Construction Engineering Australia V5.04 Aug/Sep 2019

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CONCRETE INSTITUTE of

AUSTRALIA

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

AUG/SEP 2019

V5.04

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50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN CONCRETE The Concrete Institute of Australia is proud to announce the launch of its Golden Jubilee 50 Year Celebrations that will take place in 2020.

CONCRETE INSTITUTE of

AUSTRALIA

Activities include: • Nationwide Birthday Party 17 April 2020 (in all major capital cities) • National symposium — Concrete Past, Present and Future October 2020 • Commemorative Book • Young Professionals and Student Competitions • Concrete in Australia Medallion

50 years of excellence in concrete

Remembering our past, celebrating our future.

WANT TO BE INVOLVED? CONTACT US:  history@concreteinstitute.com.au  https://www.concreteinstitute.com.au/Golden-Jubilee-2020

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Editorial and Publishing Consultants Pty Ltd

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 Publisher and Managing Editor Anthony T Schmidt Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0414 788 900 Email: ats@epcgroup.com Business Development Manager Lawrence Whiter Mobile: 0418 543 821 Email: lawrencewhiter@bigpond.com National Advertising Sales Manager Yuri Mamistvalov Phone: 1300 EPCGROUP (1300 372 476) Mobile: 0419 339 865 Email: yuri@epcgroup.com Advertising Sales - SA Jodie 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 ©2019 - EPC Media Group

Registered by Australia Post Publication No. 100001889

ISSN 2204-7247

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Editorial

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Industry News

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Built Environment

10 Cover Feature: PERMAcast

AUG/SEP 2019 Volume 5 Number 4

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14 Equipment Brief 16 Construction Materials 20 Equipment Focus

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22 Equipment Maintenance 24 Technology Focus 30 Company Profile: OLI Vibrators 32 Concrete Institute News

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38 Health and Wellbeing 40 National Precast Feature 48 Precast Technology 52 ACA Corrosion Feature

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About the Cover Established in 2006, Perth-based company PERMAcast has grown to become one of Australia’s leading manufacturers of specialist precast and prestressed concrete products, supplying precast concrete components for many of Western Australia’s largest and most well-known projects including Perth’s stunning Elizabeth Quay project.

Turn to Page 10 for the full story.

EDITORS COLUMN

Reinvigorating the Regions

Finding a balance between development and heritage protection Dear Readers, Change is difficult... And the longer something has been in existence or remained the same, the more difficult it is to change.

Granted, some people find change more difficult than others, but for most, preserving the ‘status quo’ is much easier than ‘rocking the boat’. This is particularly true when it comes to new construction and development.

Notwithstanding the issues associated with new construction in environmentally and/or culturally sensitive areas such as foreshores, parklands and other greenfield sites, resistance to new construction and development - or for that matter, change in general - is also a major challenge facing many of the smaller, formally semi-rural communities on the fringes of our major capital cities.

Whilst these communities often have a long and rich history as towns, villages or hamlets in their own right, for many, the ‘glory days’ have well and truly passed.

Indeed, for many of these communities their location - both in relation to busy transport arterials servicing the nearby major cities, and the ever-expanding outer suburbs of these cities - has rendered them little more than a mere shadow of their former existence.

High levels of passing traffic (including a high percentage of heavy vehicles) can result

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

in significant damage to road infrastructure, while the ever-encroaching outer suburbs, which often incorporate major shopping centres and recreation facilities, can, and do, have disastrous consequences for local traders in many of these towns.

The result: money being earned by many of the people in the town, never gets spent in the town; the local economy collapses; shops and other facilities close; local unemployment rises; buildings fall into disrepair; and the former township starts to resemble a ghost town.

Unfortunately, more often than not, this is when the really serious issues arise, viz: a division between those who wish build and develop / redevelop the town and those who are completely opposed to the idea - preferring instead to keep the town as a “...nice, quiet, little country town like it used to be”.

This may read as a sightly ‘glib’ statement, but believe me, it is not intended to be.

I have seen disagreements such as these divide regions, towns and even families.

Worse still, I have seen first-hand a number of seemingly innocuous development plans degenerate into legal wrangles involving Heritage Protection Orders, appeals, law suits and counter-suits for losses and perhaps worse of all, the permanent loss of literally tens of millions of dollars of investment for some communities.

Now, I’m not saying that we should declare ‘open season’ on any and all

buildings and structures for the sake of a dollar – far from it. But I am saying that we cannot continue the way things are.

Put simply, the viability and longevity of these towns and regions must not be allowed to suffer at the hands of out-dated planning practices or, dare I say, a utopian view of historic country villages that remain unaffected by surrounding development and an everchanging world. After all, it is impossible for any location to exist in isolation.

Remaining stagnant (in terms of development or growth) is, in all seriousness, a certain death sentence for any town – no matter how resilient.

While I don’t profess to have all the answers or, for that matter, a ‘magic, one size fits all solution’, I do believe that these are issues that need to be addressed with the utmost urgency.

The time has come for us to all work together seriously and in good faith to find a solution to this most serious of issues - lest we find our major capitals surrounded by the dilapidated remains of ‘former’ townships.

Anthony T Schmidt Managing Editor

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INDUSTRY NEWS

NEW MEMBERS JOIN ENGINEERING REGULATORY BOARD The Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland has welcomed the appointment of three new Board members. Maureen Hassall, Suzanne Burow and Christopher Edwards were appointed as Board members following an extensive process.

Dr Maureen Hassall has been appointed as the Board’s academic representative, succeeding Dr Nagaratnam Sivakugan. She is an Associate Professor from the University of Queensland and director of UQ R!SK, a leading-edge, multidisciplinary initiative that crosses the fields of industrial risk and human factors.

She has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) and a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Chemical Engineering.

Her research interests include integrated, intelligence driven risk management, human factor in industry, and enhancing operational integrity. Dr Hassall has authored several dozen book chapters, journal articles and conference papers on these subjects.

She also supervises Masters and PhD students undertaking industry focused human factors and operational risk related research.

Suzanne Burow is the elected Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) representative, replacing Peter Evans. She is a civil engineer and has significant experience in water resources in both the public and private sector. She led the water resources modelling for the Connors River and Nathan Dams environmental impact

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

statement, undertook the Wyaralong Dam yield and construction resource operations licence modelling, provided expert hydrological advice for the Paradise Dam environmental law case and managed the water apportioning and entitlements for SunWater’s 2012- 2017 water supply schemes.

In 2019, Ms Burow was made one of Engineers Australia’s two Deputy Queensland Division Presidents.

Christopher Edwards joins the Board as the community representative in place of Sarah Hansen. He is the Principal and General Manager of RPS Asia Pacific, a management consulting firm. At present, Mr Edwards is leading a state-wide delivery program for the Department of Education.

In addition to his public sector experience, that also includes Queensland Treasury and Trade and Building Queensland, Mr Edwards counts Chevron, ExxonMobil, Hatch and PwC amongst his previous employers. He is well recognised for his skills in project management and planning, risk management, business process improvement and change management.

Each of the new Board members have been appointed for a three-year term, until 30 June 2022.

Speaking about the appointments, Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland Chairperson Dawson Wilkie, commented: “I welcome Maureen, Suzanne and Christopher to the Board. They are all highly experienced professionals who will bring diverse skills and knowledge to this organisation.

I have been impressed by their enthusiasm to make a real difference for the engineering profession in Queensland and look forward to working with them.”

“On behalf of the Board and the engineering profession I say thank you and best wishes to the former Board members, Sarah Hansen, Peter Evans and Nagaratnam Sivakugan,” Mr Wilkie added.

BUILDING SURVEYOR IMMEDIATELY SUSPENDED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) has used its disciplinary powers to immediately suspend a registered building surveyor on public interest grounds.

The Authority took the action after discovering the building surveyor had failed to prevent the installation of combustible external wall cladding on five multi-storey buildings in Victoria.

The VBA’s Executive Director, Operations, Mark Rossiter, said the building surveyor’s repeated approval of dangerous building materials, along with a prior history of disciplinary action, created clear grounds for immediate suspension.

“The VBA’s action will ensure this building surveyor cannot continue to sign off on non-compliant building work and jeopardise the safety of Victorians,” Mr Rossiter said.

Section 180A (2a) of the Building Act 1993 grants the VBA powers to immediately suspend a building practitioner’s registration pending the completion of a show cause process, if the Authority considers such action to be in the public’s interest.

The building surveyor has been issued with a show cause notice outlining the VBA’s allegations and has 28 days to respond.

Before issuing a suspension, the VBA must consider the practitioner’s disciplinary record and whether their work poses a serious risk to the public or neighbouring properties.

The building surveyor must notify any clients with active building permits of their suspension.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER WOMEN ARE BREAKING NEW GROUND IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY According to the most recent Census survey from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Construction industry is the third highest industry (equal to Education and Training) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are employed in, but only 10% of those employed are women[1].

Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES), Australia’s largest recruitment service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders sees this as an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and is leading the way in changing this narrative.

In the last 12 months, AES has trained over 100 Aboriginal women in the Construction industry through its intensive pre-employment programs such as iCivil, iTradies and iTraffic. 75 of these women have secured full-time careers in the Construction Industry, while the other 20 have secured casual employment on major projects sites around Sydney.

Two Wiradjuri sisters Tara Roberts and Tarni Probert-Roberts are fine examples of the AES traineeship success story. Born and raised in Dubbo, and now residing in Sydney, both women held full-time positions in the Childcare industry for over 6 years before taking the leap into the Construction Industry.

Tara was 28 years old when she decided to change her career direction. “I felt that I had reached my limit with Childcare and not enjoying my time there as much. I wanted something to challenge myself with and learn new things”, says Tara.

Following in her sister’s steps, at 25 years of age Tarni enrolled in the iTradie Program through AES. “I needed a change in career, to challenge myself and grow new skills. After seeing how well my sister was doing within her career in Civil Construction, it really motivated me to take a chance and start a new journey”.

Tara graduated with a Trainee of the Year nomination in her region and state. She also received the Trainee of the Year runner-up for the country.

“Being recognised as doing well in my career and studies helped cement the fact I’ve made a good choice in my career change”, says Tara.

AES Women in Construction Tara Roberts and Tarni Proberts-Robert.

Photo: Andrew Rosenfeldt ©2019

Tara was able to complete a Certificate 3 in Civil Construction and is now a Dogger (directing and advising Crane Operators) and Labourer working on the new M5 in St Peters, Sydney.

Tarni’s hard work and self-determination also paid off making her dreams a reality. After completing her Certificate 1 in Construction through AES iTradie program Tarni applied for a position at Lendlease Crown Resorts, Barangaroo as a Procurement Advisor. Tarni’s interview was successful and she became the first AES Trainee to be employed by Lendlease directly. This achievement was followed by Tarni receiving the first Les Tobler Program Excellence Award at the 2018 AES Graduation.

“I am loving my new role as my day is split between different tasks, I feel like things are always different. I work with an amazing team, which I am extremely grateful for”, Says Tarni.

Tarni adds, “I feel like times are changing and it’s becoming a women’s world. I am excited to see what is in store for the future of women in Construction. I see how quickly and widely it’s spreading, and I would love to see more women become involved.

“I advise my Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters to apply for a role in the Civil Construction industry as it’s a very rewarding career. To see a project from start through to finish is amazing. The amount of new skills and information you’ll receive is huge! This is not just for men anymore. Whether you’re wanting an office job, driving trucks, cleaning staff rooms, operating heavy machinery, being a surveyor, health and safety rep or traffic controller/gatekeeper, it’s waiting for you. All you have to do is take a leap of faith outside your comfort zone.”

Kristy Masella CEO of AES has dedicated her life to empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. She has worked in Aboriginal Affairs for more than 30 years across many portfolios in both New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northern Territory.

Kristy has been integral in the development of AES employment programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

“Tara Roberts and Tarni Probert-Roberts are both pioneers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, paving the way for future generations to come”, says Kristy. “They are both exceptional role models for women and proving you can do anything with selfdetermination, commitment and their achievements are well deserved.

“I’m excited about breaking into other male-dominated industries and carving out new career opportunities for women. Lady Tradies are just the beginning!”

[1] 2071.0 - Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia - Stories from the Census, 2016 https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/ by%20Subject/2071.0~2016~Main%20Features~Aboriginal%20and%20Torres%20 Strait%20islander%20Population%20Article~12

ABOUT ABORIGINAL EMPLOYMENT STRATEGY Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) is Australia’s largest recruitment service for Indigenous people. Since its conception in 2015, AES has provided more than 21,000 employment opportunities and 2,500 Trainee and Apprentice programs to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in urban, regional and remote locations.

