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It seems like only yesterday that we welcomed the new year in – yet, in what seems to have been the blink of an eye, half the year has already flashed by. Looking back at the first half of 2014, it is apparent that ours is an industry in need of a major boost to emerge from an abyss of under-performance. In the first quarter of 2014, the industry has reported the lowest levels of confidence since 2007. We also conducted a national skills survey to determine the levels of skills capacity in the industry, the findings of which have confirmed what has been apparent for a long time now: that our industry is in dire need of skills development.

The building industry regards the lack of supervisory skills on building sites as the most critical – and potentially disastrous – facet of the increasing skills shortage in the construction sector. Based on this alarming feedback which, in effect, means that many building contractors are undertaking building operations without skilled supervision on site, South Africa should not be surprised if more structures collapse and more people are killed or injured in the workplace or on site. The increasingly regular media reports about such disastrous building collapses merely endorse our members’ apprehension.

What turned out to be more disturbing from this survey is the approach of the industry regarding training of the workforce. The survey showed the low level of support for formal training among employers. Only about 11% of the respondents were involved in any form of accredited or formal training of staff, with close to two-thirds opting for in-house training. Most of the employers regarded the current state of formal accredited artisan training as ‘poor’ while a large percentage of those who were involved in formal training did so to boost their B-BBEE status or benefit from tax incentives, coupled with increased productivity.

In response to this current state of affairs, an overwhelming 80%-plus of the respondents said they would support the establishment of a national training register of qualified artisans for the building industry, a move that will without a doubt improve not only our data in terms of tracking skills but will also encourage training and skills development by various role-players. The results of the survey simply echo the long-standing MBSA plea for increased and improved training facilities, driven by government.

Whilst there seems to be alignment between the government and the industry on matters relating to skills, one issue that continues to plague not only the industry but the economy as well is the rate of ongoing and unresolved strikes in key sectors of the economy and the negative impact they have on the country as a whole. No sooner had the five months long strike in the platinum sector been resolved than a new strike in the Steel and Engineering Sector emerged. This strike is presently in its third week and the parties involved do not seem to be getting any closer to the resolution of their wage negotiations. With South Africa’s unemployment rate of over 25% and economists predicting an even further decline in the growth of the economy, these issues do not bode well for the growth and development of South Africa.

In all, the first part of 2014 has certainly presented its own challenges. As we move into the next half, we can only but hope that it will certainly be the better half.

Until next month.

2014 – looking forward to the better half

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Tumi Dlamini, executive director

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Master Builders south africa tumi dlamini – executive director Pierre fourie – operations director

234 Alexandra Avenue, Halfway House, Midrand Box 1619, Halfway House, 1685 Tel: 011 205 9000 Fax: 011 315 1644 Website: www.mbsa.org.za e-mail: info@mbsa.org.za

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The official journal of Master Builders South Africa

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Comment by the executive director of MBSA .....................1

MBA news Behardien elected for second term as President of KZN-MBA ........................................4

We're serious about infrastructure spend – KZN MEC: Finance .............................................5

Construction health and safetyIs your building disability friendly? ......................6

Mobile Clinic is a hit.............................................7

EconomicPPP’s essential in addressing the challenges we face .................................................................8

The times they are a-changing ...........................8

Civils confidence plummets to 44 .......................9

Industry newsLate payments continue to threaten beleaguered construction industry ....................10

BIBC increases compliance enforcement staff by 80% .......................................................10

Readymix concreteCore testing: is your lab SANS accredited?..... 11

Cutting edge, real-time moisture measurement secures readymix in transit .......12

AfriSam’s new Saldanha Bay readymix plant boosts local infrastructural growth ....................14

Chryso admixtures play key role in readymix ............................................................16

Sustainable readymix under the spotlight ........17

COVER STORYSephaku's flagship plant, Aganang: let delivery begin .....................................................18

GeotechnicalFranki Africa accelerates Keller’s growth into sub-Saharan Africa ............................................20

The modern art of stabilising base soils ...........22

Historic piling method to preserve CBD heritage site .......................................................24

A geotechnical solution for canal system .........26

Site preparationFAW tipper fleet keeps Ross Demolition’s 116-year success story on track .......................28

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The official journal of Master Builders South Africa

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contents

16 storysee page 18

SA Builder is available online:

Visitwww.sabuilder.co.za

Tata's new Prima 10 cube tipper ......................30

A new bench-mark for intelligent compaction ........................................................31

Cat launches new medium class excavator range ..................................................................32

Earth retainageGeotextile cuts costs in retaining wall reinforcement .....................................................34

Solutions for steep embankments ....................35

New retaining wall block makes its debut ..................................................................36

Project newsHollow-core slabs by Echo enable fast-track office development ............................................38

Menlyn Maine - Africa’s first Green City ...........39

Product newsA new VIP polyurea coating attracts local contracts ............................................................40

Skills and trainingSA's first ever Construction Adjudication course launched ................................................41

Into AfricaService and support – the key to success in Africa ..................................................................42

SASFA takes LSFB cross-border .....................43

Company newsGIBB reaches R1 billion turnover .....................44

ASSA ABLOY celebrates 20 years ...................45

A blast from the pastExtracts from the South African Builder archives – May 1964 .........................................46

Events 2014Forthcoming events for the building and construction industry .........................................47

People ......................................................... 48

MBSA members and affiliates listing .............................................................48

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mba news

During the proceedings the meeting reiterated that the focus of the Association is to remain on strengthening industry transformation initiatives, both in KwaZulu-Natal and nationally. It was also

noted that throughout the year emphasis was placed on improving relations with other institutions and the Provincial Government. “Establishing and maintaining key relationships with relevant stakeholders is critical to effectively opening the door for engagement and a more productive industry,” said Behardien.

Keynote speaker for the occasion was the newly appointed KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Finance Ms Belinda Francis Scott, who expressed her appreciation for the role being played by the Association in its contribution to small and informal businesses, occupational health and safety and the clinic model. Attention was drawn to a process which was designed to standardise the approach to contracts entered into in Government.

Scott called on the KZN-MBA to partner with the Department in a process of reviewing of contracts entered into between government and service providers. She announced that the Department is serious about infrastructure delivery and its programme to blacklist contractors where appropriate. The MEC expressed her commitment to construction and to working with the Association to drive infrastructure delivery in the Province.

Executive director of the KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders Association, Vikashnee Harbhajan, in her address informed members that during the period under review, Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal had reached several strategic milestones. Growth in membership was achieved while member retention improved significantly, auguring well for the local building industry.

“The Emerging Contractor Programme is the flagship of the Association, providing training, support, advice and mentorship to emerging contractors,” said Harbhajan.

She also announced that the Association has implemented an anti-corruption programme in its efforts to promote fair and ethical business practices, and that a quality improvement programme has been created, bringing industry stakeholders together to enhance standards in the KZN building and construction environment.

At the meeting the Association also proudly launched the Master Builders Occupational Health Clinic, which was formally opened earlier by the MEC: Finance prior to the commencement of the AGM.

The clinic complements the Association’s Mobile Clinic Service which was designed to minimise downtime by conducting medical examinations on site.

The executive director took the opportunity to assure members that the Association will continue to serve in their best interests and thanked them for their support and participation.

Behardien elected for second term as President of KZN-MBAAt the 113th Annual General Meeting of the KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders and Allied Industries Association

(KZN-MBA) held at the Master Builders Centre in Westville, Durban, Mogamat Behardien was elected to a

second term as President of the Association.

Mogamat Behardien, President – KZN-MBA; Ms Belinda Francis Scott, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Finance; Vikashnee Harbhajan,

Executive Director – KZN-MBA

KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders Association Executive Council 2014/2015. Left to right top row: Ryan Benians – Bencon Projects;

Kevin Dicks – Dicks Construction; Mike Bekker – MCB Projects; Marcus Gonzalves – FS Gonzalves Construction; Phumelele Bam – Zenzulwazi Plumbing and Contracting; Clive Dwarika – 2c Projects; Steve Poorter – Aveng Grinaker-LTA; Brian Chetty – Pilosio SA; and Francois Louw – Met Builders (VP). Left to right bottom row: Chris Cusens – WBHO (VP); Chris Nott – Nott’s Projects, T / A Unicon;

Vic Naidoo – C&R Contractors (Immediate Past President); Joyce Dolly Tembe – Sakhisizwe Development Training (VP); Mogamat Behardien – NMC (President); Mpume Mhlongo –

Microvulintuthuko Business Enterprise(VP); and Thabile Gidigidi – Khosi Development and Construction

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JULY 2014 5

We are also working on extending this to our municipalities, which is in its second phase where we are in the process of doing contract reviews. Although we have in-depth knowledge

of all the contracts in each and every department, the challenge we are facing in this phase is that most departments do not have the necessary skills – resulting in the need for the private sector to draft contracts for them – which is wasteful expenditure – which is why we are now going through all our government contracts to identify gaps and problem areas.

“This process will culminate with phase three where we are fast-tracking project management. For particular aspects such as construction of roads and building of schools we want to have draft standard contracts with government, which are more easily monitored.

“However, we are cognisant of the fact that we need skills to monitor this process. This is where we are going as Provincial Treasury to establish a standardised approach added into infrastructure in government which will not only be security for us as government but it will also create certainty within the private sector, as non-adherence will result in penalties being imposed. Part of this vision is that we also employ a specialist legal team to drive this process,” concluded MEC Scott. ■

We’re serious about infrastructure spend – KZN MEC: FinanceMEC Scott, in her address to the Annual General Meeting of the KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders and Allied

Industries Association (KZN-MBA) in June, stated that the issue of poor quality impacts on the fiscus. She

further stated, “We are serious about infrastructure spend as the province will be spending a total of

R46,317 billion over the forthcoming three years. As Provincial Treasury, we are in a process of reviewing

contract management and policy development over three phases. Phase one looked at the contracts – and

we came up with a comprehensive list of all contracts in the province.

The Executive Council for the KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders and Allied Industries Association for the next term of office is as follows:

Name Company OfficeMogamat Behardien NMC President

Francois Louw Met Builders Vice PresidentJoyce Dolly Tembe

Sakhisizwe Development Training Vice President

Chris Cusens WBHO Vice President

Mpume Mhlongo Microvulintuthuko Business Enterprise Vice President

Vic Naidoo C & R Contractors Immediate Past President

Mike Bekker MCB ProjectsAsh Maharaj Edison Power

Chris Nott Nott’s Projects T / A Unicon

Ryan Benians Bencon Projects

Marcus Gonzalves FS Gonzalves Construction

Steve Poorter Aveng Grinaker-LTAAyanda Notshweleka

Masakane Construction

Thabile Gidigidi Khosi Development and Construction

Phumelele Bam Zenzulwazi Plumbing and Contracting

Kevin Dicks Dicks ConstructionBrian Chetty Pilosio SAClive Dwarika 2c Projects

from page 4

We are in a process of reviewing infrastructure contract management and policy development over three phases –

Belinda Scott, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Finance in her address to the Annual General Meeting of the KwaZulu-Natal

Master Builders and Allied Industries Association

mba news

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Is your building disability friendly?Johannesburg based company, Capability Careers, dedicated to the recruitment of people with disabilities,

has developed a specialised “building access audit service” to assist property owners in establishing –

and improving – the access to their buildings by the disabled.

The purpose of an Access Audit is to establish how well a building performs in relation to access and ease of use by a wide range of potential users,” says MD of Capability Careers, Pascalle Jacquelin.

“This includes people with physical immobility and sensory impairments.”

Why conduct such an audit?It is the first reasonable step for companies to • recognise and record the possible obstacles that employees with disabilities face on a daily basis, because it broadens the outlook of our clients to take further action in finding solutions to these challenges.By considering existing management and organisation • features of a building and the service from it, our aim is to achieve maximum accessibility for all employees, regardless of their ability level.Building and property owners should consider • developing a long term action plan, taking all staff members into consideration where the incorporation of reasonable adjustments on future renovation, regular maintenance and budget planning for substantial capital costs can be considered.

There are two stages to complete in an access audit.

Stage 1: Needs AnalysisBefore a comprehensive access audit report can be generated, a needs analysis must be conducted. This is performed on the client’s premises for a few hours per day for about a month. This observation is crucial in the understanding of betterment for the organisation as a whole.

It is to be noted that during the needs analysis, individuals are deployed who are able to perceive the company from different perspectives, such as being in a wheelchair or being blind.

The first two weeks are for observational purposes; and the last two weeks focus on more practical access aspects.

The needs analysis covers the following:From arrival at the premises

parking• approach and routes to entrance• lighting and signage to entrance• surfaces of approach• street and grounds furniture.•

Ease of access to the building/ssteps and ramps• entrance doors and thresholds• reception areas including desks, seating and lighting.•

Mobility around the premiseswidth of corridors • internal direction signs• floor surfaces• vertical circulation – lifts and stairs.•

Use of services inside the building/stoilets, wash-rooms, change-rooms and bathrooms• access to and in eating and bar areas• lighting, heating and acoustics• accessibility of switches, handles and controls• seating and furniture• telephones and electrical equipment• alarms and ease of access.•

Exiting the building/sfire exits and escape routes• emergency lighting and warning systems• safe refuge areas in event of fire.•

Management practices of the building and serviceskeeping routes clear and obstructions removed• maintenance of lighting, heating and alarm systems• attitudinal approach of staff.•

Stage 2: Access Audit ReportThe Access Audit Report records the building status and establishes how well that building performs in terms of access and ease of use by a wide range of potential users.

