IMIESA April 2021

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

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • SERVICE DELIVERY • ROADS • BUILDING • MAINTENANCE

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

A new JCB distributor for South Africa Duncan Mashika

Managing Director: Bell Equipment Sales South Africa Limited

Who’s Who in Roads Upgrading SA’s network

Trenchless Technology

Planning is key to successful infrastructure investment

The need for standards

Nelson Mandela Bay

Wastewater & NRW interventions

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INSIDE

VOLUME 46 NO. 04 APRIL 2021

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33

www.infrastructurenews.co.za

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

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • SERVICE DELIVERY • ROADS • BUILDING • MAINTENANCE

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Regulars

A new JCB distributor for South Africa Duncan Mashika

Managing Director: Bell Equipment Sales South Africa Limited

Who’s Who in Roads Trenchless Technology

Planning is key to successful infrastructure investment

The need for standards

Nelson Mandela Bay

Wastewater & NRW interventions

Gravel to paved roads in KZN 36

Editor’s comment

3

President’s comment

5

Index to advertisers

Upgrading SA’s network

56

Cover Story Planning is key to successful infrastructure investment

6

Geomatics 8 l uVo I S S N 0I S2S5N7 01295778 1 9 V7 o m leu m 4 5e N4o6 . N0o9. •0 4 S•e pAtpermi l b2e0r 2210 •2 0R 5•5 . 0R05 5( i. n 0 c0 l .( iVAT n c l .) VAT )

ON THE COVER Reviving South Africa’s troubled economy hinges on sustained infrastructure investments and effective implementation, says Sandra Munnik, Divisional Head: Infrastructure Planning (IPD) at Mariswe. The IPD has a mandate to deliver solutions that build communities and livelihoods. P6

INDUSTRY INSIGHT Bell Equipment Sales South Africa has been appointed as the South African distributor for the full range of JCB construction equipment from 1 May 2021. IMIESA speaks to MD Duncan Mashika about how this development ties in with the overall group strategy. P10

12

Pros and cons of sectional title and full ownership

WHO’S WHO IN ROADS

8

Concrete routes deliver durability and economy

38

New innovation patching up South African roads

39

Integrated Ammann solutions for asphalt production

40

Visibility, flexibility and control

41

N1 widening underscores the value of planning

42

Nelson Mandela Bay

Industry Insight A new JCB distributor for South Africa 10

Driftsands sewer project to unlock further development

44

Trenchless Technologies

Increased efforts to conquer water crisis

46

Sustaining the value of underground assets

12

The need for trenchless technology standards

Student Accommodation & Social Housing

14

Building conversions that add value

Water & Wastewater

Buffalo City

A case for decentralised wastewater treatment plants

18

Digital twins in the water sector

20

22

Disaster Management Planning Role of municipal engineers vital in managing disaster risk

East London’s planned sewer diversion tunnel

50

Cement & Concrete

Africa Round-up Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II: Overview and Update

48

24

Sustainable construction starts with materials

51

Surface stabilisation between rock bolts

52

A solution for efflorescence

52

Fleet Management

Who’s Who in Roads Laezonia Quarry: A proud history

26

Materials for lasting infrastructure

27

The science of road rehabilitation

28

Ctrack’s flexible software solutions cover all the bases

53

Vehicles & Equipment

Meet the specification with SmartPave 30

Shop online for Bell pre-owned

55

Why some seals work and others don’t 32

Two decades with I-Shift

56

44

NELSON MANDELA BAY

51

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EDITOR’S COMMENT MANAGING EDITOR Alastair Currie SENIOR JOURNALIST Kirsten Kelly JOURNALIST Nombulelo Manyana HEAD OF DESIGN Beren Bauermeister CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Tristan Snijders CONTRIBUTORS Dhiren Allopi, Alaster Goyns, Johan Muller, Gugu Ndlovu, Bhavna Soni, Altus Strydom PRODUCTION & CLIENT LIAISON MANAGER Antois-Leigh Nepgen PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jacqueline Modise GROUP SALES MANAGER Chilomia Van Wijk BOOKKEEPER Tonya Hebenton DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa Masina DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha Pursotham SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@3smedia.co.za ___________________________________________________

The road to recovery

T

he recent surge in demand for imported bitumen products is a positive sign that there’s an anticipated upswing in the roads market. This is supported by increased tender activity, plus new project awards from Sanral.

These include an approximately R1.45 billion investment in a major revamp of the N3 (Section 2) between Cato Ridge and Dardanelles in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

Awarded in April 2021, this 48-month project entails the upgrading of a 6.4 km four-lane dual carriageway to an eight-lane inbound and outbound section, plus associated works. A section of the R103, which runs parallel to the N3, will also be revamped.

According to Sanral, around R400 million will be apportioned to SMME subcontractors, plus more than R100 million for community-based labour.

In both cases, this should present excellent opportunities for employment, skills transfer and the adoption of new technologies.

ADVERTISING SALES KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER Joanne Lawrie Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 / +27 (0)82 346 5338 Email: joanne@3smedia.co.za ___________________________________________________

PUBLISHER Jacques Breytenbach 3S Media 46 Milkyway Avenue, Frankenwald, 2090 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 www.3smedia.co.za ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: R600.00 (INCL VAT) ISSN 0257 1978 IMIESA, Inst.MUNIC. ENG. S. AFR. © Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. ___________________________________________________ IMESA CONTACTS HEAD OFFICE: Manager: Ingrid Botton P.O. Box 2190, Westville, 3630 Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263 Email: admin@imesa.org.za Website: www.imesa.org.za

The backbone of the economy For any country, roads are the backbone of the economy. In South Africa’s case, this is even more applicable since the majority of our goods are transported by road, rather than alternatives like rail. For roads authorities, this makes maintenance a priority, since the wear and tear caused by truck traffic takes its toll on riding surfaces. Proactive maintenance logically extends pavement life and delays the eventual need for costly reconstruction.

Developing and applying the most effective maintenance strategies is vital to preserving our approximately 158 124 km of paved roadways.

As an industry, there also needs to be a strategic focus on transitioning some sections of our approximately 591 876 km of unpaved roads to asphalt-surfaced routes.

Progress is being made in this direction.

During the 2021 State of the National Address,

BORDER Secretary: Celeste Vosloo Tel: +27 (0)43 705 2433 Email: celestev@buffalocity.gov.za EASTERN CAPE Secretary: Susan Canestra Tel: +27 (0)41 585 4142 ext. 7 Email: imesaec@imesa.org.za KWAZULU-NATAL Secretary: Ingrid Botton Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263 Email: imesakzn@imesa.org.za NORTHERN PROVINCES Secretary: Ollah Mthembu Tel: +27 (0)82 823 7104 Email: np@imesa.org.za SOUTHERN CAPE KAROO Secretary: Henrietta Olivier Tel: +27 (0)79 390 7536 Email: imesasck@imesa.org.za WESTERN CAPE Secretary: Michelle Ackerman Tel: +27 (0)21 444 7114 Email: imesawc@imesa.org.za FREE STATE & NORTHERN CAPE Secretary: Wilma Van Der Walt Tel: +27 (0)83 457 4362 Email: imesafsnc@imesa.org.za All material herein IMIESA is copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The views of the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa or the publishers. _____________________________________________

An immediate priority is the need to tackle the growing number of potholes nationally. In addition to restoring road integrity, pothole repairs present huge and much-needed employment and business opportunities for communities and SMMEs. Pothole repair programmes also serve as important case studies of how and why roads deteriorate, especially if these are premature failures. That has a bearing on future design, material selection and construction methodology so that roads are built right the first time.