For more information visit: www.aes.org.au

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

BREAKING THE CONCRETE CEILING: WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION Historically, the construction industry hasn’t exactly been the bastion of female liberation. Twenty-five years ago, a woman entering a construction site was more likely to be wolf-whistled at than to be asked her opinion on a concrete pour.

But today, women are beginning to break the concrete ceiling.

Last Friday night, Victoria’s peak-body for civil construction, Civil Contractors Federation (Vic), awarded two ‘Women in Civil Excellence Awards’ to Siripansa Angsuwittaya & Alyssa Wilder for leadership in civil construction.

Ms Augsuwittaya works as a Project Manager at construction giant BMD. And while BMD is an inclusive organisation committed to diversity, working in a male dominated workplace has presented its challenges.

‘It’s a male dominated workforce so from time to time you have your decisions second-guessed, but you just take that in your stride,’ said Ms Augsuwittaya.

Since graduating from mechanical engineering Ms Augsuwittaya has worked in the oil and gas, water, and wastewater sectors and sees her future being in charge of multi-million dollar projects.

Ms Wilder, an eminent Project Engineer currently working at Interflow, has been specialising in the water industry for six years.

She currently leads the Melbourne Water Maribyrnong Sewer Upgrade project.

‘I did civil engineering through a scholarship and then got a position in the water sector’ said Ms Wilder.

‘Sometimes there are expectations and perceptions around women in engineering, they don’t expect you (as a woman) to be a project manager, but I’ve had no problem gaining respect.’

CEO of CCF, John Kilgour, suggests that women are very much integral to the future of construction.

‘Any industry that doesn’t open itself up to the skills and talents of half the population is doing itself a massive disservice,’ Mr Kilgour said ‘and as an industry we’re committed to making sure that happens.

‘The Civil Contractors Federation (Vic) is a keen supporter of workplace inclusion of all types, and we’re delighted to be able to hand the Women in Civil Excellence Awards to Siripansa and Alyssa who are outstanding new leaders in the industry and hopefully a portent of what’s to come.’

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From Left: Award Winner: Alyssa Wilder – BMD Urban; Sonya Casey – Civil Skills Worksforce Development Manager, CCF Victoria; Award Winner: Siripansa Angsuwittaya – Interflow Pty Ltd; and John Kilgour – CEO, CCF Victoria

1300 240 337 www.enviroblast.net.au Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Turning digital geology into art Leading global engineering and consulting firm Golder, in collaboration with Testing Grounds, is taking a creative approach to engaging with the public, artists, and education institutions to showcase the fascinating geology of the city of Melbourne and its broader arts precinct redevelopments.

Testing Grounds is a temporary space for creative practices encompassing art, performance and design. Tucked away between the Arts Centre and the Australian Ballet Centre in Melbourne's Southbank, the experimental arts space welcomes artists at all levels to test, develop and share their work, encouraging both creative and education-related activities.

Managed by Creative Victoria, the site is the only vacant parcel of land in the area and is slated for development in future.

Golder has been initially engaged

by Development Victoria to undertake geotechnical investigations and assess the Testing Grounds site for future development. Known on site as the ‘lovely

The main 3D-printed model formed the centrepiece of the exhibition entitled “Turning Digital Geology into Art: an underground journey into Melbourne’s arts precinct”.

orange-clad people drilling some holes’, Golder’s experts have adopted the latest digital engineering tools to develop 3D models to present the geology of the site.

The main model has been 3D-printed and featured in an exhibition entitled “Turning Digital Geology into Art: an underground journey into Melbourne’s arts precinct”, along with geological core samples, multimedia and other pieces providing geological information about the site.

As part of the exhibition, Golder commissioned local artist and fashion designer Tarryn Handcock to create an installation in the space, and throughout the site, demonstrating how geological data can be interpreted and applied to other fields of knowledge.

“It’s unbelievable that 800,000 years ago our site was filled with lava from a big volcanic eruption before becoming a riverbank, a swamp, and then a riverbank once again following European settlement,” said Testing Grounds Project Director and Curator, Arie Rain Glorie.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Golder in such a creative way to educate the public on the amazing geology of our site, the arts precinct and the city of Melbourne.”

Andrew Russell, Principal at Golder in Melbourne, said the 3D model produced by the firm presents the geological history of the arts precinct from about 3.5 million years ago.

“The Testing Grounds site geology is quite complex and it’s unusual that a 3D ground model with this level of detail can be developed for many projects,” explained Andrew.

“Melbourne’s arts precinct is unique given the level of historic borehole information available as a result of geotechnical investigations undertaken by Golder in the area since 1969, so we’re thrilled to be able to showcase our technical excellence as art and help educate the community.”

Golder has been operating in Melbourne for nearly 50 years, helping clients manage geotechnical challenges of designing tall buildings, roads, railways, tunnels, airports and ports, and delivering environmental services for clients across multiple sectors.

ABOUT GOLDER

Geological core samples from the site also formed part of the exhibition

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

Renowned for technical excellence, Golder is a leading specialised employee-owned engineering and consulting firm with over a half century of successful service to its clients.

With over 165 offices in more than 35 countries, Golder's 6,500 professionals are driven by a passion to deliver results, offering unique specialised skills to address the ever-evolving challenges that earth, environment and energy present to clients across the infrastructure, mining, oil and gas, manufacturing and power sectors. Golder is not just a place to work, it is a promise of a living, dynamic environment where people collaborate, innovate, build enduring relationships, excel, and grow professionally in a strong culture of ownership.

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COVER FEATURE

Taking Precast to the next level

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

COVER FEATURE

E

stablished in 2006 by a group of private partners with interests and expertise in the manufacturing, concrete and construction industries, PERMAcast has grown to become one of Australia’s leading manufacturers of specialist precast and prestressed concrete products, as well as bespoke manufactured reinforcement products.

From its a large, fully-serviced site at Cardup, south-east of Perth, PERMAcast initially started out as a specialist precast concrete panel manufacturer for the building industry. By 2008 the business had grown and diversified, entering the structural precast market, starting with the supply of drainage and custom products for various major civil construction projects across Western Australia.

From these early beginnings, PERMAcast rapidly gained an enviable reputation for quality and customer service, as well as its ability to supply clients with customised precast concrete products that are designed, engineered and manufactured to meet even the most exacting specifications.

Not surprisingly, this dual focus on quality products and customer service has seen the company go from strength-to-strength, with PERMAcast now a leading supplier of precast and prestressed concrete products to the Oil & Gas, Mining & Resources, Construction and Infrastructure sectors across WA and beyond.

“Our reputation has been built on working with our clients to develop well engineered, bespoke solutions that meet or exceed their specifications,” said PERMAcast Managing Director, Alberto Ferraro.

“Right from the outset, our key focus has always been providing our customers with the highest quality products and services,” he added. “Whether it’s precast concrete panels for a small to medium-sized construction project, precast or prestressed concrete components for a large buildings or stadiums,

“Our reputation has been built on working with our clients to develop well engineered, bespoke solutions that meet or exceed their specifications,”

or bespoke engineered reinforcement products for a major infrastructure project, our goal is always the same - to provide our clients with the products and services they need when they need them,” he added.

DELIVERING ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS Another key factor in the company’s ongoing success and growth has been its focus on working with clients to provide fully-engineered precast, prestressed and reinforcement solutions – an edict which is even highlighted in the company’s motto ‘Engineered for Efficiency’.

From the company’s first major project, supplying precast components to Woodside’s Pluto project (the success of which played a major role in PERMAcast subsequently securing the contracts for both the Chevron Gorgon and Chevron Wheatston projects), through to numerous other major projects including Stage 1 & 2 of Perth’s Binningup Desalination Plant, Optus Stadium, the Tonkin Highway Gateway Project, NorthLink WA Stages 1 & 3, the Mitchell Freeway Extensions, the Forrestfield Airport Rail Tunnel, and Perth’s

stunning Elizabeth Quay project (featured on the front cover of this issue of CEA), PERMAcast’s engineering capabilities are clearly evidenced in the company’s work.

“While the scope of our work varies, we have only ever focused on project work and projects that use engineered products and engineered solutions,” Alberto said. “Whether it’s producing products and components which have been designed and engineered by the client, or working with clients to design and engineer solutions from scratch, or even helping them to optimise their designs, ensuring that everything we produce is designed and manufactured for purpose and meets all of the required engineering and performance specifications is of paramount importance.”

“For us, we’ve always believed that the key to achieving this is to have the best people,” Alberto said. “We placed a strong emphasis on building an in-house team of dedicated engineers capable of providing our clients with the engineering, design and manufacturing capabilities needed to achieve the required results.”

“Projects do change as they progress, designs change, time frames change, requirements change. That’s why we always focus on working collaboratively with our clients throughout the entire process – from design, engineering and manufacturing, to delivery and installation - to achieve what they need, even when things change,” he said.

“Having a dedicated team that takes ownership of everything they do and has pride in everything we do as a company is a critical factor in making that work. It’s their expertise, dedication and commitment to our customers that has got us to where we are today,” he added.

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

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COVER FEATURE

ON-TIME PRODUCTION Needless to say, PERMAcast’s reputation for being able to consistently meet extremely tight construction timeframes on major projects has also played a major role in the company being considered the supplier of choice for many of Western Australia’s largest and most well-known projects.

“When it comes to large-scale construction and infrastructure projects like Optus Stadium, Forrestfield Airport Link, NorthLink and the like, ensuring that we’re able deliver precast and reinforcement products to the site when they’re needed is absolutely critical,” Alberto Ferraro said.

“When it comes to producing precast or prestressed concrete components – which have an extended production time-frame, and by their very nature must be manufactured well ahead of time so they meet the required strength and performance specifications when delivered – delays on the construction site can represent a major challenge.”

“In short, it’s not only about being able to meet the client’s initial delivery schedule so we don’t delay the project, it’s also about being able to continue production even if there is a delay on the construction site,” Alberto added.

“That’s why it’s so important to have plenty of space to store the finished components.”

“We placed a strong emphasis on building an in-house team of dedicated engineers capable of providing our clients with the engineering, design and manufacturing capabilities needed to achieve the required results.”

“Importantly, that not only refers to being able to work to the initial planned timeframe, but also being able to cope with any delays that may occur on the project site.”

“Large projects always have a lot of different construction going on simultaneously.

While that’s often necessary to ensure that the project can be delivered in a timely manner, it can also mean if one thing goes wrong, the whole project can be thrown into chaos or, worse still, come to a complete stop,” he said.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

With that in mind, PERMAcast’s 250,000m² precast yard provides them with the space to store completed components until they’re required on site.

As well as giving them the capacity to keep manufacturing the required components even if there’s a delay on the project site - it also means that they won’t be delaying the project in the event that the construction schedule is changed to make up for lost time.

“The size of our facility allows us to manufacture and store on site and deliver when needed,” Alberto said.

“We have the space to continue to manufacture components even if there are delays on site. And it’s not only useful in case of delays. It really helps us to streamline our entire production process and maximise our productivity across the board.”

“As an example, with the Optus Stadium project we had up to 50% of the stadium seating plats (around 6 months of production) stored at our facility, ready to ship to the site when needed,”

COVER FEATURE

he added. “We had a similar situation with the Forrestfield Airport Link tunnel components, where we had over 4 months of production stored on our site, ready to go when needed. This ensured that there were no delays when it came to delivering components to the site.”

CONCRETE PRODUCTS PERMAcast manufactures a wide variety of standard precast and prestressed concrete products for a range of projects across all industry sectors. They also engineer and manufacture custom concrete components to meet specific client and project needs, including: • prestressed concrete • PERMACast bridge beams • building panels • sleepers • foundations • columns • tanks & silos • noise walls • box culverts • precast structural & civil • retaining structures & abutment walls • precast concrete stormwater drainage products • ramp and jetty components • marine structures (including pre-stressed deck planks) • tunnel lining segments

For further information visit:

www.permacast.com.au

REINFORCEMENT PRODUCTS As well as being a leader in precast and prestressed concrete products, PERMAcast also manufactures and supplies specialist manufactured reinforcement products.

