imiesa feb 2013
DESCRIPTION
Imiesa Feb 2013 editionTRANSCRIPT
IMESAIMESAThe official magazine of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • MAINTENANCE • SERVICE DELIVERY
METSO LOKOTRACK increases output
WINNER Non-professional writer of the yearHIGHLY COMMENDED Publishing Excellence
n proffesse ionnal wri2012
INSIGHTUTRCP - a case study
O&MCost-effective
maintenance
SAGILeading Lidar evolution
I S S N 0 2 5 7 1 9 7 8 Vo l u m e 3 8 N o . 2 • F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 3 • R 5 0 . 0 0 ( i n c l VAT )
MEDIA
ttthhe
“We offer our clients a saving in time and overhead costs, and we are competitive on direct cost with conventional methods.” Willie de Jager, MD, Corestruc
in tt
“Wononon
IMIESA February 2013 1
VOLUME 38 NO 2 FEBRUARY 2013CONTENTS
09 UTRCP challenges
RegularsEditor’s comment 3President’s comment 5
Cover articleVSI achieves base course
optimisation 6
InsightUTRCP challenges and solution 9
Hot seatSpecialist precast solutions 14
Municipal operationsChallenges faced by smaller municipalities 17
SAGIInfrastructure mapping for
municipalities 28Leading the evolution of Lidar 31The sole distributor for region 32
SANRALCarbon emission management 36Cementing the need for
concrete roads 39Geocontainers provide containment platform 41
Water and wastewaterWater treatment for remote areas 45Meeting power demand through sustainability 46Grouting contract nears completion 47
SafetySpecialist contractor cleans power station 49Zero tolerance boosts safety 51
FinanceFixing municipal finances 52
Products and servicesEffective solution for pavement drainage 76Controls for network sewage station 77Pavers used for Umhlanga
17 Municipal operations
45 Water treatment
46 Dam construction
promenade 78
14
Cover Story A Metso Lokotrack train is meeting high tonnage aggregate demands on a Mpumalanga road rehabilitation project, with the contractor, WK Crushing, achieving consistent downstream product quality.
in ttthhhe HOOOOTT SSEEEEATT
Panel discussionRoad operation and maintenance 55
SABITA
Saied Solomons57
National Asphalt
Deon Pagel59
Osborn
Peet Venter61
ASPASA 62SARMA
Nico Pienaar63
SARF
64Logashri Sewnarain
Basil Jonsson
PPC
Alta Walker67
Arup
Dinesh Chaithoo69
Salberg Concrete Products
Dr Rudy Absil71
Lafarge industries
Dr Reinhold Amtsbücher73
AfriSam
Mike McDonald75
“We offer our clients a saving in time and overhead costs, and we are competitive on direct
cost with conventional methods.” Willie de Jager, MD, Corestruc
CALL FOR PAPERSAuthors are requested to think innovatively, base new ideas on case studies (local and elsewhere), be practical in approach and indicate how their proposed paper will support the conference theme.
23 - 25 October 2013
Submissions of extracts in the prescribed format by Friday, 26 April 2013 to Dup van Renen
email: [email protected]
• Political and Legislation • Ecological / Environmental• Financial• Transport and Traffic • Water and Sanitation• Roads and Storm Water
Increased number of strikes against poor
services delivery in 2012, numerous
reported failures of water supplies,
sewerage conveyance & treatment systems, and poor road maintenance conditions,
are pointers of warning, that serious turn-around
strategies are required in South African municipal
service delivery.
This will be required from institutional structures and
financial management right up to the operation and maintenance of quality
service delivery to the people.
Hence the theme for 2013:
Municipal Engineering: Meeting Peoples’ Needs
THE EASTERN CAPE BRANCH HEREBY ISSUES THE 2013 IMESA CONFERENCE
CALL FOR PAPERS
Download abstract forms from www.imesa.org.za Tel: 031 266 3263
IMIESA February 2013 3
The challenges faced by small municipalities
PUBLISHER Elizabeth ShortenEDITOR Richard Jansen van VuurenHEAD OF DESIGN Frédérick DantonSENIOR DESIGNER Hayley MendelowCHIEF SUB-EDITOR Claire NozaïcSUB-EDITOR Patience GumboCONTRIBUTORS Johan RasmusOtte, Pieter Myburgh, Johan van der Mescht, Marius van Jaarsveld, Bryan PerrieCorne Oberholzer, Candice LandiePRODUCTION MANAGER Antois-Leigh BotmaPRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jacqueline ModiseFINANCIAL MANAGER Andrew Lobban (ACIS, FCIBM)MARKETING AND ONLINE MANAGER Martin HillerADMINISTRATION Tonya HebentonDISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa MasinaDISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha PursothamSUBSCRIPTIONS [email protected] United Litho Johannesburg +27 (0)11 402 0571___________________________________________________
ADVERTISING SALESJenny Miller Tel: +27 (0)11 467 6223___________________________________________________
PUBLISHER: MEDIA No. 4, 5th Avenue, Rivonia 2056PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Fax: +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 E-mail: [email protected] www.3smedia.co.za
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: R530.00 (INCL VAT) ISSN 0257 1978 IMIESA, Inst.MUNIC. ENG. S. AFR.© Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.___________________________________________________
IMESA CONTACTSIMESA Administration Officer: Ingrid BottonP O Box 2190, Westville, 3630Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263Fax: +27 (0)31 266 5094Email: [email protected]: www.imesa.org.za
BORDER BRANCHSecretary: Melanie MatroosTel: +27 (0)43 705 2401Fax: +27 (0)43 743 5266E-mail: [email protected]
EAST CAPE BRANCHElsabé KoenTel: +27 (0)41 505 8005Fax: +27 (0)41 581 2300E-mail: [email protected]
KWAZULU-NATAL BRANCHSecretary: Rita ZaaymanTel: +27(0)31 311 6382
NORTHERN PROVINCE BRANCHSecretary: Cornel TaljaardTel: +27 (0)82 899 8341Fax: +27 (0)11 675 1324E-mail: [email protected]
SOUTHERN CAPE KAROO BRANCHSecretary: Henrietta OliverTel: +27(0)79 390 7536Fax: 086 536 3725E-mail: [email protected]
WESTERN CAPE BRANCHSecretary: Erica van JaarsveldTel: +27 (0)21 938 8455Fax: +27 (0)21 938 8457E-mail: [email protected]
FREE STATE AND NORTHERN CAPE BRANCHSecretary: Wilma Van Der WaltTel: +27(0)83 457 4362Fax: 086 628 0468E-mail: [email protected]
REST OF SOUTHERN AFRICARepresentative: Andre MullerE-mail: [email protected]
All material herein IMIESA is copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa or the publishers.
Cover opportunity In each issue, IMIESA offers advertisers the opportunity to get to the front of the line by placing a company, product or service on the front cover of the journal. Buying this position will afford the advertiser the cover story and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings contact Jenny Miller on tel: +27 (0)11 467 6223.t
EDITOR'S COMMENT
I’M DELIGHTED TO advise readers that
this issue forms the basis of a paper
authored by Johan van der Mescht and
Marius van Jaarsveld that is published in
this edition of IMIESA.
The authors point out that service delivery
challenges in small rural municipalities are
often exacerbated by human resource issues,
ranging from the difficulty to recruit suitably
qualified and experienced professionals to
unstructured or weak disciplinary procedures.
Within the case study discussed in their paper,
the situation is no different and it makes for
fascinating reading (page 17).
In this edition, we also discuss a carbon
emission management system for South
African conditions. It comprises a guideline
document and software system for the meas-
urement of carbon emissions by all opera-
tions associated with the manufacturing and
application of bituminous products in South
Africa’s road industry. The guidelines are now
available for implementation (page 36).
It is with pride that I can report that 3S
Media will be organising and hosting the
second national Public-Private Infrastructure
Forum, which is scheduled to take place
from 19 to 20 June 2013. Building on the
success of last year’s event, the event will
focus on how the public and private sectors
can work together to ensure the successful
implementation of the infrastructure plan that
has been adopted by government and spear-
headed by the Presidential Infrastructure
Coordinating Commission.
Throughout the country, several smaller municipalities struggle on a daily basis to effectively operate and maintain their services infrastructure in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.
Expert speakers from government, state-
owned entities and the private sector are
being invited to give presentations on what
the challenges are, what progress has been
made to date and what future solutions are
being proposed to drive the plans to address
service delivery issues and infrastructure
construction backlog.
Delegates from the public and private sector
will be able to pose questions to the speakers.
Speakers and delegates will then participate
in workshop sessions to identify sustainable
solutions to these problems. The event will not
just be another run-of-the-mill conference, but
an opportunity for local, regional and national
role players, together with the private sector,
to workshop solutions to issues affecting
infrastructure development.
Richard Jansen van Vuuren
2 3 - 2 5 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3
P O R T E L I Z A B E T H
nelson mandela bay
CONFERENCEIMESAIMESAIMESA
2013
Theme: Municipal Engineering – Meeting Peoples’ NeedsEARN 2.5 CPD POINTS BY ATTENDING
Included in conference fee:• Opening Cocktail Function with Presidential Address• 3 Day Conference with local and international experts• Techncial Tours• Access to 80 industry suppliers at their exhibition stands• Gala Function: the best networking opportunity
Additional fees for:• Golf Day at Humewood before Conference opens• Companion to join at social functions or to participate
in 3 Day Companion Tours
For information:Tel: 031 2663263 Email: [email protected]
The 2013 IMESA Conference will be hosted at the brand new Boardwalk Hotel & Conference Centre on the beautiful Port Elizabeth beach front. A variety of exciting technical tours are being arranged to
SA Breweries, Koega Harbour, VW Factory and Van Staden’s Wind Farm.
Register and pay early to qualify for excellent Early Bird Discounts!
IMIESA February 2013 5
PRESIDENT’S COMMENT
AS WE WORKED
through the agenda
and after much inter-
action with fellow
board members representing
countries such as New Zealand,
Australia, Scotland, Netherlands,
Denmark, Sweden and Canada, I
realised that the challenges that
we face and agonise over con-
tinuously at IMESA and within
South Africa’s local authorities
are not isolated to this coun-
try but are being experienced
globally. The value of being a
member of IFME was unmistak-
able as we compared problems,
experience and solutions. I feel
that sharing some of my obser-
vations would be of benefit.
IFME is finding it difficult to
attract new members – espe-
cially from poor countries and
young people. A solution may be
to offer a reduced fee structure
based on affordability and have
a scheme whereby new mem-
bers younger than 35 will pay
half-price if they are “accompa-
nied” by a full paying member.
The Institute of Public Works
Engineering Australia (IPWEA)
– Australia’s equivalent to
IMESA – made the interest-
ing observation that today’s
potential new members are
Generation X and Generation Y
youngsters who demand a very
clear indication of the benefits
they’ll enjoy (such as financial
or time saving) by joining insti-
tutes as opposed to the older
“baby boomers” who in their
day joined more for the “old
school tie” sense of belong-
ing. IPWEA has successfully
embraced this change by, for
example, improving their website
by adding features such as “ask
your mate”, which has been
vastly popular and effective,
especially among asset manag-
ers. Basically, if you have an
engineering problem, you enter
your question and it is highly
likely that you would attract
a number of responses. As a
result of a skills shortage in
New Zealand, the use of shared
services where a particular team
would carry out the operation of
wastewater treatment plants or
the maintenance of GIS systems
for a group of towns, for exam-
ple, is becoming more and more
popular. Members confirmed that
shared services are also gaining
momentum in the Nordic coun-
tries and throughout the UK.
Other comments included:
• councillors think they are engi-
neers – they inter fere –
and councils change every
two years
• poor community buy-in
• poor political buy-in
MUNICIPAL ENGINEERS
Local challenges not uniqueTowards the end of 2012, I had the pleasure of representing IMESA as a board member of IFME (the International Federation of Municipal Engineering) in Pauanui, New Zealand.
• unrealistic expectations by
those being served
• the pool of municipal technical
skills is continuously shrinking.
Regarding the skills shortage
being experienced internation-
ally, I close with an extract from
an article that Chris Champion,
the CEO of IPWEA, wrote in the
institute’s official journal Public
Works recently (with Champion’s
kind permission):
“The pipeline of new engineers
and other technical staff simply
isn’t strong enough to see the
shortage eased, unless govern-
ment and industry come together
with new solutions.
Addressing the shortage will
improve Australia’s chances of
building a modern economy
that can thrive beyond the
current boom.
“We also know that pressure
from the skills shortage is
affecting our members – and the
wider profession – through longer
hours, stress and being unable
to properly cope with our profes-
sional responsibilities.
“If we want to address climate
change, sustainability issues
and build the infrastructure our
communities need for the future,
then Australia needs significantly
more professional engineers and
other technical staff.
“The profession still does
not receive the recognition it
deserves for the key role it plays
in Australian society.” IFME board meeting held in
Pauanui, New Zealand
The value of being a member of IFME was unmistakable as we compared problems, experience and solutions
6 IMIESA February 2013
A Metso Lokotrack train is meeting high tonnage aggregate demands on a Mpumalanga road rehabilitation project, with the contractor, WK Crushing, achieving consistent downstream product quality.
WORK IS NOW at an advanced
stage on a major road upgrade
on the R50 between Leandra
and Standerton, which is being
rebuilt on a solid foundation by Bloemfontein
based contractor Nucon Roads & Civils.
WK Construction Group entity, WK Crushing,
was appointed as the crushing and screen-
ing contractor and has been responsible for
supplying all road aggregate materials on
this fast-tracked rehabilitation project, which
commenced in January 2012 and is due for
completion by the end of March 2013.
Meeting the material specifications over
this 26 km section, WK Crushing’s contract
scope entails the dedicated supply of approxi-
mately 230 000 t of -38 mm G2 base course
as well as +9.5 mm and 19 mm road stone
amounting to a fur ther 3 000 and 8 000 t,
respectively. By November 2012, the bulk of
the G2 quantities had been supplied to site,
with all road stone materials sourced from a
TOP A side view of the Metso Lokotrack LT1100
LEFT WK Crushing’s site manager, Dirk van Schalkwyk (left), and Barloworld Equipment Metso Mobile’s sales consultant, Lantie van der Merwe. In the background is WK Crushing’s Metso Lokotrack LT1100 cone crusher and screen on one chassis (forming the closed circuit) feeding into the LT7150 VSI
VSI achieves base ROCK-ON-ROCK CRUSHING
COVER STORY
IMIESA February 2013 7
tonne. The IC system also prevents overload-
ing caused by process fluctuations, as well
as from damage caused by misuse. Advanced
fault diagnostics immediately pinpoint
any potential problem, so there is minimal
standing time.
In the closed circuit, +38 mm material
is fed to the LT1100 cone for reduction to
-38 mm and then passes through the VSI.
Screened material below -38 mm also passes
through the VSI to generate fines material,
an essential ingredient for optimum road
base compaction.
“Although placed at the end of the process
train, the VSI has the most important job to
do in per forming final product shaping. Plus
being at the tail end, the LT7150 must keep
place with the ongoing material throughput
flowing from the primary stage,” explains Dirk
van Schalkwyk, WK Crushing’s site manager.
During G2 production, WK Crushing’s train
has typically averaged around 170 to 180 tph
and up to 210 tph at peak, depending on vari-
ables in blasted material
sizes and densities. “And
we’ve achieved these fig-
ures with consistently high
availability from our Metso
units,” he continues.
Barmac VSIPowered by a Cat Acer t C13
engine, Metso’s LT7150 is
the first Lokotrack model
to be fitted with a Metso Barmac VSI crusher
on-board, in this instance a B7150M unit.
Configured as a VSI unit, the LT7150 is
an ideal third or four th stage crusher, which
combines high velocity impact crushing with
attrition crushing to produce cubical aggre-
gates, road base and prime manufactured
sand. In fact, field tests have proven that
less cement can be used in road bases
and stronger concrete created by using
Barmac VSI products. Waste products such
as steel slag, which is commonly used as
an aggregate in South African road construc-
tion, can also be optimally processed via
VSI technology.
“Barmac VSIs are unique among all ver tical
shaft impactors due to their pure rock-on-rock
crushing principle, an autogenous crushing
process that produces the best cubically
shaped aggregates on the market today,”
explains Barloworld Equipment Metso Mobile
sales consultant, Lantie van der Merwe.
“Compared to other OEM designs, this
means that impeller shoes or impact anvils
are not needed to achieve reduction, which in
turn helps to lower overall operating costs.”
Metso’s VSI design centres on its Barmac
DTR deep rotor. The development of deep
rotor technology, combined with long-life
wear par ts and segmented tip assemblies
dramatically reduces down-
time associated with wear
par t replacement.
The LT7150’s Barmac VSI
840 DTR rotor accepts feed
size up to 66 mm, acceler-
ates material and continu-
ously discharges it into the
crushing chamber, with par-
ticle exit velocities ranging
between 45 and 70 m/s.
This high-velocity impact crushing, together
with high-pressure attrition grinding, results
in superior concrete and asphalt aggregates,
with the ability to fine-tune this process by
simply changing rotor speed.
“Experience has shown that the key to prof-
its in the aggregate production industry lies
in the ability to produce consistent products
of high quality, which in turn leads to the con-
struction of durable roads that last,” adds
Van Schalkwyk.
IMIESA offers advertisers an ideal platform to ensure maximum exposure of their brand. Companies are afforded the opportunity of publishing a two-page cover story and a cover picture to promote their products to an appropriate audience. Please call Jenny Miller on +27 (0)11 467 6223 to secure your booking.
course optimisation
“Although placed at the end of the process train, the VSI has the most important job to do in performing fi nal product shaping”
WK registered dolerite borrow pit situated
outside the town of Leandra.
This pit is currently being mined to around
10.5 m from sur face and has substan-
tial dolerite reserves below this depth to
meet other downstream WK material supply
contracts in the region for concrete, road
aggregate or pipeline bases.
WK Crushing is a leading contractor in the
crushing and screening sector, and over the
years has successfully completed a number
of quarrying and crushing operations in
mining, concrete readymix, road building
and civil engineering within South Africa as
well as cross-border, backed by a modern
equipment fleet.
WK’s mobile process train set-up at the
Leandra borrow pit star ts with a Metso
Lokotrack LT105 primary jaw crusher feed-
ing into a secondary cone crusher and from
there to a ter tiary Metso LT1100 cone
crusher and screen on one chassis (forming
the closed circuit), with a Metso LT7150 VSI
(ver tical shaft impactor) per forming final
stage crushing.
These Metso units communicate via
onboard IC (Intelligent Control) automation
and work as one seamlessly integrated sys-
tem. Automation makes it possible to run
machines at constant, specific per formance
rates to achieve the best cost per aggregate
An illustrated cross-section of the Metso Lokotrack LT7150 showing material passing through the machine’s on-board Barmac VSI
COVER STORY
IME
SA
AF
FIL
IAT
E M
EM
BE
RS
IMESA
Afri-Infra [email protected] Broom Road Products [email protected] SA [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Africa Group Holdings [email protected] Consulting [email protected] Bosch Stemele [email protected] Bosch Munitech [email protected] Consulting Engineers [email protected] Consulting Engineers [email protected] Consulting Engineers [email protected] Civil & Blasting Solutions [email protected] Manufacturers [email protected] Institute of Southern Africa [email protected] Built Environment [email protected] Lynn & Partners [email protected] Bank of SA [email protected] Plastics [email protected] Engineers [email protected] Kent Metering [email protected] Waste Management [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Consulting [email protected] [email protected] SA [email protected] Technology [email protected] Enterprises [email protected]@Consulting [email protected] Consulting [email protected] [email protected] and Green [email protected] Water [email protected] Consulting [email protected]
Knowledge Base [email protected] Water [email protected] Narasimulu & Associates [email protected] Consulting Engineers [email protected] Asphalt [email protected] Consulting [email protected] Engineering Systems [email protected] Naidoo & Associates Consulting Engineers [email protected] Construction [email protected] [email protected] Africa [email protected] [email protected] HaskoningDHV [email protected] SBS Water Systems [email protected] Consulting [email protected] Lines [email protected] SA [email protected] Inc [email protected] Water Company [email protected] [email protected] African Society for Trenchless Technology [email protected] Consulting [email protected] Pumps Wastewater [email protected] [email protected] Engineers East London [email protected] Consulting [email protected] Consulting [email protected] Consulting Engineers [email protected] WorleyParsons [email protected] Group Africa [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Surfacing [email protected]
INSIGHT
IMIESA February 2013 9
FROM THE ONSET it was clear that the
design and documentation needed to
be adapted in order to maximise the
interest of the community as well as
ensure a quality product. Well-balanced use
of equipment and local labour was vital to the
success of the project as extensive training
was done before the specific tasks were pro-
grammed to commence.
