IMIESA October 2016

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www.infrastructurene.ws

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

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • MAINTENANCE • SERVICE DELIVERY

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Proactive waterloss reduction

Rod Glatt, N&Z Instrumentation & Control

Beach Drilling SA first in horizontal directional drilling

African Project Finance Investing in water

Roads & Bridges

Design & rehabilitation trends explored

NATIONAL ASPHALT On the road to private sector involvement

IN THE HOT SEAT Our vision is to become an inclusive industry and we continue to broaden our reach as an employer organisation.” Frikkie Oosthuizen Executive: Contractual Affairs & Support Services, SAFCEC ISSN 0257 1978

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ENVIRONMENT

RESPECT FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT Much Asphalt is southern Africa’s largest manufacturer of hot and cold asphalt products. For us success means providing asphalt products that are sustainable throughout the value chain. That’s why our plants are designed for high percentages of recycled asphalt and we focus on low impact products such as warm mix asphalt. That’s also why our plants meet and exceed emissions standards and our products have long design lives. Respect for all our stakeholders is key. 17 static plants • 5 mobile plants • extensive product range • stringent quality control • bitumen storage • industry training

YEARS T: +27 21 900 4400 F: +27 21 900 4468 1965 – 2015

E: info@muchasphalt.com www.muchasphalt.com


EDITOR’S COMMENT

Managing water security

PUBLISHER Elizabeth Shorten MANAGING EDITOR Alastair Currie SENIOR JOURNALIST Danielle Petterson HEAD OF DESIGN Beren Bauermeister DESIGN CONSULTANT Frédérick Danton CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Tristan Snijders SUB-EDITOR Morgan Carter CONTRIBUTORS Duncan Daries, Franz de Lange, GJ Jordaan, A Kilian, Chrissi Maria, Meggyn Marot, Joseph Meadows, Frances Ringwood, Tony Stone, Johan van der Waals, John van Rijn CLIENT SERVICES & PRODUCTION MANAGER Antois-Leigh Botma PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jacqueline Modise FINANCIAL MANAGER Andrew Lobban MARKETING MANAGER Mpinane Senkhane ADMINISTRATION Tonya Hebenton DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa Masina DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha Pursotham SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@3smedia.co.za PRINTERS United Litho Johannesburg +27 (0)11 402 0571 ___________________________________________________

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HEN I WAS growing up in Hong Kong, where I was born back in the 1960s, flushing with seawater was the norm on an island that had always needed to protect its limited potable resources. Water rationing was common and I remember how we used to fill the bath tub as a backup measure during drought periods, which were regular and extensive. First piloted around 1955, setting up a seawater distribution and processing system in Hong Kong required a substantial investment and a separate connection alongside the standard plumbing network for drinking water and general usage. However, the Hong Kong government persevered and, today, more than 80% of the 7.3 million plus residents use this environmentally friendly method. The practice is now spreading to other Chinese cities. Of course, the costs of implementing a dual system are expensive, and Hong Kong has had more than 60 years to perfect it. But one has to ask why other major coastal cities around the world, including local metros, like Cape Town and Durban, aren’t considering this option, at least on a trial-project basis to measure the longer-term savings, understanding that the costs of retrofitting would be exorbitant. Cape Town’s V&A precinct could have been a good starting point at the onset of development. Inland, we need dams, but on the coast, the route now being increasingly adopted across South Africa is to supplement reduced rainfall with desalination plants. Sometimes, it has become the only alternative in more arid regions. Potentially the largest desalination installation currently in Africa is located in Mossel Bay on the Western Cape coastline. This plant supplies ten megalitres of potable water daily to Mossel Bay Municipality, and five megalitres of process water to the nearby PetroSA industrial complex.

ADVERTISING SALES Jenny Miller Tel: +27 (0)11 467 6223 Email: jennymiller@lantic.net ___________________________________________________

PUBLISHER: MEDIA No. 9, 3rd Avenue, Rivonia 2056 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Fax: +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 www.3smedia.co.za ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: R550.00 (INCL VAT) ISSN 0257 1978 IMIESA, Inst.MUNIC. ENG. S. AFR. © Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. ___________________________________________________ IMESA CONTACTS HEAD OFFICE: Manager: King Singh P.O. Box 2190, Westville, 3630 Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263 Fax: +27 (0)31 266 5094 Email: admin@imesa.org.za Website: www.imesa.org.za BORDER Secretary: Celeste Vosloo Tel: +27 (0)43 705 2433 Fax: +27 (0)43 743 5266 Email: celestev@buffalocity.gov.za EASTERN CAPE Secretary: Susan Canestra Tel: +27 (0)41 585 4142 ext. 7 Fax: +27 (0)41 585 1066 Email: imesa.easterncape@gmail.com KWAZULU-NATAL Secretary: Ingrid Botton Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263 Fax:+27 (0)31 266 5094 Email: imesakzn@imesa.org.za NORTHERN PROVINCE Secretary: Rona Fourie Tel: +27 (0)82 742 6364 Fax: +27 (0)86 634 5644 Email: np@imesa.org.za

Funding for these and other water-related projects is a priority and, aside from National Treasury, is being supported on a project-specific basis by leading global entities such as the European Investment Bank (EIB), which continues to support key initiatives in our region. A recent example is the EIB’s support for Lesotho’s new Metalong Dam development, which now supplies nearby Maseru and surrounding communities. Among other investors, the EIB is also in discussions for Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands scheme, which is critical for South Africa, and particularly Gauteng. Projects of this nature are never random and take years to bring to the execution phase, at huge cost, and water demand will always inevitably outstrip supply. That’s why consumer behaviour needs to change immediately. Increasingly, for example, conservation and water efficiency are the first priorities the EIB assesses before starting to talk about investments. In other words: How well are the existing resources being used? That essentially sums up the strategy for South Africa and Southern Africa. We need to assess the risk and respond with enduring and sustainable solutions. Desalination is one of them, and maybe, far into the future, saltwater flushing for coastal centres.

Being on the coast, there are always ecological considerations that need to be observed first, which can make the initial scoping investigation a ‘no go’. However, with innovation there are always solutions, a case in point being Amatola Water’s Ndlambe sea outfall project,

WESTERN CAPE Secretary: Michelle Ackerman Tel: +27 (0)21 444 7114 Email: Michelle.Ackerman@capetown.gov.za

All material herein IMIESA is copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part 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.

SA project funding

Eastern Cape beach drilling

SOUTHERN CAPE KAROO Secretary: Henrietta Olivier Tel: +27 (0)79 390 7536 Fax: +27 (0)86 629 7490 Email: imesa.southcape@gmail.com

FREE STATE & NORTHERN CAPE Secretary: Wilma Van Der Walt Tel: +27 (0)83 457 4362 Fax: +27 (0)86 628 0468 Email: imesa.fsnc@gmail.com

carried out by a contracting joint venture (JV) team comprising L&R Civils, Geopractica and TRG International, which is covered in-depth in this issue. The JV’s scope of works required the subterranean installation of a seaward and inland connection for an overland pipeline flowing from a new desalination plant being constructed on the nearby Kowie River. The technique adopted was to use a horizontal directional drilling application on a pristine section of beach in Port Alfred, Eastern Cape. This is believed to be an industry first for South Africa, and the results have been a major success.

Alastair Currie

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.

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

SA first in horizontal directional drilling

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Proactive waterloss reduction

Rod Glatt, N&Z Instrumentation & Control

Beach Drilling

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African Project Finance Investing in water

Roads & Bridges

Design & rehabilitation trends explored

NATIONAL ASPHALT

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 Jenny Miller on +27 (0)11 467 6223.

On the road to private sector involvement

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Infrastructure News

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Our vision is to become an inclusive industry and we continue to broaden our reach as an employer organisation.” Frikkie Oosthuizen Executive: Contractual Affairs & Support Services, SAFCEC ISSN 0257 1978

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IMIESA October 2016

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A) is a n Africa

CONTENTS 12 www.infrastruc

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EASTERN CAPE ROUND-UP Historic investment for Coega IDZ

IMESA The officia l magaz ine of the Institu te of Munici pal Engine ering of Southe rn Africa

INFRA STRUC TURE

DEVELOPME NT •

MAIN TENAN CE •

SERVI CE DELIV ERY

tive water-

Proac I N D U S T R Y loss reduc tion l INSIGHTInstrum entatio n & Contro Rod Glatt, N&Z

Beach Drillingl SA first in horizonta directional drilling

African Project Finance Investing in water

Roads & Bridges tion

Design & rehabilita trends explored

Regulars

LT L ASPHAva NATIONAthe road to pri te On

ent sector involvem

T IN THE HOT SEA

to ry and we continue e an inclusive indust Oosthuizen Our vision is to becom sation.” Frikkie as an employer organi P10 broaden our reach t Services, SAFCEC

Executive: Contra

ctual Affairs & Suppor

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Editor’s Comment President’s Comment Africa Round-up

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Cover Story On the road to private sector involvement

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0 ( i n c l . VAT ) 2016 • R50.0 .10 • October Vo l u m e 4 1 N o

Hot Seat Ongoing research and development and the introduction of new technologies are among the key benefits that National Asphalt passes on to municipalities in meeting their current and future infrastructure demands. P6

SAFCEC stays focused and buoyant on SA civil engineering

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Municipal Focus Eastern Cape Round-up

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Industry Insight Proactive water-loss reduction

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Partners in Infrastructure Cover Story: Partnerships to drive megaprojects The road ahead with Sabita Advisory on GISc services appointments Building in clay is the lasting solution IMESA Northern Branch, strong water focus at seminar Meeting the growing waste challenge

20 22

PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE

25 27 29 30

Consulting to Local Government

HOT SEAT Frikkie Oosthuizen, executive: Contractual Affairs & Support Services, South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC), reports on market conditions and the road ahead. P10

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CONSULTING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT Delivering ser vices with communities, for communities

There is more to it

CESA awards engineering excellence 35 New frontiers in procurement and delivery 38 Water, a vital resource, how well is it managed? 41 Unique dual-stream plant for Merebank 43 Delivering services with communities, for communities 45

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Bay of Plenty pier reconstruction

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING Per formance by comparison and leading by example


VOLUME 41 NO.10 OCTOBER 2016

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ROADS & BRIDGES A vision to transform SA’s transport network

INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE

Intelligent Infrastructure Cover Story: The doubling effect

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Enterprise Development iX Engineers – an enterprise development success story

Geotechnical Engineering Bay of Plenty pier reconstruction Geotextile intervention counters severe wave erosion Performance by comparison and leading by example

Power Generation

53 55 56

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Cement & Concrete Partnering for concrete success Precast concrete – the answer to affordable housing PPC joins The Concrete Institute Slag usage has sustainability advantages

www.eoh.co.za

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128 132 133 135

CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES

& EQUIPMENT

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Project Management

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Site organisation and administration

EOH 008 BRD ADV 20150825 Generic ads.indd 4

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2015/12/03 01:58:55 PM

Utilities

Environmental Management Wetlands, stormwater and their delineation

Kenya leads with wind farm initiative

We provide the technology, knowledge, skills and organisational ability, critical to Africa’s development and growth

Roads & Bridges A vision to transform SA’s transport network JV constructs Elias Motsoaledi bridge Proper phasing vital for new concrete intersections Technical paper: Cost-effective upgrading, preservation and rehabilitation of roads Innovating to deliver faster, safer and more efficient infrastructure

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Partners for improved service delivery

MEET THE AMMANN FAMILY OF PRODUCTS

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Water & Wastewater Developing a national leak management strategy Beach drilling in Port Alfred Upgrading Driefontein WWTW

83 86 92

CEMENT & CONCRETE Readymix | Precast | Aggregates

Pipes SA’s water crisis A new quantum in pipe technology JV fosters transformation Huge African potential for SA stainless steel Celebrating 110 years of excellence

98 103 109

Construction Vehicles & Equipment

110 113

Insurance

READ INSIDE

The unintended consequences of discounting

Par tnering for concrete success

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Infrastructure Finance EIB invests in African infrastructure

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to affordable housing

PPC joins The Concrete Institute

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Slag usage has

Precast concrete, the answer 132

sustainability advantages

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Cover Story: Mastering RA delivery on the N1 Doosan excavators gaining traction New excavator promises more power, less fuel SDLG gains ground in earthmoving

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WATER & WASTEWATER Beach drilling in Por t Alfred

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PRESIDENT’S COMMENT IMESA

Integrated urban development

Duncan Daries, president, IMESA

As of 2009, the world’s urban population has surpassed the rural population. In the year 2030, it is estimated that 71.3% of South Africa’s population will be living in urban areas.

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HE Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF) policy document was developed by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), through a team of specialists and representatives from all affected government departments, Salga and the South African Cities Network. This plan is primarily the country’s response to rapid urbanisation, but also an opportunity to transform the previous apartheid layout legacy, reduce poverty and promote integrated, efficient and sustainable development. To achieve this transformative vision and direct inclusive, resilient and liveable urban settlements, the following four strategic goals are introduced: • Spatial integration: to forge new spatial forms in settlement, transport, social and economic areas. • Inclusion and access: to ensure people have access to social and economic services, opportunities and choices. • Growth: to harness urban dynamism for inclusive, sustainable economic growth and development. • Governance: to enhance the capacity of the state and its citizens to work together to achieve spatial and social integration. It is acknowledged that urban planning policy forms the basis of integrated urban settlements and that integrated transportation policy informs targeted investments into human settlements. Transportation networks are, therefore, seen as critical to the spatial transformation

of urban networks. New investment and urban development should, therefore, be focused around corridors of mass transit and around existing or emerging economic nodes, applying internationally accepted principles of transit-oriented development.

Restructuring municipalities to deliver After every local government election, the incoming council adopts a new five-year Integrated Development Plan, with a mandate from the electorate to deliver on its constitutionally assigned functions. Existing administrative structures are usually reviewed at this stage to ascertain whether the organisation is efficiently structured to deliver on this mandate. The City of Cape Town has proactively taken on board the principles embodied in the IUDF, such as transit-oriented development, as well as service delivery issues driven from a decentralised area model, and has adopted a new organisational structure. The three main directorates responsible for Spatial, Urban & Environmental Planning, Transport for Cape Town, and Human Settlements have all been clustered under one executive director and the corresponding MMC (Member of the Mayoral Committee), which mirrors the drive for transit-oriented development. This is a bold move by the city’s leadership and, other than to ensure integrated planning processes, it will

ensure that all within the new Transport Urban Development/Transpor t Development Authority Directorate are aligned to attain the same shortand long-term goals set by the council. Another fairly encouraging aspect of the restructuring is the combination of informal settlement management within the Water & Sanitation/ Solid Waste Directorate. This is to ensure that the planning and delivery of basic services is prioritised in an integrated fashion to the most vulnerable communities within the city. Transforming urban settlements within cities is a longterm process and, if transport is the main driver, requires fairly large and long-term investments to create the necessary infrastructure to stimulate the changes required. I, therefore, hope that the powers in control of cities realise this and do not become disheartened if there are no signs of short-term success. Embarking on this journey requires commitment from all role players and especially the communities whose lives we want to improve. IMIESA October 2016

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COVER STORY

Transportation, water and power are key national priorities – dovetailing with core socioeconomic objectives – and areas where Knight Piésold Consulting leads in the infrastructure sphere.

road to private sector involvement On the

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FFECTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE roll-out and operation are at the heart of ser vice deliver y, and the private sector has a critical role to play in helping municipalities fulfil this important mandate. “There needs to be closer collaboration between local authorities and their supply chain partners. This can only be achieved by introducing procurement systems at municipal level that incentivise greater involvement by the private sector in the planning, financing, operation and maintenance of these assets.

Ongoing research and development and the introduction of new technologies are among the key benefits that National Asphalt passes on to municipalities in meeting their current is being proand future infrastructure This includes the cured at a vast and important municipal level, demands. road networks that fall under the watch of South African municipalities,” says Sean Pretorius, managing director, National Asphalt – a leading local asphalt manufacturer. Pretorius believes that South African road construction companies have amassed a wealth of knowledge and capability over the years that can be better harnessed by municipalities. Companies such as National Asphalt are able to fulfil a greater role in municipal road projects by becoming involved in the project right from the outset in the conceptualisation and design stages. Its skills and expertise are also able to help municipalities maximise the socio-economic mandates associated with the building and maintenance of road infrastructure. However, this ideal is reliant on drastic changes to the way in which infrastructure

“from one that is mainly driven by price to a model that takes a longer-term view of these assets,” says Pretorius.

Technological expertise, R&D In addition to the skills and capacities, it is the extensive road construction technology that resides within the Raubex Group of companies that promises to add significant value under this proposed method of delivering essential infrastructure. Many of these technologies are the outcome of years of research and development (R&D) geared at improving the overall quality of the country’s road infrastructure, and have been adopted by leading local road agencies, as well as other prominent public sector client bodies. A stellar example of the ongoing R&D undertaken by the company in terms of road construction materials are the continuous breakthroughs in the use of reclaimed asphalt

Plant in Komatipoort

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IMIESA October 2016


COVER STORY

OPPOSITE RA processing RIGHT Binder extraction site lab

(RA) and enrobé à module elevé (EME), or high-modulus asphalt in South Africa. EME, which was developed more than 30 years ago in France, is a bituminous material with a high stiffness modulus, providing increased resistance to rutting, good fatigue resistance and sound durability. In addition to enhancing the design life of the pavement, it allows for a reduction in asphalt layer, while achieving the same design life of conventional asphalt, or even exceeding the specification. Pretorius says that he has seen a marked increase in the adoption of this technology in the countr y over the years, including at municipal level.

add even more value to both greenfield and brownfield road builds at municipal level.

Green infrastructure KZN projects For example, it has been successfully deployed on the construction of bus routes on the Go Durban projects through KwaDabeka and Newlands in the Pinetown region outside Durban, KwaZuluNatal. The company is supplying about 84 000 tonnes of the material to the projects that are being driven by the Roads Provision Department of the eThekwini Municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport. National Asphalt’s EME technology is also being used to repair major concrete failures on sections of Edwin Swales Road, the main access route to the ver y important Durban harbour. Following on the success of these projects, Transnet Capital Projects has also approved the use of EME 20 as a 180 mm base alternative at the harbour’s Pier 2 at Bayhead. These are complemented by other earlier road upgrade programmes where EME was successfully deployed. This included the successful completion of a project for the South African National Road Agency Limited (Sanral) using a class 2 EME mix with 20% RA (reclaimed asphalt) on a section of road between Paradise Valley and Candella Road outside Durban. The main contractor for this important project was Roadmac Sur facing, a sister company of National Asphalt within the Raubex Group. The significant work undertaken by the company in the field of RA promises to

This ongoing innovation in the field is in line with the green infrastructure agendas of leading client bodies at national, provincial and local government levels. Just as important is the larger role that this technology is able to play in harnessing the vast RA stockpiles owned by a number of the larger municipalities. Over the years, National Asphalt has refined the development and use of mobile asphalt batching plants. These plants can be easily deployed to various locations to assist road owners to easily integrate these resources into their road construction and maintenance programmes. A similar approach could be adopted to effectively exploit the vast blast-furnace slag resources in the countr y. Over the years, these types of industrial by-products have become an important substitute to virgin materials in road construction. They have replaced virgin materials, especially aggregates that are used to build the foundation layers and used in the sur face seals and asphalt overlays of the road. As such, Pretorius tells IMIESA that the use of slag will continue to be a strategic thrust for National Asphalt over the next couple of years. “I believe that there is still much that can be done with these industrial residues that continue to prove their quality traits in the international road arena. There is significant potential to increase the use of reclaimed-type materials in municipal and similar road networks,” he says.

IMIESA offers advertisers an ideal platform to ensure maximum exposure of their brand. Companies are afforded the opportunity of publishing a two-page cover story and a cover picture to promote their products to an appropriate audience. Please call Jenny Miller on +27 (0)11 467 6223 to secure your booking.

Demand for better infrastructure will continue to grow considering the rapid rate of urbanisation in the countr y. Faced with a growing backlog in road maintenance, municipalities will come under more pressure to maintain existing, and develop better, infrastructure. Pretorius says the solution lies in embracing cutting-edge road construction technologies that not only prolong the overall life cycle of these strategic assets, but also facilitate and optimise important maintenance regimes of municipalities. This immense responsibility cannot be shouldered by the public sector alone. Perhaps the ongoing successes enjoyed on the strategic national road arteries that are being operated by concessionaires under the Sanral banner point to a future model for local road networks? Meanwhile, the introduction of private sector players into the construction and operation of other essential infrastructure in the countr y, such as water, could also act as a blueprint for the better management of local road infrastructure. One thing is for certain: there are companies with long and proud track records in road construction in the countr y that are ready to assist government to deliver better road infrastructure. National Asphalt is definitely such a company!

www.nationalasphalt.co.za

IMIESA October 2016

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INFRASTRUCTURE NEWS

FROM AROUND THE CONTINENT

AFRICA Japan’s bold new infrastructure plan for Africa Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced a bold new African infrastructure plan worth $10 billion to be implemented by the African Development Bank (AfDB) over the next three years. The infrastructure investment package announced by the Prime Minister will focus on modernising electricity, power and urban transport systems in order to improve the connectivity of Africa. The support package aims to increase electricity generation capacity by 2 000 MW as well as increase geothermal power generation using Japanese technologies. The aim is to increase power generation capacity to reach 3 million households by 2022. “It will be necessary to develop roads and ports. This must be nothing other than quality infrastructure. At the Group of 7 Summit, we were united in our determination in this regard. This point was detailed in the G7 Ise-Shima Principles for Promoting Quality Infrastructure Investment,” said Abe. Japan has also pledged to put the advances of its domestic Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced a new African infrastructure plan worth $10 billion

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IMIESA October 2016

education policies at the disposal of African industries. Japan hopes to provide access to its educational system to African students by promoting engineers to learn from its kosen, or ‘colleges of technology’. This system aims to train at least 30 000 engineers to support the foundations of Africa’s industrialisation.

ANGOLA Securing energy access Angola recently hosted a workshop to conclude work on defining the country’s long-term objectives on energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as the priority actions required to achieve them. Angola’s Secretary of State for energy, Joaquin Ventura, reaffirmed the importance of achieving universal access to modern energy services for the country and the strong commitment of the Angolan government to this cause, highlighting the various policies and projects currently being developed. The main aspects of the Action Agenda and the Investment Prospectus were presented, including the objectives of achieving universal access to electricity and for clean cooking by 2030. The Agenda also envisions improving energy efficiency by 1% every year and achieving an 85%

renewable energy share in the electricity mix. These objectives would be achieved through a series of priority actions – some of which have already started or are being planned by the government, including the improvement of the transmission and distribution networks, investments in new generation plants, particularly hydro, promotion of mini-grids and other renewables and expansion of LPG access for cooking. The Action Agenda is an umbrella energy sector development document and constitutes a suitable national response to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 7 on energy adopted in September 2015 by the UN General Assembly that strives to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

MOZAMBIQUE Building sanitation infrastructure Mozambique has been granted €1.8 million to finance a development plan and feasibility studies for urban sanitation, drainage and solid waste management in Chimoio and Inhambane. The 310 000 inhabitants of the two municipalities are facing serious sanitation and urban flood issues. The studies will pave the way for investments aimed at improving climate resilience and health in the two municipalities, by improving services in sanitation, drainage and solid waste management, said Mohamed El Azizi, director of the African Water Facility, which is providing the funding.

Insufficient stormwater drainage leads to flooding in Mozambique

“Not only will we reduce the risk of flooding, but we will also improve people’s health. The Development Plan covering the next 20 to 25 years will lead to increased investments in climate change adaptation, specifically in sanitation, drainage and solid waste management infrastructure and services, to the tune of €30 million by 2020,” he added. Mozambique is affected by recurring floods caused by a combination of insufficient stormwater drainage, river overflowing and sea intrusion during storms. Sanitation coverage is low in Mozambique, with only 55% to 60% of the urban population having access to sanitation services. In recent years, this has been aggravated by declining support allocated to sanitation services. The situation is even worse in Chimoio and Inhambane, where child mortality is high. The old piped drainage systems in both municipalities have collapsed and some households in central parts of town have connected their wastewater system to the drainage system. Most rely on septic tanks and, in the less


AFRICA ROUND-UP

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densely populated areas, other on-site systems such as latrines are used. Only the most central parts of town have solid waste collection. The study will apply the principles of Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM), which has been identified as the best option to address, on a pilot basis, the needs of these secondary cities. The IUWM approach is a development process that encourages cities to adjust certain practices of planning and effective management, taking into account their own realities and their local socioeconomic contexts. Under this approach, wastewater and faecal sludge are considered potential resources. Indeed, grey-water can be reused for irrigation of green areas, urban agriculture and industrial processes, according to the regulations on the use of wastewater. In addition, nutrients can be Nigeria has commissioned the Central Ogbia Regional Water Supply Project in Otuoke

used for the production of fertilisers, or for energy production (methane, biogas), and fuel production (dried sludge). Sanitation and wastewater management are seen from a perspective of creating business opportunities that can generate income, employment, positive impact on the environment, and improvements on the habitat and quality of life. The project will be implemented over 22 months including 14 months for technical studies and 6 months for the Environmental Social Impact Assessment.

NIGERIA N5.8 billion water project commissioned The Nigerian government has commissioned the N5.8 billion Central Ogbia Regional Water Supply Project in Otuoke. The project, which started in 2011, is expected to supply 3.6 million litres daily to 13 communities in the Ogbia Local Government Area. Water from the project has been tested and found to conform to national and international standards of drinking water. Speaking at the event, Water Resources Minister Suleiman Adamu said the project would not only curb incidences of waterborne diseases, but also improve sanitation and personal hygiene in the benefiting communities. Chief Otache, ruler of the Otuoke community, said that access to potable water, bad roads and lack of electricity have been ongoing issues and he called on government to assist. According to Adamu, government is committed to completing all viable projects that have positive impact on the lives of the people without any political sentiment and he asked the benefiting communities to protect and make good use of the project.

Infrastructure to get injection from PENCOM Nigeria’s National Pension Commission (PENCOM) plans to deploy at least 40% of the country’s total pension funds, amounting to roughly N2.32 trillion (R106 billion), into investments in infrastructure development by 2019. This move forms part of the PENCOM’s five-year strategy to enhance inclusive growth and generate better value for contributors. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, director general, PENCOM, has noted the current infrastructure gap in the country, stating that there is high correlation between infrastructure development and economic growth and performance. “Infrastructure is a potential avenue for pension funds to reap higher and consistent returns on investment. If adequate policies, structures and regulations are instituted, pension fund investments in infrastructure and real estate development provide veritable avenues for portfolio diversification as well as properly match pension assets with their future liabilities,” said Anohu-Amazu. According to Anohu-Amazu, government needs an estimated N7.3 trillion for infrastructure, but only has an allocation of roughly N1.59 trillion. The pension funds provide a way to bridge the funding gap to execute the necessary infrastructure projects.

RWANDA Singapore to share expertise The governments of Rwanda and Singapore have signed a deal that will see Singapore share its expertise in construction, with a focus on energy, electricity and water saving, and environmental sustainability. A focus will be placed on teaching Rwandans

The upgrade of the road from the Mererani gemstone mine in Tanzania will be completed in December 2016

how to economise building materials such as cement and steel in order to produce quality infrastructure on time and at a reduced cost. All buildings constructed using these methods will be given an environmental certificate to indicate that they are environmentally friendly. The agreement was signed in Singapore by Didier Sagashya, director general of the Rwanda Housing Authority, and Choo Watt Bin, director of the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore.

TANZANIA Sh32 billion road to be completed in 2016 The upgrading of the 22 km link road between the Mererani gemstone mine and the rest of the country is on track for completion in December 2016. The Sh32 billion (R211 million) project is fully financed by government and being carried out by Chinese construction firm China Henan International Corporation Group Limited. In addition to easing transportation between Mererani and Arusha and Moshi, the upgraded road is expected to boost the area’s economy, especially tanzanite mining at Mererani, which has led to the growth of other economic activities in the semiarid area.

IMIESA October 2016

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HOT SEAT

Addressing industry challenges Frikkie Oosthuizen, executive: Contractual Affairs & Support Services, South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC), reports on market conditions and the road ahead. What is the current state of the civil engineering industry and how does it look going into 2017? FO We are all aware of the current and continued depressed market conditions following the 2008 global economic crash. South Africa weathered this storm well, but it clearly had a ripple effect on today’s trading conditions, which remain weak and at low levels, with year-on-year contractions that mean everyone is competing for a smaller slice of the cake. That’s why it’s especially important for current and future SAFCEC members to work together as we lobby and engage with central, provincial and local government entities to find solutions for the development of South African infrastructure, alleviate key bottlenecks, and promote and develop emerging contractors. Based on our surveyed, quarterly Confidence Index, sentiment is realistically lower, but optimism is on the rise, with active tendering in place, supported by a medium-to-longerterm positive outlook. This is underscored by the industry’s focus on developing and retaining core skills, despite a general decline in employment among members.

What is the current industry status in terms of tender process management and facilitation? A key development in 2016, and going into 2017, is the South African National Treasury Standard for Infrastructure Procurement and

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IMIESA October 2016

Delivery Management (SIPDM), which came into effect on 1 July 2016 for organs of state, with the exception of municipalities, which have a year’s extension to comply. This standard makes a distinction between the procurement of ordinary goods and services, and that of infrastructure development. The latter term is broadly defined to describe the full spectrum of construction works, from roads, to airports and sanitation. The significance of SIPDM is that construction procurement will no longer be limited by constraints in the routine procurement of goods and services. Traditionally, efficiencies in the successful delivery of infrastructure projects in the fixed goods and services procurement environment have been hampered. Typically, construction projects are once-off endeavors, which means a degree of variation is to be expected that needs to be factored in. All standard forms of construction contracts make provision for a variation clause; i.e. alterations are permitted in the form of additions, substitutions or omissions from the original scope of works. Thanks to SIPDM, infrastructure procurement will now be dealt with separately and independently, with its own unique construction-related processes. A significant change is that the process must be managed by a designated built environment professional. Additionally, all projects above R10 million must be submitted to National Treasury for vetting and review.

SAFCEC looks forward to this new shift in procurement emphasis. Hopefully, longer-term relational contracting will become the norm – minimising the potential for confrontation. We believe that SIPDM will assist South Africa as a whole in delivering more successful infrastructure development projects. Reduction in costs should also be fundamental in this process.

How is SAFCEC responding to the need for industry transformation? Our vision is to become an inclusive industry and we continue to broaden our reach as an employer organisation. SAFCEC has achieved its transformation goals, with more than 50% of our members now comprising black-owned businesses. We now need to take this to the next level. The current emphasis is to develop the ability of these emerging contractors in core areas such as health and safety, environmental management, and human resource development and training. As a member of the Construction Charter Council, which comprises 16 organisations, we have been instrumental in achieving a very progressive revision of the construction-specific sector codes based on the most recent BBBEE scorecard. These have been successfully submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry for approval and promulgation. We believe that SAFCEC, together with all other members, has played a critical role in bringing the industry together. The basic general industry scorecard requires 25% black ownership. We have set the bar much higher, with a 35% target for construction-related companies. Admittedly, our industry is still below 25%, but there is huge commitment from our members to not only meet, but to exceed the new target. So there’s tremendous growth potential.


HOT SEAT

What are the implications of the proposed new regulations in terms of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA)? The proposed new regulations set out in the PPPFA have a major influence on transformation. SAFCEC believes that we need a PPPFA that is transformative, yet realistic from a procurement perspective. The revised PPPFA focuses on a company’s BBBEE status, tender contract price, and functionality (the ability to execute work). This means that a lower-rated BBBEE organisation would need to reduce their price considerably to remain competitive. Another new requirement proposed is that 30% of all projects above R30 million must include provisions for subcontractors in specific designated groups, including EMEs and QSEs, to avoid penalties.

What is the current status in terms of labour relations? SAFCEC continues to contribute proactively to labour relations through our role at the Bargaining Council for the Civil Engineering Industry. In 2015, we were part of a successful team that negotiated a three-year wage agreement. Generally, we have a stable industry with minimal labour unrest. This is underscored by the maturity of the trade unions who represent organised labour in the civil engineering industry.

What role does SAFCEC play in growing South Africa’s skills pool? Despite the quiet period we’re currently experiencing, we need to keep investing in education and training. Through our Education, Training and Development support service, we have developed and submitted three new qualifications to the Quality Council for Trades & Occupations for review and registration. These new courses comprise Services Constructor, Roads Constructor, and Structures Constructor qualifications, which will serve as preparation for individuals at artisan level and beyond for ongoing career path development. The courses are funded by and are under the auspices of the Construction Education and Training Authority.

How are things progressing with the Diamond Academy? This year has already seen our Diamond Academy take place in Johannesburg, Port

Frikkie Oosthuizen, executive: Contractual Affairs & Support Services, SAFCEC

Elizabeth and Cape Town. The Diamond Academy concept was introduced some years ago and was relaunched in 2015. The academy is an initiative we’re very passionate about, as its purpose is to develop emerging contractors in all areas of a civil engineering business and its successful operation. Our modules are all formulated to develop the skills required for successfully managing and advancing a business. One of the course highlights is the project execution and control module, with delegates learning how projects should be managed to ensure successful outcomes. Facilitators of the modules include our own in-house subject matter experts, as well as external industry experts. SAFCEC’s established members also volunteer their time to facilitate modules in areas in which they have a great deal of knowledge and experience, making the Diamond Academy a truly inclusive initiative. The academy is not restricted to SAFCEC members only and is open to anyone in the civil engineering industry, although SAFCEC members derive exclusive benefits in terms of costs. Our objective is to host Diamond Academy sessions in closer proximity to our members.

Are SAFCEC members considering expanding into Africa? Undertaking projects in Africa has received renewed focus by SAFCEC member companies. Up until now, South African construction companies have been successful in areas such as mine development, roads and dam construction, but in a more standalone capacity. SAFCEC is in discussion with various bodies that include the Construction Industry Development Board, Master Builders South Africa, the Black Business Council in the Built Environment, and the Built Environment Professions Export Council (BEPEC), all under the auspices of the Department of Trade and Industry, to explore the potential for a more unified industry approach. Historically, the construction industry has not been part of an export council. Going forward, contractors will be able to join BEPEC as full members. The objective is to unite local construction under the banner of “South Africa Inc.” so that we can compete competitively in Africa on major infrastructure projects. So, let’s export South African construction.

What are the benefits of being a SAFCEC member? We are a member-driven organisation and the voice of the civil engineering industry. Joining SAFCEC provides an invaluable forum and platform for change, together with a comprehensive suite of services that help member companies maintain and grow their businesses. Equal benefits and services are provided to all member companies, irrespective of their size. A critical benefit is that members are given a “seat at the table”, which is particularly important when it comes to labour bargaining councils. You must be a member to engage and have input on wage issues. SAFCEC’s areas of expertise include expert advice and support in the areas of human resource management; labour relations; contractual and economic affairs; education, training and development; and safety, health, environment, risk and quality management. SAFCEC also monitors, collates and publishes projects out to tender from more than 100 tender websites and publications on a daily basis. These are all distributed to our members through our subscription-based tender bulletin. SAFCEC also publishes monthly CPAF indices as an exclusive member benefit. We keep members up to date on current industry developments and provide support on issues and challenges experienced within the civil engineering contracting environment. This includes facilitation between members and public entities such as the CIDB, organs of state, metros and local municipalities. We also assist members with the drawing up of industry scorecards in a very complex environment. We have a range of committees and subcommittees to address specific industry sectors, and their success is dependent on member participation. The rewards of being involved translate into more efficient and compliant businesses. In summary, SAFCEC is a voluntary organisation that has developed a long-term focus to overcome short-term hurdles. We are excited about the future of South African construction, in particular the civil engineering sector.

www.safcec.org.za

IMIESA October 2016

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Historic investment for Coega IDZ

Township regeneration for Mdantsane

SOUTH AFRICA’S MINISTER of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, announced the successful conclusion of a contractual agreement between BAIC and the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) that will see the establishment of a completely knocked-down (CKD) automotive manufacturing plant. This 85 000 m2 facility will occupy 54 ha in Zone 1 of the Coega IDZ, and is expected to create 2 500 direct jobs and indirect employment for a further 10 600. The approximately 18-month construction programme is expected to start before the end of 2016, with CKD production anticipated by the close of 2017. The plant will have a maximum annual production capacity of 100 000 units.

Energy opportunities Alongside the motor industry, the CDC is also focusing on growing its power generation segment. Within the borders of the Eastern Cape, the CDC has identified eight wind farms, five existing and planned hydropower facilities, two open gas cycle turbines, two proposed biofuel plants, and a proposed nuclear plant. The latter is planned for construction at Thyspunt, some 80 km from the Coega IDZ. The CDC has identified energy manufacturing sites in close proximity to the Port of Ngqura and a nuclear logistics network. “In addition, the CDC has identified sites for the potential establishment of nuclear fuel cycle production facilities, which could include the recycling of spent nuclear fuel,” says Sandisiwe Ncemane, business development project manager: Energy Projects, CDC. CDC project managers and engineers work closely with the port, rail and road agencies to ensure that there is logistics infrastructure to support the growth of power-based manufacturing and services in the IDZ. The magnitude of the Thyspunt project is underpinned by the socio-economic spin-offs, which, when translated to numbers, give a clearer picture of what to expect on the ground. A typical nuclear plant the size of the one proposed for Thyspunt will use 523 560 m3 of concrete, 66 000 tonnes of steel, 70 km of piping, 480 km of electric wiring and 130 000 electrical components. “Potentially, 23 000 formal sector jobs will be created during the construction phase, which normally takes between five and seven years. “Without any doubt, the Eastern Cape – and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, in particular – is on the brink of a power-driven industrial boom,” says Ncemane.