In the end, it’s all about implementation. In this respect, there’s an exciting new development from Shisalanga Construction, a company that pioneered the local application of plastic asphalt. The roads expert has developed a prototype pothole-patching trailer capable of patching between 5 t to 8 t of asphalt per day. This invention could be a real game changer for municipalities and showcases how there’s always a solution to any problem.

Alastair @infrastructure4

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turenews.co.za

Infrastructure News

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

INFRASTRUCT

ENT URE DEVELOPM

ANCE G • MAINTEN DS • BUILDIN LIVERY • ROA • SERVICE DE

Cover opportunity

A new JCB distributor for South Africa Duncan Mashika

Bell Equipment Managing Director: Africa Limited Sales South

Who’s Who in Roads

Upgradin g SA’s network

Trenchless Techno

logy

The need for standard

s

successful Planning is key to ment infrastructure invest

Nelson Mandel a Bay

The ABC logo is a valued stamp of measurement and trust, providing accurate and comparable circulation figures that protect the way advertising is traded.

IMIESA is ABC audited and certified.

Plugging the potholes

To our avid readers, check out what we are talking about on our website, Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and have your say.

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Novus Holdings is a Level 2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Contributor, with 125% recognised procurement recognition. View our BBBEE scorecard here: https://novus.holdings/sustainability/transformation

President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that, “The Infrastructure Investment Plan identifies roads projects worth R19 billion covering the spine of the South African road network. Work is under way to finalise project finance structuring for these projects.”

For the roads industry, the when and how still need to be mapped out in more detail, but Sanral’s recent KZN award is certainly encouraging. Aside from national routes, it would also be ideal if some of this funding could be allocated to rural roads projects designed to connect communities that remain cut off from the mainstream economy.

Wastewa ter

& NRW interven tions

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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 Joanne Lawrie on +27 (0)82 346 5338.

IMIESA April 2021

3

BIENNIAL PROJECT EXCELLENCE AWARDS

TUESDAY 16TH NOVEMBER 2021 CAPE TOWN

CALL FOR ENTRIES To recognise outstanding achievements in municipal infrastructure, we are calling for entries

Planning and design

that showcase projects that demonstrate the best of civil engineering as a science and how engineering

Innovation and originality Meeting social and technical challenges

enhances the lives of the local communities, through excellence in:

Contributing to the well-being of communities

Construction methods

CATEGORIES

1

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE IN STRUCTURES & CIVILS E.g. Projects demonstrating engineering science, use of alternate materials, innovative construction processes, etc.

2

COMMUNITY UPLIFTMENT & JOB CREATION E.g. Projects demonstrating labour-intensive construction, skills development, community awareness/participation, etc.

3

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE E.g. Environmental rehabilitation, renewable energy, drought solutions, coastal initiatives for rising sea levels, pollution control, educational/ technical initiatives, etc.

CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSIONS 16 JULY 2021

Only projects that have reached practical or substantive completion by 30 June 2020 will be accepted for the Excellence Awards.

Adjudicators reserve the right to reallocate entries in the 3 categories.

ENTRY FORMS AND AWARD CRITERIA Available for download on the website: www.imesa.org.za

IMESA THE INSTITUTE OF MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (IMESA)

QUESTIONS Contact Debbie Anderson on +27 (0)31 266 3263 or email conference@imesa.org.za

PRESIDENT’S COMMENT

IMESA

When engineers become managers The complexity of South Africa’s municipal and built environment legislation can often be a stumbling block to effective infrastructure implementation. It can also hamper the development of municipal engineering managers who get caught up in its bureaucratic web.

Working with key public sector stakeholders, IMESA’s objective is to streamline the process.

W

hen I graduated as a civil engineer, it was an exciting and treasured milestone, and the starting point for a career that has transcended anything I initially imagined.

After graduation, my major lesson was that university certainly provides an invaluable foundation, but life remains the ultimate teacher. It defines us, ethically and professionally.

Initial tasks assigned to young engineers can often seem overwhelming; however, with the right mentor and organisational culture, proficiency grows over time.

Candidates embark on their exciting journey to professional registration, which is another milestone that opens the door to new career possibilities.

A transition to leadership This professional pathway starts with specialisation, and then often evolves, as exposure is gained to the multifaceted nature of infrastructure implementation.

This often leads to promotions to supervisory and/or management level.

Interestingly, it’s a point where many specialists become conflicted. They experience a form of separation anxiety from their core skill sets.

However, in time, these new leaders soon understand that their strong technical foundation and reputation for excellence are what make them such effective leaders in implementation. Additional skills they now apply include project and programme management, conflict resolution, community liaison, plus new ways to optimise design through technology.

Administrative bottlenecks The sad reality though is that many of these municipal engineering managers soon become bogged down by myriad legislative reporting requirements, which shift their primary focus away from project delivery. Financial constraints and procurement delays further compound the problem. We urgently need to address this since it compounds existing challenges faced by under-performing municipalities.

Some level of administration inevitably comes with management, but it must be efficiently streamlined if the objectives of initiatives like Cogta’s District Development Model (DDM) turnaround strategy are to be achieved.

Municipal Finance Management Act (No. 56 of 2003), which are causing delays in service delivery.

Other industry bodies were also raising their concerns, so IMESA felt a coordinated approach was required when engaging with National Treasury on SCM issues. The first subsequent meeting with National Treasury, coordinated by IMESA’s Neil Macleod, included SAFCEC, SABTACO, SAICE and CESA representatives. At this meeting, it was also agreed that Neil Macleod, who was head: Water and Sanitation at eThekwini prior to his retirement, would serve as the coordinator for future industry stakeholder engagements.

IMESA is committed to working with all government stakeholders and to share knowledge and best practices via Council-led work groups and our Exco technical directors. We’d also like to encourage our IMESA community to come forward in addressing our infrastructure challenges. After all, municipal engineering should be about service delivery, not project administration.

Stakeholder engagement IMESA fully supports the DDM initiative, plus allied government programmes that can affect an infrastructure-led economic resurgence. In this respect, IMESA is well equipped to assist in facilitating implementation processes, as many of our members are highly experienced engineering managers with an in-depth understanding of impediments in the current municipal environment.

As a proactive step, IMESA set up a meeting in August 2020, which was attended by representatives from Cogta, CIDB, MISA, National Treasur y and Salga. This was coordinated by Randeer Kasserchun, our immediate past president.

Key issues raised include adherence to a 30-day payment timeframe for approved vendors. Another concerns various supply chain management (SCM) processes relating to interpretation of the

Bhavna Soni, president, IMESA

IMIESA April 2021

5

COVER STORY Reviving South Africa’s troubled economy hinges on sustained infrastructure investments and effective implementation, says Sandra Munnik, Divisional Head: Infrastructure Planning (IPD) at Mariswe.

The IPD has a mandate to deliver solutions that build communities and livelihoods.

T

he poor access to reliable physical and social infrastructure across Africa poses a considerable threat to economic growth and social well-being, providing significant opportunity for a participatory approach to the proper planning of infrastructure solutions. This approach lies at the heart of the services provided by Sandra and her team, working side by side with Mariswe’s broader spectrum of civil engineering consulting and management services.

