Construction Engineering Australia V4.06 Dec 2018/Jan 2019

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CONCRETE INSTITUTE of

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CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AUSTRALIA DEC 2018/JAN 2019

V4.06

Progress Through Knowledge

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Editorial

ABN 85 007 693 138 PO Box 510, Broadford Victoria 3658 Australia Phone: 1300 EPC GROUP (1300 372 476) Int’l: +61 3 5784 3438 Fax: +61 3 5784 2210 www.epcgroup.com

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Industry News

Publisher and Managing Editor Anthony T Schmidt Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0414 788 900 Email: ats@epcgroup.com

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Business Development Manager Lawrence Whiter Mobile: 0418 543 821 Email: lawrencewhiter@bigpond.com

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Concrete Institute News

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Product Focus

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National Advertising Sales Manager Yuri Mamistvalov Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0419 339 865 Email: yuri@epcgroup.com Advertising Sales - SA Jodie Gaffney - AmAgo Mobile: 0439 749 993 Email: jodie@amago.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 ©2018 - EPC Media Group

CIRCULATION 12400 Registered by Australia Post Publication No. 100001889

ISSN 2204-7247

DEC 2018/JAN 2019 Volume 4 Number 6

10 Security and Access Cover Feature: Progress Through

4

Knowledge

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20 Fleet Maintenance 22 Equipment Focus 26 Modular Construction 30 IPWEA NSW News 36 Case Study: OLI Vibrators LCRP

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38 National Precast Feature 48 Precast Technology 52 ACA Corrosion Feature

48 About the Cover Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Dubai Creek Observation Tower was featured in Dr Andy Davids’ plenary paper entitled “The Art and Science of Designing and Building the Tallest Buildings in the World” at the recent 5th fib Congress, which was hosted by the Concrete Institute of Australia in Melbourne. Andy’s presentation provided a valuable insight into what it takes to inspire some of the most incredible buildings around the world.

Artist impression courtesy Dubai Creek Tower / Emaar Properties

Turn to Page 12 for the full story.

EDITORS COLUMN

Time to Get Tough...

How much are we going to spend before we clamp down on vandalism?

Dear Readers, Considering the amount of time and resources that have been invested in graffiti prevention programs over recent decades, I must admit to being more than just a little disappointed that graffiti vandalism is still so rampant throughout Australia. From our major cities through to rural and regional cities and towns, it seems that it has got to the point where no solid surface is immune, and no area is safe from the scourge of graffiti vandalism. And I use the term ‘scourge’ not for journalistic sensationalism, rather than because I truly believe that it is apt description of the problem.

Importantly, before I continue, I would like to clarify that I do understand the difference between graffiti vandalism and ‘street art’. Indeed, many inner-city laneways (in Melbourne in particular) are adorned with ‘legally applied’ street art – much of which is quite magnificent and truly artistic.

When I refer to ‘graffiti vandalism’, I am referring to is illegally applied graffiti, particularly the mindless application of tags to practically any and/or every available surface – a crass and destructive act of vandalism by any measure. One only has to look to any major infrastructure project to see the extent to which almost every available surface is covered with tags or randomly vandalised in some other manner. For those of you who are familiar 2

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

with ‘Melbourne Gateway Footbridge’ on the Craigieburn Bypass (pictured above), it provides an ideal example.

Graffiti continues to be one of the most expensive and time-consuming public maintenance issues facing councils, householders, government authorities and private sector companies today.

Even though a number of Australian councils and state-based authorities have had significant success in reducing the incidence of graffiti (generally through costly, on-going programs of rapid removal and repair), it’s a sad fact that even for these councils, removing graffiti and repairing graffiti-related damage continues to be a day-to-day battle.

Unfortunately, while we may have come a long way in some areas of graffiti management, I believe that one of the main reasons that we continue to suffer at the hands of graffiti vandals is that we, as a society, have failed to address some of the core issues surrounding graffiti. In addition to problems caused by easy access to spray paints, large format permanent markers, and other graffiti ‘tools of choice’, we are yet to attach any real penalties to graffiti vandalism.

As such, I believe that graffiti vandalism continues to be viewed by many of the perpetrators as a simple case of ‘No Consequence - No Regrets’.

With that in mind, I believe the time has come to attach some real and, perhaps

most importantly, significant penalties to the crime of graffiti vandalism. And I’m not thinking of fines and/or incarceration…

I’m thinking of repair, restoration and where applicable, reparation – all backed up by a genuine ‘zero tolerance’ approach to graffiti vandalism that converts ‘tags’ to little more than a handy method of identifying and prosecuting offenders.

Importantly, for those who might like to suggest that a ‘work gang’ mentality is not appropriate, I’m not suggesting we ‘chain ‘em up and put ‘em to work’, I’m merely suggesting that we utilise the offenders as a working resource to fix their mess – rather than having someone else doing it.

Granted, changes in law, policing operations, prosecutions, courts and monitoring offenders to ensure they actually do the repair work all carry a significant cost; however, when one considers the time, cost and resources currently allocated to removing graffiti and repairing the associated damage, the cost benefits of a ‘zero tolerance’ approach are easy to justify.

Anthony T Schmidt Managing Editor

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INDUSTRY NEWS

HOME WARRANTY ASSURANCE AUSTRALIA (HWAA) LAUNCHES IN RESPONSE TO NSW GOVERNMENT CALL FOR FIT-FOR-PURPOSE SCHEME Exclusive Expert Builders program pre-applications now open.

In what is certain to have a major impact on the NSW building industry, from January 2019 Home Warranty Assurance Australia (HWAA) will become the first public unlisted company outside iCare to offer Home Building Compensation products to NSW builders and Trade contractors.

Founded by experienced NSW builders and backed by private capital providers, HWAA was created in response to a call from the NSW Government for a fairer, more efficient and financially sustainable Warranty Scheme for NSW builders and home owners. At the centre of HWAA’s operations is a unique composition of indepth skills in areas of credit risk, capital markets, building and construction, and home warranty.

Mr. Greg Smith, Director Distribution and Group Chief Operating Officer commented: “HWAA is founded with experienced builders in our centre, so we know firsthand the pain builders have been going through just to be able to do what they do best. Our vision is a completely fresh approach that will reduce the cost, hassle and red tape of Home Building Compensation Cover.”

“We believe that the current scheme is financially unsustainable, and HWAA’s existence is a tangible example of a group of highly experienced stakeholders banding together to create a positive, effective solution for both builders and homeowners in NSW,” he added.

HWAA Expert Builders Program: pre-eligibility reviews now open While HWAA intends to officially commence operations in January 2019, the company is now inviting NSW builders to apply for the exclusive, limited capacity HWAA Expert Builders Program.

This unique, exclusive initiative has limited capacity and is designed to attract builders with the highest standards of service.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

Ultimately, it will reward well-established, lower risk building operators with lower premiums, faster turnaround times and more adequate ‘open job values’ and ‘open job numbers’.

“We recognise builders are professional, committed experts,” Mr. Smith explained.

“Our Expert Builders Program is in essence a “by invitation only” program with limited participation numbers for experienced, well established and low risk building operators, that comes with remarkable benefits including premium discounts of up to 40 per cent for builders considered to be low risk operators, and 50 per cent warranty limit increases.”

“We also have a dedicated service team, and can make faster decisions - in minutes, not hours - by having access to our stateof-the-art Artificial Intelligence Chatbot called HUGO. We’re encouraging NSW builders to act now and avoid missing their chance to join this exclusive program,” Mr Smith concluded.

Speaking about the new HWAA Expert Builders Program Andrew Manson, Managing Director of multi award-winning builder Barrington Homes – the first participants in the Program – said: “We are glad to see a new provider in the market and extremely proud to be the first participant in the Program.”

For general information about HWAA call 1300 992 924, email service@hwaa.com.au or visit hwaa.com.au For HWAA Expert Builders Program applications and enquiries, please phone: 1300 017 179, email: Service.EBP@hwaa. com.au or visit: www.hwaa.com.au/apply

HWAA Director Distribution and Group Chief Operating Officer, Greg Smith.

ADELAIDE CONTRACTOR WINS NATIONAL TOP BUILDING AWARD Adelaide contractor, Bianco Precast, has taken out one of the nation’s highest building accolades, National Specialist Contractor of the Year at the National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards held during November.

The award recognises their world-class work on their Darlington Upgrade – bridge over Southern Expressway project as one of the best in building and construction across the country in 2018.

The installation of the first of eight bridges is part of the SA Government’s $620 million Darlington Upgrade Project.

In an Australian-first for a civil construction project of this scale, the ‘off-line’ methodology of bridge construction has been used for these structures involving the 3,000 tonne bridges being constructed off-site and then transported and lifted into place using self-propelled modular transporters.

Three of Adelaide’s busiest intersections are located within the Darlington Upgrade Project site with the new bridges improving traffic flow and reducing travel times for vehicles.

The installation of the first bridge was successfully completed well ahead of schedule - installation began on a Friday night and the bridge reached its final position across the Southern Expressway on Sunday morning. Building the bridge off-site and then moving it into its final position removed the need for multiple closures of parts of the Southern Expressway and Main South Road.

According to Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia, innovation and attention to detail set Bianco Precast apart in this category.

“The client could not speak highly enough of Bianco Precast and their commitment to detail. The sheer size of each precast panel and how they were placed together on this bridge took absolute precision,” Denita Wawn said.

“The workmanship by Bianco Precast on the Darlington Bridge upgrade could not be faulted,” Ian Markos, Chief Executive Officer of Master Builders South Australia said.

FIELDERS SLIMFLOR IS RESHAPING STEEL BUILDING DESIGN ®

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The SlimDek 210™ profile and ASB steel sections are constructed in plane with the steel decking supported on the bottom flange of the steel beam providing a floor depth construction zone much less than conventional down-stand beam construction. The deep ribs of the SlimDek 210™ decking provide a zone for the running of services.

Fielders SlimFlor® ‘in plane’ flooring system has the potential to significantly reshape steel frame and formwork construction in multi-story building applications. > REDUCED FLOOR CONSTRUCTION DEPTH > LONG SPANNING SLIMDEK 210™ DECKING > INCREASED SPEED OF CONSTRUCTION SlimFlor® not only delivers the intrinsic benefits of steel frame construction, but the optimised 290mm floor construction depth allows an additional ‘free floor’ compared to traditional steel frame design in the same building height for every 10 floors constructed.

This means more tenant area for lease, reduced facade cost, reduced construction time, and less materials, labour and waste on site.

The SlimFlor® system has shown to reduce construction time by up to 20% in multi-story applications. The speed of erection of the steel frame solution using SlimFlor® over the traditional concrete frame building leads to significant revenue advantages for the client through earlier tenancies.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

NEW PARTNERSHIP SET TO SUPPORT GOOD MENTAL HEALTH ON CONSTRUCTION SITES A new partnership between the Black Dog Institute and Target Tradies is set to deliver widespread mental health messages to construction workers.

Through Target Tradies' access to Australian construction sites, along with the Black Dog Institute's ground-breaking research into mental health, the partnership will see positive mental health messaging being rolled out across Australian construction sites.

Research has shown, compared to other industries, those in construction are at a higher risk of experiencing mental health problems.

Under the partnership, a series of creative posters will give construction workers pragmatic, useful, and relevant tips on how to support mental health. The aim is to help make thinking about mental health as normal as thinking about physical health and safety on site.

The posters also ask readers to ‘mind your mates’, in a bid to reduce stigma and to get readers to support their colleague's mental health, as well as their own.

"We know that people in the construction industry have a strong culture of safety, and looking out for their mates," says Black Dog Institute research fellow Dr Mark Deady.

"We wanted to extend that way of thinking to mental health - knowing what the danger signs are, and either being there to help out a mate, or knowing where to seek help for yourself.”

The posters are bold and attract attention, using a play on words like ‘stressed and can’t nail it?’ to make the signs and symptoms of mental illness relatable and quickly understood.

Target Tradies founder Michael Blumberg says he and the company are excited to share the engaging messages across their construction sites.

"As a company, we are committed to improving awareness of physical and mental wellbeing of workers onsite. We hope that through campaigns like this, more in the industry will see how we can improve onsite safety and come on board with this great initiative.”

“We've have backed this with support and sponsorship of The Black Dog Institute since the beginning of 2018.

“Our media is uniquely placed within the construction sites, specifically in dwell spaces. Here tradies have the opportunity to read messages and hopefully act on them."

The new campaign is set to roll out later this month.

Construction companies who would like to get involved and support the initiative can enquire at: www.targettradies.com.au

TECHNOLOGIST PROSECUTED FOR PRACTISING WHILE UNREGISTERED A technologist has been prosecuted for carrying out professional engineering services while unregistered.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

Queensland’s Professional Engineers Act 2002 (PE Act) requires that any person providing a professional engineering service in Queensland or for Queensland is registered as, or directly supervised by, a registered professional engineer of Queensland (RPEQ).

The Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland (BPEQ) brought two charges against the offender under section 115(1) of the PE Act. The offender was not, nor has ever been a RPEQ. The court heard that the offender carried out professional engineering services while unregistered for a project in North Queensland. The offences were brought to BPEQ’s attention after the building company who received the compliance certificate (Form 15) for the project checked the technologist’s registered status.

BPEQ acknowledged that there were no failures or safety concerns associated with the professional engineering services carried out by the offender. However, there is a clear public interest in ensuring that the requirement to be registered and the standards required to become registered

are enforced to guard against potential risks to public safety.

The offender cooperated with BPEQ’s investigation and entered a plea of guilty to both charges.

In sentencing the offender, the Magistrate considered the nature and seriousness of the offences, the offender’s personal circumstances and the need for general deterrence. The Magistrate imposed a penalty of $5,000 for both offences and ordered that the offender pay an additional $6,000 for legal costs incurred.

To obtain registration as a RPEQ, engineers must meet strict qualification (a four-year undergraduate engineering degree) and competency requirements.

Technologists are, generally, unable to obtain RPEQ status without undertaking further study to achieve equivalence with the qualification requirements.

The registered status of all RPEQs is kept by BPEQ on its register, available at www.bpeq.qld.gov.au. If a person’s name does not appear on the register, that means they are not registered to practise as an engineer.

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INDUSTRY NEWS Artist’s impression of the Sydney Modern Project.

Produced by Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA

ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES FIRST PUBLIC ART MUSEUM TO ACHIEVE 6 STAR GREEN STAR - DESIGN RATING The growing importance of embedding holistic sustainability in our public infrastructure has been illustrated by the Art Gallery of NSW, which has achieved a 6 Star Green Star – Design review rating for its expansion, the Sydney Modern Project.