On-site design changes were possible due
to the flexibility of the “Spin Screed” being
used, with resultant innovative techniques that
result both in time saving as well as improved
constructability and quality.
Quality control of both virgin and modified
materials before, during and after construction
needs a higher level of supervision, which must
not be underestimated.
A direct cost comparison was possible to
conventional methods as this was part of the
project scope. Crucial to the success and sus-
tainability of this method, however, is long-term
commitment from authorities, with guaranteed
financial and technical support.
Short project description The project scope was the upgrading of some
gravel roads in Brandwag to surfaced stand-
ards using Ultra-Thin Reinforced Concrete
Pavement (UTRCP), constructed by means of
labour-intensive construction (LIC) methods, to
maximise the use of local labour.
Project locationThe Brandwag community, Part of Ward 7, is
situated approximately 11 km north of the N2
and Trunk Route 33, section 2 (TR33/2) and
the intersection en route to Oudtshoorn as
shown in Figure 1.
Road numbers The roads are numbered in Table 1 for ease
of reference with the following approximate
lengths constructed:
Project specificationsThe road was upgraded to a surfaced standard
to the widths, alignment and structural capacity
as specified for low volume roads taking local
conditions into account:
• existing material was reused and reworked
to form part of the support layers to the
cemented base
• the base was constructed using mainly exist-
ing material and consisted of a 100 mm
thick cement stabilised layer to C3/C4
standards by means of labour-intensive
construction methods
• this was followed by an application of a
bituminous emulsion application to improve
durability and limit the water susceptibility of
the stabilised layer
• the surface layer consisted of a 50 mm thick
UTRCP (mesh 200 x 200 x 5.6 mm nominal
reinforcing) with batch mixing of the con-
crete on-site with concrete mixers
• as part of the works, kerbs and channels
were removed and reused, where those could
be successfully salvaged.
DocumentationWorks specifications: Variations and additions
to the standardised specifications were includ-
ed to distinguish between machine- and labour-
intensive methods.
The items shown in Table 2 were included for
quantifying the type and amount of works car-
ried out by means of LIC.
Can we build it? Yes we can!ULTRA-THIN REINFORCED CONCRETE PAVEMENT (UTRCP)
The employer’s objectives of this case study was to upgrade gravel roads in
the Brandwag Community to surfaced standard, with preference to UTRCP,
constructed by means of labour intensive construction methods and where
possible materials. By Johan Rasmus and Pieter Myburgh*
TABLE 1 Road numbers and lengths
FIGURE 1 Location of Brandwag Community
ROAD NO. LENGTH (M)
Road 1 230
Road 3 180
Road 4 60
*Johan Rasmus Otte, associate: pavement engineering, Royal HaskoningDHV
Pieter Myburgh, operational manager, streets and stormwater at Mossel Bay
INSIGHT
Construction of stabilised baseThis section covers the construction of a layer
of concrete, 50 mm thick continuously
reinforced with 200 x 200 x 5.6 mm welded
mesh (Ref 193) on an emulsion cured
stabilised layer. See Table 2.
Materials• aggregate to comply with relevant SANS
• 32.5 CEM I cement complying with
SANS requirements
• concrete to be used after submission and
approval of trial mix* to 30 MPa after 28 days
• welded wire mesh fabric conforming to
SANS 1024 – 1991 (6 x 2.4 m sheets)
• water to comply with relevant SANS
• curing compound or plastic sheeting for
curing
• emulsion for treatment of joints
• cold applied polymer modified emulsion with
8% rubber on bitumen for treatment of joints
or similar approved
• granular rubber crumbs to Sabita Manual
4 for slurry for sealing of joints or similar
approved.
* On-site batch mixing on-site was used and
if the desired consistency was not achieved,
ready-mix would be used.
Equipment• wheelbarrows, shovels, steel squeegees
• mixer for batch mixing/ready-mix concrete
• Spin Screed to replace vibrating screed beam
for compaction of the concrete
• movable bridge to prevent walking on mesh
for placing and screeding concrete
• broom with extended handle to provide
texture
• concrete saw with a blade of suitable width
for cutting longitudinal and construction joints
• equipment for sealing joints
• bull float.
Construction procedure• set up side forms/shutters to specified line
and levels on the prepared support layer
• placement of welded mesh on cover blocks
as specified
• concrete placement ensured adequate area
for truck to turn without damaging the con-
structed layers
• spread concrete evenly between shutters
using steel squeegees/rake
• compact concrete with Spin Screed
• once the concrete was compacted, a bull float
was used to achieve required surface finish
TABLE 3 Construction tolerances
PAYMENT ITEMS
ACTIVITY
P306 Placing of shutters
P307 Placing and fixing of welded mesh
P308 50 mm ultra-thin reinforced concrete
P309 Extra over for construction of bell mouths and intersection
P310 Anchor beams
P311 Sawing of joints
P312 Sealing of joints
• once concrete had set sufficiently, the sur-
face was broomed transversely to provide the
required texture finish
• covered with plastic sheeting to cure concrete
• saw-cut joints as instructed
• seal joints as instructed, with
approved sealant.
Quality controlA slump test had been conducted on each
batch and cubes prepared as requested by the
engineer. For tender purposes, the slump test
for hand vibration was to be between 70 and
120 mm and for vibration beam was between
30 and 70 mm. After the trial section, the
tolerances on slump test had been specified at
100 mm for the Spin Screed. Design require-
ments were:
• 28 days cube strength: 30 MPa
• cement to water ratio not more than 1:9
• minimum cement content 310 kg/m3
• flexible strength 3.8 MPa (mix)
TABLE 2 Construction of stabilised base
PAYMENT ITEMS ACTIVITY
P106Mixing of gravel, cement and water
P107 Wheelbarrow haulage
P108 Spreading and levelling
P109 Construction of sub-base
P110 Screening of sub-base
10 IMIESA February 2013
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
PHOTO 5 Spin Screed PHOTO 7 Spin Screed attachment PHOTO 8 Operating the Spin Screed PHOTO 6 Vibrating beam
1 2
43
5
7
6
8
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
PHOTO 1 9.5 mm aggregate for concrete
PHOTO 2 Polypropylene fibres
PHOTO 4 Ref 200 steel mesh (100 x 100 mm)
PHOTO 3 P900 plasticizer
INSIGHT
IMIESA February 2013 11
Construction tolerances• Thickness of concrete: 5 mm (min 45 m)
• Level and grade: 5 mm over 10 m
• Top cover to mesh: 2 mm (Min cover 15 mm)
See Table 3.
Late amendments After consultation with the CSIR, the latest
techniques and methods were implemented as
far as possible. This included the adjustment
of the concrete design. The photos (1 to 4)
show the aggregate, fibres, plasticizer and
mesh used.
Another change was the use of a Spin Screed
(Photo 5) instead of the vibrating beam (Photo
6) to compact and finish off the concrete layer.
The Spin Screed consists of an aluminium
pipe, up to 6.4 m in length, with an electric
power head that spins the pipe in the opposite
direction to the direction it is being advanced
so that concrete rolls up in front of the screed,
cutting off high spots and filling in low spots.
The aluminium pipe screed can be purchased
or cut into any length up to 6.4 m, making
screeds tailor-made for various jobs.
The advantages of using the Spin Screed
• handles easily and quick to assemble
• lightweight, only two persons to handle
• no vibration means shutters stay in place,
ensuring accurate layer thickness
• position of steel reinforcing is not negatively
impacted as with the vibrating beam
• no excessive fines brought to the surface,
no segregation
• length of the Spin Screed eliminates
half-width construction.
Contractors can switch from one length of
pipe to another in just a matter of seconds
by means of quick disconnects. See photos
7 and 8.
The TRH4 catalogue design was used as
reference design for comparison with the CSIR
approach for the UTRCP. The design pavement
structure is shown in Figure 2 as well as the
amendment made during construction.
ConstructionDue to the quality of the material on Road No
3 and guidance from CSIR, the existing
layer was tested with the in-situ densities
exceeding the required values needed as
the supporting layer.
With the use of the Spin Screed that exceeds
the width of the road, it was decided to con-
struct the road in full width with no longitudinal
joint on the centre line.
A further change came in with the decision
taken to construct both the base and UTRCP to
a width that the kerbing would be constructed
on top of the finished UTRCP. This was due
to the time consuming efforts in fixing the
shutters to the correct horizontal alignment.
An added advantage was the elimination of a
longitudinal joint along the road and kerbing.
The kerbing was then changed from a CK5
(combination) to a Figure 8 (mountable kerb).
Stabilised C3/C4 layerUtilising the existing layer works resulted in
a higher finished road level than designed by
100 mm.The imported G4 material stabilised
with cement was mixed off-site, transported,
spread by hand and compacted by walk-
behind rollers.
Shuttering was placed to construct the layer
to very tight vertical tolerances.
PHOTO 9 The emulsion being applied
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
PHOTO 10 Batch mixing in progress PHOTO 11 Off loading concrete mixture PHOTO 13 Spin Screed at work PHOTO 15 Hosepipe used to water the layer PHOTO 14 Plastic covering being placed PHOTO 12 Spreading with squeegees
FIGURE 2: Design and amended cross section for UTRCP
10 11
13
1514
12
9
12 IMIESA February 2013
The layer was finished off with the applica-
tion of a diluted emulsion as shown in Photo 9.
50 mm UTRCPTo maximise local labour, mixing of the UTRCP
was done by on-site batch mixing as shown in
Photo 10. For this operation, eight workers
were employed.
Due to the properties of the mixture, place-
ment needed to be as soon as possible and
therefore was tipped into a TLB. The mix was
then carefully distributed onto the prepared
surface with the reinforcing in place and well
supported by spacers. Note the bridge to
prevent stepping onto the reinforcement in
Photo 11. Spreading with squeegees (Photo
12) prevents segregation and compacting with
the Spin Screed (Photo 13), provided the qual-
ity finish needed. For this process 11 trainees
were employed.
Once the broom finish had been completed,
the layer was covered with a canopy of plastic
(Photo 14), for the curing process. This is
one of the most critical aspects and the layer
should be kept moist for at least seven days.
This was done by watering the layer with a
hosepipe (Photo 15), but unfortunately no
record of this was kept.
Kerbing and sidewalksWith the construction method used, kerbs
were constructed on the finished UTRCP by
using a water-cement paste and screed. This
gives the following advantages:
• eliminating of longitudinal joints next to the
kerbing, no sealing to be done
• cost-saving by using Figure 8 instead of CK5
• aesthetically pleasing
• reduces routine road maintenance
The previously used method, as shown in Photo
16, needs to be sealed properly, whereas the
implemented construction strategy as shown
in Photo 17 does not need to be. Once the
kerbing had been implemented, the sidewalk
layerworks were constructed as shown in Photo
18. Photo 19 shows the completed sidewalk
and finished road. One month after construc-
tion, some sections showed cracking similar to
that of a stabilised base and it was suggested
that cores be drilled to establish the extent as
well as the reinforcement position (Photo 20).
Training and job creationA well-structured training programme was initi-
ated and supported by the provincial govern-
ment of the Western Cape, Chief Directorate
EPWP: CIIE. A special acknowledgement to
Yolanda Ngcongca and Mzwandile Dlammanzi
for their contribution to ensure that training of
the highest standard was achieved.
SAVE (South African Value Education) was
awarded the training project for 20 learners
with the contractor Urhwebo e-Transand, which
added valuable experience to the project.
A development objective of Mossel Bay
Municipality regarding unemployment, poverty
rate and skills shortage is to reduce it by 2%
per annum and this will lead to the achieve-
ment of the 2014 millennium goal of reducing
these three issues by 50%.
Structure of the technical support• The training consisted of a theoretical as well
as a practical component.
• The venue for theoretical component was
provided by the community.
• The practical component was provided at the
Brandwag site.
• The practical component included an on-
site mentor for the learners provided by
the contractor.
• Mentors provided were on-site for the first
BUDGET ITEM AMOUNT (R)
% OF PROJECT COST
Total construction cost
1 635 444 76.7
Professional fees 497 556 23.3
Total project cost (approved budget)
2 133 000
TABLE 4 Percentages spent of approved budget
two weeks of practical implementation and
operations as well as quality control of the
UTRCP technique.
Training contentThe theoretical training covered the follow-
ing topics:
• calculations of quantities for consumables
and material
• equipment required, hired and non-hired
• construction cost
• preparation of mix designs
• team balancing
• preliminaries.
Practical training initially made provision for
a 20 m strip, but eventually 80 m was con-
structed due to changing of the reinforcing
and climatic conditions prevailed at the first
section. The practical training covered the fol-
lowing activities:
• concrete mixing
• shuttering work
• steel fixing
• using the Spin Screed
• finishing of the UTRCP
• protection and curing of the layer
• kerbing.
All learners were provided with a training man-
ual that covered the topics under the training.
The learners were allowed to keep the training
manual for future reference.
Quantity of learners and their skills areasThe number of learners was 20 and they
received the following group training:
• 1 x skilled person from the main contractor
• 1x concrete hand
• 1 x shutter hand
PHOTO 16 Kerbs constructed using previous method
PHOTO 17 Implemented kerbing construction
ANTI-CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
PHOTO 20 Typical crack patterns PHOTO 18 Sidewalk in progress PHOTO 19 Sidewalk completed
16 17
20
19 18
INSIGHT
IMIESA February 2013 13
INSIGHT
Advantages of Castle Bottom Kerb, Compared to Conventional Kerbs
Introducing the Bosun Castle Bottom Kerb.
Not all kerbs are the same...
Tel 0860 267 [email protected]
www.bosun.co.za
E+
I 180
27
PAY ITEM AMOUNT (R)
% OF CON-STRUCTION COST
Training of local labour including wages 81 600 5.0
Labour Section 100: Stabilised layer 59 606 3.6
Labour Section 300: UTRCP 50 086 3.1
Plant for labour-intensive construction 88 058 5.4
Sub-total 279 350 17.1
Total construction cost 1 635 444
TABLE 5 Percentages spent of construction cost
UPGRADING: BRANDWAG PROJECT
ACTIVITY/TIMESCONVENTIONAL
(R)UTRCP
Rate/m2 Rate/m2
In-situ compaction 6.15 0.00
Cut to spoil from: 8.95 0.00
Supply of G5 material from commercial quarry
32.86 0.00
Natural G4 - unstabilised (150 mm)
10.80 0.00
Natural G4 - stabilised (100 mm LIC)
(incl. plant and labour) - 44.59
Construct base with graded crushed stone (G4)
36.90
Application of diluted emulsion - 5.00
Prime coat: 15.00 -
CAPE SEAL (S13) 60.00 -
ULTRA-THIN REINFORCED CONCRETE PAVEMENT
(incl. plant and labour) 124.48
Extra over for CSIR design 9.00
Total R170.65 R183.07
• 1 x steel fixer
• 1 x supervisor for the construction process.
Project costsBy providing a business plan and with persistent communication by the
Mossel Bay Municipality, the project was approved a budget of R1.8 mil-
lion for professional fees and construction. Mossel Bay Municipality
contributed an additional R330 000 towards the project. See Table 4,
which gives the summary of the project cost. Table 5 indicates spending
as a percentage of the construction cost.
It must be emphasised that a portion of this project was done conven-
tionally and this has an influence on the percentages shown above. Table
6 shows a comparison between conventional (S13) surfacing and 50 mm
UTRCP done labour intensively.
TABLE 6 Conventional vs.UTRCP
HOT SEAT
Specialist precast solutions
manufacturing and construction
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works, sewer-
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Please give an outline of your installation capa-bilities Corestruc focuses on the total
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precast will influence the project
14 IMIESA February 2013
CORESTRUC
beforehand, and coordinate
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The installa-
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Our
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Please highlight a few projects that Corestruc has supplied, with a brief description work
Corestruc is par t of a group
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development, building and
civil construction. As de-
velopers and contrac-
tors, we realised that
constructing structures
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stead of the conventional
methods saved time on
projects and created savings
on direct cost because of
the use of more tech-
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years of research
was done before
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What is the core function of the busi-ness? Cor-
estruc’s main busi-
ness is the design,
Corestruc designs, manufactures and constructsprecast concrete structures that are ideally suited to the infrastructure delivery construction industry. Richard Jansen van Vuuren speaks to Corestruc’s MD, Willie de Jager, about the company and its products.
Please provide a brief background to Corestruc
“ Constructing structures in precast concrete instead of the conventional methods saved time on projects and created savings on direct cost”
IMIESA February 2013 15
HOT SEAT
for each project as well 50 Mℓ Krugersburg (Polokwane)
Reservoir and 45 Mℓ Longridge
(Bloemfontein) Reservoir – The
roof structure was approved as
per our alternative. The structure
consists of 11 m high 460 mm
x 460 mm square pre-stressed
precast columns; precast
pre-stressed I-beams that are
460 mm wide by 770 mm deep,
ranging from 8.4 to 11 m with
250 mm deep hollow core floors
spanning 11 m. All precast
elements were designed and
manufactured class 1 because of
the corrosive environment.
Various spor ts stadiums, in
particular Sekgopa and Lebaka
sports complexes, with precast
columns, raker beams and seat-
ing benches.
Precast beams and bridge barri-
ers for the Polokwane Municipality.
Honda showroom – The total
structure was precasted with
various precast elements ranging
between square and bull nose
columns, square T and I-beams,
rectangular crash barriers and
150 to 250 mm deep hollow
core slabs. The quality of the off
shutter finish of the structure
prompted the client to omit the
paint finish specified. We omit-
ted 38 columns from the in-situ
design because of the cost-
effective use of pre-stress ena-
bling longer spans.
University of the North lecture
halls – We used our 320 mm deep
hollow core slab on three-storey
building with a clear span of 13 m
with a live load of 5 kN/m2.
What are the advan-tages Corestruc offers to clients and contractors? We offer our clients a saving in
time and overhead costs and
are competitive on direct cost
with conventional methods. The
use of pre-stressed hollow core
slabs and pre-stressed beams
can accommodate very long
spans, resulting in flexible open
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What areas of munici-pal infrastructure does Corestruc supply prod-
ucts and services to? Corestruc’s products include
bridge beams, bridge barriers,
precast reservoir roof struc-
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We congratulate Polokwane
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in so many of its projects and
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT 50 Mℓ Krugersburg Reservoir with precast roof structure 50% complete before the first lift on the wall is completed. The photograph shows the overlap of trades caused by the use of precast
A completed showroom constructed for Honda
KR Motorcycles precast structure comprising continuous precast columns, T-beam and 250 mm hollow core slabs with 9 m x 9 m grids
Precast elements used in an urban artwork installation
www.corestruc.co.za [email protected]
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MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS
THE END RESULT is predictable: rapid
deterioration of assets, followed by
catastrophic component failure, and
regular and prolonged disruptions in
service delivery.
This article identifies and examines some
of the challenges that exist in a typical small
rural municipality. A local municipality in the
Eastern Cape is used as a case study. It must
be emphasised though that there is no intention
to discredit this particular municipality or any of
its employees. Instead, the findings should be
viewed against the background that there are
numerous other local authorities across the
country that are experiencing similar or even
worse difficulties. The solutions offered are
specifically aimed at improving the working con-
ditions of municipal staff who are confronted
with numerous impediments in their current
work environment.
A number of issues, ranging from financial
constraints to institutional deficiencies and
personnel problems, are highlighted. Current
utilisation of grant funding and some munici-
palities’ dependency on funding agencies are
also debated.
The main theme of the paper is, however,
more focused on finding workable solutions to
ensure that best practice is applied in operating
and maintaining municipal services infrastruc-
ture in a sustainable manner. The second part
of the paper explores possible short- and long-
term options, including support from consulting
engineers and outsourcing of essential services
to the private sector.
Crisis in local governmentIn 2008 the (then) National Department of
Provincial and Local Government (DPLG)
received a report from the Afrikaanse
Handelsinstituut (AHI), alerting the department
on service delivery problems in a number of
municipalities throughout South Africa.
The report highlighted several problems that
these municipalities were experiencing at the
time, including:
• challenges in the general rendering of ser-
vices to the community
• procedures followed when appointing new
staff members
• irregularities and deficiencies with procure-
ment procedures
• leakages and overflowing of
sewerage systems
• a general lack of consul-
tation and of cooperation
between the municipalities and the business
community, in particular the AHI-affiliated
business chambers of the AHI.