While PERMAcast has been engineering and fabricating reinforcement for its own in-house precast and prestressed concrete manufacturing operations since 2006, the move to establishing reinforcing products as a fully-fledged permanent business segment started in 2016 on the back of the Forrestfield airport project. Alberto Ferraro explained: “We had tendered for the production of the precast tunnel segments for the Forrestfield Airport Link Tunnel, but in the end, the contractors elected to produce their precast segments at their own dedicated yard. However, while we weren’t awarded the precasting contract, the project contractors did ask us to tender for the manufacture of the 54,000+ reinforcement cages required for the precast segments.”

“Thankfully, our engineering and manufacturing expertise, as well as our production and storage capacity, all combined to win us the job… and from that initial contract, our engineered reinforcement products business segment was born,” Alberto added.

Not one to ‘rest on their laurels’ PERMAcast’s reinforcement business also continues to go from strength-to-strength, with the company developing a number of patent applied for, industry best practice, design and manufacturing technologies.

Working across a range of software platforms including SolidWorks, PERMAcast’s in-house engineering team and drafting staff use 3D modelling to design, assess and refine each project. This not only plays a major role in ensuring that the finished products will deliver the required performance characteristics, it also allows for a smooth transition to the manufacturing process, using purpose-built reinforcement jigs, which in turn, ensure conformance to strict tolerances as well as quality assured outcomes for the final products.

“Our well-developed processes allow us to manufacture reinforcement cages ranging from 50KG up to 20 tonne and beyond. These processes, in combination with our welding procedures (in accordance with AS1554.3), ensure that we manufacture to strict project specifications,” Alberto said.

Typical tolerances are +0/-10mm with even more stringent requirements (+0/-5) for products such as tunnel liner cages. The company’s robust business management systems ensure that all staff are trained and continually tested to maintain competence with procedures.

“Efficiency in design and manufacturing enables us to produce thousands of tonnes of reinforcement per annum in our purposebuilt high-volume factories. It also allows us to accommodate fast ramp-up requirements imposed by our clients,” he said.

PERMAcast also offers clients an extensive array of storage and logistics solutions, including purpose-built transport stillages to ensure all products arrive on site within tolerance specifications and without damage. The company’s in-house fleet of prime movers and trailers also provides additional flexibility in coordinating with, and meeting their clients required delivery schedules.

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

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EQUIPMENT BRIEF

Tsurumi Standby Slurry Pump A simple pump failure in a batch plant can be costly as production is stopped while a replacement is organised. Australian Pump have a low-cost backup solution that can get a plant back into action fast.

Tsurumi, the world’s leading submersible manufacturer, have produced a portable single-phase slurry pump that is inexpensive and easy to install.

“These tough, portable submersibles are portable and can be deployed quickly in an emergency to keep a plant running,” said Aussie Pump’s product manager Albie Bester.

“They’re slurry pumps with built in agitators and are designed to handle abrasive batch water,” he said Tsurumi’s model HSD2.55S has a 50mm (2 inch) discharge port. The pump produces up to 220 litres per minute flow and has a maximum head of 13.2 metres. The motor is a single-phase squirrel caged submersible design, drawing 7.2 amps at full load.

The heart of the pump is a semi vortex high chrome iron impeller designed to pass sand and silt laden water easily through the pump chamber. The shaft mounted agitator prevents “air lock” and stirs the mixture liquidising the

sediment so it can be passed. The agitator is also made of high chrome iron for long wear life in demanding applications.

Other key features include an anti-wicking block at cable entry. That block prevents the incursion of water due to capillary wicking in the event that the power cable is damaged or the end submerged. This unique Tsurumi feature prevents one of the major failures of motors in submersible pumps.

“We’ve had a lot of these pumps bought by batch plants for use in wedge pits and well as emergency back-up general dewatering submersibles,” said Bester. “They are also

available as an auto version with a robust float system,” he said.

Australian Pump has been working closely with batch plants to increase productivity and profitability in a number of areas. Using purpose designed pumps that last longer are fundamental to cost reduction.

Like all Tsurumi pumps sold by Australian Pump they are covered by an exclusive threeyear warranty.

Further information and specifications are available from Aussie Pumps’ website: www.aussiepumps.com.au

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

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CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

Non-Combustible Building Facades – An Industry Responsibility Building owners, managers, designers and constructors have a duty of care to provide a safe environment for people occupying buildings. In terms of building envelopes, this means providing a building facade that is noncombustible.

In recent months, Australians have been dumbfounded by revelations of the number and scale of non-compliant facades across the nation. In a recent RMIT study, 629 known non-compliant buildings were identified in Victoria alone, although suggestions are the number could exceed one thousand.

Key to being able to respond appropriately in terms of both the refurbishment of noncompliant buildings as well as designing and constructing new buildings which meet or exceed code requirements, is understanding the framework under which facades are designed and constructed in Australia.

GOVERNING CODE – NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CODE The National Construction Code (NCC) 2016, produced and maintained by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) on behalf of Federal, State and Territory governments provides a uniform set of technical provisions for the design and construction of buildings throughout Australia. The NCC contemplates all classes of building and seeks to enable consistent, minimum necessary standards of safety (with a particular focus on structural and fire aspects), along with health, amenity and sustainability objectives.

With respect to materials, noncombustibility is defined under the NCC as material that is “not deemed combustible” 16

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

as determined by Australian Standard 1530.1 Combustibility Tests for Materials.

CODE REVIEW – SHERGOLD-WEIR REPORT Following the release of this new code, a report to assess the effectiveness of building industry compliance and enforcement systems was commissioned in mid-2017.

This report, entitled Building Confidence identified key issues including: serious compliance failures (including in the areas of fire safety and structural issues), inadequacy of documentation with consequential results on building quality and ongoing maintenance, weak oversight by licencing bodies due to a lack of funding/skills/experience, past lack of oversight of the commercial building

industry and also queried the independence of building surveyors. It went on to outline 24 recommendations for implementation across the nation.

CURRENT DESIGN ENVIRONMENT Following pressure from insurers to withdraw professional indemnity insurance from architects, engineers and building surveyors, massive emphasis is now being placed on the design and construction of fully compliant buildings including facades.

This requires industry participants to come up the learning curve in terms of their knowledge and understanding of compliant façade systems. It only makes sense to refer to those who already have experience in this area.

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

Ceramic panel manufacturer Agrob Buchtal has been manufacturing ceramic curtain wall systems for over forty years delivering an enviable list of reference projects worldwide. Made in Germany, these ceramic façade systems are highly functional offering mechanical fixing systems, thermal and acoustic insulation properties, easy install modular systems and most importantly are made from Australian-compliant noncombustible materials, tested in accordance with AS 1530.1.

DESIGN FLEXIBILITY AND SERVICE Agrob Buchtal’s ceramic façade systems come in an enormous range of sizes, colours, surface textures and finishes, and design styles including uniform colours in both satin matt and gloss finishes, stone, cement, metallic and timber look finishes across three ranges: KeraTwin, KeraShape and KerAion.

Products can be installed horizontally, vertically and overhead with brick-bond and other panel layout options available, due to wide range of mechanical fixing solutions.

An in-house planning department is available to provide specialist technical advice.

LIFE CYCLE BENEFITS, LOW MAINTENANCE COSTS AND SUSTAINABLY RESPONSIBLE With a design life of 50 years, Agrob Buchtal’s ceramic façade systems are an investment for future generations – particularly relevant for municipal capital investment spends.

Ceramic panels are manufactured with Hytect Technology providing them with selfcleaning, anti-bacterial properties when

exposed to natural sunlight and on account of the panel’s hydrophilic surface. Hytect also activates an air-purification process during which pollutants such as nitrogen oxides are neutralised.

Agrob Buchtal ceramic panels require little to no maintenance however in the event of mechanical impact, an individual panel can be easily replaced.

Manufacturing processes and raw materials enable certification with international sustainability programs such as LEED, BREEAM and DGNB and the materials are completely recyclable.

KLAY SALES KLAY supplies Agrob Buchtal ceramic façade systems to the Australian market. KLAY’s sales staff are experienced in design, supply and installation related matters pertaining to ceramic facades.

For further information including samples, contact us at: sales@klay.com.au or (03) 9545 5788 or visit the website: www.klay.com.au

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

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IT’S TIME Australia is moving to MASH tested Crash Cushions on December 31st 2019 and the time to prepare, is NOW!

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With this date rapidly approaching, NOW IS THE TIME to start preparing for this critical transition.

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According to the Austroads / ASBAP ‘Transition to MASH’ process, tenders called for new crash cushions installed on Australian roads after December 31st 2019, will require them to be tested and approved under the AASHTO MASH guidelines, rather than the superseded NCHRP350 guidelines.

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EQUIPMENT FOCUS

WORK SMARTER FINISH FASTER

Graco takes linemarking productivity to the next level with the new RoadLazer™ RoadPak™ HD Available throughout Australia exclusively from A1 Roadlines, the new RoadLazer™ RoadPak™ HD high-performance linemarking system from Graco is setting new benchmarks in linemarking performance and productivity. With its high capacity tanks, high performance pump system and versatile 5+ spray gun capacity, the RoadLazer RoadPak HD has the features and capacity to deliver high quality linemarking for jobs of all sizes - from suburban streets, car parks and rural roads, through to highways, motorways and airport runways.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

EQUIPMENT FOCUS

A

s the latest addition to the worldrenowned RoadLazer RoadPak vehicle- and skid-mounted linemarking equipment family, the RoadLazer RoadPak HD builds on the success of the previous models, combining their robust, reliable and proven performance with a range of innovative new features – all of which have been developed with a focus on helping the operator to work smarter and finish faster.

Together with its easy-to-use, one person operation, one of the biggest benefits of the Graco RoadLazer RoadPak HD is that it incorporates all of the performance, features and productivity of a dedicated line marking machine at a fraction of the cost.

The RoadLazer RoadPak HD is a fully self-contained, 2-pump airless linemarking system that comes complete with pumps, bead tank, generator, guns and controller.

Powered by a 26.5HP Kohler engine, and featuring a heavy-duty compressor and high performance ‘no-stall’ hydraulic motor, the RoadLazer RoadPak HD offers up to twice the output capacity of the standard RoadLazer RoadPak. The pumps siphon the linemarking paint directly from the paint drums, thereby

eliminating the need for costly additional tanks, and thanks to its clever design, loading and unloading is easily done by one person, without the need for forklifts or overhead cranes.

The unit’s high-capacity gun bar is a 100% tool-less system that can handle up to 5 spray guns/5 bead guns simultaneously for maximum productivity. What’s more, thanks to Graco’s exclusive EasyMark™ system and ‘G Clamp’ fittings, the guns are extremely quick and easy to move and align – ensuring perfect gun alignment every time.

Graco’s double-acting air-assisted paint spray guns assure crisp starts and stops and high quality linemarking, while their doubleacting bead guns have been specifically designed to allow the beads to flow smoothly with minimum turbulence, assuring full coverage of the paint line with beads.

Together with the robust build and quality components, one of the keys to the RoadLazer RoadPak HD’s remarkable performance, lies within the RoadPak Advanced Controller. With its compact design and clear and easy-to understand user controls, the RoadPak Advanced Controller provides toggle-switch control for all five guns.

As well as providing a range of pre-defined standard linemarking patterns for both roads, highways and airports (including runways, taxiways and hard-stand areas), the RoadPak Advanced Controller also allows userdefined patterns to be stored in the system and recalled at the touch of a button. The controller’s ‘pattern preview’ feature provides the operator with a quick visual reference of the selected colours and patterns, while its export capabilities can be used to provide ‘proof-of-job’ data to clients.

Key to the one-person operation, is the unit’s RoadView HD Camera System, which allows the operator to complete a full range of linemarking jobs from inside the vehicle.

Mounted on the gun arm, the camera provides optimum forward viewing for checking alignments while repainting existing lines or following control marks when applying new lines. The on-screen vertical sighting lines help to further ensure accuracy when spraying both curved or straight lines, while the high quality colour screen provides outstanding visibility in all ambient light conditions as well as enhanced visibility in low-light conditions.

A1 Roadlines has the Graco RoadLazer™ RoadPak™ HD in stock, set-up and ready to go.

For further information, please contact A1 Roadlines Pty Ltd, T: 1300 217 623 (1300 A1ROAD), E: sales@a1roadlines.com.au or visit: www.a1roadlines.com.au

EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

Tall orders just routine tasks for Hydraulink’s Don Neville at $400m Mt Emerald wind farm

Valuable machinery on production deadlines cannot afford disruptive downtime.