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“THE URBAN UPGRADES will focus on expanding and consolidating the existing economic heart of the CBD through the creation of new anchors and facilities,” says Sopna Kumar-Nair, project manager, Concepts Urban Design. An expanding township, Mdantsane is situated between King William’s Town and East London, and falls within the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. The upgrades include the creation of prominent and pedestrian-friendly gateways into the CBD, as well as the creation of new, high-density social housing and mixed-use developments on strategic sites. Access route bottlenecks will be opened up and a network of well-connected streets and spaces created throughout the CBD. According to a Council Report, a detailed study by Buffalo City Metro is on the cards to determine the exact capacity of existing infrastructure, as well as the upgrade requirements in relation to water, sanitation, stormwater, electricity and roads.

Roundhill rehabilitation meets the standard The rehabilitation of the Roundhill landfill site in the small East London town of Berlin brings much-needed relief to the wider Buffalo City Metro, immediate residents and surrounding areas. Past incidences of non-compliance resulted in smoke and toxic gases being released into the air due to uncovered waste. This also posed a significant threat to surface- and groundwater. It has taken three years to transform the Roundhill landfill site from 30% to 80% compliance today. The ongoing rehabilitation plan for this landfill site marks the beginning of a new journey towards integrated waste management for the city. The metro has set a mandate to deal with waste effectively so that the health and safety of its citizens are not compromised. Recycling waste and providing environmental protection is the long-term vision. The metro is currently drafting a waste management strategy for the city.


EASTERN CAPE ROUND-UP

Batho Pele: working for the people

Focusing on challenges, opportunities and implementation is key to Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMB) meeting the needs of the community and commerce.

NELSON MANDELA BAY’S new executive mayor, Councillor Athol Trollip, has set the goal of saving R100 million in 100 days as the starting point for the metro’s extensive revitalisation. Speaking at a sitting of the council on 31 August 2016, he spoke about the pressing need for community participation, infrastructure deliver y, and more effective tariff and rates revenue management, among other pressing issues. The intention is to establish an advisor y council, which will guide the administration’s future policies on economic growth and job creation. Tourism is a major focus since this area of the Eastern Cape is renowned for its scenic beauty and natural attractions. Trollip says a tourism advisory council will be created that will stimulate revenue inflows into the metro. “In order to provide opportunities for all the people, there must be an environment where businesses want to invest, where entrepreneurship can thrive and where government is supportive and enabling,” he explains, expanding on the future vision. “We see a well-run city that does not have to worry about potholes, broken streetlights and crumbling infrastructure,” he adds. NMB is now undertaking a gap analysis of the metro’s existing Integrated

R11 billion invested in the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ), by Beijing Automobile International Corporation (BAIC), is believed to be one of the largest deals concluded on the African continent and will provide a major boost to the Eastern Cape’s regional economy.

R100 million in100 days Nelson Mandela Bay’s new executive mayor, Cllr Athol Trollip, has set a goal of saving this amount as a starting point for the metro’s extensive revitalisation.

Development Plan to determine the exact challenges faced. Infrastructure roll-outs include resurfacing and sealing works on 15 roads across the metro. A comprehensive ongoing maintenance programme will also ensure that all roads, traffic signaling devices and streetlights are in working condition. “In addition to this, we will appoint 192 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers to assist with cleaning stormwater drains and open ditches,” says Trollip. Water-loss management is high on the agenda in a region that typically experiences extended drought periods. According to NBM, water losses of up to 42% are being experienced, which is an unacceptable figure that needs to be addressed urgently. This will be spearheaded by a local War on Leaks campaign “with ongoing training of plumbers and the immediate deployment of plumbers into the worst affected areas.” Trollipe says investigating and addressing antiquated bulk infrastructure must be prioritised. He says best-practice principles need to be applied, with the goal of allocating 60% of the available budget to maintenance and new construction, and 40% for repair.

2 500

direct jobs and indirect employment for a further 10 600 is expected to be created at the 85 000 m2 facility of the Coega IDZ. The approximately 18-month construction programme is expected to start before the end of 2016, with CKD production anticipated by the close of 2017.

UP TO

42 %

water loss is being experienced in Nelson Mandela Bay. Water loss management is high on the agenda in a region that typically experiences extended drought periods.

23 000 formal sector jobs could be created during the construction phase of the proposed nuclear plant at Thyspunt, some 80 km from the Coega IDZ. A project like this normally takes between five and seven years.

IMIESA October 2016

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Proactive water-loss reduction

Eight provinces have been declared to be in states of disaster due to the ongoing drought. Because of this, the Department of Water and Sanitation has imposed mandatory water reduction quotas of 15% in all provinces.

H

OW THESE WATER reduction quotas will be achieved is the burning question. In looking at the average daily household consumption of potable water across South Africa, the typical household uses about 250 ℓ per day, which amounts to 7 000 ℓ a month – already more than the 6 000 ℓ monthly free water allowance every household receives from their municipality. At last count, there were 14.5 million households, which equates to 108 750 Mℓ per month or 1 305 000 Mℓ per annum – and this only represents 11.5% of South Africa’s total water consumption. So, what’s being done to reduce water consumption? Unfortunately, households can only do so much, as can mining and industrial. This combined consumption represents 60% of the total potable water supplied. The other 40% is lost to water leaks in pipes and ageing Water-loss reports – calculated on a daily, weekly or monthly basis – provide vital data to closely asses the effectivity of measures implemented to mitigate water loss

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IMIESA October 2016

ABOVE The N&Z Instruments team

infrastructure. Putting it into monetary terms, South Africa is losing R7 billion per annum due to leaks. And, because we need to sustain the environment, we can’t cut consumption here. Dying or dead wildlife doesn’t look good on tourist brochures, or in real life. Agriculture is going to have to get smarter too. Drip irrigation is a technology used in the Arava Desert in Israel, with great success, and there are no poor farmers in this totally dry, rocky, sandy desert either. They use groundwater to great effect. Yields are excellent too.

War on Leaks To achieve quotas, municipalities, with the help of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), have launched a national War on Leaks programme. This involves visiting every township household to check plumbing for leaks, and repair what needs repairing. Under the auspices of the Energy and Water Sector Training Authority (EWSETA), a total of 15 000

plumbing technicians have been trained for this purpose, and with positive results. They are doing good work.

Ageing infrastructure At all levels – national, provincial and municipal – we are dealing with backlogs and infrastructure that is more than 100 years old (Vereeniging was established in 1892). To eradicate this backlog in 20 or so years is impossible. And, with an increasing population, the changing urban landscape, the mushrooming of informal settlements and the increase in urban migration, these additive demands for water infrastructure and service delivery make it difficult to keep up. In June 2015, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Pamela Tshwete reported to parliament that the current total estimated replacement cost of South Africa’s water infrastructure was R1.2 trillion. The estimated investment requirement over ten years was R805 billion, or R81 billion per annum. The total funding available was R46 billion per annum, meaning there was a funding deficit of R35 billion per annum. The financing requirement had increased between 2011/12 and 2014/15, from R67 billion a year to R81 billion a year. “A major problem was a lack of capacity in municipalities, combined with ageing infrastructure and vandalism. The bulk of the money in the plan would have to go to maintenance,” Tshwete said. This lack of capacity is a major stumbling block in our efforts to save water, which we must do to meet the DWS’s quotas. One major Free State city has run out of water. More will suffer this fate if we don’t stop ageing water infrastructure from leaking.


INDUSTRY INSIGHT

MEASURING UP: USING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT TO MANAGE WATER FLOW N&Z Instruments specialises in measuring water flow and has 60 years of experience in the field. The work is a simple case of measuring the water flows into a district, zone or sub-zone, and all the outflows. This water balance immediately reveals the extent of losses and provides solid information as to which areas to focus your leak detection

3

KEY INGREDIENTS TO MEASURE & MANAGE WATER FLOW

1 Flow meters 2 WaMSS 'Smart' Loggers 3 WaMSS Scada

for maximum benefit. This is part of the No Drop process, which also provides the basic tools for assessment and monitoring. Integral with the flow meter, a data logger records flow rates, flow totals and pressure and transmits the data to a Scada Water Management Software System (WaMSS) that automatically graphs and reports for water loss, water management and AMR (automatic meter reading). The WaMSS Scada is a simple-to-use tool for logging, planning and implementation. It enables continual performance

Where to begin Despite these challenges, doing nothing is not an option. It’s a case of prioritisation. A well-known internal pipe inspection company has found a high incidence of substantial leaks in large diameter pipelines in South Africa. If we are not proactive, these leaks typically go undetected for longer periods of time – up to 20 years. Most established suburbs in towns and cities are metered. But many townships are not metered, and this is a problem. Flows need to be measured, and N&Z offers various instruments to ensure the accurate capturing of data.

1

WaMSbeat ‘Smart’ Flow Logger

Flow meters

There are three types of flow meter technologies, each with their own advantages and applications: • Full bore meter: There are the oldtype mechanical models, which tend to be less reliable, but now there is an inline batter y-powered magnetic flow meter that is ideal for water distribution applications – because these meters are accurate and reliable, and don’t under-read as mechanical flow meters do. These are the most functional meters to install. • Insertion meter: Complete with optional line pressure sensor, this insertion batter y-powered flow meter is slightly less accurate than the full bore model but costs less, especially for large pipe lines. With the “hot tap” system, it can be installed while pipes are in use. • S trap-on ultrasonic flow meters: Here, the Time of Flight principle is ideal for clear liquids and Fuji’s

monitoring and trending and automatically compiles reports of key performance parameters. Its dashboard’s reports show the current week’s flow trend for multiple meters in a single report. It is ideal for management oversight and enables you to quickly identify situations requiring management attention.

anti-bubble measurement algorithm enables measurement even with entrained gas bubbles of up to 12% by volume. Accuracies of up to ±0.23% can be achieved where the pipe is sound and dimensions are accurately known. These meters are easy to install as they do not require any downtime or changes to existing piping.

2

WaMSS ‘Smart’ Loggers

3

WaMSS Scada

Insertion meter

South-African-designed and -manufactured batter y-powered multi-purpose loggers with GPRS seamlessly integrate various flow meters and sensors into the WaMSS Scada. The WaMSS loggers accept pulse from flow meters and 4 mA to 20 mA inputs from sensors, and log the data at user-specified inter vals. The data files are sent automatically, by GPRS, to the webbased WaMSS Scada. So, you can easily incorporate existing flow meters into the AMR system or log parameters such as level, pressure, pH and conductivity into a simple-to-use, plug-and-play Scada. The loggers are easy to set up with N&Z’s intuitive software inter face.

This Scada system is web-based and is extremely user-friendly because it automatically compiles the reports you select and emails them to you. Besides the flow trends and flow totals, the WaMSS also provides line pressure, reser voir level management, the water balance as per the International Water Association model and Cathodic Potential.

IMIESA October 2016

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT

WaMSS Scada Dashboard

The inline ISOIL Mag Meter provides accurate and reliable water flow and water total readings, automatically sent to your PC or tablet

PROACTIVE WATER-LOSS REDUCTION: A STEP BY STEP APPROACH 1 2 3

Prioritise large pipelines, where savings are likely to be higher. Prioritise older pipelines, which are likely to have more leaks. I nstall flow meters. Battery-powered magnetic flow meters are most reliable and accurate. Ensure the flow meters have an on-board data logger and transmit data to a user-friendly water management Scada. 4 Where you already have flow meters in place, add ‘Smart’ Loggers. 5 S tudy the flow trends from the various flow meters, to understand the water characteristics of the system and to focus on where losses are happening. 6 Carry out short-term data logging using clamp-on or temporary insertion flow meters to further identify where losses are taking place. 7 Carry out a leak location and repair programme. Bear in mind that there may be more than one leak in any particular area being surveyed. 8 Carry out a system optimisation programme. 9 The flow trends will confirm water savings, which can be seen and quantified. 10 Continue monitoring the flow trends for the early detection of new leaks. 11 The flow trends, water-loss model and IWA water balance provide continuous information for monitoring, action planning and reporting for No Drop requirements. 12 If your budget allows, install line pressure sensors and Cathodic Potential monitors integrated with selected flow meters. These will provide additional information for minimising losses and for long-term asset conservation.

CASE STUDY: GOOD WATER MANAGEMENT SAVES R3.3 MILLION A YEAR A batter y-powered mag flow meter with builtin logging was installed in July 2015 and leak detection/repair and rationalisation programmes were set in motion. Rationalisation and repairs were completed on 7 August. The average flow rate before 7 August was 149 m3/h. After repair and rationalisation, the flow rate averaged 72 m3/h. This saved 77 m3 of water an hour.

Costing the water at R5 per m3, there is a cash saving of R385 per hour, which translates into savings of R277 200.00 per month. This is an excellent example of how accurate flow measurement, together with flow logging, informs you what is happening within your network, alerting you to leaks or other problems. The benefits of good water management are clearly proven.

+27 (0)11 435 1080 | enquiries@nz.co.za www.nz.co.za

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IMIESA October 2016


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE

There is more to it


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READ ABOUT Cover Story Par tnerships to drive megaprojects

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Roads The road ahead with Sabita

22

Geomatics Advisor y on GISc ser vices appointments

25

Housing Construction Building in clay is the lasting solution

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Institute News IMESA Nor thern Branch, strong water focus at seminar

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Waste Management Meeting the growing waste challenge

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PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE | COVER STORY

Partnerships to drive megaprojects A S AFRICA’S ECONOMIC growth trajector y continues upward – defying the current global trend – its need for infrastructure development mirrors this path. With the private sector being called to answer this need, the concept of “successful public-private partnership” needs to be reconsidered and a far more longer-term and legacy view of return on investment taken. Because there is far more to the type of partnerships required, we will have to fundamentally shift our thinking and approach and, ultimately, unite as Africans in order to build Africa.

Sustained growth Africa’s dream of sustained growth is not new – or arguably unique. It is one which generations of peoples and communities before ours have strived to achieve. Most recently, it has been articulated and framed by the African Union’s vision for 2063, notably as “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena”. In considering what this means for the construction industr y, it’s important to note why this vision was created: as an approach to guide “how the continent should effectively learn from the lessons of the past, build on the progress now under way and strategically exploit all possible opportunities available in the immediate and medium term, so as to ensure positive socio-economic transformation within the next 50 years”. If one unpacks the African Union’s Agenda 2063 in detail, one finds a clear role for our industr y relating to many of the continent’s strategic aspirations, perhaps best expressed in the following: “By 2063, the necessar y infrastructure will be in place to support Africa’s accelerated integration and growth, technological transformation, trade and development. This will include high-speed railway networks, roads, shipping lines, sea and air transport, as well as a well-developed ICT and digital economy.” Delivering on this will not only require the successful roll-out of a series of megaprojects well into the future, but also a sustainable supply of materials such as concrete that enable this development. As such, our sector is being tasked with a clear call to action given that concrete is an essential foundation and building block for strong, reliable and durable infrastructure.

More partnerships are needed to create a purpose-driven approach to enable megaprojects in Africa.

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IMIESA October 2016


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE | COVER STORY

Measures of sustainability Studies of economic and whole-of-life environmental analyses of a range of building applications reiterate that concrete performs impressively against these key measures of sustainability – economic, social and environmental. Without concrete, it will be difficult to provide Africa’s current and future large cities with the cost-effective, efficient, longlasting and low-maintenance infrastructure they need. That being said, concrete alone is not enough. The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) categorises megaprojects of the likes needed to deliver on Vision 2063 as having “extreme complexity” (both in technical and human terms) and “a long record of poor delivery” – bringing us back to the concept of partnership and there being far more to this.

Developing partnerships In Africa’s case, we clearly require a new approach – both in terms of how we do business individually and how we develop partnerships. For our sector to catalyse meaningful change and enable growth and development, we need to collectively redefine the meaning of “best practice” partnership and innovate such that it becomes “next practice” – or purpose-driven and informed by the local context.

The starting point for this arguably needs to be expanding our often single-minded delivery-focused approach to completing a project or joint venture to now encompass everything from innovation and modernisation, to strategic collaboration, empowerment and transformation, skills development and training, to adopting green business practices wherever possible. Active and demonstrable leadership must additionally be displayed throughout, with sustainability becoming common practice. Our view of “stakeholders” also needs to change: looking beyond government and investors only to engage with key communities and local leaders including women and youth as a priority. “Investment” needs to similarly be redefined to include people: both current and future employees. This is something we’ve learnt through our own engagements on the continent, taking an inclusive approach to “sustainable modernisation”. In the case of our CIMERWA plant in Rwanda, for example, key stakeholders are the Rwandan government, the Bank of Kigali, KCB Bank of Rwanda, the Eastern and Southern African Trade Development Bank, the local community, and up and downstream partners (such as logistics providers) – all of which have been included in the greater value chain.

Purpose-driven approach Critical milestones achieved similarly reflect a purpose-driven approach that speaks to legacy objectives. The procurement of support services including transport, building materials such as turf blocks, catering and cleaning is being used to further capacitate and build these industries, for instance. An extensive skills transfer programme is also ensuring that over 95% of the total workforce employed at the facility will be local. In conclusion, to take the continent forward, all players have to realise that “building Africa” is as much about building the capacity to build, as building the physical assets themselves. Purpose-driven partnerships need to become a catalyst for this approach, with stakeholders working together to assist in realising a country’s economic potential while uplifting local communities, and stimulating greater collaboration, growth and sustainable development across the broader region.

www.ppc.co.za

Vision 2063: Our aspirations for the Africa we want

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

prosperous Africa based on A inclusive growth and sustainable development An integrated continent, politically united and based on the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance An Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law A peaceful and secure Africa An Africa with a strong cultural identity, common heritage, values and ethics An Africa where development is people-driven, unleashing the potential of its women and youth Africa as a strong, united and influential global player and partner.

(Source: Agenda 2063, The Africa we want. Second edition, August 2014, popular version)

IMIESA October 2016

21


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE | ROADS

The road ahead with Sabita

The Southern African Bitumen Association (Sabita) is spearheading various innovations for industry in line with international best practice and local operating conditions.

I

N ANY COUNTRY, roads are considered to be the vital arteries of an economy, as their key function is to connect. This connection happens thousands of times a day by linking producers of goods to markets, workers to jobs, students to school, the sick to hospitals, and the list goes on. Therefore, the need for a country to maintain its road network to a reasonable standard remains a vital aspect for economic growth. Sabita plays an important role in bringing stakeholders together to progress innovative solutions for durable pavements throughout South Africa. Some of the technologies and other advancements include:

Performance grade specification The adoption of performance grade (PG) specifications for bitumen and asphalt producers represents a complete and radical

22

IMIESA October 2016

shift for the South African as well as the broader regional community. Current bitumen specifications focus on aspects such as softness and flow characteristics, but now the emphasis is on durability, environmental and project costs. The need exists to find ways to understand the durability of bituminous products in various applications with the intent of increasing service life and, therefore, extending municipal maintenance life-cycle planning and budget allocations. Transitioning to PG specifications has been a longer-term goal for the local industry, and the USA standard was used as a benchmark. America’s National Asphalt Pavement Association began experimenting with new bitumen standards in the mid-1990s and its experiences provide valuable lessons for the South African markets. Over the next 18 months, the PG specifications will run on a data-gathering basis in parallel with the current SANS BT 4001 specification. While the tests for the various specification parameters have been decided upon, Southern-Africa-specific data will be collected and analysed to determine compliance limits. Current thermal data supports the motivation for the introduction of an inland and coastal PG specification. The development and implementation of this specification framework was overseen by the Road Pavement Forum’s Bituminous Materials Committee.

Asphalt mix design manual This document was published in 2016 as Sabita Manual 35/TRH8, “Design and use of Asphalt in Road Pavements”, and the intention is to advance the move towards performance-related specification for the design of asphalt pavement materials. This is in line with international best practice and also enables the formulation of national specifications with the intent of better aligning the durability of asphalt layers with expectations. Key

features of the new design procedure are: • a multilevel design approach taking into account the appropriate risk profile of the project • a reduced number of tests, all of which are performance-related • linkage with the structural design of pavements • the promotion of rational quality management procedures, which provide for the certification/accreditation of tailormade designs

Recycled asphalt A working group, under the auspices of the Road Pavement Forum (RPF) Task Group on Bituminous Materials, has commenced work on the revision and publication of “TRH21: Recycled Asphalt”, taking note that it does not apply to hot mix only but makes provision for warm mixes as well. It has been tasked to review the current document to assess the latest developments globally, in order to identify gaps and appoint working groups to address specific issues. This process will maintain close ties with the revision of the national COTO specification.

Asphalt briquette competition This competition was developed with the intent of promoting a better understanding of bitumen material among those that have committed to study civil engineering. The concept developed by BVi Consulting and endorsed by Sabita’s Marketing Focal Group was taken further through the implementation of a pilot amongst 1st year students at Stellenbosch University. The exciting event earlier this year brought to mind the old adage that “learning can be fun” and, with this, it is hoped that it will spark an interest in the students that will span decades. There are plans afoot to roll out the competition to other institutions during 2017 as well as a post-graduate event of a similar nature. More details on the above can be found on our website at www.sabita.co.za.


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE | ROADS

Sabita listing Title

Initials

Last Name

Company

City

Postal Address

Postal Code

Mr

J

Pelser

ACTOPHAMBILI ROADS (PTY) LTD

Atlasville

P O Box 16661

1465

Mr

D

Agenbag

ADVANCED POLYMERS (PTY) LTD

Gallo Manor

P O Box 742

2052

Mr

JJS

Weidemann

AECOM SA (PTY) LTD

Pretoria

P O Box 3173

0001

Mr

R

Bonser

AFRISAM SA (PTY) LTD

Weltevreden Park

P O Box 6367

1715

Ms

AJ

Broom

AJ BROOM ROAD PRODUCTS CC

Dowerglen

P O Box 16421

1612

Mr

A

Pegge

AMANDLAGCF CONSTRUCTION CC

Welgemoed

P O Box 6064

7534

Mr

R

Lehman

AMMANN CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY SA

Rynfield, Benoni

Suite 253, Private Bag X43

1500

Ms

I

Erlank

ANTON PAAR SOUTHERN AFRICA

Randjiesfontein

P O Box 50471

1683

Mr

JPJ

Webb

AQUA TRANSPORT & PLANT HIRE (PTY) LTD

Ashwood

Private Bag X11

3605

Mr

P

Grindley

ASTEC TECHNOLOGY (PTY) LTD

Rothdene

P O Box 140

1964

Mr

JG

Robertson

AURECON

Cape Town

P O Box 494

8000

Mr

J

Calitz

AURECON

Lynnwood Ridge

P O Box 74381

0040

Mrs

C

Marais

BITUGUARD SA

Bethlehem

P O Box 2523

9700

Mr

AL

Botha

BITUMEN SUPPLIES & SERVICES (PTY) LTD

Sunninghill

P O Box 1028

2157

Mr

D

Smith

BITUMEN WORLD (PVT) LTD

Amby, Harare

P O Box AY 20

Mr

DC

Collings

BSM LABORATORIES (PTY) LTD

Westmead

P O Box 15318

3608

Mr

A

Greyling

BVI CONSULTING ENG. WC (PTY) LTD

Century City

P O Box 86

7446

Mr

P

Neal

CAPE PENINSULA UNIV OF TECHNOLOGY

Bellville

7530

Mr

L

Ledoux

COLAS SOUTH AFRICA

Epping 1

ABC Building, 1st Floor, Symphony Way 8 - 10 Hawkins Avenue

Mr

M

Wise

CRUZE (PTY) LTD

Gallo Manor

P O Box 742

2052

Mr

RC

King

DICK KING LAB SUPPLIES (PTY) LTD

Southdale

P O Box 82138

2135

Mr

WAG

Venter

DMV HARRISMITH (PTY) LTD

Harrismith

P O Box 912

9880

Mr

R

Ntombela

DUPONT DE NEMOURS INT SA

Halfway House

P O Box 3332

1635

Mr

TW

McKune

DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Pietermaritzburg

P O Box 101112

3209

Mr

TD

La Grange

EFG ENGINEERS (PTY) LTD

Durbanville

P O Box 3800

7551

Mr

C

Williams

EMERGECO TRADING (PTY) LTD

Umhlanga Rocks

P O Box 635

4320

Mr

G

Brown

GAVIN BROWN & ASSOCIATES

Berea

24 Botanic Grove

4001

Mr

AJ

Moffett

GIBB (PTY) LTD

Cape Town

P O Box 3965

8000

Mr

GM

Hattingh

GMH /TSWELELO CONSULTING ENGINEERS

Randburg

P O Box 2201

2125

Mr

D

Bennett

GROUP FIVE CIVIL ENGINEERING (PTY) LTD

Jukskei View

9 Country Estate Drive

1662

Mr

M

Mtshali

HAMBA KAHLE ROAD PRODUCTS (PTY) LTD

Isipingo Beach

P O Box 26317

4115

Mr

C

Bradley

HATCH GOBA (PTY) LTD

Gateway Durban

P O Box 25401

4321

Mr

AJ

Laatz

HHO AFRICA

Roggebaai

P O Box 6503

8012

7460

Mr

J

Pietersen

IMESA

Westville

P O Box 2190

Mr

S

Tinarwo

INSTANT TAR SURFACES

Norkem Park

P O Box 17219

1631

Mr

J

Van Niekerk

JAVSEAL (PTY) LTD

Malvern

P O Box 28041

4055

IMIESA October 2016

23


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE | ROADS

Title

Initials

Last Name

Company

City

Postal Address

Postal Code

Mr

PA

Olivier

JEFFARES AND GREEN (PTY) LTD

Sunninghill

P O Box 1109

2157

Mr

GR

Tyndall

KANTEY AND TEMPLER (PTY) LTD

Cape Town

P O Box 3132

8000

Mr

GM

James

KAYMAC (PTY) LTD T/A KAYTECH

Pinetown

P O Box 116

3600

Mr

AD

Wills

KRATON POLYMERS NEDERLAND BV

Durban North

P O Box 201636

4016

Mr

M

Fynn

LAFARGE INDUSTRIES SA (PTY) LTD

Gallo Manor

Private Bag X26

2052

Mr

MA

Van Reenen

LETABA LAB (PTY) LTD

White River

P O Box 739

1240

Mr

SRM

Adande

MDUBANE ENERGY SERVICES (PTY) LTD

Morningside, Durban 214 9th Avenue

4001

Mr

W

Reusch

MILLING TECHNIKS (PTY) LTD

Gillits

P O Box 779

3603

Mr

B

Burger

MMILA CIVILS & TRAFFIC SERVICES (PTY) LTD

Faerie Glen

P O Box 40158

0043

Mr

JA

Krüger

MORE ASPHALT (PTY) LTD

Durbanville

P O Box 2180

7550

Mr

JR

Uys

MOTT MACDONALD AFRICA (PTY) LTD

Roggebaai

P O Box 7786

8012

Mr

BC

Greyling

MUCH ASPHALT (PTY) LTD

Eersterivier

P O Box 49

7103

Mr

B

Theron

MURRAY AND ROBERTS INFRASTRUCTURE

Bedfordview

P O Box 585

2008

Mr

DS

Judd

N3 TOLL CONCESSION (PTY) LTD

Highveld Park

P O Box 67166

0169

Mr

F

Samaai

NADESON CONSULTING SERVICES

V & A Waterfront

P O Box 51121

8002

Mr

M

Manicum

NAIDU CONSULTING (PTY) LTD

Westway Office Park

P O Box 2796

3635

Mr

LC

Raman

NAKO ILISO CONSULTING (PTY) LTD

Gillits

P O Box 686

3603 Continues on page 34

24

IMIESA October 2016


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE | GEOMATICS

Advisory note for appointment of surveying and GISc services The South African Geomatics Institute (SAGI) ser ves the nation in land reform, development and geospatial information.

S

AGI IS A VOLUNTARY public benefit organisation of surveyors and geographical information science (GISc) practitioners, registered in terms of the Geomatics Profession Act (No. 19 of 2013), who focus on business aspects of the survey and GISc industries.

Risk and registration The recently enacted Act now regulates, among other things: • the spatial positioning of objects, structures and engineering works • the recording of all data needed to define the size, position, shape and contour of any part of the earth • the planning and determination of the position of the boundaries of land and of rights in land • the design, establishment and administration of geographic information systems (GIS) and the collection, storage, analysis, visualisation and management of geospatial information. By law, one must now be statutorily registered. Don’t put your development or appointments at legal risk by appointing non-registered persons, you may be committing an offence and jeopardising your development and professional indemnity.

The geomatics professions The geomatics professions include: • surveying • mapping sciences • geographic information sciences • environmental visualisation • geodesy • photogrammetry • remote sensing • land management. Geomatics is concerned with the measurement, representation, analysis, management, retrieval and display of spatial data concerning both the earth’s physical features and the built environment, including land rights and restrictions, registration, planning consent and judgements. By way of scanners, GPS, UAVs (drones), total stations, handheld devices, satellite imagery and remote sensing techniques, our members provide spatial data and professional spatial solutions to complex built environment developments and management issues.

Whom do we serve? All spheres of government, engineers, project managers, architects, planners and various other professionals all need up to date spatial data for decision making, registration of property, land management,

design, construction and hundreds of other purposes where spatial data is used. With its geomatics background, knowledge and skills, SAGI can render a ser vice wherever spatial data is required.

Best practice minimum requirements SAGI believes that best practice when calling for quotes or tenders is to insist on the following documents as part of the tender document: • detailed response to the brief, stating price, deliverables and time frames • registration with SAGC and eligibility to contract as per the categories above in the form of a letter of current good standing from SAGC (www.plato.org.za) • proof of current professional indemnity cover Use a SAGI member for your land and engineering sur veyor and GIS needs.

For more details on the support that SAGI can offer your organisation, contact the national office: e president@sagi.co.za w www.sagi.co.za

IMIESA October 2016

25


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Photograph courtesy of Federale Stene

USE OUR ONLINE, MAP-BASED SEARCH TO FIND YOUR NEAREST SUPPLIER Clay brick is nature’s solar battery. Brick masonry absorbs and stores heat during the day and then releases that warmth when it is needed most – at night. This keeps indoor temperatures comfortable without air-conditioning or heating.

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PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE

Clay is the lasting solution South Africa is heading towards a perfect storm in the affordable housing sector, with the brunt of the fallout being borne by taxpayers and low-income property owners and residents, says the Clay Brick Association.

T

HE USE OF lightweight construction materials, like concrete blocks or prefabricated systems, may help to accelerate the backlog on government affordable housing programmes, but this shortterm focus on construction costs and speed comes at a high long-term price. “The end result is greater electricity use, higher maintenance and shorter structural lifespans,” points out Jonathan Prior, executive director, Clay Brick Association of South Africa (CBA). In 2015, the Department of Human Settlements reported that it had spent over R2 billion in the last three years to repair 26 459 low-cost dwellings – more than double what it cost to build these houses to begin with. So once they have their subsidised house, the CBA asks whether these new property owners be able to afford to maintain them, and pay for basic services in the years ahead. RIGHT An affordable South African home constructed using clay bricks (Photo: Ocon Brick) BELOW This graph summarises the findings of a University of Pretoria study, entitled ‘Thermal performance comparison between five wall construction methods frequently used in South Africa’. Research shows that in coastal, inland and winter rainfall regions, home owners pay an unnecessary premium for electricity when residential structures have been built with either concrete blocks or steel frame/ pre-fabricated panels

“As a lasting solution, brick is a low-risk building material, so construction projects can be accurately specified, budgeted and planned. There is a huge body of knowledge and experience on construction standards and techniques, and local labour is easy to find. Even in remote areas, clay bricks are mass-produced in efficient, environmentally friendly and legislated facilities, and products are supplied at competitive prices,” Prior expands.

Major savings The cost of electricity increases every year, with heating being one of the largest contributors to home energy bills. One of the best reduction methods to counter this is effective insulation, with clay brick construction proven to pass on major savings. “Clay bricks are dense and essentially perform like thermal batteries,” Prior explains. “They slowly absorb and store heat during the day, over a six- to eight-hour period, and then

release that heat when it is needed most – at night. This prolonged thermal lag – unique to clay brick – keeps indoor temperatures within the comfort range of residents during both hot days and cold nights. The result is lower electricity use,” Prior adds. In comparison, lightweight structures made from steel-frame concrete panels or hollow concrete blocks can become “hot boxes”. Because lightweight masonry responds quickly to temperature changes, rooms need fans or air conditioning during the day, and then cool down quickly after sunset, which necessitates expensive heating during cold nights. Another key benefit is that brick homes are naturally quieter: clay masonry has one of the highest acoustic attenuation values of any walling material. Being entirely natural, clay bricks contain no pollutants or allergens and are resistant to ants, borers and termites. This material also achieves maximum fire ratings. For example, brickwork does not burn when exposed to a bushfire and can help protect the more combustible items inside a house. Clay brick homes also require little maintenance. Brick masonry does not promote mould growth and does not fade, warp or flake in the sun. Thus, property owners can be assured of a valuable long-term investment with low operating costs. This strength and durability leads to a lifespan that outlasts almost any other practical building material – 100 years and more. “We believe that affordable housing should also be affordable to maintain over a long lifetime of service,” concludes Prior. “Think lifecycle cost – not just construction cost.”

An interior view: this eight-star CSR clay brick house uses just 15% of the heating and cooling energy of the average pre-1990 home (Photo: CSR Limited, Australia)

IMIESA October 2016

27


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE

George de Sousa, chief operations officer, NMC Civils

The NMC Construction Group is a privately owned, multidisciplinary construction group, offering clients integrated building and civils solutions. The company undertakes contracts ranging from individual projects through to longer-term infrastructure projects for both public and private clients.

An enterprising attitude

W

ITH NATIONWIDE opera- engrained as one of our values – these being pertions and more than sonal growth of staff along with the remaining val1 500 employees, the NMC ues of pride, trust, and discipline,” says De Sousa. Construction Group has the capacity to take on large, complex infrastruc- Turnkey 'design and construct' delivery ture projects. With established offices through- Considering its enterprising attitude and ability out South Africa and Windhoek, it is well posi- to develop its people to meet specific needs, it is able to respond quicktioned to take on projects in er to the changing needs remote areas. CIVIL SERVICES of the market at any given The group has an extensive list The NMC Civils division has time. "While current procureof accreditations and certifications extensive experience in the ment procedures dictate a to give its clients, professional construction of civil services for municipalities across tender process, the NMC teams, and other stakeholders the country. Its scope of Construction Group's ‘design peace of mind that the NMC works includes: and construct' ser vice Construction Group has pertinent • steel water pipelines on offers a holistic approach to experience in the relative fields in concrete plinths any project, including design which it operates. “This affirms • bulk sewer lines • bulk water infrastructure coordination, planning, plan that the NMC Construction Group • municipal sewer and water approval, budgeting, and has policies and procedures to reticulation construction management. ensure that business operations • concrete reservoirs The group has successfully are as efficient as possible and • concrete canals established strategic longthat our safety, quality, and envi• external water supply term partnerships and diverronmental controls are of the high• bulk services • oxidation ponds sified its portfolio across est standards,” explains George • township development the industrial, commercial, de Sousa, NMC Civils COO. infrastructure. retail, agricultural, and NMC Construction Group has institutional infrastructure extensive experience in the private sector, which is considered dynamic, and it has an sectors,” he explains. NMC Civils, a division of the NMC Construction enterprising attitude, versus that of a public sector bureaucracy. “The development and growth of Group, is uniquely positioned to assist govour people is the core of the NMC culture and is ernment with the many challenges it faces in

28

IMIESA October 2016

TOP Caledon social housing development ABOVE Rustenberg township development

achieving the National Development Plan (NDP). De Sousa elaborates: “In looking at the continuous and evolving developments in our country, the demand for improved service delivery remains a primary requirement for South Africans. The public sector plays the biggest role in initiating these developments, particularly those in underdeveloped areas. The NDP cannot be achieved and delivered by government alone; it requires a collaborative approach by the public and private sectors.”