A rural municipality in the Eastern Cape was
listed in the AHI report as one of the local
authorities where water and sanitation services
were on the verge of collapse.
Aurecon was subsequently tasked by the
DPLG to report on the state of water and sanita-
tion services in this particular municipality. The
initial investigation confirmed that municipal
service delivery was totally ineffective and
in certain areas non-existent, especially with
regard to essential services such as refuse
removal, sewerage conveyance, and treatment
and supply of potable water.
At the time, one of the major concerns
was the discharge of raw sewerage, overflow-
ing from non-functional pump stations and
wastewater treatment plants, into the river
systems and dams that supply water to other
local authorities located in the downstream
Challenges in smaller municipalities
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
At present, several smaller municipalities are struggling to operate and maintain their services infrastructure in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. By Johan van der Mescht and Marius van Jaarsveld
IMIESA February 2013 17
18 IMIESA February 2013
MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS
catchment areas. The conclusion reached was
that the poor condition of water and sanitation
infrastructure was as a result of:
• insufficient funding allocation for the reha-
bilitation and/or replacement of components
that have reached the end of their design life
• inadequate maintenance budgets, which
could be attributed to the municipality’s lim-
ited income base.
Part of Aurecon’s brief by the DPLG was to
provide technical assistance to the munici-
pality, especially with regard to operations
and maintenance (O&M). Data on O&M was
secured mainly through field observations and
by conducting informal interviews with technical
staff. Informal discussions were also held with
members of local business chambers, to obtain
some insight on municipal service delivery from
a ratepayer/consumer perspective. Some of the
findings of this investigation are presented and
discussed in this paper.
The principal outcome of the original assign-
ment was the approval of municipal infra-
structure grant (MIG) funds to the value of
R44 million, to be allocated over three con-
secutive financial years, for the rehabilitation
of existing bulk water and sanitation infra-
structure. This project is now nearing comple-
tion, but a real concern is the fact that O&M
remains a low priority within the municipality’s
technical department.
The stark reality is that repairing dysfunction-
al infrastructure without addressing the factors
that impact negatively on O&M is simply not a
sustainable option in the medium to long term.
Without basic maintenance, most of the newly
refurbished plants could be in a derelict state
within five years.
The existing culture of deferred maintenance
in the municipality will need to be abolished in
favour of a strategy that ensures that adequate
technical and financial resources are made
available for O&M. The primary benefits of
changing the status quo will be a drastic reduc-
tion in infrastructure life cycle costs and the
ability to deliver a consistent and satisfactory
level of service to consumers.
The extent of the crisis from an O&M perspective A detailed report on O&M deficiencies within
the technical department of the municipality
falls outside the scope of this article. However,
to provide some perspective on the severity of
the problem, some of the more obvious failings
are listed below in no particular order:
• non-compliance with existing health and
safety legislation
• the current infrastructure life cycle scenario
can be described as “run to destruction”
because of a total lack of routine and
preventative maintenance; the unfortunate
outcome is premature asset failure
• failure to remove screenings at sewer pump
stations and at the inlets to wastewa-
ter treatment works results in downstream
blockages, clogging of pump impellors and
eventual mechanical breakdowns
• failure to respond to sewer blockages
within a reasonable time leads to the
discharge of raw sewage into sensitive
natural environments
• failure to respond to water pipe bursts
promptly results in considerable water loss-
es and lengthy interruptions in water supply
• because of supply chain bottlenecks, water
purification chemicals at remote water
treatment plants are often in short supply,
resulting in poor drinking water quality
• due to an acute shortage of funds for
O&M, repairs to a defective pump unit is
often postponed until the second (standby)
unit fails. (It is common practice to install
pump units in both water and sewer pump
stations in a duty/standby configuration,
to ensure continuous operation should one
unit become defective.) The inevitable out-
come is prolonged interruptions in service
delivery and consequential inconvenience
to local residents, as well as health risks
associated with sewage spills
• the municipality’s asset register is not
up to date, which makes it difficult to (1)
trace missing plant and equipment, and (2)
compile maintenance plans.
Prior to discussing possible solutions to
change the status quo, it is necessary to
list and examine some of the more critical
aspects that impede efficient O&M within this
particular municipality.
Factors that impact negatively on O&MHuman resource issues
Service delivery challenges in small rural
municipalities are often exacerbated by human
resource issues, ranging from the difficulty
to recruit suitably qualified and experienced
professionals to unstructured or weak disci-
plinary procedures. With this case study the
situation is no different. Some of the more
pertinent personnel issues which have a
direct bearing on the technical department’s
ability to meet its O&M obligations include
the following:
• There is no institutional memory within the
department due to high staff turnover at
management level – the department has
had four different directors/acting directors
in a period of three years.
• Technical directors are appointed on five-
year contracts, a policy that overlooks the
importance of long-term infrastructure plan-
ning. In this particular municipality both
consultants and government agencies are
relied upon to assist senior staff with
strategic planning. The inevitable result
is the implementation of ad hoc solutions
18 IMIESA February 2013
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that, due to uncoordinated planning, add
unnecessary burdens on operating staff and
maintenance teams.
• The department lacks the capacity to mentor
young inexperienced technicians. Without the
opportunity to gain worthwhile work experi-
ence, the technicians’ usefulness to the
institution remains low and their contribution
to improving service delivery negligible. Past
experience has shown that newly appointed
civil engineering technicians soon resign to
pursue better career opportunities elsewhere.
• Judging by the poor condition of components
at several plants and pump stations, there
seems to be a critical deficiency in mechanical
and electrical competency in the department.
This makes the municipality totally depend-
ent on outside service providers to repair
mechanical and electrical equipment.
• Absenteeism, where personnel at certain
treatment plants fail to report for duty, is a
common occurrence. Yet there seems to be
reluctance in the municipality to take disci-
plinary action against transgressors. This
in turn impacts nega-
tively on discipline and
on productivity.
• The department’s current
post structure makes no
provision for the appoint-
ment of experienced staff
at middle-management
level (superintendent
or similar).
This is a critical shortcom-
ing as some of a superin-
tendent’s primary respon-
sibilities are to:
• ensure that O&M func-
tions are performed in
an efficient manner
• identify potential infra-
structure failures in time and take the neces-
sary remedial actions to prevent interruptions
in service delivery
• provide technical support and guidance to
artisans and plant operators on a daily basis
• report to line managers on all operational
issues with regard
to the provision of
municipal engineering
services.
Financial chal-lenges
The municipality’s income – expenditure state-
ment for the 2010/11 financial year, as pro-
vided in its annual report for 2010/2011, is
depicted in Table 1.
A cursory examination of the municipality’s rev-
enue versus expenditure for the period 1 July
There seems to be a critical defi ciency in mechanical and electrical competency
IMIESA February 2013 19
WIRE ROPE
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END TERMINALS
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within the technical department that impact on
O&M. Some of the identified shortcomings are
discussed below in no particular order.
Because of budget constraints, maintenance
of service vehicles and construction plants is
neglected. Vehicle and plant breakdowns are
therefore a common occurrence and, together
with the non-availability of replacements, ham-
per the municipality’s ability to perform elemen-
tary O&M tasks and to respond to infrastructure
failures in time.
At most water and wastewater treatment
plants, basic equipment such as spanners,
screw drivers, brooms, shovels, rakes and
wheelbarrows – necessary to perform routine
tasks – are missing. Personnel at these plants
are often expected to do hazardous work with-
out being issued with the required protective
clothing. The most extreme example observed
was at a wastewater treatment plant where
operators were cleaning inlet screens without
wearing rubber gloves.
A number of wastewater treatment plants
do not have a potable water supply, making it
impossible for operators to wash screens, scum
2010 to 30 June 2011 reveals the following:
• Government grants and subsidies formed
71% of total income, an obvious indication
that the municipality is dependent on grant
funding to remain solvent.
• Revenue from property rates and service
charges, which should be the municipality’s
primary source of income, represented only
23% of total income.
• Proceeds from the remaining revenue items
(fines, rental income, etc.) made up the bal-
ance of 6%.
• Personnel costs (excluding remuneration of
councillors) comprised 24% of total expendi-
ture, which is not excessive. However, what is
of concern is that the income from property
rates and service charges is just sufficient
to cover personnel costs, leaving no surplus
for O&M.
• Repairs and maintenance expenditure was
only 1% of total costs, which confirms that
O&M is of low priority in this municipality. (The
accepted benchmark is that an O&M budget
should be in the order of 1 to 4% of the total
asset value.)
Table 1 shows a surplus of almost R11 million,
which in theory should be more than adequate
to cover annual maintenance costs, including
breakdowns. Unfortunately, observations made
during routine site visits to water and waste-
water plants during the period 1 July 2011 to
30 June 2012 revealed that very little, if any,
of the surplus funds were used for maintaining
vital water and sanitation infrastructure assets.
Operational deficienciesField observations revealed several deficiencies
MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS
20 IMIESA February 2013
baffles and overflow weirs, or hose down equip-
ment to prevent sludge accumulation. Needless
to say, non-compliance with Department of
Water Affairs’ (DWA) standards for treated efflu-
ent is the norm.
Poor housekeeping is common at most of the
water and wastewater treatment plants, with
sites littered with junk, overgrown with weeds
and equipment covered in dust. This could be
an indication that supervision is lacking and
that operators are left to their own devices.
Tedious supply chain management proce-
dures within the municipality add to the frus-
trations of technical personnel stationed at
remote sites. Feedback from supervisory staff
revealed that obtaining an order number for fuel
or spares is no simple task due to poor inter-
departmental communication and cooperation.
This limits the ability of maintenance teams to
respond to infrastructure failures without delay.
Senior managers are reluctant to delegate
authority to supervisory staff, which is prob-
ably an internal arrangement to limit unauthor-
ised expenditure. All requests for fuel, spares,
water purification chemicals, etc., need to
be approved by a senior
manager, regardless of
the extent of the emer-
gency. The unfortunate
consequence is lengthy
delays in attending to
breakdowns when man-
agers are on leave or out
of town.
Support from other government agen-cies – a blessing or a curse?Secondment of personnel
There have been several
attempts to address the
lack of experience and
skills in the municipality’s
technical depar tment.
This has mainly been in
the form of assistance
through the deployment
of technical personnel
from the Development
Bank of Southern Africa,
the district municipality
and the provincial depart-
ment responsible for
local government.
It was observed that some of the engineers
and technicians who were seconded to this
municipality for short periods during the past
three years had limited knowledge of munici-
pal engineering and were thus not capable of
assisting operating staff with technical matters.
It was further noted that they had no clear
mandate and were not given measurable perfor-
mance targets. Their contribution in supporting
municipal staff was therefore limited and was
probably not worth the expense.
An additional concern with the secondment
of personnel from other government agencies
is that it could encourage a dependency culture
among municipal staff, which will further inhibit
the local authority’s capability to become self-
sufficient and sustainable.
The willingness of government agencies to
assist struggling municipalities is commend-
able. Also, the concept of secondment of expe-
rienced and competent personnel is sensible
and should be supported. However, the ad hoc
manner in which it is currently carried out needs
to be reviewed.
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STRATEGICPARTNERS
REVENUE
ITEM AMOUNT (R) % OF TOTAL REVENUE
Property rates 7 943 164 8.23
Service charges 14 554 633 15.08
Rental of facilities & equipment
157 991 0.16
Income from agency services 1 465 002 1.52
Fines 287 493 0.30
Government grants & subsidies
68 754 069 71.25
Other income 1 337 956 1.39
Interest on investment income 1 990 845 2.06
Total revenue 96 491 153 100.00
EXPENDITURE
Personnel 20 888 317 24.42
Remuneration of councillors 2 041 502 2.39
Depreciation & amortisation 8 863 221 10.36
Impairment loss 13 904 894 16.26
Finance costs 153 700 0.18
Collection costs - 0.00
Repairs and maintenance 931 978 1.09
Bulk purchases 1 743 535 2.04
Contracted services 1 538 154 1.80
Grants and subsidies paid 26 721 068 31.24
General expenses 8 753 328 10.23
Total expenditure 85 539 697 100.00
SURPLUS 10 951 456
TABLE 1 Income – expenditure statement for the 2010/11 financial year
IMIESA February 2013 21
22 IMIESA February 2013
Grants and subsidies As indicated in Table 1, grant funding
constituted 71% of the municipality’s
income in the 2010/11 financial year. The 2010/11 annual report pro-
vides a breakdown of the respective grants received and this information
is reflected in Table 2.
A detailed analysis of the data provided in the table above falls outside
the scope of this paper. However, the question that needs to be asked is
how much of this money was available for O&M.
About 6% of the grants/subsidies were allocated for administrative or
financial support and thus unavailable for O&M. Equitable share, MIGs
and the housing grant made up the remaining 94%.
The equitable share grant is paid by the provincial government to subsi-
dise free basic services to poor households and is a recognised source of
revenue for local authorities that need to cover their costs in the provision
of such services. By default, a portion of this income is committed to
O&M through the payment of salaries, the purchase of water purification
chemicals, etc.
The MIG was allocated for the provision of new and for the upgrade
and/or rehabilitation of existing services infrastructure. Current policy
dictates that MIG funds may not be used for O&M.
The housing grant was for the funding of a new housing development
and none of it was used for O&M.
Because of its limited income base, this municipality, like many others
in rural areas, is unable to fund capital projects from its own revenue.
It is therefore totally dependent on MIG funding for the construction of
new facilities (community halls, sport fields, etc.) and new services infra-
structure (roads, water, sewerage, stormwater, etc.). This is the norm
in most rural municipalities and the concept of the MIG programme is
not disputed.
However, the question that needs to be asked is whether municipalities
are prepared to adjust their operating budgets upwards to allow for the
maintenance of new (additional) MIG-funded infrastructure assets. With
insufficient funding available for O&M and an increasing asset base,
maintenance backlogs will eventually reach a level where assets will need
to be replaced long before they have reached the end of their design life.
Considering the importance of O&M, it is recommended that the current
policy of allocating grant funding for capital projects only, be reviewed as
a matter of urgency.
Suggested short-term interventions to address O&M challengesAssistance from the private sector
Municipalities need to acknowledge that the private sector has the neces-
sary expertise and resources available to support them in performing
their O&M obligations.
A large number of former municipal engineers are currently in the
employment of private consulting firms and their wealth of knowledge
could be invaluable to struggling municipalities. The possible deployment
of such experienced professionals from the private sector to advise and
assist municipalities with O&M needs to be considered.
The primary aim during a deployment period would be to ensure that
skills transfer, especially with regard to O&M functions, takes place.
Additional support could include, but should not be limited to:
TABLE 2 Grants and subsidies received for the 2010/11 financial year
MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS
GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES - 2010/11
GRANT / SUBSIDY SOURCE / DONOR AMOUNT (R) PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL
Equitable share Provincial Government 22 754 154 33.1
Financial Management Grant (FMG) National Government 2 542 451 3.7
Department Local Government Grant (DPLG) Provincial Government 4 87 987 0.7
Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) National Government 33 040 858 48.1
District Municipality Grant District Municipality 2 40 200 0.3
Integrated Development Plan (IDP) Provincial Government 2 19 972 0.3
Municipal Systems Improvement Grant (MSIG) National Government 3 12 808 0.5
Department of Housing Grant Provincial Government 9 155 639 13.3
Total 68 754 069 100
• the establishment of an institution-
al memory through the collection
of accurate as-built data
• providing guidance with regard to
the updating of asset registers
• assisting with the recruitment and
appointment of technical staff
• assisting with the mentoring of
newly appointed personnel
• compiling of maintenance plans
and schedules
• assisting with budgeting for O&M
• advising on the purchasing of suit-
able plant and equipment
• assisting technical managers with strategic
infrastructure planning
• providing management support.
The issue with such a proposal is obviously the
availability of funds to pay for services rendered.
Should a municipality be unable to foot the bill,
the possibility of securing external funds, including grant funding, should
be considered.
Securing sufficient funds for O&M
Lack of financial resources is probably the primary reason why
maintenance is often neglected
or deferred in municipalities.
The first step in the establish-
ment of a maintenance culture
is therefore to ensure that suf-
ficient funds are made available
to support O&M. In small munic-
ipalities with a limited income
base this could present quite a
challenge. However, there is an
alternative that could easily be
implemented if the commitment
to improve O&M exists.
Municipalities are entitled to reclaim the VAT
on MIG-funded projects. At this stage there
is no legislation in place that stipulates how
the reclaimed VAT money should be spent. It
is suspected that more often than not these
funds are used to pay the salary bill and other
general expenses, instead of using it for infra-
structure improvement. The possibility of rather ring-fencing this money for
O&M is worth considering.
The case study is used to illustrate the potential impact of this
option. Total MIG funding in the 2010/11 financial year amounted to
R33 million (refer to Table 2). The VAT reclaimable on this amount is
Lack of fi nancial resources is probably the reason why maintenance is often neglected
MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS
IMIESA February 2013 23
24 IMIESA February 2013
approximately R4 million. It is obvious that
should such an amount be ring-fenced and used
specifically for repairs and maintenance – an
item where actual expenditure was less than
R1 million in 2010/11 – the municipality’s ability
to provide a satisfactory service to consumers
will improve significantly.
Proposed long-term solutions to ensure sustainable O&M practicesRepair and maintenance programmes in the
Department of Public Works – a success story
Aurecon has been extensively involved with
the development and implementation of repair
and maintenance programmes (RAMP) within
the Department of Public Works (DPW). These
projects have been implemented over a period of
about 10 years, with a total value of more than
R1 billion. Typical projects included:
• water and sewerage treatment plants
• water and sewerage reticulation networks
• mechanical and electrical equipment (pumps,
boilers, air-conditioning units, etc.)
• buildings and other structural elements
• forensic laboratories for the South African
Police Service (SAPS).
A typical RAMP project consists of an initial
repair phase – during which the installations are
repaired to a functional state – followed by a
three-year operations and maintenance period.
A contractor is thus appointed after an open
tendering process to repair and/or refurbish
existing infrastructure at one or more sites, and
thereafter to operate and maintain it for a fixed
(three-year) period.
During the maintenance period the contractor
is paid monthly for operating and maintaining the
repaired infrastructure. The payment amount is
based on the contractor’s performance during
the preceding month and is determined after an
inspection by an Aurecon engineer.
The engineer, in consultation with the con-
tractor, draws up a 10-point scorecard of each
installation. Scoring is done in the presence of
the contractor and the client (DPW), and the
contractor is then paid accordingly.
With regards to maintenance, the contractor is
expected to do the following:
• routine preventative maintenance (cleaning
and servicing of equipment)
• corrective maintenance (rectify faults)
• breakdown maintenance (repair after a failure
has occurred).
A brief explanation of the contractor’s main-
tenance liabilities in a typical RAMP project is
provided below.
Routine preventative maintenance is aimed at
the minimisation of breakdowns and entails the
rendering of services and servicing of equipment
according to a predetermined maintenance con-
trol plan. The contractor’s responsibilities are to:
• replace and service components of equip-
ment, units or parts thereof for each instal-
lation at prescheduled moments regardless
of condition
• readjust, reset, clean and corrosion protect
all components of equipment, units or parts
thereof for each installation
• perform all implied actions to maintain instal-
lations in a functional condition.
Corrective maintenance requires regular obser-
vation of the equipment; identifying pending
breakdowns, mal-adjustment or anomalies of
equipment, units or parts of installations; and
subsequent action to restore installations to the
original functional condition as specified.
Breakdown maintenance entails repair and/
or replacement of defective equipment, units
or parts of installations following a breakdown
that leaves the installation inoperable or unsafe,
and subsequent action to restore installations
to a functional condition as specified, within the
maximum downtime allowed.
The contractor is expected to perform break-
down maintenance within a specified mini-
mum period as determined by the engineer.
Breakdowns are classified as fatal, emergency
or ordinary, and the maximum allowed downtime
for each are as follows:
• fatal – requires an immediate response (e.g.
standby water pump breakdown)
• emergency – to be attended to within 48 hours
(e.g. a sewer blockage)
• ordinary – to be attended to within seven days
(e.g. a leaking tap).
Breakdowns are reported to a call centre where
the entire repair process is monitored. Repairs
completed are verified by the engineer before
closing a particular case. Penalties are applied
if the permissible downtime is exceeded. The
call centre is operated 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. In addition to his maintenance
liabilities, the appointed contractor takes full
responsibility for the day-to-day operating of ser-
vices infrastructure as prescribed in his contract.
