercial 46

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

business within the Department of Transport and Main Roads which provides transport infrastructure throughout Queensland. Based in Rockhampton and with more than 20 years’ experience in manufacturing an extensive range of precast concrete elements, the company was ideally placed to partner with the project team to ensure a fast solution.

Stresscrete owner and manager Craig Zinn says although it was a small project, it was an important one. “A collaboration of people including our client, the bridge builder, the design engineer and our team worked together with minimal time to quickly redesign insitu works to precast, “ Mr Zinn said. “This included discussing and resolving various construction issues as the design progressed through each stage”, said Mr Zinn.

Stresscrete prides itself in its commitment to delivering quality products on time and this bridge was no exception. Prestressed piles and deck units, lower abutment blocks and abutments, lower wing wall blocks and wing walls were manufactured for the bridge. Mr Zinn says the piles and deck units were cast in the factory’s in-line stressing bed, while all remaining precast was manufactured using traditional methods utilising timber formwork. But it was a project that required some innovative thinking.

“Purpose built blockouts were cast into the abutments and lower abutment blocks and later removed, to accommodate the piles. The inner surfaces of these blockouts were then green-cut to accommodate a construction joint with the piles using small amounts of insitu concrete to structurally lock the piles to the abutments”.

FAST, SAFE, ECONOMICAL HIGH QUALITY SOLUTION Mr Zinn says precast was the best solution for such a time sensitive project.

“The time saving was significant for such a small project, but saving time was essential because this was a project that had to be fast tracked”.

“Our client preferred to minimise the amount of insitu works for ease of construction, better on-site safety with less on-site labour and to save construction time. All that ultimately reduced on-site costs.”

As well, the advantages of off-site casting in a controlled environment with a quality manufacturer were also a priority.

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

NATIONAL PRECAST PARTNERS WITH DAYTON SUPERIOR Dayton Superior Corporation, a global industry leader in providing engineered product solutions for the non-residential concrete construction market, has joined forces with National Precast Association as the Association’s latest Industry Partner member.

According to Sarah Bachmann, National Precast CEO, Dayton joins a growing list of sector-exclusive Industry Partners, as it has been appointed Industry Partner for chemical products.

“Industry Partner is a relatively new way for reputable companies which supply the precast sector to show their commitment to the industry.

“It offers exclusivity for their chosen product sector within the Industry Partner category – in this case, chemicals - and allows them to collaborate with us to position themselves as market leaders,” said Ms Bachmann.

Prior to the company establishing a local office, Dayton Superior had established

recognition in Australia, particularly within the precast market, for their portfolio of high performance chemical products. A number of Australian precasters source Dayton Superior chemical products direct from North America, particularly the company’s form release, bond breakers, cementitious powders and epoxy products.

“We are proud to be appointed as the chemical partner for National Precast,” stated Brent Poll, Managing Director for Dayton Superior in Australia. “We look forward to taking an active role in sharing our knowledge and commitment to innovation to drive continued progress in Australia’s vibrant precast industry.

ABOUT DAYTON SUPERIOR CORPORATION Dayton Superior Corporation is a leading provider of accessories, chemicals, forming, shoring and paving product solutions within the non-residential concrete construction industry. Serving the industry for over ninety years, the company’s portfolio includes over 17,000 standard, in-stock SKUs, 13 U.S. manufacturing facilities and a network of 15 distribution centres located in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Australia and China, allowing Dayton Superior to serve customers as a single source provider of world class products and services.

Dayton Superior products are found on many of the world’s most prominent civil infrastructure, institutional and commercial construction projects. The company is committed to providing the ever-evolving concrete construction industry with product solutions that Perform with Precision. This is accomplished through advanced engineering technology at the Dayton Superior Innovation Centre, where products are developed from concept to launch at an industry leading pace. For more information, visit: www.daytonsuperior.com

Stresscrete has been leading the way in the manufacture and supply of precast and prestressed concrete products for over 20 years.

At Stresscrete, we pride ourselves on the delivery of a quality product on time. With our expertise and experience, we can offer a selection of innovative precast and prestressed concrete solutions for your project, whether at tender stage or project delivery.

