CalContractor Grading & Excavating Issue 2014

Grading & Excavating Issue

Features 08 INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION

SOLUTIONS Technical Expertise and Practical Experience Make Innovative Construction Solutions a Better Kind of Construction Company

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14 BACON/WAGNER

EXCAVATING, INC. Performing Wet and Dry Utilities and Roadwork at Pali Mountain Retreat & Conference Center in the San Bernardino Mountains 20 5 REQUIREMENTS FOR

INTELLIGENT COMPACTION 24 THE SEARCH CONTINUES

Finding good employees and one company's effort to help.

30 Advertiser Index 4

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CalContractor Magazine / www.calcontractor.com PUBLISHER: Kerry Hoover (909) 772-3121 khoover@calcontractor.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Brian Hoover

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Aldo Myftari FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION PLEASE CALL: Call Kerry Hoover (909) 772-3121

CalContractor is published twelve times each year by Construction Marketing Services, LLC. P.O. Box 892977, Temecula, CA 92589 - Phone: 909-772-3121 - Fax: 951-225-9659 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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Technical Expertise and Practical Experience Make Innovative Construction Solutions a Better Kind of Construction Company Written By: Brian Hoover

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nnovative Construction Solutions (ICS) has been leading the way in environmental construction since April 1999, when John R. White and Hirad Emadi, P.E. first brought their talents together to form a better kind of construction company. John spent 15 years on the contracting side, while Hirad had 10 years of consulting engineering experience under his belt. The two men formed the company as 50/50 partners with Hirad Emadi, P.E. serving as the president and John White as the vice president.

The two men had worked on a few projects together prior to 1999, when John was working for a large general engineering company and Hirad, a known and respected environmental

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engineering firm. It was during this time that Hirad approached John with the idea of forming a new and better environmental construction company. He was impressed with the way John conducted himself in business, particularly the way he wrote proposals with exceptional attention to every detail. After sitting down at dinner with their wives to discuss the possibilities, the two decided that there was an opportunity to improve on the model that was currently being offered in the environmental construction industry. After spending years in their respected industries, both men were frustrated by the lax standards and at times lack of professionalism. “We became contractors because we worked

2014 Grading & Excavating ISSUE CALCONTRACTOR

with contractors and witnessed firsthand what was missing,” says White. “We simply felt that we could do it better.”

Since its inception in 1999, ICS has built their business on the core principals of stringent internal standards, highest quality service and value-added solutions. They have carefully and selectively hired professionals within the environmental engineering and general construction disciplines. ICS’ leadership team provides a blend of technical expertise and practical experience that has allowed the company to thrive in the environmental and specialty civil engineering construction industry. Their project teams are comprised of former engineers and environmental scientists www.calcontractor.com

Left (L-R): Kyle Higgs, Asst.

Project Manager, John R. White, Vice President, Justin Gough, Project Manager and Dan Ford, Superintendent.

Below Left: John Deere 744K loading perchlorateimpacted soil into the feeder bin of the treatment plant for processing/treatment.

“We became contractors because we worked with contractors and witnessed firsthand what was missing.”

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working alongside experienced superintendents, operators and technicians. ICS holds hazardous waste and demolition endorsements (CA license number 764815 A, HAZ, C-21) and is a certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE) with more than 130 employees and annual revenues of over $40 million.

ICS currently serves their clients throughout California from their headquarters in Santa Ana and an office in Oakland. They provide soil and groundwater remediation, geotechnical and specialty civil construction, and demolition services. While environmental remediation continues to be their mainstay.

ICS targets complex geotechnical and specialty civil construction and demolition projects. Their civil and geotechnical construction capabilities include large scale excavation, shoring, grading and trenching, as well as landfill expansion and closures, fueling systems, industrial piping, storm water control, retention basins and reservoirs, infiltration galleries, waste water treatment, structural earth retention systems, fault trenching and the list goes on.

Their demolition and decommissioning services target existing, abandoned, or inactive facilities, including

facilities used for manufacturing or related industrial use, testing and waste management. This value is often added to these projects when ICS’ environmental remediation capabilities are quickly deployed to deal with hazardous material and/or impacted soil discovered during demolition activities.

ICS structural/facility demolition and decontamination services include: structural tear down, building material segregation, debris removal and recycling, pressure washing, surface wipe-down, lead paint/asbestos abatement, storage tank removal, clarifier/sump removals and waste consolidation and disposal.