Typical examples are water treatment plants,
wastewater treatment works and pump stations.
At a water treatment plant for instance, the
contractor will purchase the required treatment
chemicals and apply them in correct dosages to
ensure full compliance with the national stand-
ard for drinking water quality. Penalty clauses
in the contract will come into effect whenever
there is deterioration in water quality that results
in non-compliance with the required standard.
Performance monitoring is thus a crucial compo-
nent of the contract.
Outsourcing of critical opera-tions and maintenance functions in municipalitiesIt is suggested that the RAMP concept be adopt-
ed and implemented to overcome current service
delivery challenges in small municipalities.
Municipalities need to take cognisance of
the following:
• The required technical and management capa-
bilities to operate and maintain municipal
infrastructure in a sustainable and affordable
manner is available in the private sector.
• The RAMP model is particularly suitable for
water and wastewater treatment plants where
a contractor’s performance can be measured
directly against the Blue Drop and Green Drop
scores achieved.
• RAMP projects can be implemented in a local
authority within a short time frame, given that
outsourcing of services is not a novel concept
in municipal procurement systems.
• With the roll-out of RAMP projects, there
should be no need to retrench municipal staff.
Employees, such as water and wastewater
plant operators, could be trained by the con-
tractor to assist with daily operations, including
The appointed contractor takes responsibility for the day-to-day operating of services infrastructure
MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS
24 IMIESA February 2013
IMIESA February 2013 25
• Armorfl ex offers environmental protection• Labour intensive and cost effective• Complete erosion protection (even when placed under water)
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An engineered erosion solution that can withstand even the most severe climatic conditions.
erosion protection precast products
routine maintenance. This will
ensure that proper skills trans-
fer takes place on site, which
will benefit the municipality in
the long term. Also, utilising
available municipal staff in a
productive manner could result
in a significant cost saving to the municipality.
The establishment of a call centre in the munici-
pal environment is a relatively simple task, as
resources could be shared with existing munici-
pal emergency services.
Benefits of outsourcingThe roll-out of RAMP projects in the DPW
resulted in a significant improvement in ser-
vice delivery at government facilities such as
prisons and police stations.
With the outsourcing of services in line with
the RAMP concept, a client municipality and its
ratepayers will benefit as follows:
• Scheduled preventative maintenance will
increase the lifespan of costly municipal
assets such as water pumps, sewage
pumps, electrical switchgear and dosing
systems at water treatment plants.
• Preventative maintenance will reduce the risk
of fatal breakdowns and the resultant inter-
ruptions in essential services such as water
supply and sanitation.
• Best practice is applied in the operating of
services infrastructure to ensure full compli-
ance with current occupational health and
safety and environmental legislation.
• With outsourcing, the contractor’s month-
ly per formance is strictly monitored and
measured against a predetermined
specification. This is to ensure that
a high standard of service deliv-
ery is maintained throughout the
maintenance period.
• Improved service delivery will
increase customer satisfaction,
boost investor confidence and be a strong
countermeasure against potential civil pro-
tests and/or campaigns that endorse the non-
payment of municipal rates and taxes.
• Outsourcing will reduce the workload of
municipal employees. This could have a
significant positive impact on smaller munici-
palities in rural areas that struggle to recruit
and retain competent and experienced
personnel.
• Outsourcing provides an ideal opportunity to
transfer much-needed skills from the private
to the public sector. An inherent advantage
of the scheme is that municipal personnel
can be trained by the contractor’s operating
staff on site, until the necessary compe-
tency levels are achieved.
• A maintenance culture will be established.
Improved service delivery will increase customer satisfaction and boost investor confi dence
MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS
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IMIESA February 2013 27
WHEN MARKETS worldwide were
under extreme financial pres-
sure in late 2011, Ammann
took the bold step to enter the
South African and sub-Saharan African markets
by opening a dedicated local office – Ammann
Construction Machinery South Africa.
Ammann Construction Machinery South
Africa, under the leadership of Rocco Lehman,
has been tasked with marketing a full range
of products through-
out the sub-Saharan
region. The company
is renowned as a sup-
plier of high quality
and technologically superior asphalt plants,
with an extensive and complete range of com-
paction equipment and asphalt pavers.
Being a leader in the asphalt industry brings
about a more serious global issue: the environ-
ment. “We pride ourselves in being at the fore-
front in development with greener technologies
such as warm mix asphalt and various options
for the extensive use of recycled asphalt,”
explains Lehman.
Asphalt plants are now marketed and
sold directly to clients, and par ts and ser-
vices are also operated
by the Ammann South
Africa’s technical team,
which is suppor ted by
more than 100 years of
extensive experience in the
asphalt industry.
“To keep in touch with
our clients we constantly
improve and upgrade our
technology via our research and development
team,” adds Lehman.
Zac Zacchino is well known in the South
African paving and compaction industry. He
recently joined Ammann South Africa, bring-
ing with him his vast knowledge of the
local markets.
“He will cer tainly be an asset and
instrumental in the planned growth of the
company over the next couple of years,”
states Lehman.
The compaction
and paver products
will be distributed
and serviced by a
network of dealers. This decision has been
made with the customer in mind. “Carefully
selected regional dealers understand the cus-
tomer base in the areas they service and
will offer the Ammann customer a complete
service package with Ammann Construction
Machinery in support,” explains Lehman.
To ensure that Ammann Construction
Machinery South Africa can take care of the
customers’ needs, it has the following opera-
tional dealers in place:
• Force 8 in Cape Town
• JIT Plant in the Free state
• Eric’s Rollers in Gauteng
• HDM in Ghana, which supports West Africa
with sales parts and services.
Construction equipment fi rm drives African expansion
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28 IMIESA February 2013
SAGI
Infrastructure mapping for GEOMATIC GENIUS
Surveyors have been around since the earliest recorded times and have undertaken small- to large-scale projects, some with the most extreme engineering of its day. SAGI epitomises this most noble profession and its constantly evolving dynamics in the industry.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN Geomatics
Institute (SAGI) is a voluntary public
benefit organisation of statutory reg-
istered persons working in the domain
of land surveying, engineering surveying, pho-
togrammetry and geographical information sys-
tems (GIS), and land management, including
the associated aspects of planning and remote
sensing. SAGI was formed in 2004; however its
foundations are built on much older institutions
such as the various provincial land survey insti-
tutions and ITESSA (Institute of Topographical
and Engineering Surveyors of South Africa),
which represented the technical surveyors. Over
the decades, various changes have developed
at an organisational level so that today there
is (through the amalgamation of the above
institutes) one body that represents the inter-
ests of all geomaticians – the modern term
for surveyors.
SAGI is represented in South Africa through
a system of five branches that cover the nine
provinces. This is necessary so that members,
clients and the public can have the best pos-
sible service and access to SAGI members at a
relatively local level. Surveying is a specialised
field and there are not many surveyors in South
Africa – our branches thus reflect equilibrium
between surveyors in all provinces.
Our structure is such that these regional
h
e
,
-
a
d
h
m
e
e
r-
m
h
FROM TOP Three versions of a scene are depicted here through the various technologies: photograph, mobile scan, CAD rendering
BELOW TGIS IP-S2 Stable
municipalities
3D City Models
Pictometry
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SAGI
IMIESA February 2013 29
branches are administered by committees,
which are elected by local members. The
national council is drawn from representatives
from these branch committees.
Ever ybody needs
a surveyor at some
point, so it’s hard to
distinguish the main
entities as SAGI ser-
vices a wide sector of
the economy. From a public spend perspec-
tive, the main industries for surveyors are
municipalities, provincial and national gov-
ernment departments, engineers, architects
and construction companies. From a private
sector perspective, it would be developers,
homeowners, mines and private business.
South African surveyors (geomaticians) are
recognised the world over as being among the
best, a trait SAGI continues through its activi-
ties and membership requirements. SAGI only
admits persons registered in terms of the PLATO
Act (Professional
and Technical
Surveyors Act 40 of
1984), which cov-
ers students, newly
qualified candidates
and fully registered technical and professional
surveyors. The latter two categories being the
only categories of surveyor entitled to work for
their own account. As in most professions, the
geomatics industry is facing challenges with
this aspect as well as from persons operating
outside of the provisions of the PLATO Act.
In addition, SAGI has very strict conduct rules
and only attract members that are passionate
about geomatics, through this it ensures that
the public is protected and it further enhances
the reputation of a SAGI surveyor.
Advanced GPS systems, sophisticated robotic
laser total stations and terrestrial lidar scan-
ners are becoming mainstream equipment for
surveyors. Likewise, sophisticated software
developments have made image recognition
and point cloud processing available to the
average surveyor. Surveyors are constantly on
the lookout for better solutions and the cur-
rent technological environment offers a range
of future technologies that are almost at the
market place. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
are on our doorstep and will allow members
to supply additional services such as environ-
mental monitoring services, rapid response
photography in disaster management, docu-
mentation of informal settlement growth (on a
daily basis if need be), aerial accident scene
photography, mapping, land use monitoring and
planning enforcement, among others – all at a
remarkably cheap cost in comparison to tradi-
tional methods.
SAGI is represented in South Africa through fi ve branches
SAGI
IMIESA February 2013 31
Southern Mapping Geospatial, South Africa’s only Level 1 BEE aerial survey company, is proud to announce the recent purchase of its third Lidar system.
THE DECISION TO purchase another
system was taken due to the growth of
the company’s business over the past
12 months and will enable it to keep a
system permanently stationed in South Africa,
while the other two units will cover projects
outside of South Africa.
This will enable Southern Mapping Geospatial
to respond even more rapidly to requests for
mapping, as well as providing an unparalleled
redundancy of systems.
In addition to operating three systems on the
continent, the company’s long-standing rela-
tionship with Canadian Lidar technology leader
Optech allows it access to a loan unit should
one of Southern Mappings systems require
repairs or servicing.
Southern Mapping
Geospatial prides itself in
delivering complete solu-
tions to clients To achieve
this, it has not only air-
borne Lidar sensors,
but also offers vehicle
mounted mobile Lidar as
well as several tripod-mounted terrestrial Lidar
scanners – in conjunction with its partners, EPA
Survey and Trail Surveys.
Hyperspectral mapping is a technology that is
being recognised as a major provider of hard-
to-obtain geospatial information, and Southern
Mapping is at the forefront of providing this
service to Africa. In the past year, Southern
Mapping Geospatial has analysed mining drill
AERIAL SURVEY
core for target minerals, provided maps of
mineral potential, oil spills, alien vegetation,
hazardous minerals and water quality, as well
as concentrations of uranium and gold in tail-
ings dumps.
Access to a wide variety of satellite imagery
at a range of resolutions complements the
company’s high-accuracy airborne products and
allows it to provide cost-effective geological
and topographic mapping. Products include
visible spectrum colour, and black and white
imagery, as well as colour and infrared multi-
spectral imagery and elevation information. Not
only does Southern Mapping Geospatial order
this imagery on demand, but it is also able to
provide imagery from providers’ archives, rang-
ing from very recent imagery
that provide for a rapidly
delivered product, to older
images going back several
decades, providing a histori-
cal perspective and change
mapping possibilities.
Southern Mapping
Geospatial’s elevation mod-
elling products include accuracies ranging from
15 to 1 m, while it also offers radar-based sur-
face displacement monitoring services, accu-
rate in the millimetre range.
Over the past 16 years, the staff of Southern
Mapping has provided geospatial services to
a wide variety of market sectors, including
municipal clients such as Johannesburg and
Mogale City.
The high-resolution imagery (5 to 50 cm
resolution) and accompanying height measure-
ments delivered by a Lidar system allow for
efficient engineering design for township estab-
lishment, road, rail, power, sanitation and water
bulk service infrastructure projects.
The same airborne Lidar data used for engi-
neering design is also being utilised by other
municipal departments, for example, disaster
risk management. By utilising high-resolution
Digital Elevation Models in flood modelling soft-
ware, flood risk maps are easily generated, as
shown in Figure 1.
Southern Mapping collects information from
a wide variety of sources, fusing disparate data-
sets to tailor a solution specific to every client
and presenting this data in almost any format. Its
processors and training department make sure
that clients are trained in the use of information
as well as free open source GIS software, to
ensure that full value is obtained from
their investment.
FIGURE 1 Hyperspectral cameras have the ability to map water quality by accurately mapping levels of chlorophyll a and b in water bodies and rivers, thus pinpointing organic pollution sources. By also accurately measuring water turbidity, which is generally a function of erosion and mining activities, it is possible to discern not only organic pollution sources but also those from mining and construction sectors
FIGURE 2 Results from a water quality analysis of municipal water treatment plants
FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2
SSSoutthherrn MMMappppingg GGGeossppattial pridddess iiitsellf in deelliveerringg cccomplette soolutttionnss ttto cllieents
AFGEN WAS ESTABLISHED in
1946 and has proved over the
years that it is a consistent and
reliable company.
The company offers its clients the best
quality products available in the market,
together with technical know-how and back-
up to ensure seamless integration from
purchase throughout each product’s life,
through being able to offer excellent product
knowledge backed up by a fully operational
service cen tre staffed by trained techni-
cians. Afgen has been the sole distribu-
tor for Pentax surveying equipment in
Southern Africa since 1970.
Of the existing compa-
nies that supply surveying
products in Southern Africa,
Afgen regards itself as one
of the most well-equipped
and proficient suppliers in
Sole distributor for Southern AfricaAfgen is a specialist company that focuses on the supply, service, maintenance, installation, support and marketing of surveying related products.
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the Gauteng area. Afgen has the basic infra-
structure and technical expertise to become
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clientele is spread over the whole of Southern
Africa and its business premises are ideally
located in Gauteng.
It strives for service excellence
and ultimate client satisfaction.
Afgen is committed to con-
tinuous research and
development in-
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Afgen is committed to service excel-
lence and customer satisfaction. Its
workshop is SABS accredited with
competent technical expertise, and
its committed sales team sells only
the best quality product available on
the market.
The company’s mission is to serve
the construction, mining, surveying and
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best technology available to provide the
right tool for the right application at the
right time – guaranteed.
TOP Bramor_A
LEFT Tripod - wheel - GPS
RIGHT Digicat 550i
32 IMIESA February 2013
AFGEN
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INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT MAINTENANCE SERVICE DELIVERY
Water storage solutions for Africa
IMESAIMESAThe official magazine of the Instituteof Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTINFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT MAINTENANCEMAINTENANCE SERVICE DELIVERYSERVICE DELIVERY
er of the 2011 PICAWinneprofessional writer of the yearNon-p
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EkurhuleniUrban infrastructure
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I S S N 0 2 5 7 1 9 7 8 V o l u m e 3 7 N o . 5 R 4 0 . 0 0 ( i n c l V A T )
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New branch to launch innovative product
SPRAYPAVE
THE NEW BRANCH will also assist the
company to supply the road construc-
tion market with 50/70 penetration
grade bitumen – ultimately assisting
SprayPave’s national product offering – togeth-
er with the new-to-South Africa product that it
will be launching. More information regarding
this development will be released in coming
months.
SprayPave is one of South Africa’s leading
manufacturers, suppliers and applicators of
bituminous road binders and emulsions. In
its quest to be the primary choice in fulfilling
all bituminous requirements for the Southern
African road construction and waterproofing
industries, the company consistently supplies
premium-quality products, professionally and
reliably.
SprayPave is an innovative and fully
integrated industry leader. Since its estab-
lishment over 30 years ago, it has become
renowned for its dynamism and successful
completion of a variety of exciting and chal-
lenging contracts.
As a subsidiary of the Basil Read Holdings
Group of Companies, SprayPave forms an
integral part of one of South Africa’s lead-
ing construction companies. In 2006,
Basil Read concluded a deal that would
significantly enhance the future capabilities of
its roads division, namely its acquisition of a
controlling stake in SprayPave – a strategic
move that has proven to have optimal results
for both companies.
World-class manufacturingTo meet the high standards the company has
set for itself, all products are manufactured at
SprayPave’s world-class manufacturing facil-
ity based in Gauteng. In addition to its fully
SprayPave has announced that it will be opening a branch in the Western Cape, through which it will launch an
innovative new product to the market.
ADVERTORIAL
calibrated weighbridge and a state-of-the-art
emulsion plant that facilitates the in-house pro-
duction of all anionic and cationic emulsions,
the company is fully equipped to manufacture
polymer modified binders, as well as environ-
mentally friendly primes and precoats.
SprayPave’s drumming facility has been
designed to accurately fill the maximum quan-
tity of drums in the shortest possible time.
Every pipe that makes up the product transport
system is colour coded for easy identification.
The company also utilises an oil heating sys-
tem to ensure products are maintained at the
ideal temperature.
The storage facility has capacity of over 500
000 ℓ, ensuring that sufficient quantities of
product are consistently and readily available
in order to facilitate the shortest turna-
round times possible.
Versatility and reachIt is a well-known fact that SprayPave
is continuously taking steps to secure
its dominance within the market, such as with
the recent acquisition of its Coastal Branch in
Botha’s Hill, KwaZulu-Natal.
“Our ability to extend our reach through the
acquisition of our Coastal Branch has most
certainly given us a competitive edge in our
The company currently has nine distributors, fi ve of which are powered by modern and sought-after Scanias
34 IMIESA February 2013
ADVERTORIAL
ability to supply a market that before was
largely inaccessible due to both price and time
restrictions,” says the MD, Steven Single.
Extending the company’s reach even further
is the state-of-the-art mobile emulsion plant
that allows SprayPave to manufacture ade-
quate quantities of emulsion on distant sites
for lengthy periods of time, such as in Gobabis,
Namibia, where it has been situated for the
past 15 months.
The company has also recently acquired
two new sprayers, adding to its ever expand-
ing fleet.In addition, the company’s close
association with all refineries in Southern
Africa enables it to provide ‘fit for purpose’
products to any destination in Southern
Africa. Using world-class plant and equip-
ment, SprayPave has the ability to success-
fully take on any project regardless of form or
magnitude. From the smallest of rural roads
to the largest of national routes, no job is too
big or too small.
The company currently has nine distribu-
tors, five of which are powered by modern and
sought-after Scanias, and all of which fitted
with the technically advanced Etnyre Spray-Bar
system – the impressive site of a red and white
sprayer working on a road construction site is
becoming ever more common.
Then there are the haulers, an indication of
SprayPave’s commitment to servicing their val-
ued clients as effectively as possible.
An enviable range of quality productsSprayPave has a wide range of bituminous
products at various grades, but some of its
leading products include:
• CAT60, 65 and 70: cationic emulsions with
60, 65 and 70% binder content, as well as
diluted variants
• SS60: anionic emulsion with 60% bind-
er content, as well as its diluted
variant, SS30
• Opti-Prime: SprayPave’s very popular and
environmentally friendly cold prime
• SP1i: SprayPave’s invert cold prime
• Opti-Cote: SpraPave’s answer to quality and
effective pre-coating
• SE-1 and SE-2: effective and reliable polymer
modified binders (SBS)
• SC-E1 and SC-E2: effecitve and reliable modi-
fied emulsions.
Over and above these manufacturing prod-
ucts, SprayPave also supplies all-penetration
grade and cutback bitumen. “All these prod-
ucts are manufactured according to indus-
try specifications but what sets us apart
from our competitors are our extremely
high standards and exceptional housekeep-
ing,” says Philippe Chirnside, company
commercial manager.
t +27 (0)11 868 5451/2 ¶• www.spraypave.co.za
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE An interior view of SprayPave’s SS60 plant
A SprayPave sprayer on the waybridge at the company’s Alrode facility
Tow of SprayPave’s advanced haulers on route to a project
IMIESA February 2013 35
A guideline document and software system for the measurement of carbon emissions by all operations associated with the manufacture and application of bituminous products in South Africa’s roads industry is now available for implementation.
Carbon emmission managementSABITA
formulas, emissions factors and default data to
calculate the GHG emissions of asphalt prod-
ucts in accordance with the protocol clauses
and the information provided here. The guid-
ance document, the protocol and the software
constitute asPECT.
“Fundamentally, the principal of carbon foot-
printing remains the same whether measured
in the UK or in South Africa,” says Saied
Solomons, Sabita’s CEO.
“The regulatory context for GHG reporting is
becoming ever more rigorous, and in Europe
large energy consumers, local authorities and
local authority partnerships now have to report
carbon emissions to comply with various statu-
tory requirements.”
