SURVIVAL OF
THE MOST FLEXIBLE
DOUGALL BROADFOOT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AAPA NSW AND ACT, REFLECTS ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT INDUSTRY AND ITS PEAK BODY ASSOCIATION OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS, AS IT CONTINUES TO WORK ON INDUSTRY IMPROVEMENT.
A
t the ‘genesis meeting’ in April 1969, from which the Australian Asphalt Pavement Association (AAPA) would rise, the purpose of the body was stated, “to promote the economic use of asphalt on sound technical and commercial grounds.” At the time it was said that the association would be drawn from companies in the bitumen premix industry, with the door left open for those in spray sealing at a later stage. Fifty years later and the association represents an array of companies in bitumen, asphalt, spray sealing, equipment manufacturing, tollway operators, consulting firms, all Australian state road authorities, much of local government and beyond. In the first meeting of the national council of AAPA, what would go on to become the association’s founding objectives were specified. The meeting was held in Melbourne on Monday, 25 August 1969. Ken McKenzie, who later became the first Executive Director of AAPA, set out the first list of key objectives: to form state branches, reach out to state road authorities and publish technical specifications. At the second national council meeting, held in Sydney in October 1969, members agreed the association would liaise with the National Asphalt Pavement Association in the USA and reach out to other kindred overseas bodies and to form a conference committee. This National Conference would be held with about 12, 30-minute technical papers and a workshop for contractors. The relationships AAPA formed supported cooperative efforts by its members to make a difference to industry matters. At the association’s conception this included, stateof-the-art technology, safety, sustainability, 22
ROADS MAY 2020
training and technical specifications for industry performance improvement. Over time AAPA and its members have built an enviable reputation for integrity across its wide range of activities as the peak body of the flexible pavements industry in Australia. The first ever national AAPA conference was held in Sydney at the Wentworth Hotel in 1971. In 1973 the AAPA Technical Committee was also denoted by members as the Environmental Committee. This can be attributed as one of the driving forces behind the many sustainability initiatives undertaken by AAPA members. Today, technical emphasis remains one of AAPA’s core activities. In the initial years there was a strong focus placed on elevating technical awareness of asphalt through training and handbooks. As a result, an Engineers and Supervisors training course began in NSW in 1972. By 1975, courses were happening in VIC, QLD and WA and these continue today, known as the flexible pavements principles and practices course. In 1980 Ray Farrelly was appointed the next Executive Director and went on to serve with distinction for 27 years. During
The first ever AAPA National Conference was held at the Wentworth Hotel in 1971.
the 80’s, a series of long-term performance projects began in conjunction with state road authorities and the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB). This was driven by AAPA’s Technical Director at the time, Ian Rickards. These projects were re-visited for use within the Asphalt Pavement Solutions for life project, started by AAPA 30 years later. The resultant Perpetual Asphalt Pavement design principles, developed with Austroads and ARRB, has seen the Austroads Pavement Design Guide amended to yield significant reduction in structural asphalt thickness, providing savings in cost and raw materials. Members of the organisation went on to complete the sealing of the 14,500kilometre Highway One around Australia – one of the world’s largest and connects people from ‘Sydney to the bush.’ It was completed in time for Australia’s bicentenary celebrations in 1988. This was a great demonstration that the flexible pavements industry, represented by AAPA, can connect all regions of the country and enable essential industry and commerce, safety and communications.