The bread and butter part of ICS’ business is in environmental remediation and they offer a full spectrum of ex-situ and in-situ remediation services. They offer soil and ground water remediation, remediation of contaminated soil by dig and haul, excavation, stockpiling and loading as well as large-diameter auger soil removal, slot trench excavation, on-site remediation of contaminated soil, underground storage vessel removal and other ancillary services including: shoring, screening/crushing, dewatering, oil well abandonment and aboveground storage tank installation. ICS also offers

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non-hazardous soil/debris/liquid disposal services, as well as bulk transportation services of a wide variety of materials. Their in-situ remediation services include the construction of various groundwater extraction and treatment systems, soil and gas extraction and treatment systems, landfill gas and methane mitigation and sub-slab ventilation and depressurization.

A typical contaminated soil excavation and load transport disposal project may include hazardous or non-hazardous materials that must be excavated, segregated and then profiled and directed to the proper landfill or treatment facility. Next ICS would import clean soil and compact it to the required specifications. ICS has performed a long list of this type of work on anywhere from 15 to 20 tons, to as much as 150,000 tons of soil.

Typical civil construction jobs range from mass export and/ or import grading projects to construction of a 72 foot deep test shaft for the MTA. Known as Phase 1 of the L.A. Metro Exploratory Shaft Project, a 10

Above:& Inset: John Deere 850K Dozer with slope-board cutting bench and sloping the canyon walls prior to excavating impacted soil within the canyon.

contract Metro engaged ICS to perform as first steps in the $5.6 billion, 9-mile extension of the Purple Line Subway. ICS was responsible for the excavation and structural support of a 18’ x 36’ x 72’ deep exploratory shaft, located at the corner of Wilshire and Odgen in Los Angeles. The shaft is now completed, and ICS will continue to support Metro in carrying out the research that the shaft was built to facilitate: geologic mapping, geotechnical monitoring of the excavation, tieback testing and gas monitoring within the excavation and within the ventilation system, in-situ testing of geologic materials and collection of samples. Once the testing period is completed, ICS will restore the site.

ICS is also currently working for a general contractor at the Ford Theatre in Hollywood. Here, the company is busy performing a variety of demo work, as well as installing soil nails for the main outdoor stage area that is

2014 Grading & Excavating ISSUE CALCONTRACTOR

now being expanded back into the existing slope. This job has required the use of some unique shoring applications, necessary to the proper installation of the soil nails. ICS has also been on a job in Santa Clarita that will keep some of their crews busy for the next two years. This is a bioremediation project where ICS is excavating and removing large volumes of perchlorateimpacted soils on a manufacturers former ammunition-testing site.

Sounds fairly routine, right?

Wrong. Much of the excavation is taking place in hard to reach canyons with high angle slopes and cuts that go as deep as 20 feet down. ICS has been on this job for four months now and because of all the detailed work that was done on the front end in the engineering department, it is proceeding exceptionally well.

The San Clarita job calls for the almost constant use of several heavy construction machines.

Although ICS owns and maintains [ Continued on page 12 ]

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Above: John Deere 350G excavator used for removing contaminated soil and loading for transport and treatment.

Right: A 12,000 Gallon Water Tower filling a 4,000 Gallon Water Truck used to provide dust suppression during excavation and along haul routes.

[ Continued from page 10 ]

a large fleet of heavy machinery, it became necessary for the company to add more equipment to their fleet. For this, they turned to the brand they have trusted since the company’s inception, John Deere. ICS’ current fleet consists of a half dozen excavators, ranging in size from 15,000 lb. to 100,000 lb., seven wheel loaders from 3 ½ yard to 5 ½ yard capacities, five backhoes, three dozers, three track loaders and several skid steer loaders.

All of these units are John Deere, with the exception of two Hitachi excavators. They just recently purchased a brand new John Deere 850 dozer, two John Deere 744 wheel loaders, two John Deere 644 wheel loaders and a Hitachi 470, 100,000 lb. excavator from Coastline Equipment. This was all part of a $1.7 million fleet upgrade package that also included a new 12,000 gallon water tower and a new 4,000 gallon water truck, along with some other small ancillary equipment. “We 12

deal with John Deere and Coastline Equipment because our experience has been nothing but great from the very first purchase,” says White. “John Deere machines are extremely reliable and durable and reasonably priced, not to mention the fact that they are simply preferred by our operators.”

According to John White, some of the ICS operators have been

“We deal with John Deere and Coastline Equipment because our experience has been nothing but great from the very first purchase.”

working from a John Deere machine for 30 years and they swear by its comfort and performance. “I have been working with Jeff Hendershott at Coastline Equipment for many years and he has always been

2014 Grading & Excavating ISSUE CALCONTRACTOR

there for us when we need him,” continues White. “He knows his stuff and always gets back to us within 30 minutes of our call. He has even brought papers to my house to sign during the holidays, just to make the process a little be easier. We appreciate John Deere and Coastline Equipment.”