It identifies good and bad practice, design and layout in regard to access for people with disabilities, identifying obstacles to people with immobility and sensory impairments.

In addition, the Access Audit Report will then seek to find solutions to access problems, with recommendations on remedial construction work to be undertaken at various priority levels.

For more information or to have an access audit performed on your property, contact: Pascalle Jacquelin on 011 726 3081 (ext. 281); 083 543 3257; or pasjac@abletowork.co.za ■

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Capability Careers offers a specialised “building access audit service” (Photo: www.forcivilminds.org)

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This is a medical surveillance service which provides medical examinations and screening tests for clients’ employees on-site. The service is available to Association members as well as to non-members

in the KwaZulu-Natal region. Travel to neighbouring provinces can also be arranged if required.

Although the service is aimed primarily at the the building and construction industry, it is also offered to a wide range of clients in many different industries.

The addition of the Mobile Clinic to the Association’s portfolio of services further enhances its excellent service delivery to clients. “We are acutely aware of the business constraints involved in doing medical surveillance on employees during working hours,” says KZN-MBA’s construction health and safety manager, Neels Nortje. “Through the Mobile Clinic we ensure that we are able to work with our clients in making the process of medical examinations as seamless as possible and with the minimum amount of disruption.” ■

Mobile Clinic is a hitKwaZulu-Natal Master Builders Association (KZN-MBA)

recently introduced a Mobile Clinic service.

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The KZN-MBA Mobile Clinic

The Mobile Clinic service is available to Association members as well as to non-members

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ic The National Development Plan (NDP) is nothing profound. It’s been a plan in the pipeline and will remain as such unless there’s a swift change in mindset by all South Africans – general public,

entrepreneurs, state and private sector workers and leaders alike. While infrastructure development and economic growth can no longer be seen as the sole responsibility of government, government too needs to accept its limitations in implementing these projects. The construction collusion investigation and the outcome of the report has created a deepened distrust between the private and public sector and is delaying the implementation of the NDP. It is also evident that the public sector lacks the capacity to move the NDP beyond a plan and into active projects.

We have our own shining examples of project implementation such as the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP) and various other public- private-sectors partnerships (PPPs). And as a member of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa emerging economies) we have the necessary access to a global reference on how infrastructure development can be rolled out.

With our clearly demonstrated ability to roll out REIPPP phases together with the framework shift and government’s acceptance that the public sector lacks the capacity to implement infrastructure projects, there is no

plausible reason why, technically, the NDP has not adequately commenced. As underwriters to emerging contractors, we have first hand experience and have witnessed the capacity of emerging contractors to deliver on municipal, provincial and national infrastructure projects.

We believe that the success of the REIPPP and numerous PPP’s have illustrated that through policy framework shifts in procurement processes, consultation and transparency, and the correct allocation of risk and accountability amongst stakeholders, we can effectively implement any infrastructure project. PPPs thus remain essential in addressing many of the challenges we face.

These vehicles create a very different risk profile for any financial services provider which allows us to keep the pricing of these services low and the bankability of these projects have numerous benefits. Our infrastructure development plan is essentially fragmented and not well packaged. These are all signs that the industry is not undergoing sustainable growth.

Institutions like the IMF, World Bank and even closer to home, the African Development Bank repeatedly note that funding can only be unlocked if these projects are bankable.

Ultimately sustainable growth within the construction industry requires a pro-active approach to development.” ■

PPP’s essential in addressing the challenges we faceSustainable growth within the construction industry requires a pro-active approach to

development. This is according to Brian Africa, marketing and business development

executive at PCBS:

So says Themba Moyo, COO of MMQS, a leading infrastructure cost management consultancy firm which specialises in quantity surveying, estimating, cost accounting, planning and scheduling, and

cost engineering. “This means that as quantity surveyors (QS) we need to think differently about the industry as a whole and the role that both the public and private sector need to play to ensure we continue to gain momentum, roll out infrastructure plans and contribute to the growth of SA’s GDP,” said Moyo. “To unlock investment opportunities on the continent we need a sound investment climate. As such, risk management is key. We need to create a stable yet enabling environment based on sound governance. We are starting to see more large scale multi-use projects such as Waterfall Estate which not only has

residential units, but a school, a hospital, retail blocks and so on,” says Moyo.

“Thus the emerging cost manager is intrinsically involved in defining, managing and cementing all four pillars – scope, quality, time and cost – towards the overall success of any project which with the changing industry has certainly become more dynamic.” On larger or more complex projects a cost engineering specialist is essential in order to optimise processes and to put efficient financial control measures in place.

“Times are changing – budgets are tighter, expectations are higher and risks are amplified. So to ensure that the construction industry is on the right path those in the industry need to drive innovation, diversity and collaboration to ensure positive changes,” concluded Moyo. ■

The times they are a-changing Themba Moyo

Companies in the global engineering and construction sector have fresh confidence in the growth

prospects for the industry.

Brian Africa

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This is a total fall of 22 index points for the first half of the year.

Confidence was lower despite a marked increase in construction activity. “This mismatch between activity and confidence is likely due to the spread of construction work, which seems concentrated among a few firms and provinces,” said Sizwe Nxedlana, chief economist at FNB.

The protracted strike in the platinum sector and weak economic growth prospects, however, may have made respondents more concerned about the current business environment.

Construction work in 2Q2014 was likely influenced by:Higher capital expenditure (capex) by public • corporationsIncreased infrastructure spending by general • government Weaker private sector construction demand as a result • of the prolonged industrial action in the platinum sector.

Overall profitability and employment in the sector increased during the quarter. “This is a direct result of the

rise in construction work, as profit margins remained more or less unchanged” said Nxedlana

Respondents are more positive about the outlook with the growth in activity and profitability expected to accelerate further in 3Q2014. ■

Civils confidence plummets to 44Mirroring the fall in the FNB/BER Building Sector Confidence index for the second quarter reported in

South African Builder in June, the Civils Construction Confidence index has revealed a similar slide, dropping

from 55 to 44 index points in 2Q2014.

Growth in construction activity

Civil construction

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This is despite ongoing efforts to eliminate this issue through engagement with government by

appropriate industry bodies.1Speaking at a recent Master Builders Association North (MBA North) business networking breakfast, Prof Maritz, said: “Smaller and emerging contractors are most prone to be negatively affected and even ruined by late payments. It is of great concern that regulations mooted by Master Builders South Africa and submitted to the National Department of Public Works (NDPW) by the Construction Industry Development

Board, for promulgation, have still not been acted upon nearly four years after first being drafted.”

Prof Maritz said countries such as the UK, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia had gone beyond regulations with specific construction legislation put in place to protect contractors against late or non-payment. “We feel the draft regulations submitted to the NDPW are a move in the same direction although, even if accepted, the local

industry would still be years behind those countries in terms of refining the laws and getting Government and all other parties involved to cooperate.

“The draft regulations address some of the major causes of late payments, contractual issues and disputes, as well as the rights and obligations of each party. They also seek solutions that may mitigate lengthy court battles and work on the premise that as long as all parties involved understand the requirements of a project, there will be fewer disputes in future. We also need to put in place set standards of uniformity and standard documentation to ensure everyone understands the contents of a contract.”

He said this would increase cost efficiencies and provide uniformity in procurement, as well as making tendering easier and more precise. He also urged all parties, including Master Builders South Africa, to maintain pressure on regulators to fast track the proposed legislation, especially parts relating to prompt payment protection and adjudication in the event of a dispute. “This would allow a more nurturing environment for contractors and SMMEs in future,” he told the meeting. ■

1 See Pages 4-17, South African Builder, October 2013: MBSA Congress 2013 Report – Contracts and non-payment”; Pages 16-17, South African Builder, November/December 2013: “Non-payment – the solution is ours”; and Page 34, South African Builder, March 2014; “Feature on Adjudication, Mediation & Arbitration.”

Late payments continue to threaten beleaguered construction industryOne of the biggest challenges facing the beleaguered South African building industry is late payments for

projects – particularly by government departments and enterprises, says Prof Tinus Maritz, head of the

Department of Construction Economics, and chairman of the School for the Built Environment at the

University of Pretoria.

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The primary focus of this enforcement team is to ensure that all contractors in the building industry adhere to conditions laid down in the Collective Agreement in accordance with the Labour Relations

Act,” explained Arnold Williams, Secretary for the Building Industry Bargaining Council (Cape of Good Hope).

In addition to increasing its staff complement, the Compliance Department will further be supported by nearly thirty interns from a local college to assist with administrative and enforcement duties. The Council aims to create a level playing field in the industry whereby all contractors compete with the same labour costs and conditions, and this strategy will significantly increase their visibility in the industry and speed up the enforcement process.

The Collective Agreement is aimed at ensuring stability in the building industry and governs the industry as a whole.

All building and building related contractors, such as plumbers and painters, are compelled by law to comply with the BIBC’s Collective Agreement within their area of jurisdiction. “It is our role to prescribe minimum wages for the industry as negotiated by the trade unions and the employer bodies that are parties to the Council and who represent the majority of workers in the industry; as well as to administer several employee benefit funds on behalf of the industry, thus in many ways alleviating the administration burden of the employer,” added Williams.

Employers and employees in the Peninsula, Boland, Malmesbury and Overstrand areas are represented by the Master Builders’ and Allied Trades Association Western Cape; Boland Master Builders’ and Allied Trades Association Boland; Building Workers Union; Building, Wood and Allied Workers Union of South Africa; National Union of Mineworkers and the Building Construction and Allied Workers’ Union. ■

BIBC increases compliance enforcement staff by 80%

The Building Industry Bargaining Council (Cape of Good Hope) (BIBC) has put drastic measures in place to

increase compliance with its Collective Agreement, by increasing its permanent compliance-enforcement

staff by more than 80%.

“

Late payments by government are

severely hurting the building industry, says

Prof Tinus Maritz, of the University of Pretoria

This is an indication that many in the construction industry do not fully understand the importance of testing of concrete, the significance of test procedures and the interpretation of test results.

Here Bryan Perrie, MD of The Concrete Institute, discusses the core test:

“Typically, cores are taken as a “knee-jerk” reaction after suspect cube results are received. Such testing is not good practice as it tends to aggravate disputes, not solve them. If cube results are suspect, further investigation should be agreed between all those involved. Most importantly, before testing is started, the parties should agree the acceptance criteria for further tests. It is recommended that the criteria contained in Clause 14.4.3 of SANS 10100-2 are used for the acceptance or otherwise of concrete core results.

When cores are taken, they should be drilled and prepared in accordance with SANS 5865. As it is very difficult to carry out the test correctly, The Concrete Institute strongly recommends that cores only be tested at a laboratory that is SANAS accredited for this test by the

South African National Accreditation System (SANAS). There have been instances of laboratories claiming SANAS accreditation who in fact are not accredited for this particular test. This can be checked and verified on the SANAS website: www.sanas.co.za

Cores can also be taken from non-suspect concrete in similar elements and locations for comparison purposes.

Core strength acceptance criteriaUsually, the in-situ strength as measured by a core will be lower than the standard cube strength of the same concrete due to many factors, including the location of the test sample, its curing and temperature history, and the degree of compaction.

A large research project was carried out in South Africa some years ago by the Portland Cement Institute which involved testing a very large number of cores from different concretes from around the country, different directions of drilling relative to placing direction and

Core testing: is your lab SANAS accredited?The Concrete Institute regularly receives numerous queries regarding the testing of concrete, mostly about

testing for compressive strength.

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mix S outh African Builder spoke to Quintin Booysen,

marketing and sales manager for Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA), renowned manufacturer and supplier of a wide range of well-known concrete

related equipment, about this system.

“This is a new development from the well-known Franz Ludwig company in Germany,” explained Booysen. “The system, designated FL-MOBI-MIC Inspector, consists of a microwave moisture measuring probe and a consistency measuring bar with transmission unit mounted on the rotating drum on the truck, which in turn communicates via Bluetooth to a receiver module in the cab.” A Windows based smartphone or compatible device then forwards this signal via GSM connection, enabling the data to be available in virtually any location. An industrial standard for the ‘Bluetooth’ connection ensures reliable data transfer at long range even under challenging conditions.

“Most importantly,” continued Booysen, “in addition to the transmission of product moisture data, the system also sends other crucial process parameters such as product temperature, consistency, slump, residual water, filling

level, rotating direction and speed of the mixing drum – for full process real-time monitoring.”