The planning of feasible and sustainable infrastructure solutions has been part of Mariswe’s service offering since the firm’s appointment in 1995 as provincial representative to assist the former Department of Water Affairs and Forestry’s Eastern Cape office in the rollout of the Community Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Strategic Framework.

The framework supported the ANC-led government in the 1994 Reconstruction and Development Programme that aimed to grow the economy and improve developmental outcomes to reduce poverty and improve human well-being.

“Mariswe’s IPD has been involved in rolling out these water service delivery programmes ever since and has also moved towards meeting the National Development Plan’s objective to provide 100% reliable services across all sectors in South Africa,” says Sandra.

Planning is

key to successful infrastructure investment

Upskilling municipalities The IPD’s service offerings are governed by various laws and Mariswe has, in turn, worked with many municipalities to evolve their statutory requirements and compliance. “For example, we have assisted municipalities in fulfilling their mandates as water services authorities and providers, transport authorities, housing authorities and in the development of various water services development plans, public transport and integrated transport plans, as well as housing sector plans.”

Planning for operations and maintenance is an integral part of infrastructure planning. Inadequate maintenance leads to underperforming assets, increased risks, service disruptions and premature asset failure.

The result is a higher life-cycle cost and a decreased level of service, Sandra points out.

“Most operations and maintenance activities are conducted in a reactive manner and appropriate planning can avoid this while extending the service life of the asset, improving reliability and performance, and reducing costs,” she explains.

This strategy should be applied to all service delivery sectors to reduce the backlog in access to water, sanitation, electricity, education and health facilities, and improve access to economic infrastructure

Sandra Munnik, Divisional Head: Infrastructure Planning (IPD), Mariswe

such as transport and telecommunications.

Mariswe’s IPD uses specific processes to identify infrastructure in disrepair and develop maintenance priorities inclusive of costs.

One example is the development of a web-based Health Facility Management Information System. Another is conducting condition assessment of bulk water services assets to enable: • risk assessment based on water supply interruptions • capital budget planning for refurbishment and replacement of the asset • operational budget for water infrastructure operations and maintenance.

Institutional and human capacity Kim Dlamini (left) and Pondy Ngxongxela from Mariswe’s Pietermaritzburg office are honing their project and programme management skills on infrastructure implementation

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IMIESA April 2021

Infrastructure can only deliver sustainable services if it is supported by strong, effective institutional and human capacity to manage implementation, operation and maintenance.

“A framework of actions to be undertaken for project implementation must include capacity-building concepts and capacity measurements,” Sandra explains. “The capital cost of investment in service delivery depends on variables such as service levels, estimated future requirements, urban and rural settlement landscape, topography and geology, existing infrastructure, labour costs, material costs, accessibility, technical efficiency, and economies of scale.”

COVER STORY She adds that capacity building through education, training and skills development is a major component of support to the services sector. Support can be provided through the establishment of knowledge networks to share information within the sector, purpose-developed resource packs that can help develop capacity to reduce external support over time, and special skills development programmes.

Mariswe has participated in many successful capacity-building projects that have involved profiling the organisational structure to identify gaps in human resources support requirements for technical services master planning, as well as business plan development across various spheres of government.

Rustenburg Housing Sector Plan

Informal settlements The increased presence of informal settlements across South Africa can, in part, be attributed to a lack of infrastructure planning and delivery. In an effort to create some structure around informal settlements, Rustenburg Local Municipality (RLM) appointed Mariswe to develop a Procedural Manual for the Management and Control of Informal Settlements. The purpose of the project was to assist RLM in the uniform application of by-laws across all informal settlements within its jurisdiction.

“Municipalities need to develop procedures for the regulation of informal settlements not only to manage and control their emergence, but also to legalise and upgrade settlements into formal townships where appropriate,” says Sandra.

travel between work and areas of residence.

Employees use various modes of transport that are expensive and time consuming. The Mariswe IPD has investigated subsidy schemes available for private and public transport and identified options in terms of cost, distance and time.

The IPD has also conducted prefeasibility studies for mine site development in several African countries. “Appropriate transportation linkages are essential for new mine development, and the availability, accessibility and costs of land, water (bulk and reticulation), sanitation, power, housing and recreational facilities for employees and management need to be considered,” says Sandra.

Private sector projects

Female team

Building bridges between the public and private sectors, Mariswe has helped to streamline the integration of service delivery between municipalities and mines. In an initiative driven

by Anglo American Platinum in the Western Limb, various mining houses contributed to services sector technical task teams mandated to deliver resources to surrounding communities. The aim was to improve the coverage of services, encourage empowerment and socio-economic development, and alleviate poverty within a safe and secure environment.

Strategic support and policy developments have also been produced for mines to address employee safety and economies of scale for

Mariswe is recognised for its significant emphasis on the development and support of women in all roles across the business and over 20% of the firm’s shares are held by black female employees. The IPD team has always been dominated by women and synergies with other divisions in the company have resulted in exciting growth opportunities for its young female professionals.

There have been several opportunities for Mariswe’s young female engineers to excel in joint projects between the IPD and the company’s Management Services Division, which focuses on both project and programme management.

For example, Pondy Ngxongxela of Management

Infrastructure Financing

Infrastructure Auditing & Mapping

Infrastructure Planning & Management

Services in the Pietermaritzburg office stepped up to a leadership role in the implementation of planned water services infrastructure in Zambia.

In another instance, the appointment of the Mariswe IPD as transaction advisor to conduct a feasibility study for wastewater reuse for the City of uMhlathuze – including the procurement of a public-private partnership – required significant project administration expertise. This is being provided by Kim Dlamini of the Pietermaritzburg office, who is bringing her administration skills to bear on a project outside her normal scope.

“Opportunities like these help our talented young women to broaden their skills and experience at the coalface, so that they can rise to the top in their fields and give other women the courage to follow suit,” explains Nonkululeko Sindane, CEO, Mariswe.

Infrastructure Regulation

www.mariswe.com

Capacity Building and Institutional Development

IMIESA April 2021

7

GEOMATICS

The biggest advantage of sectional titles is that units are smaller and via a multiple-storey development it is possible for more people to own their own home

Pros and cons of sectional title and full ownership There are several ways to own proper ty in South Africa of which full title (FT) and sectional title (ST) ownership are the most common and apply for any legal entity, such as companies, trusts, government, churches, and organisations.

By Altus Strydom*

E

ssentially, any legal entity can own property and have other real rights such as servitudes, exclusive use (EU) areas and leases registered over property. Certain rural communities fall under tribal law, where the tribe owns the property, and individual tribe members have no or little security of title. Years ago, there was also the 99-year leasehold system, where property ownership was extended to previously disadvantaged communities. Over time, these were converted to FT ownership.

Ownership is secured by survey, Surveyor General approval and registration in the Deeds Office via the Deeds Registries Act (No. 47 of 1937). The role of the land surveyor is crucial in the property registration process, because they are the person that, prior to lodgement with the Surveyor General, is responsible for certifying that all legal and municipal requirements were adhered to in terms of the

8

IMIESA April 2021

Acts that control property ownership. These incorporate the Land Survey Act (No. 8 of 1997), Town Planning Scheme, and in the case of ST also building plans and Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (No. 16 of 2013) stipulations.

EU should be surveyed and registered in the Deeds Office as part of the ST plan. This is a real right and owners are in control.

What is FT ownership?

For the sake of comparison, we will discuss

SECTIONAL TITLE AND FULL TITLE DEFINED What is ST ownership?