An extensive network With over 30 years’ experience in turnkey design and project delivery, the NMC Construction Group has developed the necessary project management skills and secured an extensive network of professionals, including civil, electrical, and mechanical engineers, to be a leader in building and civil engineering construction in Southern Africa. www.nmc.co.za


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE

IMESA NORTHERN BRANCH

Strong water focus at seminar

T

HE AUGUST 2016 IMESA Northern branch AGM and annual seminar, held at Ekurhuleni’s municipal offices in Edenvale, was well attended by built environment practitioners from across the Gauteng region. The South African Road Federation (SARF) also had an exhibitor’s stand at the event. This year, there were five presenters, predominately covering key issues in the water, stormwater and environmental arenas. Providing a safety perspective, Andre Fabricius of AnFab Consult presented on the topic ‘Road signs in compliance with legislation’. This was followed by a presentation made by Dingaan Mahlangu of SRK Consulting, entitled ‘The use of a regional flood management system to integrate municipal stormwater data’. We know that mitigation has a major impact on a road’s lifespan and maintenance intervals. However, there’s another element to consider, namely ways to capture and harvest stormwater, plus a new approach to rainwater harvesting. Water security has become one of the most burning issues for South Africa and SADC and more creative interventions are required. Presenter Tommy Hilder, from the City of Tshwane, expanded on this area, with a specific reference to how his municipality is stepping up measures to encourage householders to adopt rainwater harvesting as a way of life, both in terms of contingency management during water restrictions and as a measure to reduce mains consumption in areas like garden irrigation. Hilder has studied water usage practices in countries like Australia and Israel, which share similar climates to South Africa. His opinion is that these countries are far more conservative and strict in protecting this precious resource. Israel stood out for him as a prime example of effective and

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT Werner Bruhns (former IMESA Northern branch chairman), Andre Fabricius (AnFab Consult), Dingaan Mahlangu (SRK Consultants), Tommy Hilder (City of Tshwane), Johan van der Waals (TerraSoils), Thabo Hlabela (new IMESA Northern branch chairman) and Nico Wheeler (Elster Group)

well-disciplined water management practice, particularly in terms of the widespread adoption of drip irrigation. The latter dramatically reduces the amount of water used. Monitoring consumption and changing current behaviour is vital, and tariffs should be implemented accordingly to encourage responsible usage. Nico Wheeler of Elster Group expanded on these and other topics in his presentation, entitled ‘Water metering and accountability’. Johan van der Waals of Terra Soils added to the presentation mix with a discussion on wetland management. As he points out, understanding seasonal trends, correctly interpreting the geology and complying with environmental legislation are just some of the factors infrastructure developers need to consider. (For further information, please refer to his paper in this issue of IMIESA, on p 79.)

New chairman elected During the AGM, Werner Bruhns, who has been the Northern branch chairman for four years, announced that he was stepping down and that his role will be filled by Thabo Hlabela from Magoba Maphuthi & Associates. “I’d like to thank Werner for his support over the past years in preparing me to take over as chairman. This is an opportunity that I’m very excited about,” says Hlabela, who previously served as the Northern branch’s deputy-chairman. Hlabela has been an IMESA member since 2003.

“My goal, as chairman, is to increase the participation of our existing members, as well as drive new membership within the Gauteng and greater Northern region, which, combined, has one of South Africa’s highest concentrations of municipal engineers. “IMESA has a key role to play in continuing professional development, which includes mentorship programmes for technicians and engineers. We also want to increase the number of female members within our branch and encourage them to take up leadership and mentorship roles. Supported by the Northern branch management committee, I have an excellent team in place.” The Nor thern branch will play an integral role in the roll-out of the 2017 IMESA Conference, which is being held at Emperors Place, near O.R. Tambo International Airport. Northern branch management members Basil Jonsson (SARF) Ben Molleman Cecila Mkhatshwa Cedric Mphagi Chris Etsebeth (secretariat) Dingaan Mahlangu Franz de Lange Gavin Clunnie Hosana Ndlovu Hugh Hodge Ian Mabuza Johann Marx (treasurer) Marius Vermeulen (outgoing secretariat) Moeketsi Mohlabi Moses Maliba Nick Pretorius Norman Swart Obed Kgosiemang Thabo Hlabela (chairman) Vuyani Gxagxama Werner Bruhns (outgoing chairman)

IMIESA October 2016

29


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE

Meeting the

growing waste challenge Vlakfontein hazardous landfill was declared open as of 1 June this year. The significant R250 million investment represents the first landfill in South Africa built to comply with strict new environmental guidelines. BY FRANCES RINGWOOD

S

ITUATED IN the Vaal Triangle, the new Vlakfontein H:H (high hazard) landfill site has been built in the petrochemical industrial heartland of South Africa with the latest international best practice in landfill engineering. Built by Averda, a global waste management company, through local subsidiary Wasteman, the site has been described as a paradigm shift in local landfill management. Wasteman is one of South Africa’s largest waste management firms specialising in the full chain of waste management services and was acquired by Averda last year in April – with Wasteman transitioning to the Averda brand this year. Vlakfontein is the second commercially available waste landfill in the region and has an expected useful life of about 30 years. Planned future additions for the site include an incinerator, and waste-to-energy, gas collection and disposal plants.

Hazardous waste management “This is a very exciting time for our company and we are pleased to bring the world’s best technology to bear at Vlakfontein. There has been a marked increase in the region’s

30

IMIESA October 2016

industrial development and expansion as a result of the industrial and mining areas of the inland regions – with that comes an increase in waste volumes,” explains Jan Labuschagne, CEO, Averda South Africa. “The Vlakfontein landfill site will alleviate the shortage of fully compliant disposal facilities for hazardous waste in South Africa.” Labuschagne adds that hazardous waste needs to be approached comprehensively. “Wasteman and Averda SA practise total waste management,” he says. “Waste streams that can be diverted from the landfill for recycling (or recovery) are subject to our strict processes; any non-recyclable or hazardous portions of these streams, following suitable screening, can be disposed of at the Vlakfontein site.”

Construction The Vlakfontein project team worked together seamlessly to ensure the highest standards for this flagship project. Fountain Civil Engineering (FCE) was appointed as the construction contractor, as well as being involved in supporting infrastructure at the site. Envitech Solutions was appointed to provide civil engineering expertise. Gundle Geosynthetics ensured that the proper linings were selected and installed

at the site, with Fibertex Geotextiles Africa manufacturing and supplying materials for the site (as well as initially acting in an advisory capacity to the design engineers). According to Stan Jewaskiewitz, owner, Envitech Solutions, “Vlakfontein’s initial bulk earthworks construction was carried out between November 2013 and May 2014. “Due to the steep sides of the old quarry excavations, extensive earthworks were undertaken to create stable slopes at 3:1 (18.4 degrees). The landfill was designed in such a manner that there would be a minimum barrier of 4 m between the underside of the lining and the groundwater,” he adds. Ted Fountain, managing director, FCE, notes that, as well as performing work on the landfill itself, FCE was involved in the supporting infrastructure. “Excavators, graders, articulated dump trucks and tractor loader backhoes were used for a number of duties. “The Vlakfontein contract was unique in that it required the reshaping of an existing quarry to accommodate the new cell. As a company, we pride ourselves on working together with the client and engineer, and this has been particularly satisfying from that perspective,” Fountain states.


company for the project included “58 000 m2 of non-woven Fibretex XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX F-34 separation/filtration geotextile, 300mm Stone leachate collection system 116 000 m2 of non-woven Fibretex Geotextile layer XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX F-1200 protection geotextile, 2mm HDPE Geomembrane liner 57 000 m2 of our woven Polytex 600mm Compacted clay liner PT515 separation geotextile, and (4 x 150mm layers) 8 550 m2 of our Greencell geocells.” Geotextile layer XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX In addition, Fibretex added value to 150mm Leakage detection system (granular material) the project by providing ongoing advice Geotextile (separation layer) XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 1.5mm HDPE Geomembrane liner on the suitability of geosynthetic prod200mm Compacted clay liner ucts throughout the design stages. 150mm Base preparation layer This later extended to performance In situ soil testing of the proposed products in a simulated laboratory environment Lining for success to confirm suitability. Perhaps most crucial to a landfill achieving compliance success is the selection and Upskilling potential installation of the correct lining material. Colin Given the industry-leading nature of the site, it de Bruyn, GM and technical manager, Gundle represents an opportunity to encourage future Geosynthetics, explains, “The first of seven waste management workers – from engineers planned cells for the site was lined with a new and chemists to manufacturers and vehicle Class-A barrier system. The system consists of operators – to engage with a world-class landtwo layers of SANS 1526:2015 grade flat high- fill and be inspired by the best. “We hope, one day, to be able to take schooldensity polyethylene (HDPE). This particular HDPE consists of smooth and textured materi- children on tours of the facility to expose them als (in 1.5 mm and 2 mm thicknesses) with to the many careers available in waste manspecific friction values and asperity heights, agement. The hope is that it will expand their horizons with regard to what can be done with plus two layers of compacted clay. “Geosynthetic clay liners were used to speed chemistry or engineering degrees, growing the up the construction process of the leachate local skills base and feeding back into fosterpond; these are also more environmental- ing professional excellence in waste managely friendly when compared to natural clay, ment,” concludes Labuschagne. The company is currently in the probecause the trucking and compacting processes have a smaller environmental footprint. cess of implementing environmental proThere is also a built-in leak detection system grammes in the area, including the develand various layers of geotextiles for protection, opment of vegetation and the introduction of wildlife – as well as investment into the separation and filtration purposes,” he adds. Darryn Meisel, sales director, Fibertex, local community through education and explains that the products supplied by his recycling programmes. Waste body

Geotextile layer

IN A NUTSHELL

Liner system The Vlakfontein landfill is located within an old brick quarry and the initial bulk earthworks construction was carried out using “mini” earthworks scrapers. The abandoned quarry excavations had steep side slopes necessitating extensive earthworks to create stable side slopes at 3:1 (18.4 degrees). The geotechnical investigations had shown that there was an extensive depth of natural clay soils beneath the landfill that was suitable as a natural barrier between the landfill and the underlying groundwater. More importantly, the clay was also suitable for the construction of the liner system, which included a 600 mm compacted clay liner and various other geosynthetic materials. The liner system comprised multiple composite liners with leachate collection and leak detection systems. Class A Barrier System The Class A barrier liner system proved to be a challenge during construction, and with the installation of the geosynthetic liner materials. However, a Construction Quality Assurance plan was implemented, which ensured that all the liner materials were correctly installed in accordance with the project specifications. In addition to the landfill cell constructed in Phase 1, other infrastructure included a lined leachate dam, concrete stormwater drainage canals, entrance road with two weighbridges, workshops and an administration building.

IMIESA October 2016

31


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE

Eastern Cape Listing COMPANY

CIDB RATING

CONTACT PERSON

TELEPHONE

EMAIL ADDRESS

Alliance Plumbers & Civils

5CEPE

Goesnie Jappie

+27 (0)41 451 0601

goesnie@telkomsa.net

BRO Civils

6CEPE

Dawn Oppelt

+27 (0)41 365 2477

dawn@brocivils.co.za

Coastal Construction

2CE

Heather Etsebeth

+27 (0)41 379 2707

coastal@agnet.co.za

Cotterrells Construction

7CE/3GB/ME

Allan Cotterrell

+27 (0)45 943 1325

cotterrell@isat.co.za

Czar Construction

7CEPE

Simba Hove

+27 (0)72 530 8688

eastl@czarconstruction.co.za

EZ Mtima Plumbing Services Gcina Sonke Engineers cc

6CE

Edward Mtima

+27 (0)43 762 2136

mtimaplumbing1@telkomsa.net

7CEPE/6GB

Jones Frimprong

+27 (0)47 531 3585

gcinasonke@telkomsa.net

Grass Master

6CE

Ryan Holmes

+27 (0)41 585 2629

ryan@grassmaster.co.za

Irhafu Transport

6CE

Okkie Fourie

+27 (0)49 891 0118

okkie@fouriesvervoer.co.za

Izana Civils cc

4CEPE

David Hector

+27 (0)41 823 9182

david@izana.co.za

John Skinner Construction

6CE

John Skinner

+27 (0)41 586 2620

john@johnskinner.co.za

Lejamo Construction

6CEPE

Andrew Moss

+27 (0)43 730 8954

andrew@lejamoconstruction.co.za

Lexintons Civil & Plant

7CE

Kalp Mostert

+27 (0)41 372 1850

kmostert@lexintons.co.za

Likthemba Building & Civils 6CEPE/2SQ (Sikonya) Louis Nell Plant Hire Trust 7CE

Pamela Mda

+27 (0)43 721 0478

pamexecutive@telkomsa.net

Louis Nell

+27 (0)49 836 0007

noorsdelta@isat.co.za

Mazangwa Construction

7CEPE

Kent Wilson

+27 (0)43 740 2675

info@mazangwa.co.za

Mfuraa Trading

7CEPE/2GBPE

Mfundo Kwani

+27 (0)45 838 5161

info@mfuraaprojects.co.za

MMP Contractors

6CEPE/1GB

Wantu Bugqwangu

+27 (0)45 857 0406

mmpcontractors1@gmail.com

Murray & Roberts Infrastructure Newport Construction

9CE

Barry Theron

+27 (0)41 365 5320

barry.theron@murrob.com

8CE

Paul Walker

+27 (0)41 461 1488

info@newportconstruction.co.za

Ngelethu Construction

6CE/GB

Elroy Dido

+27 (0)41 581 1253

office.ec@ngelethu.co.za

Norland Construction

8CE

Sam Hobson

+27 (0)43 736 6294

samhobson@norland.co.za

Platinum Africa

6CEPE

Mbulelo Dlambewu

+27 (0)43 748 4455

admin@platinumafrica.co.za

Strata Civils

7CEPE

Dave Le Roux

+27 (0)41 581 6651

dave@strata.co.za

SJW Civils cc

8CE/6GB/5ME

Calvyn Ferreira

+27 (0)41 372 1845

cferreira@echoholdings.co.za

Techni Civils cc

8CE

Charl Du Plessis

+27 (0)41 364 3240

info@technicivils.co.za

Umso Construction

8CEPE

Tollo Nkosi

+27 (0)43 748 4747

tcnkosi@umso.co.za

WDR Earthmoving Enterprises WK Construction

6CE

Sulette Cloete

+27 (0)45 971 9162

sulettecloete@gmail.com

9CE

Jared Meyer

+27 (0)41 372 1728

jmeyer@wkc.co.za

Full Membership

Emerging Membership AG Gwele Developments

4CEPE

Amyoli's Developers

2CEPE/2SQPE/2GBPE Nonkululeko Ketelo

Anda Gwele

+27 (0)47 531 0800

gwele@thepub.co.za

+27 (0)78 657 7471

aketelo@yahoo.com

AMS Developers & Projects 3CEPE

Amos Saleni

+27 (0)48 881 3317

amsprojectsman@gmail.com

Aztec Road Services

1SK

Yonela Jindela

+27 (0)43 736 1118

yonela@aztecroad.co.za

Fairmile Fencing

4SQPE

Lucille Borman

+27 (0)41 992 3297

fairmileec@telkomsa.net

Fanaka Construction & Engineering Hlangeni Contractors & Engineers

5CEPE/4GBPE/3SQPE Luvo Tembani

+27 (0)74 484 5929

info@fanaka.co.za

2CEPE/1GBPE

+27 (0)76 452 8787

kayab@hlangeni.co.za

Kaya Buwa

Continues on page 142

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IMIESA October 2016


AQUATAN: PROTECTING WATER RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT FOR Aquatan’s commitment to protecting water resources and the environment continues to underpin its cutting-edge innovations; international and local support affiliations; superior products constructed with engineered materials; and our customer-centric approach that provides the TOTAL SOLUTION. Aquatan is therefore perfectly placed to address two extremely important challenges that face South Africa: water preservation and pollution control. Thanks to 50 years of experience and our ISO 9001:2008 accredited

50 Years

Program for Quality, Aquatan possesses the required engineering and supervision skills to provide detailed engineering advice for lining dams and reservoirs to prevent water loss, while also using the most effective means to harvest rainwater. Aquatan is furthermore able to deliver on government regulations by providing geosynthetic composite lining systems that adhere to all relevant local and international standards, guaranteeing a lining system that will outlast the pollutants contained.

1 2

1 This sewage treatment works project, completed in 2004, is located in the small town of Ghanzi, in the western part of Botswana. The facility consists of two anaerobic ponds, two facultative and four maturation ponds. The total quantity of HDPE 2.0mm material installed was 57 000 m².

3

The Aquatan free standing AQUADAM® is an ideal “just add water” instant dam system. The dam folds in half to fit onto a LDV and can be moved as often as needed. AQUADAM® needs no concrete or mesh wire support and does not need to be kept full to stay standing. Made of strong, flexible High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and weighing 25kg to 35kg, it is easily handled by just two people. The HI-DRILINE® material is UV resistant and literally lasts a lifetime.

3

44 4

2

The 45,5Ml capacity reservoir was constructed in 1954 and is situated below ground level. The lined reservoir has been divided into 16 independent Hi-Drain equipped leakage detection/ groundwater pressure release compartments, has 295 columns and 82 wall support buttresses. Aquatan lined it with its specially formulated 2.0 mm Hyperliner, which was installed over a perforated Hi-Drain spacer to detect leaks and attend to an unusually high groundwater table. The lining was installed in 2014 in a Johannesburg reservoir.

Aquatan constructs floating covers to reservoirs with the latest generation Reinforced Polyolefin Membranes now carrying a life expectancy beyond 20 and 30 years respectively. These covers are applied to Potable Water Reservoirs, Molasses Storage Reservoirs and Chemical Containment Reservoirs to prevent concentration by evaporation and rainwater dilution of the stored liquid.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Tel: +27(0)11 974 5271 Fax: +27(0)11 974 4111

E-mail: aqua@aquatan.com Web: www.aquatan.com


PARTNERS IN INFRASTRUCTURE

Sabita listing

Continues from page 24

Title

Initials

Last Name

Company

City

Postal Address

Postal Code

Mr

J

Strydom

NAMIBIA TECHNICAL SERVICES CC

Windhoek

Mr

N

Nathoo

NATHOO MBENYANE ENGINEERS

Greyville

P O Box 30623 Pioneers Park P O Box 47595

4023

Mr

S

Pretorius

NATIONAL ASPHALT

Hillcrest

P O Box 1657

3650

Mr

A

Nagel

NELSON MANDELA METROPOLITAN UNIV

Port Elizabeth

P O Box 77000

6031

Mr

N

Govender

NOLANS EARTHWORKS & PLANT CC

Haymarket

P O Box 28617

3200

Mr

L

Heathcote

OUTENIQUA LAB (PTY) LTD

George Industria

P O Box 3186

6536

Mr

T

Freestone

POLOKWANE SURFACING (PTY) LTD

Ladanna

P O Box 288

0704

Mr

N

Burger

POWER CONSTRUCTION (PTY) LTD

Blackheath

P O Box 129

7581

Mr

J

Seima

PUMA ENERGY SERVICES SA (PTY) LTD

Saxonwold

2132

Mr

J

RAETEX INDUSTRIES

Tiburon, CA

Mr

L

RAND ROADS (A DIV GRINAKER-LTA) LTD

Jet Park, Boksburg

Ms

S

Rattray

RANKIN ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS

Lusaka

Postnet Suite 190, P/Bag X31 1550 Tiburon Boulevard, Suite B1 Cnr Jurgens Street & Jet Park Road P O Box 50566

Mr

KG

Rocher

RAUBEX (PTY) LTD

Ashwood

P O Box 10302

3605

Mr

G

Catin

RAUBEX KZN (PTY) LTD

Ashwood

P O Box 10302

3605

Mr

T

Saks

RELIANCE LAB EQUIP (PTY) LTD

Rosslyn

P O Box 911-489

0200

Mr

G

Joffe

ROAD MATERIALS STABILISERS (PTY) LTD

Greenside

P O Box 84513

2034

Mr

PB

Joubert

ROYAL HASKONINGDHV

Gallo Manor

P O Box 867

2146

Mr

R

Manganyi

SA ROAD MANAGEMENT CO (PTY) LTD

Quagga

0058

Mr

JB

Lansdell

SALPHALT (PTY) LTD

Isando

Postnet Suite 23, Private Bag X06 P O Box 234

Mr

BI

Jonsson

SARF

Birchleigh

P O Box 8379

1621

Mr

A

Marais

SASOL SA (PTY)LTD

Durban

4001

Mr

J

van Heerden

SASOL TECHNOLOGY FUELS RESEARCH

Sasolburg

The Marine Building, 22 Gardner Str P O Box 1

Mr

RL

Hornsey

SHELL SA MARKETING (PTY) LTD

Kloof

6 Ipivi Road

3610

Mr

A

Taute

SMEC SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD

Lynnwood Ridge

P O Box 72927

0040

Mr

JL

Walstrand

SPECIALISED ROAD TECHNOLOGIES (PTY) LTD

Westmead

P O Box 15324

3608

Mr

SO

Single

SPRAY PAVE (PTY) LTD

Alberton

P O Box 674

1450

Mr

MP

Prinsloo

TAU PELE CONSTRUCTION (PTY) LTD

Noordstad

P O Box 13125

9302

Mr

D

Pagel

TOSAS (PTY) LTD

Wadeville

P O Box 14159

1422

Mr

K

De Villiers

TOTAL SA (PTY) LTD

Saxonwold

P O Box 579

2132

Mr

RB

Purchase

TPA CONSULTING (PTY) LTD

Westville

P O Box 1575

3630

Prof

GJ

Jordaan

TSHEPEGA ENGINEERING (PTY) LTD

Glenstantia

P O Box 33783

0010

Mr

A

Philip

UNIQUE TRADING & OUTSOURCING (PTY) LTD Benoni South

P O Box 5424

1502

Prof

WJVDM Steyn

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORA, DEPT CIVIL ENG

Hatfield

Lynnwood Road,

0002

Prof

KJ

Jenkins

UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH

Matieland

Private Bag X1

7602

Mr

J

McLoughlin

WORLDWIDE TANKS ON HIRE CC

Durban

P O Box 2250

4000

Mr

E

Mukandila

WORLEYPARSONS RSA (PTY) LTD

Marshalltown

P O Box 61232

2107

Mr

MP

Bouwmeester

WSP GROUP AFRICA (PTY) LTD

Sloane Park

P O Box 98867

2152

Mr

JM

Pearce

ZEBRA SURFACING (PTY) LTD

Kenwyn

P O Box 14335

7790

Mr

S

Gama

ZIMILE CONSULTING ENGINEERS

Halfway House

1685

Mr

P

Sreedhar

ZYDEX INDUSTRIES PVT LTD

Gujarat 39021

Postnet Suite 252, P/Bag X11 G1 Gotri Sevsai Rd, Sevasi Vadudara

34

Cochrane

IMIESA October 2016

94920 1459

1600

1947


CONSULTING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

CESA Aon Engineering

2016

Engineering Excellence Awards

Excellence Awards

Enhancing Society Together

Enhancing Society Together In partnership with clients, stakeholders and communities Once it was enough for engineers to ask themselves: how can people’s lives be made easier? Today, in the face of unprecedented challenge and change, we believe this question no longer reaches far enough. In response, we have focused the work and passion of our engineers and consultants towards a deeper level. How do we make lives not simply easier, but better? By working in partnership with our clients and other stakeholders, we are committed to make an impactful contribution to society through our projects. We are focused on solutions to the Global Challenges faced in respect of Urban, Water, Transport and Industry through our Business Lines of Water; Transport & Planning; Industry & Buildings; and Maritime & Aviation. The framework underpinning our focus on enhancing society rests on four simple questions. These are addressed in every project we undertake: Royal HaskoningDHV

n

Will our solution meet the demands of the stakeholders?

n

Will it add value for society as well as clients?

n

Are we providing the best solution now and in the long term?

n

Can we deliver what is required with an optimal use of resources and fossil fuel energy?

Head Office Johannesburg, South Africa +2711 798 6000

Working alone, we cannot change the world. Working together with our clients, stakeholders, partners and communities, we are in the process of moving towards a better future for all.

www.royalhaskoningdhv.com/za

CELEBRATING ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE CESA Cover 2016 PROOFED2.indd 2

2016/08/04 02:12:25 PM

Consulting Engineers of South Africa recently hosted its annual CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards, placing a spotlight on the important role that infrastructure plays in the sustainable development of the country.

T

HE ANNUAL AWARDS evening serves to showcase the achievements of CESA member firms, highlighting quality, innovation, outstanding workmanship and professionalism in the consulting engineering industry. “Given the pivotal role that CESA members have in the South African society and economy, these awards are about thanking all the participants for the role they play in our country’s growth,” stated Terence Williams, CEO, Aon South Africa, on the evening. “Most of all, the winning projects show us that South Africa still has so much to deliver and offer to its citizenry, and that the potential of the country that we love and call home will continue to require the excellence that the consulting engineering industry has to offer,” he added. The 44th installment of the Engineering Excellence Awards took place on 17 August, at Vodaworld in Midrand, with major players in the consulting engineering fraternity in attendance. The project winners and entries are as follows:

Projects with a value of between R50 million and R250 million

ABOVE Winners of the 2016 CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards

Winner: R103 between Van Dyk Road and Diana Road – MPA Consulting Engineers The project is situated in the Germiston/ Boksburg area and is an upgrade of part of the existing single-carriageway provincial road P4-1 (route number R103), which links Johannesburg to Heidelberg. Historically, the road served as part of the primary national road between Johannesburg and Durban, until this function was taken over by the N3 freeway. The upgraded

section begins at Van Dyk Road (P58-1) and ends near Diana Road (P140-1) – a distance of approximately 8.2 km. The project scope essentially included converting an existing single-carriageway road to

BELOW Projects with a value of greater than R250 million winner: Braamhoek Consultants joint venture with GIBB, Royal HaskoningDHV and Knight Piésold

WINNER

IMIESA October 2016

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CONSULTING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

WINNER Projects with a value of between R50 million and R250 million winner: MPA Consulting Engineers

a dual-carriageway road, including the upgrading of 12 intersections. The upgrade focused on improved geometric standards, safety, pedestrian facilities, drainage to minimise sinkhole formation, expanding the strategic public transport network, and providing better access from areas south-east of the City of Johannesburg. Commendation: Condale 33/6.6 kV Substation – Royal HaskoningDHV The existing Condale Substation, built over 60 years ago, was in need of an upgrade to handle the growing population of Mogale City and to ensure stable electricity supply for the expanding community.

The existing equipment fault current rating of 15 kA was upgraded to 31 kA and new and improved control and protection systems incorporating the latest technology were installed. Condale is the only main infeed substation for the whole of Mogale City. Other entries: • Bellville Waste Management Facility – Mott MacDonald • Lufhereng Integrated Housing Development – Bigen Africa • Upgrade and replacement of HVAC installation and BMS at SARB HQ – Spoormaker & Partners • Rehabilitation of and improvements to MR168 between New Vlaeberg Road and Annandale Road – EFG Engineers • Rehabilitation and upgrade of Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit – WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff • Cipla Distribution Gateway – Bigen Africa.

Projects with a value of less than R50 million Winner: National DST/Mintek NIC Cleanroom Facility – Royal HaskoningDHV The new R13 million National DST/Mintek NIC Cleanroom Facility is aimed at combating deadly diseases. The facility allows for the rapid development and production of diagnostic devices that are capable of diagnosing illnesses, such as malaria, in their early stages. Royal HaskoningDHV’s specialised Cleanrooms Division is one of the few design specialists in the country capable of meeting the exacting specifications required for BSL 3 classified laboratories and ISO 3 cleanrooms. The successful outcome of this project lay in the quality of the engineering design and the attention to detail. Physical constraints imposed by the existing building envelope permitted no margin for error and the facilities had to be designed to be accommodated within a very limited space. The consulting engineer overcame the risk of error by conceptualising the design in the preliminary

WINNER Projects with a value of less than R50 million winner: Royal HaskoningDHV

36

IMIESA October 2016


CONSULTING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

WINNER ABOVE Mentor of the year: Nevin Rajaskran – Zitholele Consulting BELOW Young engineer of the year: Gabrielle Wojtowitz – Aurecon

stages to a high degree of accuracy before finalising the design and committing it to the tender documentation. Commendation: Century City MyCiTi IRPTN station – HHO Africa The Century City MyCiTi bus station is an innovative bus terminal situated within an existing, busy public transport interchange. The new terminal station provides seamless integration with existing bus and taxi public transport operations, private vehicle parking areas and pedestrian networks. The interchange had to fit on to an existing, fully operational public transport interchange on a site with fixed dimensions and competing space requirements. The required conventional platform face for the MyCiTi station was longer than the site dimensions, and the innovative and ingenious use of angled platforms saw the platform length fit the site, without sacrificing the operational efficiency of the station. The station was located in such a way to allow the exiting non-MyCiTi operations to continue and interface seamlessly with the new MyCiTi operations.

Other entries: • Pacaltsdorp Footbridge – SMEC • Transport plan for the EcoMobility World Festival – MPA Consulting Engineers • Design of the Cosmo Mall Bridge – WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Best international project Winner: Kasane-Kazungula Villages Sanitation Project – Aurecon Botswana An innovative, vacuum-based system was the highly successful solution for the Kasane-Kazungula Villages Sanitation Project to improve the sanitation system in this northern part of Botswana. The existing sanitation services were typically septic tanks or small and inefficient treatment works, which were continually overflowing and contaminating the river, causing health concerns for the estimated 30 000 residents of the villages and over 250 000 tourists a year. Since the vacuum sanitation system was commissioned in October 2015, it has operated exceptionally well. The successful design and reliable performance of the system has created a basis for its replication in other areas of Africa. Commendation: Nakambala Product Alignment and Refinery Project – Bosch Projects The Nakambala Product Alignment and Refinery Project includes the construction

of a modern, high-specification refinery to more than double current annual refined sugar production capacity, to around 100 000 tonnes, and increase annual sugar production capacity, from 420 000 tonnes to 450 000 tonnes, through a range of smaller factory improvements. Bosch Projects was the EPCM consultant for the project and its Equipment Division supplied various items of process equipment to the project, including a 50 m high refined sugar conditioning silo. During the course of the project, 1 200 tonnes of structural steel was erected, 3 400 m3 of concrete poured, and 1.6 km of piles installed. Other entries: • Preparation of Malawi national catchment management and rural infrastructure – Aurecon • Super-refined sugar 600 TDP conditioning silo for Ksaet Thai International Sugar Company – Bosch Projects • Mokhotlong-Sani Pass road – Aurecon Lesotho.

Mentor of the year Winner: Nevin Rajaskran – Zitholele Consulting Other entry: Tony van Schijndel – JG Africa.

Young engineer of the year Winner: Gabrielle Wojtowitz – Aurecon Commendation: Louis de Waal – Bosch Holdings Other entries: • Ntembeko Njoloza – WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff • Caro-Joy Barendse – Royal HaskoningDHV.

Mentoring company of the year Winner: Bigen Africa

Business excellence Winner: Bigen Africa

Visionary client of the year Winner: Growthpoint Properties Other entries: • Johannesburg Water • Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

IMIESA October 2016

37


CONSULTING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

New frontiers in procurement and delivery Chris Campbell, CEO, Consulting Engineers South Africa, shares his thoughts on the way forward for the association and South African infrastructure, in an interview with ALASTAIR CURRIE.

F

INDING CREATIVE ways to deliver more with less is a central theme for South African infrastructure planners, as they stretch capital expenditure budgets across a wide range of priority projects, none of which should ideally take precedence. The government’s National Development Plan 2030 has identified approximately 16 strategic areas, key ones being transport, power, water, and information and communications technology. Funding will come chiefly from public revenues, plus international loans, but can the local

38

IMIESA October 2016

public-private partnership platform help accelerate the process in unlocking bottlenecks? It’s a case of business confidence and perceived risk, but this model has worked in the past and could be a working platform going into the future. “It’s about more constructive engagement with all public and private sector stakeholders and transparent management of funding, project allocation and delivery,” says Campbell, adding that South Africa’s procurement philosophy is evolving in a positive way. Examples include the National Treasury Standard for Infrastructure Procurement and Delivery

Chris Campbell, CEO, CESA

Management (SIPDM), applicable to stateowned entities that fall within the ambit of the Public Finance Management Act (No. 1 of 1999) (PFMA), effective from 1 July 2016, as well as to entities that fall within the ambit of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), though the latter only need to comply with the standard from 1 July 2017.

Modernising public fiscal management The key objectives of the PFMA include: • modernising public sector financial management


CONSULTING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• p utting measures in place for the accountability of public sector managers • ensuring the timely provision of information • eliminating waste and corruption in the use of public assets. For the first time, the PFMA differentiates between the procurement of goods and ser vices during the evaluation of the tender process, so it is not just a review of functionality and price. The emphasis is now on best quality and lasting value in accordance with the new SIPDM. Better fiscal efficiencies will result in a more realistic value proposition for local and international investors. For South African companies, this is proactively reinforced by National Treasur y’s renewed emphasis for “on-time payment” of ser vice providers. CESA has a major role to play here in monitoring and evaluating under its current theme of ‘Mapping a sustainable path for engineers amid growing economic challenges’. Partnerships are central in bridging the gap between public and private industries, with the emphasis on positive engagement. Proactive examples include a memorandum of understanding between CESA and National Treasur y, through the department of the chief procurement officer.

CESA has been appointed as a training provider for its members, to ensure that consulting engineers are accredited and compliant when it comes to the tendering process. CESA will also act as a watch body, evaluating bid pricing to ensure that it is realistic and achievable. “Ser vice providers, including consulting engineering firms, will also need to prove that they have the necessar y contracting expertise,” says Campbell. “This will require companies to pass and then be accredited on the National Treasur y database as being competent in all aspects of the contract.”

Skills transfer Campbell continues, “In terms of infrastructure, we need to ensure that processes that will enable good skills transfer are followed, to ensure medium- and longerterm solutions.” Turning to South Africa’s burning infrastructure issues, water strategy management is at the top of the list. In a countr y that complains about the spiraling cost of just about ever ything, there’s a strange conundrum. South Africa’s water tariffs are still relatively low, which doesn’t drive the right behaviour, especially in more

ERRATUM This is the corrected version of the original article published in the August 2016 issue of IMIESA. In the August 2016 issue, we stated in the third paragraph of this article that “Examples include the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), applicable to stateowned entities, where the focus is no longer determined purely on function and price. This Act came into effect from July 2016, with the Municipal Finance Act due to follow in July 2017, with similar measures adopted.” This should have read, “Examples include the National Treasury Standard for Infrastructure Procurement and Delivery Management (SIPDM), applicable to stateowned entities that fall within the ambit of the Public Finance Management Act (No. 1 of 1999) (PFMA), effective from 1 July 2016, as well as to entities that fall within the ambit of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), though the latter only need to comply with the standard from 1 July 2017.”

water-scarce provinces like Gauteng. South Africa currently loses some 30% of its potable water through leaks. A dedicated focus is needed to correct this. “Managing water for CESA and government starts at a macro level. For example, how do we ensure that the dams we have in place now can maintain their capacity? Gauteng, South Africa’s largest GDP contributor, is augmented by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which is approximately six years behind programme, with current domestic capacity seriously depleted. In most other South African provinces, the outlook is even more austere, so urgent measures are needed to boost conser vation through water leakage prevention, combined with the construction of new dam and reser voir facilities.” Wastewater treatment has also not kept pace with urban development, especially in major growth nodes, where existing facilities have aged, are under capacity and need urgent attention. These installations, like roads and other infrastructure, require focused maintenance and the right skills to ensure this. “Of course, they also need capital funding, but the emphasis must be on predictive and proactive management, thereby avoiding the costly ‘run to destruction’ approach that ends up requiring a rebuild at substantial expense and potentially severe microand macro-economic loss. No countr y can afford that. “In summar y, we need to return to a life-cycle costing perspective. If we work together with our multifaceted public and private sector stakeholders, we can achieve great things as we tackle the infrastructure backlog. In my view, as an association and as an industr y, we always need to stay positive and see the glass as half full.”

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CONSULTING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Water, a vital resource HOW WELL IS IT MANAGED? Water and sanitation will remain one of the key developmental challenges facing African communities and nations, with direct impacts on economic growth. BY FRANZ DE LANGE*

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SUCCESSFUL WATER management policy recognises the fact that government is the custodian of this vitally important resource and that it is responsible to steward it properly.

ABOVE Illustration showing a sphere representing all the water on earth in comparison to the size of the earth (Credit: Howard Perlman, USGS/Illustration by Jack Cook, WHOI) BELOW The difference between Roman and modern aqueducts

The weight of water While the oceans cover 71% of the earth’s surface, they only account for 0.02% of our planet’s total mass. Of all the earth’s water, 96.5% is contained within the oceans as salt water, 3.36% is frozen water locked up in glaciers and the polar ice caps, and only 0.14% is available in freshwater lakes and dams and groundwater.

Outlook for Africa “Water and sanitation will remain one of the key development challenges facing African communities and nations, with direct impacts on economic growth.” This was the warning from the African Development Bank at the 6th Africa Water Week (AWW6), which took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, during July 2016. More than 50% of Africa’s population currently does not have access to safe and reliable water and sanitation services. In addition, an estimated one million Africans die every year from a lack of adequate sanitation, hygiene and from waterborne diseases. For millennia, most civilisations had recognised that proper stewarding of water resources should entail at least the following: Storage and distribution: the famous Roman aqueducts, still visible today, testify to the engineering skill of their designers to transport water along overhead canals, over tens of kilometres, to bring a constant flow of water from distant sources into cities and towns. Wastewater was removed by the sewerage systems and released into nearby

bodies of water, keeping the towns clean and free from noxious waste. Sharing the resource in an equitable way in order to prevent strife: conflicts over water sources have been documented as far back as 4 000 years ago. Prevention of wastage: the War on Leaks can only be won if everyone who uses and supplies water takes responsibility and gets involved to report and repair leaks, uses it sparingly, and pays for usage. Pollution prevention: the main culprit in the pollution of streams and rivers is raw sewage flowing into them from unmaintained and under-capacity sewer reticulations and wastewater treatment works. The root causes are: • poor future planning • insufficient funding • defective employment policies leading to loss of vital skills • unqualified staff • ineffective supply chain policies and execution • corruption in the awarding of tenders • termination of infrastructure contracts due to non-performance. Fifty rivers have been cleaned and cleared of

pollution under the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) Clear Rivers campaign. “Rivers are the assets of a nation and water security is, therefore, critical for the countr y and its population. The department has, therefore, adopted a premise that healthy rivers allow for a healthy nation,” the DWS said in a statement. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to foster communities that are actively involved and engaged in the management of water resources in the countr y, as well as to help communities become water-savvy and environmentally conscious. Disaster prevention and management: disasters are unplanned, life-threatening, disruptive events, often unexpected at the time, with huge cost implications. “Unplanned” and “unexpected” should, however, not mean “unplanned for”. Responsible institutions should have emergency preparedness plans in place because human lives are usually at stake. *Franz de Lange is a registered professional engineer and the technical director at Nyeleti Consulting.