CIVIL • MARINE • MINING • CONSTRUCTION

www.stresscrete.com.au

T: (07) 4936 1766

E: craig@stresscrete.com.au

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

47

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

NEW TECHNOLOGY DELIVERS SPEED AND QUALITY PROJECT: Mitchell Freeway, WA PRECAST MANUFACTURER: PERMAcast BUILDER: CPG Contractors ENGINEERS: GHD CLIENT: Main Roads Western Australia Western Australian precast concrete manufacturer and National Precast member PERMAcast has made a multi-million dollar investment for a major roads project in Western Australia. The company was contracted to manufacture beams for the construction of four bridges as part of Main Roads Western Australia’s Mitchell Freeway extension, in Perth’s northern suburbs. To ensure the beams were manufactured to the highest standards and delivered on time, the company invested in a new hightech stressing bed.

A BEAM A DAY DELIVERED JUST IN TIME The Mitchell Freeway project required 54 beams of varying sizes. The largest was 25 metres long, 5.5 metres wide and weighed 100 tonnes.

One beam was cast every day in the new cutting edge stressing bed – an impressive output for the precaster. “There were quite strict specifications in regards to temperature control for this project, which we managed successfully with our new equipment”.

To accommodate the public rail network which had to be temporarily shut down, many of the beams were installed overnight. Delivery of the beams had to be just in time, with no room for error. The company’s large storage facility was used to hold up to 25 of the large beams at a time, each of which was delivered right before installation was required.

Adhering to strict curfews, the beams were safely transported 80 kilometres using escorted special hydraulic trailers.

“It was high pressure to meet delivery. Our success came down to a committed and highly skilled team who all knew the end goal and we worked together to achieve it”, explained Mr Ferarro.

STRESSING BED FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

ALTERNATIVE CONTINUOUS BEAM DESIGN FOR 100 YEAR BEAMS

According to PERMAcast’s Managing Director Alberto Ferraro, the company wanted to extend its capabilities for this high demand project and to cater for future jobs as well. “During the project we designed, fabricated and installed a new state-of-the-art 3,000 tonne stressing bed,” said Mr Ferraro. “Over the next few years there are a large number of bridge projects in WA and we want to be in the best position for those potential projects in the future,” he said.

As well as the tight time frame, the beams were also complicated. “The designers came up with an alternative continuous beam design. It entailed a detailed connection and was quite complex. It had its challenges at times, but we managed them well,” according to Mr Ferraro.

“The bridge beams are designed to last at least 100 years and we had to ensure they are produced to meet that expectation. We know we’ve achieved that, which is extremely satisfying”.

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

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NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

PRECAST TOWERS AT BARANGAROO… Transforming Sydney’s Waterfront PROJECT: Barangaroo South Tower Two, NSW PRECASTER: Hanson Precast BUILDER: Lend Lease ARCHITECT: RSHP Australia ENGINEER: Arup/Lend Lease Design Structures The Barangaroo Precinct is a large scale development on the waterfront of Sydney Harbour. The renewal of 22 hectares of a former container wharf with state of the art commercial, residential and lifestyle facilities, has transformed an otherwise neglected part of the city’s CBD. Barangaroo South with its three office towers - International Towers Sydney – stand tall in the precinct’s skyline. Each of the three towers has been designed with its own identity. Described by the architects as “sibling towers”, they exhibit both diversity and individuality in design inside and out.

The towers sit on their own three-storey podium with each tower exhibiting an individual character for easy recognition at the street level.

A different precast concrete solution was easily chosen for each podium because of the vast array of complex finishes that can be achieved with precast concrete. Precast allows works to progress on a number of fronts to deliver construction efficiencies and this project was no exception.

The erection of the column cladding panels- a combination of large L-shaped and flat panels- demanded a very detailed and precise erection design approach by Hanson. Concealed fixings were used to eliminate any 50

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

potentially unsightly post patching with uniform panel joints also a must. To satisfy both of these requirements a dual crane lift was adopted to erect and fix each panel from the delivery vehicles.