Here, you own a unit in a building and have joint ownership in the common property. The scheme is managed by the trustees and managing agent, which means that there must be consensus in all decision-making.

Most decisions are prescribed by rules and the body corporate. If something goes wrong (e.g. the roof leaks or the boundary wall falls over), the entire complex is responsible for the costs.

Owners have a right over EU areas, such as an enclosed garden or carport. Essentially,

Altus Strydom

GEOMATICS

FT ownership in an estate or development with free-standing properties controlled by a homeowners’ association (HOA). Here, you own the property and everything on it. If the roof leaks or the boundary wall falls over, it is your responsibility.

Ownership is secured by survey, Surveyor General approval and registration in the Deeds Office via the Deeds Registries Act

Advantages and disadvantages of ST The biggest advantage is that units are smaller and, via a multiple-storey development, it is possible for more people to own their own home. It is also generally cheaper to live in an ST complex than in an FT complex.

Disadvantages of ST developments are that you share everything with other people and space is more cramped. Rules are not always clear and can easily be manipulated.

Crucial questions to ask the estate agent when buying ST When purchasing property, it’s strongly recommended that prospective buyers obtain clarity on the following key questions and request written proof: - Are all building plans of extensions to all units approved?

- Is the ST plan up to date, does it represent all buildings on the property, is the participation quota schedule accurate, and is it registered with the Surveyor General?

- Are the changes to the ST plans registered against the title deed of the property?

- Are there EU plans?

- Are owner rights secured?

If all building plans are not registered and something goes wrong – e.g. a fire destroys the property or entire complex – the insurance will most probably not pay compensation.

Even where trustees can be held liable for costs and not fulfilling their fiducial duties, the body corporate (read as all owners) will be held ultimately responsible.

To ensure security of tenure, it’s important to ensure that the section number is not confused with the door number, leading to incorrect registration at the Deeds Office.

Advantages and disadvantages of FT You are in control of your own property and do not need everyday management rules to make decisions. Generally, middle- and upper-income groups tend to prefer this type of ownership. The disadvantage is that it is costly.

Issues concerning HOA developments normally revolve around the wishes of the individual. A prime example is security, where different security companies operate in the same complex – but when something goes wrong, it is nobody’s fault.

Role of the municipality in ST and FT When it comes to ST developments, maintenance on internal streets and municipal services are the responsibility of the body corporate. The municipality and its workers cannot enter the complex other than for inspections.

In contrast, for FT complexes, internal streets and municipal services are the responsibility of the municipality unless the HOA has taken ownership.

Common property and EU in STs The most secure way to register EU is to have it surveyed and registered against the title deed. It has an area and monetary value, and can be sold. An example is a garage or carport.

It’s also important to understand personal right EU. This is part of the rules and normally demarcated via a plan with no boundaries. It is created by the developer or trustees and is open for manipulation.

Therefore, upon transfer of the property, the new owner must ensure that the EU is ceded with the transfer.

Where in doubt, future owners should consult a registered land surveyor to check and confirm via the Surveyor General office against the building plans.

Questions to ask the estate agent when buying FT As with ST schemes, there are key questions FT buyers must ask. For example: - Are there any encroachments over property boundaries or building lines?

- Are all building plans, especially extensions to buildings, approved?

Recommended good practice In the case of FT, buyers must insist that the seller/estate agent provides a Land Surveyor’s certificate, confirming the beacons and boundaries, town planning compliance with encroachments and servitudes.

Then for STs, the golden rule is to obtain confirmation of the legal, registered section number, confirm that building plans are approved, and that the sectional plan and building plan reflect the same structures.

It’s also important to verify that there are no illegal structures added to the unit.

*Altus Strydom is a professional land surveyor and the chairperson: Northern Provinces of the South African Geomatics Institute (SAGI).

Sketches showing illegal additions to buildings

IMIESA April 2021

9

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

The JCB 467 ZX has an approximately 23.8 t operating weight and a loader capacity of 4 m3 The JCB 540-17 telescopic handler. Maximum lift capacity: 4 000 kg; maximum lift height: 16.7 m; maximum engine power: 74.2 kW

Bell Equipment Sales South Africa (BESSA) has been appointed as the South African distributor for the full range of JCB construction equipment from 1 May 2021. IMIESA speaks to Duncan Mashika, managing director, BESSA, about how this development ties in with the overall group strategy.

A new JCB distributor for South Africa

A

local company with a global footprint, Bell Equipment’s class leadership as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) since 1954 underscores its ability to engineer and support niche solutions.

Central to its OEM strategy is the ongoing refinement of its articulated dump truck (ADT) series and custom products like the Bell tri-wheeler for agriculture and forestry. Research and development (R&D) programmes run parallel with an evolving suite of complementary materials handling and earthmoving solutions from within

Bell Equipment’s Alliance Product Series.

These are supplied and supported locally

by BESSA via distributor agreements with other leading OEMs that include Kobelco and Finlay. The agreement with British OEM JCB is the most recent.

“JCB is no stranger to our local market, having been established in South Africa for more than 40 years. This is an exciting opportunity for BESSA, and we look forward to putting a JCB into every corner of the country,” says Mashika.

The partnership gives customers access to JCB’s premium range of construction

products backed by Bell Equipment South Africa’s extensive local support network. In addition, JCB customers will now have the benefit of buying from BESSA, which is a Level 1 BBBEE company.

JCB’s 155HD skid steer loader has a rated operating capacity of 2 844 kg

Duncan Mashika, managing director, Bell Equipment Sales South Africa

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IMIESA April 2021

INDUSTRY INSIGHT JCB range and aftersales “Effective from 1 May, BESSA will be taking over the support of all existing JCB machines in the market. This includes existing warranty agreements,” Mashika continues.

JCB machine classes comprise backhoe loaders; wheel loaders; skid steers; telescopic handlers; tracked, wheeled and mini excavators; compaction equipment; as well as rough-terrain forklifts.

Bell Equipment’s sales and service teams have already completed their training on the JCB range and are equipped to provide expert advice on the optimum machine/ application match.

In terms of after-sales, Bell Equipment has 22 strategically placed customer service centres around South Africa, each of which houses comprehensive workshop facilities and parts inventories, including those for JCB machines.

“We understand that after-sales is the key to long-term customer relationships, which is why Bell Equipment invests extensively

in technical training nationally, as well as in our spares and logistics capacity,” Mashika explains.

Currently, Bell Equipment has 140 mechanics and more than 35 customer suppor t representatives. They are all dedicated to helping clients maximise their machine availability through the utilisation of special tools, software and diagnostic equipment.

“This technical backup is supported by a huge investment in spare parts. Our remanufacturing, or ReMan, centre has also been fully stocked with key components,” Mashika continues.

Alongside new machine sales, Bell Equipment recently launched its www.pre-owned.bellequipment.com website.

“There’s a growing demand locally and internationally for used machines, including JCB products. It’s driven by the increase in the prices of new equipment and the persisting uncertainty in the markets.

By buying from Bell, customers take The JCB 3DX Super has a maximum dig depth of 4.77 m and a shovel capacity of 1.1 m3

Bell Equipment’s core product, the Bell ADT, fields the widest range available on the global market, enabling the company to provide an ideal off-highway haulage vehicle for any application

ABOUT JCB In 1945, Joseph Cyril Bamford began using his engineering flair and innovative thinking to invent new construction equipment. In 1953, the JCB backhoe loader revolutionised the construction industry. Today, JCB has a range of over 300 machines operating across six continents and is the global market leader for backhoes and telescopic handlers. (Source: JCB)

comfort in knowing that they will receive quality support for preowned equipment,” says Mashika.