This means the Gallery is the first public art museum in the nation to achieve the Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA) highest environmental standard for design, exceeding its original five-star goal.

Sustainability initiatives include rainwater harvesting, extensive solar panels and a seawater heat exchange system for airconditioning. There is also a significant focus on place, incorporating large areas of public outdoor green space.

GBCA CEO Romilly Madew congratulated the Gallery for its outstanding achievement, which reflected its commitment to creating and supporting sustainable communities.

She said the Sydney Modern Project illustrated the increasing application of Green Star in social and community infrastructure and the important role sustainable public space plays in defining our cultural identity.

“This vibrant space will set a new standard for what cultural precincts can and should be – engaging, innovative and sustainable,” Ms Madew said.

“The Gallery’s new building has been designed with thought and sophistication, displaying a modernity that will blend seamlessly with its historic surrounds and Sydney’s urban landscape.

“Of particular note is the dedicated vision of ensuring this gallery is truly a ‘public’ space, incorporating large areas of open green field, with close to two-thirds of the site remaining accessible 24/7.

“The Art Gallery of NSW provides a blueprint of excellence for other public arts spaces to follow, illustrating how, 8

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

through sustainable design, architectural and cultural landmarks can be created that inspire in myriad ways.”

Art Gallery of NSW director Dr Michael Brand said he was delighted the Sydney Modern Project had achieved the highest environmental standards in design, exceeding the Gallery’s five-star goal.

“To be the first art museum in Australia to be awarded a 6-star Green Star design rating is a testament to the high-quality design of the Gallery’s expansion and our commitment to environmental sustainability. This helps set a new standard for what art museums can achieve globally and is a wonderful outcome for the Gallery’s Sydney Modern Project,” he said.

“Our Pritzker Prize-winning architects, SANAA, have delivered a design that is exciting, innovative and sensitive to our harbour-side and parkland setting.

“We are creating a unique art museum experience in one of the world’s most beautiful cultural precincts that will inspire our growing audiences to engage with art, ideas, architecture and landscape in new ways,” Dr Brand said.

The Gallery’s new building is designed by world-renowned Japanese architecture firm, SANAA, whose portfolio includes such prominent projects as the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Japan, New Museum in New York, Rolex Learning Centre in Switzerland and Louvre-Lens Museum in France.

The design responds to the unique site, with a series of interlocked pavilions that cascade towards Sydney Harbour and Woolloomooloo, complementing and preserving the heritage significance of the existing Gallery building.

Construction of the Gallery’s new building is expected to commence in early 2019 for completion in 2021.

HOME BUILDING IN VICTORIA IS STARTING TO COOL “After a long and sustained boom, residential building activity in Victoria is cooling,” said Fiona Nield, HIA Executive Director, Victoria.

HIA released its quarterly economic and industry outlook report for Victoria. It includes updated forecasts for new home building and renovations activity for Victoria for the next four years.

“Victoria experienced a new home building upswing that has spanned five years, taking activity to levels well above previous peaks.

This growth cycle has now come to an end,” Ms Nield said.

“We have been watching leading indicators of home building activity soften since it became evident how significantly the home lending landscape had changed.

“APRA initially introduced regulations designed to curb high risk lending practices, but the actual changes in the lending environment go above and beyond this.

Ordinary home buyers now find themselves facing some constraints accessing finance,” she said.

“Slower processing and a reduction in lending is weighing significantly on the housing market. The impact on residential building activity will become more evident as we progress into the new year.

“We expect a downturn in new home building to begin in 2018/19, with new home starts forecast to fall by 34.8 per cent from their recent peak by 2020/21."

"This would leave total housing starts at just under 50,000 homes in 2020/21, not too far below the average of the past decade,” Ms Nield added.

“Victoria is in a strong position to handle this downturn: the state’s labour market is in a strong position, economic growth has outpaced the national average for the last four years and population growth continues to fuel demand for more housing,” she concluded.

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Easygate LG speedgates provide reliable security access at the newly refurbished 717 Bourke Street building.

SECURITY & ACCESS

SECURE ACCESS MADE EASY

EASYGATE LG MAKING SECURITY EASY AT LANDMARK MELBOURNE BUILDING. A recent $2 million lobby upgrade of landmark commercial office building at 717 Bourke Street, Docklands in Melbourne has seen an increase in security for tenants, including the 9 Network.

The refurbishment saw the main reception area on Level 4 of the architecturallyrenowned A Grade building transformed to a modern welcoming space. The changes brought an abundance of natural light to the internal areas, complemented by multi-angled feature timber ceilings and walls, and natural stone floors.

George Fitzpatrick, Knight Frank’s Senior Facilities Manager for 717 Bourke Street said Centaman Entrance Control was one of two suppliers approached for the access control component of the project.

“We were looking for something to stop unauthorised access to the lifts and to control who was entering the building,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.

“Centaman Entrance Control met our requirements for the project, both operational and aesthetic, and were the more competitively priced of the two suppliers,” he added.

The solution incorporates one set of four lanes of Centaman Entrance Control’s EasyGate LG and another set of three lanes, with an additional SwingGate for deliveries and disabled access.

The speedgates feature 1.2m high retracting glass barriers, as well as Centaman Entrance Control’s state of the art Magnetic Direct Drive (MDD) motors.

The EasyGate LG features glass barriers designed to retract inside the pedestal after a valid card is presented, giving the user a clear lane to pass through. Together, the optical tailgate detection technology and retracting motion ensure that the EasyGate LG closes as soon as the authorised person has safely cleared the barrier, to effectively deter unauthorised entry and tailgating.

Easygate LG speedgates offers security, safety and efficiency in a quiet, attractive package that doesn’t negatively impact the foyer’s aesthetics.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

Centaman Entrance Control also installed three lanes of the EasyGate LG on Ground Level foyer of the building, this time with 1.8m high barriers to offer greater security in an unmanned situation.

Centaman Entrance Control General Manager Michael Bystram said the EasyGate LG was the best performing slide barrier on the market.

“The Easygate LG offers security, safety and efficiency in a quiet, attractive package. This makes it ideal for a high traffic, high security environment like this, where aesthetics are important.”

The project also included a visitor card return system for each set of lanes, something Mr Bystram said can save businesses money and improve security by ensuring visitors don’t leave the building without returning their cards, intentionally or not.

“Visitors scan their card on entry at any gate but must drop their card into a slot on the dedicated visitor gate on exit,” Mr Bystram said.

“If the card is valid the visitors exit is authorised, and their card is dropped in to a locked tray where it can be collected by a guard at a later stage. If the card is not authorised, it is returned to the user and access is not allowed,” he said.

Mr Fitzpatrick says he would recommend Centaman Entrance Control, and the EasyGate LG, to anyone considering installing or improving access control for their building or facility.

“The solution was commissioned without issue and is working as expected. We’re happy,” he said.

For further information about the full range of Centaman Entrance Control products and solutions, please visit: www.entrancecontrol.com.au

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COVER FEATURE

Progress Through Knowledge

Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Dubai Creek Observation Tower was featured in Dr Andy Davids’ plenary paper entitled “The Art and Science of Designing and Building the Tallest Buildings in the World” at the recent fib Congress in Melbourne.

Artist impression courtesy Dubai Creek Tower / Emaar Properties

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Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

In October, the Concrete Institute of Australia had the privilege of hosting the International Federation for Structural Concrete’s 5th fib Congress in Melbourne. They were incredibly pleased to host over 700 delegates, including close to 400 international guests from 40 countries around the world, for a worldwide celebration of our favourite grey material.

COVER FEATURE

hat was extremely noticeable in Melbourne was the diversity of the delegates. Not only were there people from academia, research, design, construction, and supply, but there was a melting pot of ages, gender, religion, and ethnicity all under the one roof. It was amazing to see what was being achieved around the world, as well as in Australia, in the use of concrete, and also in breaking down barriers and stereotypes. The enthusiasm and passion for concrete holds no bounds, and this was certainly on display for 4 wonderful days in Melbourne.

With all of this diversity, the delegation brought to the Congress different ways of thinking, new innovations, global experiences, and challenging questions and ideas.

W

Some of the highlights included: • An outstanding opening plenary session from Dr Andy Davids on “The Art and Science of Designing and Building the Tallest Buildings in the World”. Andy’s incredible experiences, and wonderful stage presence, gave the delegates a lasting impression for the congress on what it takes to inspire some of the most incredible buildings around the world.

His overview of the construction of “The Tower”, designed by Santiago Calatrava, will be remembered by all.

• Professor Campbell Middleton, the Director of the Laing O’Rourke Centre for Construction Engineering & Technology in the Department of Engineering at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, provided delegates with an insightful and thought-provoking presentation titled “In Quest of the Holy Grails of Construction”.

• A special session titled “Existing Bridges - Service Life & Challenges for the Future” provided delegates with a rare opportunity to hear from a panel of bridge experts from all parts of the world. The panel all took time to speak about their thoughts on the challenges being presented on the service life of existing bridges in light of recent collapses around the world, including the Genova Polcevera Bridge in Italy, and then taking part in a Q&A discussion with the audience. As expected, the forum generated some interesting and, at times, heated and healthy debate.

• The Awards for Outstanding Concrete Structures as presented by fib showcased the way innovation can provide new solutions to age old problems, and provide simple solutions to complex requirements. Some of the fabulous projects recognised included - the new roof construction and restoration of the dome of the 400 year old La Laguna Cathedral in Tenerife, Spain, the R-Torso-C house in Tokyo, Japan with innovative design and construction of a residential micro-house using 100% recyclable concrete, and the Takubogawa Bridge in Japan, a new type of bridge structure called a “Butterfly Web Bridge” involving the construction of factory fabricated web panels shaped like butterfly wings.

Above: La Laguna Cathedral, Spain Below: R-Torso-C house, Japan

The Institute’s rich history of conference organisation, having run its biennial conference since 1964, meant it was able to draw upon its experience to maximise the delegate’s opportunities. It is at these conferences where knowledge can be dispersed and shared via many networks.

Professor Campbell Middleton meeting with international delegates at the fib Congress in Melbourne

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

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COVER FEATURE

Takubogawa Bridge, Japan

However, it is through these networks that other avenues exist for progress to made through the knowledge bank stored by members and colleagues, both local and internationally. Next year the Institute’s 29th biennial conference, Concrete 2019, will be held in Sydney with the theme Concrete in Practice – Progress through Knowledge, a theme that could not be more poignant in the concrete industry in Australia at present.

The concrete construction industry in Australia today is in a changing state. Greater demands on time means that there is more and more pressure to perform. This means that organisations are placing less emphasis on training and professional development, as they look to maximise time and effort spent ensuring that projects are completed on time and within specification.

Importantly, despite these challenges, Australia leads the way in research and innovation in a number of concrete related fields. This was emphasised at the fib Congress in Melbourne. The eyes of the world have been focused on us as we develop these new initiatives, and this places our concrete construction industry on a pedestal.

However, the question that might be asked in this changing landscape is, how, as a member of the concrete construction industry, can you continue to progress and develop knowledge, yet at the same time provide value to your organisation? How can local leaders, in concrete and concrete materials research and innovation, spread their knowledge to an audience that will be able apply this expertise. The answer lies within the same place.

The Concrete Institute of Australia does more than run conferences.

It is an independent not-for-profit association which provides professional development opportunities for stakeholders in the concrete construction industry. Members of the Institute share a

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common interest in the pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, technology, design, and construction of concrete in Australia. Members of the Institute can be individuals (including special categories for under 30’s and students) companies and organisations, and academic institutions.

The principle benefits of being a Member include: • Provision of educational and technical resources, including – - Face-to-face technical seminars, workshops, and events throughout the country - On-line webinars and e-learning packages for all Members - Specific Institute technical publications and documents in hard copy and electronic form - Hundreds of Institute conference papers covering all sectors - Access to leading overseas concrete documents (ACI, fib, RILEM) • Being part of a committee, where you can – - Learn to work with people from a number of different backgrounds and in different sectors - Meet mentors and develop close connections with colleagues throughout the industry - Take on various roles and learn specific roles involved with these i.e. chairing meetings, collaborating with sponsors.

• Participating in conferences, seminars, and events, where you can – - Attend as a delegate and learn, ask questions, contribute to discussions, and develop connections.

- Write a paper, particularly for the biennial conference, that will be peer reviewed, published, and/or presented in appropriate forums

COVER FEATURE

- Present on a particular topic and develop public speaking and presentation skills - Be the Chair or MC requiring you to facilitate the event so that it runs smoothly, on time, and achieves the speakers, delegates, and events objectives

YOUNG MEMBERS GROUP

As can be seen, the benefits of being involved with the Institute are many, and they vary from person to person. However, to ensure that the Institute continues to grow and develop, it is also important to look at ways in which members can find new ways and different opportunities that allow them to develop.

MENTOR PROGRAM

The group will be focused on developing networking events for those under 35...

The Institute’s Mentoring Program is open to all interested parties from within the Membership...

The Concrete Institute of Australia runs a mentoring program that pairs experienced Members in the concrete industry with Members with less experience, and provides an opportunity for both parties to expand their professional development and industry knowledge.

While the primary goal of the program is to increase the knowledge and development of the Mentee, other areas that may be honed include improved communication skills, setting of goals and a career pathway, networking skills and contacts, and greater professional confidence. The mentoring relationship isn’t just a one-way street though and Mentors also have the opportunity to develop through improved leadership skills, being exposed to new ideas and concepts, and contributing back to the industry through the development of an emerging professional.

The Institute’s Mentoring Program is open to all interested parties from within the Membership. It is open to Individual, Individual Young, Retired, Life and Honorary Members as well as all listed Representative Members of Company and Academic Members. There are no age restrictions on being a Mentor or a Mentee. Pairings are based purely on the Mentors ability to assist the Mentee to achieve their goals and it may be the case that the Mentor is younger or of a similar age to the Mentee.

The fib brought many innovations to Melbourne, but one activity they highlighted is something that all associations need to consider. The fib Young Members Group are a collection of concrete industry colleagues under the age of 35 from all parts of the globe.

The Concrete Institute of Australia recently held a focus group meeting with some young professional members to see what the Institute could do in this space. The result of this meeting will be the formation of the first Young Members Group of the Concrete Institute of Australia in 2019.

The group will be focused on developing networking events for those under 35, looking at communication opportunities, and being involved at Concrete 2019 with a number of Young Member activities.

ECONCRETE Continued professional development is critical to the future of all professionals in the concrete industry in Australia. The Concrete Institute of Australia understands that in today’s environment not everyone is able to get away from their work place to attend our various events and seminars. eConcrete provides opportunities for professional development at your desk, and is an innovative platform to access and obtain further education. It’s well recognised that online learning breaks down time, travel, and geographical barriers that can be difficult to overcome and eConcrete helps to share concrete knowledge across Australia, providing members and non-members access to well-known industry experts and academics in the field of concrete, both locally and internationally, with the push of a button.