“This puts the supplier in full control for the first time,” said Booysen. “On delivery, or at any point along the route, the supplier is aware of any change introduced to the readymix product, including the addition of water on-site. All too often we hear of water being added to speed up discharging of the load. This system eliminates that and other risks entirely, significantly contributing to and securing the quality control of readymix deliveries. We are pleased to announce that PMSA has the sole rights in Africa for the distribution, installation and support of the FL-MOBI-MIC Inspector system.”

The FL-MOBI-MIC Inspector system is now available from PMSA for installation on readymix transporters. FL-MOBI-MIC Inspector monitors and forwards the following process parameters in real-time: Moisture; Consistency; Slump; Residual water; Temperature; Mix drum speed; Mix drum rotation; Direction; Mix drum filling level; Concrete moisture course. ■

Cutting edge, real-time moisture measurement secures readymix in transitFor the first time in South Africa, Bluetooth, GSM, Windows, smart phones, microwave and high-tech

electronics work together in a new and innovative system to secure the technical status of readymix

concrete in transit from the supplier’s batch plant to handover/delivery at the construction site.

Readings are transmitted via an industrial standard ‘Bluetooth’ connection which ensures reliable data transfer at long range,

even under challenging conditions

Visual display of the measuring field Installation of a microwave probe in a bulk material

Installation of microwave probes in mixers

Measured values and data are transmitted via the GSM network, enabling the data to be available from virtually any location

different degrees of curing. Based on those results, the following criteria were included in SANS 10100-2 Clause 14.3.3 which states

14.4.3.1 If the average core strength is at least 80% of the specified strength (see 14.3.3), and if no single core strength is less than 70% of the specified strength, the concrete shall be accepted.

14.4.3.2 If the concrete in a certain area fails to comply with 14.4.3.1 because a single core result falls below 70% of the specified strength, a further set of three cores may be taken from the same area, to determine the extent of deficient concrete. If the new set of three cores complies with the requirements of 14.4.3.1, the area represented by this second set of cores shall be considered acceptable. If the new set of cores fails to comply with the requirements of 14.4.3.1, then criterion 14.4.3.3 applies.

14.4.3.3 If the core strength does not meet the acceptance criteria of 14.4.3.1 and 14.4.3.2, the following should be considered in relation to the deficient part of the structure:a) strength requirements for the member(s);b) performance of a full-scale load test as in clause 15;c) strengthening the deficient part of the structure; andd) removal and replacement of the deficient part of

the structure.

Conclusion:Core testing is difficult and to ensure reliable results, only laboratories accredited for the test should be used.

It is important that if cube strength testing is carried out – and it is mandatory on most projects – that it is carried out correctly to provide the designer with peace of mind knowing that concrete with the correct potential strength was used and to ensure that the contractor is paid for the concrete. It is also critical that the results are interpreted correctly to ensure compliance with the specification.

When cube results fail or are suspect, it is important to determine whether the failure is due to poor sampling, sample preparation or testing so that deficiencies can be rectified. Only once it is clear that the concrete in the structure may be suspect, should core testing be considered. Before the cores are drilled, the acceptance criteria should be agreed and it is recommended that those in SANS 10100-2 be used.

Correct use of the process and criteria outlined above will hopefully result in quicker resolution of disputes relating to strength testing of concrete.

As is often the case in the construction industry, the key to improvement is better education and training at all levels. The Concrete Institute’s publications and training courses provide an invaluable education resource on many aspects of concrete and concrete testing; and The Institute’s Advisory Service is also available to provide guidance to the industry on all aspects of concrete and concrete testing.

For more information, telephone 011 315 0300 or visit www.theconcreteinstitute.org.za ■

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Bevin Cornelius, AfriSam’s building construction materials territory manager in the Cape, explains that the plant will service the entire Saldanha Bay municipal area, including St Helena Bay,

Saldanha Bay, Langebaan, Paternoster, Jacobsbaai, Vredenburg and Hopefield. “We selected the site at Saldanha’s Industrial Development Zone due to its close proximity to the upcoming projects within the central hub of the Saldanha Bay municipal area.”

According to Cornelius, the company has planned for some time to increase its footprint in the region and was encouraged by the announcement of the upcoming

contracts to build the Langebaan Hospital, the further extensive development of Saldanha’s Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) and the widening of the port at Saldanha Bay.

The enormous project, which should lead to the integrated development of the Saldanha Port, the Saldanha Industrial Development Zone (IDZ), Saldanha Municipality and the Saldanha/Langebaan Coastal and Nature areas on the West Coast of South Africa, will require extensive investments in port development, IDZ facilities, industry establishment and expansions. It is forecast that there will be employment growth of approximately 10 000 jobs

in the initial development phase and up to 40 000 jobs when the industrial zone and port are fully developed.

“Not only will each of these projects require large amounts of readymix product, but they will also prompt the increased development of infrastructure to support these projects. These would typically include roads, schools, clinics, sewage systems and housing, which in turn will also require readymix concrete,” says Cornelius.

AfriSam’s Saldanha Bay readymix facility will comprise offices, storage silos for cement and storage areas for other aggregates, as well as delivery and dispatch areas to accommodate the company’s readymix delivery trucks.

Cornelius adds that the feedback received from the community to date is very positive. “Local readymix consumers welcome the entry of another readymix supplier in the area, and AfriSam looks forward to bringing to the area its recognised quality products and superior services.” ■

AfriSam’s new Saldanha Bay readymix plant boosts local infrastructural growth Maintaining a presence close to its burgeoning customer base led AfriSam to establish a readymix plant in

Saldanha Bay’s Industrial Development Zone. Fully operational since June 2014, the plant has a production

capacity of 70 m³ per hour.

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Maintaining a presence close to its burgeoning customer base drove AfriSam to establish a readymix plant in Saldanha Bay’s

Industrial Development Zone

AfriSam’s Saldanha Bay readymix plant has a maximum capacity of 70 m3 per hour

The new AfriSam’s Saldanha Bay readymix plant was fully operational in early June 2014

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Scribante Concrete is applying a range of Chryso’s ‘new generation’ admixtures in its readymix concrete batch plant at the Baywest Mall construction site in the Eastern Cape

JULY 201416

Scribante Concrete has a dedicated readymix concrete batch plant on site to supply about 57 000 cubic metres of concrete for the construction of Phase 1 of the project.

One such product is ChrysoPlast Omega 122, one of Chryso’s ‘new generation’ admixtures. When included in the concrete mix, this water reducer/plasticiser helps maintain workability during concrete placement and minimises shrinkage, while also improving the rheology of the concrete. This admixture is particularly suited to readymix concrete as it promotes excellent dispersion of the particles in the concrete, greatly enhancing its fluidity. It helps to achieve a high performance concrete with a low water-to-cement ratio, boosting slump retention, reducing segregation and providing exceptional cohesive qualities to concrete.

Another admixture in use on the project is ChrysoPlast Omega 136. “This admixture is an essential part of the concrete mix produced by Scribante Concrete for the construction of the post-tension slabs where a concrete strength of 20MPa had to be attained within just three days to tension the cables,” Flannigan explained. The plasticiser/water reducer, which has considerable flexibility and a variety of dosages, can be used in a wide range of concrete mixes. It is also particularly recommended for readymix concrete, reduces capillary absorption, improves compaction and can generally increase mechanical strength in a short period of time.

ChrysoStab 2 is a mortar retarder being used in conjunction with ChrysoAir 7 for all mortar produced on site. “The combination is successfully slowing the setting of surface mortars for as much as 36 hours. This allows for the mortar to be batched late at night for use the next morning to eliminate the delays that mixing mortar first thing every morning would have caused. A feature of the mortar retardation caused by ChrysoStab 2 is that air is entrained at a level of about 20%, depending on the sand used, to produce substantial cost-savings to the user. The period of retardation increases with increased dosage and decreases at high temperature. It is much easier to place concrete by using this product in the mix and the mortar will also be much more adhesive,” Flannigan explained.

Chryso Rescue Pack is a plasticiser designed to be added to the concrete in a readymix truck on site. The product increases workability and makes it easier to pump or discharge concrete from trucks that may have been stationary on site for long periods. Scribante is applying Chryso Rescue Pack in the concrete being supplied to Basil Read Newport Joint Venture, the contractors building the new N2 interchange access to Baywest Mall. ■

Chryso admixtures play key role in readymix Patrick Flannigan, Eastern Cape area manager for Chryso South Africa, says Chryso is supplying a number of

products to Scribante Concrete at the Baywest Mall development to enhance the properties of the

readymix concrete used on site.

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An aerial view of the Baywest Mall construction site

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While readymix concrete is arguably the single most important construction material,

the sustainability of supply of all materials used in its manufacture needs to be secured to ensure that suppliers are able to keep pace with construction projects in years to come.

This year’s Southern Africa Readymix Association’s (SARMA) annual conference will focus largely on securing the sustainability of the industry through discussion of improved practices, advanced methods and machinery, as well as some “out-of-the-box” thinking from speakers focusing on new and different ways of producing readymix.

SARMA’s Readymix Conference is an annual institution among members of the readymix, cement and construction industries and aims at aligning the abilities of manufacturers and suppliers with current and future needs of the construction, engineering and architectural industries. Raw material suppliers, including cement, aggregate, extenders and admixture manufacturers, will also play an active role in the conference by providing insight into new products available to the industry.

“This year we will be looking at energy saving initiatives that can be implemented both by our manufacturers on site, as well as by customers making use of SARMA members’ products. Carbon taxes will also be discussed as will methods of reducing our environmental footprint and manufacturing green products.

“We will also share ideas on new formulae and techniques applied in construction of sustainable buildings, as well as examining new building methods which make use of readymix concrete to speed up construction of houses and building projects. An exhibition of innovative machinery will also be on display,” says SARMA general manager, Johan van Wyk.

The conference will be followed by the association’s annual general meeting which is open to all SARMA members.

The SARMA Conference takes place at Misty Hills Conference Centre, Muldersdrift, Gauteng on 13 to 14 August 2014.

For more information contact SARMA, Mary-Ann Sutton, on 011 791 3327, or email: office@sarma.co.za ■

Sustainable readymix under the spotlightSARMA Conference – 13 to 14 August 2014.

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Johan van Wyk, general manager of SARMA

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According to Pieter Fourie, Sephaku Cement’s chief executive, Sephaku is the country’s first new cement entrant in 80 years. “Following the successful commissioning of our plant in Delmas,

we commenced with delivery of quality cement to the South African market early this year. We are now reaching our ultimate milestone as the countdown to completion of our flagship plant, Aganang, draws nearer,” said Fourie.

Cement manufacturing operations at the Aganang plant will include limestone mining, chemical processing of raw materials to produce clinker, as well as the milling of approximately 50% of the clinker – which is then blended as appropriate with other components – to produce the company’s range of finished cement products. The balance of Sephaku’s cement output will be produced at the Delmas milling plant.

Quality control“Building new greenfield cement operations has given us the opportunity to ensure that we use the most modern,

state-of-the-art cement manufacturing and production equipment available,” said Fourie. “From our offering of Sephaku 32, Sephaku 42 and Sephaku 52 cement products to technical support and customer service, we will deliver quality from start to finish.”

As a new project, Sephaku Cement was in a position to dictate product quality from the outset. Technology in use at its plants includes

latest generation Loesche vertical roller mills. The Delmas plant, for example, has performed faultlessly since its first 48 hour run of zero stoppage time as the Loesche mill installed at Delmas continues to exceed expected throughputs, with a delivering reliability of over 98%. “We had a hugely impressive start up at this plant and look forward to continued similar high performance from our high-tech Aganang factory as well,” added Fourie.

Production capacityBuilt using in excess of 120 000 m3 of concrete and 14 600 tons of structural steel, the Aganang plant is a concrete superstructure. With a clinker storage capacity of 50 000 tons, its clinker silo is one of the largest single clinker storage bunkers in South Africa and its 6 000 ton kiln is the biggest single cement kiln in the country.

Its raw meal silo storage capacity will accommodate 20 000 tons, along with raw material pre-blending and storage stockpiles that extend the length and breadth of four rugby fields. The facilities also have the capacity to store approximately 22 000 tons of finished bulk cement products.

In the region of 1,2 million tons of cement will be produced annually at Aganang – and the combined output of Sephaku Cement’s plants is projected to be in the order of 2,5 mega tons per annum of cement by 2015.

Sephaku’s flagship plant, Aganang: let delivery begin

Following a seven year journey of negotiation, planning and construction and

an investment of nearly R3 billion, Sephaku Cement’s fully integrated cement

and clinker plant, Aganang, near Lichtenburg in North West Province, is

scheduled for completion within the next few months.

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This project has been a once in a lifetime experience. Not only has it made us better cement experts, but better people. Pieter Fourie,

CEO of Sephaku Cement

Aganang is a demonstration of trust in the design flexibility and

durability of concrete. The project is an example of the sheer scale of construction and productivity

that is possible through concrete usage; it is an exhibition of massive

civil engineering construction scale, impressive efficiencies and intricate precision combined with a dimension of pragmatic innovation.