One point of contact Alongside its ADT and allied custombuild offerings, Bell Equipment is equipped – via its alliance partnerships – to provide holistic solutions that include mass excavation, loading, crushing, screening, grading, as well as asphalt paving and compaction.

“In our experience, customers prefer one point of contact for their equipment needs and our alliance partners play an important role in enabling us to provide full line solutions to key markets like construction and quarrying,” says Mashika.

Bell Equipment is also able to derive additional revenue streams across different industries and sectors, manage through challenging and cyclical market trends, and reinvest in essential technical ser vices that drive higher efficiencies critical to superior customer support. That also positively influences Bell Equipment’s R&D programmes.

“As with all our alliance products, Bell Equipment is fully committed to ensuring a seamless integration of the JCB line into our dealership footprint. Thanks to our logistics network, technical capacity and capabilities, customers old and new can look forward to world-class products and service. With Bell, you’re in safe hands,” Mashika concludes.

www.bellequipment.com

IMIESA April 2021

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TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

Sustaining the value of underground assets Left unchecked, intensive urbanisation places increasing pressure on existing and ageing water and sewer pipeline infrastructure. Responding to the challenge requires an innovative approach that also builds construction capacity, particularly for SMMEs. Alastair Currie speaks to Neil van Rooyen, vice-president, Southern African Society for Trenchless Technology (SASTT), about trenchless solutions.

What are SASTT’s primary objectives in 2021?

NvR Communicating the advantages of trenchless technology (TT) has always been our primary mandate. Aside from ongoing education and training, our overall objective is to establish an enabling TT framework that serves as the benchmark for informed decisions across the public and private sector.

This includes ensuring the appropriate standards and specifications are in place from a contracting and procurement perspective.

At present, specifications have been written for slip lining of pipelines, pipe bursting and horizontal directional drilling, and we’re busy finalising a document for cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining specifications. We’ve also recently completed a draft for CCTV specifications.

Overall, we must ensure that there is a unified understanding and appreciation of the benefits of TT as a holistic solution, with a Installation of liner in Blackmac Sewer

major emphasis on promoting those ideally suited for South African conditions and our infrastructure priorities.

What’s the significance of being part of the broader International Society for Trenchless Technology?

It’s very important because it enables us to learn and apply international best practices. In developed countries, the focus is on efficiencies, so they readily embrace TT because it makes financial sense. Commercial activities cannot be constrained because of disruptive construction activities – e.g. open-cut trenching across a major traffic intersection or business node.

Classic TT examples for new installations and upgrades include horizontal directional drilling, pipe jacking, micro tunnelling, pipe bursting, CIPP and slip lining. Running in parallel are invaluable asset management tools for critical aspects like in situ pipeline inspection (water and sewer) and leak detection.

As with choosing any construction technology, it’s about economies of scale. That’s also interdependent on having the best information.

Has the Covid-19 cost-cutting environment made TT too expensive?

No, this is not the case, since TT has been proven to be faster and more cost-efficient in its purpose-designed application – i.e. urban environments and complex infrastructure projects like underground pipeline river crossings.

But before any technology debate should be engaged, we first need to answer a universal

Cape Flats 3 Bulk Sewer – Phase 2: positioning the jacking frame within the jacking shaft (Photo credit: Terry February)

question: can we afford to carry on with a ‘business as usual’ approach? The answer is an overwhelming no. If we do, then we are unlikely to meet our National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 targets.

The advent of Covid-19 is the reset button worldwide for a fresh approach to key issues like smart city evolution and sustainable habitation in general. Historically, TT has always been part of the response, but now it’s an indispensable part of the solution.

Do municipalities have a clear understanding of where TT can be employed?

Early adopters and TT pioneers like the City of Cape Town have certainly proven the benefits on a wide range of water and sewer pipeline projects. Their leadership approach has subsequently filtered through to other Western Cape municipalities like Drakenstein, Overstrand and Stellenbosch.

However, across the board, we generally find municipalities have not adopted TT because it’s not well defined in their existing toolbox. Many municipalities and public sector entities also still tend to view TT as a single methodology.

From SASTT’s perspective, we need to ensure that there is a clear understanding that TT is multifaceted and scalable. TT is also an indispensable way for municipalities and utilities to obtain accurate infrastructure condition

TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

assessment reports using CCTV cameras to inspect pipeline networks.

When municipalities understand the scale of the problem, they have a plan of action.

Otherwise, they’re severely constrained.

Can you prove the business case for TT versus open-cut trenching?

Statistically, it’s been proved that TT is around 30% more efficient compared to open-cut trenching in urban environments worldwide.

Open-cut projects, for example, are yellow metal intensive, with their associated diesel fuel burn costs. They also have higher costs associated with major earthworks and the re-establishment of infrastructure like asphalt overlays. In contrast, TT is greener and cleaner.

Of course, there will always be scenarios where open-cut trenching is more costeffective. Examples include rural areas, greenfield developments where there’s no existing infrastructure in place, and pipeline replacement projects where there is too much existing congestion in terms of old networks.

Another example would be where the displacement caused by an upgraded pipeline is too large, ruling out a TT pipe bursting

WHAT IS TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY? Trenchless technology is a type of subsurface construction work that requires few trenches or no continuous trenches.

It is a rapidly growing sector of the construction and civil engineering industry.

It can be defined as “a family of methods, materials, and equipment capable of being used for the installation of new or replacement or rehabilitation of existing underground infrastructure with minimal disruption to surface traffic, business, and other activities”. (Source: SASTT)

approach, say where the required pipeline size of the new installation is more than 1.5 times the diameter of the existing pipeline.

Is there space for SMMEs to enter the TT market?

This is one of SASTT’s major objectives for 2021 and beyond. We are committed to creating a platform where we can attract new entrants, especially SMMEs. However, it’s a ‘chicken and egg’ scenario, since construction sector recovery and growth depend on how soon government can ramp up its infrastructure investments.

Before CIPP refurbishment on a section of the Blackmac Sewer

After installation of the CIPP liner

Our role as SASTT is to provide SMMEs with the requisite knowledge. Through our membership base, prospective SMMEs also have access to a comprehensive range of TT original equipment manufacturers and suppliers. There are also potential subcontractor opportunities.

Depending on the TT technique applied, barriers to entry are relatively low. For example, an SMME could start by providing a camera inspection service. From there, the business could progress to CIPP projects, and then eventually to more complex pipe installations.

Which TT solutions are currently the most appropriate?

It depends on whether municipalities and utilities take a proactive or reactive stance.

For proactive municipalities, the most important TT tools to deploy immediately are those that highlight the size of the problem.

Examples would include pipeline inspection and leak detection under live flow conditions, using data loggers to determine flow compared against billable revenues. Waterloss management is the immediate priority, followed by sewer line system integrity.

A reactive approach is never recommended; however, where emergency work is needed, TT methods are ideally suited for remediation work.

A more proactive approach, though, is always beneficial, as the asset owner can take advantage of economies of scale by understanding the size and scale of the network problem. This allows for adequate budgeting, forecasting, and resourcing of suppliers and contractors.

It’s a race against time to meet the NDP 2030 objectives. What needs to change?

As an industry, we need a clear and implementable roadmap from government.

