Imiesa February 2022

www.infrastructurenews.co.za

IMESA The official magazine of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • SERVICE DELIVERY • ROADS • BUILDING • MAINTENANCE

INDUSTRY INSIGHT Product leadership doesn’t happen by chance John Fleetwood

Managing Director, Bell Equipment Sales South Africa

Thought Leadership Moving people and the economy

Municipal Focus: eThekwini

EMERGENCY REHABILITATION OF THE SEAWARD ROAD BRIDGE Building Systems 3D printing in Malawi

Information & Communications Technology The value of connectivity

Environmental Engineering Kuils River corridor plan unlocks development

IN THE HOT SEAT We understand the importance of a shared vision and a common purpose, benchmarked against local and international best practice.”

David-Fredrick Leukes Managing Director of BVi

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF PLASTIC PIPE SOLUTIONS AND GOING STRONG, SIZA STRONG!

Message from our CEO, Don Coleman: The past 20 years has been a journey filled with fun and interesting challengers.

This wonderful journey has been made possible by the enthusiastic, entrepreneurial character, which has encapsulated the Spirit of our amazing team. The road we have travelled was not without its challengers, but with the positive competitive nature of our management and staff, we managed to scale each mountain that was in our way. It has been an absolute pleasure serving with our adopted family and may we take this opportunity thanking the Good Lord for his Grace and many Blessings.

May we all look forward to the next 20 years of this exciting journey.

To our Dear Loyal Customers and Suppliers.

Thank you for travelling this long road with us over the past 20 years. We have been truly privileged to be included as part of your supply team. Without your success and support, we would have surely stumbled along the way. We look forward to continuing our journey with you, into a bright new future.

#Siza20Strong #Since2002 #SizaExcellence

20 -Y E

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S A RY C

B E LE

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PROUDLY@SI Z ABANTU.COM

WW W.S I Z A BA NTU.CO M

INSIDE

VOLUME 47 NO. 02 FEBRUARY 2022

www.infrastructurenews.co.za

36 www.infrastructurenews.co.za

IMESA The official magazine of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • SERVICE DELIVERY • ROADS • BUILDING • MAINTENANCE

INDUSTRY INSIGHT Product leadership doesn’t happen by chance John Fleetwood

Managing Director, Bell Equipment Sales South Africa

Thought Leadership Moving people and the economy

Regulars

Desalination

Editor’s comment

3

President’s comment

5

Index to advertisers

EMERGENCY REHABILITATION OF THE SEAWARD ROAD BRIDGE Building Systems

The value of connectivity

Environmental Engineering Kuils River corridor plan unlocks development

IN THE HOT SEAT We understand the importance of a shared vision and a common purpose, benchmarked against local and international best practice.”

Infrastructure news from around the continenent

Teamwork needed to rebuild SA’s economy

Environmental Engineering Information & Communications Technology The value of connectivity

8

David-Fredrick Leukes Managing Director of BVi

The Seaward Road Bridge crossing the Umhlatuzana River in Durban underwent a partial collapse during heavy flooding in April 2019. The common practice worldwide would have been to demolish and rebuild. In this particular case, eThekwini Municipality’s in-house engineering team developed a novel and sustainable alternative, partially reconstructing and lengthening the continuous posttensioned concrete deck. P12

IN THE HOT SEAT

18

Life shapes us all in profound ways, and the path to excellence is never an easy one.

With passion and determination, though, the possibilities are endless. IMIESA talks to David-Fredrick Leukes, managing director of BVi, about his experiences, and how this has influenced a series of successful milestones at BVi. P20

ROADS & BRIDGES

32

6

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ON THE COVER

31

Consulting Engineering

3D printing in Malawi

Information & Communications Technology

What could cause fouling of membranes?

52

Africa Round-up

Municipal Focus: eThekwini

ENVIRONMETAL ENGINEERING

Industry Insight Product leadership doesn’t happen by chance

Kuils River corridor plan unlocks development Gabions build a foundation for SMME development

34 36

Instrumentation 10

One small sensor helps

38

Municipal Architecture

Municipal Focus: eThekwini

The act of refuge

Emergency rehabilitation of the Seaward Road Bridge

12

Building knowledge, delivering insight

16

39

BIM Technology BIM is not a software application

40

Roads & Bridges Bridging the gap between emerging and established contractors

18

Hot Seat Leading from the front

20

Thought Leadership: Standards | Energy | Smart Mobility | Infrastructure Certification provides assurance and is more than a test report

22

Legacy infrastructure: the hidden threat

25

Moving people and the economy

26

Think and act globally, execute locally

28

46

BUILDING SYSTEMS

Crushing & Screening The evolution of a screening legend

42

Building Systems New chapter in construction: 3D printing is here Mapei: 85 years old and still looking to the future

46 48

Vehicles & Equipment Milling in the compact class

51

Cement & Concrete Local cement builds and sustains communities

52

INDUSTRY INSIGHT More than six decades of excellence bear testimony to Bell Equipment’s ability to adapt, respond and grow within its expanding South African and international customer base. IMIESA speaks to John Fleetwood, managing director of Bell Equipment Sales South Africa, about his earlier career, current role and vision for the business. P10

WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN A MILLION RADAR SENSORS? ONE MILLION SATISFIED CUSTOMERS. After 30 very successful years in radar measurement technology and 1 million sensors sold, an exciting new chapter is about to begin. Watch this space, so you don’t miss out as we write the next pages in this best-selling story.

www.vega.com/radar

MANAGING EDITOR Alastair Currie SENIOR JOURNALIST Kirsten Kelly JOURNALIST Nombulelo Manyana FEATURES WRITER Ziyanda Majodina HEAD OF DESIGN Beren Bauermeister DESIGNER Lizette Jonker CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Tristan Snijders CONTRIBUTORS Peter Fenton, Prashil Gareeb, Jitesh Harripershad, Vladimir Milovanovic, Luke Reid, Bhavna Soni, Santosh Soobryan, Kevin Volmink PRODUCTION & CLIENT LIAISON MANAGER Antois-Leigh Nepgen PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jacqueline Modise GROUP SALES MANAGER Chilomia Van Wijk BOOKKEEPER Tonya Hebenton DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa Masina DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha Pursotham SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@3smedia.co.za PRINTERS Novus Print Montague Gardens ___________________________________________________ ADVERTISING SALES KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER Joanne Lawrie Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 / +27 (0)82 346 5338 Email: joanne@3smedia.co.za ___________________________________________________

PUBLISHER Jacques Breytenbach 3S Media Production Park, 83 Heidelberg Road, City Deep Johannesburg South, 2136 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 www.3smedia.co.za ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: R600.00 (INCL VAT) ISSN 0257 1978 IMIESA, Inst.MUNIC. ENG. S. AFR. © Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. ___________________________________________________ IMESA CONTACTS HEAD OFFICE: Manager: Ingrid Botton P.O. Box 2190, Westville, 3630 Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263 Email: admin@imesa.org.za Website: www.imesa.org.za BORDER Secretary: Celeste Vosloo Tel: +27 (0)43 705 2433 Email: celestev@buffalocity.gov.za EASTERN CAPE Secretary: Susan Canestra Tel: +27 (0)41 585 4142 ext. 7 Email: imesaec@imesa.org.za KWAZULU-NATAL Secretary: Narisha Sogan Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263 Email: imesakzn@imesa.org.za NORTHERN PROVINCES Secretary: Ollah Mthembu Tel: +27 (0)82 823 7104 Email: np@imesa.org.za SOUTHERN CAPE KAROO Secretary: Henrietta Olivier Tel: +27 (0)79 390 7536 Email: imesasck@imesa.org.za WESTERN CAPE Secretary: Michelle Ackerman Tel: +27 (0)21 444 7114 Email: imesawc@imesa.org.za FREE STATE & NORTHERN CAPE Secretary: Wilma Van Der Walt Tel: +27 (0)83 457 4362 Email: imesafsnc@imesa.org.za All material herein IMIESA is copyright protected and may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views of the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa or the publishers. _____________________________________________ Novus Holdings is a Level 2 BBBEE Contributor: novus.holdings/sustainability/transformation

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Forging a social

AND CONNECTED COMPACT

F

ollowing the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SONA), and the National Budget Speech on 23 February, South Africans across the board are analysing and digesting the facts and statements presented. Collectively, we’re all ‘shareholders’ in South Africa Inc. and heavily invested in terms of lives and livelihoods in a positive outcome. After a tough 24 or so months of Covid-19, the solutions are even more significant and, as taxpayers, we’re depending on ethical and decisive leadership to take us forward.

At SONA 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa referred to “a new consensus which embraces our shared responsibility to one another and acknowledges that we are all in this together.”

As is the case for leading nations worldwide, he also emphasised the role of government to create an enabling environment for the private sector as the vital catalyst for socio-economic prosperity. Key to this is the ease of doing business, so it’s encouraging to see that there’s a renewed commitment to cutting the red tape.

A construction resurgence in 2022 Could 2022 be the year that South African construction takes pole position in terms of GDP sector ranking? Perhaps we’re not quite there yet, but the fact is that many of the SONA or Budget Speech objectives can only be achieved with private sector infrastructure investment.

Going for ward, South Africa’s overriding objective is to address youth unemployment, and unemployment in general. Futuristic industries, like the emerging green hydrogen sector, have far-reaching benefits. But it doesn’t help those with no immediate job prospects or employable skills.

To be inclusive, the economy must create paths for unskilled or semi-skilled jobseekers to enter the market. One of the starting points is labour-intensive construction (LIC), an initiative that has always formed part of government’s Expanded Public Works Programme but has

An inclusive digital economy Before employment creation can start in earnest, though, the pathway to prosperity for all learners, jobseekers, aspiring SMMEs and everyone else is the internet of things. Free Wi-Fi or access to affordable cellular services and the web are now make or break factors in our increasingly smart world.

For this reason, opening the market up to new network providers is essential. The most recent development here is the radiofrequency auction scheduled to take place in March 2022 under the auspices of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). This will be the country’s first spectrum auction, and the outcome is expected to have a positive ripple effect on pricing and connectivity.

When everyone is connected, irrespective of their financial means, then we have made a breakthrough that opens the doors to exciting new possibilities.

Alastair To our avid readers, check out what we are talking about on our website, Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and have your say.

www.infrastructurenews.co.za

IMESA

@infrastructure4

Infrastructure News

The official magazine of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • SERVICE DELIVERY • ROADS • BUILDING • MAINTENANCE

INDUSTRY INSIGHT Product leadership doesn’t happen by chance John Fleetwood

Managing Director, Bell Equipment Sales South Africa

Thought Leadership Moving people and the economy

Municipal Focus: eThekwini

EMERGENCY REHABILITATION OF THE SEAWARD ROAD BRIDGE

The ABC logo is a valued stamp of measurement and trust. IMIESA is ABC audited and certified.

arguably lacked traction in terms of capacity and sustainable skills transfer.

Prime LIC opportunities include government’s unfolding roads programmes, so vital for socioeconomic prosperity. At SONA, for example, it was stated that plans are in place to use LIC techniques to construct or upgrade 685 km of rural routes over the next three years. Allied initiatives include the Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme being rolled out by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure Development, with the SANDF as the implementing agent. These and other initiatives create a perfect platform for aspiring jobseekers to enter the construction sector and build their foundational skills.

Building Systems 3D printing in Malawi

Information & Communications Technology

Cover opportunity

In each issue, IMIESA offers advertisers the opportunity to get to the front of the line by placing a company, product or service on the front cover of the journal. Buying this position will afford the advertiser the cover story and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings, contact Joanne Lawrie on +27 (0)82 346 5338.

The value of connectivity

Environmental Engineering Kuils River corridor plan unlocks development

IN THE HOT SEAT We understand the importance of a shared vision and a common purpose, benchmarked against local and international best practice.”

David-Fredrick Leukes Managing Director of BVi

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IMIESA February 2022

3

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IMESA PRESIDENT’S COMMENT

STRATEGIC PLANNING As we move into 2022, there are positive signs that South Africa’s National State of Disaster will come to an end soon. This, of course, doesn’t mean that Covid-19 has vanished from our lives, and strict health protocols will still need to be obser ved.

W

AND IMPLEMENTATION

ith herd immunity growing and a slow and steady uptake in vaccinations, a degree of normality is returning and with it a renewed focus on the challenges that faced us prior to the 2020 and 2021 pandemic lockdowns. Top of mind are the living conditions for South Africa’s mushrooming informal settlements, the state of our ageing water and sanitation infrastructure, plus the ongoing load-shedding saga.

Across the board, we need to eradicate pit latrines in general, especially at schools, turn back the tide on environmental pollution, and proactively manage HIV and TB prevention, among other interventions.

The health and social welfare threats from these areas arguably pose even greater ones than Covid-19.

Wastewater reuse is widely practised in both developed and underdeveloped countries.

However, in South Africa’s case, we still use potable drinking water to flush toilets and water the grass. The advent of climate change, with its unpredictable drought cycles, makes moving to reuse a necessity that can no longer be ignored.

IMESA Technical Projects

Asbestos

As IMESA, we are committed to making a difference within our specialist field of municipal engineering. To this end, our Strategic Planning session this month sets out to establish the road map. This initiative also responds to IMESA’s November 2021 membership survey in terms of suggested technical projects that should be covered.

Current projects include the Water Reclamation and Reuse Guide for South African Municipal Engineers, which is being jointly funded by IMESA and the Water Research Commission (WRC). The express purpose is to advance water and sanitation research, development and innovation.

New projects being considered include Working with Asbestos guidelines to assist municipalities. This responds to the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, 2020.

The regulations are intended to impose strict health, safety and environmental compliance.

The accurate recording of in situ asbestos inventories is a requirement. Examples would include related materials found in buildings and infrastructure, such as asbestos cement (AC) pipes. Thereafter, there are regulatory requirements that include risk assessments, maintenance and the procedures for safe disposal. A hypothetical example would be the replacement of

Design Flood Estimation Another ongoing project, which is also being jointly funded by IMESA and the WRC, is the Best Practice Guideline for Design Flood Estimation in Municipal Areas in South Africa. The team, led by consulting firm CBA Specialist Engineers, includes three academic institutions. All team members also serve on the National Flood Study Task Team, which is presently reviewing all flood methods for the country.

AC pipes using trenchless pipe bursting techniques, where a comprehensive method statement would be required.

Rising to the challenge Tackling our social infrastructure challenges can seem insurmountable at times. For this reason – and rather than taking a shotgun apxproach – municipal engineers need to focus on projects that have the most immediate benefit.

To achieve this in practice requires funding and an enabling environment – the latter driven by strategic engagement across the three tiers of government. From IMESA’s perspective, a core mandate is to ensure that municipal engineers have the skills, support and coherent procurement framework to get the job done.

Bhavna Soni, president, IMESA

IMIESA February 2022

5

INFRASTRUCTURE NEWS

FROM AROUND THE CONTINENT

UGANDA Refurbishment of Nalubaale Dam GIBB was awarded the contract to design and oversee the construction of Nalubaale Dam. Located 3 km downstream from the source of the Nile River in Jinja, Uganda, the Nalubaale hydropower station’s first turbine unit was commissioned in 1954.

Cracks were first noticed in the powerhouse structure in 1964.

These were caused by an alkaliaggregate reaction (AAR). Cracks had also developed in the main dam wall and leakages from the reser voir were obser ved against the downstream face. All repair attempts before 2020 had a limited ser vice life as long as the concrete kept on swelling due to AAR. Louiza van Vuuren, civil engineer, GIBB, says Eskom Uganda decided to implement a new grouting programme to improve the structural and functional integrity of the dam structure. The grouting approach used by GIBB was based on the GIN (grouting intensity number) method. The acceptable pressures and volumes of grout injected were derived from stability calculations to avoid hydro-jacking of the dam’s concrete during grouting.

“The specifications stipulated that the pressures used for grout

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IMIESA February 2022

injection should be controlled with a pressure transducer, which is fitted to a grout pump equipped with an automatic data acquisition system capable of measuring, displaying, and recording data in real time,” explains Van Vuuren.

In December 2020, the contractor star ted the drilling and grouting works on a trial section of the dam.

This was done to confirm or modify the grouting method (boundar y cur ve, boreholes spacing, stop criteria), the grout mix design and grouting materials, as well as the equipment such as pumps, mixers, sensors and automated control devices, among others.