The other opportunity presented with eConcrete is for the presenter.

The Institute currently has over 25 eConcrete presentations that vary in topic and theme, but all have provided the presenter with an electronic stage to build their profile.

eConcrete helps to share concrete knowledge across Australia, providing members and nonmembers access to well-known industry experts...

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

15

COVER FEATURE

The ACI have a considerable list of technical committees and publications...

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEES The Institute has long held excellent relationships with many international groups of a similar nature. In particular, in recent years these relations with the American Concrete Institute (ACI), Asian Concrete federation (ACF) and the fib have put the Concrete Institute of Australia on a different level and with this greater exposure comes opportunities.

The ACI have a considerable list of technical committees and publications. These are well recognised around the world and often utilise international experience for their development. As part of the Institute’s overall international engagement strategy there has been a focus on increasing technical links with ACI and its key committees. This is done by having an endorsed nominee of the Concrete Institute of Australia, who represents Australian interests in a particular area, on an ACI Committee.

The technical areas of expertise that are being represented include (but is not exclusive to): • Cements, binders and sustainability • Durability and service life modelling • Shrinkage, creep and serviceability • Structural and civil design • Reinforcement and other components The fib also has a long history when it comes to developing publications through their technical groups, and operate under a three-tier structure. There are ten 'Commissions' at the top level. Each Commission creates 'Task Groups' to deal with specific issues as they develop due to the concrete industries progress. These Task groups can create 'Working Parties' to consider specific aspects. The outcome from Commission and Task Groups are fib Bulletins. These are the reports that detail the finding and recommendations.

There are a number of Australian members on these Commissions and Task Groups allowing them insight and to provide input to international direction and experts in various aspects of concrete.

Concrete Institute of Australia members have a wonderful opportunity

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to be involved through the connection with fib, giving them international exposure and networks of global concrete experts, whilst providing knowledge and expertise in the development of world class documents.

The 10 Commissions currently operating at fib are: 1. Structures 2. Safety & Performance Concepts 3. Environmental Aspects of D&C 4. Modelling of Structural Behaviour & Design 5. Structural Service Life Aspects 6. Prefabrication 7. Seismic Design 8. Concrete 9. Reinforcing & Prestressing Materials & Systems 10. Construction The Concrete Institute of Australia has a significant role to play in Australian concrete construction by ensuring that up to date and relevant knowledge is available to all sectors of the concrete industry to support the profession and allow educated decisions to be made.

By being “in the mix” with the Institute and the concrete industry, professional development can be found in many different forms, and allows individuals and organisations to pursue these without having a dramatic impact on time, money, and resource.

The Institute’s biennial conference, next year being held in Sydney from 8th to 11th September, is the organisations premier forum to take advantage of all these benefits. As the biggest concrete conference in the southern hemisphere there is no better place to share information and to learn about new research and innovations, as well as developing networks and new skills, as well as participating in committees, forums and discussions. As the conference theme points out, this is all leading to progress through knowledge.

For more information, please visit: www.concreteinstitute.com.au or contact the Membership Services Manager at: membership@concreteinstitute.com.au

Song School, Perth, WA (2017)

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, ACT (2009)

Age of Dinosaurs Museum, Winton, QLD (2013)

AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2019 Established in 1971, the Awards for Excellence in Concrete recognise and publicise the many significant contributions to excellence in concrete design, construction and materials in Australia. The Concrete Institute of Australia is pleased to announce that entries for the 2019 Awards for Excellence in Concrete program are now invited.

Concrete related projects, technologies and innovations are all eligible to receive an award as the Institute’s Awards program caters for projects of all sizes and organisations alike. Project entries will be judged separately in five distinct categories, a slight change from our 2017 Awards Program.

Following a successful 2017 awards program with over 50 entry submissions, we are looking forward to another exciting year of Award entries that showcase excellence in concrete!

Sea Cliff Bridge, Coledale, NSW (2003)

Pictured above: A selection of past Kevin Cavanagh Medal and Trophy Winners

Residential Buildings Single dwellings or multi-storey dwellings used for residential purposes only (up to 11 storeys).

Commercial Buildings Offices, industrial buildings, institutional buildings, large residential complexes (>11 storeys), or combinations of these.

The Commercial Buildings category for the 2019 Awards program is proudly supported by PGH Bricks & Pavers Infrastructure Projects Buildings such as (but not limited to) schools, hospitals, etc. and engineering infrastructure projects such as (but not limited to) bridges, roads, wharves, water resources etc.

The Infrastructure Projects category for the 2019 Awards program is proudly supported by Boral

2019 AWARDS CATEGORIES

Repairs & Rehabilitation For both buildings and infrastructure.

The Repair & Rehabilitation category for the 2019 Awards program is proudly supported by UTS

There are five distinct Awards for Excellence categories available, that are suitable for individuals, or small, medium and large organisations to submit projects.

Technology & Innovation Includes significant contributions to the understanding or use of concrete as

evidenced by research, technical publications, patent applications, new products or pieces of equipment, new techniques, design innovations, or educational activity.

The Technology & Innovation category for the 2019 Awards program is proudly supported

by Wagstaff Piling All of the entries will be judged initially at a state level. Following this, winners of state awards will progress to the national finals which will see medallions awarded for winning entries in each of the 5 categories.

One of these winning entries will then be crowned as the overall winner and presented with the Kevin Cavanagh Trophy for overall excellence in concrete. The national awards for excellence will be presented at the Gala Dinner at the Concrete 2019 conference to be held in Sydney in September 2019.

The Gala Dinner for the 2019 Awards program is proudly supported by Cement Australia To be a part of the Awards for Excellence in Concrete program from 2019, visit the website for more details and to submit your entry: www.concreteinstitute.com.au/Recognitionof-Excellence/Awards-for-Excellence Get your entries in – submissions close on 1st March 2019.

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

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PRODUCT FOCUS

INFRASTRUCTURE DRIVES CONCRETE BOOM Australia’s concrete industry is going through a massive boom. No other building material has the same level of versatility, sustainability and cost effectiveness.

The main driver is the surging number of high-rise apartments and pumping infrastructure projects.

New South Wales leads with manufacturers tipped to produce 9.5 million cubic metres per year in the five years leading to 2022. As major projects like West Connex, Badgery’s Creek Airport, North Connex, the Pacific Highway upgrade and proposed Western Harbour tunnel and Beaches Link come on stream, the industry will be under pressure to produce concrete a more cost-efficient way.

RELIABILITY CUTS COSTS One Australian pump supplier, Australian Pump Industries, has become the prime supplier of batching pumps for both the industry leaders and even smaller regional plants.

“We know the tough conditions batch plant pumps have to endure,” said Aussie Pumps’ Product Manager, Neil Bennett. “Tsurumi KTZ series submersible pumps have been specifically designed to deliver robust, longterm reliable performance – even under that harshest conditions.

“This not only results in significantly lower whole-of-life costs, it also helps to dramatically improve batch plant reliability,

reduce downtime and make plant operators lives substantially less stressful when it comes to large project concrete pours,” he said.

Australian Pump, colloquially known in the industry as Aussie Pumps, has worked closely with big and small producers to help improve batch plant productivity. Large capacity submersible pumps that fill the batching water tanks faster, have been introduced, improving cycle times and reducing costs.

“15 years ago, one of the largest batch plants in Sydney installed two Tsurumi 11 kW batching pumps. Those pumps are still performing and have delivered a massive return on investment,” said Bennett.

The KTZ411 proves itself to be a worthy investment for smart plant operators by increasing production and reducing costs.

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PRODUCT FOCUS

The pumps are installed in the plant handling corrosive batch water. After years of service, they were pulled out recently for routine maintenance and found to only require suction strainer replacement. There was no need to replace or repair impellers, mechanical seals or even cable glands on the motors.

RECENT INNOVATIONS The introduction of bigger pumps like Tsurumi’s KTZ 411 have substantially reduced batch times and increased the number of agitators out of the plant per hour. The larger pump delivers a higher flow rate at high heads. This cuts times for loading the batch water holding tank eliminating this as a bottleneck.

When it comes to investing in plant upgrades, asset managers want to know what the payback time will be for their investment.

Aussie Pumps has found that increasing the capacity of the plant by maximising the speed

which batch water is delivered, makes good economic sense.

“When you consider the initial investment costs of about $6,000 you have a very quick payback period,” said Bennett. “In busy plants, it’s been as little as 1-2 weeks!”

“Given the pump’s performance combined with its capability to reduce costs and boost production, it really stands out as the smart option,” he said.

Many plants have upgraded their batch water systems to the Tsurumi 11 kW submersible pump. With the capacity to deliver in excess of 1,000L of water at a head height of 35 metres, the KTZ411 is an ideal batch water pump. The additional capacity compensates for silted pipework, high sediment levels and the myriad of other ‘real world’ factors that affect pump performance.

Reliable pumps are a huge cost saver for batch plants. Not only do they substantially reduce maintenance times, they also eliminate downtime and replacement costs.

“Feedback from our customers is that the Tsurumi pumps constantly outlast anything else in the same application,” Bennett said.

The KTZ411 has been purpose-built to withstand abrasive conditions, meaning it offers batch plants a considerably longer service life.

It comes fitted with a 3-phase heavy duty 2 pole motor with thermal protection against dry running, and is manufactured from heavy duty cast iron with high chrome wear components.

The KTZ411 also features anti-wicking cables and silicon carbide seals that function to maximise performance longevity in extremely challenging environments. Like all Tsurumi pumps, these aerators are covered by a unique three-year warranty.

Further information on Tsurumi’s KTZ series and the Batch Plant Pump Support Program is available from the Aussie Pumps website: www.aussiepumps.com.au

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

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FLEET MAINTENANCE

TITAN HELPS CUSTOMERS TO STAY ‘ON TRACK’ As part of the world’s largest and most experienced manufacturers of undercarriage components for tracked equipment, and the only company in Australia to manufacture and supply both tyres, wheels and undercarriage, Titan Australia has been helping its customers to keep their equipment ‘on track’ for many years.

From heavy construction and mining, through to drill rigs and infrastructure projects, Titan is a trusted name across a wide range of industry sectors, and has gained an enviable reputation for both the quality of their components and the speed of their service.

“We understand that when it comes to heavy, tracked equipment, downtime can be extremely expensive – regardless of the industry,” Titan Australia Chief Operating Officer, Adam Oakenful, said.

“What’s more, with the larger equipment, it also tends to play a critical ‘frontline’ role for many projects, meaning that if it stops working, the whole project or site stops working.”

“With that in mind, from the outset, we established our undercarriage business with a focus on minimising turnaround times to minimise downtime – regardless of the customer’s location, or whether it’s for new tracks, individual components or repairs and refurbishments,” he said.

Importantly, this focus on quality customer service is further bolstered by Titan’s focus

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on only supplying the highest quality products and components.

Renowned across the globe, Titan’s ITM brand is considered ‘the undercarriage of choice’ for many operators across a wide range of industry sectors.

Manufactured at their facilities across Europe, Titan supplies a full range of high quality steel undercarriage components, from full track groups through to track components - Rollers, Idlers and Sprockets - for equipment ranging in size from 13-tonne up to 550-tonne.

“When it comes to parts and equipment, quality and longevity equal value,” Adam Oakenful, said. “Our clients need to be sure that our components can stand up to even the harshest operating conditions. After all, a lot of this equipment works in some of the harshest conditions on the planet!”

“That’s one of the main benefits of having our own brand,” he added. “Because we control all aspects of the manufacturing process from start to finish – including quality control – we can be sure that we’re providing our customers with the highest possible quality components. They, in turn, also have the peace-of-mind in knowing that their undercarriage components are not only fit for purpose, they’re made to last.”

This focus on working with customers to help minimise downtime and operating costs to maximise value is also evidenced by Titan’s CTS inspection service and undercarriage refurbishment works.

Forming a significant part of the company’s business, Titan provides a full repair and refurbishment service for all manner of tracks.

Titan’s free on-site CTS inspection service enables clients to ascertain the current condition of their tracks, assess performance and wear, and determine if any components require refurbishment or replacement.

In many cases, refurbishing tracks, or performing maintenance such as a ‘pin and bush’ turn, can help to extend the life of the tracks, and can be carried out for significantly less than the cost of new replacement parts - providing substantial savings for customers, without any compromise in quality or performance when compared to a new replacement part.

For further information on Titan’s full range of products and services, please call: 1300 791 672 or visit: www.titanaustralia.com

MAXIMUM PROTECTION The Scorpion II® TMA (Truck Mounted Attenuator) takes worksite protection to the next level. ™

Developed in response to the updated MASH (Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware) testing and assessment guidelines, the Scorpion II was the world’s first Truck Mounted Attenuator tested, passed and eligible for MASH, TL-3 (tested at 100kph).

• Available to suit a wide variety of vehicle types and models • Unique modular design combines maximum energy absorption and impact protection with ease-of-repair and excellent ‘whole-of-life’ cost • Compact design and balanced weight distribution minimises impact on vehicle handling • High-visibility colour LED variable message board for maximum visibility and protection • Supplied as standard with Type C Flashing Arrow Sign • Easy to use – fast to deploy

THE EQUIPMENT YOU NEED – THE SERVICE YOU EXPECT A1 Roadlines Pty Ltd | 89 Rushdale Street, Knoxfield, Victoria 3180 | www.a1roadlines.com.au P: 1300 217 623 (A1ROAD) | F: (03) 9765 9499 | E: sales@a1roadlines.com.au

EQUIPMENT FOCUS

The globally successful Athena 850, which is recognised as a site safety asset and workplace problem-solver.

ALMACRAWLER NOW AVAILABLE IN AUSTRALIA

GLOBALLY SUCCESSFUL ALMACRAWLER SELECTS UNITED FORKLIFT AND ACCESS SOLUTIONS TO EXCLUSIVELY EXTEND RETAIL SUCCESS OF BI-LEVELLING ATHENA SCISSOR LIFT RANGE The leading Australian forklift and access equipment company United Forklift and Access Solutions has been selected by the globally successful Italian scissor lift company AlmaCrawler as Exclusive National Retailer for the Athena bi-levelling tracked scissor lift and future products to be released here. The versatile and compact bi-levelling Athena scissor lift is acknowledged internationally as a worksite safety asset and access problemsolver that can safely traverse slopes and terrain where access equipment previously could not operate at all.