ARCHITECTURAL PANELS THAT SPARKLE National Precast member Hanson Precast produced and erected custommanufactured architectural cladding panels for Barangaroo South’s Tower Two. More than 300 precast cladding panels were manufactured at the company’s Riverstone factory, which specialises in manufacturing architectural precast walls and structural precast concrete elements. In this particular instance, Hanson used its investment in automated finishing technology that enables unlimited finishes, shapes and forms to manufacture the precast.

Manufacturing panels for Tower Two was all about achieving the architects’ request for a finish that emulated a similar result on a project in London. Hanson’s team was up for the challenge. The company’s Senior Engineer Nagesh Kanapathy says this was a project that took time and precision, particularly when it came to the finish on the product.

“It was a long winded process, trialling mix designs and samples, to try to emulate the finish and the colour for the architects,” Mr Kanapathy said. The starting point for the desired finish was a very small sample of the intended result supplied by the architects. To match it was a detailed, time-consuming and dedicated process. “We had to use local sources for the aggregates, make and cure the many trial samples and arrange a few visits by the architects. To get it right all trial samples were viewed against the design sample at different angles in contrasting light conditions”. That process took more than four months but was worth the effort.

The end product is a stunning precast architectural facade.

The result, according to Mr Kanapathy, is spectacular and varies depending on the viewer’s vantage point. “When you look at the panels from different angles, you see either white or black specks on the finish”.

The panels not only needed to look decorative, but they also needed to last. As well as looking spectacular, the façade is one that is both durable and low maintenance.

Powering a Sustainable Future

FUTURE OF FURNITURE This project also highlights the versatility of precast. As well as cladding, Hanson manufactured precast concrete furniture, supplying benches for the food court and outside on the footpath. Precast furniture has been increasing in popularity as more design and building companies realise its benefits. Precast is ideal material for furniture because of its durability and robustness.

VISION FOR WATERFRONT DISTRICT This project has been benchmarked against some of the best office developments in the world – including projects in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. Hanson’s involvement is testament to the company’s reputation for expertise, quality and precast solutions.

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51

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

whole thing up in three dimensions to get the shapes and panels right and then had to produce drawings for the team on the factory floor so they could get their head around it,” said Mr Combes.

The structure consists of sloping angular wall panels with multi-plane precast roof panels. The Duggans factory produced nine panels of various sizes. The formwork was unique for each precast element and was fabricated from steel plates and form-ply on steel and timber framework. Almost all the edges of the panels were bevelled. The external finish is coloured, exposed aggregate with an anti-graffiti sealer applied. The sealer ensures the concrete is protected and makes the amenities block easier to clean.

AN UNREAL RESULT

ARCHITECTURAL AMENITIES PRECAST MANUFACTURER: Duggans Precast

relocated closer to the playground where there is improved passive surveillance. It will more fully cater for the Park’s patrons and will meet modern Australian Standards, including provision of equal access.

BUILDER: Hutchinson Builders

PRECAST GEOMETRY

PROJECT: Battery Point Amenities, TAS

ENGINEER: Aldanmark ARCHITECT: Terrior CLIENT: City of Hobart Public amenities’ blocks are not usually renowned for their architectural features, but a new block in Hobart looks likely to change that. In the heart of Hobart’s Battery Point, Princes Park is known by local families for its popular boatthemed playground.

As part of the City of Hobart’s Public Toilet Strategy 2015-2025, the existing aged amenities’ facility has been replaced with a robust new structure comprising retaining walls, wall panels and a roof, all manufactured using precast concrete.

Designed with best practice Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principals, the facility has been 52

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

Huon Valley precast manufacturer and National Precast member Duggans was contracted to manufacture the elements for this project.

According to Scott Combes, the company’s Project Manager and Estimator, many precast firms opted not to consider the project because of the high degree of difficulty.

“It was a challenge, particularly the geometry of it. The architect had a few twodimensional drawings. We had to model the

Mr Combes says the complexities of the project made it all the more satisfying for his team. “It was very stressful at the time because of the nature of the work and the time constraints, but it looked unreal when it came together,” Mr Combes said. Due to the complicated nature of the shapes, Mr Combes explained the shop drawings “did the rounds” for several weeks.