Being quick off the mark to deliver strong on-site service has paid handsome dividends for hydraulic services and fittings specialist Don Neville in his work on Queensland’s largest wind farm, the 180 MW Mt Emerald project in the State’s far north.

Don Neville’s distinctive yellow mobile service truck was a welcome sight to owners of sophisticated earthmoving and lifting equipment.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

The showpiece $400 million project – a joint venture between Port Bajool and Ratch Australia Corporation Limited – comprises 53 Vestas wind turbines that are now in service to produce an average of between 500 and 600 kWh of safe, clean renewable energy every year for their 25-year operating life.

Preparation of the 2,400 hectare site and installation of towering turbines (up to 140m tall to the tip of their blades) has been part of Don Neville’s typical day on the job for more than two years since the project began 900m up in the tablelands region 49km SW of Cairns.

“Contractors up here were operating heavy diggers, crushers and cranes costing sometimes millions to buy and hundreds and thousands of dollars an hour to operate. Because of production deadlines and the cost of downtime, they appreciated the fact that Hydraulink was on call 24/7 to come out and deliver service and repairs,” said Mr Neville, who is a sub-contractor to the bustling Hydraulink Cairns franchise, which recommended him to Vestas for prompt, professional service.

“The jobs would change from day-to-day, week to week, but contractors generally appreciated the fact that we would come out to them, doing work on-site to top technical, safety and complains standards.”

“It meant they didn’t have to lose time and money taking equipment into town for service, which was a real advantage for them. Plus, they appreciated Hydraulink’s can-do attitude and skills to take on any jobs – which you have to be able to do when you are out in the field, dozens of kilometres from the workshop.”

Don’s travelling workshop for the duration of the project was his bright yellow Mitsubishi Fuso Truck, which he modified to become a self-contained Hydraulink service centre. The truck is kitted out with a full range of hydraulic hoses, fittings and tools necessary to service civil engineering machinery ranging from drillers, crushers and excavators through to enormous portable cranes that had to be assembled on site for one job, then disassembled and moved on to the next tower. The maintenance jobs might be relatively simple – replacing pressure hoses,

EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

or oil cooler hoses vital for safety and reliability – or they could involve on-the-spot repairs to specialist parts to keep important machinery operational until unique parts could be flown or freighted in, sometimes from offshore.

“You need experience and familiarity with diverse machinery, because this is pretty sophisticated gear, sometimes worth millions of dollars.

Machines can vary in size from a few tons to more than 45 tons, but the efficiency and safety of all of them depend on hydraulics. So, you have to have a quality range of hoses and fittings and be able to provide the world-class service and uniform safety and compliance standards apply right across the entire Hydraulink network, which has 400 service points throughout Australasia. Just because you are out in the bush, in a remote windswept location, doesn’t mean your standards of precision are any the less. Quite the opposite, because out there you have no room for guesswork or error. Safety and compliance standards are extra important out on a distant site.”

Don’s reputation grew with the project – “People appreciated the advantage we had in that we were mobile, as well as backed by a strong team at Hydraulink Cairns. In fact, the first business at Mt Emerald came to me as a result of a referral from Hydraulink Cairns, which is held in very high regard by the contracting and energy industries up here.

And this initial business quickly grew as people saw my bright yellow truck bouncing up the road – I would get calls on the short-wave radio from people who saw me coming, saying “Could you drop into my place after you’re finished your first job? We need something done quickly.”

As a result of his ongoing success and adherence to the Hydraulink motto ‘Best Under Pressure’, Don Neville’s reputation has spread to the point where he has been able to hire two more hydraulic specialists.

“There’s a lot happening up here that involves hydraulically actuated machinery that needs good service to keep it tip-top. Farming is going ahead by leaps and bounds in this district, with bigger and more mechanised operators getting involved in crops such as berries and avocados. There is also a lot of seasonal work with crops such as sugar, hay, potatoes, maize and peanuts, which require on-the-spot hydraulic servicing when planting and harvest operations are in full swing.”

HYDRAULINK’S ‘CAN-DO’ ETHOS Hydraulink prides itself on having a solutions-focused approach and working to customer’s needs, rather than providing a one-size-fits all approach.

Integral to the success of maintenance programmes – where time is money – are hydraulic service partners with a can-do service ethos, coupled with local and national service capabilities and safety compliance and component traceability standards assured under the one brand.

With over 400 service points throughout Australia and New Zealand, Hydraulink is supported by mobile service units, being on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a focus on solving problems.

Hydraulink focuses on being a service partner that shares client priorities, providing timely and efficient service, experienced technicians, personalised service and access to broad range of innovative products.

For further information, please contact Hydraulink, Phone: +61 2 8785 4600, or visit the website: www.hydraulink.com.au

THE HYDRAULINK DIFFERENCE MAXIMISE UPTIME YOU CAN COUNT ON HYDRAULINK TO »

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

23

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

Data analytics provides a quantum leap in building management

By Tom Balme, Technical Account Manager – Mechanical Engineering, CIM Enviro Large properties like real estate investment trusts, apartments, shopping centres, schools, hospitals and other public assets have thousands of stakeholders, carry significant foot traffic, and play a critical role in the everyday life of their communities. But, from a building management perspective, they are very challenging, and owners can suffer large penalties when things go wrong.

Buildings have complex, integrated systems with many interconnected components. To achieve optimum performance requires all the pieces of the puzzle to be working and communicating harmoniously and this is not an easy feat.

So, when issues arise it is often challenging to determine the exact cause of the issue.

A human might spend hours trying to determine the exact cause and still not get it right. Data analytics, however, can determine the root cause of a problem as soon as or even before it occurs, providing a quantum leap in the time and way the correct information can be ascertained.

By unlocking valuable insights previously hidden behind proprietary vendor systems and delivering it in an easily digestible format allows building owners and operators to make better, 24

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

data-driven decisions around operations and maintenance. It also safeguards the operational performance of the building against fluctuations in personnel expertise, providing owners and operators with objective risk management. This leads to a host of benefits ranging from energy/ carbon reduction, thermal comfort improvements, streamlined maintenance, operational improvements, increased asset lifespan and more effective collaboration between building owners, contractors, managers and other stakeholders.

Using advanced building tuning software that streams live performance data and uses machine learning and real-time data processing, maintenance contractors can pinpoint the root cause of faults. I recently presented one of the recent faults our software had identified at meeting with a facilities manager of a 20,000m² commercial building.

Before I could even finish explaining that the software had identified a boiler had gone into fault and stopped working, I was interrupted by the contractor and informed that they had serviced that boiler earlier in the week and that our software must be wrong. The operations manager reported he remembered him working on it and had

been charged for the call-out. Using CIM Enviro’s ACE Platform I was quickly able to display weeks of relevant trend data which showed not just when the boiler was operating but how it was operating - the actual operation of the boiler.

It turned out that the contractor had fixed the wrong boiler, charged their client for the work, but the boiler in question was in fact still out of operation.

This highlights a fundamental issue facing building owners and operators - reliance on external expertise.

Expertise used to be the currency sought and bought to ensure assets were running as effectively and efficiently as possible, and that penalties and wastage could be avoided. But this reliance has left some building owner/operators feeling deeply frustrated as expertise levels differ from company to company and technician to technician.

Data analytics provides the most accurate lens into the actual operation of a building. Data isn’t subject to interpretation and it doesn’t mislead or exaggerate.

The best advice any building owner or operator can get in operations is not from people, but from people empowered by real-time data.

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TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

Procore puts 3D models into builders’ hands with Procore BIM BIM viewer launches on iPad and iPhone giving field teams access to 3D models on the jobsite

Procore Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of construction management software, recently announced Procore BIM, the newest product on its platform which unlocks the potential of Building Information Modeling (BIM) by providing field teams with performant access to 3D models on their iOS devices.

Virtual design and construction (VDC) teams spend hours working with their design, operations, and trade partners to coordinate system installation information (3D models) during design in an effort to improve project predictability in the field.

This process can cost millions of dollars, but unfortunately today, 3D models are rarely used on mobile devices in the field due to model complexity, processing requirements, and file format. Instead, the models largely exist on a public jobsite computer or on a project engineer’s laptop.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

Procore BIM effectively bridges the gap between VDC teams and field teams through intuitive design and functionality that makes BIM accessible to everyone in construction.

Now teams can publish their coordinated 3D models directly to the Procore iOS app and view them from any Apple device. Procore BIM finally puts 3D models in the hands of the people in the field installing, validating, and tracking the work.

“We invest more than $2 million on coordinating a project, but there was no way to effectively deliver the model to the field, until now with Procore BIM,” said Howard Simble, SR MEP Superintendent, Robins & Morton.

“If you have 2D drawings you usually find problems when you’re trying to install the equipment, and that’s a little too late to find a problem. Procore BIM gives us a tool that we have never had before, and it’s

extremely user friendly to a point where everyone picks it up almost immediately.”

Designed for the field, Procore BIM delivers: • Excellent performance: Procore BIM is capable of handling large 3D models and is fully integrated with Procore’s industry leading 2D Drawings tool. Optimised to reduce latency, clipping, and drop out, Procore BIM leverages Apple’s Metal graphics framework to deliver improved graphics performance on Apple devices.

• Intuitive control and usability: Effortlessly navigate reliable BIM files with precision in Procore BIM using familiar touch-screen gestures on iPad or iPhone, or use the patent-pending Procore joysticks. If you want to reference your shop drawings, simply tap the 2D plans to immediately be taken to any room or area within the model.

• Look around: Using motion tracking, Procore BIM translates your movement into a virtual reality experience and lets you step into the model as you walk down the corridor. Lock your view and look around while you check work.

• Model status management: Procore BIM helps to mitigate reliance risk by identifying the status of a model (for example “issued for construction” or “issued for coordination”) so Superintendents, Project Engineers, and Foremen can confidently build.

“3D models provide a central location for critical project information, and with many large construction projects utilising BIM, we want to ensure that everyone involved in the project has access to the information,” said Tooey Courtemanche, Founder and CEO, Procore.

“When 3D models are in the hands of the people actually installing and validating the work, the value derived from virtual design and construction to mitigate risk, reduce waste, and increase productivity is finally attainable.”

Procore’s open platform and unlimited user model unlocks the power of 3D models beyond installation validation, enabling models to be leveraged throughout the entire project lifecycle. By having the models on a common data environment, teams have the ability to use the model information to enhance the coordination process during design, mitigate risk during construction, track labour and materials, and optimise billing and pay applications.

Procore BIM will be available in early September. Visit: https:// go.procore.com/See-Procore-BIM-First.html for more information and register to be kept in the know regarding specific release dates.

Powering a Sustainable Future

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

27

GET THE FACTS! on TRUCK MOUNTED ATTENUATORS (TMA’s)

BEWARE OF ‘FAKE NEWS’ With the move from NCHRP350 testing to MASH (Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware) as the preferred testing for Truck Mounted Attenuators (TMA’s) in Australia currently progressing there has been confusion amongst some equipment owners as to what equipment is compliant and, perhaps more importantly, what the status of their equipment will be after Australia moves to MASH as the testing standard.

The move by the Austroads Safety Barrier Assessment Panel (ASBAP) 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.

This DOES NOT by any definition mean that non-MASH tested equipment is suddenly obsolete or can no longer be used. It also DOES NOT render TMA’s that have been previously approved as tested under NCHRP350 guidelines obsolete or unusable – to suggest otherwise is simply NOT TRUE.

While there is a formal agreement on the transition to MASH testing from NCHRP350 testing, there is NO CUT-OFF DATE for using equipment that has been certified under the NCHRP350 testing while it is operational – to suggest otherwise is simply NOT TRUE.

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

The State Authorities are responsible for approving the use of TMA's in their individual jurisdiction.

This situation has no doubt been inflamed by the inaccurate information and spurious claims that have surfaced over the past 12 months – including claims that some units will no longer be permitted to be used after December 31, 2020.

With that in mind, the following fact sheet has been developed to provide key FACTS as to the current status of the ‘Transition to MASH Guidelines’.

The transition to MASH guidelines is a lengthy and ongoing process and lists of ‘Austroads Approved Products’ are currently a Work in Progress. If a product does not currently appear on a jurisdiction’s list, or is not currently recommended for acceptance at an Austroads level by ASBAP, it 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.