Primar y holes were inspected with a borehole-imaging device to establish typical crack elevations, directions and widths, and to inspect the mass concrete condition. This led to the detection of large cracks of up to 17 mm wide. Crest levelling sur veys of the concrete blocks were also conducted to detect any evidence of hydro-jacking.

Due to the grout trial section taking longer than originally anticipated, the project experienced a slow star t, compelling the contractor to increase the number of employees on-site – as well as drilling equipment – to catch up with the planned schedule.

NAMIBIA Shell hits oil and gas in offshore well Shell has made a significant oil and gas discover y at an offshore well in Namibia, which could spark a wave of investment. Namibia is not a fossil fuel producer, although nor thern neighbour Angola is a major oil and gas producer.

The discover y at the Graff-1 well, which Shell star ted drilling last month, has so far shown at least two reser voirs containing what one of the sources described as a “significant amount of oil and gas”.

The drilling results have shown one layer of hydrocarbons at least 60 m deep, holding an estimated 250 to 300 million barrels of oil and gas equivalent.

Developing new oil and gas fields in a countr y with no existing energy infrastructure and regulation, similar to what has happened in Guyana on the other side of the Atlantic in recent years, is timely and costly. Namibia has sought to develop oil and gas fields for decades with no success. But, in recent years, interests in its offshore prospects have attracted many foreign companies, including Exxon Mobil and TotalEnergies following discoveries in neighbouring South Africa as well as Brazil and Guyana, which share geological similarities.

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY | SEWER REHABILITATION

NIGERIA Dangote projects to be game-changing initiatives Dr Akinwumi Adesina, president, African Development Bank, has described the Dangote oil refinery and petrochemical plant projects as a “game-changing initiative” that will spur Africa's development and deepen regional integration.

In 2014, the African Development Bank’s board approved a US$300 million (R4.5 billion) loan to Dangote Industries to support the construction and operation of the greenfield crude oil refinery and the greenfield fertiliser manufacturing plant. The two facilities are expected to create 38 000 jobs during construction.

According to Aliko Dangote, president and chief executive, Dangote Group, the refinery, which has the capacity to meet 100% of Nigeria’s requirements for refined products with a surplus for export, is the largest single-train petroleum refinery in the world. The refinery has a capacity to process 650 000 barrels of crude oil per day and it is estimated that by 2023,

Nigeria will import zero petroleum oil products – down from approximately $50 billion (R757 billion) in current oil product imports per year.

The refinery includes a 440 million litre water treatment tank farm and a housing estate built for 50 000 staff and their families on-site.

The successful completion of the refinery project is expected to have a significant impact on Nigeria’s foreign exchange through import substitution and substantial savings in earnings.

Officials explained that the refinery will be commissioned by the end of the year.

The fertiliser facility has two production train lines, with each producing 2 200 tonnes of ammonia and 4 000 tonnes of granulated urea each day. The first train was built and deployed in the second quarter of 2021. More than 300 000 tonnes of urea have been produced and sold as at Q4 2021, primarily to export markets. The second production train line is expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2022. The plant now makes Nigeria a net exporter of fertiliser.

A WIRTGEN GROUP COMPANY

KENYA Water access in Nyandarua At a time when most par ts of Kenya have been hit by prolonged drought, several farmers’ groups have just received toolkits from the government to star t vegetable gardening activities to enhance food security in Nyandarua County.

In addition to this suppor t, the Kenyan government has launched the Kagongo Wendani Irrigation Project in Weru Ward, which will ser ve over 800 households. This initiative is funded by the Kenyan Ministr y of Agriculture under the Small-scale Irrigation and Value Addition Project.

Under the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project, the East African government has implemented an irrigation system in Murang’a County in west-central Kenya. Water pumped from the Maragua River is channelled through 14 km of pipes to ser ve 457 households, including farming households. Thanks to this US$976 000 (R14.77 million) investment by the World Bank, each beneficiar y household has a 100 m3 basin to store excess water that it can use for three months.

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INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

THE VALUE OF

CONNECTIVITY

The value of 5G and Wi-Fi 6 cannot be understated, especially when it comes to business value.

By Prashil Gareeb, Managing Executive: Converged Communications at BCX

T

Prashil Gareeb, Managing Executive: Converged Communications at BCX

he emergent connectivity technologies of Wi-Fi 6 and 5G are more than hype and expectation – they are technologies that can fundamentally transform the business bottom line and deliver measurable value. According to a report recently released by the Wi-Fi Alliance, the blend of new technology and additional spectrum has enhanced

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IMIESA February 2022

the economic value of Wi-Fi to a total global forecast of about US$4.35 billion (R65.87 billion) by 2025.

As for 5G, McKinsey believes that it is set to remain at the forefront of digital change and enablement for multiple enterprise sectors and industries, offering up improved innovation and oppor tunity as a result. Together, they are the tools with which organisations

can build ecosystems that redefine and refine ways of work, industr y, innovation and connectivity.

W6 power efficiency Wi-Fi 6 (W6) is the marketing name for the IEEE 802.11ax set of standards and was originally developed in response to the increased volume of devices in enterprise and consumer environments. It

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

offers the enterprise numerous benefits across increased data throughput, reduced latency for devices registering to the network, a homogeneous user experience, greater signal efficiency, and reduced interference.

On a cost-related note, W6 has the potential to reduce capex costs for hardware, as it requires fewer access points, dependent on device spread and architecture, and is more power efficient, leading to an immediate bottom-line benefit. And, like 5G, W6 is one of the cornerstones of sustainable digital transformation.

public 5G, these technologies are poised to bring new levels of efficiency and sustainability to the business table.

Combining the power of W6 and private 5G, organisations can develop their own substantive coverage and capacity that can be optimised for enterprise or industrial use, and remains theirs in its entirety. It provides a high-power performance that organisations can leverage to achieve multiple use cases across IoT, IIoT,

Relevance of 5G As for 5G, this is not a new conversation being had by enterprises. It’s a technology that has had its fair share of media hype – and consternation – but this doesn’t change the fact that it’s incredibly relevant for organisations that want to embed agility and flexibility into their connectivity infrastructure.

Intelligently developed 5G use cases can potentially unlock significant value for the organisation, providing access to the entirety of the digital transformation toolkit. From industrial transformation to edge analytics via private 5G, to wireless connected industrial internet of things (IIoT) to big data analytics via soon-to-be-available

deliver services that give the organisation an impressive competitive edge.

Together, 5G and W6 are the power couple that can be customised and curated to transform how organisations approach and manage their connectivity requirements. As South African mobile networks evolve, 5G-based fixed wireless access (FWA) organisations will be able to rapidly roll out high-speed, highperformance networks that embed ultrafast technology and reduce deployment times down to hours. In the near future, these networks will also deliver faster download speeds and potentially reduce the cost to serve, as well as the cost of mobile broadband by up to 25% if supported properly.

Shifting connectivity platforms

machine learning, automation and beyond.

It can also be used in a fixed wireless access configuration with features such as edge compute and network slicing to

For more information, contact BCX at www.bcx.co.za

In conclusion, W6 and 5G from BCX can be leveraged by enterprises to shift connectivity platforms and approaches to suit the demands of the modern business, regardless of sector or strategy.

Both offer immense potential to disrupt traditional ways of working and operating, and give companies with an eye on the future a ver y strong foundation from which to reach the top shelf.

Together, 5G and W6 are the power couple that can be customised and curated to transform how organisations approach and manage their connectivity requirements.”

IMIESA IMIESA February January 2022

9

INDUSTRY INSIGHT Bell Equipment’s after-sales solutions ensure that customer machines enjoy optimum availability

Product leadership

DOESN’T HAPPEN BY CHANCE More than six decades of excellence bear testimony to Bell Equipment’s ability to adapt, respond and grow within its expanding South African and international customer base. IMIESA speaks to John Fleetwood, managing director of Bell Equipment Sales South Africa (BESSA), about his earlier career, current role and vision for the business.

John Fleetwood, managing director, Bell Equipment Sales South Africa

What drew you to the capital equipment sector?

JF I developed a passion for all things mechanical from an early age largely thanks to my parents, who both worked for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). From there, it was a logical progression and, after completing my studies at college, I signed up for a diesel earthmoving mechanic apprenticeship programme with a leading OEM. As they say, the rest is histor y.

How did your initial foundation as an artisan shape your future career path?

The grounding proved invaluable.

It’s always important to have a solid foundation. From working as a workshop mechanic and progressing to field ser vice, parts and then sales gave me a full over view of the workings of the business, plus a detailed understanding of the markets we operate in.

As an interesting aside, the late Ir vine Bell, founder of Bell Equipment, also started his working life as an apprentice,

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IMIESA February 2022

qualifying as a fitter and turner. He went on to refine his mechanical engineering skills with the development of the legendar y Bell tri-wheeler. This innovation ser ved as the catalyst for further innovations, like our articulated dump truck (ADT) series.

What are some of your key development milestones at Bell Equipment?

When I joined Bell Equipment, I was in the technical field, specialising on ADTs and based at our Richards Bay factory. From there, I was transferred to the regional office in Jet Park, Gauteng, where I gained in-depth exposure to the commercial and marketing sides of the business.

I also subsequently gained first-hand exposure to Bell Equipment’s international dealer network roll-out, as well as the establishment of our ADT and allied fabrication facility in Germany. The latter ser ves the European, UK and North American markets.

These and other experiences prepared me for my first major leadership role as managing

director of Bell Equipment’s operations in Zambia. Those three years from 2014 to 2017 formed a very exciting part of my career. At the time, I was responsible for managing an approximately US$20 million (R302 million) turnover business, four branches and some 100 personnel.

From there, I moved back to South Africa as the general manager for BESSA’s Central Region, with responsibility for a R2 billion turnover business. Then, in November 2021, I was appointed as managing director for BESSA in its entirety.

How would you describe your management style?

My passion for the business lends itself towards a hands-on and

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

– a development that has been well supported by our customer base.

Bell Equipment South Africa is proud to say that we offer the best product lines available in their respective machine classes, with the best after-market support in place. These machines are sold Bell Equipment’s ADT range and supported locally by our 23 is manufactured in Richards Bay, branches spread throughout KwaZulu-Natal, for local and global markets South Africa. participative style of leadership that empowers people to make the right decisions. Happy staff translate into loyal customers.

As the new MD of BESSA, what are your plans and objectives?

Profitability and sustainability are a given.

Alongside our own Bell OEM products, we have an equal focus on growing the market share for our Alliance Partners (JCB, Finlay and Kobelco) in the regions where we operate.

From a Bell perspective, one of my key goals is to grow our ADT market share.

Globally, Bell is ranked within the top three manufacturers, based on our international market penetration to date. Longer term, our goal is to be number one.

Has going the Alliance Partner route been a successful model?

Definitely. We currently have three Alliance Partners, namely Finlay (mobile crushing and screening), JCB (earthmoving and construction equipment) and Kobelco (hydraulic excavators). They are all market leaders globally and recognise Bell Equipment as a highly respected OEM and innovator. Bringing the four brands together offers our customers a full line of solutions under the comprehensive support of Bell South Africa. JCB is our newest partner, joining us in mid-2021

What separates the best from the rest?

Training, training, and then more training.

Our biggest advantage against the competition is that we have an exceptional pool of talent at all levels within the organisation. All our technical teams are fully accredited by our Alliance Partners.

We also currently have 116 apprentices in training throughout South Africa.

We know that customers buy based on reliability. That’s why we make sure we’re always accessible, 24/7 and 365 days a year.

Bell Equipment’s international expansion is another key success factor. It’s enabled us to research and benchmark our ser vice capabilities based on customer expectations globally. As in South Africa, their feedback constantly refines and improves our ser vice models, as well as future product developments.

Thanks to this customer interaction, we believe our ADTs are among the most evolved on the market in terms of their onboard self-diagnostic functionality, ergonomics, ease of operation, safety features and maintenance.

Our research and development (R&D) programmes are always running in the background. We also have an Application Equipment Department at our Richards Bay factor y that specialises in designing and building custom solutions that include

specialist trailers and adaptations based on our ADT platforms. Latter examples include water tankers, fuel bowsers and firefighting trucks. We constantly respond and realign to remain relevant.

At present, our R&D team is working on various new model developments with anticipated launches in the next two to three years.

How do you see the construction and quarrying market evolving this year?

The last two years were certainly turbulent ones and put us to the ultimate test. We’ve come through the other side stronger and more resilient, and we have our customers and staff to thank for this.

Our mining and quarrying business has performed exceptionally during this period.

However, as for the industry in general, sales in the construction market remained relatively flat. The upside is that we expect the South African construction sector to rebound during 2022 and we’re ready to support it with a comprehensive machine line-up.

How can Bell Equipment make the difference?

Class leadership is earned and requires winning through teamwork. We understand that the tough trading conditions in recent times have made customers far more price sensitive.

That’s why we’ve focused on reinforcing the value of our solutions to help build and sustain our customers’ businesses.

We structure tailored sales and ser vice packages, provide competitive financing and expert advice on optimum machine selection and utilisation. Above all, we commit to establishing long-lasting, trusted partnerships.

Bell Equipment’s slogan is ‘Strong Reliable Machines, Strong Reliable Support’. For me, that says everything about our business.

OEM ALLIANCE PARTNERS

www.bellequipment.com

IMIESA February 2022

11

MUNICIPAL FOCUS: ETHEKWINI

Emergency rehabilitation

of the Seaward Road Bridge The Seaward Road Bridge crossing the Umhlatuzana River in Durban underwent a partial collapse during heavy flooding in April 2019. The common practice worldwide would have been to demolish and rebuild.

In this particular case, eThekwini Municipality’s in-house engineering team developed a novel and sustainable alternative, partially reconstructing and lengthening the continuous post-tensioned concrete deck. By Peter Fenton, Jitesh Harripershad & Luke Reid*

C

onstructed in 1979, the Seaward Road Bridge supports the only direct access between the Umhlatuzana Industrial Park and major road, rail and sea connections in the direction of the Port of Durban.

The 150 m five-span bridge crosses a complex curve in the river, which was originally intended to be canalised. Progressive flooding first eroded the river’s eastern embankment immediately upstream of the bridge, redirecting the flow directly toward the face of the eastern abutment.

The saturated abutment fill pushed the precast piles out of position, then sheared them off. Without the piles, the abutment collapsed, taking a section of the bridge deck with it. The remainder of the deck was not strong enough to per form without the abutment’s support. The deck subsequently twisted over sideways on its bearings and the end span slumped down.

Fortunately, no people were harmed in the vicinity during or after the collapse.

Old and new deck sections came together to form the upgraded Seaward Bridge

Access to the industrial park now required an additional 5 km detour over a nearby hill along steep, narrow, winding suburban roads, where trucks had previously been completely forbidden. This was a hazard for both the large trucks carr ying shipping containers and heavy machiner y, and the local residents, including children walking to school. Congestion from trucks queuing to navigate difficult portions of road could introduce long delays in accessing the industrial park, holding up work and reducing productivity. Pressure to replace the bridge as soon as possible came from both the residential and industrial areas.

Analysing the problem A rudimentary environmental impact assessment for the bridge reconstruction was quickly approved as part of a package of emergency flood repairs on the river.

Funding was provided via a Municipal Finance Management Act (No. 56 of 2003) Section 36(1)(a)(i) emergency procurement process

with a shortened tender duration. The original as-built drawings were successfully tracked down, and a detailed inspection conducted to map the extent of the strain damage. In terms of the final remediation solution developed, a key advantage was that the prestress cable layout in the bridge deck was extremely simple. All the prestress cables terminate in couplers between the construction stages.

In principle, a replacement deck was only needed in two of the bridge’s original five spans. The original prestress couplers at the construction joint could be used to connect the new deck to the salvaged deck and share its loads. But first the team would need to dismantle a structure that was never meant to be tampered with once completed.

The solution: sewing a prestressed bridge deck back together The existing deck was completely remodelled and analysed using modern design codes and software. Two key challenges

MUNICIPAL FOCUS: ETHEKWINI

The collapsed eastern abutment and end span of the Seaward Road bridge over the Umhlatuzana River.

Floodwater destabilised the east abutment and sheared it off its piles The remainder of the existing structure had negligible stability and needed to be carefully propped until construction was complete

immediately presented themselves. First, because the original bridge is 40 years old, its concrete behaves very differently to new concrete when tensioned. Second, the bridge had to be lengthened by 4 m so the piles for the new abutment would not clash with the original driven piles, which remained in the ground. The increased length changed the loading and stiffness of the end span.