Heinrich de Beer, Sephaku’s engineering project manager

Sephaku Cement’s Aganang plant is poised to commence delivery

JULY 2014 19

Delivery focus“We are people who deliver,” said Fourie. “This is the core ethos which pervades throughout the company. Our industry is personal and from that flows the need to be approachable and to find solutions. We continue to demonstrate our absolute commitment to delivering to people, whether it is our sales or technical team, or our finance or marketing team.”

For its customers, one of the important ‘perks’ will be direct access to Fourie and his executive team, together with quick decision making. “Face-to-face customer service without red tape remains the most effective way of listening to customers and responding in a way that meets their needs,” he added.

Looking back over the founding team’s seven year journey, some intense challenges have been overcome. “We never lost belief in why we were entering the market and we remain committed to making South Africa’s cement industry about the needs of the people who make the end product a reality,” he emphasised.

Community heartSince the start of the Sephaku Cement project in 2011, the company policy has been to support communities where it operates. Affected communities in the North West Province in which it has invested are Itsoseng, Springbokpan and Verdwaal, all of which are adjacent to its operations, as well as Bodibe.

“To date, we have invested in community infrastructure and supported local income generating projects. This has included building and equipping a clinic through which upwards of 3 000 people have dedicated access; and a Driver Training Programme to make local community members more employable,” noted Fourie.

During the construction of Aganang, Sephaku Cement created over 300 limited duration employment opportunities, of which more than 50% of the people employed were recruited from local communities. During the current operational phase of the plant, 76 permanent employment opportunities have been created, of which over 60% of these appointments are from adjacent North West Province communities.

Recession proofSephaku Cement’s entry into the market is based on belief in the long term sustainable growth of cement. Our country, says Fourie, may have relatively good infrastructure but there is still a lot to be developed. “Significant competitiveness and cost efficiency lies in the state-of- the-art technology backing Sephaku Cement’s plants.”

The company is a 64% owned subsidiary of Dangote Cement plc and an associate company of JSE-listed

Sephaku Holdings.“We navigated our way through the global recession through determination and belief in our ability to change the face of the South African cement industry,” he said.

The team is passionate about the possibilities enabled by cement. Recalling what it has taken to build cement operations from the ground up, Fourie said, “While we have all been in the industry for many years, this project has been a once in a lifetime experience. Not only has it made us better cement experts, but better people.”

He concluded, “High quality product, which in our industry calls for consistency, strength and durability is imperative but of equal importance is the need to prioritise people. Solutions focused on every customer’s needs should be a constant measure of great performance for every employee and for us, it is.” ■

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Did you know?

Aganang’s site footprint was prepared over an eight week period with some 128 000 m3 of cut and 155 000 m3 of fill processed.

Slip forming was maintained at 4 m lifts every 24 hours, a rate much higher than that of the industry average. The 15 m high by 8 m diameter concrete cone in the raw meal silo was completed in just 10 days. The Aganang brick laying teams laid between 1 000 and 1 200 bricks per brick layer, per day. Construction of the batch plant was completed in 90 days, the pre-heater foundations and steel super structure were completed in 488 days and the raw meal silo was done in approximately 547 days.

An aerial view of the Aganang plant

The Loesche vertical roller mill

JULY 201420

This is according to Justin Atkinson, chief executive of Keller. “The combination of Franki Africa’s local knowledge and resources with Keller’s scale, experience and broad range of techniques will

make us ideally placed to undertake complex major projects requiring design expertise and multi-product solutions in a region where we expect the longer-term opportunities to be significant,” said Atkinson. “This will help to accelerate Keller’s growth into sub-Saharan construction markets, where significant growth, fuelled by major infrastructure and resource-related projects, is expected over the medium to long term.”

Franki Africa’s MD Roy McLintock says that being part of the Keller Group is a tremendous boon. “The Keller Group is the world’s largest independent geotechnical engineering contractor. Being part of an organisation like this has obvious and significant benefits for Franki Africa, including access to a wide range of innovative technologies, finance for future growth and, of course, a wealth of geotechnical intellectual property and experience.”

The Keller Group has approximately 8 000 staff worldwide and global annual revenues of around £1,5 billion.

Piling in Sandton’s hard rock Franki Africa has received widespread acclaim for its foundation and general geotechnical work on a host of different basements in the Sandton area. Two of these most recent projects include the mammoth 170 000 m³ basement

for Sasol’s new premises and the 60 000 m³ basement for Webber Wentzel’s new head office, both in Sandton.

“Our main challenge on the Sasol project was to excavate the 170 000 m³ – of which 100 000 m³ was decomposed granite rock – to a depth ranging between 14 m and 18 m and still complete the job in seven months,” says Alves. “The granite required drilling and blasting, which is challenging in such a densely populated area as Sandton.”

The scope of works included: 170 000 m³ excavation; 6 600 m² of lateral support; 169 (no) 600-diameter soldier piles, 550 strand anchors, 400 rock-bolts and a 6 600 m² gunnite face area. It also included approximately 85 (no) structural piles and the diversion of existing storm-water and sewerage lines that ran through the site. The Sasol project began in May 2013 and was finished in December 2013.

The other basement, that of Webber Wentzel’s new head office, while considerably smaller than the Sasol excavation turned out to be quite a lot more challenging. Of the total excavation of 60 000 m³, no less than 20 000 m³ was extremely hard blue granitic rock. “This is very hard material which required extensive drilling and blasting,” says Alves. “But the biggest challenge on this job was the diabase dyke encountered along the Rivonia Road face when we were installing the soldier piles.

“This was unexpected and required a completely different piling application and technique, which entailed us replacing 40 (no) auger drilled soldier piles with 610 mm diameter percussion-drilled piles, which took in excess of a month to install.”

Despite this the contract was completed in an acceptable time-frame by mid-November 2013. The scope of works included: 60 000 m³ excavation to a depth ranging between 8 m and 14 m; 96 (no) 600 diameter soldier piles; 240 (no) strand anchors and 250 (no) rock bolts and a total gunnite area of 2 900 m². ■

Franki Africa accelerates Keller’s growth into sub-Saharan AfricaAn important aspect of the strategic acquisition of

Franki Africa (previously Esorfranki Geotechnical)

from JSE-listed Esorfranki by the international

Keller Group towards the end of 2013 – was to

bring to the table Franki Africa’s vast experience in

working in Africa.

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Final touches being applied to the Sasol project

More than 9 000 square metres of gunnite was covered in both contracts

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The ground on which we build, is just as important as what we build. Consequently, the damage visible on the surface is often an indication of a deeper problem due to problematic soil

conditions that are either pre-existing or caused by external influences.

The base material that supports highways and buildings is crucial to the life span and stability of these structures, yet the maintenance and repair of base soils is often neglected. Concrete slabs and foundations crack and settle due to unstable support.

The current technology of cementitious materials used to repair damaged or unstable base soils are neither effective nor long lasting. These short-term solutions fail over time and can actually compound the problem due to adding weight to already distressed soils.

Today, engineers are turning to the Uretek patented technologies of slab lifting and deep injection to successfully stabilise base soils in order to increase the load bearing capacity. This technology is also an alternate, efficient, non–disruptive solution to underpinning and piling.

Uretek uses its unique process to inject a patented expanding high density, hydro insensitive and environmentally safe resin into the problem soil strata to strengthen and densify the soil.

This is done through multiple injection tubes, which can achieve a depth of 9m. This injection process is constantly monitored using rotary laser level and receivers. This monitoring system guarantees proven results of the injection process.

The strength and expansive force of the resin is not affected by water in areas to be injected. In fact it routinely displaces trapped or accumulated water beneath the pavement or foundation. These injections compact the soil increasing its strength and load bearing capacity. Recorded results have

shown an improvement of up to 150% increase in bearing capacity.

This process of injection easily lifts roads and pavement slabs to their original grade and profile. This is due to the chemical reaction of the expansive resin, which being 66% lighter than concrete does not add weight to an already potentially compromised soil condition.

The chemically inert nature of the resin prevents chemical leaching and environmental pollution as it is certified as a totally green product.

The injection processes are safe, quiet and non-disruptive.

The power, strength and speed of the injection process makes it ideal for resolving subsidence in numerous applications, for example: foundations; concrete floors; highways; bridge approach slabs; and airport runways.

Disruption to traffic flow, business activity and everyday life is kept to a minimum as the resin reaches 90% strength in 15 minutes, making the treated area immediately available for normal use.

Uretek is a proven solution to foundation underpinning problems by stabilising weak soils due to the filling of voids, thereby increasing bearing capacity of weak soils.

As part of a worldwide group of Uretek companies, Uretek Geo-Systems (SA), has provided varied solutions for a number of sectors across the country, for example, highways, including: the N1 Pretoria; N12 Boksburg-Benoni; N3 Escort, Howick, Pietermaritzburg-Cedara; the Griffith Mxenge Highway in Umlazi; and the Solomon Mahlangu Highway in Durban. Other projects in which Uretek’s slab lifting and deep injection technology has applied solutions include warehouses, schools, residential and commercial foundations settlement problems and heritage buildings.

The company backs each project with a 10-year material warranty. ■

The modern art of stabilising base soilsEngineers are faced with the unending challenge of maintaining roads, highways, bridges and buildings.

These concrete structures are under continual stress due to constant use, high traffic volumes and

inclement weather.

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The Uretek technologies of slab lifting and deep injection successfully stabilise base soils, thereby increasing the load bearing capacity

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The Market Theatre Foundation commissioned the alteration and demolition of some of the buildings on a city block bounded by Bree Street to the north, Miriam Makeba Street on the east, and

Margaret Mcingana Street on the west.

The new development – situated east of Mary Fitzgerald Square and designed by KMH Architects – will provide additional facilities for the Market Theatre precinct, including a new theatre, rehearsal rooms, library, gallery space, classrooms and offices.

The construction site is located amongst some of Johannesburg’s most historic buildings and façades, including Schlom’s Eating House, and the Graffiti Building, east of Mary Fitzgerald Square.

Master Builders Association North member, Gauteng Piling, was sub-contracted by the main contractor, Solidaire Construction, to provide 73 auger cast piles and 14 bored piles, varying in depth from eight to twelve metres, and 250 mm to 850 mm in diameter, on the development site of about 2 000 m2 in Newtown.

Martin Eygelaar, contracts manager at Gauteng Piling, said because the Market Theatre Foundation especially re-arranged the large-scaled redevelopment of its property to preserve these historic buildings, particular piling precautions were essential to avoid damaging the heritage structures.

“The piling required within the confines of Schlom’s Eating House, in particular, proved to be especially

Historic piling method to preserve CBD heritage siteLeading piling contractor, Gauteng Piling, had to resort to the age-old “pile-driver” technique of piling to

cope with space restrictions and heritage preservation while providing the foundation elements for

extensions to the Market Theatre complex currently under way in Newtown, Johannesburg.

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Gauteng Piling had to conduct the piling operations for the new Market Theatre on a site bounded by the Graffiti Building, east of

Mary Fitzgerald Square

Working indoors in the confines of Schlom’s Eating House, Gauteng Piling called for a return to the historic “pile-driver”

method of piling

Gauteng Piling used a Williams Digger LDH rig and a Williams Digger MF rig for unrestricted open-air piling operations at the new Market Theatre complex

JULY 2014 25

challenging and called for a return to the historic “pile-driver” method of piling.

“We utilised a bored piling rig, equipped with an 800 kg hammer, which was then dropped from a height within the building itself to create 14 holes, between 6 m and 7 m deep, and 410 mm in diameter. Reinforced steel cages were then placed in the piling holes prior to these being filled with concrete. The use of the “old-fashioned” compact rig was essential because a normal rig would not have fitted within the enclosed confines of the building,” Eygelaar added.

The drop hammer technique of piling is the simplest form of piling and was through the ages most frequently used for the installation of concrete piles. The traditional type of pile driver consists of a heavy weight (drop hammer) placed between guides so that it is able to freely slide up and down in a single line. The weight is then raised – now usually with diesel power, whereas in days of old, with animal or human labour – and when it reaches its highest point, it is dropped to smash on to the pile to drive it into the ground.

Such drop hammers – which can weigh up to 5 000 kg – are fitted with a lifting eye and lugs for sliding in the guides. Today, although not commonly used, drop hammers can be operated with great accuracy – and this was essential for the Market Theatre project.

For the rest of the auger piling holes required on site, Gauteng Piling used a Williams Digger LDH rig and a Williams Digger MF rig. With a torque of 5,5 metric tons, the Williams LDH digger has for many years been the benchmark for auger machines in the piling industry. Williams MF rigs are exceptionally fast, mobile and reliable with some models capable of drilling to a depth of 18 metres.

Adds Eygelaar: “There were no major challenges to provide the piling in the open air outside the heritage building, although we did encounter some underground water for which we had to use the drill-and-cast method instead of auger piling to prevent collapse. Drill-and- cast operations call for a concrete truck to be on standby right next to the drill rig. When the rig has reached the required depth, the operator immediately lifts the extracted soil to the surface and concrete is then cast – within seconds – to prevent water ingress and the collapse of the piles.”