The Scorpion® II Truck Mounted Attenuator was the first TMA to be fully certified as Tested, Passed and Eligible to MASH 16 by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Safety Eligibility Letter CC-132 for the Scorpion® II TMA can be viewed online at: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/countermeasures/reduce_crash_severity/barriers/ pdf/cc132.cfm

The Scorpion® II Trailer Attenuator is also fully certified as Tested, Passed and Eligible to MASH 16 by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Safety Eligibility Letter CC-138 for the Scorpion® II Trailer Attenuator can be viewed online at: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/countermeasures/reduce_crash_severity/barriers/ pdf/cc138.cfm

CHECK THE FACTS

™

â&#x201E;¢

For further information, contact:

A1 ROADLINES PTY LTD

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

COMPANY PROFILE

GOOD VIBRATIONS… FOR CONCRETE CONSOLIDATION As anyone involved in concrete will tell you, good quality finished concrete, needs to be well consolidated… and in the majority cases, the best way to achieve that, is by using purpose-built specialist vibration equipment.

Whether it’s precast or poured in situ, most concrete requires vibration to consolidate and eliminate voids, especially around reinforcing steel. Indeed, the more complex the shape or intricate the reinforcing, the more critical proper concrete vibration is.

Part of the global WAMGROUP and WOLONG MOTOR COMPANY, OLI Vibrators Australia is a leading supplier of specialist vibrators for concrete construction across Australia.

The worldwide leader in vibration technology, the name OLI® has been synonymous with expertise in vibration technology for over 55 years. Founded in Cassina de’ Pecchi near Milan, Italy in 1961, the company built its reputation supplying immersion vibrators (pokers) to construction contractors across Italy. Needless to say, the products’ outstanding quality and performance in the field saw a strong growth in demand, and before long OLI had become the premier supplier of high frequency electric, pneumatic and shaft vibrators across Italy, Europe and eventually, around the globe.

“For OLI, it’s always been about quality,” said OLI Australia General Manager, Mark Thompson. “Manufacturing high quality products, and delivering high quality solutions to meet the customer’s specific needs.”

“Product performance and reliability – whether out on site or in the factory – is of paramount importance, especially when in comes to concrete. There’s a limited timeframe to work in, and our customers need to know that the equipment will be working as it should, when they need it,” he said.

From electric high-frequency vibrators (both with and without in-built frequency converters), through to pneumatic and electric vibrators for use with concrete moulds and formwork, OLI has a concrete vibration solution to meet every need.

OLI also manufactures a range of specialist vibrators and flow aid equipment for use in concrete batching plants.

The OLI VH range of electric high frequency internal vibrators combine consistent speed and performance, with remarkable resistance to abrasion – ensuring that they keep performing in even the harshest concrete environments. The units are supplied with a 5m protection hose, a 10m electric cable with plug and ABS hand switch. The VH range is ideally paired with OLI’s CM range of frequency and voltage converters, which are equipped with permanent magnets that have been specifically designed to power high frequency concrete vibrators continuously.

The OLI EWO range of high frequency internal vibrators are equipped with their own compact electronic frequency converter, applied directly into the supply cable, making them suitable for connection to a single-phase mains power socket.

OLI also manufactures and extensive range of electric and pneumatic vibrators for use with concrete formwork and moulds.

Paired with OLI’s range of purpose-designed fastening systems and brackets, these electronic and pneumatic units can be used on both wooden and steel formwork and moulds.

For further information, please visit: www.olivibrators.com.au

Pictured (clockwise from top): OLI VH electric high frequency internal vibrators combine consistent speed and performance with outstanding resistance to abrasion; OLI CM frequency and voltage converters are specifically designed to power high frequency concrete vibrators continuously; OLI fastening systems enable quick mounting of vibrators on steel or wooden formwork and moulds; OLI manufactures a wide range of pneumatic and electric vibrators for precast concrete applications; OLI EWO high frequency internal vibrators feature a built-in converter.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

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Electric high frequency internal vibrators Electric vibrators for concrete consolidation characterised by high performances, consistent speed and remarkable resistant to abrasion.

CM

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Frequency and voltage converters

OL

EWO

NS

High frequency internal vibrators with built-in converter

ELECTRIC VIBRATORS High frequency electric vibrators for concrete compaction at the building precast site or concrete factories.

CO

NC

RE

TE

CO

Equipped with compact electronic frequency converter applied into the supply cable directly, suitable for connection to a single phase main power socket.

FASTENING SYSTEMS Brackets for quick mounting of vibrators on wooden or steel formworks.

PNEUMATIC VIBRATORS Pneumatic vibrators for concrete compaction for formworks or moulds.

CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS OLI VIBRATORS 7 Jellico Drive, Scoresby VIC 3179 - Australia Tel: +61 3 9764 9988 - info@olivibrators.com.au - www.olivibrators.com.au

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

CONCRETE IN PRACTICE – PROGRESS THROUGH KNOWLEDGE 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!

The conference, which will focus on the theme Concrete in Practice – Progress through Knowledge, is aimed at delegates, presenters and key note speakers from all over Australia and the world! The conference is dedicated to bringing together global leaders in the concrete industry, covering all aspects of concrete in practice through materials, design, construction, repair, and maintenance, and learning how increased knowledge has seen the industry progress through research, innovation, and know-how. The conference will offer participants from all around the world the opportunity to connect face to face, sharing innovative and interesting ideas with a wide variety of industry experts in the world class facilities of the International Convention Centre Sydney in Darling Harbour.

Concrete 2019 is co-chaired by Dr Daksh Baweja and Dr Warren South and will feature a 3-day technical program consisting of 4 parallel sessions and over 140 papers and presentations, including

32

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

5 key note speakers and several invited speakers, and 2 eagerly anticipated forums.

The program will be covering many concrete topics including: • Alkali-activated concretes • Alternative cementitious materials • Bridge structures • Case studies and major projects • Construction (infrastructure, development, innovations) • Durability (and modelling for durability) • Precast and prefabricated concrete • Reinforcing and Prestressing Materials • Repair and rehabilitation • Resilience and Seismic • Standards, specifications and codes • Underground and Foundation Structures The full program is available online at: www.concrete2019.com.au/program

NETWORKING & KNOWLEDGE SHARING The conference will also feature a special session throughout the event, held in the exhibition hall, allowing sponsors, exhibitors, innovators, and our next generation of concrete experts to present to delegates.

The multidisciplinary theme of Concrete 2019 will provide an excellent forum for networking and education, and an opportunity to meet and interact with practitioners, engineers, scientists, researchers, academics and professionals, from Australia and overseas. Whether

you attend technical sessions, sit in on committee meetings, or network with friends and colleagues, this conference will provide you with ample opportunity for professional growth.

Concrete 2019 is also co-sponsored by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and a number of notable ACI technical committee members, as well as senior board and staff, will join us in Sydney in September. The CIA has an excellent relationship with ACI and this international alliance will make an impact at Concrete 2019.

Together with an impressive list of local and international sponsors and exhibitors, a social program that includes our traditional Welcome Reception and Awards for Excellence in Concrete Gala Dinner, and for the first time a dedicated Young Members program, it is an opportunity to connect with concrete experts from around the world and is a fantastic opportunity to be amongst the best of the concrete industry.

Whether you attend technical sessions, sit in on multiple committee meetings or network with friends and colleagues, this conference will provide you with ample opportunity for professional growth. The Organising Committee and the Concrete Institute of Australia look forward to meeting you at Concrete 2019 being held in Sydney, NSW, in September.

Register today at: www.concrete2019.com.au

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

OUR SPEAKERS Concrete 2019 has secured some outstanding key note and invited speakers who will allow us to delve into their experience in practice and knowledge transfer. These include:

Key Note Speakers Anne Ellis - Founder and CEO of Ellis Global, Past President of ACI. Presentation: “The Innovation Imperative” Professor Christoph Gehlen - Department of Civil, Geo and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Centre for Building Materials of Technical University of Munich.

Presentation: “Performance-Based Durability Design and Assessment of Structural Concrete Members” Michelle L. Wilson Director of Concrete Technology at the Portland Cement Association (PCA), USA, and Director at ACI. Presentation: “What Did I Just Promise You? Standard Specifications for Structural Concrete” 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.

Presentation: "Challenges experienced with the design and construction of concrete on major projects” Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Taylor - Chair of RedR Australia, and Deputy Chair of the Washington Accord – International Engineering Alliance.

Presentation: “Education in Engineering – Where To?

Invited Speakers Larry Sutter - Professor in the Materials Science & Engineering Department at Michigan Tech, Director of the Michigan DOT Transportation Materials Research Center at Michigan Tech, and Chair of ACI Committees 232 on Fly Ash and ITG-10 Alternative Cementitious Materials.

Presentation: “Durability Research and ACI201 Durability” Andreas Tselebidis – Director, Sustainable Concrete Technology and Solutions at BASF (USA).

Presentation: “New innovations that are occurring in concrete construction and sustainability in building”

OUR SPONSORS CONFERENCE PARTNER

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSOR

Alessandro Palermo – Professor in structural engineering, academic researcher and lecturer at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

Presentation: “The Morandi Bridge Collapse” Mike Schneider – Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Baker Concrete Constructions and Past President of the American Concrete Institute (ACI).

Presentation: “Concrete construction case studies in the USA” John Glumb – Senior Manager of Operations, American Concrete Institute.

Participating in the forum: “Concrete 2030 – Surviving the Disruption” Jeffrey Coleman – Attorney at Law and Principal Partner of The Coleman Law Firm in Minneapolis in the USA, ACI Vice President on the Board of Direction, and author of the book Legal Issues in Concrete Construction.

Participating in the forum: “Concrete – An Industry Ripe for Disruption”

SILVER SPONSORS

SATCHEL & WELCOME RECEPTION SPONSOR

LANYARD & NAME BADGE SPONSOR

BARISTA SPONSORS

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

33

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

them? What are the disruptors to our industry that are going to stifle progress and create challenges?

Facilitated by Chris Clarke, renown strategic thinker and facilitator, as well as an entertaining presenter, the forum will include several industry representatives from all sectors including design, construction specification, supply and owner. It will aim to provide some thoughtprovoking discussion and ideas, and start looking at solutions, as we challenge the various sectors to identify what it is that’s changing, the disruption these changes will have on the concrete industry, and what the knowledge gaps are that need to be addressed.

YOUNG MEMBERS GROUP The Concrete Institute of Australia’s Young Members Group is being actively involved in organizing activities and events for the conference. Whilst Concrete 2019 offers all young professionals in the concrete industry a number of opportunities to present, network and learn, the Young Members Group activities include:

Young Members Drinks When: Monday 9 September 2019 Where: Watershed Hotel, Darling Harbour Time: 8pm onwards (straight after the Concrete 2019 Welcome Reception) Cost: Free to come along, drinks at bar prices.

An informal get together open to delegates of all ages but a great way for our young professionals to get to know each other before the conference really kicks off. Meet either immediately after the Concrete 2019 welcome reception and head off, or meet at the venue. No need to RSVP, just turn up with your Concrete 2019 delegates badge on.

Young Members Networking Breakfast When: Tuesday 10 September 2019 Where: Concrete 2019 Exhibition Hall – Sika stand.

Time: 7:30am to 8:30am 34

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

Cost: Free to under 35 Conference delegates.

Come and meet fellow young professionals from around the world over coffee and muffins to network and exchange knowledge and experiences.

There will also be an opportunity to meet one of our keynote speakers and other industry members from Concrete 2019 in a more informal setting.

Under 35’s Best Paper Award Two new awards have been introduced in 2019 – Best Under 35 Paper and the Best Overall Paper. Judged by a panel of experts, the Best U35 Paper panel will be Co-Chaired by Dr Ali Amin (University of Sydney) and also includes a number of members from our CIA Young Member Group.

WORKSHOPS AND FORUMS “Concrete – An Industry Ripe for Disruption” 1730 – 1830, Monday 9th September 2019 Changes in concrete design and construction are a given, not a maybe.

These changes are evident right through all the various sectors within the concrete industry, but what are we doing to address

Discussions item will include (but are not limited to): • The diminishing resources in Australia and the options available to replace these such as imported materials.

• Where do new materials fit in? What are the concrete materials of the future and where do they come from?

• Sustainability benchmarks over durability and structural requirements. How do these two meet?

• The lack of experienced concrete technologists & practitioners. What is this doing to our industry?

• Standards and specification codes not keeping up with innovation and change.

• Risk aversion.

• The changes in society in the way we learn and communicate – are they being embraced by the concrete construction industry?