Innovative Construction Solutions has been serving public and private industry in California since 1999. Within their three service lines, they perform a variety of specialty services with competitive pricing and quality results. ICS delivers exceptional service and value through their unique ability to marry technical expertise with practical experience. For more information, please visit them online at www.icsinc.tv or call their main office at (714) 893-6366. Cc

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BACON/WAGNER EXCAVATING, INC.

Written By: Brian Hoover Performing Wet and Dry Utilities and Roadwork at Pali Mountain Retreat & Conference Center in the San Bernardino Mountains

Dan Wagner, President, Bacon/Wagner Excavating, Inc. trenching for lift station.

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Dan Wagner was born and raised in Running Springs, a bedroom community located in the San Bernardino Mountains that serves as a major gateway to several popular mountain resort destinations, with a population of just 5,000 residents. Many who live and work on this mountain are employed by a service industry that is geared to the tourist market. While many commute to the mountain for work, there are a select few that have been able to either find a job or start their own company, allowing them to remain on the mountain full time. “Running Springs and this mountain community are part of who I am,” says Wagner. “I grew up here and raised my children on this mountain and it means a lot to me to have a business that will allow our family to remain here for many years to come.”

Wagner first started working for Charlie Bacon at the age of 10. The company went by the name of Bacon Excavating in those days and Dan would spend his summers working part time, sweeping and cleaning up jobsites and even hand grading small lots at the end of a job. He then went to work full time for Charlie Bacon right out of high school in 1981. “I remember riding www.calcontractor.com

Far Left (L-R): Phil Butler, Pali Mountain Retreat, Dan Wagner, Bacon/Wagner and Dennis McShane, Westrax Machinery.

Left: Carol Wagner, Vice President, Bacon/Wagner Excavating, Inc. Above Right: New 29,000 square foot dining hall being constructed at Pali Mountain Retreat.

around on my bicycle with a shovel and broom in between the sissy bar and handle bars,” says Wagner.

“I did this every summer until going to work full time right out of high school. I eventually worked my way up from laborer to operator and finally to the role of foreman.”

Dan purchased the company in 1993, after Charlie announced that he was ready to retire. He used the funds from his company IRA as a down payment and went out and secured his C12 A contractors license. Under the new name of Bacon Wagner Excavating, Inc. (Bacon Wagner), Dan continued to work primarily on excavating, paving and grading projects from Big Bear to Crestline and occasionally on jobs down in the valley, as far south as Temecula. They have been fortunate to have a contract with the San Bernardino County Special Districts over the past seven summers that entails asphalt repair and maintenance work from Chino Hills to Barstow.

The company has also remains busy with land clearing work for commercial and residential construction companies. This has included grubbing and tree www.calcontractor.com

removal, as well as performing cuts, footings and running wet and dry utilities.

Bacon Wagner Excavating has been working over the past year on the single largest job since the company was originally established back in 1969. The job is for Pali Mountain Retreat & Conference Center (Pali Mountain), a 74-acre sanctuary, surrounded by 2,000 acres of protected national forest, lakes and abundant wildlife. Pali Mountain offers unforgettable adventures for children of all ages, families and other organizations like church groups, high schools and universities, sports groups and a variety of organized youth groups to name just a few. They offer a variety of programs, including Pali Institute, an outdoor school and science camp that offers three or five-day programs in Outdoor Education, Science and Leadership categories. Pali Adventures is another program that offers traditional, yet unique camp experience for children and teens, ages 8 to 16, where campers can design their own summer camp adventure.

Children can participate in one of 18 custom-designed one and

two-week resident camp specialty programs like Film Camp, Watersports Camp, Motorsports Camp, Fashion Camp, Rock Star Camp, Culinary Camp and 12 other wonderful choices.

Known as, Southern California’s ultimate location for group retreats, Pali Mountain is building a new 29,000 square foot conference building and dining room. Bacon Wagner has been contracted to perform all of the wet and dry utilities associated with the new construction, in addition to the infrastructure for the new roadway leading to the conference building. Bacon Wagner started out on this project Jan. 7, 2014 and should have everything wrapped up

by February 2015. To date, the company has excavated and installed 5,500 lineal feet of 8” C900 water main, 1,500 feet of 2” gas main, 1,000 feet of 8” sewer main and 500 lineal feet of 24” reinforced concrete storm drain. In addition, Bacon Wagner is installing two lift stations in the valley below that will be necessary to pump sanitary waste up the 300-foot hillside, on into the public utility sewer.

The company has finished the

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Above Left: Trenching for lift station.

Top Right: Digging footings for new dining hall.

Middle: Footing for retaining wall at dining hall.

Bottom: Installing 24 inch RCP drain pipe.

grading of the approximately 1-mile section of roadway.