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CONSULTING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT Hatch’s multidisciplinary approach is unlocking value for municipalities in critical areas like bulk water supply management and mitigation, and developing new approaches to water and wastewater that pass on cost and environmental savings.

Unique dual-stream plant for Merebank

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ATCH WAS responsible for the process design of an anaerobic digestion pilot plant at eThekwini Water & Sanitation’s Southern Wastewater Treatment Plant in Merebank, Durban. The plant is unique in that it can accommodate both domestic and industrial waste streams. The high percentage of industrial waste coming in meant that eThekwini required the pilot plant to have two waste trains, from two industrial sewers and one domestic one, explains Wade Swannell, chemical engineer: Water, Hatch. “The reasoning behind the pilot plant was to test the ideal operating conditions for the digestion of the particular sludge that needs to be processed here, as Merebank differs from traditional domestic wastewater treatment works,” Swannell explains. In terms of the general process flow, there is a continuous feed into a flow tank. This is pumped proportionally to primary settling tanks so as to simulate the diurnal flow of the sewer. Sludge thickeners process the sludge further, following which it is pumped to digesters. “All the while, there is a constant overflow going back to the sewer,” Swannell elaborates. The main challenge associated with the project has been its small size, given its nominal capacity of 14 m3/hour. “It is difficult to size equipment that small, which is why we opted for a semi-batch process design. Despite being small, we still put in the same design effort as with a larger project, especially as it has quite a complex control system,” Swannell points out. The pilot plant has already been commissioned, and is currently in the one-year contractor’s defects liability period. “While our technical role is now at completion, we are looking to stay involved from an R&D

perspective, as we are quite interested in the results that will come out of the pilot plant.” Swannell highlights that the pilot plant is expected to provide valuable data on the dual treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater, which poses a particular challenge in water-stressed South Africa. In terms of ongoing projects, Swannell reveals he is project managing a pilot plant at the Darvill Wastewater Treatment Works for Umgeni Water to take final effluent and treat it to potable standards. This 2 Mℓ/day pilot plant is anticipated to set a new benchmark in this regard. Swannell is also involved with a project to treat mine water for supply to a power station in Mpumalanga.

Assessment and rehabilitation Hatch’s Water Business Unit has two key differentiators. “We are able to undertake all aspects of bulk water infrastructure projects, right from the process side through to structural, electrical, systems and process control,” says Andrew Officer, regional director. “That appeals to clients. The one-stop-shop capability gives you a far more cohesive and coordinated approach to projects. “Second, we are able to combine significant engineering design capabilities with delivery capabilities. A lot of our competitors are good at one or the other. I think that is a significant differentiator for us.” He highlights that the Water Business Unit has identified two new focus areas that will

Andrew Officer, regional director: Water Business Unit, Hatch

broaden its service offering and technological base. The first of these is pipeline condition assessment and rehabilitation. “We have seen or been involved in a number of opportunities recently where we have been able to build up this expertise and gain a significant knowledge of the market and associated pipelining and coating system rehabilitation technologies,” Officer reveals. “A lot of our clients are facing assets that are deteriorating and, hence, facing reduced life expectancies. Being able to refurbish these assets allows one to extend one's capital expenditure programme,” he adds. The second emerging area, which is coming into its own in KwaZulu-Natal, is water-supply risk assessment and mitigation. “We are seeing that as a potential growth area where one is able to analyse real risk of bulk water supplies to clients and help them mitigate these risks. That goes hand in hand with energy reduction,” Officer concludes.

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Developing future generations’ infrastructure today!

WE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO LOCAL GOVERNEMNT AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF BUILT- ENVIRONMENT SOCIAL AND MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUTURE

CORE SERVICES • • • • •

Civil And Structural Engineering Consulting Development Planning And Facilitation Programme And Project Management Technical Training And Mentorship Construction Health And Safety Agency

WE SERVICE THE FOLLOWING PROVINCES Eastern Cape, Free State, Kwazulu Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West

OUR OFFICES ARE LOCATED AT HEAD OFFICE (EASTERN CAPE)

BRANCH OFFICE (FREE STATE)

BRANCH OFFICE (LIMPOPO)

REGIONAL OFFICE (GAUTENG)

Suite 3 Maxamillion Building 9 Scherwitz Road, Berea East London 5241 Tel: (043) 726 8975 Fax: (086) 611 2785 Cell: (073) 207 9419 Email: info@deedscon.co.za

7 Okapi Lechwe Avenue, Fauna Bloemfontein 9301 Fax: (086) 611 2785 Cell: (071) 719 4289 deedscon@deedscon.co.za

93 North View Munik Street Polokwane 0699 Fax: (086) 611 2785 Cell: (072) 416 4683 gwaregad@deedscon.co.za

Q-KON Building 9 Pieter Street, Highveld Centurion 0157 Tel: (012) 665 2828 Fax (086) 611 2785 Cell: (071) 719 4289 deedscon@deedscon.co.za

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR SERVICES PLEASE VISIT:

www.deedscon.co.za


CONSULTING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Delivering services

Gwarega Dambudzo, managing director, Deedscon

with communities, for communities

Deedscon Consult works hand-in-hand with government and communities to deliver services effectively, says Gwarega Dambudzo, professional civil engineer and managing director.

on the joy that we bring to the communities. We have truly witnessed that, as much as water is life, sanitation is indeed dignity,” he says. Currently, Deedscon is on the verge of completing a R15 million multipurpose sports centre in Grahamstown, under Makana Local Municipality, which aims to give the inhabitants of Joza, in Ward 7 of Grahamstown, a place where they can be involved in indoor sporting activities and hold community meetings and private or public functions.

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Four pillars for success

EEDSCON CONSULT is a blackowned engineering consulting company that was established in 2007 to meet the ever-increasing developmental challenges faced in South Africa. The firm provides a range of services, including engineering and development consulting, project management, training and mentorship, and construction health and safety services. The company has successfully completed a number of projects for local government, implemented as either a consortium or as sole consultant. As recent as 2014, Deedscon was a lead member of a consortium that delivered approximately 1 800 ventilated improved pit toilets under the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality’s Sanitation Backlog Eradication Programme. “At Deedscon, we treat every project as being very important, since we understand the development cycle in local government, which includes the integrated development planning process, where communities get an opportunity to prioritise their developmental needs. It was, therefore, important for Deedscon to participate on a programme seeking to restore dignity to the residents of the communities on the outskirts of East London,” explains Dambudzo. Some of these communities were still using bucket sanitation systems, while others were utilising their own hand-dug pit latrines. “Through this project, we witnessed the joy that service delivery brings to its recipients, and we have learnt to pride ourselves not on the size of the project that we deliver but

“The principals of Deedscon recognise the needs of and challenges facing local government and endeavour to work with the officials and communities in addressing these challenges. Local government is the face of service delivery, and responsiveness is vital in dealing with the recipients of services. To this end, Deedscon upholds four pillars – professionalism, quality, integrity and relationships – as its values in working with local government in planning, designing and implementation management for delivering key services,” says Dambudzo. Professionalism: Deedscon believes in upholding the value of the engineer in society by building the trust that is required to serve communities. This entails contributing to the attraction and development of new entrants in the engineering field. In this regard, the company works with its clients to mentor new graduates to assist them in attaining professional status. Quality: In order to ensure public safety, Deedscon only undertakes projects for which it

BELOW LEFT Deedscon helped deliver approximately 1 800 ventilated improved pit toilets in Buffalo City BELOW RIGHT Multipurpose sports centre in Grahamstown under construction

has the expertise to deliver and recommends any other specialist services needed to clients. The firm’s focus on construction health and safety management seeks to ensure that quality work is delivered in an environment that protects the lives of all. Integrity: Deedscon endeavours to uphold its professional ethics when dealing with clients and communities at large, strongly advocating for the efficient use of resources. The company works with local government to ensure that per formance information on all projects is meticulously recorded, guaranteeing transparency on how public funds have been used. Relationships: Strong relationships are vital to delivering services to communities, and Deedscon works closely with community structures and municipal officials in developing solutions to the service delivery challenges. The company offers training in order to include community members in projects, ensuring that the necessary infrastructure is protected by communities.

Expanding national footprint Deedscon currently works through its offices in Gauteng (Centurion) and the Eastern Cape (East London, Port Elizabeth and Mthatha), but is driving expansion into the Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the North West provinces. This will better enable the company to provide its services to all spheres of government, with a particular focus on human settlements and education infrastructure at provincial government level. Says Dambudzo: “As Deedscon, we are excited to be part of that journey and this is why we continue to be a development partner to local government in developing infrastructure for future generations.”

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INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE

We provide the technology, knowledge, skills and organisational ability, critical to Africa’s development and growth www.eoh.co.za


INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE

The doubling effect

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S THE STORY GOES, a wise old man, who was also a mathematician, in accepting a reward from his masters, said he would like just one grain of rice on the first square of a chess board, with double that number of grains on the second square, and so on – doubling the number of grains on each successive square for the next 62 squares on the chess board. The end result being that, if placed end to end, the rice grains would stretch to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star to our planet, some 40 233.6 billion kilometres away, and back to earth again. Embodied in this stor y, in this example of a well-thought-out benefit, is the synergistic purpose, philosophy and character of EOH. The company’s purpose is to provide the knowledge, skills, technology and organisational ability, which are so critical to Africa’s development and growth, in an ethical manner, while at the same time being a relevant force for the benefit of its customers and playing a

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IMIESA October 2016

By bringing together individual centres of positive role in society, beyond just normal business practices. excellence, as a To achieve this, EOH attracts, group that harnesses employs, develops and retains the the skills and capabilities best people, and from these people, leaders are identified and of its rainbow of nationalities, carefully selected to further complemented by an extensive develop the sustainability of the group by nurturing knowledge base and advanced lifelong par tnerships technology, synergy is achieved. with its customers and business in general. Always pursuing the highest standards of effectiveness in doing the things right the first time, emphasis is placed on professional planning and execution – in everything it does. Like the grains of rice, EOH, an entirely 100% home-grown South African group of companies, is stretching out across borders to become an international player, and is in 38 countries across the length and breadth of Africa. But, it doesn’t stop there. EOH has several points of presence overseas

with additional offices in Australia, the Middle East and the USA currently being established. Back in South Africa, with its 134 points of presence, EOH celebrates the diversity of our nation, actively pursuing transformation in the workplace, because it is the right thing to do, and, in so doing, continually strives to be the best at what it does in every domain in which it operates, while never losing that entrepreneurial touch – which keeps the group at the sharp end of human advancement.


The Vaalkop Water Treatment Plant contains the largest local application of CocoDAFF technology in Africa and one of the largest in the world. CSVwater handled the overall plant and civil design with PCI responsible for the detailed mechanical design, installation and commissioning

CSVwater has extensive experience in challenging engineering projects such as this reconstruction of a 50-year-old filtration facility into a new 90 Mℓ/d facility

EOH is stretching out across borders to become an international player, and is in 38 countries across the length and breadth of Africa

EOH offers public and private sector technology ser vices support to improve business and operational efficiencies in the fields of civil, electrical and mechanical engineering and social services such as education and health. It applies the phrase “economy enablers” as a means to define the greater purpose of what it does. In the civil engineering field, which focuses on water, energy and transport, the group has a number of centres of excellence, each with a service focus designed to add value to a customer’s product or service delivery output, so that the value-add benefits pass on to the customer’s customer.

CSVwater Consulting Engineers This company of professional engineers and professional scientists focuses on the business of water quality, specifically potable water and wastewater treatment. The company has civil, electrical, mechanical and chemical engineers as well as scientists in its employ – most of whom are professionally registered with their relevant institutions.

Typical projects handled by the company include the design, construction and management of potable water and wastewater treatment plants as well as bulk pump stations and pipelines. It currently has a hand in the treatment of 617 million litres of wastewater per day and the purification of 1 438 million litres of potable water per day. Projects on the go involve the treatment of 188.5 million litres of wastewater per day and the purification of one billion litres of drinking water per day. CSVwater also has extensive experience in the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Blue Drop, Green Drop and No Drop certification programmes, has several lead assessors in its employ and has assisted a large number of water ser vices authorities with regulator y compliance initiatives.

PCI Africa This 63-year-old company’s primar y role, as a process contractor and solutions provider, is in water and wastewater

treatment. The company offers a variety of ser vices from process design, plant design, project management, equipment manufacture, materials supply, installation, commissioning and, where appropriate, operation and maintenance. It has provided EPC projects in the past on largeand small-scale works where speed and cost control are important in ensuring a top-quality project for the client. • Potable water treatment: This includes chemical conditioning, hydraulic flocculation, mechanical flocculation, sedimentation, clarifiers, sludge blanket clarifiers, dissolved air flotation (DAF), counter-current DAF, rapid gravity filters, lateral filters, monolithic filters, oxidation, aeration, ozonation, granular activated carbon filters, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet sterilisation, disinfection, chlorination, pumping plants and transfer stations. • Wastewater treatment: This involves screening, grit removal, primar y sedimentation, sur face aeration, fine bubble diffused aeration, DAF, sludge thickening, suction lift clarifiers, sewage pump

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INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE

MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES • Assessment of the status quo of all aspects including physical components, operation, management and institutional arrangements • Capturing of system information in data bases, spatially linked where appropriate • Establishing of GRAP compliant asset registers • Planning and execution of verification inspections and condition assessment surveys • Evaluation of system performance w.r.t. service levels and efficiency • Analysing and interpreting of available measured and inspection data • Assessment of component condition, performance, utilization and criticality • Applying of specialist software for the modelling of system performance • Performing of demand analysis • Establishing of long term investment planning for the purposes of ameliorating existing deficiencies, accommodating future growth and performing optimized asset management • Performing of overall system risk assessment • Assessment of metering, billing and overall revenue efficiency and design revenue improvement strategies • Design and implementation of monitoring and communication systems • Implementation of management information and project control systems • Assisting in regulatory reporting

SOME COMPANIES WITHIN THE EOH GROUP

WATER CONSULTING ENGINEERS

JOAT has been providing assistance to the Mangaung Municipality for their long-term leakage reduction programme, which includes the design and commissioning of various PRV installations

stations, heat exchangers, digestor mixing, disinfection and chlorination. PCI’s list of projects and accomplishments is quite substantial, with over 715 water and wastewater treatment plants constructed in 19 African countries. In looking at the statistics, 6.5 billion litres of water is treated daily through its water treatment plants, which provide 52 million people with water on a daily basis.

Exigo In the tension between social, economic and environmental needs, this innovative company finds value driving sustainable solutions to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future. In so doing, it applies a range of technical and scientific skills, utilising world-class technology in a holistic process to create sustainable legacies, monitoring and hydrogeology.

GLS Consulting This firm of consulting engineers specialises in the planning, implementation and management of water-related and electrical systems, which involves careful analysis of the operating

JOAT offers a complete turnkey solution for leakage reduction, such as the fast-track installation of this 250 mm diameter PRV for the city of uMhlathuze

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INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE

requirements of water and electrical distribution and sewer reticulation systems. This includes modelling the integrated systems to simulate operation and plan refurbishment and extension to optimally accommodate current problems and future growth. Further specialist work that GLS performs includes NRW audits, water quality modelling, risk-based analysis for pipe replacement prioritisation, system risk analysis, the compilation of water demand management strategies, analyses for the grading of parameters in the asset register based on hydraulic performance and the performing of analyses for establishing tariff structures based on water meter statistics. These critical services add distinct value to the service delivery of municipalities and water authorities through establishing optimal long-term investment planning.

integrated management systems, services include the design of new roads, upgrading, maintenance and rehabilitation of existing roads as well as the design, implementation and upgrading of municipal infrastructure. Being part of the EOH Group, V&V is able to deliver services to customers across the spectrum of national, provincial and municipal roads, and even the private sector – e.g. mining. With a sum total of 1 194 years’ experience, V&V has assessed 726 908 km of road with an asset value of R53.9 billion. In addition, 23 704 average lane kilometres are managed annually, with a R4 billion maintenance backlog assessed.

Chase Sukema

JOAT Within the current context of South Africa’s ageing water infrastructure and huge water losses, due to leaking pipes, JOAT is Africa’s largest and most successful non-revenue water (NRW) expert able to effectively deliver NRW reduction strategies and implementation solutions. This is achieved through a range of services covering water system audits; water balances; pressure management; leak detection; restoring/stabilising water supply; meter selection, testing, calibration and sizing; benchmarking studies; turnkey solutions; business process mapping and standard operating procedures; and training, technology exchange and mentorship. To date, JOAT has achieved verified water savings of 145.7 Mℓ/day from the numerous water supply systems on which it has worked across South Africa. JOAT also offers extensive expertise in specialist waterand energy-related products, pump station and irrigation efficiency solutions and drought mitigation response. Its national network of eight offices, highly skilled staff and distribution relationships with premier product manufacturers ensure that clients receive quick, cost-effective, value-added and sustainable solutions.

IMQS Software IMQS is a specialised software solutions company providing proven infrastructure asset management (IAM) solutions and services to over 100 government and private organisations in South Africa, and internationally, for more than a decade. In understanding that one of the primary objectives of government departments and private organisations responsible for vast infrastructure networks is

JOAT provided a turnkey solution for emergency water supply to 8 000 residents of KwaChili/Shangase on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast as part of a drought response initiative

to maximise the value from capital and operational expenditure and minimise costs relating to infrastructure, IMQS has the following tried and tested software applications available: • Asset management: effectively budget, establish, maintain, upgrade and operate physical infrastructure assets. • Water: develop plans to ensure efficient, affordable, economical and sustainable provision of water and sanitation services. • Electricity: optimise available energy resources and plan proactively for existing and future energy demands. • Project control system: plan and manage infrastructure projects with excellence by gaining control over expenditures and monitoring costs. More than 90 towns and cities in South Africa use IMQS products, including large cities such as the City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, the City of Cape Town and Johannesburg Water.

V&V Consulting Engineers This company specialises in road asset management systems (RAMS), which are so crucial to the maintenance of our road infrastructure – the lifelines that integrate our economic development. Without well-maintained roads, the entire economy would slow down, impeding growth. Even so, and in addition to providing

This innovative software development company specialises in developing software solutions and integration platforms, providing information and data management in the areas of physical security information management (PSIM), safety and security, integration of electronic security, workforce management, maintenance, occupational health and safety (OHS), asset tracking and traffic solutions. With this operations risk management systems software being continuously enhanced, as well as the ability to integrate and combine any existing technology required to overcome the customers’ challenges, Chase is able to offer its end-to-end applications software through its integrated technology platform to provide operational data via the web, cloud, mobile and other cutting-edge technologies in real time. This ensures compliance, accountability and total exception management in any form on a full-time basis, vastly reducing the reliance on manpower. Industry sectors served include universities, security companies, mining companies, shopping centres, estates, city improvement districts, ports and transit hubs, healthcare institutions, manufacturing companies, distribution warehouses, property companies, retail outlets and very large government organisations.

Conclusion It is EOH’s firm belief that infrastructure changes absolutely everything. When a community gets access to clean water, it can improve health, increase access to food, grow local economies, and help children spend more time in school. Water is life! That is why this group of EOH companies has come together in the infrastructure services sector – to play a positive role in society, beyond just normal business practices but in addressing the holistic infrastructure needs of our communities.

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

Bay of Plenty

Pier reconstruction The need to counter the power of the sea has led to a creative and lasting solution for one of Durban’s iconic beachfront structures.

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RANKI AFRICA has constructed all of Durban’s most recent beachfront marine structures, including Dair y Beach Pier, uShaka Pier, uMhlanga Pier and the more recent Argyle stormwater outlet. Therefore – and owing to the fact that Franki Africa is the largest, oldest and most established specialist geotechnical contractor in sub-Saharan Africa – the company was confident of further success when it was appointed by eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality to commence the reconstruction of the Durban Bay of Plenty Pier.

In order to safely demolish the old pier and build the new one, Franki constructed a 110 m temporary jetty adjacent to the existing structure as a working platform

The existing pier is a reinforced concrete deck supported on precast concrete piles, which retain a rock groyne beneath the pier. Due to scour and failure of the precast piles, approximately 75 m of the seaward end of the pier had failed and was in danger of collapsing. As a result, it had to be demolished and reconstructed. The main scope of works included the demolition of the 75 m seaward section, which included the existing piling and deck; installation of twenty-two 750 mm diameter x 24 m permanently cased piles; construction of a new 75 m x 10 m wide deck; and the installation of five hundred 4 t geotextile scour protection bags within and around the seaward end of the pier. During construction, the existing pier continued to move due to the failed piles.

“In order to safely demolish the old pier and construct the new one, Franki constructed a 110 m temporary jetty adjacent to the existing structure as a working platform,” explains Paul Pearce, branch manager: Durban, Franki Africa. Obstructions, including large boulders and concrete below the seabed, caused difficulties in installing piles and these had to be broken through using chisels and grabs, resulting in lengthy delays. Where the existing failed piles obstructed the proposed new pile positions, the jetty had to be redesigned to accommodate the new positions and raking piles. Ongoing settlement of the rock within the groyne and in the seabed around the pier caused the engineers some concern and additional scour protection measures were implemented to stabilise the situation and ensure that the groyne ser ves its intended function of beach sediment control – and produces a decent, but safe, wave for the sur fers. Reconstruction of the deck started at the seaward end of the pier, with

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

the existing structure being cut with wire saws into manageable pieces and removed to be dumped. The existing precast piles were braced and incorporated into a new capping beam below the new structure.

Custom shuttering The new deck, which is approximately 4 m wider than the existing deck, was constructed in 11 sections. Custom shuttering, supported on the new and existing piles, was used. The deck design and formwork had to be modified several times during construction to accommodate the

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revised pile positions and the raked pile. “As with all marine works, the risks associated with rough sea conditions were ever present, making the fixing and maintaining of the deck shuttering challenging,” Pearce expands. “One of the measures taken to speed up preparation works, to avoid the exposure time, was the use of polystyrene blocks for soffits and void filling.” The main structure is complete and the hand rails, benches, lighting and other finishes were completed in September 2016. The reconstruction had taken longer than originally scheduled, due to the unforeseen

ABOVE FROM LEFT An overall perspective of the pier, with work in progress on the new 75 m reconstructed section on the seaward end The project scope for the pier’s reconstruction entailed the installation of twenty-two 750 mm diameter x 24 m permanently cased piles The old pier prior to reconstruction (right) showing failed pile sections

conditions, but the final outcome is yet another beachfront attraction of which Durban and Franki can be proud.

IMIESA October 2016

THE FUTURE IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE. IT’S BETTER! When Franki Africa was bought by the Keller Group the geotechnical universe changed forever in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. Our capability and range of specialist solutions is now greater than ever before. ISO 9001 ISO 14001 OHSAS 18001

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Solutions include: Piled Foundations; Rigid Inclusions; Jet Grouting; Lateral Support; Underpinning; Deep Soil Mixing; Soil Improvement; In-situ Replacement; Pipe and Culvert Jacking; Environmental Remediation; Marine Foundations and Structures; Geotechnical Investigations; Geotechnical Advice & Design and more.


Severe wave

erosion

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ITHIN ONLY EIGHT years of its original 1982 construction, the Bay of Plenty Pier required repairs to some of its precast concrete piles. The scouring was far more excessive than anticipated, but, once rectified, the pier remained stable for decades. Relentless wave action subsequently led to gradual erosion of the seabed and increased sand rock levels around the pier to such an extent that it shifted horizontally by 577 mm. Dangerous rip currents began flowing through the pier, causing scouring and failure of the precast concrete piles, resulting in an urgent need for remedial measures, which were completed in September 2016. For the stabilisation of the pier, eThekwini Municipality contracted Franki Africa to construct deeper piles and a wider deck, and to solve the erosion problem, without damaging the environment, Kaytech’s EnviroRock 3PL containers were chosen as the best possible solution.

EnviroRock 3PL geotextile containers are made from a unique, multilayered, nonwoven, needle-punched, staple fibre together with continuous filament geotextiles that are reinforced with a high-strength composite fabric. Providing enhanced filtration, combined with excellent resistance to puncture abrasion, excessive elongation and UV, EnviroRock 3PL containers are ideally suited for use in the harsh conditions of marine environments. Altogether, 333 bags of EnviroRock 3PL were placed within and alongside the newly constructed seaward end of the pier. The bags restore rock levels, which, in turn, redirect rip currents and greatly improve wave conditions. EnviroRock 3PL has several advantages over traditional sea wall construction methods: only in situ fill materials such as sand, soil, gravel or recycled materials are used, thereby reducing the cost of imported materials, while also protecting the

ABOVE LEFT EnviroRock 3PL bags hydraulically filled with beach sand ABOVE The 2.8 tonne bags were moved mechanically into position at the end of the pier

environment from contamination. Available in an array of sizes and systems, this solution meets the requirements for a variety of marine and inland water way problems, and can also be used for temporar y structures, such as bunds or cofferdams. IMIESA October 2016

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Performance by comparison

and leading by example

Efficient planning and execution on two mechanically stabilised earth wall (MSEW)system projects in Africa set new standards for construction speed and quality. BY JOSEPH MEADOWS*

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HEN WE ASK the question, “How well do South African and African contractors perform versus foreign competitors?” there are many aspects to consider. If we just consider the project management perspective, we may find that the South African contractor is securely in the same league. In the two cases to be discussed below, both were retaining walls using concrete panel retaining wall systems – one in Sierra Leone and the other in Egypt. Some years ago, WBHO was the contractor on a project that, among other things,

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required the building of a tip wall at a coal mine. As can be expected with these types of projects, the client had some non-negotiable stipulations on time and performance. The construction delivered a range of different and difficult problems, but these, although timeously solved, resulted in the urgent need for production to be stepped up rapidly. The author has observed some remarkable examples over 16 years of contractors installing retaining systems in Africa, but on this occasion, the contractor, through careful planning and programming, set an African

Dawran MSEW construction section in Cairo, Egypt: the width of this road highway is 60 m and it forms part of the major Outer Ring Road development, of some 400 km in length

record by installing 41 panels (127.92 m²) plus backfill in one day. This feat was far above the average and demonstrated the ability of the contractor’s project manager to apply those items listed in PMBOK (project management body of knowledge) to orchestrate, to their best advantage, the strength of the MSEW system.


GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

MacRes tip wall project for the Gangama rutile mine in Sierra Leone

The same contractor, WBHO, was awarded a project in 2015 on a remote site in Sierra Leone for a similar solution to construct a tip wall under the auspices of the consultant, DRA. In this case, the rapid construction was again used to good advantage and contributed to the project being completed on time. On this project, the contractor and consultant capitalised on the MSEW system by choosing experienced staff to lead their respective teams. This, along with the project-specific training by the supplier, meant the team were able to make a perfect start to the construction of the retaining wall. The result was a demonstration of textbook installation, to the extent that the activities were recorded and can now be used in a BELOW Bridge abutment on the Dawran project BELOW RIGHT Ganagama project: optimised soil reinforcement lengths installed to satisfy design factors of safety

BEST POINTS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT AT EACH SITE • The choice by both project managers to use competent and experienced team members, as well as mobilising the appropriate plant, demonstrates a much better result in achieving structures that are not only compliant to project requirements, but are also aesthetically pleasing. • The decision by both project managers to examine the specific advantages of a technology, and to orchestrate its components in order to execute them more efficiently, has benefited both the project owners as a whole and the morale of the construction team, as members are much more satisfied with their own contribution to the final result. • The theoretical claims of the solution provider have been adequately tested by the project managers, confirmed by the site staff, and found to be accurate as per the manual; namely that the system can achieve rapid construction, which is an advantage over conventional reinforced concrete retaining walls. • The project managers have found that their willingness to become actively involved in the optimisation of the system has generated a better understanding of the solution and its intricacies. With specific attention to critical and important holding points, their ability to achieve their management objectives and achieve record-breaking results has improved. • The South African contractor again demonstrated a high level of skill in performing an installation to achieve a best practice format. Although the initial installation benchmark has been successfully challenged by a foreign contractor to capture the record-beating execution of MSEW systems, foreign contractors now have the new challenge to upskill their game to achieve a standard of best practice.

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GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

video on YouTube, for marketing purposes, as a best practice example. The team was unaware that its per formance was of such a high standard and that a video recording of its work will continue to be used as a demonstration of the current, state-of-theart construction of an MSEW retaining wall.

A first for Egypt In the second case, in Egypt, the Egyptian contractor, Samcrete, assisted by the Maccaferri agent, Strata Soil Systems (who has extensive experience on concrete masonry block walls), undertook the first Maccaferri MSEW concrete panel retaining wall system in Egypt, at Ismylia, west of Cairo. As this was a new MSEW technology introduced into Egypt, an extended training period was offered by the supplier, to ensure a complete cycle of activities was demonstrated and completed prior to handing the site over completely to the contractor. The first structure, a bridge ramp and false abutment, was completed without

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incident and the contractor was so satisfied that it decided to continue with the same system on the next set of retaining walls on an adjacent site, named Dawran. The width of this road highway is 60 m and it forms part of a major development called the Outer Ring Road, of some 400 km in length. The location of the structure is currently on rural land, but is slowly becoming urbanised. Not too long ago, it was on the edge of the Sahara desert. An acute grasp of the benefit of this rapid installation technology spurred the contractor to organise the plant and labour force in a programme that would accelerate the installation. As of the first week in May 2016, the contractor, Samcrete, again co-assisted by the Maccaferri agent, Soil Strata Systems, achieved the installation of 71 panels plus backfill (approximately 221.5 m²) placed in a single day. This makes Samcrete the new and current record holder in Africa for the installation of the Maccaferri MacRes concrete panel retaining wall system.

Best installation practice Maccaferri Africa has been encouraged by the results achieved on these two projects to use them as examples of best installation practice and its record achievement of installation. This confirms how active contribution by project managers who investigate to understand the technology and commit to the application of a high standard of project management principles can highlight advantages that need not remain textbook analysis. The comparison highlights that there are champions who have been identified who can lead the way, in both installation speed and best practice. Their personal attention to the 10 key elements of PMBOK has been demonstrated to ensure that fit-for-purpose, on-time structures, constructed within cost, can be built by competent project managers who lead their respective teams through collaboration and firm instruction. *Joseph Meadows is a technical consultant: North & West Africa and the mining business development manager for Maccaferri Africa.

IMIESA October 2016

Mechanically Stabilised Earth Walls (MSEW)

MacRes® T & ParaWeb®

National Tel: +27 87 742 2710 International Tel: +27 31 705 0500 Branches: Durban (HO), Johannesburg, Cape Town, East London, Tongaat (Factory)

www.maccaferri.com/za


ROADS & BRIDGES

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS IS BUILT ON PARTNERSHIP


The roads we build, maintain and upgrade,

not only connect people and their families,

but they play a signiďŹ cant role in the survival of every business in existence, and the

advancement of the South African economy.

At SANRAL, we will continue to raise the bar in engineering, safety and needs of our communities and citizens.

SANRAL.

Creating wealth through infrastructure.

www.sanral.co.za

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CONNECTING YOU.


READ ABOUT A vision to transform SA’s transpor t network

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JV constructs Elias Motsoaledi bridge

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Proper phasing vital for new concrete intersections

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Technical Paper: Cost-effective upgrading, preser vation and rehabilitation of roads

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Innovating to deliver faster, safer and more efficient infrastructure

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The current and future vision of the South African National Roads Agency is to interconnect communities and economies, as the organisation’s founding CEO, Nazir Alli, explains in an interview with IMIESA. Key project examples include the Moloto Road Corridor and the N2 Wild Coast toll road. P64




ROADS & BRIDGES | SANRAL

A vision to transform SA’s transport network The current and future vision of the South African National Roads Agency is to interconnect communities and economies, as the organisation’s founding CEO, Nazir Alli, explains in an interview with IMIESA. Key project examples include the Moloto Road Corridor and the N2 Wild Coast toll road.

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HEN THE South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) started out some 18.5 years ago, the organisation was responsible for some 7 000 km of roads to start with. This has now grown to 22 000 km, and the medium- to longer-term outlook is to extend this still further to approximately 35 000 km. Of this, approximately 22 000 km has been identified as strategically vital to the economy. Outgoing CEO Nazir Alli explains that the mandate is to manage, finance and maintain South Africa’s primary road network and, in the process, act as a positive catalyst for the country’s macro and micro priorities. “For example, more than 75% of South Africa’s freight traffic continues to move via our national roads, which underscores their significance,” he points out. In any one year, Sanral manages close to 500 projects at various stages of completion, and annually spends up to R12 billion. “Sanral serves South Africa Inc.,” stresses Alli. “This means that we put the transportation

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interests of the country first and, in addition to our national agenda, work closely with provincial and local government roads agency authorities in terms of technical assistance and project management support – in the spirit of cooperative governance – to make sure that our infrastructure works.” He points out that this has a direct bearing on how Sanral and municipal projects should interconnect, now and going forward. “Some of this is crystal-ball gazing, but always based on detailed intelligence gathering and analysis, so that we have a clear understanding of how the national network should grow based on demand. This data records aspects like traffic movements on a 24-hour basis, so we can identify key trends.

ABOVE Nazir Alli, CEO, Sanral BELOW An artist’s impression of the Msikaba Bridge, which will be an approximately 500 m span structure some 210 m high. The inverted Y pillars are a distinctive architectural feature

“That’s why it’s so important for Sanral to continually engage with private and public sector stakeholders. Building roads is clearly not just about transport: it’s about moving people and goods in the most efficient way possible, always keeping the interests of the community top of mind.”

Moloto Road Sanral’s current Moloto Road (R573) project serves as a prime example of serving these interests. The Moloto Road initiative falls under Strategic Integrated Project 1: Unlocking the northern mineral belt with Waterberg as the catalyst. “Our immediate focus is on


ROADS & BRIDGES | SANRAL making the road safer. Sadly, Moloto’s infamous name is the “road of death” and that has to change. From the onset, our engineering intervention will help to achieve this and we’ve identified hazardous zones that will be targeted first,” says Alli. Poor road maintenance has been compounded by a surge in residential development and traffic congestion. The 93 km route, which has now been incorporated into the Sanral network, effective July 2015, passes through three provinces, namely Gauteng, starting from the northern Tshwane zone, through to Mpumalanga and Limpopo. This road is used by some 150 000 commuters daily and links 33 informal settlements. Sanral is responsible for upgrading 93 km of the road between the Mpumalanga-Gauteng border and Marble Hall in Limpopo. The Gauteng section will be carried out by Sanral but funded by Gauteng, as it remains a provincial asset. National Treasury has earmarked some R4.5 billion for the project, which will be constructed in phases over the next five years, starting from October 2016. Critical sections will be widened, while roundabouts, pedestrian walkways and dedicated turning lanes will be built at key intersections. Fencing will be installed, improved street lighting provided and illegal access routes closed. Sanral says the project is also expected to create 5 500 jobs, and significant portions of the contracts will be packaged to promote SMMEs. “We always put people first when we embark on projects of this nature and that applies to the preservation of existing employment and businesses. On the Moloto Road project, for example, Sanral has extensively engaged with affected communities, especially where informal trading encroaches on to the road reserve. We are sensitive to their requirements and will find ways to minimise any potential impacts if traders need to be relocated.” This could include the building of mixed-use, retail-stall-type outlets.

N2 Wild Coast Down in the Eastern Cape, the long-awaited N2 Wild Coast toll road project is now going ahead. This greenfield development will feature a new 112 km road alignment. The route starts at Ndwalane outside Port St Johns and ends at the Mtamvuma River between Mzamba and Port Edward, and includes the construction of two new megabridges spanning extensive river gorges, namely Msikaba and Mtentu. Their combined construction cost is estimated at around R3.5 billion. The Msikaba Bridge will be an approximately 500 m span structure constructed at a height of 210 m. This will be a cable-stayed bridge featuring imposing inverted Y-shaped towers, which will be one of its more distinctive architectural features. (As an aside, the last cable-stayed structure commissioned by Sanral was the iconic Nelson Mandela Bridge, commissioned in 2003, which has H-shaped towers.) The Mtentu Bridge will be approximately 1.3 km long and around 190 m high. It will be a balanced cantilever structure, with the pillars featuring a distinctive design in terms of form and shape. “We’ve covered a fair amount of ground to get to this point: we signed the agreement for the bridge designs in January 2003, more than 13 years ago. Then, in April 2016, we held the site inspection for prequalification. The bridge tender proposals are due to be finalised in November 2016 and construction on both structures is planned for commencement towards the end of Q1 2017,” says Alli. Included in the initial project scope for the bridges is the construction of new roads on either sides of their approach. These road sections will eventually form part of the new N2 and are being constructed first, with work commencing at the end of Q1 2017.