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

“Concrete 2030 – Surviving the Disruption” 1530 – 1630, Wednesday 11th September 2019 Concrete 2019’s theme “Concrete in Practice - Progress Through Knowledge” is significant as the conference is dedicated to bringing together global leaders in the concrete industry, covering all aspects of concrete in practice. However, in a concrete industry that is rapidly changing in many ways (being disrupted):• How do we address the issue of transferring the skills and knowledge to those who need now? and • How do we survive the disruption being experienced now, and in the future, to make progress in the next 10 years?

This session will again be facilitated by Chris Clarke and includes a panel of industry stakeholders whose role it is to collect, transfer, and use the knowledge.

It will look at the disruptors discussed in the opening days forum, and how these can be managed through the collection and dissemination of knowledge, changes in learning methodology, professional development and engagement with innovation. The role of various industry groups who have a strong presence in the information market will be evaluated. The nature of how information is collected, stored, used and accessed by concrete professionals as we experience rapid change is paramount for the industry to survive and benefit.

CONCRETE 2019 EXHIBITORS Organisation

Booth Number

Ancon Building Products

15 & 18

ARC Nanocomm Hub

24

BarChip Inc.

27

BASF

58 & 60

BCRC

51

Bennett Equipment

30

BHS Sonthofen AUS

31

Boral

2

BOSFA

42

CE Construction Solutions

55

Command Alkon

17

CONEQUIP LTD

29

CPAA, ADAA & ASA

45 & 46

Dorner Australia

23

Duratec

56

EngInsure Insurance & Risk Services

34

Fosroc

49

GCP Applied Technologies

47 & 48

Gough Industrial Solutions

25

Hylec Controls

32

ICCONS Pty Ltd

6

Krystol Group

14

Leica Geosystems

9

Mapei

43 & 44

NITROcrete

36

PCTE

52

Peikko

50

Penetron

57 & 59

Polarmatic Oy

12

Reinforced Earth

22

Sika

53 & 54

Silo Systems

26

Slurry Solutions Australia

5

SRCP

1

SRG Global

16

Taiwan CAPSTONE Gypsum Co.

33

The Construction Store

41

TIANJIN AM CONCRETE ADMIXTURE LTD

37

Wagners

35

Wurth

19 & 20

XL Group

21

Xypex

39 & 40

For updates, additional information and to register, visit www.concrete2019.com.au Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

35

CONCRETE INSTITUTE NEWS

Residential Buildings • Castle Cove House (NSW) – TERROIR, Simpson Design Associates, Olding Constructions and G&D Concrete • Extruded Houses (NSW) – MCK Architects & Toki Construction • Mosman House (NSW) – Partridge • St Georges House (VIC) – Perrett Simpson, Raid Studio and Arnet & Browning • Roscommon House (WA) – Neil Cownie Architect Commercial Buildings • ANZAC Memorial Centenary Project (NSW) – Taylor Thomson Whitting, Precast Concrete Products, Johnson Pilton Walker, and Built.

• Lucent (QLD) – DBCorp, Cavcorp and Torre Developments • Waltzing Matilda Centre (QLD) – Cox Architecture, Bligh Tanner, Jolliffe Concreting, and A.Gabrielli Construction • University of South Australia’s Cancer Research Institute (SA) – Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec, Swanbury Penglase/BVN, Hansen Yunken, University of South Australia • DFO Perth (WA) – Georgiou Group • Perth Children’s Hospital (WA) – Aurecon

AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN CONCRETE GALA DINNER The presentation to the winners of the Institute’s Awards for Excellence in Concrete will take place at the conference Gala Dinner, to be held on Tuesday 10th September 2019. This prestigious event will be held at one of Sydney’s iconic venues - Doltone House at Jones Bay Wharf. It is a spectacular waterfront venue on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, with views of the Harbour Bridge, city skyline and the Darling Harbour precinct. The awards are one of the highlights of the biennial conference and will recognise excellence in concrete in several categories.

The projects that won State Awards that have progressed to the National Awards for Excellence in Concrete are: 36

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

Infrastructure Projects • Bridge over River Clarence at Harwood (NSW) – Acciona Ferrovial Joint Venture • Bringelly Road Bridge (NSW) – Lendlease Engineering • Sydney Metro Northwest Surface and Viaduct (SVC) Contract (NSW) – Salini Impregilo S.p.A • The Tramway Shared Path and Seawall Project (NSW) – Wollongong City Council • Ellenbrook Water Tank (WA) – BG&E, Water Corporation, Georgiou Group • Mandurah Bridge Replacement Project (WA) – Main Roads WA, City of Mandurah, Georgiou Group and BG&E • South Metropolitan TAFE WA (Murdoch T Block Building) – Airey Taylor Consulting, Armstrong Parkin Architects, Delta Corporation, EMCO Builders Repair and Rehabilitation • Barwon Water Head Office Redevelopment (VIC) – GHD • Brooklyn Trunk Sewer BTS001 Rehabilitation (VIC) – Eywad Technology and Innovation • Bridge over the Richmond River at Broadwater (NSW) – Lendlease Engineering

• Guide to Historical Steel Reinforcement in Australia (NSW) – Steel Reinforcement Institute of Australia • VDC Preacst Concrete – Richmond River Bridge (NSW) – Australian Precast Solutions, Lendlease Engineering • WestConnex 1B C&C Tunnel Hydrocarbon Fire Design (NSW) – Arcadis • Arrowhead Artificial Reef (QLD) – Pacific Marine Group, Glynne Tucker Consulting Engineers, HME Consulting Engineers • Quickcell Wide Flange Super I-Girder (QLD) – Quickcell Technology Products • Innovative Very-High Strength Concrete (up to150 MPa) for Super Tall Buildings: Pushing the Boundaries (VIC) – The University of Melbourne, Pronto Concrete, LafargeHolcim • LaTrobe Street Student Accommodation (VIC) – Hickory Construction Group • State-of-the-art design and manufacture of segmental tunnel linings (WA) – Salini Impregilo – NRW JV and Boral The finalists are showcased in the Awards for Excellence in Concrete special feature in this magazine. All project submissions will feature in the Institute’s Awards for Excellence publication that will be handed out at the Gala Dinner.

LIFE & HONORARY MEMBER INDUCTEES At the dinner, the Institute will also formally induct two new Life Members, Frank Papworth from Western Australia, and posthumously Paul Mahaffey who served the Institute from its outset for more than 30 years. Four new Honorary Members will also be inducted at the Gala Dinner: Bob Munn, Vute Sirivivatnanon, Ihor Hinczak, and Malcolm Boyd.

The National Engineering Bursary Award winner, Dr Mahdi Babaee from UNSW, will also be recognised for his outstanding thesis “Corrosion of Reinforcement in AlkaliActivated Materials” which will also be presented at Concrete 2019.

SPONSORS Commercial Buildings Category Infrastructure Projects Category Repairs & Rehabilitation Category Technology & Innovation Category Awards Gala Dinner

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www.nondrill.com.au Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

37

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Onsite poster campaigns targeting tradies’ safety and wellbeing reach $1 million ad support Target Tradies provides Cancer Council and Black Dog Institute with more than $1 million media advertising support for their safety and wellbeing programs.

Australian organisations Cancer Council and Black Dog Institute are saying ‘thanks a million’ as their poster campaigns that reach tradies at their worksites, have both crossed the $500,000 media value mark, after 12 months of continued support from Target Tradies as part of their powerful site visitation and CSR program.

Cancer Council particularly needed to reach tradies, who receive 5 to 10 times more UV than indoor workers. Similarly, the Black Dog Institute – which provides support to those with depression and other mental health issues – wanted to reach tradies, including construction workers who have a higher risk of experiencing mental health problems, compared with other types of work.

Target Tradies – a unique Australian company focused on delivering specific messaging to tradies on the job – provided probono production installation and media space for both organisations, by placing specific messaging posters on more than 600 sites across Australia each month. The combined value of these placements has just exceeded the $1 million dollar mark after the first 12 months.

“We are truly grateful for the support Target Tradies has provided us. During the past 12 months we have been able to reach tradies directly with messaging around UV protection, promoting a healthy diet, as well workplace issues like diesel fumes and dust.

This unique and uncomplicated method delivers messages directly to our ‘target’ audience – while they are on the job,” says Sanchia Aranda, CEO, Cancer Council Australia.

Fiona Treweeke, Head of Marketing at Black Dog Institute shared a similar sentiment of appreciation for the support from Target Tradies.

“As a medical research institute, one of our major goals is to reach the 60% of people that do not seek help for depression, anxiety and suicide risk. Target Tradies gives us an opportunity to work towards

38

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

this by driving awareness and support in the construction industry where the stigma attached to mental health thrives. We’ve developed specific materials to address this and educate workers to recognise the signs when help is needed and where to get it. It’s a unique and highly targeted channel for us.”

Target Tradies Founder and Director Michael Blumberg is delighted at the success of both campaigns, and credits Ausco Modular, the world’s leading business services company specialising in modular space, with enabling the company to deliver safety messaging to tradies onsite.

“Ausco Modular clearly has a long-term commitment to the safety and wellbeing of all workers on construction sites across Australia. They have enabled us to place workplace safety messaging in their modular buildings, which include lunchrooms, washrooms, site offices and places where tradies check in and check out, or enjoy break time. It is here where the messages can be absorbed and processed.

Ausco Modular deserves the accolades for their ongoing support which has enabled our CSR programs,” said Mr Blumberg.

Target Tradies posters, such as this one for the Black Dog Institute, have helped these charities display their important messages directly to tradies at their place of work.

“As the issue of safety on sites continues to become more mainstream, the work that Target Tradies does, uniquely, through our site visitation model, offers construction companies further ways of engaging and communicating with their workers, beyond their internal programs,” he said.

UNIQUE TARGET TRADIES PLATFORM Mr Blumberg says that regular updates to posters and messaging is key to keeping their efficacy high. Target Tradies’ fully certified installers spend no more than 15 minutes on-site and are highly familiar with construction site environments to minimise disruptions to ongoing operations.

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

“Our commercial model allows us to drive our CSR program. We have support from Government, Institutions and Education as well a commercial brands, who use our unique delivery system to get their messages in front of the tradies,” he added.

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Architectural render the new development in Kings Square in Fremantle, WA

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

IN THE HEART OF FREMANTLE Project: Kings Square Renewal Project Location: Fremantle, Western Australia Precast manufacturer: Delta Corporation Architect: HASSEL Engineer: Prichard Francis Builder: Probuild Constructions (Aust) Client: State Government of Western Australia At the heart of Fremantle lies Kings Square, WA’s only formal town square. Over the past two centuries, the City of Fremantle has continuously upgraded the space to suit the needs of the local community. Undertaking the latest upgrade, the City - in partnership with Sirona Capital - is working on a $270 million precinct-wide renewal of the city centre as it redevelops buildings and public spaces. Construction on the project commenced in August 2017, with multiple stages of the development plan following during 2018 and 2019.

40

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

The Kings Square Renewal Project will be the largest public-private infrastructure project in Fremantle’s history. The project is predicted to be extremely beneficial for the surrounding community as it injects over $350million into the local economy. Expected to attract world-class retail, tourists and professional services to the city’s centre, it is set to transform the community atmosphere.

Included in the redevelopment are a new eating and shopping precinct, office accommodation, a landscaped grass area and public space, a new children’s play space, a community learning hub and a City administration building. These new facilities will be divided into multiple areas called The Daily, Street Alley, Tidal Lane, Newman Court and The Emporium.

1,400 PRECAST ELEMENTS DELIVERED TO SITE Over 1,400 precast concrete elements were manufactured by National Precast member Delta Corporation for a five-level commercial building located in Adelaide Street on Newman Court.

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

Considerate of the area’s heritage, the building is set back from the original two storey façade and will provide retail, hospitality and entertainment uses at ground and lower ground levels, with office use above.

According to Delta Corporation’s General Manager Jason Walsh, Delta has also been heavily involved in working with the builder and design team to ensure the buildability of the project, accommodate site requirements and fast-track the project’s construction programme.

Below: Set back from the original two storey facade, the new precast building will offer office space as well as retail, hospitality and entertainment facilities.

With construction of the building running from April 2018 to October 2018, Delta manufactured precast concrete flooring, structural columns, structural beams and fascia panels for the project.

up to 3.5 metres in height. All columns were manufactured in steel formwork using white cement in order to achieve a Class 2 smooth off-form finish.