“We recently sold our paving machine and will soon be purchasing a new unit, so we subbed the asphalt paving portion of this project to GoldStar Asphalt Rentals and crew out of Perris,” says Wagner. “They have done an excellent job so far, putting down approximately 2,000 tons of ½ inch PG 64/10 hot mix asphalt with their LeeBoy paving machine. We really liked the LeeBoy and we are looking at purchasing a new one from Nixon-Egli Equipment for our operations very soon.”

Bacon Wagner points out that this particular job has been challenging in the fact that the camp is run on a 24/7 basis and it was made clear that camp activities could not be disrupted during construction.

“Performing this magnitude of work with 400 students running around has kept us on our toes.

I have to say that everything 16

has gone flawlessly and we have enjoyed working for Pali Mountain Retreat.”

Bacon Wagner crews have worked long hours and utilized a long list of heavy construction machinery, including 3-yard wheel loaders, two large excavators and three backhoes, in addition to renting a dozer, motor grader and wheel loader from A.S.A.P Heavy Equipment Rentals. Dan Wagner recently purchased a new LiuGong 842 wheel loader and a new LiuGong 915D 34,000 lb. excavator from Westrax Machinery in order to expand his fleet to handle current utilization levels. “I have known and been friends with Dennis McShane of Westrax for 10 or 12 years. I first met him in Havasu, where we both have a getaway and I purchased equipment from him when he was with another brand. Dennis has never steered me wrong and when he asked me to take

2014 Grading & Excavating ISSUE CALCONTRACTOR

[ Continued on page 18 ]

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1

Above: Dan Wagner stock piling material with his new LiuGong 842 wheel loader from Westrax Machinery.

(1). Three of six new dorms being constructed at Pali Mountain Retreat.

(2). Digging footings for dining hall.

(3). Cat D6 pushing stock pile dirt for roadway.

(4). GoldStar Asphalt Rentals paving 2nd phase.

[ Continued from page 16 ]

a look at LiuGong, I happily agreed,” says Wagner. “The performance and quality was just outstanding and what it all really boiled down to was the fact that I could not beat the price or warranty.” Dan also purchased an angle blade for the wheel loader for his snow removal division and he points out that the price was still well below the competition, even with the blade. “Our new LiuGong loader has a Posi Lock transmission, which we need for our terrain up here in the mountains,” explains Wagner.

“The power and comfort is equal to any other machine I have been in and we did not sacrifice a thing, but only gained on this loader purchase. I wish I could afford three more of these machines.” Bacon Wagner uses the LiuGong 915D excavator for much of their utility trenching work. “I love the power, speed and comfort of our new LiuGong excavator as well and knowing that both units are equipped with the trusted Cummins engine is just an extra bonus.”

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Bacon Wagner Excavating, Inc. is a family business with Dan’s wife of 30 years, Carol, running the inside operations as the Vice President of the company. His stepson, Jeremy Lanier is the company’s superintendent and helps Dan oversee operations, while also acting as the lead operator on projects. “I married Jeremy’s mother when he was just 4 years old and in my heart it is as though he is my own natural son,” says Wagner. “I also want to recognize Matt Phillips and Brandon Sorby, who are both tremendous operators and Rudy Guerro, one of our newest laborers, as well as Tommy Hijonosa, who is our newest operator in training. Last but certainly not least I want to thank, April Smith, who has done a great job for us as our flag safety officer.” Dan and Carol have five children between them and six grandchildren.

Bacon Wagner will take on million dollar plus jobs for clients like Pali Mountain Retreat and when possible still perform a $350 asphalt approach for a local homeowner. We have worked

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hard to build a reputation based on trust in knowing that our clients will always get the very best that we have to offer. We have some good jobs coming up and I feel like the future is bright,” says Wagner. “We are currently bidding on some decent public utility work up here and continued growth appears to be in the cards. I want to thank my wife and family and everyone that has been a part of our success over the years.” Cc

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5 Requirements for Intelligent Compaction

By Chris Mata, Tom King, & Al Hodson

INTRODUCTION

Did you know a process called Intelligent Compaction (IC) has been revolutionizing the paving industry? But what is IC, and how can a paving contractor use it to make his businesses more efficient, accurate and profitable?

“Intelligent Compaction” refers to the compaction of road materials using rollers equipped with measurement systems and onboard computer reporting systems using GPS mapping. Countrywide, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Highway Administration have started requiring contractors to use Compaction Control Technology. Federally-funded highway projects now require stringent documentation, Quality Accuracy and Quality Control (QA/QC) data, and warranty provisions. The technology discussed in this white paper is derived from Intelligent Compaction essentials.