The designers needed to be confident that – despite the future variability in prestress losses over time between the old and new sections – the residual force at the prestress coupler would remain balanced and the connection would not be overstressed. The prestress in the new portion of the bridge is thus 64% of ultimate tensile strength, not 70% as per the as-built design.

It was reassuring that when modern NA and NB36 loadings were applied, it was close to a per fect fit – almost on the limit of the confines of a class 2 prestress structure. The lengthening of the bridge resulted in the end span moving from a class 2 prestress condition to a class 3

partially prestressed condition under full traffic loading, and it was designed with this in mind. The end span is thus still ver y capable of carr ying NA and NB loads as per design codes.

Delicate demolition The collapsed portion of bridge deck needed to be removed without causing the remaining portion to give way. Temporar y stability was achieved with the installation of ultra-heavy-duty 1 000 kN props on either side of each pier.

Once a reliable stabilising system was in place, the deck was cut all the way through with a wire saw at a position 2 m away from the 10 critical prestress couplers. The portion to be demolished was stabilised with lightweight, sacrificial falsework props.

Couplers were carefully exposed by hand with sharpened chisels to minimise any microcracking. The existing steel reinforcement was also treated with care so new rebar could be spliced onto it.

When the prestress ducts and cables were examined, none had been

PROJECT TEAM Client: eThekwini Municipality Design engineers: e Thekwini Municipality, Roads Provision Department: Structures Branch Main contractor: Icon Construction Geotechnical contractor: Megapile Post-tensioning: PTS Solutions

successfully grouted during the original construction, and the cables could not be treated as homogeneous with the surrounding material. Grout had been introduced into the prestress anchors and couplers but had not travelled into the ducts. Fortunately, there was no indication of corrosion in the unbonded strands, and no violent effects were noted when the cables were cut – presumably due to constrictions and contortions of the ducts during the original collapse, which prevented the prestress energy being released.

Rather than push the damaged deck off its support and demolish it on the ground, it was decided to break it up in situ using chemical explosives, simultaneously with its original supports. This reduced the environmental impact of having a much larger platform in the river alongside the existing footprint, and reduced the time spent breaking up the material for recycling.

Old couplers pose a challenge A major setback was discovered when the prestress couplers were exposed: the VSL fittings from 1979 are not compatible with the prestress systems available today. Extensive enquiries were made among South African prestress suppliers, but only one of them, OVM, could supply coupling components for 12.9 mm strand. Unfortunately, the swage thickenings supplied by OVM could still not The new abutment is unusually heavy and sits behind extensive protection works

IMIESA February 2022

13

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MUNICIPAL FOCUS: ETHEKWINI

The deck was sawn 2 m from the existing prestress couplers

fit into the grooves of the old couplers.

The only option was to modify the modern swages to fit and test the results in a laborator y empirically.

The first tests aimed to apply 85% of the ultimate load capacity of the strand, for a period of several hours. However, because of difficulties with maintaining the tension in the samples, the samples were then also tested to failure. In all cases, the swages were unaffected, and the strands snapped at a load of around 195 kN. This was about 5% more than their theoretical load capacity of 186 kN. Since the modified swages showed no sign of failure or distress at 195 kN, it was concluded that they could safely carr y the tendon design force of 119 kN/strand.

Future-proofing The irregular bend and susceptibility to flooding of the Umhlatuzana River make it hard to predict its behaviour, and ongoing development upstream will produce stronger flows in the future. The design caters for this.

A mass abutment with encapsulated fill material provides the stability to withstand high loads and is protected by very long wingwalls. It sits atop a large, monolithic, three-tier pile cap, which required careful design, detailing and construction monitoring to ensure no thermal or shrinkage cracks occurred in the complex arrangement.

The 39 piles of 500 mm diameter were installed with a specialised ‘overburden drilling eccentric’ method, otherwise known as an Odex or Rota pile. This uses ‘down the hole’ percussion impacting to penetrate boulders and pull down permanent casings.

Extensive gabion protection works were added upstream on the eastern bank to prevent a reoccurrence of the flood-related erosion of the riverbank, which had initiated the collapse of the original abutment.

The chosen solution was complex but left the existing footprint of the bridge in the watercourse unchanged, saved 850 m3 of concrete in the existing bridge, and avoided a larger demolition that would have destroyed nearby trees with nesting birds.

All 620 m3 of demolished reinforced concrete was recycled on-site. It was crushed to a maximum particle size of 75 mm and

mixed in a 50/50 ratio with excavated material to create G7 material for use in layerworks and abutment fill.

Close coordination The unusual nature of the project and its many unknowns required extremely close coordination between all construction stakeholders. The design, project management and contract administration were all done by municipality-employed engineers, who could also take major decisions as representatives of the client and engage with risk management in a knowledgeable way with the experienced contractor, Icon Construction.

The entire project, including design, procurement, and construction ran over 18 months, from May 2019 to September 2020, and was within its budget of R36 848 530. *eThekwini Municipality, Roads Provision Department: Structures Branch This is an edited version of a paper presented at the IMESA 2021 Virtual Conference. The full version can be downloaded from the IMESA website at www.imesa.org.

The damaged spans were demolished with explosives

IMIESA February 2022

15

MUNICIPAL FOCUS: ETHEKWINI

Building knowledge,

DELIVERING INSIGHT

A

memorandum of agreement has been signed between the two entities to formalise the collaboration where the Wash Centre assists EWS with maintaining cost-competitive waste treatment services to industry, and improving the health and environmental status of rivers and beaches.

Most projects conducted by the WASH R&D Centre have an impact on water and sanitation service delivery in eThekwini, and EWS is a key partner in the centre’s research.

“We believe in conducting research that can be applied in our own ‘backyard’. This collaboration ensures the success of new sanitation technologies because they are thoroughly tested by us both in the field and in our laborator y. EWS is dedicated to improving sanitation,” states Dr Colleen Archer, parasitologist and head of laborator y, WASH R&D Centre. The WASH R&D Centre’s key activities include: • research support to eThekwini Municipality on aspects of water and sanitation service delivery and management • provision of technical, engineering and laborator y support to developers of new sanitation technologies being tested in the field • research into the circular economy and the link between sanitation and agriculture • engaging with communities and households

participating in water and sanitation research projects • super vision of postgraduate students in projects related to water, sanitation, agriculture and health • strengthening existing collaborations with funders, government bodies, research organisations and industry, and forging new relationships.

Since 2003, the UKZN WASH R&D Centre has provided eThekwini Municipality’s Water and Sanitation Unit (EWS) with scientific support to develop and implement innovative water and sanitation services to the underserved.

Bioprocessing laboratory The WASH R&D Centre maintains a modernised bioprocess engineering laborator y with specialised equipment for analysing wastewater, compost and faecal sludge samples, and conducting research on innovative wastewater and sanitation technologies.

“We work with human excreta and sewage samples from non-sewered sanitation systems, decentralised wastewater treatment plants (including Dewats), and centralised wastewater treatment plants to obtain design and process data,” says Thabiso Zikalala, acting lab manager, WASH R&D Centre.

He emphasises that the core function of the laboratory is to assist in finding solutions for people without access to safe sanitation, and for solutions regarding the treatment and disposal of faecal sludge.

“We provide a quick turnaround time when delivering results of analyses and are

Thabiso Zikalala, acting lab manager, UKZN WASH R&D Centre

Dr Colleen Archer, parasitologist and head of laboratory, UKZN WASH R&D Centre

therefore often used by clients in the water and wastewater industr y. We also have a small pilot laborator y in Newlands Mashu,” adds Zikalala.

Helminth testing

Pigs maintain the life cycle of Ascaris parasites

16

IMIESA February 2022

Ascaris adult worms. Front dish males at back, females with coiled tails in the front

The WASH R&D Centre has one of the few laboratories in the world that conducts environmental helminth testing.

Helminth eggs (and lar vae) are the infective stages of parasitic worms and pose a risk to human health. They are excreted in the faeces of infected individuals and are thus concentrated in sewage sludge. They provide health and environmental risks

to householders, communities and those involved in the toilet-emptying process.

Helminth eggs contaminate the soil in areas where sanitation is poor, which aids transmission.

Due to their hardiness and longevity, Ascaris (a genus of helminths) eggs are used as a marker for the safe reuse of sanitation products. There is a worldwide shortage of these eggs (for use in research) and importing them is difficult, as government is strict about bringing in pathogens.

The centre has therefore set up a pig farm, where two pigs are moderately infected with Ascaris suum and eggs are excreted in their faeces. These eggs are harvested and used for experimental purposes. “We spike them into test toilets that claim to destroy pathogens on-site so that the faeces can safely be used as soil conditioner. Once eggs pass through the toilet, we retrieve, count and evaluate their viability status, and incubate them to see if larvae develop,” explains Archer.

Alarmingly, she adds, “Many laboratories that conduct helminth tests do so incorrectly. When looking at their lab results, this becomes apparent when they merely report ‘viable helminth eggs present’ without identifying the types of helminth eggs. There are many different organisms that live in the soil and produce eggs that look like pathogens, and when there is no specification, it is safe to assume that eggs (and possibly other artefacts) were simply counted under a microscope.”

On-site toilet systems must demonstrate pathogen inactivation to be ISO 30500 accredited, hence the need for an accredited helminth test.

Faecal sludge testing The laborator y conducts both standardised tests and well as specific tests it has developed, which have been published in a book, Methods for Faecal Sludge Analysis.

The testing of faecal sludge is an intricate process. Since standard methods for sampling and analysing faecal sludge do not currently exist, results are not comparable, the actual

variability is not yet fully known, and the transfer of knowledge and data between different regions Microwave digester for chemical and institutions is challenging oxygen demand analysis and metal analysis digestion process and often arbitrary. Due to this lack of standard analytical methods for faecal sludge, methods from other fields – such as wastewater management, and soil and food sciences – are frequently applied. However, these methods are not necessarily the most suitable for faecal sludge analysis and have not been specifically adapted for this purpose. The UKZN WASH R&D Centre has therefore developed test methods best suited to faecal sludge.

“The aim of this book is to provide a basis for the standardisation of Microwave digester and scrubber faecal sludge methods from on-site sanitation technologies, for improved communication between sanitation practitioners, and for greater confidence in the data generated. The book presents background information on types of faecal sludge, methods for sample collection, health and safety procedures, case studies of experimental design, an approach for estimating faecal sludge at community to city-wide scales, modelling containment and treatment processes, recipes for simulants, and laboratory methods for faecal Sieves for sample testing sludge analysis currently in use by faecal sludge laboratories,” adds Zikalala.

Training “We are passionate about developing and teaching people in the water and sanitation field, where they can eventually work in key positions within the sector and use their background, knowledge and passion to improve sanitation,” says Archer. The

laborator y trains local and foreign MSc and PhD students on how to use the laborator y equipment and per form tests, and has assisted in training laborator y staff from many countries, including India, Tanzania, Malawi and Cambodia.

IMIESA February 2022

17

ROADS & BRIDGES | KWAZULU-NATAL

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN

emerging and established contractors

The completed Msunduze River Bridge

Kevin Volmink, Pr Eng, sector manager: Construction, Naidu Consulting

The Msunduze River Bridge is a four-span reinforced concrete structure straddling a total of 65 m over the Msunduze River in the iLembe District’s Mandeni Local Municipality. It was successfully completed in November 2021, with a construction value of R31.2 million, and will unlock long-lasting socio-economic benefits.

By Kevin Volmink & Santosh Soobryan 18

IMIESA February 2022

B

eyond the construction of the bridge, the works included the upgrade of the L3110 gravel road and its associated stormwater infrastructure.

The project’s successful completion has not only provided new infrastructure – improving the level of service delivery for the Nyoni and neighbouring communities – but has also realised significant initiatives that have uplifted and developed the skills of local community members and targeted enterprise contractors.

The project targets for job creation, targeted enterprise development, as well as training and skills transfer were all exceeded through a collaborative effort of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, Naidu Consulting and Icon Construction. This was realised through detailed planning, social facilitation and the implementation of labour-intensive construction principles.

Targeted enterprise development Targeted enterprise development is aimed at exposing emerging contractors to a

Santosh Soobryan, Pr Eng, assistant resident engineer, Naidu Consulting

structured entrepreneurial development programme and to provide proactive management support with ‘on-the-job’ practical training and mentorship. The outcome is to ensure emerging contractors develop their commercial, managerial, practical and administrative skills, enabling them to take on more complex construction projects and encourage growth from a microenterprise to an established contractor.

Five targeted enterprise subcontractors were employed on the Msunduze River Bridge project to undertake the following activities: • two CIDB grade 1CE PE – Drainage, guardrails, and landscaping • one CIDB grade 2CE PE – Gabions • one CIDB grade 3CE PE – Bulk earthworks • one CIDB grade 4CE PE – Concrete and reinforcing.

All five of the targeted enterprise subcontractors completed their scope of work with a high degree of quality and within the scheduled timeframes. As a result of the successful completion of their works, as well as the development and training opportunities received, two of the targeted

ROADS & BRIDGES | KWAZULU-NATAL

enterprise subcontractors are now in a position to upgrade their CIDB grading status.

CETA-accredited training was provided to all targeted enterprise subcontractors, with on-site training and mentorship provided by the principal contractor, Icon Construction. Each of the targeted enterprise subcontractors were afforded the opportunity to select and attended two training modules from the following options: • Site management procedures • Site administration procedures • Management of construction resources • Legal requirements for construction contracts • Tendering for construction contracts • Development of construction work plans.

Following the completion of the training modules, the targeted enterprise subcontractors were required to put their theoretical training into practice, while implementing their construction scope of work, ensuring the complete understanding of the knowledge gained in relation to actual construction implementation.

The targeted enterprise subcontractors’ scope of construction work had varying degrees of complexity. Some complex construction aspects included bridgeconstruction-related concrete works such as pile caps, piers, abutments and parapets.

With the continuous mentorship and practical training provided by the principal contractor, the emerging contractors were successful in overcoming the construction challenges associated with complex construction methods, while strictly adhering to quality control and programme-related constraints.

The Covid-19 pandemic presented a challenge to the project programme and had the potential to have a significant financial Re-gravelled access road

The Msunduze River Bridge under construction

impact on the contractor and subcontractors on the project. Despite the restrictions to combat Covid-19, the contractors were able to complete the project on time, within budget, and with minimal impact on achieving the project goals.

Contract Participation Goals The Msunduze River Bridge project has surpassed the 35% CPG (Contract Participation Goals) expenditure target, which is a contract participation target for targeted enterprises, and has achieved a 52% CPG expenditure. This has shown that the development of targeted enterprise subcontractors can be implemented and successfully achieved, regardless of the complexity and nature of the project.

Forty-five new job opportunities were created on the project through the employment of personnel from the local

community by the principal contractor, as well as the targeted enterprise subcontractors.

The project had an employment target of 40 new job opportunities, which was exceeded by almost 13%. The personnel employed from the local community received CETA-accredited training before commencing work, as well as in-service training carried out while employed on the project. Furthermore, 10 youth were trained as part of the National Youth Service programme, receiving theoretical training, followed by on-site practical training.

The local community also benefited from various other corporate social development initiatives on the project, which included the donation of computer equipment and soccer kits to a local football club.

Project output vs project outcome As engineers, there is always a sense of pride in realising the ‘output’ of a design. A greater sense of accomplishment, however, comes from seeing the ‘outcome’ of a project, which contributes to the improvement of the quality of life in society. The job creation, targeted enterprise development, as well as training and skills transfer initiatives implemented on projects such as the Msunduze River Bridge heighten this sense of accomplishment.

Projects like this allow for the upliftment of local communities, as well as the development of small businesses, actively contributing to our development as a nation.

The old adage, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime,” rings true through the successful completion of projects like the Msunduze River Bridge.

IMIESA February 2022

19

HOT SEAT | CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY

Leading from

THE FRONT

David-Fredrick Leukes, Managing Director of BVi

Life shapes us all in profound ways, and the path to excellence is never an easy one. With passion and determination, though, the possibilities are endless. IMIESA talks to David-Fredrick Leukes, Managing Director of BVi, about his experiences, and how this has influenced a series of successful milestones at BVi.