HOLLOWCORE FLOORING

231 BEAMS

Exclusive to Delta Corporation, Deltacore (hollowcore) flooring was manufactured for the project. As extruded, prestressed concrete planks, Deltacore flooring is available in various lengths and thicknesses to suit site requirements.

The planks come in standard widths of 1.20 metres and are capable of spanning up to 17 metres. They provide an immediate working platform, which eliminates the need for formwork and propping.

Over 10,000 square metres of Deltacore flooring were supplied for this office building in a range of lengths up to 9,650mm and in thicknesses of 150, 200 and 250mm.

The project also required a total of 231 precast and prestressed beams.

70 internal prestressed beams were manufactured using grey concrete in an off-form finish. The beams measured 1,200mm wide by 300mm high and were manufactured in a range of lengths of up to 9,700mm.

161 external prestressed beams were manufactured using white cement to achieve a Class 2 off-form finish. Achieving the Class 2 finish required a great deal of planning and mould preparation to ensure that the surface finish of the beams was not damaged during destressing and handling.

The 600m x 600mm beams were cast on a 60-metre stressing bed and measured between 3.5 and 8.9 metres in length. The beams also hosted multiple connection details to accommodate the many interfacing precast units.

148 INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COLUMNS A total of 148 structural columns were also manufactured for the project. This included 65 600mm square columns, measuring up to 4.35 metres in height, together with a further 83 columns measuring 350mm by 200mm and

SPANDREL WALL PANELS 1,400 precast elements were supplied by Delta Corporation for a 5 level commercial building in Adelaide Street as part of the Kings Square Renewal Project.

In addition, 83 precast spandrel wall panels were supplied by Delta. The panels were nonloadbearing Class 2 off-form, with a white cement finish, and measured 5.8 to 8.2 metres in length, 600mm high and 150mm thick.

WHY PRECAST? There were many reasons why precast was chosen for the construction of this building.

Durability, quality of finishes and speed of construction were the main driving factors for the choice, increasing the overall structural integrity and durability of the building. All elements were manufactured in a factorycontrolled environment, to ensure that the quality and structural integrity of each item was achieved.

In addition, using precast enabled production to occur ahead of site requirements, thereby ensuring that the site construction programme could be maintained.

SUCCESS STORY With this new office building located right in the heart of the new development in Kings Square, Delta have set high standards with quality, efficiency and architectural aesthetic.

Construction of the master plan is due to be finished by early/mid 2020.

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

41

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

NEW BOARD ENTHUSED TO GROW

National Precast's new President, Michael Waeger

“Only one of the founding Board members remains and that’s Ian Coulter, Director of Queensland-based Precast Concrete Products.

We have a full score with ten out of ten Director positions filled. It’s good to see so much enthusiasm to have a say in the future of the precast industry and steer the direction of the industry’s peak body,” Ms Bachmann comments.

Other Board members include Graham Underwood, Rocla’s National Technical and Engineering Manager, George Spiropoulos, Director of Euro Precast, Paul Adams, Humes’ National Sales and Marketing Manager, Craig Zinn, Director of Stresscrete, Riccardo Musella, Managing Director of The Reinforced Earth Company, Alberto Ferraro, Managing Director of PERMAcast, Daniel Coutts, General Manager of Austral Precast and the Board’s most recent addition Daniel Nassar, General Manager of Alpha Precast.

Michael Waeger says he’s looking forward to what will be just over two years of change.

“As a Board we will be focused on implementing the changes we have made to keep membership relevant and grow our precaster numbers,” Mr Waeger says.

“Time and time again we have achieved outcomes that would not have been possible had they not been under the auspices of the Association, and certainly not as a single precaster going it alone.

“Our business gets so much from being a part of the National Precast network. As well as the new standards and Cordells services, we can tap into a lot of pooled knowledge and develop some very genuine friendships. We know there’s always help there when we need it.

“I’m looking forward to leading such an enthusiastic group of people as we continue on our precast journey,” he adds.

Despite a longstanding history that spans 25 plus years, National Precast Concrete Association isn’t resting on its laurels. More than ever committed to being relevant to the precast industry, the Association has recently undertaken a revamp of its Board of Directors.

Still under the helm of CEO Sarah Bachmann and her small Adelaide-based team, National Precast has made some big changes in recent times.

“We’ve reduced fees for small and medium sized precasters, and we’ve added new services. We’ve also started the process of bolstering our resources and activities at a local level by commissioning State Co-ordinators,” Ms Bachmann comments.

The Association has a new President as well.

Michael Waeger from Waeger Precast, has taken the reins from ULTRAfloor’s Kevin Crompton, following Kevin standing down from the role earlier in the year.

“Most of the Board is relatively young - not necessarily in their precast industry experience - but in terms of their time as a National Precast Director.

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NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

WHEN STANDARDS’ COMPLIANCE IS ESSENTIAL Core to one of its goals of raising the bar in the precast concrete industry, National Precast Concrete Association is offering a new service to its members that will help them do just that. Access to all precast-relevant Australian Standards – both to download and print – is now included as part of the Association’s membership fee.

While compliance to Australian Standards is generally voluntary, when they are referenced in State and Commonwealth legislation, compliance becomes mandatory. But accessing the standards can be a costly exercise.

“Unlike the now free access to the National Construction Code (NCC), paying the price to access individual Australian Standards as a one-off or paying for a subscription service, can be expensive” says National Precast’s CEO Sarah Bachmann.

“In adding this service, we wanted to make access to Standards as easy as possible for our members. Understanding the requirements of specific Standards is critical to our members being able to deliver minimum standards in terms of safety, quality and service,” she adds.

PRECASTERS NEED STANDARDS According to Ms Bachmann the construction industry is all at once experiencing the fallout of non-compliance with the requirements of the NCC and Australian Standards, poor site workmanship and non-complying products.

In the precast concrete manufacturing environment, compliance with Standards is paramount.

“As a major supplier to the construction industry, precast concrete manufacturers must play their part in ensuring the community benefits from consistently safe, high quality, environmentally considerate structures,” she says.

NOT ALL PRECASTERS ARE EQUAL “National Precast members are checked as part of their application for membership, that they manufacture, supply and install to Australian Standards. Not all precasters do, and the consequences can be significant”, said Ms Bachmann.

“If a precaster doesn’t have an understanding of Standards relevant to their products, I’d think

SEPTEMBER SPECIAL

twice about engaging them for precast supply and installation,” she adds.

“This new service adds great value to members, and in some cases is of a higher dollar value than the annual membership fee. And it’s giving them the tools they need to ensure they are standards’ compliant,” Ms Bachmann says.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE STANDARDS? Standards are voluntary documents. They set out minimum specifications, procedures and guidelines that aim to ensure the safety, reliability and consistency of products, services, and systems. Standards should deliver a positive net benefit to public health and safety, the society and community, the environment, competition and the economy. They cover a variety of subjects, including consumer products and services, the environment, construction, energy and water utilities, and more.

To ensure they keep pace with innovation, new products and technologies, they are regularly reviewed by Standards Australia technical committees. National Precast is represented on over 20 of these committees.

ASK YOUR PRECASTER ABOUT STANDARDS Before contracting a precaster for supply and/or installation, ask them what Standards relate to their products. They should be able to give you a rundown of the Standard that is relevant to each product.

Sales ends 11:59 30th September 2019

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Dallas Mexon, Director of Concrete by Design says the Pelican Street rooftop wall dividing two penthouse rooftops is his most enjoyable project to date.

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

UP CLOSE WITH…

Dallas Mexon, Director at Concrete by Design DALLAS MEXON, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL PRECAST MEMBER CONCRETE BY DESIGN, WAS RECENTLY INTERVIEWED BY NATIONAL PRECAST’S COMMUNICATIONS CO-ORDINATOR KATE MOORE. HERE HE TELLS HOW HE GOT STARTED AND WHY HIS PASSION FOR GLASS REINFORCED CONCRETE (GRC) STILL BURNS STRONG.

I could see the benefit of bringing work away from the busy construction site, as well as the quality and safety benefits from being in a purpose-built, controlled factory environment.

KM: How did you get started in the industry?

DM: I started in the industry many years ago in civil engineering and specialised in hydraulics structures. After 30 years I was keen to get into something more creative.

My early works were steel-reinforced, cast in-situ pieces, such as the 9-metre long curved cantilever bench top that appears to rise out of the floor. As part of the Australia Street Warehouse Conversion Project in Camperdown NSW, it has won several international awards and was featured on the cover of The World’s Best Interiors magazine.

We started with conventional concrete and went to GRC. GRC allows better installation time on commercial projects as we can produce it in our factory and deliver to site. It can even be started before the on-site fitout if required.

KM: And how about GRC precast, how did you get into that?

DM: The early in-situ projects led me to investigate further the manufacturing options to cast off-site. What was really interesting and exciting to me was to be able to manufacture pieces that were more decorative and innovative.

KM: Why do you use GRC rather than steel reinforced precast concrete?

DM: We do both, actually. Our specialty is really artistic concrete. Off-site manufactured GRC is an ideal medium that is light weight and allows incredible attention to detail to achieve intricate results.

46

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

KM: What’s your favourite project you have worked on?

DM: The best one would be a white decorative GRC curved wall with custom-made ridge capping, which serves as a functional yet stylish dividing wall between two penthouse suites in Pelican Street, Surry Hills.

While we started with GRC, we have moved into conventionally (steel) reinforced precast concrete and are now manufacturing landscaping elements such as furniture and statues. One of our recent projects is a series of statue monuments to be placed inside a synagogue. We’ve also manufactured some decorative chairs. We love the variety.

KM: You’re still very passionate about what you do.

DM: What really drives me is the constant chance of something coming along that’s just a little bit different or challenging, something interesting where some thought has gone into the design. It’s a great achievement to create someone’s vision that really makes a statement.

AWARD WINNINGS PUSHING THE LIMITS OF GRC Concrete by Design is a Sydney based company with a long, proud history. Involved in projects around Australia and overseas, Concrete by Design has consulted with some of Australia's leading architects, designers and consulting companies. Completing award winning projects for construction companies such as Abigroup, Thiess, John Holland and Leighton, the company offers bespoke design, manufacture and installation services.

Concrete by Design has won a number of national and international awards including: • International Best Polished Concrete for 11 cast in-situ and GRC benchtops and polished concrete floors at Castlecrag NSW for Albion Design & Construct; • AGDA Design Awards 2018 – Silver for polished concrete flooring and the GRC feature panels, wash basins and seats for Brewster Hjorth Architects, Coogee Beach Pavilion.

NATIONAL PRECAST FEATURE

PELICAN STREET PRIVACY SCREENS

Concrete by Design offers unique solutions like this curved rooftop wall atop a Pelican Street apartment in Surry Hills, Sydney.

PROJECT DETAILS Project: Pelican Street Penthouse Apartment Privacy Walls Location: Surry Hills, NSW Precast manufacturer: Concrete By Design Architect: Candalepas and Associates Builder: Stasia Project architect Candalepas and Associates, wanted to create a bespoke privacy wall between two rooftop penthouse apartments which could be integrated with bench seating and to conceal access to the rooftop spa equipment. As well as having to follow similar design profiles to the remainder of the building, the wall had to be durable, require minimal maintenance and be able to withstand the rooftop exposure.

Limited site access and the requirement for accuracy in both detail and finish called for off-site manufacture. As the wall was skinned on both sides, Concrete by Design constructed two large skateboard-like forms to allow the white GRC panels to be completed in one pour. The panels were transported and then taken by the building’s access lift to the rooftop penthouse. This project won an international award for Most Innovative use of Technology.

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www.mi-mep.com.au Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

47

PRECAST TECHNOLOGY

stabos

Software for big data, networking and maintenance in precast concrete plants stabos is a software for the collection and analysis of machinery and production data. (Image Courtesy: Progress Software Development)

Progress Software Development is part of the PROGRESS GROUP and is a company developing software solutions for the precast concrete and reinforcement industries.

Their high-performance products include MES systems for the planning, controlling and optimisation of the production process, as well as ERP solutions for the complete mapping of business processes. The company’s comprehensive product offering seamlessly integrates the entire process chain for precasters - starting from sales and planning, through to production and invoicing.

As is the case with any industry, a smooth cohesive and well-planned workflow in the precast concrete plant is a key prerequisite for a company's success. Achieving this requires a comprehensive information and analysis system that helps to reveal strengths and weaknesses in existing processes, in order to support continuous improvements.