Construction of the remaining greenfield route is due to start from 2018 in progressive stages and includes a series of fairly large bridges. Once fully completed, the new road will cut the total travelling distance between Durban and East London by approximately 100 km. “We’ve worked hard to bring this toll project to fruition and international investor confidence has been excellent, indicated by a strong uptake on our recent Sanral bond issues,” Alli states. It’s one in a series of major career milestones for Alli, who officially retired at the end of September 2016. “We started with the advent of South Africa’s new democracy and have gone a long way towards realising the dream. I am honoured to have played my part alongside a talented Sanral team. “My wish is that we continue working towards more cohesive alignment within the different spheres of government. We need an overall vision that can be embodied within the National Development Plan. I know that, together, all parties will strive to deliver on government’s mandate for the people.” In a recent World Bank Group report, entitled ‘Making it Happen, Selected Case Studies of Institutional Reforms in South Africa’, the achievements of Sanral received special recognition and praise, especially in overcoming enormous challenges. South Africa now has a world-class roads agency that increasingly connects previously disconnected communities and lays the platform for integrated socio-economic growth and transformation. That’s the shared vision for South Africa Inc.

IMIESA October 2016

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SAVE THE DATE 25th-27th OCTOBER 2017

CO N F E R E N C E VENUE

SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING: BACK TO BASICS FOR THE FUTURE Has technology in design made us forget the basic principals of engineering design?

EMPERORS PALACE KEMPTON PARK – JOHANNESBURG

IMESA ORGANISER

THE INSTITUTE OF MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (IMESA) TEL: 031 266 3263 DEBBIE OR MELANIE

EARN 2 CPD POINTS


ROADS & BRIDGES

JV constructs Elias Motsoaledi bridge

Two communities currently separated by a river will soon be connected and empowered thanks to a skills transfer programme. BY CHRISSI MARIA

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HE CITY OF Johannesburg’s Department of Housing awarded the construction of an access road, stormwater pipeline and vehicular bridge across a river in the Elias Motsoaledi District in Soweto to the Stefanutti Stocks Civils/A Re Shomeng joint venture. The project commenced in February 2016 and is due for completion in February 2017. A Re Shomeng is one of Stefanutti Stocks’ strategic enterprise development partners. The multidisciplinary construction group’s strategy is to foster strong working relationships with competent black-owned companies and to develop them in a tangible, meaningful way to ensure that they become sustainable and increase their capacity and capability to take on larger and more complex projects. A Re Shomeng joined the Stefanutti Stocks enterprise development programme in 2014 and the two companies have since successfully bid on two projects (the Elias Motsoaledi bridge and a bus rapid transit project) in joint venture.

ABOVE (from left to right) Project planning with Ericka Lambi (site engineer, A Re Shomeng), Joseph Masekwameng (CEO, A Re Shomeng Holdings) and Mike Stevenson (director: Contracts, Stefanutti Stocks Civils)

City of Johannesburg, with a particular focus on the employment of community members and SMMEs. Phikisile Nkosinathi, PLO, Stefanutti Stocks, has steered the establishment of an SMME business forum, as well as a women’s forum, for which community members register, and where they have the

if you can dream it, we can construct it.

The Elias Motsoaledi project The five-span, 65 m long, 14 m wide continuous composite deck bridge will be supported on two reinforced concrete abutment walls and four piers supported on spread footing. The supports will be founded on mass concrete underlain by a rock layer. The access road is approximately a kilometre long, with a 750 m long stormwater pipe (consisting of concrete pipes between 450 mm and 900 mm in diameter) running alongside it. The new bridge will link two newly developed RDP housing communities that are currently separated by a river.

Community liaison The approach to construction projects that take place within residential community areas, where unemployment rates are relatively high, include the upliftment of residents and small businesses. This particular project employs a community liaison officer (CLO), whose remit is to liaise between Stefanutti Stocks, the community and the

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Multidisciplinary construction group Stefanutti Stocks undertakes projects across sub-Saharan Africa in the following sectors: Building; Bulk Earthworks & Geotechnical; Energy Generation; Industrial Plants, Oil & Gas; Mining & Mining Infrastructure; Transport Infrastructure; and Water, Sanitation & Pipelines.

Tel: +27 11 571 4300 | www.stefanuttistocks.com Bridging your expectations


ROADS & BRIDGES Shutter and support work preparation for one of the Elias Motsoaledi bridge abutments

opportunity to table their concerns, queries and issues. “When we complete this project, our aim is to leave behind a skilled pool of SMMEs, and Stefanutti Stocks has also undertaken to assist in their grading,” explains Nkosinathi. “Open communication and transparency are key to the success of our forums, and as long as the community brings me their concerns, I am able to table and address these, in line with our project’s parameters.” Currently, 60% of the waged employees employed on the project are hired from the

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community. Community members will participate in the precasting and installation of the kerbs and F-shape barriers, which will be constructed in a precast yard located on-site. Community members receive onsite training in the civil trades as well as formal construction training via the Stefanutti Stocks Solid Foundations training programme. A further community initiative sees the construction of a soccer field, which will be formally handed over to community leaders, complete with two goal posts.

Road progress At the beginning of September 2016, the excavation and box cutting on the main road north and south of the planned bridge were completed, with the road bed preparation nearing completion. Stationary road traffic signage and systems, such as speed bumps, have been constructed. Construction warning signs have been placed along the road and the working areas are

barricaded. The stormwater pipe installation is approximately 90% complete along the road on the south side of the bridge construction.

Bridge support A bridge-deck support solution was required to overcome various challenges posed, including the ravine that is situated under the bridge location, weak ground conditions and a flowing river. A suitable decking system was designed by the Stefanutti Stocks Technical Department, which incorporates the suspension of the deck formwork from beams and is supported by towers at the piers. At the beginning of September, four of the bridge piers were complete, and one of the two abutments under construction. “This is an incredibly interesting project that requires teamwork, an open mind, a community-based approach and technical know-how,” says Glen Deyzel, Stefanutti Stocks’ contracts manager for the project. “Building a concrete structure that grants access and enables a rural, undeveloped community to become part of the developed, successful and growing Soweto community is something I will be proud to show my own children one day.”


ROADS & BRIDGES | CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

Proper phasing vital for new concrete

intersections

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ONCRETE PAVEMENTS can better withstand the loading and turning movements of heavy vehicles. As a result, the expense of frequent maintenance is substantially reduced or eliminated. However, the successful construction of concrete intersections is challenging, especially in urban areas where heavier traffic and the needs of adjacent businesses must often supersede other engineering considerations. But modern technology could simplify many of these challenges, says Bryan Perrie, managing director, The Concrete Institute.

The pavement within a junction of an intersection generally receives nearly twice as much traffic load as the pavement on the approaching roadways, which must be taken into account during construction.

Maintain traffic flow Perrie says a clearly defined phasing plan is essential to maintain traffic flow through the intersection during construction. There are four basic construction staging options: complete closure with detours; partial closure with detours; complete closure during time windows; and construction under traffic. “Concrete intersections in rural or other low-traffic roadways do not usually require the same level of consideration as for intersections that carry high volumes of traffic. Closing low-traffic intersections for the duration of construction is often the optimal solution and should always be considered. In some cases, the availability of convenient alternate routes may even permit closing an intersection that carries a high traffic volume without significant concern for traffic flow or business disruption,” explains Perrie. “For the contractor, complete closure is ideal, as it eliminates complex work-zone lane configurations, which decrease the safety of

the construction work area. Complete closure also allows the contractor to place more pavement in a continuous operation, generally increasing pavement smoothness, quality and reducing construction time,” Perrie states. “Unfortunately, closing intersections for the entire construction period is often not viable along urban arterial or corridor routes, as the lack of traffic over an extended period might cause businesses near the closure to lose customers. In these circumstances, one option is to limit complete intersection closure to nonbusiness hours. If it is feasible to divert traffic around the intersection, even for a few hours, the contractor can complete critical construction phases quickly and expedite the entire project,” he adds.

Concentrating on the major roadway pavement generally produces a smoother intersection

Time windows Perrie says some authorities develop phasing plans that allow complete intersection

Bryan Perrie, managing director, The Concrete Institute

closure during specific periods or windows. Usually, such windows will begin at about 18:00 and last until about 06:00 the following morning – the starting and ending times depend on the local rush-hour traffic pattern. Within this window, the contractor may close and occupy the entire intersection. At the end of the window, public traffic must still be able to use the intersection. In this manner, the closure will not hinder morning, evening, or daytime traffic flow. Under time-window phasing plans, the contractors per form each sequential construction operation during successive time windows. For example, if the project includes the removal of an existing pavement, the contractor may place a temporar y pavement after removing the existing material during one 12-hour window. The temporar y pavement will then carr y traffic until the contractor removes it to pave

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ROADS & BRIDGES FIGURE 1 On some roads, it may be impractical to close an entire intersection at any time; this illustration shows possible options for phasing construction under traffic

the new concrete roadway in a subsequent time window. “Another option to avoid closing an entire intersection is to close one leg of the intersection at a time. This is often feasible for intersections between residential streets. Detours along the closed residential street are usually short and not a burden to local residents,” Perrie comments.

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On some roads, it may be unacceptable to close the entire intersection at any time, Perrie adds. Figure 1 shows possible options for phasing construction under traffic. These options may reduce the number of available through lanes and may somewhat limit turning movements during construction. However, the degree of these restrictions depends on the number of lanes on the approaching roadways.

None may be required if the approaching roadways have at least three through lanes in each direction. A detour for one leg of the intersection or special alternating traffic signals will be needed if one or both of the approaching streets has just one lane in each direction. Construction under traffic can generally start on any leg of an intersection. But, if an intersection includes a major road and a minor crossroad, the driving lanes of the major roadway are usually built before the crossroad. Concentrating on the major roadway pavement generally produces a smoother riding intersection. After the major road pavement lanes are finished, other pavement areas can be built without affecting traffic smoothness through the intersection. This method is usually more productive because the contractor can place more pavement in a continuous operation without gaps or changes in the pavement width.

IMIESA October 2016

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ROADS & BRIDGES | TECHNICAL PAPER The provision and preservation of good transport infrastructure is a prerequisite to economic growth. However, the high cost associated with this essential part of service delivery puts an ever-increasing burden on available funds.

Cost-effective upgrading, preservation and rehabilitation of roads BY G J JORDAAN* AND A KILIAN**

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FRICA COMPARES POORLY with the rest of the world in terms of paved road infrastructure, as shown in Figure 1 – a reality that has a direct influence on the competitive potential of the sub-continent. Hence, it is imperative for road engineers in Africa to drastically impact on the provision of road infrastructure at a reduced cost. The investigation of alternative, new roadbuilding products could potentially result in huge cost savings to road authorities. The Gauteng Province Department of Roads and Transport (GPDRT) has identified potential cost-saving nanotechnologies and has embarked on a programme to test these technologies on identified sections of its road network. Testing will be done on identified roads, involving the CSIR through accelerated pavement testing with the Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS) of the GPDRT and academics from the University of Pretoria (UP).

Common roadbuilding materials Basic geology and associated minerals can play a crucial role in the selection of a suitable and cost-effective stabilising agent to enable in-situ materials to be used in the upper road pavement layers. Unfortunately, the basic mineral composition of materials is seldom taken into account when stabilisation is considered to improve the load-bearing characteristics of roadbuilding materials. This can lead to the unexplained or unexpected deterioration of pavement layers that are often blamed on inadequate/poor construction practices.

FIGURE 1 Sub-Saharan Africa compared with the rest of the world in terms of paved road infrastructure (SATCC, 2003)

Currently, material classification is done using empirically derived indicator tests developed more than half a century ago. These tests cannot identify the presence of problem minerals that are present in all natural roadbuilding materials throughout Southern Africa. Problem materials are usually defined as materials that react poorly when stabilised with stabilising agents traditionally used. These include materials containing mica minerals, smectite minerals, cohesion-less sands and organic material. These, among others, could present problems resulting in severe premature distress on roads at considerable costs if not taken into account. The non-identification of these minerals is partly to blame for the conservative (and costly) approach generally followed when designing roads, even for relatively low traffic loadings such as those in residential areas. However, the technology to identify the mineral composition of materials has been available for decades. X-ray diffraction (XRD) testing of material samples can enable road engineers to accurately determine the mineral composition of materials and should become standard practice. This test equipment has been generally available for some time at commercial laboratories.

If more than one stabilising agent is found to be applicable, laboratory tests to determine the required percentage of each stabilising agent, the associated costs and risks should be the determining factors in a life-cycle cost analysis. It is believed that this approach will lower the risk to both the designer and the road authority, and will lead to the cost-effective use of generally available materials in all of the layers of the pavement structure, especially for the design of lower-category roads.

Stabilising agents Usually, only cement, lime and bitumen are used for the stabilisation and improvement of materials for road construction in South Africa. Lime is mostly recommended for use in cases where the material has been tested to contain some clay. Cement, bitumen (in its pure form) and crushed stone or high-quality natural gravel (G4) are usually prescribed for use in the upper layers of a pavement structure for the various road categories. The use of bitumen in a bitumen-stabilised base is comparatively costly and is normally only warranted for use in higher-order roads requiring a design catering for high traffic loadings.

Europe/Central Asia Middle East/North Africa South Asia Latin America/Caribbean Sub-Saharan Africa

% paved roads 0

20

40

60

80

100

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ROADS & BRIDGES | TECHNICAL PAPER

Mixing of nanopolymer-modified emulsion into base layer using conventional equipment

Cohesion-less sand

Unfortunately, many bitumen-derived products, such as emulsions, are totally disregarded by many practitioners when considering design options.

Cement Cement at low percentages (usually <3%) is one of the most cost-effective and widely used stabilising agents traditionally used in road construction. However, strict quality control is important to achieve the required result. The use of cement as a stabilising agent in the base layer is often also associated with cracking (shrinkage as well as fatigue cracking). Although these layers are able to still carry considerable traffic loading in a cracked state, the presence of open cracks on the pavement surface, if not sealed, will lead to the ingress of water from the top and considerable premature distress requiring early rehabilitation. Not widely known, and seldom considered by design engineers, is the behaviour of cement in the presence of some of the minerals associated with problem materials.

materials have been known for decades. More detailed studies recently done at UP have now quantified the detrimental impact of the presence of mica in weathered granite on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) when stabilised with cement, as shown in Figure 2.

Smectite minerals Smectite minerals are widely present in Southern Africa. These minerals are very water-sensitive and the presence of these materials could lead to the early failure of cement-treated layers if not adequately identified and addressed. When material containing even small quantities of smectite is treated with cement alone, the expansion and contraction of the layer will lead to the breaking up of the layer. This distress is often misidentified as carbonation; subsequent tests usually show carbonation to be absent and the reason for the distress goes unexplained. A typical XRD test scan will clearly show the presence of smectite, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The absence of the climatic factors often leads to the breaking down of the basic rock to form single graded sand with little variation in size. The stabilisation of material using economical percentages of cement usually requires material particles of different sizes to form a natural interlocking matrix to assist with the stabilisation process. Sand consisting of mostly single sized particles will usually require 5% and more cement to meet minimum UCS specifications for use in pavement layers. This quantity of cement will inherently lead to a high risk of severe shrinkage cracking.

Sand containing high percentages of organic material • Sand containing crushed sea shells: The organic material comprised of the shell structure is relatively hard but will continue to crush under the action of loading. If not bound properly, this will lead to the early deterioration of a pavement layer where this material is present in large quantities. Similar to cohesion-less sand, relatively high percentages of cement will be required to achieve specified strengths. • Sand containing pulverised (powdered) coral reef: This material is usually very soft and will continue to break down with little load being applied to the material. Similar to the cohesion-less sand, high percentages of cement may be required to meet the required strength specifications. A combination of different stabilising agents may

Mica minerals Acid cr ystalline rock decomposes and weathers under certain climatic conditions resulting in the rearrangement of atoms (in particular, silica chains), which could result in the formation of silica layers, known as mica. The presence of mica in materials and the effect thereof when using cement as a stabilising agent on such

FIGURE 2 Influence of mica in weathered granite on the UCS, using cement as a stabilising agent (Mshali and Visser, 2012)

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ROADS & BRIDGES | TECHNICAL PAPER very well prove cost-effective in the use of this material in pavement layers.

Bitumen Materials stabilised with bitumen products have more flexibility and waterproofing properties. Bitumen stabilisation includes many variations such as foam and emulsion stabilisation. Of these, emulsion has proved to be very costeffective when used in relatively low percentages together with some cement (±1%) and a small percentage of lime in the presence of material with a PI in excess of 6. This stabilisation recipe has been utilised for the in-situ reworking of many roads during rehabilitation throughout South Africa. HVS testing has also shown that this stabilisation recipe can also be utilised cost-effectively on roads with relatively high traffic loading, providing a flexible pavement structure in harmony with the rest of the pavement layers. The successful use of this emulsion stabilisation recipe lies in the fact that the bitumen emulsion covers the clay particles such as smectite and mica, and prevents the interaction with the cement and water that may break up the pavement layer. Emulsions are also very suitable for the stabilisation of cohesion-less sands, providing the smaller particle fractions to bind the material together. However, the stabilisation of sands containing high percentages of pulverised coral reef material may prove problematic, resulting in a need for cement to obtain a stable state and to meet the specified design criteria.

The use of new technology (nanotechnology) New technologies developed over the last decade could prove a game changer in the costeffective provision, maintenance and rehabilitation of road infrastructure. New-generation, successfully tested organosilanes interact chemically with natural

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material molecules to change the surface atom composition of aggregates to drastically reduce the susceptibility of these materials to water. In addition, a variation of nano-based polymers have been developed that can be used to modify bitumen emulsions. These polymers with or without organo-silanes can be used as modifications to existing emulsions, greatly improving the distribution, coverage and, hence, stabilisation characteristics of bitumen molecules, allowing for the use of previously unheard of small quantities of residual bitumen to obtain the required design strength criteria. However, not all polymers exhibit the same characteristics and not all polymers will be effective as a co-stabilising agent for all roadbuilding materials. Mineral identification through X-ray scans together with normal laboratory testing of the modified mix will be required to identify the most appropriate mixture to obtain the required strength criteria for the material being stabilised. Nanopolymer-/organo-silanes-modified emulsions offer the following advantages:

FIGURE 3 Typical large smectite, small quartz plus feldspar peak XRD scan

• reduced risk of cracking • improved performance in terms of higher flexibility • rapid increase in bearing capacity using low percentages of the stabilisation agent • cost-effective use of locally available materials at a low risk • improved resistance to water damage • ease of construction. The addition of the two nano-products results in several advantages over traditional, stable-mix emulsion as a stabilisation agent. These advantages include: • improved distribution of the stabilising agent throughout the pavement layer during the stabilising process, requiring lower quantities of the stabilising agent needed to achieve the required strengths • smaller particles and the water-repellent characteristics assist with the breaking of the emulsion and the rejection of the water from the bitumen-aggregate bonding process,

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negating the need of cement to assist with the breaking of the emulsion • smaller emulsion particles distribute much easier through the material, considerably reducing the construction complexity and effort needed to achieve the required mix and densities • smaller particles pass much easier through the spraying nozzles of the construction equipment, reducing of the risk of clogged nozzles and the uneven distribution of the stabilising agent • reduced risk of clogged nozzles in the distributing equipment, which lowers the risk of a pavement layer receiving an uneven distribution of the stabilising agent • improved cost-effectiveness of the stabilisation process taking into account all the reduced risk factors. These new nanotechnology-based products have been used successfully in many parts of the world, making the common use of marginal materials in the upper layers of pavements a reality on roads. The potential impact on the cost of road infrastructure is considerable and the GPDRT has embarked on a scientifically based programme to also illustrate the viability of this technology on its roads and to quantify the potential benefits. The already available track record of this technology and results from reputed research institutions make this a low-risk investigation with potentially huge returns.

GPDRT experimental sections The rehabilitation of the D1884 road between Vereeniging and Heidelberg has been earmarked by the GPDRT as ideal for the introduction of nano-modified emulsion for the in-situ recycling of a severely distressed existing base layer. Traditionally, the existing base (G7 quality) would be stabilised with cement as a new subbase and a new crushed-stone base imported. In this case, the base will be recycled using an aqueous polymer (nanotechnology) modified emulsion as a stabilising agent (0.7%) to improve the characteristics of the existing base material. This modification allows for the use of lower percentages of residual bitumen to obtain the required strengths, resulting in considerable savings for the road authority, The rehabilitation of the D1884 is now being

LEFT The typical condition of the township road prior to rehabilitation ABOVE Stabilision of the existing G7 quality base is done in situ with 0.7% nano-modified emulsion RIGHT Surfacing of the nanopolymermodified emulsion stabilised layer before applying a nano-prime

preceded by the redesign of a number of roads and HVS test sections in Gauteng using nanomodified stabilisers. These road sections are aimed to provide pavement engineers with a range of designs suitable for low-volume residential streets to roads carrying high traffic loadings. All layers in these roads are designed using naturally available roadbuilding materials (G7 to G5) and tested using an array of nanobased modifiers to achieve the design strengths for the various pavement layers as matched to the mineral composition of the materials. The quantities of the stabilising agents added vary between 0.5% and 1.2%. Layers are being designed and tested for the various categories of roads and compared with the design criteria contained in the design manual for bituminous stabilised materials (BSM) for BSM1, BSM2 and BSM3 layer requirements.

Test programme at the University of Pretoria Using the previous mica/cement studies done at the university as a basis, a test programme will be embarked upon, testing an array of marginal materials (G5 to G7) generally available in Southern Africa to evaluate the impact of various available stabilising agents, including the newly developed nanotechnology-based products. The aim of this comprehensive study is to eventually provide road engineers with an improved guideline for the use of generally available roadbuilding materials in the various pavement layers, based on: • basic minerals present in the material as stabilised through XRD scans • identification of chemical reactions that take place (if any) using an array of different stabilising agents • expected engineering properties to be achieved using different stabilising agents, including the latest nanotechnology-based products available

• testing of durability properties to be achieved as a function of the material and stabilising agent interaction • life-cycle cost comparison of the various stabilising options, taking into account associated risks during the construction process and the probability of achieving the required results during construction and over the design period.

Conclusions The high cost of the upgrading, maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing road infrastructure puts an ever-increasing burden on available funds. This existing scenario of high cost increases makes it essential for design engineers to optimise designs using proven technologies and, together with client authorities, investigate, test and use improved seal, stabilisation and material enhancement technologies that are available and continuously being developed all over the world. The following important factors need to be emphasised with the implementation of new technologies supporting the concept of green roads: • cost factors: most materials are currently sourced from commercial sources, which significantly increases construction costs – the use of material of lesser quality will save on procurement costs and transport costs, as the lower quality materials are more readily available close to road construction sites • environmental factors: lower quality materials require less energy for production i.e. blasting, transportation, crushing and screening is normally not required for the lower quality materials • energy factors: the constructability of nanobased modified stabilisation is less complex and easier to construct (mixing as well as compaction) than the traditional high quality crushed stone base layers resulting in considerable energy savings. References available on request. *GJ Jordaan is a professor extraordinaire at the University of Pretoria and director of Tshepega Engineering (Pty) Ltd. **A Kilian is the deputy director-general at the Gauteng Province Department of Roads and Transport (GPDRT).

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Bridging South Africa: Innovating to deliver faster, safer and more efficient infrastructure South Africa has the potential to become a global economic power. It is blessed with many of the ingredients needed to deliver sustainable growth, including abundant raw materials and a willing and able workforce. However, growth in South Africa is constrained by the country’s lack of rural connectivity, which holds back communities in so many ways; preventing farmers from getting their fresh produce to market, children from getting to school safely and the sick from reaching medical treatment. Mabey is playing its part in helping to change this situation. We have been building bridges across Africa since the 1970s, delivering more than 500 bridging projects in that time. However, rural development projects are challenging; funds are limited; there is a reliance on traditional materials and construction methods and responsibilities overlap. The key to overcoming all of these obstacles, in Mabey’s experience, is innovation. The most obvious innovation is innovation in bridge design, the materials used and the construction techniques deployed. Historically, preferred materials have been concrete or timber. However the use of pre-designed pre-fabricated modular steel bridges can deliver projects more quickly, safely and efficiently. Modular steel bridges are light, re-usable and quickly assembled on site, dramatically speeding up installation. The use of steel rather than concrete, including in abutments, also achieves dramatic cost savings both in the superstructure, the substructure and in on-going maintenance. Also, the environmental impact of building new infrastructure is reduced because steel has high levels of recycled material within it, reducing the demands on natural resources and the local community.

Mabey Bridging Solutions • Modular pre-engineered design with standard interchangeable components • Suitable for both rural and main highway applications • Clear spans up to 90m plus multi-span configurations available • Single, 2 and 3 lane carriageway formats • Full highway load-carrying capability • Fully-galvanised to prevent corrosion and minimise maintenance • Easy to transport • Rapid installation • Installed with no intermediate supports • Full training and site support services access to financing to cover the purchase of bridges and services, local project administration, site surveys, substructure design and construction. Additionally, by accessing the UK’s Export Finance Direct Lending funding, we can offer our customers access to loan finance on highly favourable terms. Our most successful innovation is, however, innovation in approach; the people factor. By developing bridge projects with local communities, as well as employing and training local workforces, we enable significant improvements in the communities we serve. Our focus on establishing local partnerships can deliver immediate costsavings in materials and manpower. Local recruitment gives the local community greater involvement in the project, not just at the time of the initial construction, but during the extended post construction period too. Comprehensive training has a positive impact on long-term maintenance costs and sustainability, and a skilled local workforce enjoys improved employment opportunities long after the bridge has been opened. Improving connectivity in rural South Africa would accelerate the country’s economic growth and reduce poverty.

Innovation in procurement methodology is fundamental too. Current procurement methods hinder innovation and are slow and expensive. They do not maximise available funds or the skills of the local workforce.

With our partners in South Africa, ECM Technologies, Mabey is liaising with local South African Road Development Authorities to accelerate rural development. We believe we can help South Africa grow by enabling it to adopt an innovative approach to bridge design and construction, procurement and financing.

Mabey’s processes can speed up procurement and installation at a lower cost than traditional methods, and we consider our approach to finance to be highly innovative too. Where funds are stretched or limited, we can facilitate

There is more to Mabey. For help with your project, or for more information about our products and services, please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Wetland delineation and stormwater The accurate identification of landscape wetness gradients and hydrological models has a direct impact on urban design planning and construction, as well as legal compliance. BY JOHAN VAN DER WAALS (PhD Soil Science, Pr.Sci.Nat.), Terra Soil Science

A case study on the Halfway House Granite Dome

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VER THE PAST two decades, the conservation wetlands has become a priority in South Africa, due to the intimate link between wetland functionality and causal factors such ecology, water quality and landscape water supply characteristics. In this regard, wetlands are explicitly protected by legislation (and the associated regulations) such as the National Water Act (No. 36 of 1998) (NWA) and the National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA). Wetland investigations conducted by natural scientists include ecological and basic hydrological parameters, with one of the main tools used in environmental applications being a wetland delineation exercise. Wetland delineations are conducted using a guideline published in 2005 by the then Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, with the title, ‘A practical field procedure for identification and delineation of wetland and riparian areas’. The procedure rests on four indicators, namely: • Terrain unit indicator: The terrain unit indicator identifies valley bottom wetlands, as well as wetlands on steep

and mild slopes in crest, midslope and footslope positions. • Vegetation indicator: This is a key component of the definition of a wetland in the NWA. It often happens, though, that vegetation is disturbed and the guidelines, therefore, place greater emphasis on soil form and soil wetness indicators, as these are more permanent, whereas vegetation communities are dynamic and react rapidly to external factors such as climate and human activities. • Soil form indicator: A number of soil forms (as defined by the Soil Classification Working Group, 1991) are listed as indicative of permanent, seasonal and temporary wetland zones. • Soil wetness indicator: Certain soil colours and mottles are indicated as colours of wet soils. The guidelines stipulate that this is the primary indicator for wetland soils. (Refer to the guidelines for a detailed description of the colour

indicators.) In essence, the reduction and removal of iron (Fe) in the form of “bleaching” and the accumulation of Fe in the form of mottles are the two main criteria for the identification of soils that are periodically or permanently wet. The wetland delineation guidelines are limited in the sense that they take the form of a national document that caters for gener-

There is a distinct and urgent need for the integration of wetland conservation and management requirements with urban engineering parameters and constraints alised wetland indicators. These indicators are ideally expressed in landscapes and climates where soil redox morphology (soil wetness indicators) adheres to a specific, simplified colour sequence of red, yellow and grey – with red and yellow indicating oxidised conditions associated with insoluble ferric iron minerals and grey indicating chemically reduced ferrous iron removal

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

and consequent residual concentration of quartz minerals (light coloured). This colour sequence associated with the degree of wetness is often encountered in landscapes of the highveld in South Africa (such as the plinthic catena) and proves a valuable tool in determining landscape wetness gradients associated with the occurrence of wetlands.

The Halfway House Granite Dome in Gauteng A landscape that often does not exhibit the distinct expression of the soil colour sequences described above is the granitederived soils of the Halfway House Granite Dome (HHGD) in the Gauteng province (Figure 1). In this case, the soils are 1) highly weathered, with 2) low iron reserves (low iron content in the parent materials), and 3) are dominated by coarse sand fraction quartz minerals yielding a bleached sandy soil. The profiles are also relatively shallow with distinct ferricrete subsoil horizons extending through large parts of the landscape. In Figure 2, the idealised catena is contrasted with a HHGD catena. One of the contributing factors to the increased degree of bleaching observed in the HHGD soils is that the dominant lateral flow paths of water occur predominantly within 50 cm of the soil surface, whereas the idealised catena exhibits thicker profiles with deeper lateral flow. The concentration of water above impermeable layers in the HHGD leads to intensified bleaching and the removal of iron through more regular and intense reducing conditions. The dominance of bleached soils (that are also more readily depleted of iron due

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to their chemical and physical proper ties when compared to the idealised catena soils) often leads to the identification of wetland soil conditions in more than 75% of the landscape, as opposed to 10% to 20% in the more typical plinthic catena landscapes. This aspect causes friction during land development activities, as large parts of the landscape are deemed to be wetlands with subsequent restrictions placed on development. In addition, the connectivity of the lateral water flow paths in the landscape leads to practical challenges regarding seepage water and stormwater management on development sites. This challenge is exacerbated by the coarsetextured nature of the soils, which leads to increased erosion sensitivity once landscape hydrological characteristics are altered through the acceleration and concentration of stormwater run-off.

Hydrological drivers and stormwater Wetland delineation exercises focus on the ecological and biophysical responses of landscape hydrological processes. Extensive work on the HHGD by Terra Soil Science, and recent developments

FIGURE 1 Location of the Halfway House Granite Dome in Gauteng

regarding water use authorisation aspects required by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), has shown that the understanding of the functionality and protection of wetlands and watercourses requires very specific elucidation of landscape hydrological processes. Competent authorities in the past have issued numerous records of decision (RODs) for urban developments where wetland protection measures have not included the management of landscape hydrological changes. In this regard, the most significant driver of altered landscape hydrological processes is stormwater run-off from urban developments. Whereas the soils in natural areas act like sponges, trapping water and leading to an attenuated release and large-scale “interception� of water through plant uptake and evapotranspiration, urban infrastructure

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

leads to a sealing of the landscape, with a subsequent rapid, significantly decreased plant interception, and run-off of water into drainage depressions. The energy difference is significant and leads to the accelerated erosion of the drainage features in

FIGURE 2 Idealised catena (top) contrasted with the HHGD catena (bottom) in terms of soil forms, typical soil horizon colours and general water regime

areas where these were not eroded under natural conditions (Figure 3).

FIGURE 3 Eroded drainage feature in the Samrand area

Integration of engineering and ecological principles

compartmentalised. This is the case with authorisations based on ecological parameters (wetland management and conservation mandated by national legislation) versus authorisations based on engineering parameters (stormwater and road designs and layouts mandated by urban by-laws). The lack of integration often leads to conflicting instructions from the competent

There is a distinct and urgent need for the integration of wetland conservation and management requirements with engineering parameters and constraints, in urban developments. The main source of the lack of integration is the fact that the competent authority mandates are often distinctly

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Wetlands and watercourses do not follow cadastral boundaries and connectivity between the metropolitan areas is often observed through drainage features authorities and, in some cases, leads to compliance and even criminal prosecution challenges. An example of such an outcome is the criminal prosecution of an environmental assessment practitioner, in 2010, regarding omissions in the environmental application process for the then proposed Pan African Parliament site in Midrand.

Regionalised wetland delineation and stormwater management guidelines Terra Soil Science has generated a regionalised wetland delineation guideline that contextualises the soil and wetland properties of the HHGD area. This guideline focuses on the ecological and biophysical responses

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of landscape hydrological processes and aims to provide a tool for the integration of stormwater planning and wetland conservation and management. The stormwater management requirements of the HHGD are intimately linked to a number of biophysical factors that include: - dominant topography with regard to slope lengths and slope angles - dominant soils exhibiting shallow lateral flow paths of water perched on extensive ferricrete horizons - particle size characteristics and erosion sensitivity of the soil horizons overlying the ferricrete layers - specific wetland-related soil morphology and soil form context. Stormwater planning is currently a responsibility of the different metropolitan authorities (within the context of their specific by-laws and regulations) and each of these has a specific approach to the management and

mitigation of stormwater. Figure 1 indicates that the HHGD falls mainly in the City of Johannesburg, with smaller areas occurring in the City of Tshwane, Mogale City and Ekurhuleni. Wetlands and watercourses do not follow cadastral boundaries and connectivity between the metropolitan areas is often observed through drainage features that run from one to the other. It, therefore, follows that there should be an alignment of stormwater and wetland management objectives for the HHGD between the authorities and that the specific metropolitan regulations and planning should accommodate for and work towards such alignment. References: • Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF). 2005. A practical field procedure for identification and delineation of wetland and riparian areas. DWAF, Pretoria. • Soil Classification Working Group. 1991. Soil Classification. A taxonomic system for South Africa. Mem. Agric. Nat. Resour. S.Afr. No.15. Pretoria.

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WATER & WASTEWATER

Developing a national leak management strategy Water conser vation and demand-side management (WC/WDM) have never been more topical, given Southern Africa’s ongoing drought, growing urban population density and El Niño. But it’s not about quick fixes or easy answers – it’s about a long-term vision and investing in people.

P

RESENTING HIS PAPER at the Sixth Regional African Water Leakage Summit 2016 held in Midrand in August, Willem Wegelin, director, WRP Consulting Engineers, noted that many of the papers presented at the twoday event highlighted the fact that WC/WDM is not being implemented at an adequate rate in South Africa. “I’ve travelled around the country for many years finding out what works and what doesn’t and I believe one of our key shortfalls is that there’s no strategy in place. What follows are some of my observations in the field and I will make some recommendations based on those observations,” he explained.

Field issues Despite the current drought, water shortages and intermittent supply, some of the issues that Wegelin discussed include community standpipes running at 11 bars of pressure (and these being left open), toilet leaks, leaks resulting in the creation of bogs, and only 51% of South Africa’s water services authorities (WSAs) having proper or partial WC/WDM strategies and plans in place. “Of concern is that 62% of our WSAs do not have their WC/WDM strategy contained within their integrated development plans, and if we’re not budgeting for WC/WDM, how can we hope to implement it correctly?” asked Wegelin. Among those WDM business plans that have been compiled, many include a large amount of superfluous information without including the basic and essential facts necessary for financial organisations to grant the necessary funding

for WC/WDM implementation. “I’ve been doing water loss benchmarking for the past eight years; as a result of that work, I can say that there is a lot of assumptions made. Investment banks such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the European Investment Bank cannot be expected to invest millions of rands to assist WSAs with repairing their leaking infrastructure based on assumptions,” he added. Costs have been a barrier to implementation on a number of levels, one of which is the creation of unrealistic expectations vis-à-vis actual cost savings estimated to get a business case in place, compared with limited results achieved after implementation. This is one of a number of factors resulting in WSAs struggling to secure either internal or external funding. “We also go into ‘analysis paralysis’ – spending the whole budget indicating what’s wrong, rather than spending on implementation,” Wegelin added. Another major problem is the lack of human resources. The person at a WSA tasked to manage WC/WDM needs to have enough time and resources at their disposal to manage their programme properly. Without adequate funding and the right human capital in place, these plans seldom get implemented and that is why national leak management has been slow to take off in the way that it should.

LEFT Willem Wegelin, director, WRP Consulting Engineers BELOW Some of the installations in the field are so bizarre that the average plumber would have a difficult time knowing where to begin

inter ventions that are not sustainable. These include: pressure management installations that are not properly operated and maintained; slavish adherence to textbook procedures (without looking at the unique conditions of a situation); check meters not being used properly and poor community involvement. “Pressure management is not as easy as installing a few pressure reducing valves (PRVs) and then walking away. It’s a full-time job. A thorough knowledge of the boundar y conditions in a district metered area is an important start. Then there is the installation of check meters. “In this countr y, we spend millions of rands on check meters each year but I have only seen one municipality that keeps

Implementation barriers There are a variety of reasons for unsuccessful implementation or

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SUPERIOR MUNICIPAL SOLUTIONS.