A total of about 160 cubic metres of concrete and around three tons of steel were used for the piling contract. ■

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One of the flights used on the Gauteng Piling Williams diggers at the Market Theatre development is extracted from a piling hole

Schlom’s Eating House dates back to 1914 and has, according to leading heritage

consultant, Herbert Prins, “strong social significance”. It was in this “eating house”

that black and white people dined together in days when restaurants were legally prevented

from serving mixed races. Graffiti Building, which was at one stage a grain warehouse

before its walls were adorned by graffiti over the years by some talented street artists, was

built a few years after Schlom’s.

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DRA Mineral Projects was appointed by Glencore to design a storm water system that included two adjacent canals; one to channel dirty water and one to channel storm (clean) water away from

the workings. The main objective of this storm water system was to ensure that no unnecessary contamination of the storm water flowing through the plant and mining area transpires.

These canals were to be constructed 10 metres apart covering lengths of 2 800 m each. Since the canals had to run through some marshy areas, the main contractor, G4Civbuild JV, required a form of reinforcement that would prevent any movement over time and hold the concrete securely in place. DRA recommended a heavy-duty geocell for the project and Kaytech’s 80 mm and 100 mm HDPE Geocell was specified.

The Geocell solution provided a 17% cost saving as opposed to conventional mesh reinforced concrete. In addition to this saving, the canal could be constructed significantly quicker due to not having to construct every second panel and return later for curing and jointing purposes. This economical and effective system is used

as an in-situ shuttering to cast continuous interlocking concrete paving for road or canal construction.

This Geocell is a honeycombed structure, manufactured from strips of a robust HDPE plastic that are welded alternately together to form three-dimensional diamond- shaped cells, giving a strong structure which does not collapse when filled with concrete. The sidewalls are textured and perforated for maximum interlocking between adjacent cells. It provides a flexible, effective erosion protection treatment for hydraulic structures such as channels or canals.

In this mining project, with the water in the canals reaching high velocities of up to 8 m/s, concrete was used as infill in the cells. The cell wall heights provide a uniform concrete thickness profile throughout the geocell layer. For lower velocity structures, cells may be soil-filled and vegetated. Failure of a single cell does not compromise the integrity of the rest of the honeycomb structure and local repairs are easily conducted.

Since the canals had to pass through clay areas, the flexibility of the HDPE Geocell system made it the ideal product. Hydrostatic pressure is relieved through its joints allowing the Geocell to be installed in high water-table areas and, because of its geometry, it distributes vertical load and behaves as a semi-rigid slab thereby limiting embankment and/or road settlement. Since the Geocell can be used over soft compressible soils, or to limit the thickness of the required sub-base layer, no specific foundation was needed in this project.

Over the years specialist Geocells including Neoweb made of the proprietary Neoloy has been used extensively in the construction industry as a fast and effective solution to canal protection, load support and erosion control. These versatile products have additional uses too; due to the dampening properties of their composite structure, filled honeycomb Geocell mattresses may be stacked almost vertically to offer good acoustic, blast and ballistic protection. ■

A geotechnical solution for canal systemAt the Tweefontein coal mining complex near Ogies in Mpumalanga, consisting of three differently

structured coal mines, two newly designed storm water canals required reinforcement. The solution was

provided by geotechnical specialists, Kaytech, in the form of 100 000 m2 of heavy duty HDPE Geocells.

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Kaytech geocells are visible in the foregroundA completed section of the channel

The Kaytech heavy duty geocells are filled with concrete

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Ross Demolition's fleet of FAW extra-heavy tipper trucks is integral to the company's success

JULY 201428

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This is the message from a company that has been going strong for 116 years.

Ross Demolition, head quartered in Cape Town, has prospered and survived many tough economic times spanning four generations of a family of engineers – all dedicated businessmen who not only believed in inspirational leadership, but in strong fiscal discipline, commitment and honesty.

Established in 1898 by Henry T Ross, the Ross Demolition group has followed a consistent motto – ‘On time, every time’. They also don’t shy away from any opportunity, as they maintain that no job is too big or too small.

At present, Robert Ross, and his son, John Ross, manage the family owned business which engages in contract demolition work across the whole of South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, on a contract basis. The company has five other divisions which also depend heavily on a competent and efficient fleet of trucks to ensure all projects remain profitable and uphold their irrefutable reputation for delivering on their promises.

This is where their fleet of FAW vehicles, mainly extra-heavy tipper trucks, is integral to their success. The FAW reputation for durability and efficiency matches that of Ross Demolition.

“Our first FAW trucks to join the RD fleet were purchased to service specifically contracts in Africa where uncomplicated, easy-to-drive/easy-to-maintain trucks were the main criteria for getting our excavation contracts done with minimum downtime,” explains the senior Robert Ross. Presently the company operates 28 FAW units, mostly the proven and robust 28.280FD tippers.

“Working in difficult and dusty uneven terrain, steep gradients on and off-site, and with heavy payloads, we opted for a shorter wheelbase configuration and a 400 litre fuel tank adjustment. The Euro II Weichai WD 615.50 engines give us a respectable 206Kw with an effective

torque of 1 160N.m to pull payloads, some beyond the prescribed 12-ton parameter.

“The FAW trucks have succeeded admirably in all our initial trials. The first units coped beyond our expectations; and thus we’ve deployed them on all our projects locally and cross border, from confined inner city projects to far distant mass excavations sites.”

Robert Ross recalls some of the most amazing projects undertaken by Ross Demolition. “We’ve imploded the Athlone Cooling Towers, as well as the largest building ever in Cape Town, which always has great spectator value. But for us one of the most challenging projects was working against the clock when we had to demolish the Valkenburg Bridge within a total time frame of only eight hours. Beginning at midnight, we had completely dismantled the bridge, removed all the debris and cleared the site by 8am so that traffic on the N2 could resume.

“Another remarkable project was the Portside 101 Project; the deepest excavation project ever undertaken in Cape Town. The Portside Project covered a full city block on the Foreshore and required 90 000 cubic metres of rock to be blasted out and removed from the site. The site was commissioned for a 32-storey building, 142-metres high, which today stands proudly as the tallest building in the Cape Town CBD.”

“Our fleet of FAW trucks is efficient, robust and reliable. Our drivers are well trained and we employ sound fleet management systems,” explains John Ross, the youngest of the Ross clan who trained in the US as a demolition expert.

“In this tough economic climate competition is fierce and margins are tight. We need our fleet to run at the highest uptime rate possible with the minimum of problems. Our FAW fleet stays on the road, is undemanding in its simplicity of operation and is great for our bottom-line with low maintenance cost and minimum downtime. This is crucial to our profit margins,” concludes Robert Ross. ■

FAW tipper fleet keeps Ross Demolition’s 116-year success story on track‘Survival of the fittest through business acumen, keeping your promises and a resilient attitude manifested

by every employee– that’s the recipe for success.’

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Designed to augment its existing tipper family comprising the SK 407 2.5 m3 tipper; the LPK813 3.5 m3 tipper; and the LPK1518 6 m3 tipper, the Prima range offers customers larger

load capacities: the Prima 2528K 6X4 10 m3 box-tipper; the Prima 2538K 6X4 14 m3 box-tipper; and the Prima 3338K 8X4 19 m3 scoop-tipper.

With the Prima range the company will address the existing customers who want to move to the next level of goods transportation and earth movement, as well as large fleet owners who are looking for a long lasting product at an attractive life-cycle cost. Tata’s Prima range is ideally suited to the construction industry for applications such as earth-moving and carrying aggregates to and from construction sites.

The Tata Prima is tailor-made for smooth movement to ensure optimum vehicle usage and is equipped with a light frame and light axles for better payload and faster on-road short distance operations, yet the robust chassis frame and suspension enable the Tata Prima to operate over almost any terrain.

An air-conditioned cabin, suspended driver seat and an ergonomically designed instrument cluster improve driver efficiency, enabling the driver to operate for long hours without getting fatigued, resulting in increased productivity and faster returns on investment. In addition, lower maintenance costs and faster turnaround times increase profitability for its owners.

Standard equipment on the Prima tippers is a data logger which measures vehicle performance and driving practices over several parameters. In addition, the increased power compared to the existing range ensures faster trips, higher profitability and an entry into the premium truck segment of South Africa.

The needs of South African customers, based on multiple interviews, customer clinics and testing cycles in South African conditions, have been incorporated into the design of the Prima range.

The new Prima 2528K 10 m3 tipper is now available from Tata at the special introductory price of R796 404.

Tata’s Prima range of tipper trucks – a new addition to the familyTata Motors has introduced its new Prima range of tipper-trucks in South Africa.

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TATA Automobile Corporation SA (Pty.) Ltd. (TACSA) was established in 1997 as a subsidiary of TATA Africa Holdings. Today, the company is a fully-fledged operation with a nationwide network of 35 full and 20 service dealers.

TACSA currently assembles 100 vehicles a month at its Rosslyn plant and aims to grow this to 200 within the next year.

TATA SA insists on the use of its genuine parts, which undergo rigorous quality checks to ensure that every vehicle remains as safe and reliable as new. All maintenance and supported services are operated by TACSA’s through their full maintenance contract and comprehensive warranty. All TATA vehicles are further supported by a standard three-year/300 000 km roaming warranty across 14 countries, while all parts are covered for an additional two-years/200 000 km.

In AfricaTata Africa Holdings has a strong presence in over 11 African countries with investments exceeding US$145 million. In IndiaTata Motors Limited is India’s largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of USD 38.9 billion in 2013 – 2014. It is the leader in commercial vehicles in each segment, and among the top in passenger vehicles with winning products in the compact, mid-size car and utility vehicle segments. It is also the world’s fifth largest truck manufacturer and fourth largest bus manufacturer.

Built for the construction industry, the TATA Prima 2528K tipper is equipped with a light frame, light axles and a 10 cubic meter body for better payload and faster on-road short distance operations

Take a copy of this editorial/advert to your nearest Tata dealer to avail special

schemes on Tata tippers

JULY 2014

The system enables the input of pre-set compaction data requirements via an LCD panel; the machine does the rest.

Known as Machine Drive Power (MDP), the system is an innovative compaction measurement technology developed by Caterpillar. MDP compaction data is reported in real-time to the operator via an in-cab LCD display, eliminating the guess work and minimising the need for reworking rolled sections. MDP measures 30 – 60 cm deep – depending on soil type, moisture and other factors, such as variable site conditions.

“MDP utilises a completely different principle, measuring the amount of energy required to propel through the soil, which provides a more direct indication of soil stiffness,” explains Barloworld Equipment product manager, Johan Hartman. (Barloworld Equipment is Caterpillar’s southern African dealer.)

A smooth drum roller, the Cat CS78B is ideally suited for granular soil applications, plus cohesive soil compaction when fitted with an optional padfoot shell kit. The standard machine weighs in with ROPS/FOPS cab at approximately 18 760 kg, driven by a Cat C6.6 ACERT engine (Tier III) with a gross power (ISO 14396) output of 129,5 kW.

The machine is a dual amplitude, single frequency unit, generating a standard 28 Hz, and 25,5 Hz during Eco-mode operation. Nominal amplitude measures approximately 30,5 Hz (high: 2,1 mm; low: 0,98 mm), with a centrifugal force of approximately 30,5 Hz at a maximum of 332 kN and minimum of 166 kN.Because it does not rely upon vibration energy on the soil, MDP can make measurements whether the machine’s vibration system is on or off. This enables operators to measure during working passes and shut the vibration system off for proofing passes. “MDP produces a more reliable measurement on more soil types, at a depth that is comparable to typical lift thickness,” Hartman expands. “Additionally, MDP measurements are more easily correlated to portable measuring devices that testing personnel utilise.” ■

A new bench-mark for intelligent compaction

Caterpillar’s latest generation Cat CS78B 18 ton

roller, launched in South Africa in June, comes

equipped with an intuitive system for monitoring

soil density.

A smooth drum roller, the Cat CS78B is ideally suited for granular soil applications, plus cohesive soil compaction

when fitted with an optional padfoot shell kit

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Cat 320D2 L and Cat 323D2 L Series II machines are powered by a Cat C7.1 engine that meets EU Stage II regulations and units supplied into the southern African market come standard with a

long undercarriage configuration. The approximate maximum operating weights of the Cat 320D2 L and Cat 323D2 L are 22,4 and 23,3 tons, respectively.

Compared to its predecessor, the new Cat C7.1, which replaces the Cat C6.4 engine fitted on previous Cat 320D L and 323D L models, is far more fuel efficient. On the Cat 323D2 L, for example, fuel consumption is reduced by 11% compared to the 323D L, thanks to better hydraulic controls, the use of a viscous clutch fan and new pumps, with similar energy savings achieved for the 320D2 L model. An automatic engine-speed control on Series II machines lowers engine rpm during no-load or light-load conditions to minimise fuel consumption.

“An electric governor controls the mechanically actuated, low-pressure fuel-injection system,” explains Barloworld Equipment product and application manager, Fifi Venter, “and there’s a new filtration design that uses a primary fuel filter/water separator and a secondary fuel filter to ensure clean fuel throughout the system.”