In our competitive world, what’s your personal recipe for success in the South African and broader international consulting engineering field?

DL It’s important as a dynamic built environment practitioner to always broaden your skills, push to widen the boundaries of your knowledge, stay passionate, and wake up every morning with a positive attitude.

In the engineering environment, we are well equipped to identify engineering challenges, simulate various possible solutions, and optimise to create economically sustainable infrastructure. We do this to improve lives within our communities.

Where did your passion for engineering begin?

For me it was a calling from an early age – a fascination with the infrastructure environment surrounding me. I wanted to know more and to understand how roads are built, where electricity comes from, and how water can flow from a tap on demand.

How did it evolve from there?

Each progression in life is a stepping stone; it’s important to read the signs and to seize the opportunities. Born and bred in Upington in the Northern Cape, I attended Simbrüner Primary School in Upington’s Morning Glory Township. Later, I attended Carlton-Van Heerden Secondary School in Progress Township, also in Upington. There, I matriculated in 1992 with exemption. My widowed mother could not afford to send me to study further, but I was fortunate to receive a bursary from BVi at the end of

20

IMIESA February 2022

1992. Clearly, that was an important step on my path. In 1993, I started my studies

at the then Cape Technikon (now Cape Peninsula University of Technology). With BVi’s study assistance, I completed my National Diploma in Civil Engineering.

During this time, I also completed my in-service training with BVi. Subsequently, I was awarded a study bursary by BVi to complete my BTech degree on a part-time basis in Bloemfontein at the then Free State Technikon (now Central University of Technology). Further down the track, a BVi bursary also assisted me to complete an MBA degree at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (Bellville Campus).

A highlight of my career was when I registered as a Professional Technologist through the BVi Mentorship Programme in 2002.

What are some of your major development milestones?

At BVi, I was exposed to various projects as a Design Technologist and was responsible for managing them. These projects included (but are not limited to)

Upington Magistrate’s Court, Irvinsdale Housing Project in Nieuwoudtville, Calvinia-West Eradication of Buckets, New Bulk Sewerage and Oxidation Ponds in Loeriesfontein, and the Upgrading of Jooste Eiland District Road under the Expanded Public Works Programme.

Concurrently, I served as the Upington Branch Chairperson of SAICE from 2004 to 2011 and was also a member of the SAICE National Council.

What were the steps leading up to your current leadership role?

I bought shares in BVi in 2003 and became a Director in BVi’s Northern Cape Branch in Upington. In 2013, I relocated to Bloemfontein to take over from Ben Grobler as the Regional Manager for the Free State Region. I am currently a member of the BVi Operational Committee and serve on the BVi Board of Directors in the capacity of Managing Director of BVi. In 2018, I became a Board Member at Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) and was elected on 24 November 2021 as the incoming Deputy President for 2022 and 2023.

How has BVi made a difference in transforming South Africa’s built environment?

From my earliest experiences, I know first-hand that talent and opportunity do not logically follow each other. In my view, that’s why it’s especially important that business leaders ensure that previously disadvantaged individuals (PDIs) and communities get the social infrastructure they deserve to better their lives.

For BVi, that process starts internally – through our recruitment, mentorship and management development programmes

HOT SEAT | CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY

– to ensure our personnel are equipped to deliver excellence.

What is BVi’s BBBEE status?

BVi is proud to have put its transformation vision into action. We’ve made big strides over the last six years, and we continue to improve every year!

Testimony to this, on 18 October 2021, BVi was once again certified as a Level 1 BBBEE Contributor by verification agency Renaissance SA Ratings.

With the appointment of Alfredo Malgas as the Transformation Manager and Board Member of the BVi Group, the Group’s transformation efforts are now better planned and coordinated between the different subsidiaries, plus we have the full support and buy-in of the top management structures in the Group.

Our BVi National Employment Equity Committee has been mandated to ensure a planned and equitable appointment process. The members are Alfredo Malgas (Chairperson), Stefan de Meillon, Malcolm du Plessis, Werner de Lange and Khuselwa Ntlonti. Our thanks to Stefan for coordinating this effort for the past 10 years.

What are some of BVi’s key BBBEE initiatives?

Achieving a Level 1 BBBEE scorecard is not an isolated event, but the result of all the programmes undertaken by BVi. These include: - Ownership: PDI ownership is currently around 55%, with more than 50% of BVi’s shareholding owned by professional employees in management. All BVi shares are owned by South Africans citizens, which makes BVi one of the largest black-owned consulting engineering firms in South Africa.

- Employment Equity: BVi’s workforce is more than 50% black, and we’re close to reaching our target of 50% black degreed employees.

- Skills Development: BVi is running an extensive Mentor/Learnership programme to fast-track career paths for youth. In addition, BVi has numerous bursaries and studyassistance agreements, which contribute to young employees gaining knowledge.

- BVi BEE Employee Trust: There are currently nine individuals on the BVi BEE Trust receiving additional support in terms of their career development. Over the last five years, 10 Trust beneficiaries were offered Director or Associate positions in BVi, which says everything about the programme’s success.

These include two Regional Managers (Deon

Govender, Regional Manager of BVi KwaZuluNatal, and Malcolm du Plessis, Regional Manager of BVi Northern Cape).

-S upplier Development: BVi runs various supplier development programmes that assist small black companies to become sustainable.

-S ocial Responsibility: BVi supports its local community by committing to support individuals and needy organisations over a three-year cycle. We find that a structured approach to corporate social responsibility can add more value than ad-hoc donations.

-B Vi Visionaries: To celebrate our 50th anniversary, in 2017 we launched the BVi Visionaries project. There were seven BVi Visionaries winners nationally – each of them qualifying for a bursary and educational support for the duration of their studies.

Does the BVi Academy provide a competitive edge?

BVi is very excited about this new programme: the BVi Group appointed seven high-performing PDI degreed engineers, with less than two years’ experience, in different offices throughout South Africa on an internship programme designed to fast-track their training and experience over a two-year period. The commitment to these deserving students is part of BVi’s contribution to developing young people in South Africa and investing in the future of BVi. Andre Greyling runs this programme very successfully with Alfredo Malgas, and we are excited to welcome our new candidates for 2022.

And in closing?

Our healthy pipeline of new work going into 2022 underscores the value of BVi’s capabilities and operating philosophies since our founding in 1967. In addition to this, we appreciate prestigious recognitions from industry that include winning the Business Excellence category at the CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards 2021.

We understand the importance of a shared vision and a common purpose, benchmarked against local and international best practice.

As Managing Director, I’m proud to lead and be part of such a dynamic and committed team.

www.bvi.co.za

IMIESA February 2022

21

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | STANDARDS

CERTIFICATION PROVIDES ASSURANCE

and is more than a test report The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) conducts a range of tests against South African National Standards (SANS), as well as customer-specific requirements and/or testing against compulsory specifications. This is part of the process needed to gain product certification and the ‘SABS Approved’ mark.

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he SABS offers certification schemes for both products and/or systems that comply with the SANS or a relevant mark/systems scheme, such as the Scheme for Food Safety Management Systems.

Additionally, many products undergo more frequent testing and conformity assessments to earn their right to use the ‘SABS Approved’ mark on their products.

Jodi Scholtz, lead administrator of the SABS

SABS testing and certification services are offered independently, meaning that the SABS attains and maintains an accreditation status in order to offer the testing and certification services. In some cases where the SABS uses third-party laboratories, these need to meet stringent requirements and are subject to assessments and inspection by the standards body.

“The SABS is aware that there are numerous manufacturers in possession of SABS test reports that they use as evidence that their

products are ‘SABS Approved’. It is important for consumers to understand that ‘SABS Approved’ can only be claimed by a manufacturer if the products were actually certified by the SABS,” explains Jodi Scholtz, lead administrator of the SABS. “The SABS laboratory test report is a report of the performance of that product against requirements of a standard or other client-specific requirement, and this does not indicate that the product is ‘SABS Approved’ in any way. A SABS permit to apply the Certification Mark is a more comprehensive statement of quality assurance of the product or system,” stresses Scholtz.

Beyond testing The testing of products and systems is essential to determine whether per formance meets specified requirements of the standard and this is done in controlled and simulated environments. Test reports provide information about a product at the time of testing and are limited to the ver y sample tested. Test reports do not imply that all the same/similar products also comply or would pass the testing requirements.

Conformity assessment testing assists manufacturers during their product development phases to ensure that relevant modifications or enhancements can be made to meet specified criteria, as well as to boost the quality of

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | STANDARDS

the product. Retailers and consumers are more likely to sell and buy goods and services that have been tested and have successfully passed testing to SANS or specific requirements.

Certification > testing There are various reasons why testing does not provide the same assurance as certification. These include: • Golden sample scenario: This sees a manufacturer produce a high-quality product with the intent of passing required testing. Once a test report is obtained, the company then produces inferior products or changes the ingredients of the product to make the products cheaper to manufacture.

• Poor manufacturing conditions: While a product may be successfully tested for performance, it can be produced in unhygienic conditions that may result in the contamination of the products or ingredients used. There is also no assurance that the quality of future products will be the same as that of the sample submitted for testing.

• Partial testing: It is not feasible to subject large products or products that are customised to full performance testing, e.g. mining equipment, cars or transformers.

• Insufficient testing: This is a particular problem with products such as fastmoving consumer goods, where several batches are manufactured. Given the nature of the industr y, once-off testing is insufficient to provide the relevant assurance that all the products in the batch or subsequent batches are made to the same quality as the samples that successfully passed a test.

“A SABS test report reflects the results of specific conditions for a particular sample only and it is irresponsible for a manufacturer to claim that an SABS test report is an endorsement of the quality of the product,” Scholtz continues.

SABS recommends certification The SABS Mark Scheme, commonly referred to as ‘SABS Approved’, is a certification scheme that provides confidence in the quality of the products and the production processes to manufacture the product.

Samples are collected from a production facility and retail outlets (where relevant) over different periods in a three-year cycle by the SABS to ensure that quality products are

A sample of an SABS permit

produced all the time. “Samples are collected independently and unscheduled inspections at facilities are done to add to the assurance of quality products being produced,” says Scholtz.

Clients need to specifically apply for certification at the SABS. Should a client be successful in obtaining a permit to apply the ‘SABS Approved’ trademark to their products, the assessment of the production facilities will be done in accordance with the requirements of SANS/ISO 9001: Quality Management Systems.

In cases where products are considered high risk – e.g. where raw materials used in the production process are unstable or where there is a high consumer danger – the SABS works with the customer and regulatory authorities to impose and implement additional consumer safety measures such as: • Batch testing of every batch of products.

• Unannounced inspection services, such as in hazardous waste disposal.

• Additional certification of management systems such as SANS/ISO 14001 – Environmental Management System certification to ensure that all environmental aspects and impacts are being identified and managed; SANS/ISO 9001 to ensure quality management throughout the operations; and SANS/ISO 45001 – Occupational Health and Safety Management System certification.

• The development of industry proficiency schemes to enable the proactive management of quality-related issues. For

example, the SABS spearheads a cement proficiency scheme in which the test results of the various cement products are discussed by the industry, which includes clients, regulators, consumer associations and industry bodies.

“For seven decades, the SABS has been working with industries, regulators, consumer bodies, academics, manufacturers and consumers themselves to develop standards and certification schemes that improve the overall quality of life for all communities. ‘SABS Approved’ is a trusted brand and the SABS is committed to ensuring that only deser ving clients have the privilege and permit to apply the SABS Mark,” Scholtz concludes.

IMIESA February 2022

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Over 75 Years of dedication to Local Industry!

A thriving manufacturing industry creates jobs and business opportunities, enables skills development and improves our competitiveness in global markets. A first step is procuring locally manufactured goods, this has obvious benefits for national competitiveness and economic growth.

SABS’ mandate is to provide standardisation, voluntary conformity assessment, and local content verification services to enable the achievement of the country's industrial, economic, and developmental objectives. Local content verification in terms of the implementation guidelines of the recently published Mining Charter as well as fulfill the verification requirements of designated products and sectors for local procurement in line with the amended regulations to the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA). Start your Local Content Verification by scanning our QR Code below or Contact us!

Certify your Municipality for SANS 18091:2020 Quality Management Systems (QMS) Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001 in local government SANS/ISO 18091 is applicable to all local government processes at all levels (i.e. strategical, tactical-managerial and operational) in order to constitute a comprehensive quality management system that focuses on the local government achieving its objectives. The comprehensive character of this system is essential to ensure that all the areas of the local government have a specified level of reliability (i.e. effectiveness of the processes).

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SABS provides services to assist the implementation of best practice solutions • • • • • •

More than 7000 South African National Standards Laboratory Testing Services for a diverse range of Products Certification of Companies to Management System Standards Certification of Products and the Application of the SABS Mark Scheme Training of Management and Employees on Implementations of SANS Local Content Verification for South African manufacturing industry

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Contact SABS to establish support for your Standardisation, Testing, Training and Certification Aspirations.

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | ENERGY

Legacy infrastructure: the hidden threat

Our electricity grids were built long before we knew about or understood the threat of climate change. This centralised infrastructure was designed to support a society primarily focused on economic prosperity, innovation and energy security – not emissions. By Vladimir Milovanovic

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ast-forward to today, and we’re making progress with decentralised renewable energy generation – with green power capacity rising and underlying costs plummeting. On the demand side, we see more connected and energy-hungry devices – at home, at work and in industrial settings.

Yet, our grids remain largely the same: centralised and struggling to cope as the supply-demand or weather patterns change.

This situation cannot remain as it is – power systems carr ying smart and clean electricity must form the foundation of our net-zero world. If we are serious about climate change, we urgently need to invest in something that isn’t much talked about unless there is an outage: the grid.

Renewables will make the grids of the future stronger Unfortunately, legacy energy grids were not designed to support dispersed renewable energy generation. Smart, decentralised grids, on the contrary, will be strengthened by dispersed renewable generation, genuinely creating a path to the net-zero world.

Smart grids are crucial to providing efficient, resilient and future-proof energy supply. What’s more, they enable us to predict, detect and prevent outages before they happen.

Technologies such as advanced distributed management solutions and IT-OT platform integration proactively identify likely power cuts, pinpoint the exact location of emerging grid instabilities, and self-heal using automated switching. These technologies will be central to increasing the share of renewable energy by up to 40% by 2040.

Smart grids do not cost the earth Upgrading our energy infrastructure is a oncein-a-century opportunity, and there is simply no putting it off any longer. Without smart,

Vladimir Milovanovic, vice president: Power Systems, Anglophone Africa at Schneider Electric

decentralised, bidirectional grids, it will be impossible to build the capacity and resilience the network needs to support the planned surge in demand for clean power.

Also, upgrading our grid infrastructure can be achieved without placing a massive burden on ratepayers. Take the example of Montgomery County in Maryland, USA, which undertook a project to install two advanced microgrids and upgraded ageing electrical infrastructure to improve resilience and sustainability.

The county signed a 25-year energy-as-a-service agreement, a long-term contract, with Schneider Electric and Duke Energy Renewables.

This type of public-private partnership demonstrates how local authorities worldwide can bring microgrid benefits to citizens in a way that is both effective and affordable.

Over the next 30 years, the world will generate up to 78 700 terawatt hours’ worth of electricity – a threefold increase from 2018. Advanced and hybrid AC/DC microgrids, new technologies and innovative financing solutions will all play their part.

To bring our net-zero future to fruition faster, partnerships in the energy space must be harnessed for green sustainable innovation. We know that decentralised energy systems are the future, but when sustainable solutions – like smart grids – seem too complex or expensive to tackle for a single organisation, it’s time to ask for expert advice.

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | SMART MOBILITY

MOVING PEOPLE and the economy Whether it’s for leisure, business or employment, in order to function, every level of society needs to interconnect to make the wheels of the economy turn.

Alastair Currie speaks to Bongani MthombeniMöller, director of Royal HaskoningDHV’s Smart Mobility Advisory Group for Southern Africa, about theoretical and practical interventions.

Bongani Mthombeni-Möller, director of Royal HaskoningDHV’s Smart Mobility Advisory Group for Southern Africa

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IMIESA February 2022

How would you define smart mobility?

BM Spatial planning and transportation are integral parts of urban developments that sustain economies and communities. For me, smart mobility refines this by adopting an intelligent approach that results in cleaner, safer, more efficient and convenient modes of transport that also reduce climate impacts.