In order to achieve Intelligent Compaction and remain competitive in today’s paving environment, contractors need five things: Precision Mapping, Pass Count Tracking, Compaction Control, Temperature Mapping and Documentation of Quality Assurance and Quality Control. Compaction technology enables contractors to build a better surface, reduce material use and significantly improve productivity. The more you use these tools, the more productive and profitable your paving operations will be.

using either 2D or 3D paving control systems. The control box for these systems offers graphical displays with adjustable light settings for both day or night paving.

Traditional paving methods often result in wasted materials and potential fines. Projects such as airports, large commercial surfaces and highways require accuracy. Precision paving with less material is achievable with the right equipment. GPS mapping technology eliminates time-consuming and costly human errors. An accurate 3D control increases road smoothness while using less asphalt than traditional paving methods.

PASS COUNT TRACKING

Intelligent Compaction requires Pass Count Mapping and daily inspections. To reach desired compaction, the compactor operator needs to achieve a certain pass target. With some jobs requiring up to eight passes, any operator can easily lose track of exact pass count. When this happens, a contractor cannot monitor compaction performance or verify accurate completion of the compaction job. Pass Count Mapping monitors the number of passes over an area and adjusts the effort to avoid over-or under-compaction. More importantly, contractors are able to guarantee accurate compaction.

PRECISION MAPPING

Every job has different needs and Precision Mapping— also referred to as location referencing—takes the guesswork out of asphalt compaction. Accurate mapping leads to more consistent compaction.

Precision Mapping uses satellite data to make rollers more efficient. The position of the roller is established through Global Positioning Satellites (GPS). A GPS antenna is most often mounted on top of the roller’s cab. That GPS enables Precision Mapping, which allows operators to raise productivity by utilizing the most efficient rolling pattern. The operator’s pattern can be viewed by 20

2014 Grading & Excavating ISSUE CALCONTRACTOR

Common issues seen today in the field are: • The operator loses track of his passes and the job becomes guesswork www.calcontractor.com

• The supervisor cannot monitor pass count performance and cannot verify accurate completion of the compaction job • Inconsistent density • Under-compaction or over-compaction • Penalties, missed bonuses, premature road failure and legal issues Pass Count Mapping takes the guesswork out of asphalt compaction. It results in more consistent achievement of target pass count and increases productivity by taking the most efficient rolling pattern. Compaction density is tracked and recorded to insure proper compaction, eliminating the risk of penalties.

Pass Count Mapping requires a roof-mounted GPS receiver, a control box and a Connected Site Link. The system calculates the exact position of the machine and displays a color map and scale indicating the current number of passes and where an operator has overlaps or gaps. Productivity reporting includes system usage, compaction terrain logging and machine productivity statistics.

For office reporting, data can manually be logged using a modem, or automatically logged on the cloud. The cloud allows project managers to view realtime data using Wireless Data Synchronization via a Wi-Fi or cellular connection.

COMPACTION CONTROL

The asphalt compactor is the last machine to pass over a paving project, and mistakes during this phase can be very costly to fix. Traditional compaction measurements use a nuclear density gauge to test a sample of a site. Today, Compaction Control systems use an accelerometer to measure Compaction Meter Value (CMV)1, Resonance Meter Value (RMV)2, Frequency3 and Amplitude4. These systems eliminate much of the guesswork from asphalt compaction and help contractors achieve more consistent compaction to target design density. Real-time view detects where compaction does not meet design specs and immediately notifies the operator while recording the data to the cloud*. This alleviates the use of traditional methods for validation of problem areas: contractors can significantly reduce the need for rework by installing a Compaction Control system on their asphalt compactors.

Compaction Control identifies compaction problems early, allowing contractors to fix them in the construction process. It significantly reduces www.calcontractor.com

the threat of rework. Compaction Control eliminates the need for a test roller which reduces transportation costs and leads to less maintenance on machines.

Jobs requiring the use of Intelligent Compaction will ask for an Intelligent Compaction Measurement Value (ICMV). It is essential to have an accelerometer, which should only be placed on the front drum of a machine. An accelerometer-based ICMV is a composite of the current lift and the layers below it.

Compaction Control systems are compatible with all asphalt compactors. The wiring harness and brackets are permanently installed for optimal fit and integration with the machine Intelligent body. These components can be Compaction used on a wide range of paving positions and earthmoving machines to operators to roll increase utilization and more. a more efficient Intelligent Compaction positions pattern, increase operators to roll a more efficient pattern, increase productivity and productivity, and save fuel. save fuel.

The Compaction Control system displays and records the following: • Machine Position (GNSS) • Machine Pass Count/Coverage • Compaction Width • Asphalt Temperature • Compaction Measurements (soils) • Vibratory Status (on/off/rear/both) • Vibratory Frequency • Machine Speed • Direction of travel (forward, reverse) *For office reporting compaction modules have the ability to automatically log data to the cloud.