The majority of municipalities in South Africa are under severe strain to deliver basic services to their communities. This is as a result of many factors such as population growth, insufficient capacity, limited budgets, lack of maintenance and, in the case of water and sanitation, severe water scarcity due to drought.

The advantages of the NuWater solution: • NuWater partners with municipalities by providing affordable, easily financed, rapidly implementable solutions to assist the municipalities in their endeavours to provide quality basic water and sanitation services to it’s communities. • NuWater can tailor the commercial offer to suit the cashflow restrictions experienced by the municipalities and operate on the Build-Own-Operate (BOO), Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT), or Rental business model. • The existing water treatment works can be run at design capacity while the NuWater plant delivers the balance of the total volumes required by the municipality, thereby ensuring volumes and quality standards are met.

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WATER & WASTEWATER

Pavement watering is not an efficient use of water

a spreadsheet comparing its bulk water ser vice provider’s readings with its own. So, we’re spending money on this technology but we’re not using it as intended,” explained Wegelin. Moreover, community involvement is crucial for getting people to pay for ser vices. “If we can take anything away from the #FeesMustFall movement, it’s that it’s impor tant to get communities involved from the beginning. Communities need to be partnered with from the start, with the right attitude, other wise it will not work,” he adds.

When the basics go wrong Apart from bizarre installations in the field, simple inefficiencies like leaking standpipes creating ponds, not cleaning chambers, not replacing broken air-valves, not doing basic maintenance and intermittent supply add to non-revenue water (NRW) losses. “I mention intermittent supply because, when people don’t get water, they leave taps on waiting for it and then forget to close the taps,” explained Wegelin.

Japan’s formula for success

Theft is another issue. “We’ve got to deal with vandalism – people steal valve hand wheels and nuts and bolts to sell them as scrap metal. There are also security issues – people steal manhole chamber covers and then others come along and throw trash into the holes to protect their children from falling into it” he added. Illegal connections, metering and billing inefficiencies and apathetic staff that don’t report visible leaks for repair further exacerbate the situation. “Simple solutions like new washers on the taps and toilets can make the biggest difference,” Wegelin added.

Hope in sight In a study undertaken in Tokyo, Japan, it was found that leakages had been brought down from levels higher than those currently experienced in South Africa to just 3.6%. “If I look at a graph charting this course, the two things that stand out are that it’s a gradual process, taking 50 years, and a consistent lowering of NRW over that time,” said Wegelin. When Wegelin spoke to the Tokyo experts who conducted the study, they said that controlling NRW is not dependent on economic development but on business strategy. It’s people who develop the ser vices, not the machines or the technology. “They

invested more in their people than they invested in the infrastructure; building universities and sending their staff there to learn about operating water distribution systems,” he added. “To repeat, appropriate technology alone doesn’t solve problems, people solve problems.” Wegelin then proceeded to cite some of the best per forming NRW municipalities in the countr y, saying that Drakenstein, Baviaans and Tshwane each stand out for different reasons. Drakenstein sticks to the basics, installing PRVs and promoting community awareness. What it does that’s different is that the relevant person at the municipality keeps a spreadsheet detailing how many valves have been replaced and when, as well as maintenance schedules, pipeline installation, and other granular information useful for making informed decisions. Baviaans Municipality, having won a Vuna Award in 2011 for ser vice deliver y and payment rates, simply makes service deliver y a top priority, to the point that the efficacy of the municipality is driving tourism to the area. Tshwane’s secret to success is that its WC/WDM programme is integrated into ever y aspect of what the rest of the municipality is doing, meaning that a lot can be achieved with only a small budget.

Keep it simple Over and over again, these case studies show that municipalities that succeed aren’t doing anything fancy, they are sticking to the basics, making informed decisions and taking action. In summar y, the characteristics of a good plan at municipal level are: adequate human resources, good skills and good record-keeping. Good collaboration between depar tments can be added to that list – finance and engineering depar tments should have a shared vision. This results in WSAs that know how to spend their budgets. “We need to start with the basics, such as the IWA Water Balance, get that information pinned down and then move from there. This won’t result in overnight results but it sets the foundation for long-term and sustainable NRW loss management,” concluded Wegelin.

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WATER & WASTEWATER

Beach drilling

in Port Alfred

A joint venture contracting team comprising L&R Civil, TRG International and Geopractica is leading an innovative horizontal directional drilling (HDD) project that is believed to be an industr y first for South Africa. BY ALASTAIR CURRIE

B

ELOW THE BEACH, on a pristine section of coastline in Port Alfred, an approximately 1 km HDPE outfall pipeline connection is being created. At the seaward end, it extends some 230 m past the high water mark into the Indian Ocean, travelling from the drilling point over a total distance of some 350 m. On the back end, the pipeline traverses approximately 650 m from the beach base station, forming a complex curve, progressively moving underneath and upwards through to the top of a neighbouring 50 m high sand dune. Here, it links up with an established pump chamber installation interconnecting with a conventional overland pipeline. This forms part of the infrastructure for a new reverse osmosis desalination plant, now under construction near an off-channel storage dam fed from the nearby Kowie River. The desalination outfall project, led by Amatola Water, forms part of the R380 million Ndlambe Municipality bulk water supply scheme upgrade, which will ensure continuity of supply to key towns in the region. Prone to periodic droughts, this is an area that depends on tourism as one of its major revenue streams, so meeting seasonal holiday consumption demand spikes is critical. Work commenced in April 2016 on the Ndlambe bulk water sea outfall project, for completion by November 2016, at a contract value of approximately R42.6 million. The contract specified two-degree tolerances for

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directional drilling (on the exit angle), which has been achieved on the completed seaward end and is now being matched on the landward phase. The seaward pipeline has a diameter of 180 mm and the inland 110 mm. “Seen in cross section, these HDPE underground pipelines can best be described as banana-shaped sections, but, in plan, complex curves are also evident,” says Daniele Carnicelli, operations manager, L&R Civil, commenting on behalf of the contracting joint venture (JV) responsible for the Ndlambe bulk water sea outfall project. “They will be joined together at the point where the beach drilling operation has taken place, and buried. The beach excavation will then be closed and there will be no evidence that we were ever there. That’s one of the amazing features of this project, which has underscored the modern-day benefits of trenchless technology as a fast, efficient and environmentally friendly solution for even the most sensitive ecological habitats.” Aurecon Consulting Engineers together with PRDW Consulting Engineers (specialists in port and coastal engineering), acting for Amatola Water, conducted a full risk assessment and proposed the use of the HDD technique for the sea outfall pipeline. At the business end of the HDD programme is a maxi rig, supplied by German original equipment manufacturer Prime Drilling, which is a leader in the field of trenchless technology innovations. The unit deployed on this project is owned by TRG International, a specialist in the HDD drilling and pipe jacking industry, with

extensive experience throughout Africa and the Middle East. “The maxi rig has a tremendous power range and can easily handle daily distances of 1 km, installing up to a 900 mm pipe diameter,” explains Andre Wood, CEO, TRG. “Maximum torque and pull back are around 170 tonnes and 90 tonnes, respectively, which were more than adequate for the Port Alfred contract, comfortably meeting requirements for both pilot hole drilling and reaming.” Maxi Rig drilling is relatively new to South Africa, but is already well proven on projects both locally and in Europe for pipeline installations that include developments under rivers and city infrastructure.

Drilling trials perfect methodology Prior to commencement of drilling operations, trial experimentation with cutting heads and fluids was conducted by Geopractica, led by engineering geologist Hugh Feely. Geopractica, as a company, offers a wide spectrum of services to industry, ranging from consulting, laboratory analysis, site investigation and core drilling, to piling and lateral support. For the Port Alfred project, Geopractica was able to add invaluable input based on recent investigations for similar desalination projects proposed in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Helming TRG’s drilling machine is a "steering engineer and operator", responsible for precision guidance and drilling of the bore. Alignment and pitch information are


WATER & WASTEWATER

THE PROFESSIONAL TEAM: Consulting Engineers: • Aurecon • PRDW Contracting Joint Venture • TRG International • L&R Civil • Geopractica Environmental Consultants • EOH Coastal & Environmental Services Occupation Health & Safety • Safe Working Practice Client • Amatola Water Ocean Divers • Southern Ocean Engineering

constantly fed back by sensors to the control cabin where it is checked, monitored and recorded. “There are two critical aspects to consider. First, the actual drilling sequence; and second, the bentonite fluid being constantly pressurised and pumped at the right consistency from surface to keep the bored hole open, and removing the cuttings during HDD operation,” says Feely. Drilling averages to a depth of 20 m to 30 m. “Initially, we started with a biodegradable drilling fluid. This didn’t perform well due to natural bacteria found in the sand, so we switched to designed bentonite, a natural material well suited for continued reuse

ABOVE The construction team establishing their site on the beach in Port Alfred. Hydraulic excavators were used to perform the rigging functions, as well as transport the necessary materials from the nearest municipal beachfront parking area some 1.6 km BELOW The maxi rig set up and in position for drilling

and one recognised by geotechnical contractors worldwide. The bentonite application has worked perfectly with constant tweaking during the trenchless operation.” With the returns of cuttings from the drilled hole, together with the bentonite drilling fluids, the process of recycling occurs, whereby larger

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The future in un-obtrusive pipeline installations

JV PARTNERS L&R Civil (Pty)Ltd | Trg International (Pty) Ltd | Geopractica (Pty)Ltd www.lrcivil.co.za | www.trginternational.co.za | www.geopractica.co.za 0861 333 667

daniele.c@lrcivil.co.za | alwood@trginternational.co.za


WATER & WASTEWATER

cuttings are removed. From here, the fluids are de-sanded before been transferred to the mixing tank, where viscosity and gel strength of the fluids are adjusted to meet the requirements of the material being drilled. This ensures an environmentally friendly, clean and sustainable methodology from pilot bore to installation of the product line, which is subsequently pushed into the already formed borehole.

Downward launch The seaward launch entailed an entry angle of 17 degrees to the horizontal. The initial challenge for the JV was to efficiently get below the approximately 1.5 m of loose beach sand and into the upper weathered bedrock, which comprises fractured shale composites that tend to be highly friable at shallower penetration. To counter collapse and sand inflows, a steel casing was installed into the initial 25 m of the drill path. Berms were also constructed to protect the beach excavation following the onset of seasonal spring tide events, which encroached on

the construction works, but were comfortably contained by this intervention. Without an HDD solution, the project cost would have been significantly higher, requiring measures that include the construction of a coffer dam to counter sea ingress, and far more extensive excavations: boxcuts being an example, together with concrete diaphragm intervention. “On the marine section, we comfortably achieved drilling gains of 25 m to 30 m per day,” Carnicelli explains. “We fed the pipeline into the bored hole and out to sea. An in-house-designed pulling head was built and used for the installation of the HDPE product pipe (forward installation). If this hadn’t been possible, then the entire welded pipeline section would have needed to be towed to a location at the designated point offshore and then pulled in through the ABOVE A Google Earth view of the project BELOW Drilling operations in progress on the marine section

tunnel via a backreaming tool: a more timeconsuming and arduous approach considering the prevailing rough surf conditions that this area of coastline experiences. Of course, this wasn’t necessary thanks to the power of the maxi rig.” Using the maxi rig, within five working days, the seaward pilot bore was done. This included the reaming stages that were required to have the product pipeline installed. On exiting at sea, sprouts of water could be seen being jetted into the air – it wasn’t a whale plume this time, but a fully functional HDPE product pipeline that had just been installed in the surf zone of one of the roughest coastlines in Southern Africa. The exit pipe is fitted with a stainless-steel sleeve grouted into the bedrock and connected to a specially manufactured non-return valve known as a duck-bill. This ensures that the pipeline will not be restricted by animal, plant or even sand ingress from the ocean floor for the duration of its working life. The 650 m dune connection is now also nearing completion. This phase has had its own challenges. The JV team has designed custombuilt tooling to deal with the vast variations encountered from geology to ground water, as well as the ability to drill 50 m higher than the entry point, while still following HDD fundamentals. All the HDPE welds are pressure tested as a standard procedure to ensure the long-term integrity of the pipeline. “We are confident that our project for Amatola Water will pave the way for other similar opportunities by our JV team along Africa’s predominately arid shores, where there is a pressing need for similar initiatives,” adds Carnicelli. Commissioning of Amatola Water’s new desalination plant is scheduled for February 2017.

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WATER & WASTEWATER

Upgrading Driefontein WWTW To accommodate a growing urban population, the Driefontein Wastewater Treatment Works has undergone a major upgrade to a capacity of 80 Mℓ/day.

T

HE DRIEFONTEIN Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), operated by Johannesburg Water (JW), treats sewage generated in Muldersdrift, Mogale, Rietfontein and the northern suburbs of Roodepoort. The WWTW was initially constructed in the early 1970s with a nominal treatment capacity of 25 Mℓ/day, and later upgraded to 30 Mℓ/day. With increasing urbanisation, the wastewater flows to the WWTW are growing rapidly and are projected to increase on a sustainable basis. With this in mind, the decision was taken to increase the ultimate treatment capacity of the works to 80 Mℓ/day. A 25 Mℓ/day treatment module (Unit 2) has been initially added to the existing 30 Mℓ/day module (Unit 1) and provision has been made for another 25 Mℓ/day (Unit 3) module to be constructed in the future. The Unit 2 expansion to the works, which was commissioned in 2014, consisted of a number of key treatment processes and associated works, including a new preliminary treatment facility incorporating screening, grit and detritus removal, and flow metering. The preliminary treatment facility was designed to replace the old and redundant preliminary

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treatment facility with a modern, state-of-theart facility, explains Tonthozo Kaponda, civil engineer at Zitholele Consulting, which was lead consultant on the project. Also constructed were a new primary clarification facility, a flow and load balancing facility, and a biological nutrient removal (BNR) reactor. The combined mixed liquor from the new BNR reactor is clarified in a new cluster of secondary clarifiers. The secondary clarifier's return activated sludge (RAS) underflow is recycled back to the upstream feed into the BNR reactors. The combined secondary effluent from Unit 1 and 2 is disinfected by dosing with calcium hypochlorite at a new disinfection facility. Additions were made to the existing sludge handling facility, including sludge screening, waste sludge thickeners, and a pumping installation to the existing anaerobic digesters. Finally, the total treated plant effluent is discharged to a local tributary of the Crocodile River, via a new discharge channel and energy dissipation structure.

PROJECT TEAM

The project was executed by a multidisciplinary JV comprising: Process, civil and structural engineering (lead consultant) Zitholele Consulting Mechanical and electrical engineering Mott MacDonald PDNA Control and instrumentation engineering WSP Group

Head of works The head of works (HoW) is designed and constructed for an ultimate 80 Mℓ/day capacity. Due to space and

Construction under way on the final clarifiers


WATER & WASTEWATER

hydraulic limitations, the new works were designed to be located on the same footprint as the existing works. This necessitated innovative designs to enable construction of the new HoW in phases, while ensuring that the existing HoW remained operational. Incoming wastewater flow could not be stopped or diverted for periods longer than 12 hours. The new design allows the HoW to hydraulically accommodate the full peak wet weather flow (PWWF), which is 192 Mℓ/day, and incorporates bypass and overflow provisions to the new balancing tank and the existing emergency overflow dam respectively. The incoming wastewater is hydraulically split to four parallel channels that have fine screens. As part of Unit 2's development, only two channels were equipped with screens and the other channels have been isolated and will be equipped when the plant is upgraded to its full capacity of 80 Mℓ/day. The wastewater within the channel is first screened via a static bar screen, followed by electrical and automatically actuated mechanical, front-raked bar screens. The screenings are hydraulically conveyed to a compactor then deposited in a bin. The return flow from the screenings handling area enters the mainstream wastewater channel. The wastewater is then conveyed to four parallel grit removal tanks. Only two tanks have been mechanically equipped and the other two have been isolated for future upgrade. The grit removal tanks provide sufficient retention time and a suitable hydrodynamic environment for the separation of inorganic grit and detritus particles. Accumulated grit is pumped from the bottom hoppers of the tanks to a dedicated grit classifier, which further separates and dewaters the detritus and grit, which are then discharged to a separate bin. The return flow from the grit classifier enters the mainstream wastewater channel.

effluent flows to the downstream flow and load balancing tank. Primary sludge from the primary clarifiers is withdrawn on an intermittent basis and is pumped via primary sludge pumps to the sludge fermenters. The scum withdrawn from the primary clarifier surface is also discharged with the primary sludge.

Sludge fermentation The circular primar y clarifiers from Unit 1 were converted into sludge fermenters. After commissioning Unit 2 of the WWTW, the feed to the Unit 1 primar y clarifiers was decommissioned. The tanks were retrofitted with new pipework and associated flow-control boxes were installed to feed these new sludge fermenters with primar y sludge from the Unit 2 primar y clarifiers, and also to convey the over flow to the new Unit 2 BNR reactor. The pump station for the Unit 1 primar y clarifiers was also retrofitted with new pumps to recycle the fermented sludge, as required by the process design, and also to “waste” the fermented sludge by pumping it to the sludge handling facility.

Flow load balancing The wastewater flow and quality fluctuates substantially during the day. Previous monitoring indicated that the wastewater quality is ver y dilute during the early morning hours and relatively concentrated during the day-time hours. The balancing tank provides sufficient retention time to balance the diurnal pattern of wastewater flow and load.

The new flow and load balancing tank receives effluent from the primar y clarifiers and has been designed and constructed to hydraulically accommodate the PWWF of 192 Mℓ/day, according to JW’s design retention requirements. The balancing tank is fitted with platform-mounted, vertical spindle mixers to ensure that solids are held in suspension, preventing the wastewater from becoming septic. The over flow from the tank discharges to the emergency over flow dam, so as to accommodate highintensity rainfall events, which result in large flows to the works. The balanced flow from the balancing tank then discharges, via a control valve, to the downstream BNR reactor.

BNR reactors The BNR activated sludge process is a 5-stage configuration consisting of successive, pre-anoxic, anaerobic, primar y anoxic, aerobic, secondar y anoxic and reaeration zones. The primar y effluent from the flow-loadbalancing tank and the RAS enter the preanoxic zone. The pre-anoxic zone achieves denitrification of the residual nitrate contained in the RAS. The denitrified mixed liquor then enters the anaerobic zone. This zone is designed to provide adequate retention time and the necessar y environmental conditions to stimulate the growth of phosphate accumulating organisms. The per formance of the reactor is augmented by the addition of fermented sludge, which contains readily biodegradable, volatile fatty acids, which are a preferred

Primary clarification facility The pretreated wastewater from HoW is split to three parallel circular primary clarifiers. Two of these primary clarifiers were constructed and the third will be constructed in the future. The starter pipes for the future primary clarifier have been provided for in the connection boxes up- and downstream of the structure. The primary clarifiers separate the readily settleable solids from the wastewater. The primary clarifier

The completed final clarifiers

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WATER RESTRICTIONS IN JOHANNESBURG

The City of Johannesburg is required by the Department of Water and Sanitation to reduce its water usage by 15% with immediate effect, as water levels at our source (Integrated Vaal River System) have dropped to alarming levels. This mandatory mitigation measure on water usage has been triggered by on-going drought and unusual warmer conditions.

1

Level-2 water use restrictions according to section 44 (3) of the Water Services By-law states that consumers are compelled: • Not to water their garden between 06:00 and 18:00; • Not to use irrigation systems, only a hand held hose or bucket is permitted during watering times; • Not to fill swimming pools with municipal water; and • Not to use hosepipes to wash their cars or to clean paved areas and driveways with water.

2

Water demand restriction tariffs on domestic users effective on water usage from September 2016. Full tariff schedule: www.johannesburgwater.co.za

3

Implementation of water supply restrictions through reduction of outflows from our reservoirs will take place during off peak times (20:00 – 04:00) in selected areas daily.

For more information and water saving tips visit www.johannesburgwater.co.za. Please subscribe on our website, to our SMS notification service for planned or unplanned service interruptions.


WATER & WASTEWATER

substrate for phosphate accumulating The mixed liquor then enters the secondary (Bio-P) organisms. anoxic zones. These zones provide an enviThe mixed liquor enters the primary anoxic ronment for the denitrification of residual zone and receives an internal recycle of nitrinitrate. The mixed liquor is then finally aerfied mixed liquor from the downstream aeroated, before entering the final clarifiers. bic zone. The primary A special feature of the The most important anoxic zone conditions BNR reactor is the aeraelement of the WWTW tion system. Dissolved provide sufficient retention time and suitable oxygen probes are strais the compliance of operating conditions to tegically positioned in its discharge stimulate the removal of the tank to measure nitrate (NO3-N) by a process of denitrification. oxygen levels in the stream, and to then The mixed liquor contains sufficient residual relay signals to the PLC for the activation of particulate and colloidal COD (chemical oxythe surface aerators, which then assist in gen demand) to drive the denitrification of increasing the oxygen levels. the NO3-N contained in the recycle stream. Final clarification The mixed liquor then enters the aerobic The final clarifiers separate the mixed liquor zones, which consist of six sequential cells. solids from the clear-treated effluent. The The aerobic zones are equipped with platclarified effluent flows to the downstream form-mounted mechanical surface aerators, which allow the oxidation of residual COD disinfection process. The underflow from the final clarifiers is recycled via the RAS and ammonia. The mixed liquor flowing from the aerobic zone contains low residual COD sludge pump station. The RAS again enters the upstream pre-anoxic zone. and ammonia concentrations.

A fraction of the RAS is wasted to maintain a viable biological culture in the activated sludge process. The waste-activated sludge process is further thickened and dewatered at the sludge handling facility.

Disinfection The secondary effluent is disinfected using calcium hypochlorite, which is pumped and mixed into the mainstream flow as a dilute liquid. The secondary effluent receives a sufficient residual time in the chlorine contact tanks to provide effective disinfection. The disinfected effluent is then discharged to the local stream, which is a tributary of the Crocodile River. The most important element of the WWTW is the compliance of the discharge in accordance with water quality standards.

Sludge handling facility The sludge that is wasted from the RAS stream and from the sludge fermenters is treated at the sludge handling facility. The

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WATER & WASTEWATER

main objective of the sludge handling facility is to dewater the sludge and then dry it. Dried sludge is then transported off-site for reuse, typically as fertiliser for agricultural purposes. The current project added sludge screening and the thickening units to the facility, which consisted of a new screening channel, two new circular sludge thickeners, and the associated pump station and pipework to enable thickened sludge to be pumped to the existing anaerobic digesters.

site, some in very remote locations where the possibility of theft or vandalism was very real. As an innovative alternative, it was decided to pump all the effluent from the various sampling locations to a central analyser room where all the analysers could be installed in a single, modern, well-equipped and controlled analyser room.

“The Driefontein WWTW expansion project is executed to excellent engineering standards.”

Innovative process control Part of the process control required that the effluent had to be monitored in terms of quality criteria such as pH, turbidity, conductivity, residual chlorine, dissolved oxygen, ammonia and COD. This required sampling at various points throughout the site, meaning that various probes and analysers had to be installed all over the

High-tech systems The new expansion works equipment is controlled and monitored by six Schneider Premium PLCs and two central Adroit supervisory control and data acquisition (Scada) systems connected in a hot standby arrangement. This ensures that, should the master Scada system fail, the other system automatically takes over. This reduces the risk of being without monitoring and control capability on such a large and sophisticated site.

Every reading from every instrument, the status of equipment, data communication to and from all PLCs, and all relevant commands are displayed on the Scada. The PLCs and Scada, together, are configured in such a way that an operator should never have a situation where equipment will not operate properly and she/he cannot determine the cause of the failure from the automation system.

Conclusion The expansion of the Driefontein WWTW formed part of a larger capital expansion programme by the Bulk Waster Water Division of JW, which, to date, has exceeded R1.5 billion in investment across all of JW’s treatment works. The project also recently received a commendation at the CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards. “The Driefontein WWTW expansion project is indeed a ‘Flagship Johannesburg Water Sanitation Service Delivery Project’ executed to excellent engineering standards,” concludes Kaponda. IMIESA October 2016

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PIPES

SA’s water crisis South Africa’s water pipes are its arteries of socio-economic sustainability, growth and development, of the well-being of its people. When water stops flowing, life, as we know it, stops. BY TONY STONE

J

AN VENTER, CEO, South African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA), said, in opening the association’s annual conference on 6 September 2016, “With South Africa being a water scarce countr y, and up to 40% of potable water lost through water leaks, much of this due to ageing infrastructure, we need to do what is necessar y to address this problem sooner rather than later, or things will get much worse. “The important thing to remember is that SAPPMA and its members are part of the solution,” he added. However, plastic pipe manufacturers have been hamstrung due to the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) not being in a position to renew product cer tifications. This problem was first pointed out to SAPPMA members in November 2015, by Venter. Almost six months later, in April 2016, he went on record and said, “As a result of the SABS’ failure to per form in terms of its mandate, local manufacturers of plastic pipes

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are no longer able to use the SABS Certification Mark.” He pointed out that the consequences for the industr y are dire. These include: • with no measurable standards, product and ser vice quality becomes questionable, leading to diminished confidence in products in the marketplace • this disqualifies manufacturers from submitting their products for tender, with the consequence that manufacturers are negatively impacted in the sale and distribution of their products • if not addressed, this will lead to a state of business failure and job losses, etc. The net result of SABS’ service failure is that product certification needs to be carried out by other accredited organisations, perhaps SATAS (the South African Technical Auditing Service), which only has one local pipe manufacturer of significance as a client, or have it done internationally.

AENOR perspective To address this problem, Venter invited various speakers from international certification organisations to present papers at SAPPMA 2016.

ABOVE The Kroonstad dam is now totally dry (Photo Credit: DSTV) BELOW LEFT Leaking water. Our situation will only get worse if nothing is done

One such organisation was AENOR, the Spanish Association for Standardisation and Cer tification. Ricardo Pascual of AENOR presented a comprehensive and ver y detailed over view of the organisation and its certification capabilities. As a private, non-profit organisation, founded in 1986, its activities are directed at contributing to the improved quality and competitiveness of companies, their products and ser vices, with a focus on creating confidence in products. AENOR is one of the ten largest certification bodies in the world, and per forms certification in 67 countries. While this will be more costly, it will solve the SABS certification problem. But, getting back to South Africa’s water crisis, now exacerbated by the worst drought in 30 years, our ageing water infrastructure urgently needs replacing. As Benjamin Franklin said, “When the well is dr y, we learn the worth of water.” These words could not be truer than in the case of Kroonstad. On 27 May 2016, Kroonstad’s water supply ran dr y. However, this is not just in Kroonstad. All the main water sources of the Moqhaka Municipality


PIPES

“When the well is dry, we learn the worth of water.” are dr y, and in an area that needs more than 45 million litres a day. Yet, according to the Water Research Commission, South Africa loses 230 million litres of water ever y day due to poor infrastructure – leaking pipes and plumbing. In an effort to address the problem, the Department of Water and Sanitation launched its army of plumbing technicians, trained from the ranks of the unemployed, in its War on Leaks initiative. Their goal is to stop leaks in domestic plumbing – a positive step. But, getting back to what Venter said, and as far back as 2013, “The majority of old pipes were installed in the early 1960s, and have undoubtedly reached the end of their effective lifespan. Unless urgent attention is given to the replacement and maintenance of the water infrastructure, the end result is predictable. Pipes will burst on a daily basis, leading, ultimately, to regular and prolonged disruptions in ser vice deliver y.”

Saved by La Niña? The belief, now that El Niño has cooled, that La Niña will pull South Africa out of the disastrous effects of the drought is a little optimistic. It’s been said that nothing less will do so. Optimistically, the Climate Prediction Centre said, on 5 September 2016, “La Niña is slightly favored to develop during August-October 2016, with about a 55% to 60% chance of La Niña during the remainder of 2016 and into the summer of 2017. But, as we well know, litres of water are lost in nature can be unpreSouth Africa every day due to dictable. So far, the poor infrastructure – leaking pipes and plumbing. interior, where rain is needed most, has not received the rainfall it usually receives at this time of the of potable year.” Furthermore, water gets lost through water leaks, much of this due to the South African ageing infrastructure. Weather Ser vice said, at a briefing on 29 August 2016, “The expected La Niña weather phenomenon will not bring relief for drought stricken areas.” Then there is climate change, which impacts rainfall. Enough evidence has been gathered to show that less rain will fall from the west to the east of the country, and, at

230 million

40%

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µS/cm

ORP

fact

COND

pH

pH, ORP and conductivity measurement without external transmitter SMARTPAT series – technology driven by KROHNE • Analytic sensors with integrated transmitter technology • Reliable analysis of liquids from hygienic to Ex applications • Standard process connections for all industries • Offline configuration and calibration via FDT/DTM • Wide range of mounting assemblies and accessories

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The difference between El Niño and normal wind and ocean current patterns

times, outside of traditional rainfall patterns. On top of this, the South African government has promised to build 1.5 million houses in just three years. This will require roads and stormwater, water and sanitation, electricity and waste management ser vices. These demands, and the excitement of the new, will always be more engaging than the old and familiar. The new will also consume the bulk of budget allocations, leaving inadequate funding for the old, ageing infrastructure. To quote Ekurhuleni Metro, at the current rate of budget funding for the replacement of its ageing infrastructure, it will take 56 years to eradicate the current backlog. However, the new of today will become the old of tomorrow, and it will become a non-winnable, never-ending downward spiral against impossible odds. This is especially true given that asbestos cement pipes held a 30% potable water market share in 1994, and earlier. Where surrounding water and soil is acidic, these pipes will fall far short of their expected lifespan. But, all of this will be meaningless if certification of plastic pipes is not given and our municipalities are not spending the necessar y money to address our ageing infrastructure problem – to stop leaks. With the effects of climate change progressively getting worse and if El Niño decides to come back with a vengeance, which it will do in five years’ time, will we have a few more towns with wells running dr y – while megalitres are lost from leaking pipes elsewhere?

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PIPES

Through the tenacity of human ingenuity, inadequacies inherent in previously innovative technologies are eliminated. This driving force, a relentless pursuit of competitive excellence, has now produced PVC-O plastic pipe.

A new quantum in

BY TONY STONE

pipe technology

N

O MATTER HOW clever we may think we are, time and nature are the antagonists that test our ingenuity – usually finding the weaknesses in our creations and ultimately dominating these inventions. Cast iron, steel, cement, asbestos cement, glass-reinforced plastic and various forms of plastic are some of the materials used in the manufacture of water pipes, which, to varying degrees of success, and failure, serve our purpose. And, given the aspects, complexity and costs involved in laying water pipelines, be these bulk or reticulation, it’s an exercise preferably rarely done.

Pipeline safety Fortunately, it’s in materials science, the interdisciplinary study of physics and chemistry, and of matter, that the discovery and design of new materials, with an emphasis on solids, is made, and previous material failings overcome. Distributing water under high pressure over extended time frames, usually spanning three to five or more decades, takes its toll on water pipes. Pipeline failures occur mainly because of design, third-party damage, corrosion and pipe defects, which are consistently the causes of pipeline failures in the developed world. This

means pipeline safety is critical, TABLE 1 Causes of pipeline failure and this depends on the design, Cause % material selection and we how we External corrosion 25 manage the pipeline during its External interference 30 service life. Pipe defects 21 In looking at pipeline construcGirth welds 4 tion and the 50-year safety factor Ground movement 1 (C) in Table 2, materials such Other 19 as ductile iron and steel, need Source: Penspen Integrity, UK a higher safety factor of 2. Then again, a higher safety factor does not mean a safer or more reliable pipe. structure, and its improved strength and Material properties, such as strength and toughness, it only requires a C rating of 1.4, toughness, determine a specific pipe conby comparison. In certain configurations, PVCstruct’s rated safety factor. Interestingly, the O, by default of its own composition, carries a strength of HDPE strength is only 20% that higher C rating – as much as 2. of PVC-O. So, because of PVC-O’s molecular SANS 16422: PVC-O states, “Molecular orientation of thermoplastics results in an improvement of the physical and mechanical properties.”

It’s all in the molecule The transformation of polyvinyl chloride, itself produced by the polymerisation of the vinyl chloride monomer, which simply means the formation of threedimensional polymer chains that produce an amorphous structure, without a clearly defined shape or form, to a linear structure, gives PVC-O added advantages over its predecessors. Amorphous PVC, under certain conditions of pressure,

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PIPES

TABLE 2 PVC pressure pipe systems 1950–2012 PVC-O in SA in 2000 (SANS 1808)

PVC Type PVC-U PVC-U PVC-M PVC-O

Applicable standard

Design stress (MPa)

OD (mm)

Pressure (bar)

SANS 966-1 SANS 966-1 SANS 966-2 SANS 16422

10 12.5 18 36/32/25

16/90 110/630 50/630 315/630

4/20 6/20 6/25 12.5/25

temperature and speed, and by stretching the material, orients the polymer molecules in the same direction in which the material has been stretched. What is important to note is that molecular orientation does not change the chemical properties of PVC-O. Depending on the process parameters used and the stretch ratio, a higher or lower degree of orientation will be obtained. However, with the right parameters and stretch ratio, giving a higher degree of orientation, the end result is a plastic with a layered structure that gives it unbeatable properties, including: • light weight • good mechanical strength and toughness • high flexibility (retains shape and form even after extreme impact) • resistance to fatigue and cracking • resistance to weathering, chemical rotting, corrosion, shock and abrasion

Safety factor (C) (50 years) 2.5 2.0 1.4 1.4/1.6/2.0

Pipeline failures occur mainly because of design, thirdparty damage, corrosion and pipe defects, particularly in the developed world • non-toxic • self-extinguishing – will not burn unless exposed to a direct flame. When used in high-pressure water pipelines, this type of piping has an extremely long service lifetime – up to 100 years. Moreover, the pipe is energy efficient and eco-friendly. Other advantages include reductions in costs and installation times. For all the aforementioned reasons, PVC-O pipes are a really good solution for medium- and high-pressure

water networks such as potable water supply networks, irrigation systems, firefighting networks, pumped water extraction systems for mines, among other applications. Maximum molecular orientation in Class 500, according to the ISO 16422: 2014 standard, which is the highest orientation degree offering the best mechanical properties, gives: • greater reliability of the end product • strict dimensional tolerances

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PIPES TABLE 3 SANS 16422 PVC-O standard classifications (Annex A: MRS (Minimum Required Strength) and Annex B: C – Safety Factor)

PVC-O standard PVC-O classification SANS 16422 315 315 SANS 16422 355 355 SANS 16422 400 400 SANS 16422 450 450 SANS 16422 500 500 Other 19 *MRS = minimum required strength • homogeneous behaviour of the materials being used • reinforced socket, shaped during the orientation process. PVC-O pipes have an extremely high resistance to shock, which translates into minimal damage during installation caused by accidents, such as dropping or heavy object impacts. What is more, in such cases, molecular orientation prevents the propagation of cracks, thereby increasing the product's useful life. In addition, with high short- and long-term hydrostatic resistance, PVC-O pipes offer a resistance to internal pressure of up to two times the nominal pressure – e.g. 32 bar in PN16 bar pipes. This means these pipes can bear sporadic, excessive pressure such as water hammer and other malfunctions in the network.

Design stress (σ) MPa 20/16 22/18 25/20 32/28/23 36/32/25

Safety factor (C) (50 years) 1.6/2.0 1.6/2.0 1.6/2.0 1.4/1.6/2.0 1.4/1.6/2.0

Added to which, PVC-O’s lower celerity – e.g. four times less than ductile iron – eliminates the possibility of pipe breakage due to sudden variations in water volume and pressure. Molecular orientation reduces the pipe wall thickness, giving PVC-O pipes a greater internal diameter that increases flow. And, with its extremely smooth internal surface, it reduces load loss, making it more diffcult for deposits to be formed on the inner walls. This gives PVC-O 10% to 15% more hydraulic capacity

MRS* MPa (50 years) 31.5 35.5 40 45 50

than pipes made from other materials and with the same external dimensions. Moreover, material creep behaviour is minimal, ensuring the durability of the pipe working at nominal pressure over 100 years. Since its launch in South Africa, 18 municipalities and water utilities have installed PVC-O pipelines. With South Africa so desperately in need of refurbishing its water infrastructure, it would seem that PVC-O would be a sensible choice. IMIESA October 2016

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PIPES

JV fosters transformation The uThungulu District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal is in the process of overseeing one of its pipeline projects aimed to bring about meaningful change. The municipality’s objective is being achieved through partnership and cooperation. BY FRANCES RINGWOOD

S

CHEDULED FOR completion in mid-November this year, Phase 1D of the upgrade of the bulk water supply and reticulation to KwaHlokohloko SSA1 will improve water supply to KwaZulu-Natal residents living in KwaHlokohloko and Eshowe, while also ensuring skills transfer and economic empowerment. Phase 1D entails the laying of 4.6 km of welded steel pipe, with a nominal dimeter of 900 mm, as a rising main, along with the appurtenant pipeline works. The project began in late October last year and will ensure the greater KwaHlokohloko and Eshowe district receives clean, reliable potable water, securing socio-economic development in the supply areas.