He adds that while South Africa’s Air Quality
Act governing GHG emissions is in place, the
pending carbon tax legislation is a strong incen-
tive for the bituminous products industry to be
more aware of emissions and better able to
measure and thereby control its production of
carbon dioxide by variation in the type of energy
used or the type of asphalt mix produced.
“It must be remembered that the South
African bituminous products industry has
already made important self-driven contri-
butions towards minimising GHG emissions
through the development of warm mix asphalt,
which significantly reduces the temperature
at which the asphalt mix is manufactured and
applied, with measurable savings in fuel usage
and GHG emissions. Another recent initiative is
the implementation of high modulus asphalt, a
highly durable long-life pavement system that
offers a reduced carbon footprint by signifi-
cantly extending the period after which mainte-
nance and reconstruction would be required,”
says Solomons.
The asPECT software is a stand-alone execut-
able built on the Microsoft .NET platform, and
users can download a free copy, subject to a
licensing and conditions of use agreement,
from the Sabita website for use on their com-
puters. The software is able to analyse carbon
dioxide equivalents emissions associated with
the fuel used in any specific operation in the
asphalt production and application chain from
the production and delivery of raw aggregate
or bitumen to the manufacture of asphalt, the
preparation of roadwork layers to the paving of
the final wearing course..
TABLE 1 10 steps to the asphalt life cycle
LIFE CYCLE STAGE DESCRIPTION
1 Raw Material AcquisitionAcquiring raw materials from the natural environment with the input of energy
2 Raw Material Transport Transporting acquired raw materials to processing
3 Raw Material ProcessingCrude oil refining, rock crushing and grading, recycled and secondary material reprocessing
4 Processed Material TransportTransporting processed raw materials to site of manufacture of bitumen bound highway components
5 Road Component Production Production of bitumen bound mixtures
6 Material Transport to Site Delivery of materials to site
7 InstallationPlacing materials at the construction site, mobilisation of plant and labour
8 Scheme Specific WorksInstallation of other specified materials direct to site (e.g. aggregates and geosystems)
9 MaintenanceInterventions to maintain the road: overlay, surface dressing works, patching, haunching etc.
10 End of LifeExcavation and material management, mobilisation of plant and labour use
ADAPTED FOR South African con-
ditions by the UK’s Transport
Research Laboratory (TRL), the
Asphalt Pavement Embodied Carbon
Tool (asPECT) facilitates the carbon footprint-
ing of asphalt products and operations, and
of product-to-product comparisons and project
carbon assessments. The system is made up
of protocol and guidance documentation and
software applications that were originally devel-
oped in the UK in a collaborative undertaking
between national and local highway construc-
tion clients, trade associations for mineral
products and bitumen, and the TRL.
The formal context for greenhouse gas (GHG)
reporting is rapidly being established. At the
world climate talks in Copenhagen in 2009,
South Africa as a nation agreed to cut carbon
emissions by 34% by 2020 (based on 2009
levels), subject to certain conditions. These
commitments will inevitably filter down to indi-
vidual product supply chains and the prospect
of a carbon tax provides further incentive to
measure and ultimately cut carbon generation.
The asPECT protocol defines the methodolo-
gies that are to be applied to the calculation of
carbon dioxide and other GHG emissions from
asphalt mixtures per tonne. The calculations
are specific to individual mix formulations from
individual production units incorporating all con-
stituent materials. GHG contributions as carbon
dioxide equivalents are accounted for whether
they are directly generated by the operator or
indirectly by subcontractors or suppliers.
The accompanying asphaltCALC software pro-
vides a framework that contains the necessary
36 IMIESA February 2013
SANRAL
MUNICIPAL WASTE
A SHORTAGE OF about 20% of the
country’s bitumen requirements is
reportedly expected, with suppliers
having to rely on costly imports to try
to meet demand. Road construction companies
are also said to be spending millions of rand
in storage facilities to prepare for
further future bitumen shortages.
“It is time that South Africa
faced reality: bitumen production
for asphalt roads is not likely to
be a top priority for oil refineries.
This means that regular shortages
will occur. The C&CI believes that
both concrete and bitumen have roles to play in
road building in this country. South Africa should
develop a road building industry in which both
types of building material are considered for
roads, with concrete considered already at the
This is the view of BRYAN PERRIE, MD, Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI).
Cementing the need for concrete roads
BITUMEN SHORTAGE
design stage to avoid major disruptions as is
now happening,” says Perrie.
“Concrete and asphalt could also be com-
bined – either vertically, horizontally or longitudi-
nally – to ensure that the best attributes of each
material are used to full advantage. This concept
has already been suc-
cessfully used on a num-
ber of projects in South
Africa,” he continues.
Perrie adds that con-
crete is the ideal choice
for environmentally sensi-
tive and economically sus-
tainable highways. The use of virgin materials
and natural resources could be reduced by the
incorporation of recycled materials and second-
ary products, such as fly ash and slagment, into
the concrete mix for road construction.
CCConccrrette iiss theee iideaal chhoicce fooor eeenviroonmeenntallly sssenssittivve hhhighhwwayys
“Concrete high-
ways also offer
exceptional lon-
gevity, eliminating
the need for fre-
quent pavement
resur facing and
r ehab i l i t a t i o n ,
and the consump-
tion of valuable
resources. The
lighter colour of
concrete roads
also reduces the
electrical power needed to adequately illuminate
roads while the durability and wear-resistance
of concrete roads ensure that the roads stay
quiet, fuel-efficient and safe for decades,” main-
tains Perrie.
Reports that another bitumen shortage is looming in 2013 indicate that South Africa should consider the full potential of concrete as a road-building material.
TOP The C&CI believes that both
concrete and bitumen have roles to play in
road building
ABOVE C&CI MD Bryan Perrie
believes it is time for South African
road construction participants to face
reality: bitumen production for asphalt
roads is never likely to be a top priority for
oil refineries
IMIESA February 2013 39
SANRAL
SANRAL
Geocontainers provide containment platform
IN ORDER TO ease the traffic flow
along Sanral’s N2 Section 11, Coega to
Colchester, which includes the Sundays
River Bridge, construction of a two-lane
twin bridge alongside the existing bridge
to carry westbound traffic was planned.
Kaytech’s geocontainers came to the fore
when a temporary construction platform was
to be constructed within the river and suitable
erosion protection of the earth embankment
was necessitated.
The main reason the application was made
for the bidim geocontainers was that they
could be formed into a bag shape. The bidim
A6 was glazed prior to manufacture of the
bags, ensuring an intact surface was facing
the water flow, which could get up to 2.5 m/s
and also making them more durable in
Upgrading South Africa’s national road network is often beset with challenges, a regular one being the difficulties of working on bridges where there is usually little or no adjacent working space to access the bridge.
submerged conditions. Another advantage is
that bidim can be customised to a particular
project as in this case and were quick and
easy to move around.
The two-lane twin bridge alongside the existing bridge under construction
IMIESA February 2013 41
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IMIESA February 2013 45
Viable treatment for remote areasThe semi-arid and barren climate across Southern Africa has created a unique demand for a new and innovative approach to water supply.
WATER TREATMENT
shareholder. WINGOC has been operating this
plant successfully since 2002.
“It is still the only direct reuse plant in the
world and serves as a prime example for solv-
ing sub-Saharan Africa’s complex potable water
problems in arid regions,” says Stöck.
Contracted by the Namibian Department
of Agriculture, Water & Forestry to produce
potable water from river water, the Katima
Mulilo Filtration Plant Upgrade, set to be com-
missioned in 2013, will eventually replace the
old Namwater filtration plant and will supply
530 m3/h of potable water into the Caprivi
pipe system.
In 2011, a pumping station was commis-
sioned in Mupini, 20 km west of Rundu, which
now pumps 4 800 m3/h of river water from
the Kavango River to the Sikondo irrigation
bulk water supply project. “The construction
involved building a foundation below the river’s
water level. This was achieved by constructing
a coffer dam inside the Kavango River, to cast
the foundation on the solid bedrock of the river
bank,” maintains Stöck.
AQUA SERVICES and Engineering
(ASE) has answered this need with
a series of water and wastewater
treatment systems that turn waste-
water into a resource – freeing up unused
water to be distributed to where it is most
needed. The company’s flagship trickling filter
technology is well under way to becoming the
leading solution to wastewater treatment in
the region.
Regarded as one of ASE’s most innovative
projects on the continent, a trickling filter plant
was installed to treat wastewater from a mine
camp at African Barrick Gold’s North Mara
Gold Mine in Tarime, northern Tanzania. “New-
generation, fixed-film trickling filter technology
allows for far more robust operation in the
harsh sub-Saharan environment and produces
a final effluent that complies with stringent
environmental specifications,” says Christian
Stöck, MD at ASE.
“New advancements mean that water qual-
ity and production rates are kept consist-
ent, fewer skilled operators are required and
operation is automated to a point of being
almost foolproof.”
These plants are available in containerised
units of varying sizes, almost on a ‘plug-and-
play’ basis, making them ideal for remote loca-
tions such as mine or military camps. They are
easy to install and maintain, and can be used
in parallel to cope with increases in demand.
They are also highly mobile and can be moved
to new sites if needed.
“Once commissioned, trickling filter plants
require only the service of submersible pumps
as the system features few moving parts. Our
systems come standard with duty and standby
pumps,” says Stöck.
“The plants we have already commissioned
upgrade domestic wastewater for reuse in dust
suppression, process water for mining, or for
irrigating gardens and lawns,” he says.
Other projects where ASE has proven its
capabilities include the flagship sewage-to-
potable water plant, the Goreangab Water
Reclamation Plant in Windhoek, operated by
WINGOC, of which Veolia Water is also a major
LEFT Modular plants are built to match the unique capacity requirements of each installation
TOP ASE treatment plants are designed and built for the harsh conditions typical of sub-Saharan Africa
ABOVE Biodigestion, clarification, filtration and other treatment technologies typically make up modular plants from ASE
IMIESA February 2013 45
WATER AND WASTEWATER
WITH A DESIGN set to contribute
to South Africa’s power demand
in a way that will enhance maxi-
mum power generation efficien-
cy, the Eskom project is in line with meeting
government’s sustainability commitments.
Situated in the Drakensberg range of moun-
tains between Harrismith and Ladysmith, work
on the project commenced in 2004 and will
be completed in 2015. According to Andrew
Wilson, technical executive for dams, hydro-
power and underground works at GIBB, the
team, which is a joint venture between GIBB,
The Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme Project in Little Drakensburg reached some significant milestones in 2012.
Meeting power demand through sustainability
Royal HaskoningDHV and Knight Piésold, has
made significant strides on the project.
“The site was chosen after being identified
in previous studies as the optimal location for
a large pumped storage scheme, based on
technical, environmental and social criteria,”
says Wilson.
“It takes advantage of the significant differ-
ence in elevation between the inland, Highveld
region and the bottom of the escarpment.”
The project, which includes the 40 m high
Braamhoek Dam and 50 m high Bedford Dam,
both completed in 2011, two caverns, four
surge tanks, four drainage and ventilation
shafts and over 14 km of tunnels, is the larg-
est hydropower and tunneling project under
construction in Southern Africa.
The excavation work, which comprised
approximately 2.20 million cubic metres of sur-
face and underground excavation, commenced
in September 2008 and is substantially com-
plete, with only two surge tanks remaining.
In January 2012, the excavation of the
machine hall was completed followed by the
concrete encasement of the first draft tube in
August 2012. The prepara-
tion for the installation of
the first spiral case instal-
lation is ongoing and the
spiral case was transport-
ed to the erection bay on
15 August.
One of the greatest dif-
ficulties that was faced by the project team was
overcoming the steep gradient of the two 6.1 m
excavated diameter headrace tunnels that are
both 1 940 m long and each with a 970 m
long section at an inclination of 1:2.2. Tracked
machinery was required for all excavation phas-
es but the long average time for the mucking
contributed to a final advance of only 1.1 m/d.
Installation of the 5.1 m diameter steel lining
of these tunnels has now started. The contrac-
tor plans to place the concrete encasement
of the lining by pump from the bottom of the
tunnels and it remains to be seen if this will
be successful.
“We are very proud and happy to be part of
the largest hydropower and tunneling project in
the region. This further highlights the trust that
the industry has in GIBB and the caliber of work
we continue to produce on every project that we
embark on,” concludes Wilson.
The Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme is the largest hydropower and tunneling project
under construction in Southern Africa
46 IMIESA February 2013
WATER & WASTEWATER
INGULA PUMPED STORAGE SCHEME
IMIESA February 2013 47
MEYERTON
Fax: 016 362 3608
0861STRUCT (787828)
www.structa.co.za
Specialists
in the
manufacturing
of domestic
and industrial
water storage
WaterStorage
Esorfranki Geotechnical is about to complete a curtain grouting subcontract at the Cengane Dam.
Grouting contract nears completion
DAM CONSTRUCTION
THE CONSTRUCTION OF a new dam wall is planned as part of
the OR Tambo District Municipality’s Upper Culunca regional
water supply scheme. This leading geotechnical services com-
pany has provided about 600 m2 of dry curtain grouting under
pressure to fill any cavities before Norland Construction begins work on
the dam wall. Grout curtains are used under dams where the foundation
would otherwise pass too much seepage, or create dam instability. A
grout curtain usually consists of a row of vertically drilled holes filled
with pressurised grout.
The holes are drilled at intervals and in such a way that they cross
each other, creating a curtain. Grout is injected into these holes with
grouting jets, which use a high-
pressure fluid stream to erode
a cavity.
“This is the first job of its
kind that we’ve undertaken for
some time and we regard it as a
step in the right direction as part
of our strategic plan to re-enter
the grouting market,” says Anton
Naude, director at Esorfranki. “Past contracts include curtain grouting of
an earth wall at Sun City and at Lydenburg Dam.”
Before the Esorfranki team could begin work at the Cengane Dam site,
they had to blast a number of large boulders using a “Boulder Buster”
to create a workable surface. The primary holes were introduced at 3
m intervals, with secondary holes at 1.5 m intervals and tertiary holes
at 7.5 m intervals. Naude says no major leaks were identified and only
minor grouting was required.
IMIESA February 2013 47
WATER AND WASTEWATER
TOP LEFT Drilling of primary and secondary holes to a depth of approximately 17 m
TOP RIGHT Charging up and blasting of rock using the Boulder Buster
BELOW Typical grouting setup and operation for curtain grouting
SAFETY
SKYRIDERS’ MARKETING manager,
Mike Zinn, notes that a total of
six power station units required
repairs to their downpipe’s joints.
“The joints and the sealant had been
installed more than 20 years ago and were
therefore old, brittle and failing. During heavy
rains, water in cer tain areas leaked onto
electrical plant components causing mainte-
nance challenges.”
Zinn highlights the fact that the downpipes
ran from the roof of the power station units
down through the power station building in a
zigzag formation into the ground.
“This was a highly challenging job, as it
was almost like a maze. The Skyriders team
of rope access technicians were responsible
for accessing and inspecting all areas, before
taking photos, removing
the old sealants, clean-
ing it up, installing new
sealants and taking more
photos,” he continues.
In total, repairs on 255
joints were completed
more than two weeks ahead of the client’s
stated deadline.
“Although the scope of work was relatively
simple, the access constraints with regards
to height, confined spaces and a fully opera-
tional plant made for a challenging work envi-
ronment. The team did an excellent job from
a planning and execution point of view. We
explained to the client that rope access was
a far quicker and more cost-effective method
than scaffolding, and this method ensured
that the Skyriders team was able to seal the
400 mm pipes from the 30 m level to the
60 m level in 26 days,” adds Zinn.
What’s more, Zinn points out that all six
Specialist rope access solutions provider Skyriders has assisted a large power generation plant in Limpopo in repairing downpipe infrastructure, located inside six units more than 60 m above ground.
Specialist contractor cleans power station
SPECIALIST SERVICES
power station units remained fully operational
throughout the project.
“Skyriders’ scope of the project was to
undertake structural inspection and repairs
of the downpipes without creating any costly
disruptions whatsoever. As a result, the team
had to make sure that ropes were never any-
where close to the conveyors and any other
moving par ts.
Due to an abundance of structural steel
on-site, the team was able to access all
six power station units from above, thereby
reducing the risk of any safety issues and
potential disruption.”
Although the project has proven to be an
overwhelming success, Zinn admits that the
downpipes will have to be checked regularly
to ensure that the sealant remains effective.
“Heavy rains create a
lot of dir t in piping sys-
tems, and Skyriders is
committed to continually
undertaking regular site
visits to ensure that the
sealant remains effec-
tive under any type of weather conditions.”
With a zero-fatality record spanning more
than 22 years, Skyriders has developed a
reputation of being the leading provider of
rope access-aided inspection, non-destruc-
tive testing and maintenance-related services
to the South African power generation indus-
try. Looking to the future, Zinn is optimistic
that the company can expand its industry-
leading expertise to power stations across
the African continent.
“Scaffolding has proven to be the tried-
and-trusted method for above-ground appli-
cations in the African industr y over the
decades. However, in industries such as
FROM TOP Down pipes launder 16 m
An indication of the flexibility of the down pipes
Down pipes have to be checked regularly to ensure that the sealant remains effective
Skyriders has a zero-fatality rate spanning more than 22 years
power generation, rope is a far more efficient
means of gaining access to a par ticular high
elevation section of a site as installation
is considerably faster and cheaper, while
technicians are provided with more flexibility
and safety.”
IMIESA February 2013 49
IMIESA February 2013 51
SHEQ MANAGER FOR Esor franki
Geotechnical in KwaZulu-Natal, John
Chetty, believes that the excellent
safety record on the Woodmead pipe-
lines project is due entirely to the adoption of
this mindset.
“The contract in the iLembe District, north of
Durban, began in March last year. The pipeline
runs through a private farm, which added an
important environmental dimension as we had
to be aware of the presence of the sugar cane
under cultivation,” Chetty says.
Adding to these difficulties was heavy rain-
fall, the presence of continuous groundwater
and working close to the river. Despite all this
the project, which has an average of 51 people
on-site, has progressed well without a single
lost time injury.
Zero tolerance boosts safety
“We are maintaining a high level of safety
awareness on the project, holding regular
awareness sessions in the form of toolbox
talks and stressing the importance of risk
assessments before a task commences.”
Chetty credits the high safety standards
shown so far on the project to the dedication
of Esorfranki Pipelines’ management as well
as the strength of the on-site team who have
Esorfranki Pipelines’ team at the Woodmead contract. Front row from left: Faith Mdadane and Yolan Govender. Middle row from left: Ntokozo Mthethwa and Daniel Yimba. Back row from left: Martin Hughes, Oliver Woodward, Howard Alfreds and V Nexle
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SAFETY
52 IMIESA February 2013
Fixing municipal fi nancesFINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
In the 2010/11 financial year, for example, the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) found that only 13 of 283 municipalities achieved a clean audit. By Corne Oberholzer
THERE ARE MANY factors that con-
tribute to achieving a clean audit,
starting with political will from a
leadership core that can be held
accountable, but also a sense of ownership by
all departmental staff, especially senior staff
and managers.
The most important ingredient, however, is
sound financial management. This requires
the deployment of suitably skilled people at
the right places and a continuous building
of internal capacity rather than a reliance on
external parties such as consultants.
A lack of proper financial management
leads to most of the problems identified by
the AGSA as the nature and causes of quali-
fied audits. Chief among these is the need to
make adjustments to annual financial state-
ments during the audit process. This means
municipalities rely on auditing firms to identify
errors and omissions.
Other problems include a failure to com-
ply to acceptable accounting standards, an
incomplete fixed asset register and a fail-
ure to reconcile the ledger with underlying
supporting schedules.
But the biggest direct threat to the viability
of a municipality is a failure to collect and
adequately measure revenue. Another is hav-
ing accounting officers fail to take reasonable
steps to prevent irregular, wasteful or fruitless
expenditure.
The AGSA
i d e n t i f i e s
more than a
dozen basic
internal con-
trols that are
required to suppor t
sound financial man-
agement and corporate
governance. These
range from proper
record keeping and rec-
onciliation controls to
regular and accurate
repor ting, compliance
with the legislative
framework, ef fective
leadership culture and
oversight responsibility,
as well sound HR and
IT management.
Effective financial management is critical
to any organisation. In the context of local
government, a lack of sound financial man-
agement will have a direct adverse impact on
service delivery as there is a strong correla-
tion between sound financial management
and effective service delivery.
To support service delivery and provide
the necessary accountability, municipalities
should create and maintain authentic, reli-
able and usable records. These are essential
to help ensure a clean audit. Ideally, an
integrated electronic document management
system should be used.