Progress Software Development has created exactly such a system with stabos. stabos is a purpose-developed software 48

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

system which has been specifically designed for the collection and analysis of machine and production data within a precast concrete manufacturing environment. What’s more, the system’s secure cloud access enables data to be collected and accessed securely from multiple sites across the globe.

FOUR SPECIALISED SOFTWARE MODULES With the aid of four highly specialised modules, stabos provides thorough production analysis in the following areas: 1. Production Statistics: The stabos production module enables a company to determine the productivity at one or more production facilities and to improve the quality by means of centrally collected data.

2. Predictive Maintenance: stabos significantly simplifies maintenance planning for precast concrete plants – regardless of the size or complexity of the facility. The Predictive Maintenance Module can provide a quick and easy overview of the current status of connected

equipment within the facility. This information is then collated with production data to allow the system to produce suggested maintenance schedules for the equipment.

3. Key Performance Indicators: The stabos system is able to determine the performance of a machine by means of a number of key performance indicators (KPIs). This data is used to provide a quick overview of the efficiency of the plant.

The following key performance indicators (KPIs) can be defined, for example: • daily operating times of the machine for individual hours of the day; • monthly or weekly operating times of machines for individual days; • comparison of operating times and failure times of machines; • evaluation of downtimes, idle times, etc.

4. Error Analysis: Downtimes can be easily recorded with the aid of the extensive error archive, allowing plant operators to respond to recurring errors in a timely manner.

PRECAST TECHNOLOGY

Production statistics (big data): By means of the centrally gathered data, the production module enables companies to determine the productivity and to increase the quality (Image Courtesy: Progress Software Development)

SATISFIED USERS AROUND THE WORLD Since its introduction, stabos has gained an enviable reputation for its performance and reliability – both of which are key factors in a time-sensitive production environment such as precast concrete production. Indeed, with an ever-increasing number of satisfied users – from small to medium-sized enterprises across

Europe, through to a number of Asia’s largest precast concrete producers - stabos is rapidly become the ‘software of choice’ for precast concrete manufacturers around the globe.

Thanks to stabos, many customers have not only been able to get a better overview and deeper awareness of the daily operations and production processes in their

factories and production facilities, but also have access to critical data that is helping them to increase the efficiency of their company as a whole.

For further information, please contact Progress Software Development GmbH, T: +39 0472 979159, E: info@progress-psd.com or visit the website: www.progress-psd.com

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

49

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ACA CORROSION FEATURE

Concrete Rectification Using Micro-Concrete Form-And-Pour Technique

by Hamid Khan, Product Segment Manager Fosroc ANZ - Parchem

Accelerated and premature deterioration of some reinforced concrete structures during the initial years of their life cycle is of major concern to asset owners. The premature deterioration results in reduced service life of the structures.

The adoption of high standards for design and construction in new concrete structures has become a major focus today.

The construction industry has recently been witnessing everincreasing expectations for concrete’s design life. This article, which was originally published in ‘Corrosion & Materials’ and is republished here with kind permission of the Australasian Corrosion Association Inc (ACA), highlights the use of highperformance durable micro-concrete repair materials to rectify defects in long design life structures during and after the construction phase.

52

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

Repair materials need to be able to be used in difficult locations and achieve good compaction around the reinforcing steel without any external aids such as vibration. The finished repair must provide protection against corrosive agents such as chlorides and carbon dioxide and present minimal shrinkage to reduce the risk of cracking.

What is the purpose of using fluid micro-concrete repair mortar?

The primary purpose of using the fluid micro-mortar system is to restore the structure to its original strength and integrity. The repair may include large damaged structural sections of concrete as well as smaller sections in locations where difficulties of access make hand or trowel applied mortars impractical and have a high associated failure rate.

How is it different from conventional concrete?

If a conventional mix of high strength

concrete is used for re placement, small gaps can occur around the reinforcement steel - either through poor compaction or settlement - providing a potential site to initiate corrosion. To avoid these common pitfalls, the repair materials need to be exceptionally fluid in order to completely eliminate this problem.

Pre-bagged fluid micro-concrete such as Fosroc's Renderoc LASS Plus typically have a compressive strength of ≥75 MPa and are based on supplementary cement materials, making them environmentally friendly and sustainable with a low carbon footprint.

The micro-concrete fluid repair materials are produced off site in manageable 20 kg bags so they are simple and practical to use. The content of each bag is simply added to the measured amount of water and mixed to a uniform fluid consistency that can be pumped or poured into the formwork (Figure 2).

ACA CORROSION FEATURE

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.

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 monolithically, ensuring a long service life. Proper attention to surface preparation is essential to achieve a robust bond between the repair materials and the existing concrete substrate. Only a strong bond will lead to a strong and durable re pair.

How do I prepare the surface?

Figure 1: Honeycombing defects in new construction.

In the 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 increased shrinkage, leading to lower material strength and reduced bond strength.

Do I need to prepare the surface when using micro-concrete repair mortar?

Figure 2: Cross-sectional view of fluid microconcrete repair mortar.

The best of repair materials, despite the best mixing and application practices, are destined to fail unless the concrete substrate is properly prepared. ln the European Standard (EN 1504 -10:2017), the term bond refers to the adhesion of the applied material or system

Regardless of the repair technique, surface preparation is essentially the same.

Defective concrete is removed until sound concrete is reached.

• Marking out: Mark the perimeter of the repair area. The geometry of the repair area should be in simple square or rectangular shapes.

• Sawn Edges: Sawcut the perimeter of the repair. 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. A right-angled saw cut to a depth of 10-15mm is recommended to avoid any feather edging. The saw cut should not be deeper than the reinforced concrete cover.

• Removal of Spalled Concrete: Remove unsound and spalled concrete with an appropriate size chipping hammer.

Do I need a bonding agent?

Because of the outstanding adhesion property of micro-concrete mortars, a bonding agent is not generally required.

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 the host concrete absorbing the moisture from the repair mortar that is required for its hydration.

Although the term SSD is somewhat subjective, many experts consider it a 'safe compromise’ by pre-soaking the concrete. If the concrete is dry and 'thirsty', pre-soaking is of the utmost importance. The concrete should be thoroughly pre-soaked so that the concrete is 'saturated' with water.

Figure 3: Bridge pier protected with anti-chloride and anti-carbonation protective coating after reinstatement with fluid micro-concrete mortar.

Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

53

ACA CORROSION FEATURE

Can it be over-coated with protective decorative finishes?

The form-and-pour micro-concrete mortars are smooth surfaced, well bonded and match the existing concrete structure.

These are strong, durable and sustainable and will protect the reinforcement from environmental attack in the repaired areas.

However, in order to improve the integrity of the total structure, the original concrete may need extra protection. This is achieved by preparing the substrate and applying a protective coating system to the whole structure (Figure 3).

This not only protects the structure but also enhances its appearance.

Call I use it for structural strengthening?

Figure 4: Form work in progress for fluid micro-concrete repair mortar as part of structural strengthening.

and butt welding in new bars with backing plates, or splicing and lapping the affected bars with supplemental reinforcement, or by introducing mechanical coupler joints. An unbroken coat of anti-corrosion zinc rich epoxy primer is normally recommended to provide additional protection to the steel reinforcement within repair mortars to reduce the incipient anode effect.

It is an ideal choice for structural strengthening of columns, beams and other structural elements using a reinforced concrete enlargement system.

When do I use form-and-pour fluid repair mortar?

Fluid form-and-pour repair mortar is commonly used on vertical surfaces such as structural walls, columns, and other structural elements such as beams.

It can also be used to repair slab soffits, depending on the accessibility from the above side to pour the material through holes or openings cut through the slab.

Figure 5: Structural strengthening of column using reinforced micro-concrete enlargement method.

Larger hammers may cause damage to the substrate and reinforcement.

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. To avoid any micro-cracking of the concrete substrate, hydro-demolition or abrasive sand, shot or water blasting sometimes become the preferred choice for specifiers. â&#x20AC;˘ Steel Reinforcement Surface Preparation: Clean the reinforcement with abrasive blasting as necessary. If the steel has lost more than 25 percent of its cross-sectional area due to rusting, reinstatement of reinforcement bars should be carried out by cutting out 54

Construction Engineering Australia â&#x20AC;˘ Aug/Sep 2019

Figure 6: Cross-sectional view of fluid micro­concrete repair mortar showing complete consolidation around the reinforcement.

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ACA CORROSION FEATURE

It is ideal for reinstating large voids and honeycombing in reinforced concrete structures due to its fluid and selfcompacting nature.

The example shown in the demonstration model (Figures 6 & 7) shows the unique fluidity of Fosroc Renderoc LASS Plus and its self-compacting properties.

What are the main benefits to asset owners, designers and contractors?

• Environmentally friendly: The use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) make it an environmentally friendly and sustainable product, with a low carbon footprint and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases.

• Enhanced durability: It is ideal for reinstatement of new construction concrete defects conforming to the requirements of EN 1S04-3 Class R4.

• Structural strengthening: It can be used for strengthening of columns, beams and retaining walls using reinforced concrete enlargement system for projects involving change of use and structural alteration.

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Construction Engineering Australia • Aug/Sep 2019

• Saves time and money: It eliminates extra steps of additional section pours. It also improves site productivity due to large volume applications. It is suitable for structural re pairs that can be applied in sections from 50mm to 500mm deep.

It is also ideal for application in thick sections to a depth outside the normal functional range of many repair mortars.

References: • Emmons, P. (2011), Field guide to concrete repair application, Surface repair using form-and-pour techniques - ACI RAP-4 • Khan, H. (2017), Be Prepared - Is Surface Preparation for Concrete Repairs a Fad? Corrosion and Materials, Vo l 42 No 2, pp 34-36

Hamid Khan is also the President of the Australasian Concrete Repair Association (ACRA), a positioning which he has held since 2017. E: hamid.kahn@parchem.com.au

Figure 7: Demonstration of microconcrete mortar fluidity

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

Have confidence in the conformity of your steel... Wherever itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s from!

With the building products being used on construction sites now sourced globally, the importance of independent, expert technical validation of materials conformance has never been greater.

It's simply not enough to think just because steel has been ordered to an Australian or New Zealand Standard that the delivered product will automatically conform with Standards and be fit for purpose - even if it comes with a test certificate.

ACRS certification makes checking for steel compliance with Australian and New Zealand Standards easy. ACRS manufacturer and supplier certificates demonstrate INDEPENDENTLY and EXPERTLY that the manufacturer, processor or supplier consistently meets the Standards stated on the certificate.

www.steelcertification.com

Ph: (02) 9965 7216 | E: info@steelcertification.com ABN: 40 096 692 545

ACRS - Independent, Expert Third Party Certification & Verification of Reinforcing, Prestressing and Structural Steels for Compliance with Australian and New Zealand Standards

Engineering Training Institute Australia (ETIA)

www.etia.net.au

ABN 27 322 080

Specialist Training Courses and Workshops BENEFITS • Small class sizes • 37 course topics in 2019 with more to come in 2020 • Specialised workshops (including tutorials) • Australia and New Zealand wide • Over 21 years of experience (first as CCS then ETIA) • Fourteen (14) qualified and experienced presenters

Paul Uno - Director

1998-2019… CCS-ETIA Leading the Way for 21 Years

COURSES OFFERED 1. Accounting + Management For Engineers 2. Cement & Concrete Technology 3. Cold Formed Steel 4. Composite Structures 5. Concrete Pipes 6. Concrete Pools & Tanks 7. Contract Law + Professional Indemnity 8. Cracking In Concrete Structures 9. Detailing (Practical Aspects) 10. Earthquake Design 11. Finite Element Analysis 12. Forensic Engineering 13. Glass & Aluminium Façades

14. Hydraulics 15. Industrial Buildings 16. Industrial Floors 17. Marketing 18. Masonry 19. Metallurgy 20. Pile Design 21. Precast - Tilt Up 22. Prestressed Concrete (PT) 23. Process Pipe Engineering 24. Reinforced AAC 25. Reinforced Concrete (Mod I) 26. Reinforced Concrete (Mod II)

27. Reinforced Concrete (Mod III) 28. Repair – Concrete, Steel, Masonry 29. Residential Slabs + Footings 30. Retaining Walls 31. Risk Management 32. Shallow Foundations 33. Slope Stability 34. Structural Steel 35. Timber Design 36. Wind - Low & Medium Rise 37. Wind - Tall Structures + High Rise

ANNUAL SPONSORS - Engineering Training Institute Australia (ETIA)