INFRARED TEMPERATURE MAPPING

Today, it is an art for the operator to correctly judge the optimal temperature window for compaction. According to the DOT asphalt should be compacted between 175 to 320 degrees Fahrenheit, although this can vary depending on the asphalt mix.

In general asphalt becomes too stiff to compact at 175 degrees Fahrenheit.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Measures of soil stiffness affected by machine direction, speed, and weight Measure of decoupling or drum bounce Vibration Frequency (impacts/min) Impact force

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Traditionally, the operator would have a second person using a heat gun to gauge the asphalt’s temperature. With the use of Infrared Temperature Mapping, contractors can save time and money on paving projects. Asphalt contractors need to better understand the temperature of the material they are compacting in order to prevent displacing material that is too hot or damaging an asphalt surface that is too cold to compact.

When rolling on asphalt below 175°, material is too hard to compact and at anything above 320°, the material becomes too soft and can be displaced. The asphalt temperature is critical to the amount of compaction and the time available for compaction. Infrared Temperature Mapping takes away the guesswork by measuring real-time surface temperatures, thus enabling the operator to find the optimal window for compaction. Not all asphalt mixtures are the same, and with temperature mapping users can define custom minimum and maximum values. The defined high and low temperature warnings are displayed over the machine icon in all of the plan view maps, enabling operators to watch the pass count map and still get warnings if the temperature is too high or too low.

Sensors are installed on the front and rear drum to measure surface temperature of the mat in the direction of operation. The system automatically switches between using the front and rear sensors so that the leading sensor is always indicated on the in-cab control box. The operator sees accurate temperature information on the asphalt surface about to be compacted, before the temperature drop caused by the wet steel drum passing over the hot mat.

With Infrared Temperature Mapping, an operator is informed and equipped to have a better understanding of material conditions on the job. This improves consistency of density and smoothness. The temperature data can be accessed and displayed on a color map, and may be recorded for further analysis with the use of office software packages once the job is complete.

DOCUMENTATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL

Compaction is one of the most critical processes when paving a highway. Conventional rolling equipment has worked reasonably well over the years; however, there have been several innovations in paving technology that has greatly improved pavement construction. Compaction Reporting is beneficial for site engineers, project managers and contractors.

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2014 Grading & Excavating ISSUE CALCONTRACTOR

Documentation of Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) is becoming a standard in Federal project bids. Advanced Compaction Control and documentation Compaction provides a real-time summary Reporting is of compaction data. Infield beneficial for reporting and an in-cab printer site engineers, allow on-site supervisors and project managers quality managers to monitor and contractors. compaction operations and correct possible issues immediately.

Intelligent Compaction technology greatly reduces the number of manual compaction tests needed, which lowers testing costs and necessitates fewer samples to tag and store.

Compaction data logs can be wirelessly transferred from the machine to the office for analysis using web-based fleet, asset and productivity management solutions. This technology generates electronic data of results, allowing post-process quality control and analysis that can be viewed on any desktop or laptop computer.

Keeping track of historical records of jobsite data are a lot easier with this equipment, and it correlates with long-term results that can be referred to on demand. It is essential to have verification that target criteria have been met on all Intelligent Compaction jobs.

CONCLUSION

As implementation of Compaction Control technology becomes standard for paving jobsites, the use of these techniques and equipment are becoming more than a smart choice: it’s becoming a paving requirement for the majority of Federal contracts nationwide.

Precision Mapping, Pass Count Tracking, Compaction Control, Infrared Temperature Mapping, and Documentation of Quality Assurance and Quality Control are all necessary to qualify for jobs listing Intelligent Compaction as a bid requirement. The benefits are: faster material inspections, reduction of human errors, improved in-place density, more efficient compaction operations, better pavement performance, longerlife pavements, and clear data for archival and warranty work documentation.

Entry into Intelligent Compaction can be overwhelming. But this technology can be integrated into existing paving fleets. Data management and integration of soft- ware packages can be taught by vendors at the point of sale and during implementation of Intelligent www.calcontractor.com

Compaction technology. It is always important to learn best practices when using any tool.

Partnering with a knowledgeable provider is crucial to learning and implementing Intelligent Compaction technology into your fleet. There are dealers with Intelligent Compaction experts that have answers to your questions. Every business has different needs. A good provider can help configure the proper system for specific projects on top of selling you the equipment. These experts can help train your employees on the latest technologies and understand how to get the most profit utilizing Compaction technology on your jobsite. Cc About The Authors:

Chris Mata is the Marketing Coordinator for Earthmoving at Peterson Cat. He attended California State University East Bay where he graduated with a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and Corporate Management.