Participation goal UThungulu District Municipality exercises a targeted procurement plan that has the objective of encouraging economic participation, skills transfer and the creation of sustainable black enterprises. As a result, Phase 1D was awarded to a joint venture between Stefanutti Stocks Pipelines and

Letsatsi Civil Construction and Plant Hire, where Stefanutti Stocks is actively engaging with and mentoring Letsatsi employees. Speaking about jobs created through the project, Richard Harrison, contract director, Stefanutti Stocks Pipelines, comments, “The contract employs 106 employees, of which 61 are from the local community, 38 are core employees and nine are staff employees. A further 50 people will benefit from the project; they would be from suppliers and subcontractors. “All 61 local employees learnt the skills of large-diameter steel pipelay, which involves the following activities: excavation, pipelay, selected and common backfill, internal and external jointing,

61

employees working on the upgrade of the bulk water supply and reticulation project are from the local community. They learnt skills such as excavation, pipelay, selected and common backfill, internal and external jointing, constructing concrete chambers, welding and rehabilitation.

ABOVE Phase 1D of the upgrade of the bulk water supply and reticulation project SSA1 will improve water supply to residents living in KwaHlokohloko and Eshowe

constructing concrete chambers, welding and rehabilitation. A further 36 will be trained in bricklaying, plumbing and basic carpentr y, by an accredited company, and each trainee will receive a certificate on completion of the course.”

Project specifics Located near Eshowe, the construction area is sited along the R66 to the Goedertrouw Dam (also called Phobane Dam). Pipe deliver y star ted towards the end of last year and activities such as clearing, grubbing, stripping topsoil, trench excavation and bedding started in Januar y this year, while pipelaying began in Februar y. By the end of June, 4.5 km of trench had been excavated and a total of 4.1 km of pipe had been laid. The joint venture is on schedule to finish on time, within the 50-week project cycle.

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PIPES

Huge African potential for SA stainless steel

There are a number of exciting new market oppor tunities for local companies wishing to ramp up their returns on existing or potential African investments, repor ts the Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda).

R

EPRESENTATIVES FROM the association recently embarked on strategic trips to Tanzania, Senegal and Mozambique as part of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Export Marketing and Investment Assistance Scheme. Lesley Squires, market intelligence specialist, Sassda, says the value of these trips cannot be underestimated. “My work is as much about connecting key players as it is about opening up new markets and supporting members to understand the best way of doing business on our continent. “For example, Tanzania’s new 2 561 km railway project and 532 km natural gas pipeline to the coast offer Sassda’s fabrication members the opportunity to broaden their scope with both Tanzania and other landlocked countries.”

Senegal grows its agro-processing potential Expanding on these opportunities, Squires turns her attention to Senegal, which has yet to take full economic advantage of its strategic, equidistant location from the US, Europe and South Africa.

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IMIESA October 2016

Particular focus is being given to the area around coastal Dakar, which is enjoying a growth phase, with construction of its new international airport and adjoining office parks already well under way. There is also now a big focus on growing the country’s agro-processing industry. The Senegalese government is, therefore, looking to existing markets like South Africa for quotations and the supply of relevant food and beverage processing equipment and fittings. As a result, Senegal is cooperating with South Africa, with liaison taking place with the Ferrous Metals Desk of the DTI. Also populating the Senegalese horizon is the growing number of telecommunications companies such as MTN, Vodacom and Frenchbased Orange, which require logistics laboratories with specified enclosures. “We have had a lot of interest for our 3CR12 stainless steel, since Dakar is located on the coast and has a highly corrosive atmosphere,” Squires reveals.

Lesley Squires, market intelligence specialist, Sassda

Mozambican infrastructure projects have huge potential South Africa has always enjoyed a natural synergy with its eastern neighbour and, as a result, there are a number of Mozambican projects that South African stainless companies could potentially look to supply, says Squires. Gas: Squires reveals that Pemba’s liquid gas reserves close to the Tanzanian border have resulted in a potential US$30 billion liquefied natural gas plant, with production set to commence in 2018 on the outskirts of Palma. The two companies involved in this development are Italian company ENI and American company Anadarko. Power supply is also a major problem and a gas power plant will be built in the area to address this problem. Anadarko has stated that the main harbours – for the supply of the materials necessary for the construction of this huge project – could be in Dubai or South Africa. Overall, the plan is to have a gas pipeline from Palma to Beira, with various supply links along the way. The Mozambique government

“There is huge potential in Mozambique in facilitating members and business into the region.”


PIPES

has insisted on local “value-add” in this development and the establishment of a plant, which ENI wanted offshore, is still under discussion with the government in Maputo. Harbour: The lynchpin in the Pemba development hub is the region’s new harbour, which will be the largest, deepwater harbour on the continent. The development of the ports of Pemba and Palma have been awarded to the same state-owned petrol company, with Pemba’s deepwater harbour benefiting from partnerships and funding from Italian investor ENI in partnership with Anadarko Petroleum. Testing of the levels and silt quality of the harbour is currently taking place, to investigate whether the pilings should be concrete or steel. Anadarko is also working with the Mozambican government in building infrastructure, and registering and vaccinating local populations for employment prospects.

Industrial park: The development of the harbour will take place in tandem with the development of a new urbanisation plan for 18 000 hectares that will see the building of residential homes and the Pemba Industrial Park. Its construction has already commenced and a similar park is also planned for Palma. The onshore contract has been awarded to Chicago Bridge. China Harbour Engineering Corporation will be developing the Pemba Industrial Park, which should be complete by mid to late 2017. In terms of tourism development, Pemba is also becoming quite active and Pemba and Palma are being considered by government for industrial zone status. Agro-processing: Agro- and food and beverage processing will also be required and the government is focused on developing this. During her visit to Mozambique, Squires

spoke with the governor of the province of Cabo Delgado, who is tasked with identifying requirements for each area of industry in order to attract the necessary resources. This development will be underpinned by the construction of two new distribution warehouses outside both Pemba and Maputo. “Overall, there is huge potential in Mozambique in facilitating members and business into the region,” says Squires. “In the past, I have put the relevant Mozambican partners in contact with Sassda members who are able to meet their requirements in light of the range of exciting projects planned or already under way.” IMIESA October 2016

111

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INSIGHT

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IMIESA October 2016


PIPES

Celebrating

110 years of excellence

I

NCLEDON’S STORY BEGAN in England in 1906, with Herbert Incledon foreseeing a potential market for the supply of pipes, fittings and valves to the growing mining industry of the Witwatersrand. After convincing his three older brothers to invest in his venture, Herbert bought as many consignments of pipe as he could afford, shipped them to Johannesburg and started trading as Incledon & Co. During the Great Depression, Gerald Incledon, Herbert’s son, took control of the newly established stock point in Durban. However, the Second World War put a five-year halt on Incledon’s expansion drive. In 1947, a Blakeborough-Incledon plant was established to manufacture valves, with Incledon & Lamberts established as a holding company, and listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1951. At the same time, it was decided to put the company in the hands of a South African board. By the mid-1950s, H. Incledon & Co (South Africa) was a well-established supplier to the engineering and building industries and local authorities. In 1970, Incledon was acquired by the Stewarts & Lloyds Group of Companies, a South African manufacturer and trader of pipes, fittings, flanges, pipe couplings, valves, pumps, irrigation equipment and diesel engines. In 1979, Boumat Limited, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, acquired the company shareholding. Management acquired the company from Boumat in 1999 and it re-entered the plumbing merchant and civil markets, also retaining the markets developed since inception. In February 2003, a joint venture with DPI Plastics effectively gave newly formed

Incledon, a leading supplier of fluid conveyance solutions for general industry to mining, infrastructure and building and construction, is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year.

Incledon-DPI the status of being the largest blackempowered engineering merchant in the country at the time. In early 2006, exactly 100 years after its establishment, DAWN acquired 100% of Incledon’s shareholding. Incledon is proud to have attained its current Level 3 BBBEE rating. In 2007, Incledon acquired the assets of Waterlinx Pumps & Irrigation, formally the Technical Division of Stewarts & Lloyds Trading. In 2010, Incledon acquired the business of VTR (Valve Technologies & Repairs) to focus on control valves and valve actuation. Last year, it also fully acquired the business of IPS&D, which predominantly serviced the agricultural cooperative market with pump and irrigation solutions. Today, the company stocks over 15 000 preferred products. These include highly recognised brands of pipes, fittings, flanges, valves, pipe couplings, pipe working tools and threading machines, HDPE, mechanical compression fittings and electrofusion systems, surface, dewatering and borehole pumps, water meters, and plumbing products for the engineering, industrial, mining, agricultural, OEM, municipal, civil infrastructure, plumbing merchant and irrigation markets. “Incledon distributes products utilised in the conveyance of water, gases and liquids. We have the largest and widest consolidated quality product offering in order to service the industries we operate in, and are well positioned to take advantage of the government’s infrastructure development programmes,” Kelly Wilson, CMO, Incledon, comments.

ABOVE Incledon distributes products for the conveyance of water, gases and liquids ABOVE LEFT Kelly Wilson, CMO, Incledon

Incledon has branches in every major South African city, with a formidable national footprint, including Bloemfontein, Burgersfort, Cape Town, Durban, East London, George, Johannesburg, Kathu, Lephalale, Mbombela, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth, Secunda and Welkom, in order to ensure that customer service remains a top priority. “What makes Incledon different in a highly competitive market is the fact that we represent the top brands in our industry, and that we are truly focused on providing our customers with dependable and reliable service levels to build and nurture these relationships,” Wilson highlights. Incledon also supplies industry-related products such as manhole covers and frames, in addition to ancillary pipe equipment such as pipe cutting/threading tools and wrenches. “While our core product range and competencies are pipe, fittings, jointing and valves, we have the necessary flexibility to be able to meet a range of requirements and specifications,” Wilson concludes.

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INSURANCE

The unintended consequences of

discounting

Cutting corners on project design and delivery has a negative ripple effect that impacts on quality, increases the liability risk and harms the economy. BY MEGGYN MAROT, Principal Broker: Professional Risks, Aon South Africa

J

OHN RUSKIN ONCE said, “It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money – that's all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose ever ything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the job it was bought to do.” The unintended consequences of applying a free market economy principle to an emerging market landscape with high infrastructure demands is that we begin to feed the wrong beast. Instead of encouraging quality builds that can stand the test of time and building a future, we fail to think in the long term, and we encourage the cheapest and fastest options because we want results now, and we fail to plan. The irony is that it costs us more in the long run, not just in monetar y terms, but the benefits of those projects that are lost to our countr y and our people. The decision by project owners to pursue the cheapest option carries Meggyn Marot, principal broker: Professional Risks, Aon South Africa

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risks, with their own costs being project delays or loss of usage of the facility. In the current environment, we are seeing an influx of projects where consultants are expected to discount by more than 50%. This is what is required to “get the job”.

Skewing the risk environment There are many aspects of this environment that are impacted by the discounting phenomenon, but let’s look at the risk environment and how it is impacted. First consider that we are looking at the insurance/risk market as a whole, in the construction and engineering space. The health of such markets is dictated by the sustainability of the premium pool. Simply put, sufficient premiums must be collected within a sector to sustain the claims or risk that arises out of such a sector. If this is not achieved, you run the risk of collapsing a market, and no longer being able to insure your projects in South Africa, or only being able to insure at an astronomical premium. It is important to understand that insurance premiums are based on the annual

fees declared or the turnover of a firm. Where these fees are reducing, it is usually an indicator of less work being done – therefore, theoretically, less risk. But, in an environment where the fees are reducing due to the enormous discounts offered, the risk on project is no less, but the contribution to the premium pool is reduced. Discounting is starting to skew the view on risk, because fees are no longer aligned to the true risk exposure. Moreover, the consequences of discounting increase the likelihood of a claim on a project. Currently, civil and structural engineering is responsible for more than 65% of the number of claims notified in South Africa, and around 87% of the quantum amounts paid in the last 10 years are attributable to these disciplines. These are also the disciplines where the highest discounts are expected and applied when tendering. The total gross fees declared by consultants has reduced by more than 15% over the last three years, and the number of claims notified increased by the same margin. A single practice in the built environment is now reducing the ability of the insurance markets to respond, and increasing the probability of that same risk. When we are


Risk and Insurance Brokers who Empower Results In today’s ever-changing environment, successful businesses take the advice of a qualified, expert Insurance Broker who is on their side. Aon Professional Risks have provided specialist expertise to the full spectrum of professions, including Architects, Engineers and Quantity Surveyors for over 30 years. Partner with Aon to Empower Results for your business and employees. Call 0860 453 672 or visit www.aon.co.za today. Aon South Africa (Pty) Ltd is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP #20555).

Risk. Reinsurance. Human Resources.


INSURANCE

The total gross fees declared by consultants has reduced by more than 15% over the last three years, and the number of claims notified has increased by the same margin

undertaking work at a reduced income simply to secure the business and make profits, we have to cut expenses or optimise efficiencies. The result is inevitably reducing the resources applied to that project; for example, a more junior employee being allocated to the project, reduced super vision, reluctance to attend all project meetings, use of an overly conser vative design to compensate for the low level of engineering being paid for – these are all ways to cut costs. Of course, there is always room for improvement in efficiencies and cost cutting within any organisation. However, when we shift our focus from internal quality management to profit, we unavoidably increase the risk to ourselves and mistakes are made. We must

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never forget a professional’s duty of care exists regardless of what they might be paid, and the quality expected by law is not altered by profit margins.

Compromising our future

Project owners must appreciate that there is a basic cost for ever y project, and that cost will come through, if not in paying for proper engineering, then in increases to construction costs, or worse yet, in court. The international trend has seen a move in developed countries to quality-based selection, where qualification, technical merit and experience are the yardsticks. Sadly, it would appear that it is not only project owners who are to blame for our current predicament. The ability of the industr y to stand up for the quality and ethics it strives for is damaged by the economic reality of keeping the lights on – and accepting these conditions at a loss to themselves or, worse, at a risk, as there is no doubt that discounting compromises quality and risks increase. Worse still, we cut budgets for training and development, stunting innovation. This compromises our future. The reality is that you will never see a claim caused by “discounting”. A claim

is caused by poor super vision, a design flaw or negligent advice, because a junior engineer without the necessar y experience is placed on a large and complex project – consequences of discounting. However, there is no denying that claims have increased and, irrespective of the root cause, the impact on the industr y is real. Premiums will increase to compensate for the claims experienced and the industr y’s credibility suffers, as a result. Where we find ourselves in an increased claims environment, the affordability of insurance for a firm with an already stretched bottom line becomes even more stark. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The South African insurance market sits in the very fortunate and strong position of having very good competition and capacity. South Africa’s insurance penetration rate is among the highest in the world and well above the level one would expect it to be, given its GDP per capita. This means we have resilience, and the ability to withstand tough times, but we must preserve this, and rather than balancing the sustainability of such markets with increased premiums, we need to manage our risks better. A resounding echo of the built environment across all professions is that if we persist with dealing with the lowest bidder, be sure to look elsewhere for your risk. And, if you can make provision for that risk, then you had enough to pay for something better to start with.


INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE

EIB invests in African infrastructure As confirmed by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, water security is one of the world’s top priorities and requires urgent intervention, significant investment and joint cross-border cooperation, says Carmelo Cocuzza, regional head: Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, European Investment Bank. BY ALASTAIR CURRIE

B

ASED IN LUXEMBOURG, the European Investment Bank (EIB) is the European Union’s long-term lending institution, with a key focus on backing projects that support the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) in core infrastructure sectors that include energy, transport, water and sanitation, and digital. All of these projects are influenced by the EIB’s core commitment to support climaterelated investment. The EIB was originally established to support strategic infrastructure projects, initially in the EU from the late 1950s and subsequently in emerging markets, directly through loans or indirectly through equity finance. On average, it supports more than 500 projects a year across 160 countries worldwide. “The EIB is the world’s largest international public bank and owned by the 28 EU member countries. Last year, the EIB provided more than €78 billion for longterm investment in a broad range of projects,” said Cocuzza, speaking at the recent 6th Regional African Water Leakage Summit held in Johannesburg. “Ten per cent of the

EIB’s activity overall supports investment in projects in emerging and developing countries, including across Africa.” In South Africa, the EIB has been active in financing infrastructure investment, particularly in the energy and water sectors, as well as supporting small businesses in partnership with local banks. During the past three years, the EIB has supported the development of the affordable and social housing sector with a €150 million line of credit (2013), the renewable energy sector with €285 million (the Ka Xu and Kiwano concentrated solar power plants in 2013 and 2014) and private companies though lines of credit to Nedbank, FNB and IDC for a total of €150 million (2015). Traditionally, the EIB’s approach is to work on a project-by-project basis to support investment in schemes that stimulate economic growth or improve environmental or social infrastructure. Unlike conventional banks, which tend to look at short repayment periods under five years, the EIB takes a much longer-term position of up to 30 years. “Plus, our loans entail more favourable conditions thanks to our AAA rating, which allows us to pass on the lower cost of

“Increasingly, conservation and water efficiency are priorities we assess first before we start talking about investments.”

ABOVE The EIB, the world’s largest lender for renewable energy, supported South Africa’s first solar tower project, Khi Solar One, situated outside Upington in the Northern Cape

borrowing to our clients and the longer amortisation schedules on either regular or bullet repayment terms. These also include allowing for a grace period during the construction phase and linking principal repayments to the project’s revenue inflows. Equally important is the EIB’s unique global experience of lending across Europe and around the world, which enables valuable technical knowledge to be shared. This greatly strengthens first-time projects.”

African investor mandate Over the last five years, the EIB has provided more than €12.7 billion for investment across Africa. The EIB has been funding economic developments within the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region for over 50 years and in South Africa since 1994. In Africa, the EIB operates under three separate financial mandates: one for South Africa (which is limited to debt financing), one for most of sub-Saharan Africa (which is covered under the ACP mandate), and a third covering North African countries. Under the latter two mandates, apart from debt, the EIB offers equity and guarantee

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INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE

instruments. For all projects, the EIB can also support infrastructure development by cofinancing alongside other multilateral institutions, development and commercial banks, as well as private equity funds. “Before looking at the overall financing structure, we consider how much of a catalytic role our involvement would play in mobilising the required funding for the project concerned. The projects also have to meet our criteria relating to technical and environmental requirements, as well as economic and social impact. While we are aware that financial returns are important to any investor, we also want to support investors that are committed to positive change,” Cocuzza explained. Direct EIB funding is provided for projects valued at €20 million and above. Amounts lower than this can still be catered for, typically using intermediaries, extending credit lines to commercial banks. Grants are also provided to public utilities that require capacity enhancement, master plan and feasibility studies. Additionally, the EIB manages the €150 million Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (Geeref) fund of funds to combat climate change in developing countries and emerging markets. Geeref leverages public sector funds to catalyse private sector investment into clean energy projects. EIB’s investment in the Evolution PE fund has also financed 12 wind, solar and hydro projects across Southern Africa to date.

Cross-border cooperation The EIB further manages the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund. This was set up to benefit cross-border and regional infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa. The fund provides grant support for the initial technical assistance and feasibility studies, environmental or social components linked to projects or payment of early-stage, risk mitigation insurance premiums. “EU grants are also available through the Development Bank of

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Southern Africa for funding project preparation activities and studies, capacity building, technical assistance as well as investments in South Africa and most of the Southern African Development Community countries through a facility known as Infrastructure Investment Programme for South Africa (IPSA),” elaborated Cocuzza. Supporting efficient and effective investment by municipalities, the EIB participates in an inter-governmental working group that also assists public sector utilities in securitising their debt more efficiently.

the 140 million m3 Mooi River Dam and associated conveyance infrastructure. In Lesotho, the EIB provided a €140 million loan, close to 50% of the cost, for the construction of the Metalong Dam, which provides water to the country’s expanding capital, Maseru. The dam was fully commissioned during 2015. The EIB is now in discussions with the Lesotho and South African governments for Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Scheme. “The world faces huge population growth challenges, with Africa being among the highest. It is estimated that there will be 8.3 billion people on the planet by 2030, rising to 9.1 billion by 2050. Plus, there is a clear shift to urban areas by the world’s population, placing major pressure on the environment,” adds Cocuzza. “Within this context, there are so many pressing issues that need to be addressed. Water certainly represents the number one global risk and is a major obstacle to economic growth if not effectively managed, followed by climate change with its extreme weather implications. In response, the EIB has taken the decision to increase its funding target for climate change mitigation projects from 25% to 35% by 2020. A high percentage of the projects funded will be in the water and renewable energy segments.” The EIB has pledged to provide US$100 billion for new climate-related investment over the next five years. Lending totalling $81 billion was mobilised for climate change projects by the world’s six largest multilateral development banks (MDBs) in 2015. This included $25 billion of MDBs’ direct climate finance, combined with a further $56 billion from other investors.

“Water certainly represents the number one global risk and is a major obstacle to economic growth if not effectively managed.”

Billions invested in water sector The EIB is the world’s largest lender for water investment. Over the last five years, South African water projects received EIB loans totalling €350 million. The EIB assesses infrastructure projects in line with the post-2015 SDGs. Examples include providing safe drinking water and sanitation in areas with a high incidence of typhoid and resultant infant mortality. The bank also has a strong interest in water projects, thereby optimising available resources. “Increasingly, conservation and water efficiency are priorities we assess first before we start talking about investments,” says Cocuzza. Recent South African water infrastructure examples include an extensive project in KwaZulu-Natal province. Here, three separate loans were provided, amounting in total to €165 million for eThekwini Municipality, Umgeni Water and TCTA, during 2010 and 2011. The objective was to increase safe access to potable water for some 5.5 million people living in the area. The scope of the project included increased treatment, storage and delivery capacity, as well as the construction of


PROJECT MANAGEMENT The two most crucial aspects of project management are detailed planning and organising. These, done properly, will prevent 99.9% of the potential problems from arising. BY JOHN VAN RIJN, Indevelopment

Part 5

Site organisation and administration

G

OOD SITE LAYOUT is important to increase productivity. The site layout can be judged on the efficiency of the production process. With a bad layout, time and materials are wasted through double handling. Transport and handling of materials always cost money. Every time a stack of bags of cement is transported over the site, the actual cost increases. The layout of the site will depend upon two main factors: the methods and sequence of activities and the space available. Some basic principles for the design and evaluation of the site layouts are: • Minimise handling and stacking time • Reduce distances that materials and labourers have to travel • Are the stacks of materials located close to where they are to be used? Generally, the site will have to accommodate a variety of temporary buildings, materials, plant and equipment at different times. Schedules will be needed to present their respective times of arrival and departure from the site. Particular care should be taken to avoid items blocking access and interfering with the activities at the various stages of a project. It is essential to list all the items and storage area that will be needed on-site, and to locate their position on a site plan. Good layout is most important when the products or materials being used are very heavy or big. Without a precise site layout plan, neither the site manager nor other site staff will have a clear indication of where stores and

offices, items of plant, work areas and stacks of materials should be located. On a cramped or complicated site, a series of plans will be needed, covering the layout at each stage of the work.

Site administration The administration of the construction works is very important. After all, it is the basis for many management, organisational and accounting affairs. It is important to present the following: • physical progress • financial progress • final reporting.

The project office, where it all begins and ends (Photo: Constuctco)

contractor and the site foreman should keep records on test results, and delivered and used materials (split into provided by contractor and provided by client). Minutes should be prepared for every meeting and the draft minutes should be distributed as soon as possible, but at least a week before the next meeting. The draft minutes should be discussed and formalised during the next meeting.

As-built drawings Diary The site foremen usually keep a diary of the progress of the work. The diary is the basis for a weekly report. It presents, among others: • number of man-days used • clarification of the difference between the budget and real resources • usage of equipment • general information, like agreements, undertaken activities, constraints in progress and damages. Both the contractor and client review and sign for acceptance of the diary on regular intervals, e.g. once per week.

Provisional items The site foreman records data about provisional items, price fluctuations, etc. separately. The

The construction and the project should not be regarded completed if the as-built drawings are not completed. During construction, the client or their consultant and contractor negotiate about certain variations to the contract. These variations are often not yet presented on a drawing. The as-built drawings are crucial for the operations and maintenance of the infrastructure. Therefore, the supervisor should either prepare these documents or provide detailed instructions to the contractor.

Practical completion A certificate of practical completion is issued when the work is substantially finished. In such cases, the constructed asset is perfectly useable, although some minor corrections

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT An example of a site layout plan for a bridge construction (Photo: Global Security)

and/or additions may be required. Issuing of this certificate means that: • the defects liability period starts • part of the retention money is released • the contractor ceases to be liable for liquidated damages • client takes possession of the works.

Retention money Retention money is the money subtracted from the valuation of the work at interim and final

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payment stages, and will be kept by the client as a guarantee that the work will properly completed and all defects rectified. The remaining part will be released after the maintenance period as specified in the contract.

Transferring responsibilities Critical to the organisation of a project is the transferring of responsibilities. The construction industry is characterised by its procurement nature. Contract documents are tools for

managing and transferring risks. Among others, contract documents formulise the risk management responsibilities. The contract has to make provisions for a range of “what if” scenarios. It describes the roles, tasks, and authorities of the client and contractor in these situations. It also provides detailed information about the project and project conditions. This information reduces uncertainties – not only about the construction project itself, but also about the practical and financial consequences when uncertainties eventuate into reality. Contract frameworks are adaptable tools. There are many standard frameworks of contract, like FIDIC and ICE. Clients and their engineers should be careful to apply these documents without amending the risk transfer clauses. Risks may have consequences for the assets (the output of the project), the business of the client or it may be limited to difficulties during the construction process. It is very unlikely that a contractor will feel responsible for the risks to the assets after the completion of their contract obligations. A client, who intends

IMIESA October 2016

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From these photographs of the Tokwe Mukorsi Dam, it was clear that the construction’s river diversion capacity was exceeded, either as a result of a design for an unusually high risk, which has some precedence in Zimbabwe, or due to the extreme intensity of the flood that recently entered the dam (Photo: SIEG)

to occupy the building, has all the incentives to reduce risks to it. The contract should provide incentives to the responsible party to manage the risks. The division of responsibilities depends also on the capacities of the different actors involved in the construction process. Contractors usually have more knowledge and skills with regard to technologies and, therefore, are more aware of their respective risks. The smaller contractors in low- and middleincome countries may lack the financial capacity (cash flow) to advance the construction costs and bear the financial consequences of the risk. The risk transfer arrangements, therefore, should have consequences for the selection of the contractor. Smaller contractors may want to avoid risky contract offers. Clients are especially concerned about the quality of the design. The last thing they want to see is a construction collapsing or becoming a public threat. In some countries, the law has formalised these responsibilities. In France, for example, the contractors carry this burden. These contractors, therefore, have to assess the quality of the design. In other countries, the designers and architects may have to provide the design warranties. But, because most designs are based on an uncertainty and, therefore, may have to be modified during the construction phase, the contractors are held responsible in most countries. Regardless of who is responsible, there is always the problem that it is possible to identify several rivalling causes of the damage, which insurance companies may want to exploit. For example, several reports claim damage to the spillways of the Pemba small-scale irrigation projects was caused by a severe typhoon. However, my personal assessment was that the concrete structures lacked reinforcement; the cut-off walls and floor were simply too weak to carry the water pressure and the foundation of the floor was too porous.

Supervision plan Although the work is contracted out, it is still advisable for the supervising consultant to plan the supervision inputs. It should be noted that this plan has a high-risk element because it will have to follow the actual progress on-site. If supervision inputs are scarce, these inputs should concentrate on risky activities. If it can be expected that the supervision input is extremely scarce, the specifications and contract documents may be adjusted. For example, it can be specified that certain activities should take place within period X and that succeeding activities may only take place after inspection or accepted test results of the product of the preceding activities.

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Partners for IMPROVED SERVICE DELIVERY Structa Technology par tners with municipalities to improve ser vice deliver y and leads the way in manufacturing round and pressed-steel sectional water tanks, lighting masts and masts for electrical distribution.

M

EYERTON-BASED Structa Technology, a member of the Structa Group of Companies, manufactures electrical masts, utility poles, lighting masts, pressed-steel water storage tanks known as Prestanks (for volumes above 10 000 ℓ) as well as the newly patented, round storage water tank known as the Roddy Tank (for lower volumes). Structa Technology is geared up to assist government with its water infrastructure and maintenance programme, and is able to offer the municipality more cost-effective and durable solutions for water storage.

The Roddy The patented Roddy Water Storage Tank, a new addition to Structa Technology’s basket of service offerings to municipalities, responds to government’s need for a patented-design water storage solution for lower volumes (up to 10 000 ℓ), that is more durable, robust and costeffective, with minimal maintenance required. These features make the Roddy Tank ideally suited specifically for smaller rural villages, schools and clinics. The Roddy Tank is a sectional, round, galvanised water storage tank that offers the following capacities: 3 900 ℓ, 7 200 ℓ and 10 000 ℓ. However, if required, this patented system can provide for an easy extension to increase the volume of the water storage tank above 10 000 ℓ. There is, therefore, no need to replace the original water storage tank with a bigger version. The Roddy Tank can be on ground level or on a stand of 5 m or 10 m. It can last up to 40 years (hot-dip galvanised according to SANS 121 and SABS 1461), is easily transported and erected, and requires minimal maintenance.

Prestank

Roddy Tank on a 5 m stand

Structa’s Prestank has, over the past 40 years, proved itself to be a hygienically safe, cost-effective and reliable way to store water for communities, commercial and private sector entities, and even for personal storage. Structa’s Prestank Water Storage Tank is the ideal water storage solution for volumes above 10 000 ℓ. Prestank may be used for various water storage applications, including temporary or permanent installations at mines, power stations, building sites, hospitals, water affairs, municipalities, rural communities and agriculture. The Structa Prestanks are fully customisable, high-quality water storage solutions that are manufactured according to SANS guidelines and meet South African hot-dipped

galvanising requirements. A major advantage of the sectional tank design is that it facilitates easier handling and transportation over long distances, to remote areas, regardless of the final dimensions of the assembled unit. Furthermore, on-site assembly is quickly achieved without the need for sophisticated tooling methods. Minimal maintenance is required because the galvanised steel panels resist weathering from the elements, while maintaining the integrity of the water within from contamination of most forms. Structa’s latest contribution towards water services projects includes the installation of eighteen 104 000 ℓ water tanks, each on a 10 m stand, for the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality in Mpumalanga. Both the Prestank and Roddy Tank ranges adhere to the SANS 10160 and 10162 design codes for structural loading and structural steel design.

Electrical pylons Where electrical masts are concerned, Structa Technology specialises in the design and supply of Electrotower electrical distribution monopoles, both for single and double circuits for 11 kV to 220 kV distribution lines. These are the 259 range (patented, eight-sided poles for efficient conductor loading), the 260 range (tubular, cost-effective stayed poles), and the 272 range (12-sided masts for heavy-loaded double circuits). H-type termination, strain and suspension structures (22 kV to 132 kV) are also available. Structa also manufactures its patented 200/240 range steel utility pole – an oval-shaped utility fitted pole for 11 kV to 33 kV distribution circuits.

Leaders in lighting mast technology Structa manufactures street light poles, midbow lighting masts, standard high masts and stadium masts that range between 6 m and 40 m in height. These masts are supplied for roads infrastructure, and lighting infrastructure in townships and villages. Soccer and rugby stadium masts are also supplied as per customer requirements.

www.structa.co.za

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81ST IMESA CONFERENCE

JOHANNESBURG 25TH - 27TH October 2017

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS OUR THEME

SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING: BACK TO BASICS FOR THE FUTURE Has technology in design made us forget the basic principals of engineering design?

• Political, Legal and Regulatory • Ecological and Environmental • Financial and Social

• Transport and Traffic • Water and Sanitation • Roads and Stormwater

2,5

CPD POINTS

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

Monday 6th March 2017 Melanie Stemmer marketing@imesa.org.za | tel +27 (31) 266 3263 Call Melanie Stemmer for an entry form or download from the website.

www.imesa.org.za

FOR MORE INFO

IMESA

Tell +27 (31) 266 3263 Email marketing@imesa.org.za


ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

iX Engineers – an enterprise development

A

success story

N ACTIVE PARTICIPANT in the transformation, project delivery and engineering consultancy WorleyParsons RSA has demonstrated that enterprise development can be successful, as attested to by the creation of iX Engineers, a 53% black-owned consulting engineering company focusing on the public infrastructure sector. iX Engineers was established following the incorporation of WorleyParsons’ Public Infrastructure (PI) business with Black Jills Engineers, which was among the first participating companies in WorleyParsons’ Enterprise Development programme. iX Engineers provides professional services for the design, development and through-life support of PI. Black Jills Engineers MD Lebo Leshabane will take up the role of CEO of iX Engineers

with 53% equity held by black employees; 35% of these shares are black-women-owned. The balance is held by senior management from WorleyParsons’ existing PI business who will be moving over to iX Engineers. “WorleyParsons takes enterprise development seriously and we are committed to building sustainable businesses. We saw an opportunity to grow Black Jills Engineers and simultaneously transform our PI business into a majority blackowned independent organisation,” says Denver Dreyer, CEO, WorleyParsons RSA. “iX Engineers has been created in the spirit of transformation and we are confident that it is set up for success. The business model is fit for purpose for the PI sector, unlike the bulk of our business, which is not suited to compete in this particular market sector.

“WorleyParsons remains firmly committed to South Africa and will continue to focus on power, hydrocarbons, mining, chemicals and resource infrastructure projects. We will maintain a close working relationship with iX Engineers who will be our partner of choice when we require services in the PI arena,” says Dreyer. WorleyParsons’ PI projects will be transferred to iX Engineers, ensuring that the company starts with a full order book. “Where projects are not ceded to iX, we will continue to stand behind our customers and will subcontract to iX. “This is a success story not only for enterprise development, but also for the employees who now have a stake in one of the largest majority black-owned consulting engineering companies in the PI space,” concludes Dreyer. IMIESA October 2016

Sustainable & innovative infrastructure solutions for the public sector

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POWER GENERATION

Kenya leads with wind farm initiative

O

N SCHEDULE for completion in mid-2017, the Lake Turkana Wind Power venture is one of Kenya’s top three capex projects, ultimately aiming to supply 310 MW to the country’s national grid. Situated within the Loiyangalani district in northern Kenya, the site spans an area of 160 km2 and the scope includes 365 wind turbines of 850 kW each, an electric grid collection system and a high-voltage substation, plus upgrades to 210 km of existing road. Turnkey project management ser vices are being carried out by WorleyParsons RSA on this 32-month development, which will be one of the largest to date constructed

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within sub-Saharan Africa. A high percentage of the components need to be transported from the Port of Mombasa to the project site, approximately 1 200 km away. WorleyParsons RSA says targets to reach a ready-for-energisation status were recently reconfirmed with the contractors, ensuring that 120 turbines and supporting systems are available during the last quarter of 2016. The Kenyan government has undertaken to finance and construct a 428 km transmission line to the Lake Turkana wind power farm, which will link into the national grid at Nairobi. The project is part of the Kenyan government’s drive to generate 5 000 MW for the country by 2017.

IMIESA October 2016

Enhancing Society Together By working in partnership with our clients and other stakeholders, we are committed to make an impactful contribution to society through our projects. We are focused on solutions to the Global Challenges faced in respect of Urban, Water, Transport and Industry through our Business Lines of Water; Transport & Planning; Industry & Buildings; and Maritime & Aviation. The framework underpinning our focus on enhancing society rests on four simple questions. These are addressed in every project we undertake: ■

Will our solution meet the demands of the stakeholders?

Will it add value for society as well as clients?

Are we providing the best solution now and in the long term?

Can we deliver what is required with an optimal use of resources and fossil fuel energy?

Royal HaskoningDHV Head Office Johannesburg, South Africa +27 11 798 6000

royalhaskoningdhv.com/za


CEMENT & CONCRETE Readymix | Precast | Aggregates

READ INSIDE Par tnering for concrete success 128

PPC joins The Concrete Institute 133

Precast concrete – the answer

Slag usage has

to affordable housing

132

sustainability advantages

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CEMENT & CONCRETE

Partnering for concrete success A unified voice for the cement and concrete industr y may be on the cards, as various industr y associations begin to talk seriously about working together to build a stronger sector. BY DANIELLE PETTERSON

A

DDRESSING THE Sarma 2016 Readymix Conference, the heads of the Southern Africa Readymix Association (Sarma), the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA), The Concrete Institute (TCI), the Concrete Society of Southern Africa (CSSA) and the Association of Cementitious Materials Producers (ACMP) took part in a panel discussion to inform the industry on their collaboration. According to Johan van Wyk, general manager of Sarma, the five associations have already begun to explore ways to work together in order to save members money and bring more benefits to the industry as a whole. A motivating factor behind this collaboration is to create a unified voice for the cement and concrete industry that will

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be taken more seriously by government and engineering associations. “If you look at concrete at the moment, it is fragmented. They will take a lot more notice of one bigger, stronger voice across the industry,” said John Sheath, CEO of CSSA. In this regard, the associations are looking into creating a single spokesperson for the industry and forming an ombudsman for the concrete fraternity. Joint events and training are also on the cards in order to reduce costs for members of the various associations. Van Wyk believes that, as a unified voice, the industry will also be taken more seriously in the international community, particularly given that South Africa has some of the best concrete technologists in the world. The associations differ in terms of their members and the areas of the

industry they cover. Identifying what each association does and who they represent is, therefore, essential to determining how they can work together, explains Van Wyk. The heads of all five associations spoke to IMIESA about their associations and their views on collaboration.