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“It is a huge achievement to be selected as Exclusive National Retailer by AlmaCrawler, the products of which are respected across five continents for their quality, excellence of engineering, manufacturing and service backup,” says United Forklift and Access Solutions’ Managing Director, David Maxwell.

“Their quality and service ethos strongly complement our own, and the power of this partnership means the Athena scissor lift range and future AlmaCrawler products will further benefit from United’s expansion as one of Australia’s largest privately-owned

forklift and access equipment companies, with Australia's most extensive range of forklift, scissor lift and boom lift equipment for sales and hire.”

With a footprint extending across key Australian markets, and service operations offering 24/7 response, United joins with AlmaCrawler in ensuring a truly national access solution that is highly responsive to local conditions and which, through this agreement, will further expand the market success of the Athena scissor lift range and lay the groundwork for future innovative products.”

The Athena is believed to be the first scissor lift in the world with its unique capabilities, being able to level on its axis in longitudinal and lateral directions to operate on slopes and undulating terrain where conventional scissor lifts cannot operate. Conventional scissor lifts are typically limited to slight inclines of 2-4 degrees, whereas the Athena scissor lift handles with assurance and safety, terrain variations up to 50cm front and back and 38cm side-to-side on uneven terrain, or inclines up to 20 degrees, says United.

AlmaCrawler says the appointment of the long-time and experienced industry leader United as Exclusive National Retailer is integral to its strategy to strengthen AlmaCrawler’s presence in the strategically important Australian market, where it has created Alma Pacific Pty Ltd, its first direct branch. This new branch in Sydney will allow AlmaCrawler to effectively service and support the Australian market including United and its customers nationally.

AlmaCrawler General Manager Mr Andrea Artoni says the Australian market’s appreciation of, and reception for, the company’s products have from day one made Australia our first market. “The prospects for the future, combined with the high level of our deliberations, brought us to the decision to establish a direct presence on the market and open Almac Pacific Pty Ltd to support strategic and executive customers.”

“Consequently, it was very important to identify a high-quality partner to service and support the retail market. United have always been very receptive to our products and produce the same level of quality work.

For this reason, it was natural to partner with United Forklift and Access Solutions. It is a pleasure that one of the most important and well-respected players in the Australian Market decided to add our unique range of products and the Athena brand in its portfolio.”

EQUIPMENT FOCUS

(L-R) AlmaCrawler General Manager Mr Andrea Artoni and United Forklift and Access Solutions’ Managing Director, David Maxwel celebrate the new Exclusive National Retailer agreement for the Athena scissor lift in Australia, where the machine recently added to its international awards with an Australian national safety award in this country.

“United Forklift and Access Solutions, with its great experience, history, leading position and national presence both for sales and especially service/after sales, will be a great resource to further strengthen Athena and future AlmaCrawler products in the market.

This will certainly bring many interesting opportunities for the future and lead to a mutually successful relationship. Last but not least, for us this was a natural agreement as we definitely share the same unique approach to the way we do business.”

Mr Maxwell says United is very excited to be able to deal factory direct with AlmaCrawler, as United does with its other world-renowned brands.

“This enables us to provide a high level of quality technical support and provide a quick response service at the most competitive price for the end user. The new partnership will build on our current relationship and only strengthen the brand and the product offerings in the Australian market.”

The Athena scissor lift complements United’s broader national ranges of forklift and access equipment, including CAT forklifts, Konecranes lift trucks in capacities up to 65 tons, and Haulotte access equipment.

Marketed under the headline ‘the only one of its kind in the universe’, the compact and versatile Athena’s outstanding design and performance has won both the international (IAPA) and Australian New Product of the Year awards (HRIA). These were followed up in Australia last year with the Safety Solution of the Year win in the Endeavour Manufacturing Awards, as United promoted the outstanding capabilities of the Athena scissor lift model 850.

The Athena scissor lift range is ideally suited to uses including building and construction, facilities maintenance, park and tree management, council operations, industrial and commercial plant access, tradespeople, landscapers, painters, electricians, orchardists and primary production including vineyards, horticulture and agriculture.

For further information, please contact United Forklift and Access Solutions, Ph: 131 607 or visit: www.unitedequipment.com.au

CIVIL & MINING SURGE IGNITES USED EQUIPMENT BOOM

MASSIVE DEMAND FOR EQUIPMENT DIGS IN DUE TO PROSPERITY OF WORK IN THE CIVIL & MINING INDUSTRIES.

As work piles up across the civil & mining sectors, companies are sourcing new ways to purchase heavy equipment due to high demand and limited supply.

“People can’t get their equipment fast enough, there is a strong demand across the industries of civil, agriculture and mining,” said Glenn Screech Head of Business Development at Lloyds Auctions.

Construction and mining companies upgrading their existing heavy equipment to brand new equipment now need to have their jobs scheduled out almost a year in advance due to the delay of supply which can take up to a year.

However, a 12-month lead time for new equipment isn’t always a viable option for smaller contractors who have smaller lead times and don’t have the ability to wait for a new piece of equipment to be delivered.

These businesses are finding alternative ways to source their heavy equipment gear by purchasing previous models from those who upgrade to new gear.

“We are seeing a trend where some companies are selling fleets of their existing heavy equipment to upgrade which is allowing smaller contractors to purchase previous models giving them the ability to start their new contracts immediately.” Mr. Screech continued.

With the growing population and the demand for better infrastructure, particularly in commercial construction, earthmoving equipment is the new booming industry in most demand for gear.

Roads, highways, buildings and commercial infrastructure are continuing to grow in demand as well as urban development such as housing. These each contribute to attaining heavy equipment such as dozers, excavators, graders, rollers and portable buildings to keep the jobs rolling.

“In the last year Lloyds Auctions conducted many auctions containing civil and agriculture gear; with many achieving 100% sell through rates and many items well above their reserve prices,” Mr. Screech stated.

Confidence, jobs and security are all common talking points in the media and consistent heavy equipment sales indicate that these industries are all going strong.

“We have had to increase to weekly auctions with many auction totals achieving six to seven figures. For example, we have several auctions coming up this week with major brands including CAT and Komatsu gear,” continued Mr. Screech.

Heavy equipment auctions are now online at Lloyds Auctions with bidding available at: www.lloydsauctions.com.au

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TMA FACT SHEET What you need to know about TL-3, MASH, Standards and Compliance BEWARE OF ‘FAKE NEWS’ Recent amendments to the Australian / New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3845.2:2017 ‘Road safety barrier systems and devices – Part 2: Road safety devices’, as well as the planned move towards MASH (Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware) testing in place of NCHRP350 testing, has seen increased interest in the testing and certification status of Truck Mounted Attenuators (TMA’s) currently in use in Australia.

Unfortunately, this has also led to confusion amongst some equipment owners as to what equipment is compliant and, perhaps more importantly, what the

FACT 1

status of their equipment will be after Australia moves to MASH as the testing standard – a situation which is no doubt being inflamed by the inaccurate information and spurious claims that have surfaced over the past 12 months.

With that in mind, the following fact sheet has been developed to provide key information as to the current status of the ‘Transition to MASH Guidelines’ and, more importantly, to provide you with the information you need to ensure that your TMA complies with all of the relevant regulations.

FACT 3

Austroads Safety Barrier Assessment Panel (ASBAP) Transition to MASH Guidelines.

There is NO CUT-OFF DATE for compliant vs. noncompliant TMAs

On April 23 2018 the Austroads Safety Barrier Assessment Panel (ASBAP) announced that ‘…effective immediately, all submissions received by the Panel must be in accordance with AASHTO's MASH guidelines or an equivalence rating to MASH in accordance with AS/NZS3845 Parts 1 and 2’ rather than the previous NCHRP350 guidelines.

While there is a formal agreement on the transition to MASH testing from NCHRP350 testing, there have been NO FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENTS as to the future suitability and compliance of equipment tested and certified to NCHRP350.

The move towards MASH testing and certification is a complex process that will take some time to implement.

The Panel is transitioning the current suite of accepted road safety barrier systems and devices within the Australasian market to MASH guidelines over an extended timeframe, with Part 2 Products (which includes TMA’s) to be completed by 31 December 2020.

FACT 2

This DOES NOT by any definition mean that non-MASH tested equipment is suddenly obsolete or can no longer be used.

While the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3845.2:2017 ‘Road safety barrier systems and devices – Part 2: Road safety devices’ stipulates MASH as the basis of testing procedures for TMAs, it DOES NOT render devices that have been previously approved as tested under NCHRP350 guidelines obsolete or unusable – to suggest otherwise is simply NOT TRUE. The move towards MASH testing and certification is a complex process that will take some time to implement.

“In the past, devices tested to NCHRP TL3 have been considered acceptable for use on Australian and New Zealand roads. This can still be the case, although in the future MASH tested devices are likely to be preferred.”

Extract from AS/NZS 3845.2:2017 – Appendix D - 3.4 Testing to other standards

There is certainly NO CUT-OFF DATE for equipment that has been certified under the NCHRP350 testing while it is operational.

IMPORTANTLY, the updated Standard AS/NZS 3845.2:2017 specifically refers to and DOES NOT preclude TMAs that are tested and certified to NCHRP350 TL3 requirements.

TMAs that are tested and certified to NCHRP350 and/ or MASH specifications are listed with Barrier Terminals and Crash Cushions on the U.S. Department of Transport Federal Highway Administration website at: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/countermeasures/ reduce_crash_severity/listing.cfm?code=cushions

FACT 4

TMAs must still be approved for use by State jurisdictions.

Even if a TMA is recommended for acceptance at an Austroads level by ASBAP, it must still be approved for use by the relevant State jurisdiction.

FACT 5

The approval process is on-going and the lists are growing

The transition to MASH guidelines is a lengthy and on-going process. Lists of ‘Austroads Approved Products’ are currently a Work in Progress, and will continue to grow as the process progresses.

The fact that a product does not currently appear on a jurisdiction’s list, or if it is not currently listed as MASH approved, DOES NOT MEAN that it has not been successfully tested and certified to MASH guidelines, or that it is not acceptable for use in that jurisdiction. It may simply have not yet been assessed by ASBAP. Important Notes: 1. ASBAP have stated that after 31 December 2020, AS/NZS 3845.2:2017 type products should be assessed under MASH protocols.

2. Prior to 31 December 2020, crashworthiness may be demonstrated via crash testing to other protocols (for example, NCHRP350).

3. Operators are advised that over time, the list below will be populated as more products are submitted to ASBAP and assessed by ASBAP. Operators are recommended to be cognisant that the ASBAP assessment process may take considerable time, and they should continue with ‘business as usual’ arrangements.

4. Products not listed below may still be operationally acceptable to TMR under existing or future arrangements.

5. It is NOT the intention of the list below to imply that other products are not acceptable for use by TMR and cannot be used operationally by TMR. Extract from ‘Road Safety Barrier Systems, End Treatments and other related Road Safety Devices Assessed as accepted for use on statecontrolled roads in Queensland’ - September 2018 (Version 2)

FACT 6

There is a quick and easy way to check that your TMA is fully-compliant If you’re still unsure about your TMA, A1 Roadlines has prepared an easy-to-use checklist which provides a quick and easy method of confirming that your TMA is fully compliant under the National Heavy Vehicle Standard (Truck Mounted Attenuator) Exemption Notice 2017 (No.1).

For a copy of the checklist or to discuss your TMA requirements, contact: A1 Roadlines Pty Ltd T: 1300 A1 ROAD (1300 217 623)

For further information, contact:

A1 ROADLINES PTY LTD

P: 1300 217 623 (1300 A1 ROAD) E: sales@a1roadlines.com.au www.a1roadlines.com.au

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

The bungalow was flown by helicopter up to the Lötschen Pass in modules.

ALPINE SPA-BUNGALOW MADE WITH LIGHTWEIGHT WOODEN MODULES The SPA-Bungalow offers visitors an unique sauna experience at an altitude of 2,690 metres, with spectacular alpine views. The bungalow at the Loetschenpass Hut hotel in Switzerland combines a sauna, a relaxation area with a bed, and a bathroom with a shower.

The SPA-Bungalow’s three wooden modules are made entirely from Kerto® LVL (laminated veneer lumber), making them lightweight enough to be transported via helicopter. Kerto® LVL proved to be the ideal fast, light and green material for this exclusive design.

The designer behind the SPA-Bungalow concept is the Swiss designer and wellness facility developer Roger Bernet. He wanted to create a unique, cost-effective concept for hotels with smaller budgets, but exquisite locations. Bernet’s vision was to create a The SPA-Bungalow’s modules were built with Q-panels which are strong yet lightweight, fast to build with, ecological, and fire- and moisture-resistant.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

modular building entirely from one material. It needed to be strong enough to endure alpine conditions and lightweight enough to be easily transported. In addition, the material had to be ecological and fast to build with.

To realise his vision, Bernet teamed up with his experienced associates Christoph Lädrach to manage the construction and installation, and Beat Biedermann to solve the challenges of heating, sanitary technology and electrical engineering.

Christopher Lädrach immediately knew the solution: Kerto LVL is an engineered wood product that met every requirement.

“Kerto LVL Q-panels fulfilled all our technical requirements – strong yet lightweight, fast to build with, ecological, and fire- and moistureresistant,” Bernet explains.

The solid structure of the SPA-Bungalow has proven durable even in the extreme conditions and in winds of up to 160 km/h.

Mobile Media Blasting - Wet & Dry

The SPA-Bungalow’s modules were built with Q-panels. As Kerto LVL is lightweight and strong, less overall material is required for building. There was hardly any material left over in the process.

The material cut out for the windows, for example, was utilised in the furniture of the bungalow. The exteriors of the modules were made weather-resistant by covering them with fiberglass-reinforced plastic.

The off-site construction of the modules took approximately four weeks. On site, the SPA-Bungalow was assembled and ready for guests to use within a few hours.

The SPA-Bungalow was first presented to the public in November 2017 at the Igeho exhibition in Basel. The bungalow was then flown by helicopter up to the Lötschen Pass in modules.

Winter storms at the Lötschen Pass can have wind speeds reaching over 160 kilometres per hour. The solid structure of the SPABungalow has proven durable even in these extreme conditions.

“I am looking forward to using Kerto LVL Q-panels in future projects. Based on my experience, I would not change a thing about Kerto LVL,” says Bernet.

• Specialising in Concrete preparation for Carbon Fibre application • Abrasive & Non Abrasive Blasting • Paint, rust & contaminant removal from many substrates • Line marking removal • Compact machinery for easy access • Low media usage which means less environmental issues with containment and dust • Suitable for confined space blasting

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1300 240 337 www.enviroblast.net.au Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

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Concrete 2019, the 29th Biennial National Conference of the Concrete Institute of Australia, will be held at the state of the art International Conference Centre in Darling Harbour, Sydney, from the 8th to 11th September 2019, and you are invited!