Examples include real-time traffic management systems that optimise vehicle movements to minimise congestion during peak periods.

Smart mobility systems embrace cloudbased technologies to communicate and synch with each other, with a host of new apps being developed for users to access and leverage this to their advantage. Today, for example, consumers can order transportation instantly on their smartphones.

Then there’s the new wave of artificially intelligent vehicles that instantly respond and correct to ensure that everyone stays safely within their lane, while anticipating and responding automatically to potential threats to more vulnerable road users, like cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians.

Safety speaks to the heart of smart mobility. From an infrastructure perspective, that includes implementing a prevention and prediction mechanism, using technologies like digital twinning to overlay live data on virtual models to verify the current status of a road and simulate planned interventions. These could include pothole

repairs, stormwater improvements and carriageway upgrades.

In this respect, Royal HaskoningDHV is one of the most progressive in embracing new mobility models, both within its home base in the Netherlands, as well as all the other countries it operates in. Each country has its own unique experiences, which include evolving transportation patterns.

In South Africa’s case, for example, there’s been a major shift from traditional freight and passenger rail to an increasing reliance on road base transport. However, the shift is more reactive than strategic because, in this case, a steady deterioration in rail services has forced the issue, with knock-on effects in terms of rising infrastructure maintenance and higher transportation costs.

South Africa’s public transport model needs an urgent revamp.

What are the practical first steps?

Going forward, we first need to ask ourselves what South Africa’s future mobility model should look like in our lifetime. In other words, what can we realistically change now? Presently, we see modes of transport competing rather than complementing each other, an example being the informal taxi industry versus conventional city and suburban bus services.

Moving for ward, government’s evolving institutional framework will be a major contributor to positive smart mobility developments. Gautrain is an excellent example of a mobility solution that works ver y well in practice with its high-speed rail and bus connection model. However, due

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | SMART MOBILITY

to its network and pricing, Gautrain tends to ser ve a niche market.

The reality is that millions of South Africans rely on the taxi industry to get to work and meet their other mobility needs. The introduction of Brazil’s highly successful BRT (or bus rapid transit) concept in South Africa appears to have achieved mixed results. One of the reasons could be the routes selected. Although they are meant to tie in with current and future urban master planning, they don’t appear to have sufficiently taken existing commuter behaviour into account. Taxis still are more direct and immediate for many.

So, that’s why mobility needs to be smarter, using technologies like those housed within the geographic information system (GIS) space to monitor geospatial trends that have a bearing on the evolution of transportation nodes and their ensuing infrastructure funding mechanisms. To achieve this in practice will require total community engagement.

What about driver behaviour and road user education?

This is fundamental to ensuring the success of smart mobility. Road user education must start at the earliest practical age within the school system to prepare and safeguard learners for future mobility scenarios, whether they’re drivers or pedestrians. It’s about instilling safe and responsible behaviour from the onset.

Are electric powered vehicles part of South Africa’s future transportation landscape?

As in the rest of the world, electric powered vehicles are slowly but surely going to dominate the transportation landscape. In developed nations, like the UK, their mandate is to phase out the sale of new petrol- and diesel-powered cars by 2030. In developing countries like South Africa, high-net-worth early adopters can afford a shift to electric powered vehicles. Electric powered trucks produced by international OEMs are also now making

inroads in the South African commercial and industrial sectors.

However, in the medium term, these vehicles remain too costly for the bulk of South African users, plus there are the intermittent supply implications of Eskom load-shedding.

At this stage, nationwide renewable energy availability is insufficient to fill the gap. So, electric vehicles will see a slow and phased approach here.

In the interim, there are readily available alternative fuel options, like biodiesel and diesel-electric hybrids that in some cases are already powering South African bus fleets.

There are also great opportunities for the evolution of green hydrogen over the longer term, with the plan to harvest this fuel via renewable energy plant generation. That presents a fantastic collaboration opportunity between our future renewable energy and transportation imperatives.

for the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA).

This follows Royal HaskoningDHV’s drafting of an Intelligent Transport Strategy for signal management and traffic monitoring for the JRA. Royal HaskoningDHV’s award-winning traffic optimisation software, Flowtack, will form a component of the unfolding smart mobility solutions. Key assessment tools include Traffic Management as a Service (TMaaS) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS).

With MaaS, commuters can use their smartphones to access transport services.

In turn, TMaaS is a tool that interconnects all transport platforms so that they work together to deliver on time.

Royal HaskoningDHV is also a core participant in the Mobility Centre for Africa NPC. Mobility Centre for Africa looks at future mobility solutions and advances collaborative initiatives between industry, government and academia.

Are current road funding models sustainable in the longer term?

What role will drone technology play in the future transport mix?

Funding is a challenge when it comes to infrastructure in general. Taxation is one source. However, to truly enable smart mobility, there must be some type of userpays principle, and private sector investment.

This is a topic we brainstorm constantly at Royal HaskoningDHV.

In the not-too-distant future, airborne drone taxis could well become a regular feature in some parts of the world. On a more practical level, though, drones are already an invaluable tool within the contexts of digital twinning and GIS mapping. Today, we use drones for infrastructure asset management assessment, traffic monitoring, as well construction project management, among other applications.

Which smart mobility projects is Royal HaskoningDHV currently working on?

Current examples include the awarding of the Intelligent Transport Strategy 2027 project

And in closing?

Collaboration and joint decision-making are key to coordinating smart mobility roll-outs. At present, the lack of centralised transportation planning and execution is the missing link in South Africa, so that needs to change.

And on a personal note, I feel privileged to be part of a talented team bringing smarter future mobility solutions to Southern Africa.

Working with all our stakeholders, Royal HaskoningDHV is committed to its motto of ‘Enhancing Society Together.’

IMIESA February 2022

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | INFRASTRUCTURE

The Tema Port expansion in Ghana is one of the largest infrastructure projects constructed in recent years on the African continent

Think and act globally, execute locally AECOM Africa’s involvement on the Tema Port expansion project in Ghana is a prime example of how international experience can leverage and support infrastructure roll-outs in South Africa.

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or its work on one of the largest projects of its kind to date on the African continent, AECOM received an ENR Global Best Projects Award 2021 for the port expansion. Apart from the port itself, AECOM was also involved with the new liquefied natural gas import terminal at the existing port.

Darrin Green, MD, AECOM Africa, says he is especially proud of the company’s involvement with the Tema Port. He says this is the sort of megaproject that makes the rest of the world sit up and take notice of what Africa is capable of in terms of delivering infrastructure.

As part of the Middle East and Africa region, AECOM’s local expertise and experience are also much in demand in other countries such as Saudi Arabia,

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IMIESA February 2022

where various smart city projects are under way.

AECOM in South Africa has undertaken work in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. “That is fantastic for smoothing out the troughs in our local market, as well as giving ourselves invaluable global exposure,” says Green.

While AECOM did see some local growth in 2021, this was off a very low base, with all eyes now turned to the South African government’s anticipated infrastructure fund roll-out. “It is starting to filter through intermittently, but not nearly with the kind of volume that both the industry and country require.

The situation

Darrin Green, MD, AECOM Africa

In South Africa, there is a major need for planning and modelling to accurately gauge the country’s infrastructure deficit

CONFERENCE 2021

is exacerbated by pricing pressure and fierce competition on all fronts. If the infrastructure roll-out is really aimed at kick-starting the economy, then we need to see a lot more urgency and decisiveness from the public sector,” argues Green.

governance objectives across the global business. The strategy integrates four key pillars to embed sustainable development and resilience across the company’s work, improve social outcomes for communities, achieve net-zero carbon emissions, and enhance governance.

SA’s ageing infrastructure needs fixing

SA growth prospects

He points to South Africa’s infrastructure network, much of which is 40 to 50 years old and well past its design life. “The fact that it is not being maintained properly means that any repairs that need to be undertaken are commensurately more expensive as a result. What we need is a structured, broad-based asset management approach to infrastructure development, where experts such as ourselves can contribute our expertise and experience, especially in terms of project and construction management,” says Green.

Looking to the future, Green is confident that the R131 billion funding secured by South Africa at the recent COP26 global climate conference will be a major fillip for the renewable energy sector. However, a much more immediate issue than the local energy crisis is the looming water crisis, which has resulted in an increased demand for climate resilience planning.

Spearheading this initiative is AECOM’s Sustainable Legacies strategy for achieving ambitious environmental, social and

In terms of growth prospects going for ward, Green foresees these clustering around ver y selective opportunities in South Africa and in Africa generally. “We’re seeing an uptick in the donor and lender funding space, but market conditions on the continent are likely to remain exceedingly challenging for the next 12 to 18 months,” says Green.

In South Africa, there is a major need for planning and modelling to accurately gauge the countr y’s infrastructure deficit.

“The reality is that we really need to get the basics right first in terms of essential infrastructure such as water, wastewater, roads, power and telecoms before we begin to look at more advanced initiatives such as e-mobility or smart cities,” adds Green.

“If there is any good to have come out of Covid-19, it is the fact that it has accelerated the uptake of digitisation by at least 10 to 15 years. This massive leap for ward means there is definitely a silver lining in the way that we are now able to deliver projects,” Green concludes.

The 4 km long rubble mound breakwater at the Tema Port in Ghana

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DESALINATION

What could cause fouling of membranes?

QFS designs, manufactures, installs, commissions and maintains membrane plants and general water treatment equipment. The company recently experienced differential pressure increases due to fouling of the membranes in one of its desalination plants.

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2 Mℓ/day seawater ultrafiltration unit (SWUF) that abstracts water from a river estuar y near the mouth entering the Indian Ocean experienced differential pressure due to fouling of the membranes.

This reduced the plant production by increasing the daily downtime required for chemical cleaning of the membranes.

To identify the root cause of the fouling, QFS took samples from the raw water feed (upstream river) and fibre from the fouled membrane. The raw water samples were sent for analysis to two independent laboratories while the fouled membrane fibre samples were sent to the Central Analytical Facilities of Stellenbosch University for analysis with a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

FIGURE 3 The analysts noted that the clay-like samples show a presence of diatoms, which are algae with silica cell walls. The observed diatoms have a size of 5 µm to 30 µm based on the SEM images. The presence of diatoms would suggest the presence of diatomaceous earth, which is the diatoms’ fossilised remains, with the characteristics of a fine, highly porous and siliceous powder used in the ceramics industry. Diatomaceous earth generally has a size of 10 µm to 200 µm

Conclusion

FIGURE 2 The overall spectrum shows a high concentration of sodium and chloride. Other spectrums of specific blotches show significant weight percentage of aluminium, silica and oxygen, which is typically found in aluminium silicates

A combination of aluminium silicates and diatomaceous earth is contributing to the formation of clay layering in between precipitated salt layers.

A large presence of diatoms generally coincides with nutrient-rich water. It is known that the river from which the plant abstracts is subject to sewer run-off and sewage dumping.

Although the feedwater turbidity, total suspended solids and total dissolved solids (TDS) are all within design specifications, it is evident that the combination of the abovementioned solids creates a clay-like sur face coating. This coating proved difficult to remove from the membrane fibres that standard backwashing and chemical cleaning could not successfully remove.

A combination of various detergents was tested and resulted in the successful cleaning of the membrane samples. This combination was recreated using industrial chemicals with the active ingredients of the abovementioned detergents, and used to successfully clean the UF membranes, bringing it back to a baseline state.

Fouled membrane

Detergent-cleaned membrane fibre

FIGURE 1 SEM images at 100 µm show a flaky morphology, which is a typical characteristic of clay

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CONSULTING ENGINEERING

TEAMWORK NEEDED to rebuild SA’s economy Taking over the reins at Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA), incoming president Olu Soluade’s platform for the 2022/23 term is ‘A Call to Service’. Soluade has stated that it’s time for all stakeholders in the industry to come together and commit to aiding South Africa’s socioeconomic recovery.

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CESA’s Olu Soluade (left), incoming president for the 2022/23 period, together with Chris Campbell, CEO

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IMIESA February 2022

resenting at a media address in February 2022, Soluade referenced the hope that was ignited in the hearts of South Africans in Zurich 18 years ago when South Africa was announced as the hosting countr y for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He stated that this was the birthing moment for working in unity as a countr y and proving that – together – we can be and do anything.

As the presidential year begins, the main goal is to reignite the passion of the nation. “We have the ability to rewrite the gloomy narrative which has dominated our lives in recent years - the pandemic and its challenges. We can overcome, we can recover. But we have a lot of work to do. As an industry we need to ask ourselves, where do we even begin?” Soluade said.

“The construction industry was again the worst-performing sector in the economy in 2021. Whatever goals we are looking to achieve, whatever message we want to

convey and whatever progress we want to make are underpinned not by the what, but by the how. We know what needs to be done to move our industry and our country forward – it is the way we do it which will define our success. I believe the time has come for us all to get involved in contributing to the economic recovery of our country,” he further stated.

Five key focus areas Much like the saying, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together’, Soluade stated that the focus for the year is on the ‘Team’ concept – working together to achieve more.

The five key focus areas identified by CESA for 2022: 1. Increase advocacy efforts in the area of sustainable transformation in respect of race, gender and technology in the sector.

2. Maintain the standards of professionalism and build on the levels of quality management while encouraging the increased need for members to integrate

CONSULTING ENGINEERING

"We know what needs to be done to move our industry and our country forward – it is the way we do it that will define our success.”

sustainability into the solutions offered to their clients.

3.

Improve on the business and advisory support to members and clients with an emphasis on best practice procurement guided by the prescripts of Section 217 of the Constitution.

4.

Continue efforts towards building and strengthening partnerships with government, private sector client bodies, as well as with other stakeholders.

5. Ensure that good governance and integrity prevail within the industry and profession, particularly among CESA’s members as the apex body for the consulting engineering sector in the country.

BECS findings These focus areas are a response to the challenges within the industry reflected in the 2021 CESA Bi-Annual Economic and Capacity Survey (BECS). Concerns highlighted by respondents included regulations, procurement, skills development, and private sector participation in challenges faced by the public sector. Ethics, accountability and corruption were other key areas of concern.

Soluade stated that while tender activity has improved, there’s still minimal evidence that the tenders are being awarded at any sort of reasonable pace.

“It also raises questions about the claim that any of the gazetted Strategic Infrastructure Projects from 2020 were indeed ‘shovelready’ or being fast-tracked on any sort of broad base,” said Soluade.

Approximately 50% of the project activity had arisen in the past year from the private sector, which traditionally was not the main source of workflow for consulting engineers. Public sector clients, including state-owned companies, have typically comprised about 60% of project activity – with the BECS revealing alarming numbers of project cancellations and fierce competition among bidders.

“As an industry, we call on President Cyril Ramaphosa to focus government’s efforts on unlocking the much publicised close to R900 billion project pipeline into shovel-ready projects. We believe the state can achieve this by leveraging as much of the technical and built environment capacity in the private sector as is needed to fill the gaps that exist in the public sector as a matter of urgency,” Soluade continued.

Preparing the next generation CESA also revealed that it aims to be inclusive to the younger generation of professionals by setting them up for success so that they may sustain and build the industry and CESA well into the future.

Considering this, three more goals can be added to CESA’s 2022 strategy: 1. Enhancing the student branch footprint.

CESA can influence the next generation and guide them into their preferred career paths as consulting engineers.

2. Begin an annual sponsorship of graduates in an internship ever y year, with the purpose of building the feedstock of CESA’s Young Professionals Forum.

3. To increase the next generation’s broadbased leadership skills through initiatives that include CESA’s Business of Consulting Engineering Programme.

What it takes to be of service To make ‘A Call to Service’ a workable model, Soluade noted four key requirements, namely: • Availability: the need to set aside and volunteer time in preparation for the tasks ahead.

• Willingness: showing enthusiasm to be a part of the tasks.

• Sacrifice: there will be tough decisions that need to be made.

•V ision: sharing an end goal.

“As a voluntar y association, we are by nature in ser vice and we call on others in our industr y to set the example of ser ving with pride, integrity, honour and discipline,” Soluade concluded.

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ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Kuils River corridor plan

UNLOCKS DEVELOPMENT

The upgrading of a 2 km long section of the Kuils River in Cape Town has transformed a dysfunctional watercourse into a vibrant ecosystem and serves as an excellent example of the execution of the city’s Liveable Urban Waterways Programme in practice.