Infrastructure is failing and service delivery protests are on the rise. The health, safety and well-being of communities are also being compromised.

The end game of infrastructure projects is to create and maintain services that enable sustained socio-economic growth. TT can play a core part in this process by installing, restoring and upgrading water and sewer pipeline networks across South Africa. In the process, this includes helping to establish an emerging SMME base that can transition into tomorrow’s top-tier contractors.

IMIESA April 2021

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TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

The need for trenchless technology standards

The provision of new water services has not kept pace with urban densification.

Spatial constraints make the traditional approach of digging trenches extremely disruptive to the social and business environment. Using trenchless technology (TT) offers many advantages, but a unified approach must be adopted when it comes to local standards. By Alaster Goyns*

C

lose to 70% of South Africa’s population is now concentrated in urban areas. The rate at which this urban population is increasing, especially in the metropoles, is probably more than double that of the national average. Many of these high-density areas are unserviced or poorly serviced and, for the health of these communities, there is a desperate need for water services.

In addition to this, the densification of established urban areas, through subdividing stands and building townhouse complexes, means that the existing water services are frequently inadequate. What’s more, the condition of many first-generation water services has deteriorated, which now need replacement or rehabilitation. This situation is exacerbated by ageing infrastructure that results in the loss of clean water from the supply lines and soil pollution resulting from leakages from sewers. In many situations, the problem is keeping the clean water in the clean water pipes and the dirty water in the dirty water pipes.

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IMIESA April 2021

Many local authorities and consultants in South Africa are interested in using TT to provide services in the high-density urban areas mentioned above. However, they are reluctant for two main reasons: they need standards on which to base the planning, design and installation; and there are misconceptions about whether this approach will create employment opportunities. The Southern African Society for Trenchless Technology (SASTT) has addressed both issues. The focus of this article is on TT standards.

Function of pipelines Water pipelines fall into two broad categories,

ngoing condition assessment is 1 O essential to ensure the integrity of pipeline assets ipelines can fail functionally when 2 P unable to convey the required volume of water and structurally when unable to carry the imposed loads 3 Open cut trench 4 A deep trench excavation

Informal settlements in urban areas tend to be unserviced or poorly serviced in terms of water and sanitation infrastructure

namely freshwater supply pipelines that flow full and operate under pressure, and wastewater disposal pipelines that flow partly full and flow under gravity. Pipelines are considered as assets designed for a specific lifespan; in reality, it is the holes through the soil that are the real assets.

Pipelines merely line these holes to ensure that they operate effectively and efficiently.

They need to meet the primary requirement of hydraulic performance and the supporting requirements of strength, watertightness and durability.

Pipelines can fail functionally when unable to convey the required volume of water and structurally when unable to carry the imposed loads. A functional failure is usually because the pipeline is not big enough, or there is a blockage. In the former situation, the problem can only be addressed by replacing

2

or upsizing the pipeline; in the latter, the problem can usually be rectified by clearing the obstruction.

On the other hand, when there is a structural problem, there is usually permanent damage to a section of the pipeline and this will get progressively worse, resulting in the whole pipeline collapsing if nothing is done. The underlying cause of structural problems can be difficult to determine, as there are several factors that could have a combined effect. There are durability problems with certain pipe materials compromising the pipeline strength and causing infiltration and exfiltration at the deteriorated joints. This means that bedding material can be washed into the pipeline, resulting in the loss of bedding support.

Most of these problems can be rectified with a minimum of surface disruption by using TT. Pipelines that have inadequate capacity can be upsized by using pipe bursting and pipelines that are leaking and losing their strength due to durability issues can be rehabilitated using various lining techniques.

Trenchless standards SASTT is fully aware of the need to develop TT standards that provide a common base on which to design and install services using these techniques.

Although there are international standards that adequately cover the technical and practical aspects of these techniques, the direct adoption of these is not appropriate for South Africa for several reasons: • the format of international standards does not correspond to that of South African construction standards • these documents are generally too compact as they do not provide sufficient explanation • they are in general not appropriate for the skill levels in the country.

In addition, the playing field needs to be levelled so that all who tender on a project price on the same basis.

With these in mind, funding was requested and granted from South Africa’s Water Research Commission in 2001 to establish what standards were needed. This included a survey to ascertain the needs in the country and how to incorporate international developments, with adaptation, where necessary, to suit South African conditions and skills. The output was WRC Report No. KV 133/01 – A Framework for Establishing Appropriate Trenchless Technology Guidelines and Standards in Southern Africa.

At the time, the only TT standards available in South Africa were those related to pipe jacking (concrete pipe) and these were in the format covered by a section of a code of practice for design (SANS 10102 Part II – Rigid pipes), a product standard (SANS 677 for concrete pipe) and a standardised specification for product installation (SANS 1200 LG – Pipe jacking). This combination of standards is well established in the country and is therefore the format that SASTT has adopted in a concerted effort to produce TT standards.

Support services An additional component for TT standards is the need to cover the support services, such as inspection techniques. The reason that these documents are not being currently produced as SANS standards is that SASTT has the expertise to produce them and has direct access to the technical

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TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

ABOVE Hole through the soil: the real asset BELOW Overflowing sewer due to blockage

content produced by other members of the International Society for Trenchless Technology, of which it is a member. Once these documents have been in use for a few years and any amendments required made to them, their adoption as national standards will be motivated.

To date, the focus of these documents has been producing specifications for the commonly used techniques so that designers can include them in project documentation for contractors to have a schedule of payment items, a bill of quantities to quote on, and details of what work has to be done. The current status of these documents is: • SASTT – TS-TT1 Sliplining of pipelines has been completed • SASTT – TS-TT2 Pipe bursting has been completed • SASTT – TS-TT3 Horizontal directional drilling has been completed • SASTT – TS-TT4 Cured in place pipe lining is currently being finalised • SASTT – TS-TT5 CCTV inspections of pipelines has been drafted.

These documents are done in the same format as SANS/SABS 1200 LG – Pipe jacking. There are, however, other documents that need to be produced so that there is a consistent way in which trenchless projects are addressed.

Two of these cover condition assessment and liner design.

Traditionally, CCTV has been considered as a means of assessing pipeline condition. However, although effective, this is just a means of gathering visual detail from inside a pipeline, which shows where there are defects, the types of defect, and their extent. This does not

necessarily show the severity and underlying causes of these problems.

There are now several other means of gathering data, such as laser and sonar profiling that provide internal dimensions and electro-scanning inspection, which can locate specific pipe defects that are potential leakage points. Condition assessment in a broader sense combines the data gathered from inside the pipeline and that gathered from the external conditions above the pipeline, so that the remaining strength and useful life of the pipeline can be estimated. This provides the designer with the information needed to do a risk analysis and set priorities as to what remedial measures are necessary and when these should be done. A decision can be made about whether to replace or rehabilitate the pipeline.

The principles for designing new pipelines are well documented and understood. As mentioned above, pipelines line the holes through the soil so that they operate effectively and efficiently. So, whether designing a pipeline or a lining through an existing pipeline, the same basic theory is applicable, but the interaction between a pipeline and the surrounding soil and a lining and the host pipeline will be different. In the latter case, the application of these basic principles to the design of various types of liners needs to be covered in a design code.

Concluding comment When there are no standards, there is the danger of two extreme situations: • An over-conservatism approach, where the technology is not fully understood, generally resulting in more stringent requirements than needed and higher construction costs. However, critical factors may be overlooked, and these could give rise to failures.