Net power output on the Cat 320D2 L and Cat 323D2 L is 98 kW and 110 kW (SAE J1349/ISO 9249) respectively. Along with improved fuel efficiencies, ease of maintenance has been a key consideration in the design of the Series II range. Both models feature ground-level access to most routine service points, including the pumps, pilot filter and fuel filters, which are conveniently located behind a service door on the right side. The left, rear service door allows easy access to the radiator, oil cooler, air-to-air after-cooler, and AC condenser.

Cat 320D2 L models sold into the southern African region come standard with a 5,7 m mass excavation boom and

2,5 m stick, and the Cat 323D2 L with a 6,18 m boom and 2,15 m stick. A super long reach boom option is available on the Cat 320 D2 L for more specialised applications. “Electric boom and stick regeneration circuits result in less pressure loss, higher controllability, reduced cycle times and lower operating costs. It works by reusing the flow of oil that travels from the head of the cylinder to the rod end during boom-down and stick-in operations,” adds Venter.

A wide range of buckets are available, either pin-on or coupler-type, along with a selection of ground-engaging tools to match the machine to its digging environment. Coupler options include Caterpillar’s Centre-Lock Pin Grabber, which enables the operator to make fast in-cab work tool interchanges.

Caterpillar’s extensive range of work tool options include grapples, shears, hydraulic hammers, multi-processors, pulverisers, vibratory-plate compactors, rippers and rip-and-load packages. In the field, work tools function seamlessly with the machine’s hydraulic system, operating with speed, precision and efficiency.

The Series II’s hydraulic cross-sensing system utilises each of two hydraulic pumps to 100% of engine power under all operating conditions. This improves productivity with faster implement speeds and quicker, stronger pivot turns.

Snubbers are located at the rod-end of the boom cylinders and both ends of the stick cylinders to cushion shocks while reducing sound levels and extending component life. Meanwhile, the hydraulic activation lever in the neutral position isolates all front linkage, swing and travel functions for additional controllability and efficiency.

Adds Venter: “These and other features on D Series II units underscore Caterpillar’s commitment to designing earthmoving solutions that pass on measurable production gains.” ■

Cat launches new medium class excavator rangeBuilding on the solid track record of the 320D L and 323D L excavators, Caterpillar has now launched

successive Series II derivative models that add new value with lower ownership and operating costs for

fleet owners in the construction and plant hire sectors.

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This problem was solved when MCJ Engineers decided on a polyester, non-woven geotextile called RockGrid PC, manufactured by Kaytech. “The fleece component of this geotextile protects

the high tenacity polyester reinforcement elements during the critical installation phase, ensuring a safer optimum performance,” said Paul Lombard, Kaytech’s technical sales engineer, who was regularly on site assisting the sub-contractor for the project, Advanced Retaining Systems, with their installation.

According to Lombard, RockGrid PC offers the reinforcement characteristics of geogrids and wovens in conjunction with the favourable hydraulic qualities of non-wovens.

The 140 metre long concrete retaining block wall at the site comprised three sections; a 60 m long x 10–12 m high section, a 45 m long x 12 m high section and a third section of 35 m long x 15 m high. Advanced Retaining & Paving Systems installed RockGrid PC 100/100 at every

third layer of retaining blocks. This grade of the product generates a biaxial ultimate tensile strength of 100 kN/m at 10% strain.

Lombard advises that the difference between RockGrid PC and conventional biaxial grids is that its geotextile fleece component wicks away moisture from the fill material, both during and after installation. This assists in drainage of the fill material during compaction so that higher, more stable fill-compaction rates can be attained. The geotextile provides sufficient drainage capacity enabling it to drastically reduce the flow paths in the reinforced soil.

Due to this water transmissivity, RockGrid PC facilitates the reduction of pore water pressure should there be any groundwater ingress. This improves shear characteristics, which in turn increases stability.

Construction of this mall took place simultaneously with large-scale earthworks and the demolition of the existing multi-level shopping centre. Constricted spaces in which the many contractors had to work, as well as time constrictions, made for an interesting and challenging project. However, the quick and simple installation of 15 000 m2 of RockGrid PC, which does not require highly skilled or experienced labour, ultimately saved the developer in both time and material costs.

The result was a neat and highly durable retaining wall that happens to be the highest RockGrid PC-reinforced concrete retaining block wall in KwaZulu-Natal – and possibly the highest geosynthetic reinforced concrete retaining block wall.

The Watercrest Mall is scheduled for completion in October 2014. ■

Geotextile cuts costs in retaining wall reinforcementThe steep slopes of the Watercrest Mall construction site in Waterfall, near Hillcrest in KwaZulu Natal,

necessitated the construction of safe, durable, flexible retaining structures. The costs of such structures

can often be debilitating in terms of materials and construction time.

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At Watercrest Mall, reinforcing Rockgrid PC was laid at every third row of blocks

The geotextile provides efficient drainage along the 140 m length of the retaining wall, enabling it to drastically reduce the

flow paths in the reinforced soil

“The fleece component of the RockGrid PC geotextile, manufactured by Kaytech, protects the high tenacity polyester reinforcement elements during the critical installation phase

JULY 2014 35

Gerald Kriedemann, senior contracts manager for main contractor, Murray & Roberts Western Cape

said: “The site layout predetermined limited space around the perimeter of the site, which, added to the proposed strip of permeable paving right around the building, meant the footprint of the entire structure would take up 90% of the site area. As a result, the steep embankments on three sides of the building prohibited the original plan to have gently landscaped slopes below the busy Tyger Valley road.”

Neill Zaaiman, main contractor on site, called in retaining wall specialists, Decorton Retaining Systems, to propose a cost effective solution. Based on a design by Fred Laker, a Terraforce recommended engineer, a terraced retaining wall design – using the new Decorwall block – with walls of up to seven metres high, was accepted by the client.

The walls are built on a concrete foundation at an inclination of 65 degrees. The close proximity of a busy road made it necessary to beef up the installation with reinforced concrete infill inside the blocks and geogrid layers in the backfill at certain intervals. In this

fashion, the block facing and the backfill material form a combined force to resist overturning momentum. As excessive groundwater was unearthed during excavation, a substantial drainage system was installed behind the block layer to keep the installation stable over time.

Says SP van Blerk, of Decorton Retaining Systems: “We managed to successfully excavate the backfill as well as install 10 500 Decorwall blocks within a tight time frame of two months. Today, three years later, the client is very happy with the end result and with the pleasant green belt the walls create around the building.” ■

The Willowbridge Place

Client: FirstRand Bank and Growthpoint Properties

Developers: Eris Property GroupMain contractor:

Murray and Roberts

Architect:Stauch Vorster Architects

Engineers: Sutherland AssociatesCivil contractor:

Neill Zaaiman

Retaining walls:

Decorton Retaining Systems

Landscaping: Servest LandscapingProject value: R300 million

Solutions for steep embankmentsThe planning and construction of The Willowbridge Place office

development located on the corner of Old Oak Road and Carl Cronje

Drive, Tyger Valley in the northern suburbs of Cape Town was faced

with a number of challenges when building commenced in 2011.

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Decorwall blocks were used to construct this retaining wall on a concrete foundation at an inclination of 65 degrees

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Also specified for the project was 1 400 m² of closed-face walling to be erected using Infrablok 350 retaining wall block, being supplied by the same company. Begun in July 2013, both types of

terrace walling were completed by the end of April 2014.

The Village is being developed by Central Developments Property Group. Situated on sloping ground, the site required extensive terracing and embankment buttressing to provide level building platforms for the construction of houses, apartments and communal buildings.

The retaining walls were designed and built by Engineered Interlock Solutions (EIS) in close collaboration with the main earthworks contractors, Loneock, and consulting engineers, Pro North Consultants, to ensure that all statutory requirements were met.

EIS owner, Manie Troskie, says that the property was terraced using a combination of concrete block retaining (CRB) walls as well as some conventional cast-in-situ retaining walls.

“We proposed the use of CRB walling wherever possible as this provided the client with more options for less money. Moreover, CRB walls offered faster construction times and provided a softer, more aesthetically pleasing look.

“Prior to our involvement, early designs had specified conventional reinforced concrete walling on the perimeter of the property and on some of the steeper embankments. As an alternative we proposed the use of CRB walls using geosynthetic reinforced soil and Aveng Manufacturing Infraset’s multi-blend Infrablok 350 in a split-face finish. On embankments with more gradual gradients, we advised using the new Terrace Blok 300 in an open- face configuration.

“More than 10 open-face walls varying in height between 2 m to 7,5 m were built at an angle of 75˚ using seven Terrace Blok 300s per square metre. Even without plant growth these walls look extremely attractive, the split-faced blocks and the open-faced finish creating an eye-catching rustic effect.

“These open-face walls were reinforced with Kaytech’s Miragrid, a geosynthetic material manufactured from high tenacity polyester (PET) yarns. The tie-back lengths, spacing and strength ratings of the Miragrid varied according to the height of the walls,” said Troskie.

Four closed-face walls were built with Infrablok 350s, two on the perimeter and two inside the property. CRB walling was particularly well suited to the perimeter walling because the footing of in-situ retaining walls would have extended beyond the boundary and sewer line. The height of the perimeter walls varied between 1,5 m and 4,5 m and the inner walls varied between 2 m and 7,5 m. All four walls were built at a near vertical angle of 85˚ using 18 blocks per square metre.

Besides the Infrablok 350s, the perimeter walling was constructed with reinforced concrete because the distance between the rear of the CRBs and the cut face was only 500 mm which was deemed insufficient for geosynthetic reinforcement only. Concrete was poured

New retaining wall block makes its debutA new concrete retaining wall block, the TB300,

has been launched in South Africa. Manufactured

and supplied by Aveng Manufacturing Infraset, the

TB300 was specified for construction of 2 200 m²

of open-face retaining walls at the Olivedale

Retirement Village, currently under construction

in Olivedale, Johannesburg.

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Sections of Terrace Blok 300 open-face walling at Olivedale Retirement Village

Terrace Blok 300 open-face walling meets Infrablok 350 closed-face walling at Olivedale Retirement Village

Manie Troskie stands next to a curved section of 7,5 m Infrablok 350 closed-face walling. The wall supports a multi-storey building

which was constructed 1,8 m from the top edge of the wall

into the CRB cavities and the space between the blocks and the cut faces.

Reinforcing comprised Kaytech’s Microgrid 75/75 high-tenacity polymer-coated polyester (PET) and Y16 steel which was laid horizontally in the foundations and vertically inside and behind the blocks. The concrete was poured in layers, one block height at a time, and the Microgrid material was inserted between layers.

The largest inner closed-face wall was also reinforced with Microgrid 75/75. It was placed above every second layer of Infrablok 350s and was tied back 5,5 m into the earth embankment. This wall supports a terrace upon which a multi-storey building has been constructed 1,8 m from the top edge of the wall.

The smaller closed-face application involved building a wall to secure a three metre embankment. Two houses had already been constructed above the embankment and in this instance a concrete reinforced retaining wall combined with a geosynthetic reinforced CRB wall using Infrablok 350s provided the best solution.

Troskie says that his company has standardised its CRB requirement on blocks manufactured by Aveng Manufacturing Infraset due to the high quality of the product range and delivery reliability. ■

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A 7,5 m section of closed-face walling constructed with

Infrablok 350 concrete blocksA section of the closed-face perimeter walling built with

Infrablok 350s

Aveng Manufacturing Infraset manufactures a diverse range of

precast concrete products to world-class quality standards in

compliance with the requirements of SANS using the ISO 9001:2008 quality management system.

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Built in two phases, the first phase comprises a gross lettable area (GLA) of 3 100 m² and the second phase 3 700 m² GLA. The project was the initiative of local property developer, Krisp Properties.

“We already had a lease agreement with Michelin Tyre Company South Africa for Phase 1 well before the first sod had been turned, which meant we only had seven months to erect the building,” said Jordan Mann, executive director of Krisp Properties.

Francois Marais of Francois Marais Architects, said: “The design of the buildings embraces the new energy efficiency regulations. Overhangs above all the windows and doors minimise the impact of the sun and reduce the amount of heat escaping from the buildings.” Phase 1 comprises two double storey buildings, each measuring 1 550 m² (GLA), which are linked by a central entrance atrium.

“We deployed hollow-core slabs for the first floors as well as the roofs and this assisted us in reducing construction time by several weeks. Hollow-core slabs were used for the roofing which would allow the necessary support for the installation of photovoltaic power generation units in future. Moreover, the roofs have created ideal catchment areas for harvesting rainwater which is to be stored in subterranean tanks,” said Mann.

Echo’s pre-stressed hollow-core slabs were specified by PDS Civil and Structural Engineers. Echo slabs totalling

3 100 m² were used for Phase one and 3 750 m² for Phase two. Slabs up to ten metres long were deployed on the first floor sections and slabs of between five and seven metres were installed on the roof. Both the first floor and roof panels were topped with steel reinforced screeds and a bitumen coating was used to waterproof the roofs. In addition, Echo also supplied nine metre H-shaped universal steel columns to provide slab support for the internal cantilevering.