Anne Ellis

Founder and CEO of Ellis Global, consultants assisting those harnessing the power of technology and innovation to transform engineering and construction in the built world.

Prior to launching her own company, Anne was Vice President, Innovation and Knowledge Share Director at AECOM, and is also a Past President of ACI.

Prof. Christoph Gehlen

Director of the Centre for Building Materials of Technical University of Munich. His main research interests include special concretes, durability of concrete, life cycle assessment of reinforced concrete members, and repair/ rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

Michelle L. Wilson

5 KEY NOTE SPEAKERS David Polkinghorn

Design Manager for the Sydney Metro City & Southwest Tunnel and Station Excavation (TSE) Project, a joint venture between CPB Contractors, John Holland and Ghella. David has over 40 years experience in the design and construction delivery of major infrastructure projects and in 2016 was named â&#x20AC;&#x153;Australia Civil Engineer of the Yearâ&#x20AC;? by Engineers Australia for services to engineering and the community.

www.concrete2019.com.au

CMY

Director of Concrete Technology at the Portland Cement Association (PCA), Skokie, IL, Michelle is an expert in concrete materials and specifications, and is a Director with ACI as well as being Chair of ACI301 Specification for Structural Concrete.

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Em. Prof. Elizabeth Taylor AO Chair of RedR Australia, locally based leading international humanitarian response agency that selects, trains and deploys technical specialists. A structural engineer, engineering academic, and humanitarian engineer, Professor Taylor was awarded the Order of Australia in 2004 for her services to engineering education, and for enhancing the status of women in engineering.

concrete2019@arinex.com.au

KEY DATES 7 January 2019 31 January 2019 30 May 2019 8 September 2019

Early Bird Registration Opens Full Paper Submission Opens Comments on Full Papers and Final Author Notification Concrete 2019 Opens

Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities Want to cement your brand within the Australian and international building and construction industry? Consider sponsoring and exhibiting at the industry’s premier conference, Concrete 2019.

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IPWEA NSW NEWS

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS IPWEA (NSW) Engineering Excellence Awards 2018 The 2018 IPWEA (NSW) Engineering Excellence Awards saw a record high number of nominations with a total of 106 projects and profiles being nominated. The highly commended and winners were announced at the Engineering Excellence Awards Gala Dinner at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley in November.

The 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 our members. Each project nominated for an award showcases the individual and team aspirations to improve the community in which we live.

Judges John O’Connor and Greg Moran inspected the Regional submissions and Judges Geoff Fowler and Leon Patterson inspected the Metropolitan submissions. Again, the quality of submissions was of an extremely high standard covering a wide range of activities encountered in the Public Work Sector.

Together with awards for projects, innovation, new technologies, environment, safety and leadership, this year also saw dual winners for the prestigious David Abbott Award, which was presented by David’s widow Gladys and son Todd.

IPWEA NSW Division congratulates all winners and Highly Commended projects, teams and individuals, including:

CATEGORY: THE DAVID ABBOTT AWARD Joint Winner: Tom Franzen

completed the Diploma of Civil Construction Design winning the NSW State Medal, he completed a Bachelor of Engineering Technology winning the Vice Chancellor’s Scholar two years running and he achieved a Bachelor of Business Administration.

His final year of a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering (Honours) includes his research project on the network management of low volume roads.

Tom is an active member in Young IPWEA and has presented papers at the regional and state conference. He is committed to working for his community though he is well aware of the challenges this involves having completed many design projects including one where people tied themselves to trees. Tom has developed the ability to listen, interpret and deliver successful public infrastructure designs. He has an outstanding reputation in the council for his collaborative style, his respect for others’ ideas and as a leader and a mentor. He is approachable, has high integrity and a passion for safety. His worthiness for this award is best summed up by a comment from Suketu Bhatt who when complimented on the quality of his award nomination said “…it was a pleasure to write because it’s what Tom deserves”.

CATEGORY: THE DAVID ABBOTT AWARD Joint Winner: Hamish Scroope

Tom Franzen accepting the David Abbott Award from Gladys and Todd Abbott.

Tom Franzen is the Design Officer in the Technical Services Division at Eurobodalla Shire Council and began his career with the council 9 years ago. Whilst working with the council, Tom 30

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

The David Abbott Award was Accepted by Simon Cassidy on Hamish' behalf.

Hamish Scroope began his career as a Civil Engineering Trainee at

IPWEA NSW NEWS

Yass Valley Council, moving on to Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council as a development engineer and is now working as a Director and Project Engineer at Genium Civil Engineering.

Hamish is proud that he was able to finish his traineeship, delivering a number of major projects whilst studying for his degree part time. Hamish enjoys delivering quality infrastructure projects for the community and one of his highlights was the delivery of a skate park at Yass. Hamish has a passion for Local Government and the Public Works industry in particular the importance of workforce diversity for the sustainability of the industry. He has demonstrated this passion through his work with Young IPWEA where until recently he was Deputy Chair. He is currently the secretary of the South East Region IPWEA Group.

As a member of the Young IPWEA committee, Hamish worked on a submission to the Minister for Local Government, “Cadetship Best Practice in Local Government”. He was invited to present the keynote address at the 2016 IPWEA (NSW) State Conference and at the International Public Works Conference in 2017.

Hamish has a calm and considered manner and he has great integrity. His natural disposition is to lead from the middle. As his colleague and chair of the Young IPWEA Australasia described him: “He is the epitome of what it means to have promise, passion and pursuit as a young professional engineer”. Hamish is a truly humble leader.

Unfortunately, Hamish Scroope could not attend the Gala Dinner so Simon Cassidy, Director at Genium Civil Engineering, accepted the Award on his behalf.

CATEGORY: PUBLIC WORKS LEADER OF THE YEAR Winner:

Nathan leads a diverse team of 47 staff. He has developed a strong working relationship with key stakeholders in the industry and in the community and he has a reputation for sound engineering, good advice and strong commercial acumen.

Nathan holds a significant position liaising between the executive team and the frontline. He takes on this role both formally in meetings and informally offering advice and increasing team engagement by organising barbeques. In this way he has been integral to developing a culture where people feel that their opinions and ideas are valued. He respects the skills and experience of his team members and has mentored his Gangers and Supervisors to focus on the quality of the product they deliver for their community. In recent years, Nathan has also mentored 2 young engineers in their roles at Blayney Shire Council.

According to his Director, Nathan works hard to understand the issues, and focuses on treating the cause, rather than the visible symptom. This focus has enabled his team to provide solutions that reduce ongoing costs to Council. Nathan has stepped up on a number of occasions to take on the Director’s role doing such a good job that his Director has started to have concerns about his own future.

CATEGORY: THE MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT’S AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING Winner:

Coffs Harbour City Council - Jetty4Shores Stages 2-4

Nathan Skelly

Presented by Warren Sharpe OAM, the Minister for Local Government’s Award for Innovation in Local Government Engineering, was accepted by Matthew Naylor on behalf of Coffs Harbour City Council.

The Public Works Leader of the Year was presented to Nathan Skelly by Boral BDM Rick Jones and Warren Sharpe OAM

Nathan Skelly started work at Wellington Council as a Trainee Civil Engineer. For the last 10 years he has worked at Blayney Shire Council. Nathan is passionate about achieving great outcomes for the local community focusing on improvements to delivery methods and reducing asset deterioration. He cites the recent construction of a bridge in 3 days over a weekend as his greatest technical achievement and building the effectiveness of his team by empowering them as his proudest overall achievement.

The $9.2 M Coffs Harbour Jetty4Shores Stages 2-4 revitalisation project resolves challenges and beach erosion and drainage while showcasing the city’s harbour side precinct. Works include underground power, covered stage, major drainage, beach erosion control works, shared pathways, accessible amenities, beach showers, picnic shelters, car parks, a boardwalk, beach promenade with wheelchair access to Jetty beach, landscaping, outdoor exercise equipment and public art. IPWEA (NSW) members were key members of the project team involved in the construction, project management, and design and construction management throughout the project. Construction was in collaboration with AJ Civil.

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

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IPWEA NSW NEWS

CATEGORY: DESIGN AND/OR CONSTRUCTION OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT/PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT (LESS THAN $500,000) Winner:

Kempsey Shire Council - Crescent Head Foreshore Reserve Public Amenities

Council staff designed a low maintenance, highly functional and visually attractive Public Amenities building, located on the Crescent Head Foreshore Reserve. The facility needed to compliment but not dominate or detract from the adjacent architecturally designed and award-winning Surf Club building.

Highly Commended: Central Coast Council - Fire Trail Reconstruction for

Pleasant Valley Trail Complex

CATEGORY: DESIGN AND/OR CONSTRUCTION OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT/PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT (GREATER THAN $500,000 LESS THAN $5 MILLION) Winner:

The Royal Botanic Gardens & Centennial Park - Centennial Parklands Sports Centre

The completion of the refurbishment of 11 tennis courts to a stateof-the-art Play Sight Smart Court Technology has brought up to date the sports complex in Centennial Park which provides facilities for over 560,000 sports users per year engaged in 35 different sports. The complex also caters for 150 local schools. Energy efficient LED lighting has been installed to provide lighting for night time activities.

Highly Commended: Griffith City Council - Bagtown Roundabout

City of Parramatta - Subiaco Creek Cycleway

Eurobodalla Shire Council - Corrigans Inclusive

Playground

CATEGORY: DESIGN AND/OR CONSTRUCTION OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT/PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT (GREATER THAN $5 MILLION) Winner:

City of Canada Bay - The Connection Smart City Community Facility

The Connection is a unique community facility. It demonstrates the new Smart City direction in provision of digital facilities for the community. The Connection forms the community heart where citizens can meet and collaborate as well as enjoy the beautiful outlook over Homebush Bay. Highly Commended: City of Parramatta - West Epping Park Major Upgrade

Kempsey Shire Council - Upgrade of Macleay Valley

Way

CATEGORY: NEW OR IMPROVED TECHNIQUES Winner:

Central Coast Council - Capital Works Interactive Map and Updates

The Interactive Map has been developed to help local residents to see online what road, transport, and drainage capital works are planned in their neighbourhood. This year the Council will deliver approximately $70 million of capital works projects.

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Highly Commended: Lake Macquarie Council - Business Transformation

Project - Road Maintenance

Campbelltown City Council - Bridge Management

Strategy

CATEGORY: INNOVATION IN WATER SUPPLY & WASTEWATER Winner:

Hunter H20 & Hunter Water Corporation - Belmont & Cessnock Wastewater Treatment Plant Works Remediation

Hunter Water Corporation and Hunter H20 have worked in partnership to successfully implement urgent inlet works remediation projects at Belmont and Cessnock Wastewater Treatment Works. Both inlet works were subject to continuous sewage inflows that could not be shut off for more than 2-4 hrs.

Highly Commended: Tamworth Regional Council - Sewer Rising Main

Ballina Shire Council - Ballina Wastewater Treatment Plant

Blower Optimisation

CATEGORY: WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY Winner:

Sutherland Shire Council - Managing HVNL -Chain of Responsibility Change and Implementation

Council has implemented changes necessary to ensure compliance with Heavy Vehicle National Laws “Chain of Responsibility” in order to improve public and worker safety. The changes have ensured the Chain of Responsibility requirement has been integrated into its standard operating conditions including Work, Health & Safety Risk Management practices, systems and procedures including procurement contracts and agreements with GPS monitoring of speed, fatigue and mass loading.

CATEGORY: EXCELLENCE IN ROAD SAFETY ENGINEERING Winner:

City of Canada Bay - Bay Run Road, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Improvements

The Bay Run circumnavigates the shores of Iron Cove Bay and is one of the most popular harbour side tracks in Sydney. This section replaces a narrow, shared use path, adjacent to the road with a 3 metre drop off into the bay. The project greatly improves the safety of the section at Timbrell Drive, which has vehicle use of over 20,000. The road has been relocated over 4 metres to the south to provide a 2.5 metre cycle path separated from a 2-metre pedestrian path with a 0.6m planted buffer between.

Highly Commended: Port Stephens Council - Shoal Bay Traffic Signals and Raised

Pedestrian Crossing

CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT PROJECT OR INITIATIVE INCLUDING RECOVERING, RECYCLING AND REUSING Winner:

MidCoast Council - Tuncurry Waste Management Centre Redevelopment

Council has redeveloped the existing Tuncurry Waste Facility from a landfill site to a $4.5 million multi-functional integrated Waste

IPWEA NSW NEWS

Management Facility. The facility has now become a Community Hub involving modern Waste Compaction and Transfer Station, a large Community Recycling Centre, Education Facility and a new “Men’s Shed” Workshop and Community Car parking.

Highly Commended: Cessnock City Council - Development of A Transfer Station at

Cessnock Waste Management Centre

Sutherland Shire Council - Council’s Material Handling and

Storage Facility

Carpark, built for offshore commuters and local use, has been aesthetically designed to preserve the natural beauty and vistas of the area, and blend into the surrounding landscape. The roadworks and boardwalk greatly improve traffic and pedestrian safety. The boardwalk is provided to promote active travel in the area. An advisory group of volunteering professionals from the community, greatly assisted the Council to deliver the project, consistent with the community views.

CATEGORY: LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXCELLENCE IN ROAD SAFETY

CATEGORY: SPECIAL HERITAGE AWARD

Winner:

Ku-ring-gai Council - 2018 Road Safety Calendar

This project is an example of best practice and collaboration between 7 councils; Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, Lane Cove, North Sydney, Northern Beaches, City of Ryde and Willoughby Council. The Road Safety Calendar is an extremely innovative way of presenting information State and potentially Nationwide in the future. The calendar addresses a range of key road messages for communities such as ‘what to do in a car crash’ and ‘active walking programs’ while being fun and colourful.

CATEGORY: MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PROJECT MANAGEMENT Winner:

Parkes Shire Council - Integrated Water Infrastructure Renewal Program

Parkes Shire Council completed a once in a lifetime renewal of Parkes urban water supply and sewerage schemes, collectively known as the Parkes Integrated Water Infrastructure Renewal Program. The $100M program reflects a holistic approach that encompasses Parkes entire water cycle.

Highly Commended: Hornsby Shire Council - Station Footbridge

CATEGORY: SPECIAL COMMUNITY FACILITY AWARD Winner:

Winner:

Northern Beaches Council - Refurbishment of Heritage Sydney Tram

The historic Sydney Tram has been acquired by the Council and refurbished by local community group, the Forest Men’s Shed to form an important addition to the Tram shed Arts & Community Centre at Narrabeen. The site is the terminus of the old Manly to Narrabeen tram line which last operated in 1958.