• The lowest initial cost approach, where the site investigation for a new service or the condition assessment of an existing service is inadequate, or not done at all, resulting in under-specification and a high probability of failure at a later stage.

With both scenarios, the cost of rectifying a failure once the service is in use, as with any buried water service, could be several times that of the initial installation itself.

The purpose of SASTT producing standards is to provide a uniform means of communication between the various parties involved, comparing alternatives, evaluating the quality of workmanship, and ensuring that the specified requirements are consistently met. *Alaster Goyns is the owner of Pipes CC. He writes on behalf of SASTT. IMIESA April 2021

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ADVANCED WATER PRODUCTS

ULTRA V SOLUTIONS

WATER SADC & WASTEWATER

Decentralised plants can take the pressure off our ageing water and wastewater treatment plants. Kirsten Kelly speaks to Herman Smit, managing director of Quality Filtration Systems (QFS), about the use of these systems in South Africa.

A case for decentralised wastewater treatment plants

O

ver the past 20 years, due to the skills shortage in South Africa, there has been a push towards centralised water and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), as these require fewer technical staff members like engineers, scientists and operators. However, when one looks at the types of problems within

Herman Smit, managing director of QFS

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IMIESA April 2021

the water and wastewater treatment industry today, they tend to be network problems.

And centralised water and WWTPs have created a bigger dependency upon network maintenance. With municipalities reporting between 29% and 50% of non-revenue water, it is clear that network maintenance has failed. Water has to be pumped kilometres to its consumers and wastewater has to be pumped kilometres to WWTPs – placing huge pressure on network systems. These problems can be solved by decentralising water and wastewater treatment works,” explains Smit.

Previously, there has been pushback against having WWTPs close to residential areas because of the smell. Presently, however, with the adoption of new technologies like membrane bioreactors (MBR), one finds wastewater treatment plants in the basements of high-rise buildings. These decentralised plants are compact, odourfree, highly automated and able to produce

greywater that can be reused. They can also be deployed rapidly due to their modular structure.

Smit believes that decentralised WWTPs need to treat between 200 000 litres and 500 000 litres of wastewater a day. “If it is below 200 000 litres per day, the cost per kℓ is too high and if it is above 500 000 litres per day, its footprint will be huge and may be construed as an unwelcome, major WWTP in a suburb.

“There will always be a case for centralised WWTPs; decentralised WWTPs are there to take the pressure off the existing infrastructure. Many centralised WWTPs are working over-capacity – there are instances where the plant is difficult to maintain, pumps are constantly breaking down or sewage is running down the streets. Upgrading these plants is extremely expensive compared to deploying a decentralised system, which is mostly built off-site and requires a tiny team on-site for its commissioning,” adds Smit.

Smit mentions the recent report by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on the spillage of raw sewage into the Vaal River. “Emfuleni Municipality conceded that it was responsible for the pollution due to its failing wastewater infrastructure and the Department of Water and Sanitation has pledged to deal with these sewer spillages and upgrade the wastewater infrastructure in the area. This is a typical example of a network failure. If wastewater cannot be pumped to the WWTP, the entire network should be evaluated, and an audit done on the money needed to upgrade and maintain it. Decentralised WWTPs would be a cheaper, quicker and safer option.”

Decentralised plants can also be used while a centralised WWTP is undergoing maintenance.

“Sometimes if a WWTP is under maintenance or is upgraded, it is unable to treat wastewater for a period of time. This means that the wastewater may have to bypass the plant entirely. In these cases, a decentralised plant could be used temporarily,” says Smit.

“Our decentralised WWTPs are more affordable because we believe in localising technology – 70% of materials, skills and content used to create our technologies is local. This drives down QFS’s prices and also helps us in providing far better support,” adds Smit.

New technologies and skill sets Smit believes that a barrier to using decentralised plants may be the use of new technologies and skill

sets. “Unfortunately, you cannot use conventional technologies with decentralisation. Technologies like MBR are not really new anymore – they are established and have been used around the world, even in South Africa at the newly refurbished Zandvliet WWTP, for example. However, the industry seems reluctant to use newer technologies and I think this is because, historically, the skill set needed for centralised WWTPs was mostly civil.

Over the last decade, water treatment has become a mechanical and chemical process – the skill set has changed. I think government would rather build bigger, centralised water and WWTPs because they know how to do that; they are stuck on the civil skill set and do not have the mechanical and chemical engineers that are needed for newer technologies. Currently, QFS does not employ any civil engineers – we have process, chemical and electrical engineers.”

Decentralised plants require operators, and QFS is committed to training and upskilling people that can operate and maintain these plants. “We are always involved in the running of a new plant in the first two years and work closely with operators, improving their skill levels. In the Eastern Cape, we are in the process of setting up a training academy where we aim to train six new operators every six months. This training academy will be at the Kowie River Project, where we are building a desalination, water reuse and wastewater treatment plant. This will provide an ideal opportunity to give operators theoretical and practical training on all three technologies,” says Smit.

QFS has seen an uptake in the use of its decentralised systems. “There is definitely a lot of interest, and we have deployed a number of plants for both the public and private sector in the last two years. We are focusing on building trust and making sure that people understand what they are getting.

Decentralisation is not about reducing what you have – it is about improving what you are getting.

And we are providing a cost-effective solution with excellent water quality,” concludes Smit.

ADVANCED WATER PRODUCTS

ULTRA V SOLUTIONS

WATER & WASTEWATER

Industry 4.0 & IoT What is a digital twin? And how can it be used in the water sector?

Professor Annie Bekker – research chair at Rand Water and professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University – elaborates on the standard definition and its potential use. By Kirsten Kelly

I

t took me a very long time to understand what a digital twin actually is and to many people, a digital twin is still a foreign concept. It is commonly defined as a digital representation of the state and behaviour of a real asset within its operational context towards decision support. But the best way to explain the meaning of a digital twin is to use examples,” says Bekker.

A digital twin example: pumps A digital twin can function on various levels.

Looking at a pumping station of a Rand Water distribution network, a digital twin can be: • a single component – an impeller or a seal of a pump • a system – an assembly of components like the pump itself • a system of systems – a pump station with multiple pumps and several pumping stations connected to supported pipelines or an entire water distribution network.

“When designing a pump, an engineer will evaluate different elements such as how changing the number of impeller blades or blade angle will affect the pump performance (e.g. flow and discharge pressure). A model is created; the pump is then manufactured and sold to a customer and that model is never used again. With a digital twin, one can look at the model and the real outcomes (such as the flow rate of water), so you are entangling a model with the real-life operation of an asset. Engineers can unhinge the benefits of a model beyond the design

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IMIESA April 2021

phase by using it in the operational phase as well,” adds Bekker.

Data-driven digital twins can also allow engineers to take shortcuts where the geometrical detail is no longer modelled.

“Going back to the example, an engineer may only be interested in the input-output relationship of water pressure in the pump.

A model can be generated from data that is measured while the pump is in operation in different conditions. Therefore, an engineer would not have to go back to the design of the pump and use specialised software to make detailed engineering representations. They can use mathematical models to simulate the performance of the pump and create a black box model to create input-output relationships through techniques such as machine learning,” explains Bekker.