According to structural engineer, Spiros Sdralis, of PDS, Echo’s role involved considerably more than simply supplying the slabs.

“We provided Echo with a set of drawings and they then prepared a layout which took all the servicing requirements into account. Echo’s engineer, Daniel Petrov, was involved from the outset and he was always on site when we needed him, particularly in solving specific on-site challenges,” said Sdralis.

“For example, some of the slabs had to be modified so that the upper-section of steel skeleton could be anchored to the first floor on a solid platform. This meant that the hollow-core end sections of some slabs had to be packed with concrete to provide the solid base. Echo filled in the voids with concrete according to our specifications and this enabled us to drill out the holes for the bolt anchor sleeves in the same way we had done on the ground floor.

“The builders were able to begin the assembly of the upper level steel frame as soon as the slabs had been installed and this was the prime advantage of using hollow-core slabs. If in-situ flooring had been used it would have delayed the completion dates on both buildings by several weeks.

“Extensive use was made of cantilevering on this development, both internally and for the shade overhangs, and Daniel assisted with redesigning some of the cantilever sections on Phase 2. He also helped us with changing the direction of some of the slabs.”

Echo also allowed for service ducts based on the architectural plans and suspended ceilings were created 600 mm below the soffits of the roofs and first floors to accommodate electrical, plumbing and air-conditioning services. ■

Hollow-core slabs by Echo enable fast-track office development Echo Prestress hollow-core concrete slabs were used in combination with structural steel frames and raft

foundations for the fast-track construction of a new office development at Clearwater Estate in Boksburg.

The upper-level steel framework of Phase 2 which was bolted to solid concrete section

of Echo slabs

Phase 1 of Clearwater Park Boksburg where Echo Prestress hollow-core slabs were used to fast track the development

A section of Clearwater Phase 2 under construction

A side view of Clearwater Phase 1

It’s an ambitious project,” says William Johnston, regional director for WSP, Structures, Africa, one of the key partners bringing this vision to life. “It strives to bring residential neighbourhoods, retail spaces and

office buildings back together again to create a healthy mixed-use city environment. At the same time, it’s built on the premise of ensuring sustainability for future generations – which needed to be translated into the structural architecture and design.” The concept for the project incorporates a traditional neighbourhood communication with quality architecture, urban design, tree-lined streets incorporating both natural beauty and human connectivity in public spaces. Designed with the aim of achieving a 4 star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), Menlyn Maine is attempting to be Africa’s first truly green city. “Menlyn Maine aims to consume 50% less energy than the average commercial building and generate 33% less greenhouse gas emissions,” says Alison Groves, sustainability consultant at WSP, Building Services, Africa.WSP has been instrumental in outlining the green and sustainability strategy for much of the Menlyn Maine development – providing recommendations for each

building they have been actively involved in and ensuring that the designs conform to the specific criteria laid out. “Each building has its own personality and we needed to ensure that all contractors were contractually bound to deliver the recommendations set out – and fine tune these to each tenant/owner – each with their own preferences,” says Groves. “By working closely with all the relevant parties we have been able to solve issues to a best fit method – ensuring structural integrity, build-ability and aesthetic compliance while being conducive to sustainable principles – all the while being within budget. And while there is some way to go before completion it is an industry leading development that is setting a standard that will be very difficult to beat,” concludes Johnston. ■

Menlyn Maine – Africa’s first Green City

Menlyn Maine, the single largest development project

in Pretoria, will stimulate a paradigm shift in how

South Africans live, work and play.

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Menlyn Maine brings residential neighbourhoods, retail spaces and office buildings back together again

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Noel Abendroth, a.b.e.’s Divisional Manager: VIP Polyurea Systems, said a.b.e. – part of the Chryso Southern Africa

Group – had recently secured several high-profile contracts for the Munich-produced VIP Polyurea coatings. The decision to select the VIP coating range was based on its “revolutionary” benefits which include durability, superior protection, ease of application and turnaround times.

Included in the new contracts are:new waterproofing of the luxury Mandela Rhodes • apartment block in the Cape Town CBD where the existing waterproof coating had failed within a year after application;new surface coating of the Cape Town Rapid Bus • Transport (RBT) system’s concrete pedestrian ramp at Canal Walk which a.b.e. assigned to its approved applicator, Thermoseal. Trials are currently underway to also apply VIP Polyurea to the area’s expansion joints;waterproofing of 900 m• 2 of the Strandsig apartment block on the beachfront in The Strand, Western Cape – also by Thermoseal;VIP Polyurea coating was also the preferred choice for • the refurbishment of the vehicular ramp at the KZN Department of Education’s high-rise Malgate Building. Xotherm was the applicator for this project at 72 Stanger Street in Durban;VIP Polyurea was used in a “sandwich waterproofing” • application at new ablution facilities at the University of Cape Town Rugby Club’s headquarters. The applicator, Thermoseal, “sandwiched” VIP Polyurea coatings both underneath and on top of the concrete screed for this project which covered about 600 m2.

“Furthermore, VIP Polyurea was recently introduced to the farming community at the Nampo trade show at Bothaville – South Africa’s biggest agricultural trade show – where there was tremendous interest in future use of the coating for silos, implements, warehouses, dams and fertiliser tanks, to name just a few applications.”

Abendroth said VIP protective membranes were free of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and solvents, and represented a “dramatic advance” over polyurethane and epoxy technology. “The VIP systems are generally designed to perform for around 25 years, depending on the nature of the project, which substantially cuts the costs of repairs and maintenance,” he explained.

Some of the advantages of the new systems include:Extremely fast reaction and curing times (5 to • 90 seconds);Exceptional adhesion to correctly prepared concrete, • steel, aluminium, plastics, fibreglass, wood and foam;Seamless and joint-less flexible coatings;• The ability to transgress multiple substrates in • one application;Application is possible to any thickness in a single • application;The retention of flexibility and crack-bridging properties • at temperatures of between minus 20 degrees Celsius to plus 120 degrees Celsius; Exceptionally good sound insulation; • Resistance to ultra-violet radiation, salt water, and • aggressive atmospheric conditions; and Ability to cover large areas at a rapid rate.•

a.b.e. Construction Chemicals supplies four VIP Polyurea products: VIP Quick Spray Supreme for extreme conditions such as chemical environments; VIP Quick Spray Industrial, for more general application; VIP Quick Spray Eco, an economical hybrid version; and a new low-pressure pure Polyurea waterproofing system. Plans for the future include launching a new VIP coating system specifically developed for industrial and commercial flooring in Southern Africa. ■

A new VIP polyurea coating attracts local contracts There has been increasing demand

in South Africa for VIP Polyurea

coatings since a.b.e Construction

Chemicals last year secured an

exclusive agreement with Voelkel

Industrie Produkte (VIP) of

Germany for the local distribution

of the company’s globally-specified

range of protective coatings

and joint fillers.

The vehicular ramp to the parking deck at the KZN Department of Education’s Malgate building in Durban after its refurbishment with VIP Polyurea coating

supplied by a.b.e. Construction Chemicals

JULY 2014 41

This follows the Construction Industry Development Board’s interventions in introducing adjudication into the South African construction practice; the industry’s consistent application of adjudication as

the preferred “on the run” dispute resolution procedure; and the South African High Court’s robust approach to enforcing adjudicators’ decisions.

The Certificate Programme in Construction Adjudication, developed by Prof. Tinus Maritz and his team, is the first of its kind offered to the South African construction industry specifically tailored to produce the highest standard of competent and qualified adjudicators, who, between disputing parties, in the words of Mr Justice Jackson, are properly equipped to find some sensible resolution of their problem, enabling them to then get back to their real business.

Course contentModule One (A): Introduction to South African Law and Legal Theory (For Non-Lawyers) or

Module One (B): Construction Practice and Technology (For Lawyers)Module Two: South African and International Construction Law. Principles and Application (All delegates)Module Three: Construction Claims and Disputes (All delegates)Module Four: Dispute Resolution and Adjudication Procedure and Practice(All delegates)1. An unreported judgement of the South Gauteng High

Court dated 12 February 2013 at paragraph 15.2. CIDB Best Practice Guideline C3: Adjudication,

September, 2005: Edition 2 of CIDB document 1011 at page 7.

3. Mr Justice Jackson, The Tower of Babel: What happens when a building contract goes wrong, The 2006 Denning Lecture given in Gray’s Inn, London on 28 November 2006, downloadable from www.scl.org.uk.

For more information and to enrol contact: Tel: 012 434 2500 E-mail: info@ce.up.ac.za ■

SA’s first ever Construction Adjudication course launched

The University of Pretoria’s Department of Construction Economics

has launched South Africa’s first ever Construction Adjudication course.

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This is the view expressed by Quintin Booysen, marketing and sales manager for Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA), during South African Builder’s interview with him earlier this month.

PMSA, designers and manufacturers of high quality and robust brick-making machines with over 38 years of experience in the industry, have been active in the supply, support and service of this equipment to clients in Namibia for over 20 years. “Our service teams have been travelling to Namibia servicing these plants for decades,” said Booysen. “We estimate that 75 to 80% of all bricks and blocks manufactured in Namibia over the past three decades are produced using PMSA machines.”

The strength of PMSA’s client base in Namibia is built on three key pillars, explained Booysen. These include: quality and robust machine design, capable of operation in the harsh humidity and dusty conditions encountered in Namibia; upgradeable equipment, capable of being retrofitted with new technology on an ongoing basis; and most importantly a strong and efficient service and support infrastructure, able to maintain existing plant and equipment in a foreign country at optimal operational performance.

“Our clients continue to demonstrate their confidence in our company and its product range,” said Booysen. “Their investment in, for example, one of our VBX brick-making machines to a typical fully operational plant level is in the order of R15 million, with an additional R6 million for peripheral infrastructure required. Such investment can only be considered if

the equipment supplier is technically competent and well equipped to service and support such plant. And that is the crux of operating in Africa – service!”

“Some of our clients come from second and third generation families in the brick-making business, and some are father and son operations,” explained Booysen. One such family business is Henning Crushers located in Tsumeb as well as Ondangwa in northern Namibia. The company operates four of the PMSA VBX fully automated brick-making plants, producing 120 000 bricks per single shift per machine.

Over the years PMSA has delivered, and continues to support, more than 20 VBX and VB1X machines throughout Namibia with a combined output capacity of three million bricks per day. There are also a number of smaller PMSA plants installed and operational throughout the region.

In order to conduct its business and drive its support systems at the required level of professionalism in Namibia, PMSA has established a strong triangular association with local company, Crush Plant Namibia, and a network of accredited dealers.

At home in Jet Park, Gauteng, PMSA continues to invest in its design and machine manufacturing capability, as well as in warehousing and storage facilities. “Because we believe in the market and in our clients our investment in recent years has been well over R40 million,” said Booysen.

PMSA is also active in East Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia and Angola. ■

Service and support – the key to success in AfricaThe demand for bricks in Namibia has been growing consistently for a number of years – a trend which is

expected to continue into the foreseeable future as national housing and commercial projects across the

country flourish apace.

Packer head and block pusher for automated dry product handling De-stacker with finger and transfer car

VB4X with topping feed capable of producing over 120 000 stock bricks

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John Barnard, SASFA director, says that while the growth of LSFB in South Africa has been phenomenal, it has not

been surprising. “The advantages of the method in terms of ease and speed of construction and the significant long-term energy savings make its popularity in this country quite logical as developers come under increasing financial pressure. Increased efficiency is the name of the game in construction the world over,” says Barnard.

Barnard says that it was always SASFA’s intention to spread the LSFB throughout the Southern African region but has waited till the local effort was up and running. “We wanted to focus on the South African market until all the issues were ironed out and a deep level of institutional acceptance was attained. We have reached that point and now we can spread our wings,” says Barnard.

While LSFB awareness seminars have previously been presented in Namibia, SASFA’s first cross-border training initiative was a six-day course for building contractors in Windhoek, Namibia. “While this was the 15th time we have run this course, it was the first beyond RSA borders,” says Barnard. “We had 21

attendees: thirteen from Namibia, six from the Democratic Republic of Congo and two from Zambia. The interest from the neighbouring countries is indicative of the growing awareness of LSFB in sub-Saharan Africa,” says Barnard.

On request from WML Global from Namibia – a new SASFA member – the practical work was done on a structure they wished to erect in an industrial area outside Windhoek. They had prepared a 4.5 m x 3 m slab on which a light steel frame structure was to be erected by the students, as part of the practical component of the course.

Cladding, lining and insulation materials were supplied by Lafarge and Everite for fixing to the steel frame. Marshall Hinds supplied the building wrap and Kare the fasteners for fixing the boards. Lafarge also illustrated how to repair a damaged gypsum board panel.

SASFA has to date issued 228 certificates for successful completion of the LSFB course for building contractors.

This six-day course for building contractors will again be presented in either Cape Town or Gauteng in October 2014. ■

SASFA takes LSFB cross-borderAfter significant success with growing the light steel frame building

(LSFB) method in South Africa in a relatively short time, the Southern

African Light Steel Frame Building Association (SASFA) has embarked

on taking the LSFB message to other Southern African countries.