The Tram shed Arts & Community Centre is a multi-use centre, used by numerous community groups. The Tram adjacent to the centre café and is open to the public as an interactive piece of history for the community to enjoy for many years to come.

The annual State Conference again delivered a full and engaging program which included a number of highlights including ‘Risky Business’ by Allan Sparkes CV, OAM, VA Deputy Commissioner NSW Mental Health Commission, an insightful panel discussion, great workshops and we were challenged by our younger delegates in future needs and some engineering challenges. The additional masterclass was also well received and planning has already commenced for the 2019 conference.

A detailed report and booklet on Highly Commended, winners and projects are available on the IPWEA (NSW) website: www.ipwea.org/nsw

Maitland City Council - The Riverlink Building High Street – Levy Component 2

The Riverlink Building is a key element in the revitalisation of High Street, Maitland and the Maitland CBD. It complements the work already completed in High Street by providing a spectacular public link to the Hunter River. The Riverlink Building and its public domain were conceived and built as an architecturally designed proscenium arch linking High Street commercial area to the river. The building includes a restaurant/cafe, public amenities, a public domain and a feature sculpture, all-in high-quality materials and finishes. The combination of design, craftsmanship, materials and location combine to provide a beautiful and spectacular piece of public infrastructure.

CATEGORY: SPECIAL TRANSPORT INTEGRATION HUB AWARD Winner:

Northern Beaches Council - Church Point Carpark and Seawall Project

The carpark, roadworks and pedestrian boardwalk have reinvigorated the foreshore around Church Point. The 2-level

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

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IPWEA NSW NEWS

NSW Government announces changes to the Safe and Secure Water Program The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia NSW Division, IPWEA (NSW), has congratulated NSW Government on the announcement regarding changes to the Safe and Secure Water Program. IPWEA (NSW) have had many conversations with NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet regarding the changes to the Program and are pleased that they have listened.

IPWEA (NSW) President, Mr Warren Sharpe OAM said “The leadership shown by the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian in announcing that Regional communities will be able to build new and upgraded water infrastructure faster is welcomed and was necessary”.

“IPWEA (NSW) have been in conversation with a number of MPs regarding the Safe and Secure Water Program, including proposing solutions the NSW Government to facilitate improved outcomes for regional communities. It is encouraging to know that the advocacy undertaken by IPWEA (NSW) is being heard and supported within the NSW Government to make decisions to enhance the quality of life of NSW communities,” Mr Sharpe OAM said.

“The changes to the program mean that the remaining funding is still available for eligible projects, but the funding is no longer contingent on restrictive CostBenefit-Ratios. This will allow the NSW Government to fund projects that will provide the basic and essential service of a

Regional Forums 2019 Planning is well underway for the 2019 Regional Forums, with some significantly new topics. Make sure to pencil them in to your calendar.

Further information and registration will be available within the next few weeks.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

safe, secure and affordable water supply for regional communities across NSW bringing social equity to the bush,” Mr Sharpe said.

Many NSW communities face ongoing water security and quality challenges, particularly in times of drought, however, today’s announcement shows NSW Government is supporting regional communities through the drought and has announced that more than $1 billion will go to drought support, including drought subsidies, the Farm Innovation Fund and waiving the various farming fees and charges.

“IPWEA (NSW) recently gathered research on local water utility capacity of Regional Councils in New South Wales. Each Council was asked what their current capacity of water supply was in percentage, if they had implemented any water restrictions and what were Councils’ forecasts during the drought situation. 60% participated and a large amount of these had been affected by the drought”, IPWEA (NSW) Chief Executive Officer, Mr John Roydhouse said.

Mr Roydhouse added, “IPWEA (NSW) have developed strong relationships within NSW Government and strive to pass on the message of NSW communities. It is worthwhile noting that the program will now focus on the priority of critical water infrastructure based on the need and known issues – rather than on economic viability.”

IPWEA (NSW) President, Mr Warren Sharpe OAM

Under the updated program the NSW Government will work with each local council on their infrastructure needs, ten new engineers and six new infrastructure, planning and water security specialists will be deployed to help local councils develop water security projects. Also, program funding will be prioritised to address the highest risks first, ensuring communities receive the infrastructure they need.

Mr Sharpe OAM said, “IPWEA (NSW) want to take this opportunity to congratulate the NSW Government on this announcement and look forward to continuing to work together to enhance the quality of life of NSW communities.”

IPWEA (NSW) welcomes recognition and funding for Local Government Infrastructure The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia NSW Division, IPWEA (NSW), has welcomed the announcement by the NSW Shadow Minister for Local Government for better infrastructure outcomes in New South Wales.

Attending the recent Local Government NSW Conference in Albury, IPWEA (NSW) Chief Executive Officer, Mr John Roydhouse said; "The announcement by the Shadow Minister, The Hon. Peter Primrose, that the NSW Opposition is supporting a long-term request for recognition of Engineers along with a promised review of the NSW Formula for Federal Assistant Grants is welcomed."

The long-term planning, design, construction and maintenance of our public infrastructure, our local roads, our local bridges, our local water supplies, sporting and recreational facilities, how we manage our waste, our community halls all require considerable public funds, Federal, State and Local rates to meet the needs of our communities.

A feature of the 2018 NSW Local Roads Congress Communique was the calling on a review of the Federal Assistance Grant Allocation.

“This review will allow for some greater social equity across our smaller disadvantaged communities who simply do not have the local population to fund major infrastructure projects, nor maintain some of their existing facilities especially in times of natural disaster recovery," Mr Roydhouse says.

Fundamental to the capacity of delivering safe and reliable infrastructure is the need to address current and future skills through a suitably qualified and experienced workforce.

“The Recognition and registration of Engineers in NSW is long overdue,” says Mr Roydhouse. “To have a formal process to ensure our community and public infrastructure managers are adequately trained and to provide encouragement to education providers to offer engineering pathways is essential if we are to address the ongoing shortage of Engineers in NSW.” A registration scheme will encourage future generations to consider the wonderful career opportunities and make a real difference to the shape and wellbeing of our communities through the public infrastructure sector. “Tackling issues from road safety through to environment and waste management all are part of the lives of modern-day Engineers and unfortunately NSW is behind other states in the recognition of this highly skilled workforce," Mr Roydhouse stated.

"IPWEA (NSW) is calling on the current NSW Government to ensure the skills and capacity of our Public Infrastructure IPWEA (NSW) Chief Executive managers can deliver to the “Infrastructure Officer, Mr John Roydhouse Boom that is NSW’ through these important measures," he added.

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

35

CASE STUDY

ELEVATED CONSOLIDATION STATE-OF-THE-ART VIBRATION EQUIPMENT DELIVERS OUTSTANDING RESULTS FOR ELEVATED RAIL LINE PRECAST SEGMENTS

Constructed in 2016, the Pakenham facility was responsible for the production of over 2,000 precast concrete segments for the decks of the elevated ‘sky train’ sections.

When it comes to producing quality finished concrete, ensuring the correct level of concrete consolidation is achieved during pouring is paramount. Whether it’s precast or poured in situ, eliminating voids – particularly around reinforcing steel – helps to ensure that the finished concrete will perform as intended in both the longand short-term.

Not surprisingly, the more complex the geometry or intricate the reinforcing, the more challenging it is to achieve the required level of consolidation and ensure that the concrete flows around all of the reinforcing without leaving any voids.

One of the most commonly-used and most effective methods of achieving concrete consolidation is to use vibration – either in the form of vibrating ‘pokers’ which are inserted directly into the freshly poured concrete or, for precast and some formed concrete elements, external vibrators, which are attached to the exterior surfaces of the mould or formwork.

While the concept of using vibrators for concrete consolidation is well established and been used successfully for well over half a century, there’s a lot more to it than might first meet the eye. Mark Thompson, General Manager with OLI Australia – one 36

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

of Australia’s leading suppliers of specialist vibrators for concrete construction and part of the global WAMGROUP and WOLONG MOTOR CO, who have been at the forefront of vibration technology since 1961 – explained: “With concrete vibration, it’s not only about the design and placement of the vibrators within the concrete or on the moulds or formwork, it’s also about the intensity and frequency of the vibrations being generated. Different frequencies not only change the speed of the vibrations, they also effect how far the vibrations travel thought the concrete or across the mould or formwork.”

The facility incorporated over 100 high frequency electric vibrators, which were attached to the precast moulds.

“Importantly, the effect of the vibrations is also directly impacted by a number of external factors, including the slump, viscosity and contents of the concrete mix, temperature, hydration, the total mass of the concrete, the complexity of the reinforcing and, in the case of precast components, the geometry of, and materials used for the mould or formwork,” he said.

“What’s more, many of these variables will continue to change as the pour progresses and the total mass increases,” he added. “There really is quite a lot more to it than you might think.”

CASE STUDY

With that in mind, OLI produces an array of vibrators to suit the full range of applications: from electric high-frequency vibrators (both with and without inbuilt frequency converters) through to pneumatic and electric vibrators for use with concrete moulds and formwork (both wooden and steel), as well as a range of high performance, multi-output high frequency variable speed drives.

Not surprisingly, OLI’s capabilities, experience and extensive range were critical factors in the company being awarded the tender to supply the concrete vibration equipment for the purpose-built precast plant established for the Level Crossing Removal Program from Caulfield to Dandenong in suburban Melbourne.

Forming part of Victoria’s largest-ever rail infrastructure project, the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project is managed by the Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA), which was established in 2015 by the Victorian Government as part of its commitment to the elimination of 75 dangerous and congested level crossings across Melbourne by 2025. The project also includes upgrades or construction of more than 20 train stations, laying many kilometres of new track and making associated rail improvements.

Over the past three years, a total of 18 train stations have been built and 29 level crossings have been removed, including nine level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong, which have been replaced with a series of elevated rail sections.

With a total cost of $1.6 billion, the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project included the establishment of a major concrete precasting facility in Pakenham, in Melbourne’s outer south-east.

Constructed in 2016, the Pakenham facility was responsible for the production of over 2,000 precast concrete segments used for the decks along each of the 3.2km long elevated ‘sky train’ sections. The individual segments were connected into spans ready for lifting into position. Each span typically consisted of between 8 and 14 precast concrete segments, and weighed up to 420 tonnes.

As one might expect with a project of this size and scope, the challenge of minimising the impact of construction works on both road and rail traffic, as well as local residents, resulted in extremely

tight production turnaround times and construction deadlines. In short, precast segment production had to keep up with the construction schedule while still meeting the extremely stringent engineering and quality specifications.

With that in mind, the Pakenham precasting facility was established with a focus on quality, productivity and, most importantly, reliability.

In keeping with the focus, the facility’s designers selected OLI vibration technology to provide the required concrete consolidation within the precast segments. The facility incorporated over 100 high frequency electric vibrators, which were attached to the precast moulds and controlled by 4 multi-output high frequency variable speed drives. These units allowed the operators to remotely control both the frequency and intensity of

the vibrations during each of the pours. OLI also provided more than 40 high frequency pokers for the project.

“We’re very proud to have been involved with what is such an iconic project,” Mark Thompson said.

“We were able to supply and install all of the equipment on an extremely tightframe, and then follow-up with operator training and on-site support if they needed it,” he added.

Perhaps most importantly, all of the equipment performed as it should. There were no production delays, all of the precast segments were delivered and installed on schedule, and the new ‘sky rail’ sections are all now operational between Caulfield and Dandenong.

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OLI Australia General Manager, Mark Thompson, with one of the multi-output high frequency variable speed drives at the Pakenham precasting facility.

OLI also provided more than 40 high frequency pokers for the project.

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

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NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

NATIONAL PRECAST SUPPORTS SAFETY INITIATIVE With a dedicated approach to workplace safety, National Precast has banded with Australian First Aid Awards (AFA) as an Industry Partner for 2019.

Founder of AFA, John Haines, says this early partnership signals the importance of the Association’s initiative to the industry.

“National Precast Concrete Association is clearly committed to the health and safety of people at work. This will make it easier for their members to nominate for the awards and be recognised for their investment in this area,” Mr Haines details.

“In addition, Association members will be accessing best practice case studies and educational content that will enable continuous improvement.”

National Precast’s Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Bachmann, supports Mr Haines’ sentiment, adding that the partnership is indicative of the Association’s activities to promote improved safety practices—both within precast factories and on construction sites, where precast is used.

“As the third highest industry for workplace 38

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

fatalities, the construction industry has a long way to go where safety is concerned. The precast concrete sector delivers a number of benefits in this space,” Ms Bachmann says.

“Precast offers a safer method of construction, taking work offsite into a controlled factory environment. Workers are protected and, at the same time, construction sites are less cluttered with less materials’ deliveries, wastage, and site activities.”

There is no shortage of available information that provides guidance on safe practices, making it easy to comply with legal requirements.

“The Association was an active participant in the update of AS 3850 Prefabricated concrete elements, which was published in 2015 and applies to the use of prefabricated concrete elements on sites where buildings are constructed,” Ms Bachmann explains.

National Precast initiated the extension of the application of this Standard beyond the construction of buildings, into the civil sector.

As well, the Association was instrumental in the

decision by Safe Work Australia to update an outdated Code of Practice that applies to the sector.

“Becoming a supporter of these awards was a nice fit,” Ms Bachmann says.

ABOUT THE AWARDS The AFA celebrates the outstanding performance of First Aiders as well as the organisations that strive to achieve a safer workplace through first aid facilities and staff training.

Award categories include the Resuscitation Award, First Aid Excellence Award, SMB Employer First Aid Initiative Award, Enterprise Employer First Aid Initiative Award, and Schools First Aid Initiative Award.

Winners will be announced and finalists will be celebrated at a Gala Dinner in August 2019, which will be held at the landmark Melbourne Arts Centre. The event will showcase bestpractice in workplace safety and first aid, which will provide guests with an invaluable insight into the strategies behind workplace incident responses.

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NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

EARLY PRECASTER INVOLVEMENT REAPS REWARDS FOR HOSPITAL CONFERENCE CENTRE AND CARPARK PROJECT: BENDIGO HOSPITAL, STAGE 2 – MULTI-LEVEL CAR PARK AND CONFERENCE CENTRE LOCATION: BENDIGO, VIC PRECASTER: HOLLOW CORE CONCRETE CLIENT: EXEMPLAR HEALTH / LENDLEASE ARCHITECT: BATES SMART, SILVER THOMAS HANLEY BUILDER: LENDLEASE ENGINEER: IRWINCONSULT Speed of construction, high quality architectural finishes, a long span design, and a Class 2 to 3 fire rating were among the requirements for a state-of-the-art redevelopment of Bendigo Hospital.