Once the design details were resolved, there were only a couple of weeks on the project timeline to actually manufacture the walls. The team worked together to ensure the final product was high quality and fulfilled the vision and expectations of the architect.

ERECTED IN A DAY One of the significant advantages of precast concrete construction is the speed of a build. This project was a great example of that time saving, with the toilet block erected in just one day.

Mr Combes says precast was the obvious choice for this ambitious design.

“The architect had a vision and precast was the only option to make it practical”. The result speaks for itself - a unique amenities block that is not only practical but also aesthetically interesting. The amenities block is sure to turn heads.

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NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

MASSIVE SUSTAINABILITY BENEFITS ON OFFER FROM PRECAST FLOORING Properly sustainable buildings should deliver not just positive environmental impacts, but economic and social benefits as well. Given the increasing call for more use of prefabrication in construction coupled with the sustainability benefits of precast concrete flooring, it is surprising that the building industry in Australia has not yet fully embraced precast flooring to the same degree of acceptance seen elsewhere in the developed world.

Off-site manufacture offers unrivalled opportunities to improve efficiencies in construction and precast flooring systems can add significant efficiency to a project. And when incorporated into a precast skeletal frame with precast walling, lift shafts and stairs, precast flooring’s efficient off-site manufacturing process coupled with on-site benefits during construction and ongoing lifecycle costing benefits for building owners and occupiers, precast flooring delivers truly sustainable results to a project. Let’s take a look at the benefits during manufacture, construction and occupancy.

BENEFITS FROM BEING MANUFACTURED OFF SITE Like other highly evolved manufacturing sectors, precast flooring manufacture is designed to safely and efficiently produce high quality, long life products in the shortest possible time frame.

Because of the highly efficient manufacturing process it uses less materials; the dematerialisation benefits of precast flooring is a very significant sustainability advantage that is often over-looked.

Adoption of lean production methods in a safe, controlled environment, together with reuseable steel casting beds results in a superior quality product with minimal production waste. It is estimated that efficient off-site manufacturing processes produce only 2% waste materials, of which 95% can be recycled.

And in terms of embedded energy, the manufacture of precast flooring typically uses less energy than that required for structural steel frame systems.

Melbourne Water's Headquarters: a 6 Green Star total precast building using Hollow Core Concrete's Hollowcore flooring.

BENEFITS ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITE On site, just-in-time delivery allows the speedy erection of precast floors, requiring minimal or no propping and offering an immediate working platform for follow-on trades. Dimensionally exact elements are delivered from local precast manufacturers to the construction site, which not only supports local industry but also delivers an environmental benefit in the form of minimal

WHAT SYSTEMS ARE AVAILABLE? Beam-and-infill flooring, often referred to as Ultrafloor. This system comprises inverted prestressed T-section beams of up to 250mm depth capable of spanning up to 12m which are infilled with fibre cement or metal infill sheets and topped with concrete. The soffit can be left exposed or covered to conceal services.

Ultrafloor uses prestressed precast beams that are infilled and topped.

BubbleDeck flooring – a twoway hollow-body reinforced slab where recycled plastic ‘bubbles’ replace concrete, providing another lightweight flooring solution with up to 35% reduction in dead weight. Floor thicknesses of between 230 and 450mm can span up to 15m. The soffit can also be left exposed with a clear span appearance.

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BubbleDeck flooring offers a fast, lighter weight flooring solution.

Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

TermoDeck offers an energy efficient heating and cooling system using the cores of hollowcore flooring.

Solid reinforced slabs or lattice girder flooring – more often known as Austral Deck, Transfloor or Humeslab – is generally available in widths of up to 2500mm and spans up to 10m. Acting as permanent formwork, the partial precast concrete slabs with projecting steel ‘lattice girders’ are topped with concrete.

To reduce the amount of concrete and minimise final slab weight, polystyrene void formers can be used.