The next crucial area of focus should
be timeous and regular reporting. Financial
activities need to be reported daily, weekly,
monthly and quarterly – depending on their
scale and frequency. This allows for better
preparation for audit.
The principles of reporting (transparency,
accountability and stewardship) should under-
lie the preparation and presentation of finan-
cial statements that are required to give
a true and fair view of the financial posi-
tion and per formance of a municipality.
The Municipal Finance Management Act
and reporting guidelines add to the onus
of quality and relevance of financial reporting.
They emphasise the importance of preparing
regular, accurate and complete financial and
per formance reports that are supported and
evidenced by reliable information.
Finally, provincial government needs to put
in place governance and oversight functions
over municipalities to monitor and report on
progress made by municipalities to resolve
challenges. Where such systems exist, they
need to be used effectively. Equally important
is the need to align service delivery, per for-
mance management and reporting.
The framework for municipalities to improve
financial management, governance and ulti-
mately service delivery is in place. What
municipalities require is guidance through
partnerships to help them implement the
framework and to use that opportunity to
build their own capacity.
The technical and complex nature of finan-
cial management may require a municipality
to partner with a consultant. But when they
do, municipalities – or government in general
– must build skills transfer as an element of
the service level agreement to ensure that
the municipality is left with requisite capacity
at the end of the contract period.
Corne Oberholzer is part of the Deloitte local government team
A lack of proper fi nancial management leads to most of the problems
52 IMIESA February 2013
FINANCE
IMIESA February 2013 53IMIESA February 2013 53
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IMIESA February 2013 55
AS ROADS AND BRIDGES continue
to age and deteriorate, all levels of
government are struggling to pay
for maintenance and upkeep, not to
mention investments in much-needed upgrades
and new projects. A significant amount of
research and development is required to turn
visions into reality, with the need for better sus-
tainable products, services and technology to
ensure minimal maintenance and rehabilitation
over the long term. We showcase the latest
industry products, trends and technology taking
precedence in the roads construction industry.
What services and products are available to
aid the sustainable development of roads infra-
structure and maintenance? What ‘smart solu-
tion’ products are currently being developed?
Most importantly, what do associations such
as The Southern African Bitumen Association
(Sabita) and the South African Road Federation
have to say about the state of South Africa’s
roads infrastructure? And let’s not forget
Sanral’s involvement with the private sector
and the latest on Gauteng’s e-tolling system.
This issue of IMIESA features an exclusive
panel discussion that addresses all these
issues while highlighting smart solutions for
the construction and maintenance of roads,
bridges and stormwater.
PANEL DISCUSSION • Intro
SMART INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS
by Candice Landie
Roads infrastructure continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the economic and social pillars of our country.
Road operation and maintenance
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DRIVING YOU TOWARDS A GREENER FUTURE.
SABITA SUPPORTS A SUSTAINABLE ROAD INDUSTRY THROUGH THE USE OF BITUMINOUS PRODUCTS
SOUND ENVIRONMENTAL ROAD DESIGN
DESIGNED TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE
REDUCING ENERGY AT PRODUCTION REDUCES CO2
IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO
Southern African Bitumen Association
Tel: + 27 (0)21 531 2718 Fax:+ 27 (0)21 531 2606 e-mail: info@sabita .co.za www.sabita.co.za
IMIESA February 2013 57
SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONSSaied Solomons | CEO | SOUTHERN AFRICAN BITUMEN ASSOCIATION (SABITA)
PANEL DISCUSSION
Sabita is always striv-ing for innovative road surfacing products. Can you tell us more about the new system for measur-ing carbon emissions? SS Yes, a guideline document and
software system for the measure-
ment of carbon emissions – the
Asphalt Pavements Embodied
Carbon Tool (asPECT) – is now
available for implementation. It
is applicable to all operations
associated with the manufacture
and application of bituminous
products in South Af-
rica’s roads industry.
Adapted for South
African conditions by
the UK’s Transport
Research Laboratory,
asPECT facilitates the
carbon footprinting
of asphalt products
and operations, and
of product-to-product
comparisons and project carbon
assessments. The software is
able to analyse carbon dioxide
equivalents emissions associated
with the fuel used in any specific
operation in the asphalt produc-
tion and application chain, from
the production and delivery of raw
aggregate or bitumen to the manu-
facture of asphalt, the preparation
of roadworks layers to the paving
of the final wearing course.
Carbon emissions are a huge cause for concern in the ‘green’ arena. How does asPECT efficiently calculate carbon diox-ide and greenhouse gas emissions? It is a problem
and reducing carbon emissions
must be addressed now. The
formal context for greenhouse
gas (GHG) reporting is rapidly
being established. At the world
climate talks in Copenhagen in
2009, South Africa agreed to
cut carbon emissions by 34% by
2020 (based on 2009 levels),
subject to certain conditions.
These commitments will inevitably
filter down to individual product
supply chains, and the pros-
pect of a carbon tax provides
further incentive to measure and
ultimately cut carbon generation.
The asPECT protocol defines
the methodologies that are to
be applied to the calculation of
carbon dioxide and other GHG
emissions from asphalt mixtures
per tonne. The calculations are
specific to individual mix formula-
tions from individual production
units incorporating all constituent
materials. GHG contributions as
carbon dioxide equivalents are
accounted for whether they are
directly generated by the operator
or indirectly by subcontractors
or suppliers. The accompanying
asphaltCALC software provides
a framework that contains the
necessary formulae, emissions
factors and default data to
calculate the GHG emissions of
asphalt products in accordance
with the protocol clauses and the
information provided. The
guidance document, the protocol
and the software constitute
asphalt asPECT.
How do the local emis-sion standards differ from those in developed countries? Fundamentally,
the principal of carbon footprint-
ing remains the same whether
measured in the UK or in South
Africa. The regulatory context for
GHG reporting is becoming ever
more rigorous and in Europe, large
energy consumers, local authori-
ties and local authority partner-
ships now have to report carbon
emissions to comply with various
statutory requirements. In other
parts of the world, it is becoming
common for client organisations
to impose carbon awareness
requirements on their suppliers for
consideration at the procurement
stage, which has made carbon
awareness another potential
marketing tool for industry.
What implication(s) does carbon tax have on the bitumen industry? While
South Africa’s Air Quality Act
governing GHG emissions is in
place, the pending carbon tax leg-
islation is a strong incentive for
the bituminous products industry
to be more aware of emissions
and better able to measure and
thereby control its production of
carbon dioxide by variation in the
type of energy used or the type of
asphalt mix produced.
What is the industry doing to reduce GHG emissions? It must be re-
Sabita is a non-profit organisation that represents producers and applicators of bituminous products, consulting engineers and edu-cational institutions. It emphasises maintenance and improvement of roads infrastructure and the creation of sustainable jobs. Through its Local Councillor Programme, Sabita has given local government decision-makers a solid technical understanding of how maintaining road networks can improve overall service delivery. Similarly, Sabita introduced a Health, Safety and Environment Charter, which under-takes to implement the best techniques to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of all employees and conserve the environment during the handling and application of bituminous materials.
membered that the South African
bituminous products industry
has already made important self-
driven contributions towards mini-
mising GHG emissions through
the development of warm mix
asphalt, which significantly re-
duces the temperature at which
the asphalt mix is manufactured
and applied – with measur-
able savings in fuel usage and
GHG emissions. Another recent
initiative is the implementation
of high modulus asphalt – a
highly durable long-life pavement
system that offers reduced
carbon footprint by significantly
extending the period after which
maintenance and reconstruction
would be required.
Is the asPECT software widely available locally? The software is a stand-alone
executable built on the
Microsoft .NET platform and
available at a minimal fee,
subject to a licensing and condi-
tions of use agreement, from
the Sabita website for use on
customers’ computers.
The pending carboon tax is an incentivve for the bituminouus products industrry
to be awarreof emissionns
IMIESA February 2013 59
PANEL DISCUSSION
Deon Pagel | Business Development Manager | NATIONAL ASPHALT
National Asphalt has developed many ‘firsts’ in the road construc-tion industry. Can you take us through a few of these highlights? DP Yes,
as the second largest supplier of
asphalt in the country, we have
been instrumental in developing
a few industry firsts. The two that
stand out have to be our con-
tributions to warm mix asphalt
(WMA) and high modulus asphalt
(HiMA). The first WMA trials were
carried out in eThekwini, where
we also took bitumen foaming
to new heights. Foaming of bitu-
men happens when hot bitumen
comes into contact with water
at ambient temperature, which
literally results in the bitumen
becoming foam, and this then
achieves better coating of the
stone aggregate particles due
to the larger sur face contact
in the energy savings and the
environmental benefits arising
from the lower temperatures.
HiMa is implemented with the
sole purpose of achieving longer
life for asphalt pavements, i.e.
to prevent premature failure of
conventional asphalt through rut-
ting and shoving. Thanks to the
receptiveness of the industry,
we are able to reap the benefits
of modern developments in
asphalt technology.
How does WMA contrib-ute to the overall ‘green’ factor? The temperature
difference of about 30°C is
main source for ‘green’ benefits
as the environment is harmed
less through reduction in energy
consumption and emissions;
it is also more user friendly
and safer working conditions.
We are a proud member of the
Warm Mix Asphalt Interest Group
which exists under the auspices
of Sabita, and aims to ensure
that WMA has proper industry
standards and guidelines.
As an expert in the road and pavement industry, what other best practice methods do you recom-mend to municipalities? Definitely recycling (or reclaiming)
of old asphalt! And it is pleasing
to note that many municipalities
are now using reclaimed asphalt
(RA) as opposed to dumping it.
The reclaimed material can be
incorporated into new asphalt
mixes, thus eliminating the need
for 100% virgin materials and
contributing towards sustain-
ability. I believe this is the future;
reclaimed asphalt will soon be
incorporated into asphalt mixes
as standard practice – it cuts
down on costs and these savings
benefit the consumer.
Is National Asphalt equipped to handle the technological advances that come with WMA and HiMA? Yes, we most
cer tainly are! Our own Econat
and Foamtech, together with
other commercially available
WMA technologies, allow us to
really give our clients a wide
selection of asphalt mixes. On
the RA side, the use of EcoNat
as a rejuvenator has had a major
impact on the local market in
terms of highlighting the need
for rejuvenation of “old” bitumen
binder in mixes that contain high
percentages of RA. We have also
recently invested in excess of
R1.5 million towards obtaining
modern DSRs (dynamic shear
rheometers) and other bitu-
men testing equipment so that
we can conform to the Per for-
mance Grading system that
will be implemented in South
Africa shortly. Most recently, two
asphalt plants with the capacity
of achieving 50% RA have been
ordered, giving us a total manu-
facturing capacity of nearly two
million tonnes of asphalt
per annum.
National Asphalt commenced operations in 1988 and has been a member of the JSE-listed Raubex Group since 2007. Specialising in the manufacture and supply of all types of asphalt, the company has grown exponentially and operates throughout Southern Africa using state-of-the-art mobile units to service contacts and clients in more remote regions. The company employs more than 450 people and prides itself on the fact that staff turnover has been less than 5% for the past 10 years.
TOP Asphalt recently supplied onto Bakwena N4 resurfacing project near Pretoria
BELOW One of National Asphalt’s plant capable of doing 50% RA
area. At our plant, foaming was
initially achieved by means of
a bitumen and water chamber
(foam pot) that was designed and
built in-house. HiMA, on the other
hand, revolves largely around
the very specific characteristics
and design of asphalt with a view
to prevent rutting, especially in
hot conditions with high volumes
of heavy vehicles. For the initial
trial, materials were shipped to
Colas and Shell laboratories in
France, where a South African
design was done and finalised
in collaboration with the CSIR.
Guidelines for HiMA are also
being developed under the
auspices of the Southern African
Bitumen Association (Sabita) and
the CSIR.
What are the advantages of WMA and HiMA? The
first trial resulted in a reduction
of 20°C in temperature com-
pared to the mixing temperature
required when using normal hot
mix asphalt (HMA). In later trials,
temperatures were reduced by
up to 30°C. The main advan-
tage of WMA, however, lies
SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONS
SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONSPeet Venter | Product Sales Manager | OSBORN (ASTEC EQUIPMENT)
IMIESA February 2013 61
PANEL DISCUSSION C
In terms of new equip-ment and/or technology, what has Osborn done thus far? Anything new in the pipeline? We sup-
ply imported products that are
designed and manufactured in
the US. All the factories have
dedicated engineers who are
constantly looking at improv-
ing the quality of their products
and using new technologies.
We don’t just sell products, but
rather we sell solutions to suit
customers’ needs.
Going ‘green’ is big in the road and pavement industry at the moment. What are Osborn’s green initiatives, either from a manufacturing or practi-cal perspective? Astec has
what we call the Green System,
which is patented and is the only
system of its kind that utilises
high-pressure water to create a
warm asphalt mix.
South Africa is probably steps behind develop-ing countries, but what
positive trends have you noticed in the local road and pavement construc-tion industry? The quality
of the roads has improved
in cases where the contractors
have used our Roadtec
Shuttle Buggy.
When using these roads, you
will clearly notice that they are
much smoother, which creates
a better driving experience for
the driver and, over the long run,
saves the user costs on fuel,
maintenance and tyres. Inevita-
bly, it also cuts down costs on
road maintenance.
Can you tell us more about Osborn’s biggest and most recent munici-pal project or deal? We
are busy negotiating with munici-
palities about our Astec Asphalt
Plant and our Green System to
improve roads and road lifespan,
which will save money in the
long run.
Every Watson-Marlow Bredel hose is precision-machined to ensure repeatable performance
Osborn is a member of the Astec Industries group of companies, a leading Ameri-can manufacturer of plant and equipment for aggregate processing, asphalt road building, pipeline and util-ity trenching. From design concept and manufacture to installation and commission-ing, Osborn provides the glob-al mining and quarry markets with a full range of crushers, feeders, screens and con-veyors. With its reputation as one of South Africa’s foremost materials handling contrac-tors, Osborn also specialises in skid-mounted crushing and screening plants. One of the company’s most popular road construction equipment is the Roadtec Shuttle Buggy – a material transfer vehicle that can store and transfer hot-mixed asphalt material from a truck to a paver for continu-ous paving.
The quality of the roads has improved in cases where the contractors have used our Roadtec Shuttle Buggy
BELOW Asphalt rubber blending systems
BOTTOM Shuttle buggy
THE AGGREGATE & SAND PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA ASPASA
Please explain how natu-ral aggregate is found.
NP Natural aggregate is one of
the nation’s most poorly under-
stood resources. It is easy to
regard a quarry as a hole in the
ground. The average person, typi-
cally, does not put much thought
into the subject of aggregates.
Many people think of mining
as a single event – somebody
acquires a piece of property,
mines it for its important mineral
resources and leaves a hole in
the ground or a scar on a moun-
tainside once complete. But that
is seldom the case.
The mining industry (par ticu-
larly the aggregate industry) is
very active in reclaiming its
property. This is done not just
to make the property look good
again, but to offer a beneficial
use to society for the long term.
So what exactly are aggregates? Aggregates
are different types of rock
fragments, such as rock, sand
and gravel. These materials are
obtained from the ear th through
a process called sur face min-
ing, commonly referred to as
open cast mining. After these
materials are mined, they are
usually washed and sor ted by
size before being sold. In cases
where natural sand and gravel
is unavailable, commercial ag-
gregates are created by crushing
large stones or by drilling
and blasting massive rock
formations and processing them
into various sizes of rock and
manufactured sand.
This process is called quarry-
ing. When drilling and blasting
of massive rock formation is
required to produce aggregates,
all the materials produced by
this process are called crushed
stone. Unlike smooth, natural ag-
gregate, crushed stone tends to
be angular with sharper edges.
What is the role of ag-gregates and sand in the road construction industry? With road trans-
por t dominating, highways form
the backbone of most countries
and South Africa needs to
maintain a remarkable network
of such highways. We’ve helped
the country immensely in its
endeavours to maintain a fine
connectivity by taking on and
completing construction works.
With decades of experience, ex-
per tise and required workforce,
Aggregate and Sand Producers
Association of Southern Africa
(Aspasa) members have con-
sistently supported the cause
of national highway construc-
tion locally.
Road construction is all about
creating an unbroken passage of
appropriate materials that don’t
have any geographic obstacles
for effective vehicle or foot travel.
Any road construction contract
starts with the removal of earth
and rock by digging or blasting.
The task also involves building of
embankments, bridges, tunnels
and, in the course, elimination
of vegetation. Proper designing,
approval and planning follows to
meet various government stan-
dards. Construction aggregate
or simply ‘aggregate’ is a broad
category of coarse particulate
material used in construction,
including sand, gravel, crushed
stone, slag, recycled concrete
and geosynthetic aggregates.
Aggregates are the most mined
material globally. As a component
of composite materials such as
concrete and asphalt concrete,
aggregate acts as a reinforce-
ment adding strength to the
overall composite material.
In what applications are aggregates most com-monly used? Due to the
relatively high hydraulic conduc-
tivity value as compared to most
soils, aggregates are widely
used in draining applications
such as foundation and French
drains. The product is also used
as a base material under founda-
tions, roads and railroads. In
other words, aggregates are
used as a stable foundation or
road/rail base with predictable,
uniform properties (e.g. to help
prevent differential settling
under the road or building), or as
a low-cost extender that binds
with more expensive cement or
asphalt to form concrete.
Aspasa is a voluntary membership, private sector producers’ associ-ation. Aspasa represents its members with regard to policy positions, through various organisations of national and provincial government. To effectively achieve the industry’s needs, regulation and control is required, with particular emphasis on:• the control of borrow-pits• the granting of commercial licenses • offering a strategic and advisory business role • a wide range of services through working committees, which render
services and advice to members. Aspasa also covers aspects around health and safety advice, and the ISHE (Initiating Safety, Health, Education) programme: Environmental advice, guidance and the About Face RAS audit programme; educa-tion and training advice through the involvement in CLAS (Cement, Lime, Aggregate and Sand); the Human Resources Committee; tech-nical advice and guidance through the very effective technical com-mittee; and legislation advice, sharing of changes and representation of new bills, regulations and code of practice.
PANEL DISCUSSION
62 IMIESA February 2013
SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONS
Nico Pienaar, director, ASPASA and SARMA
Aggregate acts as a reinforcement adding strength to the overall composite material
SOUTH AFRICAN READY MIX ASSOCIATION ( SARMA)
How does your product aid in the construction or maintenance of roads, bridges or stormwater? NP Buildings and pavements that
stand the test of time through
their extreme durability and low
maintenance requirements have a
significant sustainable advan-
tage over other structures. The
water and cement in concrete
chemically combine to form a
paste that binds the sand and
stone together producing the
necessary strength and durabil-
ity to provide serviceability in
a wide range of environmental
conditions. The manufacture of
high-quality concrete at the proper
consistency is a process that
requires the right mix proportions
of quality materials. To achieve
this, the batching plants have
to be of a specific standard and
regularly maintained. All Southern
African Readymix Association
(Sarma) members are subject to
plant audits in order to ensure
compliance with the Sarma Health
and Safety, Quality and Environ-
mental Standards. These audits
are based on SANS 878, ISO
9001-2000 quality management
system, OHSAS 18001-safety
management and the ISO 14000
environment management system.
By contracting a Sarma member,
you can be assured that you are
dealing with a credible readymix
concrete (RMC) supplier.
Does readymix concrete have any sustainable characteristics? Yes, RMC
is ‘green’ and the following
explains how so:
• concrete is produced
locally from abundant
natural resources
• recycled
materials
in concrete
reduce
embodied
carbon dioxide and landfill use
• pervious concrete percolates
stormwater into soil, recharging
aquifers and preventing pol-
luted runoff from overwhelming
streams and lakes
• use of insulating concrete
forms for above-grade wall
system provides for increased
cost efficiency, reduction in
heating and cooling, and low-
ered infrastructure costs
• concrete’s thermal mass
reduces temperature swings in
buildings, therefore conserv-
ing energy
• concrete’s light colour
reduces the heat island
effect, thereby lowering
urban energy use
• concrete can be made
with reclaimed industrial
materials that would oth-
erwise burden landfills
• at the end of a concrete
building or pavement’s usable
life, concrete can be recycled
• impervious concrete roofs
support green landscaping,
reduce water run-off and heat
island effect.