Tom King is a sales engineer for SITECH NorCal with 19 years of experience in the laser and GPS machine control industry. Tom is a licensed engineering contractor in the state of California.

Al Hodson is Peterson Cat’s paving specialist-he has worked with paving crews in California since 1997 and has helped his customers integrate Intelligent Compaction into their operations for the past four years.

References:

Federal Highway Administration. Intelligent Compaction for Asphalt Materials: 1-6. US Department of Transportation, 2010.

Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www.fhwa. dot.gov/construction/ pubs/hif13051.pdf> “Improving the Foundation Layers for Concrete Pavements.” Transportation Research Board. Federal Highway Administration, 2 May 2013. Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www. fhwa.dot.gov/construction/ictssc/ic_specs_hma.pdf> Rock Products Committee, and Asphalt Task Group.

Intelligent Compaction (2013): <http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/ Pavement/RPC/PDF/RPC_Scoping_Document_Approved_HMA_ Intelligent%20_Compaction_4-15-13.pdf> US Department of Transportation, and Federal Highway Administration. Accelerated Implementation of Intelligent Compaction Technology. (2011): 1-275. FHWA, July 2011. Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/ic/pubs/ hif12002.pdf>

Target Compaction in Fewer Passes Intelligent Compaction (IC) is rapidly becoming a requirement for Caltrans projects.

SITECH NorCal and SITECH Oregon have the cutting edge IC technology. Our CCS900 System enables your rollers to meet today’s stringent paving requirements: • Pass count mapping • Temperature mapping • Monitor Compaction Meter Values (CMV) • Wirelessly transfer data from the machine to the office for analysis

Contact us for a free demonstration, some conditions apply.

SITECH Oregon 4421 NE Columbia Blvd.

Portland, OR 97218 510.670.2800 SITECHoregon.com

www.calcontractor.com

Our NEW Salem Store 3870 Turner Road SE Salem, OR 97302 503.280.1505

SITECH NorCal 2251 Alvarado Street San Leandro, CA 94577 510.670.2800 SITECHnorcal.com

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The Search Continues Finding good employees and one company’s effort to help.

“I wouldn't wish any specific thing for any specific person - it's none of my business. But the idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane. It's insane.”

– Mike Rowe, Host of “Dirty Jobs” and trade careers activist

Written By: Jeff Winke

T

he need is there. Visit construction contractors anywhere in North America and it’ll be mentioned: the pressing need for good employees.

The best and brightest could do well in the field. The opportunities are challenging. The income can be immense. And growth within the profession is clearly there for the motivated.

Unfortunately, American youth are not told about the various possibilities in the construction market — and in most cases are actively dissuaded from considering anything that has to do with construction. The outdated stereotypes held by parents and school guidance counselors prevail. For many students who are exploring career options, construction is presented as the option of last resort or even a threat. They may be presented with the image of a scrubbed-clean youth in business attire versus a dirty, sweaty worker digging ditches and are told: “Study hard, get a university 24

degree or you’ll end up swinging a pickaxe all day.”

The young in America are still fed the promise that a college degree is the only path to higher earnings and success. Reality is not so certain in today’s postGreat-Recession new world. The average tuition debt load for the class of 2012 was $29,400, according to a report from the Institute for College Access & Success' Project on Student Debt.

At the same time that personal debt has been going up, colleges across the country have been hiking tuition and fees. Meanwhile, families' incomes have been shrinking and student loan debt has risen at an average rate of six percent per year from 2008 to 2012, the report found.

Recent college grads are finding that their college diplomas no longer function like magic wands that can open doors of opportunity.

Instead, they are settling for lower-paying jobs outside their field, while carrying a tuition debt load that easily exceeds their

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income. In today’s world, it’s best to be nice to the waiter and coffee-shop barista since they are likely to be recent college grads carrying enormous debts, and still living at home with their dreams on hold.

The unfortunate reality is that the intelligence, creative problem solving, communication skills, and appreciation for technology attributes that employers allegedly seek in university graduates is exactly what construction companies want.

The diversity of disciplines and evolution of technology in the construction fields do not in any way reflect the stereotype of someone who is not smart enough to do anything but work in construction. The construction field includes those who create 3D digital models of a construction site, operators of technologically advanced million-dollar machines that use GPS control to achieve graded surfaces that are measured in millimeters, and workers responsible for accurately mapping www.calcontractor.com

the uneven features of a raw construction site using satellite navigation systems, inertial measurement, and laser scanning.

Today, the best and brightest are what are needed in construction and contractors are seeking just that.

Understanding the demand for qualified workers in the construction fields, Topcon Positioning Systems Inc., a developer and provider of technologies and products for the survey and construction markets, has developed outreach and partnership programs to help schools and colleges attract more students and to equip them with the latest technology so their students graduate with experience using state-of-the-art products.