At $630 million, Bendigo Hospital is Victoria’s largest regional hospital. With a clever design that fuses Bendigo’s natural environment and vernacular architecture with a holistic approach to healthcare, the new Hospital is morphologically divided into distinct sections, featuring healthcare facilities, retail facilities, a childcare centre, and a hotel.

The project has been delivered over two stages, with Stage 1 comprising the hotel, childcare centre, and hospital itself, and Stage 2 consisting of a multi-level car park, conference centre, helipad, and bridge link.

PRECASTER ENGAGED FROM CONCEPTION TO COMPLETION Hollow Core Concrete’s Managing Director, Peter Healy, says the numerous project requirements were addressed by opting for a precast methodology and by being involved from the project’s outset.

The Melbourne-based National Precast member was engaged early in Stage 2 of the project to provide detailed ‘in service’ design, construction methodology, erection design, and project modelling for the multi-level car park and conference centre. Hollow Core then 40

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

manufactured, transported, and erected all precast elements and completed the required connections and screeding on site.

“The resulting experience reinforced the significance of thorough planning, detailed design, and accurate modelling as critical conditions for a successful project in precast concrete construction,” Mr Healy explains.

LONG SPANS AND UNIQUE GEOMETRY The multi-level car park and conference centre structures are both based on an efficient precast concrete system, consisting of hollowcore and solid floor planks, beams, columns, stairs, and wall panels.

The larger phase of Stage 2 – the multi-level car park – is based on a split-level car park area, with vehicle ramps at each end. It features a split-level slab on the ground, five levels of suspended floors to one half, and four levels of

suspended floor to the other half. The total car park floor area is approximately 17,000m².

The conference centre comprises two large suspended floor areas and one smaller suspended floor area. With a floor area of approximately 2,000m², the geometry of this phase was much simpler than that of the car park.

Hollowcore floor planks are the most common structural element used for the floors of both structures, and range from 205mm, to 420mm in depth. According to Mr Healy, they are ideal for long spans.

“The planks are prestressed and relatively light for their structural depth. The clear, simply supported spans that are achieved by these planks are in excess of 16 metres,” Mr Healy details.

“Solid precast planks are suitable for more complicated geometry of the floor, where small spans are required.”

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

FIVE MONTH SCHEDULE IMPRESSES The precast concrete system was effectively completed – from manufacture to installation – in less than five months, exceeding project requirements.

“This system provided immediate access and created an instant work area on the newlyerected floors and, only a few days later, the screeding was also finished” Mr Healy details.

“This gave access to all the follow-up trades for installation of services.”

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The precast columns feature specific geometry to suit project requirements. They include the spine wall columns that act together with the spine wall beams to create the central spine of the car park.

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4,500m² of precast wall panels serve the project’s structural and architectural needs. Coloured concrete with a specially-designed concrete mix

was used for the panels, and two types of surface finishes were applied to the face. Some areas have an acid washed surface finish, while some have been sand blasted.

“The majority of wall panels were subject to a special treatment to achieve the required architectural appearance,” Mr Healy says.

“As well as enclosing the structures, most of the wall panels are used for support of the floors and to provide lateral stability.”

As a tribute to its excellence, Bendigo Hospital won the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture at the Australian Institute of Architect’s 2018 National Architecture Awards.

The project has been celebrated for integrating sustainable thinking into all elements of its design, construction, and systems to create a healing and therapeutic environment. It is considered a key milestone for central Victoria and will service the region well into the future.

“We are certainly proud to have helped create a structure that will serve the Bendigo community for many years to come,” Mr Healy says.

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www.nondrill.com.au Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

41

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

A CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM THAT KEEPS UP WITH SYDNEY’S GROWTH PROJECT: GREGORY HILLS HEALTH & BUSINESS CENTRE PRECASTER: ALPHA PRECAST CLIENT: ICON BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION ARCHITECT: A & N DESIGN BUILDER: ICON BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER: VALAIRE & ASSOCIATES Gregory Hills has become one of Sydney’s fastest growing towns, and as a key region within the NSW Government’s South West growth corridor, its development is only set to continue.

As a designated growth hub, Gregory Hills is experiencing significant economic activity - and positioned at the epicentre of this hub is the Gregory Hills Health & Business Centre.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

The Gregory Hills Health & Business Centre is a mix-use development that features a medical centre, commercial suites, retail stores, food and beverage stores, and bulky goods retailers.

Here, the construction of a three-storey building and underground car park - with provision for 164 cars - boasts an efficient off-site building method.

TOTAL PRECAST CONCRETE METHOD The designs for the building and car park were based on a full precast concrete system, which included wall panels, floors, columns, and beams. All precast elements were manufactured

by National Precast member, Alpha Precast.

The internal walls and façade comprise 619 wall panels, all of which adopted a smooth Class 2 finish, as per AS 3610 Formwork for concrete.

The panels have served the project’s structural and aesthetic ambitions.

As well, 58 reinforced concrete columns and 79 horizontal prestressed beams were supplied by the precaster. The beams sit atop the columns, which allowed for 5,200 square metres of prestressed Vee Slab flooring to be installed.

The flooring consisted of a flat base slab, with concrete ribs and void formers on top.

FULLY SELF-SUPPORTING STRUCTURE The project was built using the Valaire Vee Slab Framing System—a system that is fully selfsupporting throughout construction, with only column alignment props required. The system is based on the Valaire Vee Slab, which is a longspan precast floor panel.

Director of Valaire and Associates and Inventor of the system, Trevor Valaire, says this involved a unique methodology.

“The beams are joined at the structural inflection point, approximately 20 per cent of the

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

was installed, it served as an instant working platform,” Mr Nassar details.

BUILDER SEES BENEFITS

span length from the columns. Beams constructed in this manner behave very much like continuous beams, which has resulted in a stiff structure with shallow beam depths,” Mr Valaire explains.

“The precast columns have been fully fixed to the Vee Spines, which provided strength and stability during construction, and then sway resistance in service. The slabs are supported

by load bearing precast walls around the perimeter.”

Alpha Precast’s General Manager, Daniel Nassar, says the system also provided on-site construction efficiencies.

“The system is able to span long distances under construction loading, without the need for propping. This means as soon as a slab

Opting for a full precast concrete solution transformed the project’s building process by moving work off site and into a controlled factory environment. Unaffected by varying site conditions, the precaster’s factory environment allowed for the manufacturing process to be concurrent with site works.

According to Icon Building & Construction’s General Manager, Ralph Iorfino, this process had significant time and safety benefits.

“We chose precast for speed of construction and ease of installation. This also meant the worksite was less cluttered and much safer,” Mr Iorfino says.

The floor of the building was constructed over the car park with provisions for truck access, which necessitated long spans combined with high live loads. All columns, beams, and Vee Slabs were erected by mobile crane in just six days.

“The installation on site went perfectly, with no modification required to the precast components,” Mr Valaire reveals.

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www.mi-mep.com.au Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

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NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PRECASTER TAKES THE LEAD WITH INDUSTRY TRAINING REVIEW In 2017, Innovation & Business Skills Australia (IBSA) was appointed to conduct a review of the Manufactured Minerals Products Training Package on behalf of the Australian Government.

In consultation with IBSA, a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) was formed to ensure that the training package met the needs of the industry by reflecting current workplace practices. National Precast was invited to participate in the TAC. Under review were the following qualifications: · PMC20016 Certificate II in Manufactured Mineral Products, · PMC30116 Certificate III in Manufactured Mineral Products, and · PMC40116 Certification IV in Manufactured Mineral Products.

In addition, the scope also included investigating the need for new units of competency including: · implementing Australian Standards, · using batch command control systems, · mechanical maintenance for concrete plants, and · mathematics, measures and angles.

National Precast provided representation on the TAC through one of its longstanding Western Australian-based precaster members, Delta Corporation. National Precast’s Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Bachmann, says Delta was ideally suited to provide a range of technical input and practical knowledge.

“Already an industry leader in this space, Delta’s representatives were able to provide suggestions for real world improvements,” Ms Bachmann details.

After developing a detailed recommendation, IBSA put forward this proposal to a range of industry stakeholders including state government training organisations. Following this consultation

process, it was passed on to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC), which has recently endorsed the work done by Delta and the TAC, and is now available on the national training register.

“It is through the hard work and dedication from our members that we can improve the training being offered within our industry,” Ms Bachmann says.

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Together with its partner companies EBAWE Anlagentechnik GmbH and Tecnocom Spa, Lithonplus developed a highly specialised circulation plant for the manufacture of L-shaped retaining walls.

LITHONPLUS USES NEW PRODUCTION METHOD TO MANUFACTURE L-SHAPED RETAINING WALLS Thanks to a new patented production method, German manufacturing specialist Lithonplus Steinmanufaktur has successfully used the new "L-Tec System Angle" in the industrial manufacture of large L-shaped retaining walls.

With their high-quality, smooth off-form finish, the new L-Shaped units are not only attractive and versatile, they also deliver a range of practical advantages, especially in terms of being easy to transport, lift and erect.

The company has spent over five years developing this new manufacturing method, which it has successfully implemented together with precast concrete machine and plant manufacturing specialists Ebawe Anlagentechnik GmbH and Tecnocom Spa, both of which belong to the Progress Group.

Headquartered in Lingenfeld, Rhineland-Palatinate (between Frankfurt and Stuttgart in Germany’s central west), Lithonplus Steinmanufaktur, is a subsidiary of HeidelbergCement AG and Schwenk KG. Building on over 100 years of experience and expertise in concrete, in 2004 the company concentrated its traditional activities to focus on precast concrete products 2004, and since that time has become a leader in the field, gaining an enviable reputation for the quality of its products.

Lithonplus has a total of 16 locations spread across Germany, producing and distributing an extensive range of high-quality precast concrete products for commercial and residential applications ranging from paths and public squares, through to residential patios, driveways and gardens. The company currently employs a team of around 600, generating an annual turnover of more than 120 million euros.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

SUCCESS WITH THE RIGHT PHILOSOPHY Apart from a distinct passion for concrete, another key in the company’s success undoubtedly lies within its dual focus on quality manufacturing, customer service – which, of course, includes developing products to meet customers’ needs.

JĂźrgen Rust, section manager for L-shaped retaining walls at Lithonplus commented: "For us, concrete means unlimited design freedom and a rich diversity due to an endless number of possible shapes and colours. Our passion is to use this freedom and to turn it with fantasy into convincing product lines."

Needless to say, all dealings revolve around strict customer orientation: "Our goal is absolute customer satisfaction and long-term customer retention. We wish to achieve that with convincing products, smooth processes and the uncompromising implementation of all requirements."

One of the most important criteria in this context is the manufacture of high-quality products.

"The machine-manufactured products are therefore produced on modern plants with the latest technology", says Rust.

THE INNOVATIVE L-TEC SYSTEM ANGLE Gregory Trautmann and Wilfried Polle, both managing directors at Lithonplus, recall that the desire to incorporate these high company standards into the development and production of large L-shaped retaining walls demanded a great deal of innovative force from the company.

It took five years to develop the innovative plant for the optimal production of high-quality concrete elements. The goal was to find an automated alternative to the traditional manual production of L-shaped retaining walls, often also referred to as system angles.

In addition, the universally usable L-shaped retaining walls were to have fair-faced concrete quality all round apart from the face on which they stand and - unlike conventional manufacturing methods - not exhibit any conicity.

Following the long development period, the result has impressed planners and product users alike.

In developing the L-Tec System Angle, the company has not only successfully realised all of its initial design goals, it has also delivered some additional innovations.

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The new production plant allows the most diverse types of L-shaped retaining wall to be produced in a short time and in high quality.

Construction Engineering Australia â&#x20AC;˘ Dec 2018/Jan 2019

49

PRECAST TECHNOLOGY

The suspension point of the L-shaped retaining wall, which is placed at the centre of gravity, enables the unit to balance itself during handling – making it easy to lift and transport.

EASY AND UNCOMPLICATED HANDLING The trick to making the units so easy to handle, is the suspension point of the L-shaped retaining wall, which is placed at the centre of gravity. As a result, the L-shaped retaining wall balances itself automatically during handling and is much easier than usual to lift and transport. This design also aids significantly when setting the units down on foundations – improving the speed and ease with which the units can be placed and aligned.

MAXIMUM FAIR-FACED CONCRETE - SB4 QUALITY ALL ROUND Another major benefit of the new L-shaped retaining wall segments is the excellent off-form finish that can be achieved using the process – Class 4 maximum fair-faced concrete quality all round.

By combining both aesthetic and practical benefits, L-TEC System Angles can also be used as visual highlights, making them suitable for use in an even wider range of applications such as dividing walls which are visible on both sides. Flawless shaping Formwork-related conicity is consigned to the past. L-Tec System Angles have a constant width over their entire height.

L-shaped retaining walls placed alongside one another have the same joint width from top to bottom, and their circumferential chamfers are reduced and of the same size. The formation of a dummy joint for 99 cm-wide elements was consciously omitted.

Ideal for traffic areas where de-icing salt is used, L-TEC System Angles conform to exposure class XF4, which means that they are suitable for applications where stress due to the use of deicing chemicals can be expected. The exposure class XF4 standard ensures planning and implementation security for all environmental conditions, and is prescribed for installation in traffic areas in Europe.

QUALITY PRODUCTS THROUGH AUTOMATED PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY Following a long and careful examination of various machine and plant manufacturers, Lithonplus chose to cooperate with Ebawe Anlagentechnik GmbH and Tecnocom Spa (both part of the Progress Group) as its partners for the development of a highly automated production system for the manufacture of the new L-TEC System Angle. The two partners developed a special circulation plant – the first of its kind - tailored to Lithonplus' needs for the production of L-shaped retaining walls. This work included the development of special moulds to enable the production of 50

Construction Engineering Australia • Dec 2018/Jan 2019

different L-shaped retaining walls with a length of 49cm or 99cm and heights of between 55cm and 305cm without the conventional conicity of the elements.

A bespoke seven-stage production process allowed the manufacture of the new system angles to be automated to the highest degree.

Following the cleaning and oiling of the special moulds, the concreting process takes place fully automatically with the aid of a fill-quantity monitor and a height-adjustable concrete distributor that can be adapted individually to the different mould heights. The plant allows for several L-shaped retaining walls to be produced simultaneously – further reducing production lead-times.

The elements are cured in a special curing chamber, after which the finished parts are automatically demoulded.

The high degree of automation enables the company to operate a multi-shift system alongside the two-shift system, resulting in a significant increase in capacity with far fewer staff and much higher quality in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods.