Why do you recommend readymix concrete over bitumen in road con-struction? RMC in road con-
struction utilises concrete that
is manufactured in a batching
plant and then dispatched to a
worksite. RMC is usually selected
over on-site concrete mixing
for the reduction in worksite
confusion. The product reaches
a site in a freshly mixed plastic
or unhardened state. Concrete
is a mixture of Portland cement,
water, sand, gravel or crushed
stone – and all these materi-
als are collected separately to
make concrete when RMC is not
utilised. RMC holds many advan-
tages over site mix concrete and
is thus favoured. Clients are free
from the burden of arranging stor-
age space on site for the basic
materials. At the same time, the
need to hire plant, machinery
and additional labour is reduced.
Sites also remain free from
wastage, noise and dust pollu-
tion – all the factors associated
with mixing concrete on site,
saving both time and money. In
my opinion, the use of readymix
in road construction is also far
more superior to the usual bitu-
minous type roads. RMC roads
maintain a long life cycle and
zero maintenance costs. These
types of concrete roads maintain
the life span of 40 to 50 years as
opposed to the 10 to 15 years in
bituminous roads. More so, RMC
roads are eco-friendly and show
great resistance to harsh weather
conditions, oil spills, etc. Its light
colour offers a highly reflective
road surface, for increased driver
visibility. More so, RMC roads
maintain greater skid resistance.
Does readymix meet to-day’s needs without com-promising the future?In response to growing environ-
mental and economic forces,
architects, engineers, developers
and owners are seeking efficient,
innovative building solutions
that conserve non-renewable
resources. Increasingly, concrete
is being recognised for its strong
environmental benefits in sup-
port of creative and effective
sustainable development. When
considering the lifetime envi-
ronmental impact of a building
material – extraction, production,
construction, operation, demoli-
tion and recycling – concrete
is an excellent choice to meet
these goals.
What would you say are some of the advantages of using RMC in infra-structure development?
The advantages would definitely
have to be:
• Quality – With readymix,
you don’t have to worry
about this as it all comes
quality assured, meaning
it lives up to the high stan-
dards you’d expect. Sarma
audits its members’ readymix
plants annually.
The audit process looks at
aspects of employee health and
safety, quality of the transporta-
tion trucks, environmental impact
and product quality.
• Time saving – many companies
still use concrete that has to
be mixed on site and unfortu-
nately this is a time consum-
ing exercise. With RMC, this
is eliminated.
• Availability – with RMC from
a Sarma member, you can
receive as much or as little
material as required at
any given time, to get the
job completed.
SARMA represents all the reputable readymix companies and is also responsible for promoting the readymix industry and establishing readymix as the preferred construction material. In brief, Sarma’s pur-pose is to set standards and guidelines with regard to environmental, safety and quality issues. To be a member of Sarma, these stringent policies must be met and adhered to. In additional, members are regularly audited against standards that have been put in place.
IMIESA February 2013 63
PANEL DISCUSSION
By contracting a Sarma member, you can be assured that you are
dealing with a credible readymix concrete
supplier
SSMAART INNNFRASTTRUUCTURE SOLUTIONSS
64 IMIESA February 2013
SOUTH AFRICAN ROAD FEDERATION (SARF)
In terms of developments and technology within the road industry, what are some of the new trends/approaches to projects? Some of the initiatives that the
road industry is currently imple-
menting include:
• sustainable road
construction and exploring green
road initiatives
• the use of alternative road
construction material such as
building masonry.
With regard to road rehabilita-
tion projects, some national and
municipal road authorities are
using up to 40% reclaimed asphalt
to minimise the use of natural
materials. Another popular trend in
the industry is warm mix asphalt
(WMA), which is new asphalt that
is manufactured and laid on the
roads at a reduced temperature,
thereby ensuring reduced energy
consumption, less risk of burns,
longer window period for transport-
ing and laying the final product and
reduced carbon footprint.
There is also negotiation around
the development of the South
African Pavement Engineering
Manual to ensure uniformity and
best engineering practices.
Going ‘green’ is big in the road and pavement industry at the moment. Is SARF involved in any green initiatives? Yes SARF
is represented on the Greenroads
South Africa Interim Board that
has been formed to establish
a Greenroads Council for South
Africa. The purpose of the Council
is to promote sustainable roads,
and particularly the facilitation of
energy efficient, resource efficient
and environmentally responsible
road construction, maintenance
and rehabilitation practices, includ-
ing education and training thereto,
the development and operation
of sustainable rating systems
for roads, research, events and
conferences, and general activities
to raise awareness of environmen-
tally sustainable roads. We cur-
rently have two road environmental
management courses on offer.
SARF is one of the part-ners of the FleetWatch Brake and Tyre Watch initiative and an active member of the Interna-tional Road Federation. Tell us more about your involvement with these initiatives. SARF is very
concerned with the dreadful road
safety statistics in South Africa.
Trucks constitute 30% of the
vehicles on major routes and are
to blame for a large percentage of
the serious crashes along these
roads. The Brake and Tyrewatch
initiative has been developed to
empower traffic officials with spe-
cialised knowledge, enabling them
to better perform in their profes-
sion and intervene more frequently
in getting unroadworthy vehicles
off the roads. Traffic officers have
gone away from the training with a
new appreciation and awareness
of trucks on the road and the
need for roadworthiness to reign
supreme. To date, training courses
have been run at 18 locations
where 1 145 traffic officers have
been trained; 396 trucks were
inspected, of these 273 were dis-
continued by the team – revealing
a shocking 69% failure rate.
SARF awards bursaries to suitable applicants. Please explain this pro-gramme in more detail. We advertise our bursaries on our
website, at road conferences, to
our members and at universities
and universities of technology.
Applications close at the beginning
of October each year. All the appli-
cations are scrutinised according
to their exam results, after which
bursaries are awarded to suitable
applicants for full-time or part-time
postgraduate and undergraduate
studies. Twenty bursaries were
awarded in 2011 and 18 in 2012.
Who is eligible for mem-bership with SARF? What are the organisation’s values and ethics? All road
authorities, firms, closed corpora-
tions, companies, partnerships,
organisations, individuals or other
specialist groups with an interest
in the objectives of our federation
may apply for membership. The
SARF council has the authority to
approve or decline the admission
of applicants. SARF members
commit themselves to a code of
ethics, which encompasses the
values of integrity, professionalism
and social responsibility. Through
adherence to these principles, our
members are committed to pro-
moting economic wellbeing of the
country, enhancing the quality of
life and complying with government
legislation at all times.
What is SARF’s relation-ship with government and what would you like to see change going for-ward? Positions in SARF Exco,
Council and Regional Committees
have representation from local,
provincial and national government
road agencies. From our highest
position, namely SARF president,
through to committee members,
representatives hail from all levels
of government.
However, it is our goal to
increase membership and pres-
ence, both locally and provincially.
We have signed memorandums
of understanding with various au-
thorities to increase skills levels,
promote safer roads and ensure
timely maintenance is on our
country’s road assets.
What training courses are offered by SARF to the roads industry? SARF
organises and presents a number
of courses (registered for CPD
points with the Engineering Council
of South Africa) pertinent to the
design, construction, maintenance
and administration of roads. These
courses, which vary in duration
from one to four days, are gener-
ally of a theoretical and practical
PANEL DISCUSSION
64 IMIESA February 2013
Logashri Sewnarain President, SARF
Basil Jonsson, operations director, SARF
SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONS
Decade of Action 2nd Southern African Road Safety Conference
IMIESA February 2013 65
The South African Road Federation aims to promote the interests of its members through: • the influence of government policies and legislation to promote
safe and economic transport of people and freight by road• the dissemination of information and development of standards• the provision of education and training• the promotion of sustainability in road provision, operations and
the roads sector in general.
nature. They are presented at
various venues in the main centres
throughout Southern Africa on a
regular, rotational basis. Courses
can be presented to individual
organisations at their conve-
nience. Currently, 35 courses are
presented by SARF, addressing the
following main categories:
• traffic engineering
• road pavement design, construc-
tion and maintenance
• environmental management of
roads and asphalt plants
• geographic information
systems (GIS)
• geometric design of urban
and rural roads
• non-motorised planning
and design
• urban road stormwater drainage
• procurement for
engineering projects.
Is SARF involved in ad-dressing South Africa’s
dismal road safety re-cord? We are an active member
of the International Road Federa-
tion (IRF) and responded to the
call for support for the Decade of
Action by arranging a very success-
ful road safety conference on 7
and 8 June 2011 in Tshwane. The
conference – entitled ‘Road Safety
Initiatives towards a Decade of
Action’ – was hosted in conjunction
with the South African Road Traffic
Management Corporation, with
endorsements from the IRF, the
Global Road Safety Partnership,
the Road Accident Fund, the South
African National Roads Agency and
the Department of Transport. A
conference declaration and action
plan was developed, which was
endorsed by various government
departments, NGOs, institutions,
organisations and suppliers. The
Decade of Action Second Southern
African Road Safety Conference
was held from 23 to 24 October
Please supply caption
Road Pavement Design, Construction & Maintenance
Practical Road Pavement Engineering
Soil Stabilisation
Geometric Design
Compaction of Road Building Materials
Routine Road Maintenance
Road Pavement Rehabilitation
Introduction to Road Building Materials Engineering
Gravel Road Design, Construction & Maintenance
Design and Construction of Surfaced Low Volume Roads
Flexible Pavement Design Techniques
Concrete Road Design & Construction
Pavement Rehabilitation by Recycling/Bitumen Stabilisation
Riding Quality and its effect on Road Transport
Managing Routine Road Maintenance Projects (6 Months
Program)
Traffic Engineering
Traffic Signal Design
Road Traffic Signs – Design& Implementation
Traffic Calming Measures
Roadwork's Traffic Management
Non-Motorised Planning and Design
Optimizing Intersections
Environmental Management
Environmental Management in the Construction of Roads
Environmental Management in the Asphalt Technology
Design and Application of Hot Mix Asphalt
Design of HMA (Hot Mix Asphalt)
Latest Developments in Asphalt Technology
Overview of Hot Mix Asphalt
Stand alone Courses
Stormwater Drainage
Geographic Information Systems
The Preparation of Contract Documentation and Administration
of Civil Engineering Contracts
Bridge & Culvert Inspector’s Visual Assessments
Analysis and Assessment of Test Data
Mechanics of Heavy Duty Truck Systems
Procurement for Construction and Engineering projects –
informed by the CIDB Construction Procurement Regime
Road Pavement Design, Construction & MaintenanceR Roadwork's Traffic ManagementR
CPD accredited Training Courses
2012 in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, to
reflect on actions that were imple-
mented during the year, while also
focusing on 2012 resolutions and
the way forward.
Does SARF organise any international confer-ences? SARF has submitted
a bid to the International Road
Federation (Geneva) to host the
2017 World Roads Meeting in
Cape Town. The World Roads
Meeting is held every four years
and draws between 2 500 to 4
000 delegates from around the
globe. The World Roads Meeting
has never been held in Africa and
this will be a huge boost for Cape
Town and our country.
IMIESA February 2013 65
Warrick Avenue Viaduct, eThekwini Municipality
PHOTOGRA
PHER:YOLA
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Bec
ause
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SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONS
IMIESA February 2013 67
Alta Walker | R&D Specialist | PPC
In terms of new develop-ments and/or technol-ogy, what has PPC done thus far? Anything new in the pipeline? AW After
the launch of our improved range
of products in 2011 and 2012,
offering 15% more concrete, we
launched our specialist applica-
tion SureRoad product in 2012.
The South African specifications
for the modification and improve-
ment of the quality of the soil
used for road building substrate
layers are based on the per for-
mance of historical products.
This resulted in the guidelines
for Cementitious Stabilisers in
Road Construction (TRH13 Hand-
book), which prescribes a 32.5
cement product for road stabi-
lisation purposes. Although our
42.5 Surebuild products per form
very well in the construction of
cement-stabilised roads, we had
to reconsider our product range
to meet the technical standards.
As a result, SureRoad cement
was launched for the specific
purposes of road construction.
The CEM II Por tland-composite
cements are ideal for the con-
struction of cement-stabilised
substrate layers for roads.
SureRoad is a CEM II product,
manufactured with the addi-
tion of an extender or blend of
extenders (fly-ash, blast-furnace
slag and/or limestone). The ad-
dition of 2 to 3% of the cement
to the substrate will increase its
strength and improve durabil-
ity. Per formance testing shows
excellent results with a range
of soil types and different
road classes.
Going ‘green’ is big in the road and pavement industry at the moment. What are PPC’s green initiatives, from both a manufacturing and ap-plication perspective?
When we consider ‘green’,
the best approach is to use a
lifecycle approach in assessing
the full ecological impact of any
construction project. This means
we have to consider a number
of aspects in addition to the
carbon footprint of the construc-
tion project and not just the
carbon footprint of materials.
This includes the impact of local
material sourcing, transport,
durability and socio-economic
impact on the communities.
Concrete
offers a
sustainable
solution
for road
building,
especially
if you can
combine
this with
skills
develop-
ment, local
economic
empower-
ment and
improved
durabil-
ity of road
sur faces. In ad-
dition, concrete
road pavements
improve fuel
consumption
of vehicles,
an important
factor in energy
efficiency.
South Africa is probably several steps behind developed countries, but what positive trends have you noticed in the road and pavement con-struction industry? While
South Africa still has some way
to go in managing sustainable
construction in a holistic way,
awareness is growing and indus-
country’s skills development and
job creation targets.
Can you tell us more about the company’s biggest, and most recent project? PPC delivers its
product to a number of major
projects, supporting local
infrastructure.
Some examples of road
construction are the N7 project
nor th of Cape Town and the R27
rehabilitation project between
Calvinia and Brandvlei in the
Northern Cape.
Moving forward, what changes would you like to see in the industry with regard to local government, and why? Accelerated delivery of infra-
structure facilitated by all levels
of government will not only grow
the local economy but supply
infrastructure to large por tions
of the population who need it.
Local government is key to this
delivery and we would like to
see, in addition to delivery, a
professional focus on quality
and standards.
This focus will reduce the
motivation to buy sub-standard
construction materials, which
give the construction industry
and materials a bad reputation.
Mutually beneficial par tnerships
with the private sector will also
improve delivery.
PPC Cement is the market leader in cement manufacturing in Southern Africa, with a product range that encompasses all applica-tions and a technical services team that is on hand to provide indus-try solutions. The company’s cement brands include the market-leading SureBuild brand in South Africa, BotCem in Botswana, UniCem in Zimbabwe and Obras in Mozambique. PPC is currently expanding its operations into Ethiopia and Rwanda.
SureRoad cement was launched for the specifi c purposes of road construction
tries are addressing responsible
manufacturing and construction.
One positive trend we have seen
is growth in the segmental block
paving market, for both heavy-
duty and aesthetic applications
– not that these need to be
mutually exclusive.
This is positive both from a
concrete perspective and from
a job creation point of view. Ex-
posed aggregate concrete paving
and permeable concrete paving
are other positive trends we
have seen. On
the contract
manage-
ment side,
clients and
consultants
seem to be
more willing
to look at
alternative
materials
and designs,
par ticularly
if there is
a potential
cost saving.
A new body,
the Green
Roads Council
of South Africa
was recently
formed with
the purpose of
developing a
system rating
the sustain-
ability of road
design and construction in the
country. The rating system will
include an added chapter in its
rating tool, namely socio-
economic impact, owing to the
PANEL DISCUSSION
SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONSDinesh Chaithoo | Associate: Highways and Bridges | ARUP
How do your services aid in the construction or maintenance of roads, bridges and stormwater? Underpinned by 40 years of
technical highways and bridges
experience, our services include
planning and procurement,
refurbishment and management
of existing assets, development of
policy and strategy for Intelligent
Transport Systems (ITS) infrastruc-
ture and tolling, and management
of operation and maintenance
periods. Arup is in a unique
position to help pave the way for
project financing and public-private
partnership initiatives by drawing
on genuine highway sector experi-
ences. Our advice can improve
focus on key issues, help mitigate
risk and enable key investment
decisions to be made, thus creat-
ing an integrated highways and
bridges solution for a sustainable
future with a focus on best-value
and technical integrity.
What construction related services do the company offer? Arup provides a profes-
sional construction supervision/
monitoring service, specifically tai-
lored to safeguard the successful
completion of projects by highly
experienced personnel. Project
management in the construction
environment is offered and is
applied to planning, design and
construction management, from
inception through to completion
of projects – all for the purpose of
controlling, scheduling and man-
aging the scope of works within
budget, time and quality. We offer
our broad-based knowledge and
skills by providing innovative solu-
tions to challenging projects.
What specialised technol-ogy do you have on offer? Research and advanced analysis
are central to our work – we bring
to bear the sharpest insight to
address intractable problems.
Arup’s research, knowledge and
skills management specialists in
the highway discipline draw on
close relationships with leading
international establishments
to stimulate outcome-focused
projects. We use technology
with care so that it benefits both
road users and the environment.
Whether innovating with technology
or updating existing highways to
extend their useful life, our holistic
mindset generates new and robust
solutions. As the transport sector
evolves, new challenges arise that
require non-traditional approaches
and innovative solutions. We are
committed to developing strategic,
innovative, transparent and client-
orientated solutions to complex
challenges, thus adding value over
the entire life cycle of a project.
Our advanced technology, research
and software development teams
challenge the conventional –
producing new ideas, technologies
and software solutions for better
and more efficient performance.
Highways are just one of our
areas of specialisation. We are
the creative force behind many of
the world’s most innovative and
sustainable designs, from the built
environment through to infrastruc-
ture development.
Tell us more about some of Arup’s large project successes. 1 N14/R512 Interchange: Arup
was appointed as a specialist
sub-consultant for the design
and construction supervision of
the new bridge and geometric
improvements to the interchange2 Coega Industrial Develop-
ment Zone (CIDZ) and port: Arup
provided technical, procurement,
programme and project manage-
ment services for the CIDZ and
deep-water port. Arup prepared
the conceptual master plan for
the roads, utilities, rail, material-
handling facilities and stormwater,
as well as the undertaking of
design reviews.3 Western Bypass Road,
Botswana: The dual-carriageway
network involved a new Western
Bypass Road and Nyerere Drive
extension together with the
upgrade of Nelson Mandela Drive,
Molepolole Road and Old Lobatse
Road. Arup was involved in the
design and supervision of the
21 km of urban dual carriageway
within the city.
4 Gautrain Rapid Rail Link: The
Gautrain Rapid Rail Link is an ap-
proximately R35 billion state-of-
the-art rapid rail network, offering
a world-class solution for public
transport. Arup was appointed
as the Independent Certifier, due
to the firm’s extensive global
rail and local building experi-
ence, as well as planning and
management experience of large
infrastructure projects.
Does the company provide an after-sales service? Yes. My opinion is
that the satisfaction of a client
is so basic that it cannot be con-
sidered as a separate function.
The essence of client service
is central to the entire busi-
ness. Arup ensures that in the
current dynamic and challenging
environment, we exceed client’s
expectations through effective
service offerings. My thoughts
are that the after-sales service
support is a business opportunity
and is key to client satisfaction,
loyalty and linked to a profitable
business. Arup assures its clients
that it stands behind its service
offerings and ultimately projects a
reliable and high quality image.
Arup is a global firm of designers, engineers, planners and business consultants providing a diverse range of professional services to clients around the world. Through an innovative and fully integrated approach, combined with a full complement of skills and knowledge to bring to bear on any given design problem, the company exerts a significant influence on the built environment. Arup brings together a new approach to cre-ating sustainable communities and economies, supported by robust infrastructure and design settings where people want to be, spaces where people can afford to live, places in which people chose to stay – in short, communities that work. Arup integrates social, economic, environmental and timeframe considerations into projects, whether new or retro-fit, to give communities a sense of social and environmental well-being.
PANEL DISCUSSION
IMIESA February 2013 69
42
31
Salberg Since 1972
Where we lead, others follow
Innovation in
Precast Concrete
Sewer reticulation
Concrete pipes
Roads & stormwater
Water reticulation
Electrical
Fibre optics
Mining
Turn-key projects
Bespoke products
Mobile plants
Salberg Park Irene, Gauteng South Africa | t +27 11 357 7600 • f +27 11 357 7635 • www.salberg.co.za
SALBERG CONCRETE PRODUCTS (PTY) LTD
SalbergA4.indd 1 2013/02/19 09:53:08 AM
Salberg Concrete Products strives to be the precast concrete product supplier of choice. For 40 years the company has offered value in terms of service excellence, innovation and product quality and has been committed to delivering personalised service geared to meet clients’ specific requirements and needs. The company offers a full range of sewer and stormwater management products, with all key product lines carrying the SABS mark of approval.
SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONS
What do you perceive as smart infrastructure solu-tions? Cost-effective solutions
that are sustainable in the long-
term and accurately satisfy a
specific need. Rapidly developing
technologies allow industries with
smart leaders who are commit-
ted to excellence to constantly
identify ways to improve their
existing solutions – making their
product lines smarter where and
how possible, as well as seek
new solutions to meet evolving
market needs.
Where does SCP posi-tion itself in terms of smart infrastructure solutions? Salberg Concrete
Products (SCP) positions itself
as a market leader in smart solu-
tions. We achieve this because
our staff equates ‘smart’ with
excellence, and excellence with
excitement. Most of the time, the
only difference between ‘ok’ and
‘excellent’ is passion and com-
mitment. We have a reputation
for thinking out of the box and
delivering high standard smart
solutions because we create an
environment conducive to
such a deliverable.
Examples of some of
our smart solutions
include:
• ATM housing
chamber, designed
to be blast
resistant (2012 CMA Award
for Innovation)
• a waterproof maintenance
access chamber, designed for
managing telecommunication
fibre optics, specifically in
dolomitic areas
• vent shaft linings
• sacrificial column protectors
• tower structures for fire and
security management.
Are there constraints to developing smart infrastructure solutions? Absolutely! We constantly work
towards identifying and managing
constraints. Pressing constraints
in our industry, for example,
include finding innovative ways
to manage transport costs, as
well as skills constraints in the
logistic line that run from non-
specialist decision-makers all the
way to unskilled contractors who
handle our sophisticated, heavy-
duty product lines.
What is the role of government in delivering
smart infrastruc-ture solutions?
Communication! At
present, really be-
ing able to under-
stand infrastruc-
ture problems as
well as solutions
is critical to South
Africa being able
to meaningfully de-
liver on necessary
IMIESA February 2013 71
n and com
reputation
e box and
ard smart
e create an
ve to
f
d
Whatof goin de
smartture s
Comm
pres
ing
sta
ture
we
is c
Afric
to me
liver o
ABOVE (left and right) Slotted drains before and
after installation
RIGHT Kerb Inlet
Dr Rudy Absil, CEO, Salberg Concrete Products
Dr Rudy Absil | CEO | SALBERG CONCRETE PRODUCTS
PANEL DISCUSSION
smart solutions. The government
has a vested interest in ensuring
we embrace the efficient and
more cost-effective solutions
being developed both locally and
internationally. The role of the De-
partment of Trade and Industry in
managing access to international
smart technology and solutions is
vital for South Africa.
What is the future of smart infrastructural solutions in South Africa? There is an emerging awareness
among key public and private
stakeholders that smart solutions
are not fads but rather essential
steps in the process of delivering
more effective infrastructure solu-
tions. There is also the growing
awareness that smart solutions
are not exclusive to urban infra-
structure and/or technologically
advanced countries.
What happens if we don’t embrace smart infrastruc-tural solutions in South Africa? We would lose out on
the smarter, more cost-effective
solutions being developed both
locally and internationally.
Salberg Holdings (Pty) Ltd
Salberg Concrete Products (Pty) Ltd
Salberg Rib Pipe (Pty) Ltd
Concrete Towers (Pty) Ltd
D.S.F. Water Treatment
Salbro Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd
Salberg Group of Companies Sewer reticulation Concrete pipes Roads & stormwater Water reticulation Electrical Fibre optics Mining Turn key projects Bespoke products Mobile plants
IMIESA February 2013 73
In terms of new develop-ments and technology, what has Lafarge done so far? Anything new on the cards? RA For many years, our
versatile general purpose cement,
Buildcrete CEM IV/ B-V 32.5R,
had been used for soil stabilisa-
tion on numerous road projects.
Identifying a gap in the market for
a cementitious roadbinder tailored
to the needs of the road refurbish-
ing and construction industry, La-
farge developed the first special-
ised road binder, RoadCem CEM
II/B-M (V-S) 32.5N, which has
proved to be highly successful.
For stormwater management, how-
ever, Lafarge Readymix recently
introduced the unique permeable
concrete Hydromedia™ to the local
market. This product has been
developed by the international
Lafarge Group. Hydromedia™ rep-
resents a significant technological
advance in addressing important
environmental issues associated
with residential developments and
can form part of a cost-effective
Sustainable Urban Drainage
System. A major ongoing project
employing Lafarge Hydromedia™
is the Steyn City mixed-use
development at Dainfern, north
of Fourways in Johannesburg,
which started in September 2012.
The product is being used as
a sub-surface drainage system
underneath paving. Hydromedia™
was the product of choice due
to its superior drainage, as well
as rapid strength gain and ease
of placement. Using the product
as a base material under paving
layers allows
the designer to
specify the posi-
tion of drainage
levels in the
layer works at
an early stage.
The base rapidly
channels storm-
water to drainage points, enabling
the contractor to pave horizon-
tal, level surfaces. If correctly
installed and finished as a base
material, it can also minimise the
risk of failure of traditional pave-
ment designs.
Going ‘green’ is big in the road and pavement industry at the moment. What are Lafarge’s green initiatives from both a manufacturing and appli-cation perspective? Since
the introduction of its innovative
Rapidcem CEM II 52.5N cement
in 2008, Lafarge SA has offered
its cement customers a full range
of lower carbon footprint cements.
Rapidcem provides the precast
and construction industry with
the benefits of a high-strength
performance cement combined
with the handling and superior
finish properties of a formulation
incorporating siliceous fly ash,
which is the by-product of coal-
fired power stations.
Another example is the gen-
eral purpose cement, Buildcrete
32.5R, which is proving its value
for soil stabilisation while also
being environmentally friendly or
‘green’. (Buildcrete creates less
greenhouse gas in its manufac-
ture: it reduces CO2 emissions
by 50% compared with traditional
ordinary Portland cement.)
What positive trends have you noticed in the road and pavement construc-tion industry? The local
building materials and construc-
tion industries are highly regarded
and keep abreast of technical
developments. The concrete
study that is showing exceptional
promise is the use of ultra-thin,
high-strength overlays in our
roads, which have an extended
life expectancy of about 40 years.
It requires resurfacing only once
or twice in its lifetime, whereas
a typical asphalt road needs a
strict maintenance programme to
keep it in good condition, starting
within two years of placement.
Can you tell us more about your biggest and most recent municipal or commercial project? The
introduction of the specialised
RoadCem for the road construction
sector has been highly successful
and the product is increasingly
in demand for soil stabilisation
on major road refurbishment and
upgrading projects such as:
• 46 km of the N8 between La-
dybrand and Tweespruit in the
Free State
• Sections 2 and 3 of the
Bakwena N4 toll road upgrade
between Brits and Rustenburg
• N12 East Driefontein
in Potchefstroom
• N1 Stormvoel in Pretoria
• R33 Marble Hall to Modimolle
(Nylstroom) 71 km
• N4 at Mooinooi, North
West province
• N17 in Trichardt, Mpumalanga.
A current soil stabilisation cement
supply contract for road construc-
tion is the R71 Magoebask-
loof project. This involves the
reconstruction and resurfacing of
±50 km of road between Tzaneen
and Polokwane.
What changes would you like to see in the industry and why? Our company has
the capability of making a sig-
nificant contribution to meet the
technical needs of South Africa’s
roads, bridges and stormwater
management. Backed by the
unparalleled technical resources
of the international Lafarge
Group, our Quality Department
Southern Africa has pioneered the
development of innovative ‘green’
cement formulations incorporating
siliceous fly ash.
Lafarge South Africa is a wholly owned subsidiary of the inter-national Lafarge Group, a world leader in building materials. The South African company’s core businesses are the manufacture and supply of cement, aggregates, readymix concrete, plasterboard (Gypsum) and interior building fittings. Lafarge South Africa has a national footprint.
Hydromedia™ in five different
colours was used for
the water play park at the Forever Resorts in Bela Bela Limpopo
Dr Reinhold Amtsbüchler (PrEng)
Manager – Quality Department Southern Africa | LAFARGE INDUSTRIES SA
SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONS
IMIESA February 2013 73
PANEL DISCUSSION PANEL DISCUSSION
Roadstab Advanced Composite Cement has been specifi cally designed to improve
the engineering properties of soil. By reducing plasticity, it strengthens even sub-standard,
in-situ soils, giving you a solid and economical base.
Of course, this allows for peace of mind for your surface layers too.
If you’re looking for a versatile, economical solution for all soil types give AfriSam a call.
Build your road on solid ground.Introducing Roadstab. Your A1 Choice for road construction.
0860 141 141 www.afrisam.com
Leaders in Advanced Composite Cement
5535
Lef
tRig
ht
IMIESA February 2013 75
SMAART INFFRASTRRUCTURRE SOOLUUTIONSMike McDonald | Manager – Centre of Product Excellence | AFRISAM
IMIESA February 2013 75
In terms of new develop-ments and/or technol-ogy, what has AfriSam done thus far? Anything new in the pipeline? As
par t of its commitment to
sustainable innovation, AfriSam
recently re-engineered its
product por tfolio to deliver the
most effective, fit-for-purpose
solutions to par ticular applica-
tions. This is the first time ever
that the company has introduced
product improvements across
its full range. Our product range
has been changed as follows:
• All Purpose Cement has been
upgraded from the 32.5N to
the 32.5R strength class
• Eco Building Cement has
been upgraded from 32.5N to
42.5N strength class
• High Strength Cement has
been upgraded from 42.5N to
42.5R strength class
• Rapid Hard Cement has been
upgraded from 52.5N to the
52.5R strength class.
The overall benefit of these
changes is that we have
effectively introduced tech-
nological advances that have
boosted per formance in terms
of the strength, presentation,
durability and workability, which
is associated with advanced
composite cements, without
sacrificing sustainability.
Going ‘green’ is big in the road and pavement industry at the moment. What are AfriSam’s ‘green’ initiatives, from both a manufacturing and application perspec-tive? AfriSam adopts a proac-
tive approach towards green
construction and our initiatives
over the years have led the way
in reducing dust emissions,
using less coal, enhancing
energy utilisation and introduc-
ing groundbreaking technology,
which resulted in pioneering
products for the construction
industry. The company’s initia-
tives include the installation of
emission measuring equipment
as well as major equipment
upgrades at its operations to
reduce the consumption of elec-
trical energy.
Indirectly related to energy
efficiency is the use of mineral
components that are by-products
of the energy generation and
steel manufacturing processes,
to produce our Advanced Com-
posite Cement products. Apart
from reducing the carbon dioxide
footprint of the cement-making
process, this has successfully
created a market for a product
that may otherwise be sent to
landfill as waste.
The culmination of the com-
pany’s significant investment
in research and
development has
been the manufac-
ture of Eco Building
Cement, which more
than halves the world’s average
carbon footprint for cement with-
out compromising on the quality
demanded by SABS for cement
in this strength class.
In addition to the above men-
tioned changes in the product
line, AfriSam has introduced
Roadstab Cement, a new in-
novative specialist product that
is designed for road stabilisa-
tion applications. Roadstab is
a composite road construction
stabilising cement that has been
specially formulated to improve
the engineering properties of
soil by reducing plasticity and
enhancing the strength of road
based materials. It improves du-
rability and has been developed
and tested to achieve superior
stability across a broad range of
road material types.
Can you tell us more
about the company’s biggest, and most re-cent, municipal proj-ect? Our significant municipal
projects in 2012 were for the
Johannesburg Roads Agency,
where we supplied approxi-
mately 25 000 t of aggregate,
as well as for the Roads and
Infrastructure Department at the
City of Tshwane, where we have
a three-year contract to deliver
cement to the seven depots
within the city bounds. Last year,
we supplied over 10 000 t of
cement for this project. We also
supplied 10 000 t of road stabil-
isation cement for the Heideveld
to Duinefontein Road Project for
the City of Cape Town.
AfriSam is a widely spread cement, aggregate and readymix group in the Southern African region, with operations in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Tanzania. The company is South Africa’s largest producer of aggregate and the second largest producer of cement and readymix concrete. It is also the only fully vertically integrated supplier of cement, aggregates and readymix concrete in Gauteng, and has been mining and producing construc-tion materials since 1934.
As part of its commitment to sustainable innovation, AfriSam recently re-engineered its product portfolio
PANEL DISCUSSION
LAFARGE READYMIX recently
launched an innovative product to the
South African market. Hydromedia is
a new fast draining concrete pave-
ment solution, which provides rapid stormwa-
ter removal from streets, parking sur faces,
driveways and walkways.
The advanced drainage technology in
Hydromedia has been developed by the
international Lafarge group. While this
unique product outper forms traditional per-
meable pavements, it also minimises the
cost and long-term maintenance for local
authorities and developers of stormwater
management infrastructure.
“Hydromedia represents a significant tech-
nological advance in addressing important
environmental issues associated with resi-
dential developments,” comments Neville
Wearne, Lafarge national marketing manager
for Readymix.
“This porous pavement concrete is instru-
mental in recharging groundwater while reduc-
ing stormwater runoff and can form part of a
cost-effective Sustainable Urban Drainage
System (SUDS). It also allows more efficient
land use by eliminating the need for retention
ponds, catchment basins and other storm-
water management devices. In addition, the
product acts as a filter mitigating contamina-
tion of groundwater by sur face pollutants.”
“Water is a scarce resource in South
Africa and requires very careful manage-
ment, planning and protection; this includes
our precious groundwater, which is often
forgotten. In urban areas, permeable paving
is an important type of SUDS. The Green
Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) has
welcomed innovative design SUDS solutions
that protect and conserve our environment,”
says Manfred Braune, technical executive
at GBCSA.
The key to the unique proper ties of
Hydromedia is Lafarge’s breakthrough in
paste technology to create a no-fines con-
crete that uses sufficient paste to coat and
bind the aggregate par ticles together, form-
ing a system of highly permeable, intercon-
nected voids that drain freely and quickly.
The mix is par ticularly fluid in application but
highly robust and resilient after placing and
curing. It results in a much simpler applica-
tion, improving not only the workability of
the concrete mix but also its consistency.
The rheological properties that have been
achieved strike a balance between fluidity
and viscosity, producing short-term flexibility
and long-term strength.
“We are proud to have adapted this world-
class technology for the benefit of South
Africa’s construction industry,” Wearne adds.
“We work closely with all players in the
construction chain in order to channel our
unparalleled technical strength at innova-
tion into improving construction processes,”
he maintains.
In the case of Hydromedia, this means that
in addition to its superior permeability per for-
mance of 150 to 1 000 litres per minute per
square metre, the product has high fluidity,
making it easy to place as well as staying
workable for up to 90 minutes.
The final finish is durable, smoother and,
together with being available in a range of
integral colours, aesthetically more appealing
than other permeable pavements.
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Highly effective solution for pavement drainage
HYDROMEDIA CONCRETE
With the dramatic escalation in urbanisation, efficient stormwater management is an increasing challenge to reduce the risk of flash flooding and sustain natural water cycles.
TOP The product is a breakthrough in paste technology
LEFT Hydromedia contains a no-fines concrete that uses sufficient paste to coat and bind the aggregate particles together, forming a system of highly permeable, interconnected voids that drain freely and quickly
76 IMIESA February 2013
IMIESA February 2013 77
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Sophisticated controls for network sewage stationsThe new Dedicated Controls solution from Grundfos is a sophisticated monitoring and control solution specifically for sewage pumping stations.
THE DEDICATED Controls are
designed for controlling up to two
pumps and a mixer/flush valve
in sewage pumping stations.
This makes them obvious choices for net-
work systems, commercial buildings and
similar applications.
The Dedicated Controls system builds on
Grundfos’ experience with level controls but
greatly expands the functionalities.
“We have expanded the monitoring func-
tions to include pumped volume and
over flow durations. The communication
options have also been expanded to
offer SCADA and BMS communication
using GSM/GPRS. This allows users
to communicate with their pump-
ing station by mobile phone,” says
Jens Skødt, business developer
for Grundfos.
“A large graphic display shows
a visualisation of the pumping
station, making it easy to find
the information required, and to
adjust any settings,” he explains.
IMIESA January 2013 77
Integrated Waste Management PlansWaste Disposal StrategiesIdentification and permitting of landfill sitesDesign of General and Hazardous Waste sitesDesign of Solid Waste Transfer StationsDesign of Material Recovery FacilitiesOptimisation of Waste Collection SystemsAuditing of Waste Management FacilitiesDevelopment of Operational PlansClosure and Rehabilitation of LandfillsQuality Assurance on Synthetic LinersWaste Recycling Plans
Specialist Waste Management ConsultantsSustainable and appropriate engineering solutions with integrity and professionalism.
Jan Palm Consulting EngineersTel +27 21 982 6570 / Fax +27 21 981 0868 / E-mail [email protected] / www.jpce.co.za
Gansbaai Recycling Centre
Velddrif Transfer Station
Botrivier Drop-off
Herman us Materials Recovery Facility
Vissershok Waste Management Facility
Stanford Drop-off
IMIESA February 2013 77
78 IMIESA February 2013
Pavers complete the Umhlanga promenadeCorobrik has once again played an important par t in the final phase of the Umhlanga promenade upgrade with its clay pavers being a defining characteristic of the entire 5 km long seafront.
COROBRIK SALES DIRECTOR,
Mike Ingram, says the swirl
pattern and use of Cederburg,
Champagne and Burgundy pav-
ers has been taken through all four
phases of the project. This continuity
along the entire promenade includes the
design, which emanated from the iconic
whale bone pier and echoed the unique
seafront location with its dunes and
breaking waves and the choice of colours
and texture that per fectly complemented
the landscape. Construction of the final
phases of the development indicated
a longer term approach to promoting
Umhlanga as a prime tourism destination
within the ambit of eThekwini.
The four th and final phase of the
upgrade began in January 2011 and
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
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80 IMIESA February 2013
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
finished in December ahead of the
busy festive season. The upgrade,
similar to the previous phases,
included the walkway (promenade)
paving, promenade linkages, alien
plants eradication, lighting, street furniture,
dune rehabilitation, traffic calming meas-
ures along Marine Drive and the increase of
parking bays at Durban View Park. The project
was funded by the eThekwini Municipality’s
Economic Development Department and was
a combined initiative with
a collaborative team from
the city’s Architecture
Department –Urban Design
& Landscape Architecture
Branch, Engineering Units
– Development Engineering
Nor thern Branch and
Electricity Units – Special
Lighting Branch. In addition
to the building of retain-
ing walls to hold the walk-
ways in the event of fur ther
storms and landscaping,
the municipality elected to
replace the existing con-
crete block paving with more
aesthetically pleasing clay
pavers. However, according
to Ingram, the choice of clay
pavers went far beyond the
overall look of the prom-
enade. “Corobrik clay pav-
ers are extremely durable
and skid resistant, making
them the per fect choice for an area that is
exposed to harsh weather and sea spray
and is specially created to handle high
volumes of pedestrian traffic.”
During the four th phase, 2 005 m2 of
Cederburg (50 mm), 1 788 m2 of Champagne,
893 m2 of Burgundy pavers were used, equat-
ing to a total paved area of 4 683 m2.
Corobrik clay pavers are extremely durable and
skid resistant
Afgen 32
AfriSam 74
Ammann Construction
Machinery 26 & 27
AOC 29
Armco Superlite 20
Arup 68
Aveng Grinaker-LTA 37
Bagshaw Footwear 48
Barloworld Equipment OFC
Beier Safety Footwear 50
Bell Equipment 21
Bigen Africa OBC
Bosun Brick 13
Cement & Concrete Institute 41
Colas 38
Corestruc 14 & 15
Dynamic Fluid Control 44
GIBB Engineering & Science 19
Jan Palm Consulting Engineers 77
Kaytech IFC
Lafarge Industries 72
Model Maker Systems 22
Murray & Roberts Building Products 25
National Asphalt 58
Osborn Engineered Products 60
PPC 66
SABITA 56
Salberg Concrete Products 70
SANRAL 54
SARMA & ASPASA 62 & 63
SMEC 40
South African Road Federation 65
Southern Mapping 30
SprayPave 34 & 35
Structa Technology 47
Verder Pumps 46
Volkswagen South Africa 42 & 43
Watertec Africa and Pumps,
Valves & Pipes Africa 2013 23
WRP Consulting Engineers IBC
WSP 16
Delivering sustainable
infrastructure that
improves our world.
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