New gabion drop structure

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nder taken by Redefine Properties and VDMV Property Holdings, in collaboration with the City of Cape Town, the Kuils River upgrade project paved the way for the Stikland Industrial Precinct development, which is situated within the suburbs of Bellville and Brackenfell. But first a comprehensive River Corridor Plan needed to be developed.

Periodic, aggressive clearing of invasive riverine vegetation had contributed to the destabilisation of the river channel, putting sections of the city’s water and sewerage infrastructure at risk. Over the years, adjacent properties had also encroached on the river, with illegal infilling of the floodplain. The subsequent degradation of the river channel resulted in frequent flooding.

These and other factors posed a major stumbling block to the future development of the Stikland Industrial Precinct, as this affected section of the Kuils River traverses the precinct site. Therefore, it was in everyone’s interest to implement a sustainable and environmentally beneficial solution.

The developers commissioned a multidisciplinary project team that included Zutari (previously Aurecon South Africa) to provide hydraulic engineering design consulting services, together with a freshwater ecologist, as well as environmental, civil and landscaping consultants. The River Corridor Plan was

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IMIESA February 2022

workshopped through several iterations with the relevant Stormwater, Parks, Environmental and Maintenance departments of the City of Cape Town, prior to being approved and adopted for implementation.

The river corridor was initially 100 m wide; however, it was reduced in size to 50 m to allow for additional developable area, while also allowing sufficient space for river improvements.

Integrated elements Key features of the river upgrade include: • A 13 m wide, trapezoidal, riprap-lined, low-flow channel, which conveys the oneyear flow. The use of riprap allows for the establishment of aquatic plants and organisms within the river channel, improving biodiversity and water quality.

• A 50 m wide, terraced, trapezoidal, grasslined floodplain, which contains the 100year flood. Various species of indigenous vegetation were also strategically positioned and planted on the floodplain.

• Buried Reno-mattress erosion protection on the bends of the terraced floodplain, which prevents lateral movement of the river.

• A 150 m long and 3.5 m high gabion retaining wall on the west bank to enable reclamation of the floodplain area.

• A 50 m long, 1 m high gabion drop structure across the low-flow channel and floodplain,

which protects a concrete-encased sewer pipe crossing the river. The drop structure also serves to reduce the longitudinal grade of the channel and floodplain to keep flow velocities within the limits appropriate for the riprap and grass lining. The stilling basin downstream of the drop structure also functions as a silt trap.

• A new road bridge over the low-flow channel and floodplain, conveying the 100-year flood without raising upstream flood levels.

• 2.4 ha seasonal and permanently constructed wetlands to compensate for the loss of wetland habitat in the development area. The wetlands are designed to be fed by the river during occasional overtopping of a lowered riverbank in this area. They also serve as stormwater detention ponds and compensating flood storage facilities.

• Swales on the floodplain for the treatment of stormwater run-off from the development site.

All of the above, including the development of a stormwater management plan for the development site itself, were undertaken in compliance with the City’s Management of Urban Stormwater Impacts and Floodplain and River Corridor Management policies.

The river upgrade was split into two contracts.

The first entailed the river works, which were designed by Zutari and implemented by contractor Burger & Wallace. The second

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

contract involved the landscaping of the river, which was designed by Greenspiration (landscape architect) and implemented by Cape Contours (landscape contractor).

“The challenge was to achieve a balance between designing a river cross section and slope that wasn’t too flat or too steep,” explains Matthew Phillips, Zutari’s design engineer and assistant resident engineer for the project.

“The cross section also needed to include a low-flow channel that would have capacity for the annual flows (one-year recurrence interval), after which the flow would spill out onto the terraced, grassed floodplains,” Phillips continues.

The levels of the terraced portions were designed such that the 10- and 20-year floods would be contained within the first terrace.

The 50- and 100-year floods would then be contained within the second terrace.

Natural aesthetics A key focus of the design effort was on creating a natural sustainable riverine ecosystem that would be aesthetically pleasing for the local communities and visitors. To this end, the use of concrete and unsightly concrete structures was minimised.

“The planting of indigenous vegetation along the river corridor and within the offset wetland provides a very aesthetically pleasing natural look, which, to the naked eye, hides the complex engineering design,” says Phillips.

A conventional river upgrade design would consider minimising the space taken up by the river by canalising it with the use of concrete rectangular sections. “Although, this approach would result in the most hydraulically efficient design and unlock additional development area, it would offer very little in terms of sustainability. Maintenance of the river would require heavy machinery; dumping would also be prevalent, as there is little ownership of concrete canals compared with natural-looking rivers,” Phillips continues.

Keeping it green Grassed riverbanks provide good protection when the vegetation is established and maintained. However, if a drought occurs and the grassed banks aren’t looked after, the river is at risk of erosion in lateral and longitudinal directions. For this reason, the team was forward-thinking in designing lateral and longitudinal erosion protection.

This was achieved by including buried Reno mattresses on the outside bends of the river for the lateral erosion protection, and gabions buried at regular intervals to prevent the cross-sectional shape and slope of the river from changing.

The downstream end of the river upgrade required careful consideration to ensure a smooth flow transition. The chosen point for this was at an older gabion drop structure approximately 180 m downstream from an existing bridge crossing the Kuils River. During the conceptual design phases of the project, it was identified that this bridge was a hydraulic control that would cause flooding in the area.

For this reason, it was demolished, with a new bridge constructed at the low-flow channel and floodplain section.

Public and private sector collaboration The Kuils River upgrade is an excellent example of a project that embodies the vision of Cape Town’s Liveable Urban Waterways Programme and transitioning towards a watersensitive city by 2040. It also exemplifies what can be done when the public and private sectors work together to achieve a solution, which is ultimately beneficial to all parties. If it were not for the excellence of the river upgrade project, none of the development within the Stikland Industrial Precinct would have been able to materialise.

CONTRACTORS

River contractor Burger & Wallace Construction Landscape contractor Cape Contours

PROFESSIONAL TEAM Project manager Johan Botha Consulting Engineers River engineer Zutari Landscaping architect Greenspiration Environmental consultant Gibb Freshwater ecologist Blue Science Health and safety agent Safe Working Practice

The upgraded river corridor and gabion drop structure after landscaping The existing bridge that was demolished during construction of the river upgrade.

Note the existing gabion drop structure in the foreground, which was a key tie-in point for the river upgrade

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Gabions build a foundation for SMME development Purpose-designed to shape environmentally engineered structures, gabion designers can use a range of wire or welded mesh options to form them. Being labour-intensive, their construction also presents major opportunities to create community employment, and develop specialist SMME subcontractors, says Louis Cheyne, managing director of Gabion Baskets.

By Alastair Currie

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hen we star ted the business some 15 years ago, our core focus was on fabricating gabion systems sourced from locally manufactured Class A galvanised and PVC-coated, double-twisted hexagonal woven mesh wire systems – the latter designed for more corrosive environments,” explains Cheyne.

“We then subsequently branched out into welded mesh products as an allied offering for the environmental engineering, architectural and landscape markets,” Cheyne continues, adding that this ser vice includes design recommendations, costing and project management, as well as integrated solutions such as geotextiles and erosion control blankets. Another key development is the provision of SMME contactor business training and installation ser vices for both public and private sector clients.

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A boundary wall section constructed using welded mesh and filled with river stones for maximum aesthetic effect

Via its in-house programmes, Gabion Baskets employs full-time instructors that travel to client sites to conduct installation training – locally and into Southern Africa. In terms of the latter, various projects have recently been completed in countries that include Zambia. Externally, Gabion Baskets refers clients to CETA-accredited FET colleges that include Tjeka.

“Contractors are increasingly approaching us for project design recommendations when it comes to community-based contracts that incorporate gabions. We’re also receiving an unprecedented number of enquires from SMMEs who need advice on how to enter the gabion construction market,” says Cheyne.

“Since our Johannesburg factory borders Alexandra township, we’re especially aware of the unemployment crisis within previously disadvantaged communities. Where the skills don’t exist, we feel an obligation to help aid South Africa’s economic reconstruction and recovery plan through our own or externally facilitated business and skills development programmes. In recent years, this has enabled us to support a growing network of industryaccredited SMMEs,” Cheyne continues.

Quality control Building the right foundation is essential for SMMEs to grow and flourish. Poor design is the starting point for a potential gabion failure. However, even the best design can fail if the correct bracing, lacing and packing techniques are not applied. The classic gabion contains around 35% voids and is intentionally meant to provide a greater or lesser degree of permeability. Understanding and executing the design brief is therefore essential.

Adherence to material qualities is equally important. SANS 1580:2010 sets

the standard locally and globally for the correct manufacturing specification for hexagonal steel wire mesh gabions and revet mattresses. In turn, SANS 1200 DK:1996 governs the correct installation techniques for gabion systems.

“Generally, when you buy mesh from a hardware store, it’s commercially galvanised.

In other words, it doesn’t meet the SANS 1580: 2010 standard for environmentally engineered applications and will fail prematurely when placed in a corrosive environment,” says Cheyne.

Specifications are application specific The correct specification will always be application specific and in accordance with the anticipated life expectancy. In a marine or river environment, for example, a more corrosionresistant PVC coated wire is recommended.

The alternative is a Galfan with PVC-coated Class A galvanised wire.

Where gabion systems do fail – either through negligence or uncontrolled factors like extreme weather or vehicle impacts – the repair solutions are often straightforward, although this doesn’t negate the added cost.

“Often the damage can easily be fixed with some extra rock and mesh panels reattached onto older baskets. In some situations, the structural design can also be modified to serve or counter new problems encountered, like recurring floods spurred on by climate change,” adds Cheyne.

“The magic of gabions is their design and build flexibility, and it’s not unusual for these systems to last 50 years or more with minimal maintenance. That of course depends on best-in-class installation and optimal material selection,” Cheyne concludes.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING WHITE RIVER RETAINING WALLS

An intricate retaining wall constructed for a new residential development in White River by Gabion Baskets’ local agent, Fanie Joubert. The series of 500 mm wide walls were installed with soil anchor tie-backs to reduce the amount of rock required

A rear view of the retaining wall showing the landscaped terraces taking shape

Welded mesh type 50 mm x 100 mm x 3.0 mm was used to form the individual gabion baskets, with some 180 m3 of rock sourced from a nearby quarry. The maximum wall height is 6 m with provision made for the planting of vegetation

Gabion mattresses were installed to provide riverbank protection on the 1:2 (30-degree slope) bordering the property. These mattresses were formed using 230 mm diameter Class A galvanised double-twisted hexagonal wire mesh

TIPS TO PREVENT GABION FAILURES Ensuring a durable installation is interdependent on key factors. These include: Design Correct design knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the theory of gabion structures are essential, since they perform in unique ways that differ from structural and precast concrete installations.

Retaining walls Here there are five modes of failure to note: - overturning - sliding - overall stability - founding bearing pressure capacity of the soil - the internal stress of mesh panels/mesh systems.

Channel lining - Limiting the water velocity on mattress linings depends on mattress thickness, rock size and type, plus correct packing. It’s important to ensure that there are no small rocks or fines in the mattress, as these will be lost due to hydraulic forces, subsequently undermining mattress performance.

- It’s vital that correct cut-offs, which include wing walls, are installed upstream for adequate river undermining and outflanking protection.

- Correct specification on mesh type. It’s recommended that designers specify a thicker 2.7 mm diameter wire instead of 2.20 mm mesh on very sandy sites. As an additional protective measure, PVC coating should be specified where there’s a possibility of heavy scouring and/or corrosion.

Keep to the specifications Gabion wire systems must adhere to the SANS 1580 specifications to make sure they perform optimally.

Installation Making a design work in practice requires best-in-class installation techniques. Key points to note here include: - Ensuring that the entire project team have the necessary skills and experience. This requirement encompasses the gabion labour/installers, supervisors, and resident engineer.

- Certified installation training should be provided where needed.

- Adequate site supervision will yield the best results.

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INSTRUMENTATION

ONE SMALL SENSOR HELPS ABOVE Both the high-water safety and nature development projects would be paid for with the proceeds from sand and gravel extraction along the Meuse BELOW A Keller 26X high-precision, media-isolated, piezo-resistive pressure sensor encased in a robust stainless-steel housing with high-quality cable gland. Typical applications are hydrostatic pressure measurement, level measurement for groundwater and surface water, and fill level measurement of water and fuel tanks

A single Keller digital sensor is used as part of a flood safety programme in the Limburg province in the Netherlands.

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uring 1993 and 1995, the province of Limburg was confronted with two floods on the river Meuse, which caused €200 million (R3.5 billion) in damage. Society demanded more flood safety, but the cost of some €700 million (R1.23 billion) was a stumbling block for years.

Eventually, an agreement was forged with Consortium Grensmaas – a partnership of contractors and gravel producers – and Natuurmonumenten, the Dutch organisation for the conservation and development of nature. It was agreed that both the highwater safety and nature development project would be paid for with the proceeds from sand and gravel extraction along the Meuse.

Gravel extraction Consor tium Grensmaas extracts about 100 000 t of gravel every week – a quantity that requires an enormous logistical operation.

“To give you an idea, 1 t equals 11 wheelbarrows. On an annual basis, we

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extract 4 500 000 t of gravel. And this gravel extraction is an important part of the Grensmaas project because it is the financial engine. Thanks to this gravel extraction, there are no costs for the taxpayer,” explains Hans van der Meer, head: Production and Technical Services at the Grensmaas gravel extraction site.

All gravel is transported by barge, with ships leaving and arriving continuously.

A mix of sand and extracted gravel creates a mixture called tout venant.

The gravel is rinsed and sorted using an ingenious system of conveyor belts, sieving machines, washers and screw conveyors. Each dimension of gravel has its own final destination – from asphalt to decorative gravel.

There is limited space on the site due to the widening of the river and sometimes a pile of gravel may be covered in water.

Water level Due to the nature of the production process,

progress is largely dependent on the water level (which fluctuates hugely) in the Meuse.

Van der Meer wanted to be able to monitor and record the water level properly. A Keller level sensor was mounted on a mooring post that communicates the water levels with the cloud via a LoRa network.

“This system gives me up-to-date information about the water level on a dashboard in my office. Thanks to the sensor’s communication with Keller's own Kolibri cloud, we now have all the information we need from that sensor. Since we have the ability to monitor it ourselves, we can also sound the alarm in good time,” explains Van der Meer.

The digital level sensor – Series 26 X – measures not only the water level, but also the temperature of both the water and the air. “We cannot produce if there is ice formation, so we also want to be aware of that risk as early as possible.

Under normal circumstances, production here goes on for six days a week, 07:00 to 19:00. If we know that this is going to change, we need to be able to respond as quickly as possible,” concludes Van der Meer.

MUNICIPAL ARCHITECTURE

THE ACT OF REFUGE Showcasing excellence, University of Pretoria final-year architecture student Wian Jordaan has been declared a regional winner in the 2022 Corobrik Student Architecture Awards, in addition to winning the Best Use of Clay Masonry category.

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ntitled ‘The Act of Refuge: Facilitating Spatial Practices of Mobile Urban Dwellers in the Inner City of Pretoria’, Jordaan’s thesis looks at how daily commuters are confined to the sidewalk – “a space of transition that promotes anonymity, indifference and transience.” New approaches to spacemaking were developed to explore how architecture can influence the behaviour of users and their everyday spatial practices by manipulating their perceptions of space to mediate between its lived and conceived dimensions.

Jordaan highlights that architecture is a unique discipline that not only provides the opportunity to solve real-world problems, but also allows for personal artistic expression in the conceptualisation, execution and representation of space. He adds that the contribution that architecture can make to the improvement and welfare of communities is often underappreciated.

“Healthy urban environments allow people’s everyday lives, identities and rituals to be played out in public spaces. People’s relationship to the built environment and public spaces in the Pretoria inner city are fractured and require alternative solutions,” Jordaan explains.

The project design used Montana Travertine face brick and Nutmeg Piazza pavers from Corobrik for internal arcades and courtyards to be perceived as external and public spaces.

“The perception of a space as ‘public’ aids in the facilitation of temporary acts of refuge

Wian Jordaan, final-year architecture student, University of Pretoria

and appropriation. The use of bricks also played a significant role in how a building responds to the existing urban context of Pretoria,” Jordaan continues.

“Bricks can be an expression of time, place and the process of making, which are aspects often neglected in contemporary architecture,” he adds.