EBOS AUTOMATION CONTROL SYSTEM Forming the new centrepiece of the plant, the EBOS control system manages all important functions across the process. Together with its production automation functions, the system also features several extended capabilities, including automatic management of the curing chamber, generation of reports and production analyses, printing ID labels for components, and management of the storage yard.

In addition, the system’s graphic performance analyser, allows each aspect of the production process to be easily analysed and optimised if required – thereby helping to ensure maximum productivity across each stage of the process.

AN OUTSTANDING RESULT Jürgen Rust, section manager for L-shaped retaining walls at Lithonplus, is delighted with the successes achieved in the partnership between Lithonplus and the PROGRESS GROUP companies. "We have succeeded in creating a unique product in combination with an extraordinary, highly automated production plant,” he said.

“Never before has it been possible to manufacture L-shaped retaining walls in such a variety and quality and at such a high speed in a plant,” he added. “We therefore regard the development of the market and our positioning in it as being very positive for the future."

Their versatile design and high quality finish, make the L-Tec System Angles suitable for a wide range of applications.

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ACA CORROSION FEATURE

BE PREPARED...

IS SURFACE PREPARATION FOR CONCRETE REPAIRS A FAD?

by Hamid Khan, Product Segment Manager (Repairs and Grouts) Parchem Construction Supplies Pty Ltd

When one is to commence concrete repairs, there are three most fundamental things; surface preparation, surface preparation and surface preparation. Engineers, expert scholars and contractors are committed to enhance the durability of concrete repairs. Strong and lasting bond between a repair material and the host concrete substrate is one of the crucial aspects of durability of concrete repairs. The potential performance of the repair can be completely undermined if the surface on which it is applied has not been properly prepared.

REPAIR MATERIAL TO CONCRETE SUBSTRATE – AN ALIEN OR A MONOLITHIC BOND In European standard (EN1504-10:2004), the term bond refers to the adhesion of the applied material or system to the concrete substrate. Hence, adhesion has an underlying importance in the repair of concrete structures. Surface preparation of the concrete substrate is considered to be the most crucial step in a concrete repair project. A poorly prepared surface will result in the weak association to the repair zone, no matter how proficient and expensive the repair material might be. The repair material when applied, should not act as ‘an alien body’ to the host concrete substrate, rather, it should become an integral part of the existing concrete restoring the structure to its original monolithic strength.

Lukovic et al., (2012), in their paper “Reliable Concrete Repair – A Critical Review”, highlighted that the composite system by the integration of the repair material with the existing concrete, forming a monolithic bond, would allow uniform transfer of stresses in the system.

The quality of the surface preparation of the substrate is a strong determinant of the success or failure of a project regardless of the repair material cost and quality of application technique employed.

It is pointless to exert efforts to achieve good adhesion to a weak friable substrate as failure of the concrete surface is eminent in such cases. Similarly, a sound surface might result in poor adhesion if the surface is not properly prepared. The good bonding of repair material to the existing substrate predominantly relies firstly upon, the mechanical bond of a well prepared substrate and secondly, upon the chemical bond amid the repair materials. Several other factors determining the bond strength of the repair system, include exposure conditions, properties of the repair materials and concrete substrate to name a few.

SAWN EDGES – DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME Saw cutting is used to delineate the perimeter of the repair zone.

A disc type mechanical grinder is used for saw cutting the edges along the perimeter of the repair area. The right-angled saw cut to a depth of 10-15mm is recommended to avoid any feather edging and it should not be deeper than the reinforced concrete cover. Saw cut 52

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squared edges help contain the repair material. The saw cut edges should be roughened slightly by needle gun or hacking as polished vertical sawed face may result in poor bonding.

The geometry of the repair area should be in simple square or rectangular shapes. Sharp acute angles and re-entrant corners should be avoided. Some concrete repair field installers usually form excessive or tortuous edge conditions as they try to closely follow the geometry of the distressed concrete. Such complex and zigzag edge conditions often result in shrinkage stresses leading to cracking. Where saw cutting is not possible due to smaller areas, chipping tools should be used to remove concrete ensuring that the edges of the repair area are cut perpendicular to the substrate.

Figure 1: Concrete Repair Geometry. Source: ACI Webinar, 2013

REMOVAL OF SPALLED CONCRETE Most of the repairs require surface preparation comprising of roughening, exposure of the aggregates or removal of the damaged, delaminated and loose concrete. Regardless of the type of deterioration, all weak, flaky, unsound and disintegrated concrete must be removed. Defective concrete should be broken back to a sound and dense concrete surface. Prior to the removal of any spalled concrete from a load bearing structure, certified shoring must be provided to the structure. The removal of concrete usually starts with saw cutting the repair boundaries. The deteriorated unsound concrete in the centre of the repair area is then removed.

Breaking out and the removal of concrete progresses from the centre to the outwards towards the edges. The next step is to remove the concrete near the edges without damaging the sound concrete at the interface.

The extent of concrete removal depends on the extent of damage.

Concrete may be removed by impacting methods using power tools or by hydro-demolition such as water blasting and water jetting. The most commonly used concrete removal techniques are impacting methods such as hand-held percussive equipment, pneumatic breakers, chipping hammers and scabblers where repeated striking of a concrete surface with a high-power tool to break the concrete is employed. Whenever unsound concrete is removed using

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impacting methods such as percussive power tools, the surface of the concrete might exhibit micro-cracking or bruising that will form a weak plane acting as ‘bond breakers’. It is recommended that the remaining concrete should therefore receive additional cleaning and preparation using wet sandblasting or water jetting. To avoid any micro-cracking of the concrete substrate, hydro-demolition or abrasive sand, shot or water blasting sometimes become the preferred choice for contractors.

Figures 2 & 3: Impacting Method - Removal of deteriorated concrete by jack hammer

CONCRETE SURFACE CLEANING – AVOID BOND BREAKERS After removal of the deteriorated concrete the exposed concrete substrate must be cleaned with a high-pressure water washing, oil free air compressor or other appropriate methods. Normal high water washing pressure of 15 MPa or lower water jetting/water blasting pressure of 35 MPa or less can usually be adopted to clean concrete surfaces that have already been prepared by impacting concrete removal methods. Though, some might consider it a redundant step, surface cleaning is crucial to attain the robust bond between the repair material and the substrate.

Surface cleanliness is a critical step in surface preparation after the concrete removal process and prior to the commencement of repair materials application, as any dirt, debris or loose particles can act as ‘bond breakers’. Surface cleaning facilitates repair materials to have direct contact with the host concrete substrate, increasing the surface contact area and roughness of the surface, resulting in enhanced anchorage of the applied repair material.

STEEL REINFORCEMENT SURFACE PREPARATION – REACHING BEHIND AND BETWEEN CORRODED REBARS On steel substrates there is a problem of corrosion. This normally takes the form of rust. Initiation of corrosion and de-passivation of reinforcement is only possible in the presence of water, oxygen and corrosive agents such as chlorides and carbon dioxide. The rust layer is mechanically weak, poorly bonded to the surface and must be removed prior to any application. According to the American Concrete Institute (ACI 546), all weak, spalled, severely cracked, damaged, and easily removable concrete should be chipped away from corroded reinforcement steel. All corroded steel in the repair area should be fully exposed to full circumference and thoroughly cleaned of all loose scale, corrosion deposits and other contaminants. An old rule of thumb is that at least 20- 25mm of clearance around and behind rebar is required to ensure proper cleaning, encasement and bond of repair materials that also complies to the requirements of ACI, AS, EN and other standards.

If the deterioration of concrete has been caused by corrosion of reinforcement, the products of corrosion must be removed prior to the application of the repair material, or else the repair will be fugacious. If the structural capacity of the reinforcement is compromised due to chloride contamination, it is essential to remove all rust from the steel before proceeding. Steel reinforcement should be cleaned to achieve a surface preparation equivalent to AS1627 Part 4, Class 2.5 or Part 2, Class 2. The preferred method is abrasive blasting (SSPC-SP 10/NACE No. 2) or water jetting (SSPC-SP 12/ NACE No. 5, WJ-1, L), (Vaughn O’Dea, 2011).

Figure 5: Steel cleaning and splicing by lapping after removal of concrete

Figure 4: Concrete substrate is ready to receive repair materials after final surface cleaning.

Exposed reinforcement in smaller repair sections can be cleaned manually by using hand or mechanical wire brush and emery paper to reach and clean behind and between the rebars. Exposure of steel reinforcement must also continue along its length until non-corroded steel is reached and continued at least 50mm beyond to show sound rust-free steel. If the steel has lost more than 25 percent of its cross-sectional area due to rusting, splicing of reinforcement bars should be carried out by butt welding the bars with backing plates, lapping the effected bars with supplemental reinforcement or by introducing coupler mechanical joints. The reinforcement bars used in repairs shall conform to the requirements of AS4671.

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An unbroken coat of anti-corrosion zinc rich epoxy primer is normally recommended to protect the steel reinforcement within repair mortars.

BONDING AGENTS – BOND AIDERS OR BOND BREAKERS There are number of repair failures recorded when concrete surface preparation prior to repair is neglected due to a false assumption that poor surface preparation can be compensated by using a bonding agent (Bissonnette et al., 2012). Engineers specify bonding agents as a ‘belt and braces’ measure to enhance the bond at the repair interface, but it should not be considered by any means a replacement of the surface preparation. Bonding agents provide an additional step and a layer that can create a weak plane if proper instructions are not followed. If the bonding agent is allowed to cure prior to the application of the repair mortar, it would rather act as a ‘bond breaker’ than a ‘bond aider’, causing failure of the repair.

SURFACE PREPARATION SAFETY – BE IN CONTROL OF POTENTIAL HAZARDS

The effect of the concrete removal on the structural integrity prior to the commencement of removal of existing deteriorated concrete, must be thoroughly assessed. In case of removal of spalled concrete or damaged reinforcement of structural elements, precautionary measures must be employed by providing temporary support.

During the concrete breakout and removal process, dust and debris should be contained as not to pose any hazard to the stakeholders. The areas of repair should be examined to ensure there are no electric conduits, sockets or utility connection lines embedded that might get damaged during concrete removal. All effective measures should be adopted to ensure the safety of the structure is not compromised by repair activities.

Figure 6: Sprayed repair mortars, in particular, do not require bonding agents as the shotcrete process exhibit excellent bonding characteristics by itself.

DRUNKEN CONCRETE – A SAFE COMPROMISE

SURFACE PREPARATION TESTING

When repairs are to be carried out using cementitious mortars, the surfaces must be pre-wetted to achieve a saturated surface dry (SSD) condition after cleaning in order to avoid host concrete absorbing the moisture from the repair mortar that is in fact required for its hydration.

Although, the term saturated surface dry (SSD) is somewhat subjective, yet many experts consider it a ‘safe compromise’ for pre-soaking the concrete. If the concrete is dry and ‘thirsty’, pre-soaking is of utmost importance. The concrete should be thoroughly pre-soaked so that the concrete is ‘drunk’. If the substrate is not pre-soaked thoroughly, the rate of movement of water from the repair mortar to the host concrete will be high due to the moisture imbalance between the adherent ‘substrate’ and the adhesive ‘repair mortar’.

In SSD condition the substrate is damp and saturated but does not contain any free water on the surface. Free water at the surface must be avoided as it can impair the bond at the interface due to shrinkage leading to lower material strength and reduced bond strength.

The tensile pull-off adhesion test of the existing concrete should be conducted as part of the condition evaluation report. To ensure that the surface preparation procedures were followed as per the specifications, the pull-off strength of the prepared surface prior to repair application is carried out. ICRI Guideline No. 210.3-2004, “Guide to Using In-Situ Tensile Pull-off Tests to Evaluate Bond of Concrete Surface Materials” is followed by most Engineers. In case of a significant deviation of the pull-off strength of the prepared surface from the tensile strength of the existing concrete, the result should be examined by the Engineer for additional surface preparation. Such benchmark criteria would allow the Engineer to establish and specify the realistic adhesion strength requirements for the on-site repair condition.

To prequalify the quality of a repair it is vital to evaluate the quality of surface preparation and eventually the durability of bond. This is done by conducting the direct pull off test on a representative sample area for the cured in-situ repair material. This step of surface preparation testing would verify the tensile bond strength of the repair material and the existing host concrete.

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During the course of the project, surface preparation needed to be periodically validated using tensile pull-off test method, benchmarking Engineer’s specifications and the values obtained during prequalification of the reference sample. VicRoads, standard specifications, section 689 suggest that the mean adhesion or pull off strength to concrete substrate at 7 days should not be less than 0.75 MPa, with no individual result less than 0.65 MPa for substrate mode of tensile failure within existing concrete substrate. Bond values for shotcrete and form-and-pour repairs typically exceed 0.75MPa and, in most cases exceed 1.0 MPa. ACI 503R and VicRoads Test Method RC 252.02 are commonly used standards for pull-off testing.

CONCLUSION The best of repair materials despite the best of mixing and application practices are destined to fail unless the concrete substrate is properly prepared. The intent of this article is to promote precise specifications for surface preparation rather than taking a broad generic approach.

The conventional approach of surface preparation for concrete repairs such as ‘clean and sound’ should be avoided. This commonly used phrase is too ambivalent to specify the correct level of surface preparation.

There is a need to go beyond the boundaries of ‘clean and sound’ approach. Field technicians and installers are the cornerstone in any concrete repair project. They must be provided with thorough technical training to enhance their skills.

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Surface preparation will often be pivotal in determining the overall performance and durability of a repair. A successful repair means that the resulting multi-layer system acts monolithic, ensuring long service life. Proper attention to surface preparation is essential to achieve a robust bond between repair materials and the existing concrete substrate. Only a strong bond would lead to a strong and durable repair. If you want to get the most out of the repair materials, then be prepared to prepare!

REFERENCES • Reny, S., 2013. Surface Preparation for Shotcrete Repair.

• Bissonnette, B., Vaysburd, A.M. and von Fay, K.F., 2012. Best practices for preparing concrete surfaces prior to repairs and overlays (No. MERL 12-17).

• Lukovic, M., Ye, G. and Van Breugel, K., 2012, July. Reliable concrete repair: A critical review. In 14th International Conference Structural Faults and Repair, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, 3-5 July 2012.

• VicRoads, 2010, “Cementitious Patch Repair of Concrete”, section 689 standard specifications.

• Vaughn O’Dea, 2011, “How to Handle Exposed Rebar when Repairing Concrete”, Surface Preparation of Concrete Substrates A JPCL eBook • American Concrete Institute, 2013, “Field Guide to Concrete Repair Application Procedures”, ACI webinar.

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