The Topcon Educational Partnership Program (EPP) is missioned with helping educational institutions by providing discounted Topcon products for instruction, as well as learning tools to aid in educating the future generations of surveyors, engineers, precision agriculture, and construction professionals.

EPP partner schools and colleges are offered: • Access to the EPP instructor portal on Topcon TotalCare – an online training and customer support site.

• Hands-on instructor and classroom training provided by a Topcon product specialist.

• Special product discounts for educational institutions. www.calcontractor.com

• Direct access to Topcon Technical Support.

• Free access to otherwise paid online training services.

• Educational rental program that bundles both product and one-on-one training from a Topcon product specialist.

• Job postings and internship opportunities through Topcon and its vast dealer network.

• Online course material including presentations and videos.

Recently, EPP partners were invited to an impressive collection of products, systems, software, and technology, showcasing where construction has come and is heading, that is on tour in an interactive demonstration and education traveling solutions center. The Topcon Technology Roadshow is currently on a 24-city tour of North America, spanning a 23,000-mile circuit.

The intent is to bring products and training close to those who can benefit from it.

The 52-foot long mobile solutions center along with pop-outs and adjunct tents function as the hub for presenting the latest positioning technologies in the construction, surveying and GIS, and architecture/engineering/ contractor (AEC) professions.

The new mobile classroom within the customized 18-wheeler trailer seats more than two-dozen visitors and not only allows for centralized demonstrations of the latest Topcon products and technologies, but is designed for

interactive training sessions as well.

Trade colleges and universitylevel technical programs have been invited to participate in the two-day visits at the locations.

Counselors, instructors, and students have had opportunities to rub shoulders with site surveyors, 3D model builders, earth-movers, and milling and paving contractors who are coming to see the latest technology and solutions to their evolving needs.

“I have 24 students about to graduate from our heavy-dutyequipment technician apprentice program who I asked to join me at the Toronto visit of the Technology Roadshow—18 made it,” stated Tim Allan, an instructor in The School of Transportation at Centennial College, Toronto, Ont. “They loved seeing all the technologies in the display trailer and thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on machine control demonstrations that went on outside in the field. I was happy that they were asking the Topcon people good, challenging technical questions rather than just commenting on the operational.”

Allan learned about the Technology Roadshow from one of his students who read about it in a construction trade magazine. Having access to the latest products and seeing demonstrations of how critical real time data is to the successful completion of construction projects made their attendance worthwhile, Allan said.

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Thomas Baden, instructor for heavy equipment operation at the Perry Campus of Hocking College, located in New Lexington,Ohio was accompanied by two other instructors and 15 of their students when they attended the Columbus Roadshow.

“It was amazing to see the newer technology and how comprehensive the Topcon offering is,” Baden stated. “My students—in fact, all of us—are still talking about it.”

Baden said his students were a bit intimidated when they first arrived but the Topcon technical

26

staff quickly made them feel welcome.

“The Roadshow was worth it if only to see how the GPS system controls the machine to achieve grade,” said Baden. “This opened our eyes to how extensive the technology is.”

At the Charlotte Technology Roadshow, Joshua Aldridge, instructor for the heavy equipment operator program at Stanly Community College, located in Albemarle, N.C. attended the event with nine of his students.

“My students were surprised to see all the technology out there

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and how machines working on a site can be linked to a supervisor on the site and to an off-site office,” Aldridge said. “I didn’t realize how precise the grade control technology has become, and it seems like the cost for a system has come down a bit from a few years ago.”

The Educational Partnership Program and the Technology Roadshow are but steps in the efforts to attract high caliber workers to the construction trades and change the perceptions of those who influence career choices. Cc

www.calcontractor.com

Quality you can rely on

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2014 Grading & Excavating ISSUE CALCONTRACTOR

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For details, contact your local Komatsu distributor.

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ADVERTISER INDEX

A.S.A.P. Heavy Equipment Rentals......................30 Clairemont Equipment............................13, 28 & 29 Coastline Equipment..............................................3 Coastline Equipment Crane Div...........................31 Crime Prevention Program...................................30 Hawthorne CAT......................................................2 Heavy Equipment Rentals....................................26 Johnson CAT..........................................................2 Nixon-Egli Equipment Co...................... Back Cover Quinn CAT..............................................................2 RDO Equipment Co................................................5 RDOIC..................................................................27 Road Machinery...................................................11 Scott Equipment...................................................19 Sitech...................................................................23 Sonsray Machinery.................................................6 Trench Shoring Company....................................29 UB Equipment Corp...............................................7 Volvo Construction Equip. & Svcs..........................17 Westrax Machinery...............................................17

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2014 Grading & Excavating ISSUE CALCONTRACTOR

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