35th Annual Competition Celebrating talent, creativity, innovation and inspiration, the Corobrik Student Architecture Awards is all about jump-starting careers, building the industry and designing tomorrow.

Regional winners are selected from eight major universities, based on the students’ final theses. These regional winners then go through to the national round, where the top title is awarded, plus a R70 000 grand prize.

This year, the national awards will again be a hybrid event held in May, following a similar format to 2021.

“We are very excited to celebrate the 35th edition of the awards. It has been an incredibly exciting and richly fulfilling journey,” says Thilo Sidambaram, marketing support manager, Corobrik, who herself has been involved with the awards for two decades.

Adds Nick Booth, CEO, Corobrik: “Our relationship with the awards goes back some 35 years, and it’s one that has proved very enlightening for Corobrik. It has added a lot of depth and enriched the architectural profession by allowing young, up-andcoming architects to express themselves and show the kinds of directions they believe architecture should be going in.”

BIM TECHNOLOGY

BIM is NOT a software application Building information modelling (BIM) is the foundation of digital transformation in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. But using powerful software like Revit does not automatically mean one is using BIM. By Kirsten Kelly

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f I ask you to reach into your pocket and show me your cell phone, chances are you have the latest technology in the form of a smartphone with apps and 5G signal. So why don’t businesses use up-to-date technologies too? If you are an AEC professional, and you are working with 2D and siloed 3D methodologies, you are essentially lagging behind,” states Tammy Venter, team lead: AEC and BIM implementation specialist, Modena (Durban).

BIM is a skill Venter compares BIM to driving a car to a predetermined destination. “You first need the right software (car); you also need to be trained by a professional on how to use the software and should ideally earn a type certification (driver’s licence) after the training. You then need to decide on the route to get there (BIM goal). Will you take the shortest route? Will you take the route that avoids toll roads? Are you happy to take a 4x4 route? Furthermore, you need to understand the rules of the road (BIM guidelines and standards).”

At an academic level, there is not enough focus on BIM as a necessity. Graduates are entering companies where they must rapidly get up to speed with the choice of software, as well as BIM as a methodology, and then work on project models where mistakes can be expensive to both consultant and client.

“While institutions may conduct courses on certain software (like Autodesk Revit or Archicad), they do not really teach BIM as a methodology. Furthermore, the courses they do conduct on the subject make up

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a very small percentage of the actual degree or accreditation. If you are not fully software-literate, you are a liability to the AEC industry,” she adds.

Tammy Venter, team lead: AEC and BIM implementation specialist, Modena (Durban)

BIM is a methodology BIM is a methodology, not software. Software is at the technological core of BIM, but that represents only one third of the system.

BIM is used to create data models. The value of BIM lies in data collection and data outputs. Data is king. It can be used to streamline the construction process by providing better visibility of potential obstacles and challenges throughout the construction process and provide better predictability for future projects. Digital twins and smart cities are built on data.

Algorithms can be built from data and can enable generative design.

Revit has a powerful scheduling feature that enables users to review and analyse data and check for errors before issuing models for construction. Navisworks can perform clash detection where models can collectively be analysed to check for clashes between services, as well as structural and architectural elements, resulting in less, and often expensive, variation orders and site instructions. Any clashes can be rectified immediately, before anything is built.

BIM breaks down silos Cloud platforms – such as Autodesk's BIM 360 and Autodesk Construction Cloud – create collaboration for a traditionally fragmented AEC industr y. Models are uploaded into the cloud and if anyone from

the professional team makes a change to their design, that change is incorporated in all the models and is available to ever yone almost immediately. This builds a seamless process where there is, for example, a single architectural model, structural model and mechanical model where changes are reflected instantly across the entire design team.

The cloud environment is governed by the BIM execution plan, where the project team agrees on items such as: • type of software • version of software • how collaboration takes place • how clashes are detected • deliverables (3D model or 2D documentation) • client expectations • BIM goals.

“Having a clear execution plan ensures the success of a construction project. The execution plan forms the foundation of the BIM collaborative environment, stipulates who is responsible for what aspects of the project, and clarifies the expectation around BIM deliverables,” adds Venter.

Barriers As the only Autodesk Platinum Partner in Africa, Modena provides advice, training and software solutions to a variety of industries

BIM TECHNOLOGY

– such as the AEC industry, as well as the manufacturing space.

“It is extremely difficult for any company to implement BIM themselves without a structured implementation plan. A mistake that many people make is tr ying to teach themselves Revit. It is always recommended that employees receive Autodesk Accredited training. Obtaining a Revit Certified Professional certification is valuable to both the user and employer, as it communicates a level of Revit competency.

Different companies have different needs and different goals and, at Modena, our vision is to see all companies succeed.

We spend a substantial amount of time learning about a company’s challenges and finding the per fect solution for that company,” says Venter.

She believes that the biggest struggle is the fear of the dip in productivity when converting to a new technology, as well as the frustration. “Often, one has to take a step back to take two steps in the right direction. It is about enduring short-term pain for long-term benefits. I also think that there is the fear of the unknown and fear that the new technology will not provide measurable value. But that is why companies need to partner with BIM specialists like Modena. We assist companies through the entire process.

“Another obstacle can be a generation gap.

Millennials, Generation Z and eventually Generation Alpha do not typically speak the

BIM is a methodology, not software

same ‘language’ as their managers. They have grown up with technology and they are the staff members in the engine room doing the work and using BIM software.

Decision-makers, who are usually of a more traditional mindset, are often those who do not use the software personally. Mindsets that proved to be successful a decade ago do not prove fruitful in today’s world.

The truth is that yesterday’s home runs

don’t win today’s games. It’s important to think of your company’s legacy and how to remain relevant in a fast-changing world,” explains Venter.

Improving coordination and clash detection, reducing risk, and enhancing data outputs and sequencing are some of the more wellknown benefits of BIM. Artificial intelligence, automation and digital twinning are some of the new and exciting possibilities.

BIM can be used to streamline the construction process by providing better visibility of potential obstacles and challenges throughout the construction process, and better predictability for future projects

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CRUSHING & SCREENING

The evolution of a

SCREENING LEGEND

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hile new entrants have come and gone, ELB has stood the test of time as Powerscreen’s dealer since 1994 and Dickson has been part of the team from inception. An OEM with a proud history, Powerscreen was founded in 1966 in Northern Ireland, and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers in crushing and screening mobility – taking the machine to the material in a revolutionary breakthrough to improve efficiencies and productivity.

“The past 28 years has seen significant research and development milestones, as the market shifted from wheel-mounted to self-propelled track-mounted mobile crushing and screening plant,” says Dickson, adding that the Powerscreen series meets niche application requirements in the aggregates, mining, and recycling segments.

In addition to the Powerscreen range, ELB is also the dealer for Terex Minerals Processing Systems Products, which incorporates Terex modular, portable, and static crushing and screening equipment. A more recent development

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Forming part of Terex Corporation, Powerscreen is one of the world’s most recognised brands in the evolving field of mobile crushing is ELB’s introduction of Powerscreen’s and screening. It is represented in ProStack tracked South Africa by ELB Equipment (ELB). conveyors.

“Initially, tracked Alastair Currie speaks to Heath machines were Dickson, applications manager and relatively small and compact,” recalls product specialist at ELB, Dickson. “Back in the about market 1990s, for example, one developments. of the largest mobile twodeck incline screens fielded

by Powerscreen was the Chieftain 1400 with its 14-foot hopper and 440 tonne per hour (tph) capacity.

Today, it’s one of Powerscreen’s midrange machines, with this class led by the Chieftain 2200 650 tph unit.”

From the onset, ELB achieved major gains in South Africa with the Powerscreen MK 11 mobile screening unit, with hundreds sold locally, many of which are still operational. This was a wheel-mounted machine set up for an approximately 150 tph throughput. Targeted users included contractors looking for a lighterweight machine capable of screening a diverse range of products – from gravel and sand to topsoil.

Crushing developments Mobile screens were soon joined by their crushing counterparts following Powerscreen’s acquisition of UK-based OEM Pegson (now Terex Pegson) in 1996.

Powerscreen was in turn acquired by Terex Corporation in 1999. Then in 2009, the Pegson and Powerscreen product lines united under the Powerscreen brand.

Popular modern-day models include the 400 tph Premiertrak 400X jaw crusher, the 230 tph Maxtrak 1000 SR cone crusher, and the 350 tph XV 350 vertical shaft impact crusher.

CRUSHING & SCREENING

“As with the screens, Powerscreen’s mobile jaw, cone and impact crushers have become progressively more advanced and – in some cases – larger to meet the needs of mines and quarries,” Dickson continues.

A prime example is the Trakpactor 550 horizontal shaft impactor (HSI), capable of up to 550 tph, which is being introduced for the first time to the South African market. The first unit will arrive during Q1 2022.

maintenance based on the material and site conditions. Comprehensive operator training is also provided.

“No two sites are exactly the same since there are unique factors to consider like the moisture content of the material, as well as the size and

savings of up to 25% when compared to a medium-sized wheel loader. The screen operator controls the diesel-powered operation of the conveyor remotely.

“We have one conveyor unit that can put 7 500 m3 at 180 degrees on the floor,” says Dickson. “What that means in

type of materials handling equipment being used, such as excavators and wheel loaders,” Dickson explains.

practice is that plant availability can shoot up from say 60-70% to 95% overnight because crushing and screening plants are not standing idle waiting for loaders to remove full stockpiles.”

Backed by one of the largest branch networks in South Africa, ELB is well placed to support customers nationwide in terms of its crushing and screening equipment offering.

Adds Danie Gerber, director at ELB: “Across the construction, earthmoving, and mining segments, ELB product lines provide integrated solutions for our clients. Our application specialists in all fields proactively engage with customers to ensure that all their questions are answered. In that way, we can provide best-in-class solutions.”

Demolition and recycling Among other applications, HSIs are ideal for heavy-duty processing of reinforced concrete and building rubble in the demolition market. They provide an excellent mass reduction ratio and are only limited in terms of feed size.

Where this is an issue, contractors can run the material through a primar y jaw crusher first.

To safeguard against potential belt damage caused by rebar, Powerscreen has developed a deflector plate. The 45-degree angle of the plate is designed to guide rebar onto the conveyor belt and not through it. Specially positioned magnets are then designed to remove the rebar as it passes down the belt.

“The setup will depend on what the downstream material requirement is – in other words, whether the crushed material is being resized for disposal to landfill or being recycled for markets that include G5 sub-base road material. That will in turn influence the type of screen setup required,” Dickson continues.

Application advice Optimising crushing and screening trains is the key to cost and production efficiency. For this reason, ELB’s application team, headed by Dickson, provides expert advice on machine selection, setup and preventative

Mobile conveying One of the biggest challenges facing contractors is managing the materials handling component. Tracked screens and crushers are designed to be compact enough to fit on a low-bed for on-road transport. That invariably means material stacking heights under the belts will be compromised. The main tools to keep production flowing are front-end wheel loaders, constantly moving screened material to nearby stockpiles.

In response, Powerscreen’s ProStack mobile tracked conveyors are masters in materials handling, passing on fuel burn

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FLEET MANAGEMENT

CTRACK LEADS THE WAY WITH CONTINUOUS INNOVATION Recently celebrating its 35th birthday, Ctrack – South Africa’s leading fleet management and asset monitoring solutions provider – is continuously innovating to provide its customers with the latest technologies in an ever-changing environment.

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outh Africa’s harsh economic climate, especially over the last two years, has meant that Ctrack’s product development has had to cater for unique business difficulties, while improving efficiencies for owners who must ensure positive cash flows in a highly competitive market.

When developing and refining its operations, Ctrack always considers the five keys of fleet management around which all solutions are developed. Risk, Cost Control, Fleet Utilisation, Operations Control and Asset Control remain at the core of all the solutions that Ctrack offers.

basic Android 6 device with 2 GB RAM, an internal GPS and Bluetooth will suffice.

The OTR solution combines navigation and fleet experience into a platform that integrates with Ctrack’s software platforms for easy data extraction.

Drivers are a key par t of running fleets successfully and efficiently, and Ctrack’s OTR solutions allow drivers to complete their daily tasks as required. Features include driver behaviour monitoring, navigation, driver status, messaging, task management, voice calls and behaviour history. This new development saves operators money while empowering their drivers with a powerful tool in hand.

OTR (On the Road) solution Ctrack’s high-quality, reliable, fleetspecific, in-cab solutions that operate with Ctrack’s On-The-Road (OTR) application are now also available for mobile Android devices, eliminating the need for a second piece of hardware inside vehicles. A

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SMILE script Ctrack’s unique SMILE script software capability is the per fect solution for challenging operational environments and bespoke solutions. With SMILE script, operators can create unique ef ficiency

and risk outputs that create endless oppor tunities to measure and solve an operator’s critical KPIs. For example, in high-risk environments such as cash-in-transit or valuable goods deliveries, integration through SMILE script with risk-reducing technology (such as gunfire detection or foam encapsulation technology) – plus the ability to match various planned deliver y addresses and ensure complete control of high-risk packages – leads to unique monitoring and repor ting options in the online software platform. This ability creates the option to immediately activate risk mitigation actions, reduce risk and improve customer service levels.

The same system used within agricultural sectors, such as the milk industr y, allows fleet managers to set up geo zones with predefined speed limits on certain routes.

Speed can be controlled on gravel roads by activating a speed limiter. These simple

FLEET MANAGEMENT

yet effective actions reduce wear and tear on the vehicle, reduce warranty claims and, in essence, mean the vehicle spends less time in workshops. The uptime of the vehicle again brings about improved vehicle efficiency and pushes service levels to the next level within service level agreements for fleet clients.

Fatigue alerts Driver fatigue is a ver y serious problem with high demand on production and ser vice deliver y. By creating a SMILE script to monitor the driving hours, the Ctrack device can be configured to audibly aler t the driver when the driving time limits or distance are reached. If the driver chooses to ignore warnings, the Ctrack technology, through the SMILE script, can put the vehicle into limp mode (reduced speed and engine power) to ensure that the driver takes the required break.

Jamming A growing threat to the economy and various industries is that of jamming. This

unscrupulous practice directly impacts fleets’ risk and not only inter feres with the transmission of telematics data – which has become a vital par t of successfully running a fleet operation – but can also prevent the tracking of vehicles or assets as part of a stolen vehicle recover y attempt.

Ctrack’s jamming detection technology reacts accordingly by implementing several mitigating protocols.

Owning and operating vehicles efficiently, no matter the industr y, is reliant on information. Having the correct information in a tangible format is imperative to making the right decisions.

24-hour monitoring The Live Productivity Dashboard, which forms par t of the online software suite, provides a 24-hour timeline of vehicle or asset movement, allowing for the quick and easy dissemination and management of fleets. Users can view the movement, stationar y times and driving times in a single graphical view. Stopping locations and operating times allow fleet managers

to identify unauthorised usage of vehicles quickly. Ctrack’s Fleet Monitoring Ser vice is a complete outsourcing option of fleet control room activities and a per fect solution for managing lar ger fleets.

Analytics of data while considering highly proficient hindsight, insight and foresight, and concise repor ting allows for the streamlining of a fleet operation, enabling business owners to spend more time managing their business.

Real-time suppor t is on hand as dedicated fleet controllers meticulously monitor vehicle movements, route control, incidents, alerts, and alarms. The thorough interrogation and interpretation of data allows for easier decision-making and ultimately reduces costs and improves operations.

Ctrack has industr y-specific solutions to monitor, manage and control various assets – including cars, trucks, trailers, containers, generators, packages and confidential deliveries and the software to back it up – which is why the company is a one-stop shop for all your fleet management needs.

BUILDING SYSTEMS

Affordability, sustainability and job creation are the three critical elements that 14 Trees uses when evaluating a new construction technology, and 3D-construction printing meets the criteria

NEW CHAPTER IN CONSTRUCTION:

3D PRINTING IS HERE Malawi is home to Africa’s first 3D-printed house and the world’s first 3D-printed school. By Kirsten Kelly

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joint venture between building solutions company Holcim and development finance institution CDC Group, 14 Trees is a construction technologies company that has brought 3D-construction printing to Africa.