South African Readymix Association The members: Sarma’s members are concrete readymix producers who are audited annually to ensure quality products, environmental compliance and good health and safety practices. Sarma also provides training to users on how to use readymix concrete. The vision: “We have started exploring ways to work together. As associations, we realise that we are funded by industry and we need to start collaborating so that we can save the industry money and also


CEMENT & CONCRETE

bring the industry more value,” said Van Wyk. “This also gives industry players the responsibility to support the associations. When you support us, you keep the money inside our industry.”

Concrete Manufacturers Association The members: The CMA is the primary representative of the precast concrete industry and aims to promote precast concrete products. The core membership of the CMA is precast concrete producers, with non-producer, associate, contractor and cement producer members making up the rest. The vision: In terms of industr y collaboration, Frans Minnaar, executive director, CMA, identifies two key goals: “The first goal is to convince industry that we can save them money by working together. For instance, there are various award events that each have to be sponsored by the industry and if we work together, these can be changed into one major awards event for all the various concrete industries.” The second goal is to work with TCI on developing accredited training courses. Currently, there are no courses on precast installation in South Africa, says Minnaar. The duo wants to introduce accredited courses to provide training to contractors and have been in touch with local and international experts to draw up appropriate programmes. On the topic of collaboration, Minnaar said, “We are very excited. Our members were a bit worried about collaboration at the beginning because the CMA does not want to lose its own unique identity, but we have explained that we are working together for the benefit of the members and the industry and they are also getting excited about it.”

The Concrete Institute The members: TCI has a number of key objectives, including advisory and consulting services to the construction industry, as well as information provision and training. TCI is also tasked with promoting and protecting the good name of cement and concrete, said Bryan Perrie, MD of TCI. In this regard, the Institute is very involved in SABS committees. The institute has two member categories: Producer Members – AfriSam, Lafarge, PPC and Sephaku – and Associate Members

ENSURING QUALITY CONCRETE

A concerning issue raised at the conference was the sub-standard-quality products and lack of skills in the marketplace. The associations serve to ensure compliance among their members and provide training to ensure that their members are equipped with the necessary skills. However, there are still problem areas. One of these is correct installation. “The installers are installing the products incorrectly, but the products get the blame if there is a failure,” said Minnaar. Backyard manufacturers have also given concrete masonry a bad name due to poor-quality products and the CMA is trying to rectify that. Van Wyk also raised the issue of competency in the industry, which has been problematic in the past. “We have got the experts and the expertise and it is our job to declare people competent. But the industry needs to support us so that we can do this,” he stressed. To assist in ensuring quality products, the CMA recently developed a quality mark for precast concrete products, the first of which was issued on 1 September 2016. The CMA Mark of Approval is the first non-SABS mark to be used in the concrete industry since legislation was changed to allow multiple certification authorities to undertake certification of SANS standards. In order to qualify to use this mark of approval on their products, companies must comply with national standards, have an effective quality management system in place, and adhere to health and safety requirements. The CMA mark will be valid for three years at a time, after which companies will be re-assessed, in addition to being audited biannually to ensure compliance. The driving factor behind this is to ensure that quality, high-standard products are entering the market. A CMA mark serves as a guarantee of quality and the CMA takes responsibility should a problem arise.

– Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA), South African Forum for Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC), and South African Institute of Civil Engineering (SAICE). The vision: According to Perrie, TCI’s strategy is no longer just about TCI, but rather a strategy that incorporates all of the other bodies. In doing this, TCI is looking towards consolidation, together with an industry spokesperson, which speaks on behalf of the industry as a whole. This is necessary in order to better interact with government in order to build the industry and ensure standards are upheld.

The heads of Sarma, TCI, CSSA and ACMP at the Sarma 2016 Readymix Conference

Concrete Society of Southern Africa The members: The CSSA has been in existence since 1979 and seeks to promote the interests of concrete. Sheath elaborated: “We are a community of like-minded individuals who wish to keep up to date on all matters concrete. Our mission is to promote excellence in concrete and to provide

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THE CENTRE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY Faced with escalating energy costs, it’s little wonder local municipalities are searching for more energy-efficient ways of lighting up their communities. The good news is that major advances in LED technology have made it possible for municipalities to offer their communities both comfort and safety at a running cost of 70% less than conventional floodlight luminaires. The OMNIstar from BEKA Schréder provides an unrivaled combination of performance and flexibility for lighting areas where high lumen packages are needed. But the best part is the radical savings in energy and maintenance costs which add up to a short payback time. It’s crime-fighting through lighting and simply the most cost-effective way to make our suburbs and streets safe again.

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a network platform for the industry.” The vision: Sheath has been pushing for collaboration among the industry associations for three years, particularly between CSSA and TCI, which share a considerable amount of common ground. Speaking on his vision for the society in five years’ time, Sheath said, “I hope that CSSA is here in a different form; that it is part of a major consolidated body. I see an umbrella body that will look after the bigger picture in terms of marketing concrete, research, lobbying, and ensuring standards for the various divisions. When everyone is under one roof, we can talk about the industry as a whole, which nobody can do at the moment. It makes so much sense to consolidate.”

Association of Cementitious Materials Producers The members: The ACMP represents most of South Africa’s cement producers, explains Dhiraj Rama, executive director, ACMP. The organisation has three major legs – environmental stewardship, health and safety, and stakeholder engagement – all driving towards sustainable development. The vision: Rama believes that the associations have begun to determine common ground and they now need to determine how to best harmonise themselves to address end-to-end product stewardship. According to Rama, the ACMP is currently actively engaged in various law reform and policy development matters that deal with waste management, air-quality emissions standards, climate change and broader matters related to developments with regards to the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and its regulations. Government is actively pursuing a ‘One Environmental System’ for the country relating to mining and related activities. There is, therefore, a major focus on ensuring that the regulatory changes address the various concerns of the cement mining sector. The cement sector’s response to climate change is yet another key focus area that requires much attention as it is considered a key emitter in South Africa. Sectorial response is, thus, a key output required by both local and international stakeholders. Rama would like to see an increased focus on green buildings and sustainability around cement and concrete. This includes energy management, replacement of fuels, process management and the increased use of waste materials in cement production. Concrete building rubble is taking up a significant amount of landfill space, and this needs to be addressed. “We subscribe to a sustainability culture, and we subscribe the sustainable development goals. We would like to ensure that people have a perception that we are sustainable,” Rama emphasised.

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CEMENT & CONCRETE | PRECAST CONCRETE

The answer to affordable housing

Local governments can speed up deliver y through the use of precast concrete for af fordable housing developments, according to Frans Minnaar, director, Concrete Manufacturers Association.

W

ITH AFFORDABLE housing backlogs growing, developers are increasingly turning to precast concrete products to speed up construction times while improving the build quality of houses. Affordable houses can now be built almost entirely from easy-to-use precast materials, from hollow-core floor slabs, to walls and roof tiles. Depending on requirements, many peripherals such as stairs, window sills, basins, counters and other precast units are adding value to these houses and lending a quality touch. Minnaar points to precast concrete products as a means of ensuring quality materials and preventing costly repairs and rebuilds. Due to skills shortages on the ground, contractors realise that the best way of ensuring quality construction is to have units precast in a factory under controlled conditions and more easily assembled on-site, says Minnaar.

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Material of choice “Whether it be hollow-core floors mated to tilt-up walls, or large masonry units that reduce brick-laying requirements tenfold, there are solutions that work. Then there are age-old traditional building products such as concrete bricks, wall tiles, lintels, beams and a myriad of other concrete products that are commonly used throughout the construction phase,” says Minnaar. Precast concrete also simplifies the construction of adjoining infrastructure such as pipes, drains, paving and kerbs, lamp posts, fences and retaining walls. “There is hardly a single area of construction that does not benefit from mass-produced, factory concrete products,” enthuses Minnaar. “Imagine a contractor sitting on the side of the road trying to cast kerb stones in situ. It will take days and then the mixes have to be thoroughly controlled and flow of traffic and pedestrians will have to be stopped. Thanks to precast kerbs, the unit is simply

ABOVE Frans Minnaar, executive director, Concrete Manufacturers Association TOP A house being constructed using precast concrete

lifted into place, grouted and is ready to use in a matter of hours. The same applies to houses nowadays, and progressive developers and contractors have already adopted precast products and are using them widely on their construction sites.”

Built right Minnaar adds that buyers also prefer houses built from precast concrete products because they are straight, structurally sound and can be made to be virtually maintenance-free, requiring no plastering or even painting if units are coloured with pigments during the casting process. Shorter delivery times also mean that buyers have shorter waiting times that can dramatically improve their satisfaction level.


CEMENT & CONCRETE

PPC joins

The Concrete Institute

P

PC HAS OFFICIALLY joined the founding members of The Concrete Institute (TCI) – AfriSam, Lafarge and Sephaku – as a fully fledged producer member of the institute. “PPC joining puts TCI in a better position to meet our objectives, since the institute is now significantly more representative of the cement and concrete industry,” says Bryan Perrie, managing director, TCI. The objectives of TCI include the provision of key, independent services and functions to the construction industry. It is also Bryan Perrie, MD, The Concrete Institute

tasked with promoting and protecting the good name of cement and concrete, ensuring relevant national standards and specifications are revised regularly, and interacting effectively with government and regulatory bodies on behalf of the cement, concrete and broader construction industry. Formed originally as the Portland Cement Institute, before becoming the Cement & Concrete Institute, TCI represents nearly all of the main cement producers, as well as some heavyweight association members including Consulting Engineers South Africa, the South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors, and the South African Institution of Civil Engineering.

IMIESA October 2016

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CEMENT & CONCRETE

C

URRENTLY, AROUND one tonne of CO2 is emitted into the environment for every tonne of pure cement produced. Only a small percentage of this can be offset by traditional methods such as planting new trees; and this is motivating cementitious producers to find creative ways to lower their carbon footprint. This is a major focus point for AfriSam’s Centre of Product Excellence, which is carrying out ongoing product development geared towards using downstream materials such as slag, which is well known for its ability to enhance the performance of readymix concrete. A by-product from the blast furnace iron manufacturing process, when used in concrete, slag can substitute up to 80% of the Portland cement in the mix design. The incorporation of slag is further beneficial in that it improves the durability characteristics of cement, reducing permeability, improving resistance to chemical attack, and inhibiting rebar corrosion. “Some of AfriSam’s milestones with hybrid products include the first commercialisation

Slag usage has

sustainability advantages of a cement with a 42.5 strength class containing less than a 50% clinker component,” says Mike McDonald, manager of AfriSam’s Centre of Product Excellence, expanding on the sustainable intervention measures being adopted. Launched in 2010, AfriSam’s Eco cement offers high workability while allowing a smooth, defect-free finish for concrete, masonry and plasterwork. This high-performance cement

also reduces the heat of hydration in mass concrete. McDonald says that he expects demand for better performing cements with a low clinker content to grow, especially given the proposed introduction of a carbon tax in South Africa commencing in 2017, and the green building and infrastructure movements, which have brought a heightened awareness of the embodied energy and carbon of building materials. IMIESA October 2016

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A R C H I T E C T U R E • H O U S I N G • C E M E N T • C O N S T R U C T I O N • P R O P E R T Y D E V E LO P M E N T

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT EAST AFRICA BRIEFING

EAST

4 – 5 Oc to b er 201 6 | S afar i Par k H ote l , N ai robi , Ke ny a

Endorsed by

B o o k y o u r s p a c e n o w t o g e t i n s i d e E a s t A f r i c a ’s p r o p e r t y a n d c o n s t r u c t i o n b o o m ! Re d u c e y o u r c o n s t r u c t i o n c o s t s i n E a s t A f r i c a b y u p t o 3 0 % a t E a s t A f r i c a ’s O N LY a l t e r n a t i v e b u i l d i n g a n d c o n s t r u c t i o n t e c h n o l o g i e s s h o w. Sponsor

Exhibitors

w w w. c o n s t r u c t i o n - w e e k . c o m / e a s t /

Partners

Host media partners



CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES

& EQUIPMENT

MEET THE AMMANN FAMILY OF PRODUCTS


MEET THE AMMANN FAMILY OF PRODUCTS MAXIMISING YOUR INVESTMENT What do the smallest Ammann plate compactor, the largest asphalt plant and every product in-between have in common ? • Innovation that boosts productivity and efficiency, ultimately improving your bottom line • Parts and components that ensure long life to maximise your investment • The commitment of a family business that has thrived in the construction industry for nearly 150 years by keeping promises today – and knowing what customers will need tomorrow

Ammann Construction Machinery, 229 Hull Road, Rynfield, Benoni 1500, South Africa Tel. + 27 11 849 3939, Fax + 27 11 849 8889, info.aza@ammann-group.com For additional product information and services please visit : www.ammann - group.com GMP-1187-00-EN | © Ammann Group


CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

Mastering RA delivery on the N1 Ammann has developed an innovative solution to meet recycled asphalt (RA) requirements for a series of major road upgrade projects on the N1 national route.

T

HE BRIEF FROM AMMANN’S highprofile clients was for the supply of a semi-mobile asphalt plant that could deliver approximately 140 tonnes of asphalt per hour, with a 40% RA capability. The challenge for Ammann was not only the 40% RA requirement, but meeting this with a compact, semi-mobile plant. The core of the Ammann Prime 140 semi-mobile plant was used as a basis: with a mixture of local knowledge, the Swiss/German Ammann design team and the Brazilian Ammann manufacturing team came up with a Prime 140 plant configured to deliver 140 tonnes per hour with 40% RA at an affordable rate. The Ammann Prime 140 mobile hot-mix asphalt plants form an integral part of a series of upgrade projects along portions of National Route N1 between Kroonstad and Bloemfontein. Rocco Lehman, general manager, Ammann Construction Machinery South Africa, says that the company, along with the clients, embraced a steep learning curve in getting these plants to perform at such extraordinarily high output levels without sacrificing mix quality. Modifications were done on the run, making

allowances, at times, for insufficient maintenance and adjustments to the production procedure. Local and factory personnel were used to cater for the customer expectations. Problems encountered included: - poor aggregates which generate excessive fines; this was rectified by fitting an approved dedusting system - in some cases, high production demands did not allow for effective cleaning and preventative maintenance; Ammann took steps to fit bulkier drive motors and beefed up wearing parts to suit the local conditions. Solutions were found sparing no expense and local resources were put under pressure. This type of response is unparalleled in Southern Africa. It puts Ammann at the forefront of asphalt plant manufacturers. Polokwane Sur facing sister company Hillary Construction secured two Sanral work package contracts for the Kroonstad phase, namely Section 17 from Holfontein Interchange to Kroonstad, and Section 17 between Kroonstad South and Westleigh in the Free State’s Fezile Dabi District Municipality. The 45 km section between the interchange and Kroonstad needs full rehabilitation and will feature a new dual carriageway. This project started in

February 2015 and is due for completion in February 2018. To support its mechanised requirements, Hillary Construction recently expanded its fleet with the acquisition of a substantial number of Ammann units, comprising pneumatic-tyred rollers, and soil and asphalt compactors. Polokwane Surfacing also recently acquired its third Ammann Prime 140 unit. An original equipment manufacturer headquartered in Switzerland, Ammann has over 146 years’ experience in the design and development of static and mobile plants. Currently, there are an estimated 4 000 Ammann mixing plants in operation worldwide serving the roads industry. Some of the successes on the N1 project can, in part, be attributed to Ammann’s industry-leading products, international technical support and its formidable South African aftermarket team. Ammann has proved itself to be a solutionsdriven organisation that can adapt products and accessories to suit local conditions and still make world-beating technology available to its customers. In keeping with its innovative approach to the asphalt plant supply industry in South Africa and in support of the many emerging contractors, Lehman says Ammann will be looking into making an Ammann Prime 140 plant available for long-term rentals to preferential customers in the near future.

IMIESA October 2016

139


MACHINES TRUSTED BY THOSE WHO BUILD ROADS

Unmatched Roadbuilding and Surfacing Equipment

Since its inception in 1869, the Ammann Group has earned the respect and trust of the most prestigious and demanding companies throughout the world when it comes to supplying world-class roadbuilding and surfacing equipment.

ELB HEAD OFFICE:

While their broad range of equipment is synonymous with the time-honoured traditions of efficiency, the sub-Saharan Africa distributor, ELB Equipment, is a trusted partner that guarantees superior back-up service – assuring you quality service on an excellent product. Distribution and Product Support by:

14 Atlas Road Anderbolt Boksburg (011) 306-0700 • e-mail: Elb@elbquip.co.za • www.elbequipment.com

BRANCHES & DEALERS - SOUTH AFRICA: BRITS: (012) 250-1565 • CAPE TOWN: (021) 933-2383 • DURBAN: (031) 464-6522 • EAST LONDON: (043) 740-4530 • GEORGE: (044) 878-0874 KIMBERLEY & KATHU: (053) 841-0040 • MIDDELBURG: (013) 246-2312 • POLOKWANE (082) 334-1564 • SUBSIDIARY: ELB EAST AFRICA: NAIROBI, KENYA (00254) (0) 20 807-0728 DEALERS - SOUTHERN AFRICA: BOTSWANA: (00267) 390 9972 • LESOTHO: (00266) 2831 3926 • MOZAMBIQUE: (00258) 219-00469 • NAMIBIA: (00264) 61-234-052 • SWAZILAND: (00268) 518-5348 ZAMBIA: (00260) 212-210-642 • ZIMBABWE: (00263) (4) 448-990-3


CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

Doosan excavators

gaining traction Doosan DX340LCA hydraulic excavators, designed for ef ficient operation and high productivity in demanding work environments, are gaining popularity locally in diverse sectors.

D

OOSAN DX340LCA hydraulic excavators have new technologies that deliver effective control over each machine’s power and also simplify maintenance procedures. As a result, efficiency and machine durability are increased, productivity is improved and operational costs are lowered,” says Chris Whitehead, managing director, DISA Equipment t/a Doosan Construction Equipment, part of the Capital Equipment Group of Invicta Holdings Limited. “Users have the assurance that all Doosan machines offer efficient output power, low fuel consumption, minimal maintenance requirements and extended service life. Features for precise control and enhanced operator comfort are key to product advancement.” These high-strength excavators have a new, six-cylinder, water-cooled engine that is optimised and electronically controlled to boost production, maximise fuel efficiency and ensure harmful emissions remain well below the values required for tier 2 engines. The rated engine power is 185 kW (247 hp) at 1 800 rpm and maximum torque is 114 kgf.m at 1 400 rpm. Improved cooling performances reduce fuel consumption and minimise noise levels in heavy-duty and hot working conditions.

New specs to optimise operation New specifications of the DX340LCA series include an increased maximum bucket size of 2.35 m³, a side-lifting capacity of 9.33 tonnes at 6 m reach and 3 m height, and a maximum digging force of 24.8 tonnes. Traction has been improved with an 8% increased drawbar pull of 27 tonnes. Advanced independent electronics have increased the reliability of these machines and simplified maintenance procedures. The shape of the boom has been redesigned for improved load distribution throughout the structure and for greater strength; material thickness has been increased to limit element fatigue, increase reliability and extend component life. Highly wearresistant materials are used for susceptible elements of the bucket, including the blades, teeth, rear and lateral reinforcement plates and corners of the bucket. All welded structures have been designed to limit stresses. For optimum excavator control, the new e-POS system (Electronic Power Optimising System) provides a perfect synchronised communication link between the engine’s electronic control unit and the hydraulic system. Advantages include ease of operation, the availability of power and standard modes for optimum efficiency under all conditions and an automatic auto-idle mode for fuel saving. The regulation and precise control of the flow rate required by the equipment are

standard and a self-diagnosis function enables technical problems to be resolved quickly. This series has been designed for easy maintenance and reduced downtime. A PC monitoring function enables connection to the e-POS system. Various parameters can be checked during maintenance, including pump pressure, engine rotation and engine speed. This information can be stored and printed for analysis. Doosan’s DX340LCA machines have been designed with the latest ergonomics for enhanced efficiency, improved safety and greater comfort. The DX340LCA, like all Doosan earthmoving equipment – which encompasses track, wheel and mini excavators, articulated dump trucks, wheel loaders and various attachments – has been designed to cope efficiently and safely in Africa’s harsh operating conditions.

IMIESA October 2016

141


CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

Rental leader expands specialist niche

C

EPH Plant Hire’s Komatsu PC55 MR mini-excavators are recent additions to the fleet

ENTURION-BASED EPH Plant Hire began operations 12 years ago, with two backhoe loaders and a single PC200 excavator. Fast-forward to 2016, and its activities have expanded to warrant a fleet of more than 40 units, of which a significant proportion are Komatsu products. “We are a leading specialist in hydraulic hammer rental and have grown to operate nationwide. While we primarily serve the construction industry, we have some important mining clients,” says Brendan Badenhorst, head of sales and operations. “The use of blasting techniques in urban or residential areas is now very limited, for a variety of good reasons, and so we have found a ready market to grow our specialised fleet. New to our current fleet of Komatsu machines are our PC55 mini-excavators and PC220 machines. “An important factor is that Komatsu machines allow for the fitment of various attachments, including hydraulic rippers and hammers or buckets, which can be interchanged on the excavators. For example, our Komatsu PC55 compact mini-excavators have delivered excellent results when equipped with hammers and buckets, offering our clients a multifunctional solution for electrical

and water infrastructure projects in rural development areas.” Having the right products at the right time is an age-old marketing cliche, but it stands the test of time. EPH Plant Hire’s investment in new, advanced products, including Komatsu’s five-tonne compact, lower-capacity excavators, is reaping rewards. The company’s Komatsu P220 excavators are also available with hydraulic rippers – an alternative rock breaking solution that is fast and effective. Day-to-day operations management is aided by KomTrax – Komatsu’s autonomous machine health monitoring system. “KomTrax makes our lives easier – we have a full picture of hours worked, a complete reference to oil pressure and temperature, and early notice of routine maintenance needs.” So, what does the future hold for EPH Plant Hire? “We’re doing surprisingly well in what is definitely a very challenging business climate and, as the markets turn, we are definitely poised to grow to an even higher level.” EPH Plant Hire’s Komatsu excavator line-up includes two PC55s, eight PC200-8MOs, two PC220-8s, a pair of PC300-7s, a PC200-7 and a PC270-7.

Continues from page 32

Eastern Cape Listing COMPANY

CIDB RATING

CONTACT PERSON

TELEPHONE

EMAIL ADDRESS

Emerging Membership Injongoyethu Civils

1CEPE

Chris Gerber

+27 (0)43 736 6910

injongoyethu.civils@gmail.com

Iphupha Investments

3CEPE

Zukisani Madyibi

+27 (0)79 866 1906

zukisani@iphupha.com

Iviwe Engineering Solutions 4CEPE

Bonani Nkonyeni

+27 (0)43 721 2518

Info@iviwe.co.za

Joe & Angaviwe Civils

4CEPE/5GBPE

Joe Ntoyanto

+27 (0)73 476 9576

joeseph.nt@gmail.com

Jo-Minproc Engineering

2CEPE/1GBPE

Eric Sefa

+27 (0)43 726 2116

erics@weblink.co.za

PE Qwesha Enterprises

5CEPE/4GBPE

Phindile Qwesha

+27 (0)43 722 6910

phindile.qwesha@gmail.com

Qingqani Maafrika Construction Schitechnochem Trading & Projects Simnikiwe Civils (Pty) Ltd

4CEPE

Esther Sokupe

+27 (0)83 539 3112

mlenzanabk@gmail.com

1CEPE/GBPE

Kanya Pakati

+27 (0)78 542 0818

kanyasizwe@gmail.com

2CEPE/1GBPE/1SQPE Ayanda Ntlama

+27 (0)81 3300 632

ayanda@nomaxhosa.co.za

T-Square Projects

1CE/GB/SH/SQ

Sam Masisi

+27 (0)41 368 7305

projects@tsquaregroup.co.za

VT Civils

4CE

Mike Hatting

+27 (0)84 892 4795

mike.hatting@gmail.com

Associate Members ABE Construction Chemicals Afrimat

142

Darrell Lewis

+27 (0)41 391 6000

darrell@abe.co.za

Jeff Hoffman

+27 (0)41 398 9300

jeff.hoffman@afrimat.co.za

East Coast Asphalt

Brian Mchunu

+27 (0)43 745 2016

brian.mchunu@muchasphalt.com

ECT Roadsigns cc

Paul De Villiers

+27 (0)41 775 1062

paul@ects.co.za

Much Asphalt PE

Nathan Jacobs

+27 (0)41 364 1116

nathan.jacobs@muchasphalt.com

Mzansi Africa Civils

Richard Musendo

+27 (0)41 364 1604

mzansi@mzansiafrica.co.za

IMIESA October 2016



CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

HPE Africa, exclusive distributor for Hyundai earthmoving equipment in South Africa, has launched the new, fuel-efficient and robust Hyundai Robex R180LC-9S.

More power, less fuel

T

HESE HIGH-POWER MACHINES application. The CAPO system also provides complete diagnostic features and digital have been engineered for optimum gauges for critical information. For examperformance, precision control and enhanced operator safety. This ple, fuel levels and hydraulic oil and water temperatures. model boasts the highest fuel efficiency in The machine features variable operating the industry’s 20 tonne class – an increasmodes, namely: ingly important feature as fuel prices con•P : Power Max maximises machine speed tinue to rise,” says Alex Ackron, managand power. ing director, HPE Africa, Capital Equipment Group of Invicta Holdings Limited. “The R180 series, which is fitted with a specially manufactured bucket for the local market, has an operating weight of 19.1 tonnes and is operative in the 20 tonne class range. Hyundai Robex R180LC-9S excavators are particularly well suited for demanding applications in plant hire, civil engineering, construction and agriculture.” A computer-aided power optimisation (CAPO) system ensures the optimum level of engine power and The Hyundai Robex R180LC-9S excavator hydraulic flow for every

144

IMIESA October 2016

• S: Standard mode provides a reduced, fixed rpm, for maximum fuel savings and improved control. • E: Economy mode provides precise flow and power based on load demand. Hyundai R180LC-9S excavators are fitted with air-cooled, six-cylinder, tier 2 diesel engines, with class-leading fuel efficiency equating to as much as 100% of the purchase price during the recommended useful life of a machine. These machines have groundline access to all critical services and grease points. The compact size of the engine allows for easy maintenance and the low engine height, with a side-mounted, gear-drive camshaft, ensures easy access. HPE Africa has well-equipped workshops in Gauteng, Durban, Cape Town and East London, which are supported by an extensive dealer network. The company’s full portfolio includes Hyundai wheel loaders, wheeled and tracked excavators and backhoe loaders, as well as Soosan hydraulic hammers.


CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

Gaining ground in Babcock’s “trusted to deliver” business positioning is the driving force behind the roll-out of the successful SDLG brand in Southern Africa.

earthmoving

BY ALASTAIR CURRIE

W

ITHIN CHINA, Shandong Lingong Constr uction Machiner y (SDLG) is the clear market leader in its industr y segment, having progressively expanded its product range since SDLG’s establishment in 1972. Steady penetration of the international market has followed, with the SDLG brand now a common sight on infrastructure projects in many parts of the developed and developing world. SDLG is now represented by some 77 dealers worldwide. For the Southern African region, SDLG products are sold and supported through Babcock, an international engineering support ser vices entity. “SDLG has been in South Africa for almost five years now and we continue to grow our market share in the local region for this premium Chinese ear thmoving brand,” says Grant Sheppard, general manager: SDLG and Used Equipment. SDLG currently manufactures hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, compaction rollers, backhoe loaders and graders. “Both private and public sector clients are experiencing capital budgets constraints and are investigating earthmoving solutions that are price-competitive without compromising on delivery. SDLG’s product offering is aimed directly at this requirement for projectbased acquisitions with medium-term lifecycle costing horizons,” explains Sheppard. Within the product mix, SDLG wheel loaders lead the market in China and are making good inroads locally. Prior to the recent economic slump, China was producing up to 400 000 wheel loaders a year for

its domestic market, before factoring in exports, and SDLG remains one of the largest OEMs for this product class.

Babcock extended its product offering with the introduction of the SDLG B877 backhoe loader

Local wheel loader line-up

3 640 kg and is supplied with a standard 4.2 m3 bucket or an optional 6.2 m3 coal bucket. With the exception of the SDLG 918 L, the other wheel loader models in the range have automatic transmissions. All have ROPS/FOPS cabs. Locally, the LG 958 L is a Babcock bestseller. A versatile machine, the LG958 L is fitted with a 3 m3 bucket and has a maximum lift capacity at a rated load

There are five models within SDLG’s small and medium wheel loader range for Southern Africa, starting with the SDLG LG 918 L (approximate operating weight: 6 200 kg, and sold with a 1 m3 bucket). Other units comprise the LG 938 L (10 700 kg); LG 958 L (16 600 kg); LG 968 L (18 400 kg); and the LG 978 L. The latter has an operating weigh of

IMIESA October 2016

145


CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

of 5 000 kg. The maximum breakout force is 168 kN. In terms of graders, Babcock supplies the SDLG G9190 unit for the local market to meet maintenance and construction applications. The G9190 has a base operating weight of approximately 15 500 kg, with a net flywheel output (SAE J1349) of 146 kW. This model is equipped with a 13-foot blade and features a highly robust moldboard design. “The G9190 grader meets South African municipal engineering specifications and is proving popular,” says Sheppard. “One of the requirements is a dual-seat cab specification, which is a standard feature on the G9190.” During 2016, Babcock added to its product mix, with the introduction of the SDLG B877 side-shift backhoe loader, following its debut at the Bauma Africa trade show last year. The unit is equipped with a 1 m3 general-purpose bucket and fitted with air conditioning as a standard feature. A series of SDLG work tools is also available, as well

146

IMIESA October 2016

as the option of an extendible boom for the backhoe. The machine is equipped with a fuel-efficient and powerful turbocharged 70 kW engine, which provides a torque reserve of 40%. With its hydraulic torque converter and synchronised fourspeed transmission, the B877 can reach speeds of up to 38 km/h. As with its entire SDLG line-up, Babcock extensively researched the B877 and under took application studies on this model on sites in Morocco, which shares a similar climate and operating conditions to Southern Africa. “Babcock will not launch a machine into the market until we are confident that it has been modified, where required, to meet local conditions. On the SDLG B877, for example, we installed an additional air filtration system,” says Sheppard.

SDLG’s G9190 is a versatile machine for all grading applications

Further SDLG machine models are planned for phased introduction, during 2017, across various product classes. “It essentially comes down to ensuring the right machine application match, technical and service support – all of which are provided by Babcock within the SDLG range.”


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

Franki Africa

54

NuWater

84

99

G&W Minerals

82

Nyeleti Administration Trust

40

Ammann

138

Group 5 Pipe

101

AON SA

115

Hatch

APE Pumps

102

Imesa Affliates Page

148

Aqua Resources

104

Imesa Call for Abstracts

124

Aquadam

131

Imesa Save the Date

Aquatan

33

Incledon

112

ASPASA

68

iX Engineers

125

Associated Asphalt Equipment

62

Johannesburg Water

94

Afrisam Amanzi Meters

134

42

66

Aveng Infraset

IBC

Kaytech

78

Beka Schréder

130

Komatsu

143

BTW & Associates

95

Krohne South Africa

100

Chevron SA

52

KSB Pumps

106

Clay Brick Association

26

L & R Civils

88

Lafarge

72 58

70 & 107

Osborn

18

PPC Quality Filtration Systems

Rainbow Reservoirs 81 126

Royal HaskoningDHV Sabita

24

SAFCEC

10

SAGI

25

SANRAL

60

SBS Water Sytems

90 133

SIKA

Colas

136

Corobrik

46

Maccaferri Southern Africa

Deedscon

44

Mather & Platt

DPI Plastics ECM Technologies ELB Ammann

105 77 140

Envirosan Sanitation Solutions 108

120

Model Maker Systems

36

Much Asphalt

IFC

Murray & Roberts N&Z Instrumentation & Control

Envitech

31

National Asphalt

EOH

48

NMC Construction

121

SRK Consulting

74

Stefanutti Stocks' Structures

67 122

Structa Group TerraSoil

80

The Rare Group

97

TOSAS

146

96

Totally Concrete West Africa

135

14

Wacker Neuson

OFC 28

55

Water & Sanitation Services Zest WEG Group

OBC 4

IMIESA October 2016

147


I M E S A A F F I L I AT E M E M B E R S

IMESA

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATES AECOM siphokuhle.dlamini@aecom.com Afri-Infra Group (Pty) Ltd banie@afri-infra.com AJ Broom Road Products ajbroom@icon.co.za Arup SA rob.lamb@arup.com Aurecon Fani.Xaba@aurecongroup.com Aveng Manufacturing Infraset cgroenewald@infraset.com Averda claude.marais@averda.com Bigen Africa Group Holdings otto.scharfetter@bigenafrica.com BMK Consulting brian@bmkconsulting.co.za Bosch Munitech info@boschmunitech.co.za Bosch Projects (Pty) Ltd mail@boschprojects.co.za Brubin Pumps sales@brubin.co.za BVI Consulting Engineers marketing@bviho.co.za Civilconsult Consulting Engineers mail@civilconsult.co.za Corrosion Institute of Southern Africa secretary@corrosioninstitute.org.za CSIR Built Environment rbapela@csir.co.za Development Bank of SA divb@dbsa.org.za DPI Plastics mgoodchild@dpiplastics.co.za EFG Engineers eric@efgeng.co.za Elster Kent Metering leon.basson@elster.com Engcor Engineers masham@engcorengineers.co.za Fibertex South Africa (Pty) Ltd rcl@fibertex.com GIBB yvanrooyen@gibb.co.za GLS Consulting nicky@gls.co.za Gudunkomo Investments & Consulting info@gudunkomo.co.za Hatch Africa (Pty) Ltd info@hatch.co.za Henwood & Nxumalo Consulting Engineers cc pmboffice@hn.co.za Herrenknecht schiewe.helene@herrenknecht.de Huber Technology cs@hubersa.com Hydro-comp Enterprises dan@edams.co.za I@Consulting louis_icon@mics.co.za ILISO Consulting hans@iliso.com INGEROP mravjee@ingerop.co.za Integrity Environment info@integrityafrica.co.za JG Afrika DennyC@jgafrika.com Johannesburg Water rtaljaard@jwater.co.za KABE Consulting Engineers info@kabe.co.za Kago Consulting Engineers kagocon@kago.co.za Kantey & Templer (K&T) Consulting Engineers info@kanteys.co.za Kitso Botlhale Consulting Engineers zimema.jere@gmail.com Knowledge Base info@knowbase.co.za Lektratek Water general@lwt.co.za Lithon Project Consultants (Pty) Ltd info@lithon.com Makhaotse Narasimulu & Associates mmakhaotse@mna-sa.co.za Malani Padayachee & Associates (Pty) Ltd admin@mpa.co.za

Maragela Consulting Engineers admin@maragelaconsulting.co.za Marley Pipe Systems info@marleypipesystems.co.za Martin & East gbyron@martin-east.co.za Masithu Consulting & Project Management info@mcpm.co.za Mhiduve adminpotch@mhiduve.co.za Moedi Wa Batho Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd info@wabatho.co.za Mott Macdonald Africa (Pty) Ltd mahomed.soobader@mottmac.com Much Asphalt leon.alberts@muchasphalt.com Nyeleti Consulting ppienaar@nyeleti.co.za Odour Engineering Systems mathewc@oes.co.za PMA Consulting pragasen@pmaconsultingsa.co.za Pumptron info@pumptron.co.za Pragma nicojobe.mabaso@pragmaworld.net francisg@rhdv.com Royal HaskoningDHV SABITA info@sabita.co.za SALGA info@salga.org.za SARF administrator@sarf.org.za.co.za SBS Water Systems desere@sbstanks.co.za Sembcorp Siza Water info-sizawater@sembcorp.com Servotech (Pty) Ltd finance@servotech.co.za SiVEST SA garths@sivest.co.za SKYV Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd kamesh@skyv.co.za SMEC capetown@smec.com SNA stolz.j@sna.co.za Sobek Engineering gen@sobek.co.za Southern African Society for Trenchless Technology director@sasst.org.za SRK Consulting jomar@srk.co.za Syntell julia@syntell.co.za TPA Consulting roger@tpa.co.za UWP Consulting craign@uwp.co.za Vetasi south-africa@vetasi.com VIP Consulting Engineers esme@vipconsulting.co.za VOMM commerciale@vomm.it VUKA Africa Consulting Engineers info@vukaafrica.co.za Water Institute of Southern Africa wisa@wisa.org.za Water Solutions Southern Africa ecoetzer@wssa.co.za Wilo South Africa marketingsa@wilo.co.za WorleyParsons hans.karemaker@worleyparsons.com WRP ronniem@wrp.co.za WRNA washy@wrnyabeze.com WSP Group Africa sam.herman@wspgroup.co.za



Water and Sanitation Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd (WSSA) is a specialised provider of sustainable water services in Southern Africa


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