Hollowcore flooring is prestressed precast concrete planks, generally 1200mm wide and between 100 and 400mm thick, which have hollow cores along their length. Hollowcore can be topped with concrete or left untopped, depending on application. It provides lighter weights, spans up to 18m, and services can be run along the cores inside the floors.

Solid reinforced slabs or lattice girder flooring is otherwise known as Transfloor, Austral Deck and Humeslab.

All of these flooring solutions are available Australia-wide from National Precast members.

Use the Find a Precaster tool at www.nationalprecast.com.au to find a supplier.

41X: a 5 Green Star precast building using BubbleDeck flooring from Euro Precast

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

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NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

more durable structures that need minimal or no ongoing maintenance. Precast floors are structurally efficient, offering longer spans at a lighter weight. Thinner sections combined with the need for fewer columns and/or load bearing walls offer more lettable space and make for adaptable interiors with large, open spaces.

The high quality and thermal mass of precast floors are capable of delivering further benefits for building owners. In the case of hollowcore, systems like TermoDeckTM can be used to deliver energy efficient low cost heating and cooling using the high thermal mass to regulate and maintain air temperature.

PRECAST FLOORING IN ACTION: MELBOURNE WATER'S HQ waste and cost savings from otherwise costly rubbish disposal. Less debris and activity on site also makes for safer construction sites, and the reduced dust, noise and construction time is a bonus for neighbouring properties.

THE LEGACY What ensues with precast structures and in particular, precast flooring, are longer lasting,

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Construction Engineering Australia • February 2017

Melbourne Water’s Headquarters is located in Melbourne’s burgeoning Digital Harbour precinct at Dockside, a mixed use, high tech neighbourhood that is linked by green recreational spaces. Digital Harbour buildings exemplify Australian and World Best Practice Ecologically Sustainable Development. Part of the Digital Harbour design philosophy is to not only provide green buildings, but adaptable structures as well. As a result, Melbourne Water’s headquarters not only had to meet all of

the requirements of a 6 Green Star rated building but it had to provide clear, open spaces for future flexibility.

Melbourne Water’s Headquarters has utilised many different precast design solutions to provide a remarkable building. Built safely, and to budget, it took only 8 months to build using precast beams, columns, solid slabs and 20,000m2 of hollowcore flooring supplied

by National Precast member Hollow Core Concrete. The project is a stunning example of the flexibility of precast concrete as a building material, used to deliver a truly sustainable outcome.

PRECAST IN ACTION: 41X Another example of sustainability in Melbourne is the Victorian home for the Australian Institute of Architects. Located in bustling Exhibition Street, 41X is a lean twentytwo-storey tower with a small 285m2 footprint.

Featuring striking geometric precast wall panels, precast columns and precast BubbleDeck flooring produced by National Precast member Euro Precast, 41X is the first strata titled commercial office building to target carbon neutrality over its thirty-year operating cycle and has achieved 5-Star Green Star and 5-Star NABERS Energy (base building) ratings.

ACRS - The Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels Ltd

Worried that your past might come back to haunt you?

In today’s environment, it is simply not enough to think that just because steel has been ordered to an Australian or New Zealand Standard that the delivered product will automatically conform with that Standard.

Together with the increased risk of structural failure and serious health and safety ramifications - in these days of widespread litigation and strict ‘chain of responsibility’ legislation, using materials that don't conform with all of the relevant Standards can spell disaster for engineers, specifiers, suppliers, builders and contractors in more ways than one.

ACRS certification demonstrates independently and expertly that the supplier consistently meets the Standards stated on the certificate - giving you peace of mind and reducing the risk that 'your past might come back to haunt you'.

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2017 Hawkesbury sHowground • May 17-18, 2017

AliA’s Austrmier pre ucture str infrA expo

Come and see what all the talk is about. CIVENEX 2017 is Australia’s premier infrastructure expo.

As a visitor, you’ll see live demonstrations and the latest innovations, road and safety seminars and more.

As an exhibitor, you’ll be marketing your products to decisionmakers and experts in their fields.

For further information on visiting or exhibiting at CIVENEX 2017, please contact Scott Leighton: • Email: civenex@ipwea.org • Ph: 02 8267 3005

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