“We focus on using innovative construction technologies to build schools, homes and clinics affordably and sustainably. A lot of smart and disruptive construction innovations exist today but remain in the laboratories of large companies or start-ups. Our mission is to take these innovations to the field, optimise them, and scale them up so that more African families can live, work and study in decent, sustainable and affordable buildings,” says Francois Perrot, MD of 14 Trees.

this technology can be successfully completed in remote areas,” adds Perrot. For example, when printing the school in Malawi, there was no electricity or water. Therefore, two trucks brought a generator, water and printer onto site.

After 18 hours, all walls were printed onto a concrete slab, the printer was loaded back onto a truck and removed from site. Zig zag walls were printed.

A thicker/wider base meant that the walls could be built higher and wider.

The design also improved the thermal insulation properties of the school.

“While the school took 18 hours to print, it is important to remember that the printing time is dependent on the setting time of the mortar, therefore, it could take close to 18 hours to build three or four houses (within the printing area),” states Perrot.

Malawi

Affordability, sustainability and job creation

Initially, a 45 m2 show house was printed in Malawi as a trial to test and optimise the 3D-printing technology. The walls of the house were printed in 12 hours.

“3D-construction printing is a digital process that obviously relies heavily on a computer, but we proved that

RAPTOR

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IMIESA February 2022

Affordability, sustainability and job creation are the three critical elements that 14 Trees uses when evaluating a new construction technology, and 3D-construction printing meets the criteria.

The company uses an architect and quantity surveyor to assess the feasibility of 3D-construction printing on a projectby-project basis and then optimises the costs wherever possible. Perrot explains that 3D printing minimises the use of steel, does not need any formwork, and requires smaller foundations – making it a cost-effective construction method,” he adds.

Life-cycle assessments were conducted on the school and house in Malawi and it was found that there was a 50% to 70% CO2 reduction when compared to conventional construction methods. There is also a significant reduction in energy and water usage, as well as embodied energy.

Printer and mortar The printer uses a gantry system. A frame structure supports the printer head along the X/Y axis as the head moves around to print. “The building that is printed therefore has to fit within the four vertical axes (120 m2) of the gantry system. The printer can be moved easily once established on-site so, when during the school’s construction, the printer was moved every time a new classroom was built,” explains Perrot.

A patented mortar is used. It can cure at a rapid enough rate to withstand the weight of the next layer of mortar but is wet enough for the suitable adhesion between layers. Most printing occurs during the night, in order to avoid temperature fluctuations.

MAXECO

BUILDING SYSTEMS

Plans going forward

concrete wall is built. Designs can differ “Over 50 affordable houses will be depending on the budget and type of 3D printed in Kilifi, Kenya, this year, building required but all walls respect with plans to build 3D-printed houses local construction codes. But we involve in other African countries. We are the relevant ministries, construction also investigating the possibility of associations and engineering bodies from printing roofs and the off-site printing the beginning. of building elements,” says Perrot.

The school in Malawi took The first printed house in 18 hours to print Kenya is the first printed house in the world to receive an IFC Edge Advanced cer tificate. Edge is an innovation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and is a green building certification system focused on making new residential and commercial buildings more resource efficient.

Perrot adds that, like any new technology, a lot of time and effort is required to get buy-in.

“We have had to demonstrate that 3D-construction printed walls are compatible with local building codes. In the end, a

“When one looks at the past 50 years in the construction sector, there has been little improvement in its efficiency.

14 Trees plans to change this. We aim to bring more affordable and sustainable homes to the continent, which can be built in record time,” concludes Perrot.

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BUILDING SYSTEMS

Mapei’s products have been used to upgrade and refurbish iconic buildings and structures that include the Colosseum in Rome

85 years old and still looking to the future

E

It was 1937 when Rodolfo Squinzi, and his wife, Elsa, founded Materiali Ausiliari Per l'Edilizia e l'Industria (Mapei) on the outskir ts of Milan.

At the star t, there were just seven staff members who would spearhead the growth of a multinational building company’s most distinctive materials business championing trait worldwide.

Italian excellence Since 2019, Laura Squinzi has been chairman of the board of directors, which in innovation.

ighty-five years later, the facts and figures about Mapei tell the story of how it has evolved: three generations of entrepreneurs, business operations in 57 countries, over 20 product lines to meet all the needs of the building trade, 84 production plants, revenue of around €2.8 billion (R48.26 billion), and almost 11 000 staff.

The foresight and passion of Rodolfo’s son, Giorgio Squinzi, at the helm of the company from 1984 to 2019, the constant support of his sister and qualified lawyer Laura Squinzi, and the insight of his wife Adriana, head of marketing and communications strategy, steered the way ahead, laying the foundations for what are now the Group’s pillars: Internationalisation, Research

48

IMIESA February 2022

and Development, Specialisation, and Sustainability. Support for culture and sport have also helped secure close ties between business operations, communities, and the company itself. These bonds are still the

also includes Veronica and Marco Squinzi as Group CEOs, and Simona Giorgetta.

"We are treating this important milestone more like a starting line. We are ready to face new challenges, knowing that we can count on a team of the highest caliber,” says Veronica Squinzi.

“Mapei is a company with its heart in Italy and its eyes looking out across the globe. Since our grandfather took that historic first step in 1974 and built the athletics tracks for the Montreal Olympics, we have never stopped investing in new markets. Today, we have 91 subsidiaries in 57 countries, and we have no intention of stopping here. We recently acquired French company Resipoly and we are currently building five new factories

BUILDING SYSTEMS

The modern-day Mapei Corporate Research Centre and manufacturing hub situated in Mediglia, Milan

ever ywhere from the US to China,” she continues.

Commitment to R&D Marco Squinzi goes on to add: “Our deep commitment to innovation and research is still a major part of the entire Group strategy.

We are a chemical company manufacturing products for the building industry and the aim of our 32 research laboratories is to come up with cutting-edge products to make building increasingly sustainable by focusing on durability and quality.

“We believe that extending the life cycle of existing buildings is the best way to consume fewer resources and produce less waste for landfills. We are also committed to making increasing use of raw materials with low environmental impact or secondary raw materials to help boost the circular economy, simultaneously striving to reduce the use of hazardous substances to a minimum to protect not only the environment but also workers’ health," he explains.

such as the Guggenheim Museum in New York, La Scala Opera House in Milan, and the Colosseum in Rome, to the construction of mega infrastructure like the Panama Canal.

Mapei has also been involved in major futuristic projects like the Arena del Futuro – an innovative green-mobility project following the route of the A35 Brebemi motorway in Italy based on dynamic induction electric recharging.

Growth in South Africa In line with the company’s focus on worldwide growth, Mapei has been active in

Project milestones There are countless projects and initiatives that have seen Mapei play a leading role in helping communities grow all over the world – from the upgrading of iconic buildings

Every new Mapei product that is presented to the market is backed up by intense research and development

distributing its solutions in the local South African market since early 2007 and producing key product lines since 2011.

Later, in 2017, after a considerable investment from the Group, Mapei South Africa purchased and established a full manufacturing facility in Johannesburg.

This makes provision for the manufacturing of world-class products using locally sourced raw materials, as well as employment opportunities.

“As a subsidiar y of Mapei, we are ver y proud of what we have achieved in our short time operating in South Africa and the support we receive from our parent company. Our regional support, combined with our local expertise and capabilities, means we are ideally placed as a market leader to play a positive role in the supply of world-class systems and solutions to the Southern African building sector for the foreseeable future,” says Antony Offenberg, GM for Mapei South Africa.

As it blows out 85 celebratory candles, Mapei is retracing its own history but, above all, it is looking to the future, choosing to take on new challenges with the commitment, passion, expertise and professionalism that have always distinguished the company and its people.

IMIESA February 2022

49

IMESA MESA

IMESA AFFILIATE MEMBERS PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATES

AECOM siphokuhle.dlamini@aecom.com AFI Consult banie@afri-infra.com Alake Consulting Engineers lunga@alakeconsulting.com ARRB Systems info@arrbsystemssa.com Asla Construction (Pty) Ltd johanv@asla.co.za BMK Group brian@bmkgroup.co.za Bosch Projects (Pty) Ltd mail@boschprojects.co.za BVI Consulting Engineers marketing@bviho.co.za CCG puhumudzo@ccgsytems.co.za / info@ccgsystems.co.za Corrosion Institute of Southern Africa secretary@corrosioninstitute.org.za Dlamindlovu Consulting Engineers & Project Managers info@dlami-ndlovu.co.za EFG Engineers eric@efgeng.co.za Elster Kent Metering Mark.Shamley@Honeywell.com EMS Solutions paul@emssolutions.co.za ERWAT mail@erwat.co.za GIBB marketing@gibb.co.za GIGSA secretary@gigsa.org GLS Consulting nicky@gls.co.za Gorman Rupp Cordeiro@gormanrupp.co.za Gudunkomo Investments & Consulting info@gudunkomo.co.za Hatch Africa (Pty) Ltd info@hatch.co.za Herrenknecht schiewe.helene@herrenknecht.de Huber Technology cs@hubersa.com Hydro-comp Enterprises info@edams.co.za Infrachamps Consulting info@infrachamps.co.za INFRATEC info@infratec.co.za IQHINA Consulting Engineers & Project Managers info@iqhina.co.za iX engineers (Pty) Ltd hans.k@ixengineers.co.za JBFE Consulting (Pty) Ltd issie@jbfe.co.za JG Afrika DennyC@jgafrika.com KABE Consulting Engineers info@kabe.co.za Kago Consulting Engineers kagocon@kago.co.za Kantey & Templer (K&T) Consulting Engineers ccherry@ct.kanteys.co.za Kitso Botlhale Consulting Engineers info@kitsobce.co.za KSB Pumps and Valves (Pty) Ltd salesza@ksb.com Lektratek Water general@lwt.co.za Makhaotse Narasimulu & Associates mmakhaotse@mna-sa.co.za Malani Padayachee & Associates (Pty) Ltd admin@mpa.co.za Maragela Consulting Engineers admin@maragelaconsulting.co.za Mariswe (Pty) Ltd neshniec@mariswe.com Martin & East gbyron@martin-east.co.za M & C Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd info@mcconsulting.co.za Mhiduve adminpotch@mhiduve.co.za Much Asphalt bennie.greyling@muchasphalt.com Mvubu Consulting & Project Managers miranda@mvubu.net NAKO ILISO lyn.adams@nakogroup.com Nyeleti Consulting naidoot@nyeleti.co.za Odour Engineering Systems mathewc@oes.co.za Prociv Consulting & Projects Management amarunga@prociv.co.za Rainbow Reservoirs quin@rainbowres.com Re-Solve Consulting (Pty) Ltd maura@re-solve.co.za Ribicon Consulting Group (Pty) Ltd info@ribicon.co.za Royal HaskoningDHV francisg@rhdv.com SABITA info@sabita.co.za SAFRIPOL mberry@safripol.com SAGI annette@sagi.co.za SALGA info@salga.org.za SAPPMA admin@sappma.co.za / willem@sappma.co.za SARF administrator@sarf.org.za.co.za SBS Water Systems marketing@sbstanks.co.za Sembcorp Siza Water info-sizawater@sembcorp.com SiVEST SA info@sivest.co.za Sizabantu Piping Systems (Pty) Ltd gregl@sizabantupipingsystems.com SKYV Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd kamesh@skyv.co.za SMEC capetown@smec.com Southern African Society for Trenchless Technology director@sasst.org.za SRK Consulting jomar@srk.co.za Star Of Life Emergency Trading CC admin@staroflife.co.za Syntell julia@syntell.co.za TECROVEER (Pty) Ltd info@tecroveer.co.za TPA Consulting roger@tpa.co.za V3 Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd info@v3consulting.co.za VIP Consulting Engineers esme@vipconsulting.co.za VNA info@vnac.co.za Water Institute of Southern Africa wisa@wisa.org.za Wam Technology CC support@wamsys.co.za Wilo South Africa marketingsa@wilo.co.za WRCON ben@wrcon.co.za WRP ronniem@wrp.co.za WSP Group Africa ansia.meyer@wsp.com Zutari Rashree.Maharaj@Zutari.com

VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

Milling in the

COMPACT CLASS

W

ir tgen’s latest-generation 1 m class compact milling line-up comes to market in three derivatives and features cutting-edge technologies common to the OEM’s large

milling models.

Designed to per form in urban environments and restricted spaces, Wirtgen’s W 100 Fi, W 120 Fi and W 130 Fi have working widths of 1 m, 1.2 m and 1.3 m, respectively, with a maximum milling depth of 330 mm. All three machines are powered by a John Deere diesel engine meeting EU Stage 5/US Tier 4 exhaust gas emission standards.

Operating features to note include the Level Pro Active levelling system and Mill Assist machine control. Fully integrated into the machine control system, Level Pro Active enables a high degree of automation because important machine functions are directly linked to each other, guaranteeing precise milling results.

More efficient milling In automatic mode, Mill Assist selects the operating strategy with the most favourable balance between milling per formance and operating costs. The milling machine operator can also pre-select one of three alternative operating strategies, namely ‘ECO’, ‘Per formance-optimised’ or ‘Milling pattern quality’. This makes it possible, for example, to predefine the required milling pattern quality on a scale from 1 (coarse) to 10 (ver y fine) at the press of a button.

Mill Assist also automatically controls the drive system.

In conjunction with the diesel engine, a broad spectrum of applications can be realised by reducing or increasing the milling drum speed. The low-speed range enables significant reductions in fuel consumption and minimises pick wear, while in the upper speed range, a high-quality milling pattern can be achieved, even in the case of higher area per formance rates.

Wirtgen’s 1 m class compact milling machines are ideal for surface layer rehabilitation and complete pavement removal on smaller or medium-sized construction sites

IMIESA February 2022

51

CEMENT & CONCRETE

Local cement builds and sustains communities AfriSam promotes development in and around the communities where it operates

Hannes Meyer, cementitious executive at AfriSam

A

s the backbone of our national infrastructure, cement is a product that represents our highest aspirations of mineral beneficiation,” says Meyer. “To produce this valuable resource, we must start with mining our own deposits. We then process the ingredients through complex technologies that demand considerable financial investment and expertise.

“In addition to the basic requirements of the cement business, South Africa’s cement producers are also mineral rights holders who must comply with mining regulations, which includes social and labour plans,” Meyer continues. “In addition to normal business legislation, we must go the extra mile to promote development in and around the communities where we operate.”

He points out that this is currently more difficult for cement producers than for miners of more high-value commodities currently benefiting from buoyant prices set by global markets. In contrast, cement prices are determined by demand in the country’s building and construction sectors, where performance remains lacklustre.

“Despite the challenges, local cement producers like AfriSam continue to meet compliance requirements, as these align with our underlying corporate commitment to the future of Africa and the planet,” says Meyer.

“We develop skills in local communities, and opportunities for small black-owned businesses, as well as for women and youth in our supply chain.

This is a core pillar of responsible manufacturing that the countr y should support and reward,” Meyer concludes.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

Afrisam South Africa

52

OBC

IMESA

IBC, 4, 50

APE Pumps

45

Keller

14

Bell Equipment Group Services

10

Mapei South Africa

47

BVi Consulting Engineers

20

Quality Filtration Systems

Ctrack

30

SABS

IMIESA February 2022

29, 31 24

Sizabantu Piping Systems

IFC

Telkom – BCX

8

Vega Controls SA

2

Wirtgen SA

7

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

CATEGORIES • Buildings, Structures

• Electrical and Electronic

• Ecological, Environmental

• Water and Sanitation

• Financial, Legal

• Transport, Roads and Stormwater

and Housing

and Social

and Regulatory

A B S T R AC T S S U B M I T T E D BY

11 March 2022

marketing@imesa.org.za | tel +27 031 266 3263

Contact Melanie Stemmer for an entry form or download it from the website.

CONFERENCE ENDORSED BY

t: +27 (031)266 3263 e: conference@imesa.org.za marketing@imesa.org.za www.imesa.org.za

IMESA ORGANISER

THE INSTITUTE OF MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (IMESA)

2011514/IM

200 KM OF ROAD. 200 DAYS OF LAYING IT. 1 QUALITY CEMENT. WHAT GOES INTO IT MATTERS.

Geomatics ASKFORAFRISAM ASK AFRISAM

The arrival of the digital twins

Roadstab Cement is a specially engineered composite cement designed to reduce plasticity and enhance the strength and stability of road-based materials. Made with our advanced formulation, you can be sure that with all the time and effort you put in, this superior quality cement will go the distance. Ask for AfriSam.

www.afrisam.com

Creating Concrete Possibilities