SASFA’s first cross-border training initiative was a six-day course for building contractors in Windhoek, Namibia

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its R1 billion turnover mark, a remarkable achievement considering that it competes with mainly multinational firms.

Both formidable entities in their own rights, GIBB acquired 70% of SVA International – a merger that can only stand to benefit the private sector and government’s National Development Plan, which has been placed high on the agenda.

Among the political heavyweights and captains of industry were Collins Chabane – Minister of Public Service and Administration; Sandile Zungu – a leading entrepreneur and Secretary General of the Black Business Council (BBC) and Jabu Mabuza – Chairman of Telkom, Director at Tsogo Sun and President of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA).

GIBB Group CEO Richard Vries also announced the appointment of former BUSA President, Nomaxabiso Majokweni, to GIBB Holdings board, chaired by black empowerment pioneer Don Mkhwanazi.

A key discussion point was government’s Strategic Infrastructure Projects, described by Zungu as “the beginning of a long summer for GIBB and SVA International”.

“This merger between SVA International and GIBB could not be better timed, the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Unit has identified 18 Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPs) worth hundreds of millions of rands and the opportunities are endless,” he said.

Zungu cautioned, however, that price fixing in the construction industry by some of the larger privately owned firms threatens economic growth.

“There needs to be a greater level of ethics shown in the construction industry, especially with the recent revelations concerning price fixing among other firms. As a leading black-owned firm, GIBB has a moral obligation to compete fairly but fiercely. Our government needs to see that sound ethics to carry out its infrastructure plan are possible, and so we as the private sector, need to play our part,” Zungu added.

GIBB Group CEO, Vries stressed that the firm was in excellent financial health and that the merger can only benefit government’s capital infrastructure programme.

According to Vries, GIBB has shown an accumulative growth rate of over 99% during the last five years in an industry with an accumulative growth rate of 35%.

“The nature of competition too, has changed, with nine out of the 10 largest firms being foreign owned – GIBB is the last man standing. As GIBB and SVA International we have taken the first step to building a firm to compete with the best in the world, showing that Africans can do it for themselves, by themselves,” he added.

BUSA President Jabu Mabuza meanwhile used the platform to dispel myths around affirmative action. “There is a perception that affirmative action produces a substandard product. I beg to differ, Tsogo Sun, a BEE product is worth R35 billion, and today GIBB is a company on the same path,” he said.

In closing Don Mkhwanazi, renowned for his role in facilitating black economic empowerment in the country, encouraged support from the private and public sectors at the function.

“With the cooperation of all stakeholders GIBB and SVA International can tell the best story. It is time for Africa – and Africa is indeed in motion,” Mkhwanazi said. ■

GIBB reaches R1 billion turnoverFollowing GIBB’s recent announcement of its acquisition of Stauch Vorster Architects International (SVA

International) [South African Builder, February 2014] a meeting of the two groups and members of South

Africa’s business and political elite took place in Midrand to witness and celebrate this marriage of two of

the nation’s highly respected engineering and architecture entities.

Group CEO of GIBB, Richard Vries and director of Stauch Vorster, Kevan Moses – January 2014

Sandile Zungu, Secretary General of the Black Business Council (BBC)

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In 1994 ASSA in Sweden and Abloy in Finland merged to form the ASSA ABLOY Group. The Stockholm-listed company offered a comprehensive range of brands through Abloy (IKON, ABLOY, Trioving, VingCard and

Cardkey) and ASSA (Arrow, Ruko, Solid and FAS).Organic growth, a focused strategy on an increased market presence (joint ventures and acquisitions), a high rate of innovation and cost efficiency in all processes led ASSA ABLOY to become an innovative multi-national security group.

The Group acquired over 200 companies in two decades; and went on to acquire automatic pedestrian door solutions specialist, Swedish-based Besam. More acquisitions followed in Argentina, Slovenia, Chile and France. ASSA ABLOY further expanded its foothold in Africa with an acquisition in Kenya.

“We are rapidly growing with good profitability and cutting edge technologies,” says Johan Molin, CEO and President of ASSA ABLOY. He attributes the Group’s ongoing success to rising prosperity, extensive urbanisation and increasing security. ASSA ABLOY continues to substantially increase investments into R&D, employing approximately 1 400 developmental engineers. More than 27% of sales comes from products launched over the past three years.

“To meet the demand for increasingly advanced security solutions we will increase the already high rate of innovation over the next five years. Our aim moving forward is to continue to be the industry’s most innovative supplier of door opening solutions,” concludes Molin.

This impressive journey has transformed ASSA ABLOY into a company that has opened more doors than any other in the world. The local subsidiary, ASSA ABLOY South Africa (Pty) Limited, is able to draw on this international pool of innovation, knowledge, expertise and state-of-the-art technology to offer local customers a comprehensive range of world-class product and system solutions. ■

ASSA ABLOY celebrates 20 yearsFrom humble beginnings in 1994 as a traditional lock manufacturer supplying the Nordic region, to a global

leader in door opening solutions, ASSA ABLOY celebrates 20 years of success and growth.

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A blast from the pastExtracts from the South African Builder archives

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BEAMS FOR BIG PROJECT

Keeping pace with South Africa’s rapid development, millions of tons of concrete are being poured into a variety of building enterprises-concrete proof of South Africa’s prosperous economy and the boom conditions that have triggered off this activity affecting all sectors of national life.

A specially built steel launching girder lowers a beam into position across two supporting piers

Constructional engineers and builders are being called upon daily to meet the tremendous demands made by expanding industry and commerce.

They are also having to cope with increasing accommodation needs in the face of a housing shortage and flats bursting at the seams; to contribute to the solving of traffic problems with highways proving inadequate for a burgeoning motor population.

The impressive 1,500 ft. long concrete motorway bridge now under construction in Johannesburg, is typical of the ingenuity and skill with which expansion problems are being met.

The six motor lanes, which are being so constructed as not to interrupt the smooth functioning of the Railways during building operations, will ultimately span the railway marshalling yard in Braamfontein.

A well-known construction company is responsible for the huge structure, which will be composed entirely of precast prestressed concrete units.

With the foundations for the bridge and the 14 reinforced concrete piers already completed, work on the bridge itself is proceeding apace.

The “I” section concrete beams delivered to site are 6 ft. deep and have a web of 6 in. and flanges 24 in. x 4 1/2 in. on top and 24 in. x 9 in. at the bottom. A total of 271 beams are being delivered to the site.

May 1964

JUNE 1964

BUILDING NEWS

Hotel Plans: Plans for two new luxury skyscraper hotels for Johannesburg have been announced. An 18 storey hotel costing nearly R4 million is to be built in a small municipality on the eastern border of Johannesburg and a R7 million hotel of at least 22 storeys is to be opened in the centre of the city.

These two projects form part of a race by big business to set up luxurious hotels of international standard in Johannesburg. Four groups of financiers are in the race and these mammoth hotel projects involve at least R23 million.

The Hotel International, to be erected in the municipality of Bedford View, east of Johannesburg and on the Jan Smuts Airport road, will by Government grading, rate as one of the few South African “de luxe” hotels and will be one of the most luxurious hotels in Africa.

The self-contained hotel will have business, shopping and recreational facilities. The roof of the hotel will provide a landing area for helicopters.

These luxury facilities plus its situation, almost midway between the centre of Johannesburg and Jan Smuts Airport, have been chosen to serve the V.I.P. business executives, politicians and celebrities from overseas and South Africa for which the hotel plans to cater.

JULY 2014 47

Forthcoming events of interest to the building and construction industryForward details of your events to john@sabuilder.co.za for inclusion here

Events 2014

Event/organisation Description Location Date

25th International Union of Architects (UIA) World Congresswww.uia2014durban.org/

The UIA Congress will celebrate the African profession as a meaningful contributor to world architecture and thought leadership in city development; as well as the continent’s contribution in the affairs and evolution of architecture globally.

International Convention Centre, Durban 3 – 7 August

World Green Building Council Congress 2014 A collaborative hub that provides valuable connections with fellow GBC staff. Sao Paulo, Brazil 4 August

Women's DayCelebrating the empowerment of women in our country and especially in our industry

9 August

The Cape Construction Expo

The only building and construction forum exclusively for the Western Cape. The event brings together construction professionals such as architects, engineers, contractors, local authorities, government officials, investors and suppliers, offering plenty of networking opportunities for the entire value chain.

Cape Town International Convention Centre 13 – 14 August

Interbuild Africa 2014 The industry’s launchpad for new products, ideas and innovation. Johannesburg Expo Centre 20 – 23 August

7th Annual Green Building Conventionwww.gbcsa.org.za

Highlighting the richness and potential of the African continent and bringing speakers of South African origin who are pioneering the world in their own way as well as those who are working in this space on greater African soils.

Cape Town International Convention Centre 10 – 12 September

SAISC’s Steel Awards 2014 Recognising excellence in the use of steel in construction. Concurrent in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town 18 September

World Green Building Week Celebrating World Green Building Week. Global events 22 – 26 September

109th MBSA Congress – 2014www.mbsacongress.co.za

Addressing immediate issues and opportunities within the South African building and construction industry.

Boardwalk Hotel, Port Elizabeth

21 – 23 September

WINDaba Conference and Exhibition 2014www.windaba.co.za

The ideal place for wind industry suppliers to bring their products and services to the South African wind energy market. ICC, Cape Town 3 – 5 November

Cape Construction Expowww.hypenica.com Focusing on building and construction needs for the Western Cape. Cape Town 15 – 17 October

International Conference on Construction Materials and Structures (ICCMATS)www.iccmats-wits.co.za/

The conference is focused on research, structural and industrial or engineering applications involving the six modern construction materials namely: cement, concrete, bitumen, steel, masonry, timber

TBA 24 – 26 November

JULY 201448

corporate members

affiliate members

www.mbsa.org.za

East CapeGreg Steele – Executive DirectorTel: 041 365 1835E-mail: ecmba@global.co.za

BolandDaniël Uys – ManagerTel: 021 863 3330E-mail: info@mbaboland.org.za

peopleDoyen of concrete roads passes away

Louis Marais, widely regarded as the pioneer of modern concrete paving in South Africa, passed away recently.

Marais joined the Portland Cement Institute (the forerunner of the Cement & Concrete Institute, and now The Concrete Institute) in 1965 as a roads engineer and was responsible for introducing concrete pavements (roads) into South Africa. His first success came in 1968 when concrete was specified for 26 km of freeway outside Cape Town.

Marais worked tirelessly with engineers from the Department of Transport to develop design methods and specifications for concrete roads and managed to make concrete the preferred building material for several new roads in the 1970s to 1990s.

He played a leading role in the development of design guides for the use of cement stabilisation of soils and conducted early ground-breaking research into the development of concrete block paving, using an early version of the South African Heavy Vehicle Simulator. Marais was also responsible for promoting excellence in concrete industrial floor design and construction and, with Bryan Perrie, MD of The Concrete Institute, co-authored the acclaimed handbook, Concrete Industrial Floors on the Ground, which is now an essential authoritative guide on the topic in South Africa.

In January 2010, Marais was inducted as an Honorary Member of the International Society for Concrete Pavements, a global organisation dedicated to the promotion of concrete pavements.

Bryan Perrie, The Concrete Institute MD, who delivered the eulogy at Marais’s funeral in Roodepoort recently, said the passing of a man he regarded as his tutor, had deprived the world of “a giant in the field of concrete pavements – a legend in his lifetime.” Perrie – who understudied Marais for a decade prior to his retirement – said Marais enjoyed the highest respect of all involved in the local and international concrete industry and made an immeasurable contribution to the acceptance and widespread application of concrete roads that now prevails in South Africa.

Louis Marais, the doyen of concrete

pavements in South Africa, has

passed away

master builders south africa

KwaZulu-NatalVikashnee Harbhajan – Executive DirectorTel: 031 266 7070E-mail: info@masterbuilders.co.za

Groter Greater BolandCeleste van Greunen – SecretaryTel: 023 342 6964E-mail: mbagb@telkomsa.net

Northern CapeVic Smailes – Executive DirectorTel: 053 831 1845E-mail: vicsmba@xsinet.co.za

West BolandPhillip Botha – PresidentTel: 022 772 2251E-mail: mbaweskus@cwmail.co.za

Western CapeRob Johnson – Executive DirectorTel: 021 685 2625E-mail: info@mbawc.org.za

Free StateHendrina Greyling – SecretaryTel: 057 352 6269E-mail: masterbuilders@mbafs.co.za

MBA NorthMohau Mphomela – Executive DirectorTel: 011 805 6611E-mail: info@mbanorth.co.za

Association of Architectural Aluminium Manufacturers of SAHans Schefferlie – DirectorTel: 011 805 5002E-mail: aaamsa@iafrica.com

SA Reinforced Concrete Engineers’ AssociationJeff Thomas – DirectorTel: 011 455 6321E-mail: sarcea@iafrica.com

SA Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors’ AssociationBarney Richardson – DirectorTel: 011 622 3890E-mail: saracca@icon.co.za

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