Data-driven modelling is especially advantageous to assist in decision support in applications with low risk, where a wrong prediction would not result in a catastrophic result such as loss of life or ethical ramifications. It calculates quickly, is cost-effective and does not require domainspecific knowledge.

real asset deviate from the expected response and an inspection is triggered. Additionally, certain standard failures of a machine can be modelled and used to create a catalogue of possible signal attributes under such conditions. These patterns in measurements can then be used as an early recognition system from a catalogue of possible errors.

A digital trend in the water sector is the use of existing hydrological models of a pipeline network in complement with sensor feeds on the real network to measure information at key points. Anomalies are found by comparing what the model reveals is happening in the network to what is revealed by the sensor feeds.

Detecting anomalies Another advantage is that digital twins can be used to detect anomalies. This can be done by looking at differences in the behaviour of the asset predicted by the model as opposed to its actual performance. A model can be used to generate a hypothetical ‘virtual sensor’ feed for normal or expected behaviour. An anomaly is detected if sensor feeds from the

Professor Annie Bekker – research chair at Rand Water and professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at Stellenbosch University

WATER & WASTEWATER

One such anomaly can be leak detection.

A model can be developed to determine the daily water demand; it can be a datadriven expectation where demand is measured over time. Then, as a function of certain variables, it can create a daily cycle on how demand might progress throughout a certain day on a network. The digital model will take environmental conditions and the latest state of the distribution network as an input and create an estimate of the typical demand.

Then by measuring the actual demand, and looking for the difference between the two, potential leaks could be detected if there is an unexplained increase in demand.

Digital twins can also be used to prepare distribution networks for future scenarios such as disaster management, population growth, and climate change, including: • What will happen if demand increases by 20%?

• What if we have a drought?

Stellenbosch University has set up The Digital Twin Pump Laboratory that is used to evaluate ideas, demonstrate digital twin concepts, and to train students from academia and industry

Decision support Requisite interdisciplinary knowledge Bekker maintains that while a digital twin is not a new concept, it is difficult to implement because it requires a vast amount in interdisciplinary knowledge and complexity.

“For example, if one looks at a potential system of systems digital twin like the RandVaal water network, multiple factors will need to be considered such as dam levels, demand pattern of users, rainfall, pumps, corrosion of pipelines, and leaks.”

However, a powerful advantage of digital twins is that it can become an aggregator. It requires many diverse fields of specialisation to put together models and sensors, therefore creating cross-domain types of benefits.

What prevents the use of digital twins?

In addition to the interdisciplinary nature of digital twins, Bekker says that there is a concern around security. “Digital twins require a certain amount of openness and sharing.

Understandably, manufacturers have concerns around their intellectual property rights.”

Furthermore, the cost of digital twins is an inhibiting factor. “However, it must be remembered that a lot of money can be wasted by the installation of redundant sensors and redundant modelling efforts,” adds Bekker.

When using digital twins, there is a theory determining what to invest in depending on the time period about which you would like information: • the past – invest in analytics of data • the present – invest in sensors • the future – invest in modelling of a predictive nature.

“Ultimately, a digital twin’s value is linked to a need and value associated with a decision support service. But when using a digital twin, the real challenge is to understand the user. What does the user need? And what is the user willing to pay for? Does the user want to be upskilled and trained? How willing is the user to adopt this technology?” expands Bekker.

The Digital Twin Pump Laboratory Rand Water is a potential user that is interested in digital twins. They have partnered with Stellenbosch University to investigate the use of digital twins within the water network. Stellenbosch University is establishing a small simulation platform called The Digital Twin Pump Laboratory. It is equipped with pumps, pipes, pressure sensors and valves to circulate water – similar to the components found in a water distribution network. Stellenbosch University will experiment with different digital twins of the laboratory in a stratified environment

by using existing models for the system components (pumps and pipes). This facility can be used to evaluate ideas, demonstrate digital twin concepts, and to train students from academia and industry.

The controlled environment will allow for systematic testing of different ideas.

Performance monitoring and prediction could be applied on different pump and pipe configurations, faults can be induced, and the model and sensor responses can be tracked to evaluate concepts such as fault detection and diagnosis through previously catalogued errors. A particular focus will be on leak monitoring and slurry pumps, where Rand Water believes that cavitation is causing early failure.

“The idea is to make a scaled-down prototype in an environment that we can control, manipulate and understand, and then – through Rand Water – we will start to apply the knowledge we have gained in the field,” adds Bekker.

“Digital twins require collaboration, openness and a willingness to learn. Specialists from different fields must collaborate. It takes courage to get going and I think that Rand Water has progressed well in this respect.

My experience in working with this company is that they are hungry to grow in this era of digitalisation, as clearly demonstrated by their endeavours to build their own Innovation Hub,” concludes Bekker.

IMIESA April 2021

21

INFRASTRUCTURE NEWS

FROM AROUND THE CONTINENT

Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II: Overview and Update

KEY COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT • Polihali Dam - 163.5 m high rockfill dam.

- 49.5 m high saddle dam.

• Polihali Transfer Tunnel - The dam will be built downstream of the confluence of the Khubelu and Senqu rivers in the Mokhotlong district, in the eastern highlands of Lesotho.

- A 38.2 km long and 5.2 m diameter water transfer tunnel will link the Polihali reservoir to the Katse reservoir.

• Hydropower - Feasibility studies are completed. It is decided that conventional hydropower is the best option.

- Three potential sites have been identified: two on the Senqu River and a third site at Oxbow on the Malibamats’o River.

- The plan is: • 2021 – begin the design of the preferred option • 2024 – begin construction • 2027 – commission at same time as water transfer component.

• Advance infrastructure - This will largely be completed before the construction of the dam and tunnel begins: • roads • bridges • housing • offices • workshops • bulk power • telecommunications networks – support project implementation and benefit Lesotho in the long term.

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMMES These programmes will address potential environmental and social impacts associated with Phase II activities. They include: • Four baseline studies that were completed in 2013 and 2014: - socio-economic - instream flow requirements - biological and archaeological - public health.

• Those baseline studies, together with extensive engagement from local communities and interested parties informed these programmes: - Environmental and social impact assessments, and the development and implementation of environmental and social management plans.

- Resettlement assessments and the development and implementation of resettlement actions plans to include livelihood restoration programmes and compensation.

- The development and implementation of public health action plans.

• The resultant sustainable development programmes to be designed and implemented will be agreed upon with the affected communities.

Civil engineering works of Polihali Camp

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IMIESA April 2021

HOW IS THE PROJECT PROGRESSING? • Procurement - Implementation of an online procurement system to address Covid-19 challenges is complete.

- 46 contracts have been awarded.

- The most recently awarded contracts are additional geotechnical investigations for the Polihali Transfer Tunnel in December 2020.

- Two tenders for the Polihali Dam and Polihali Transfer Tunnel will be advertised during Q2 2021.

- The tender for construction of the Senqu Bridge was advertised on 4 March 2021 and the construction tenders for the other two major bridges will be advertised in Q2 2021.

• Construction - All construction continues under stringent Covid-19 health and safety protocols.

- Heavy rains across the country in the last days of January 2021 caused the level of the Senqu River to rise, impacting the diversion tunnel construction site and causing a temporary interruption to construction. Rehabilitation works have been completed and permanent construction activities, which include blast and drill operations, have resumed in March 2021.

- Excavation at the intake and the outlet portals of the two Polihali diversion tunnels was completed in August 2020. Out of the 1 810 m of required excavation, 840 m has been completed (46% completion). The overall construction of the diversion tunnels is approximately 80% complete.

- Work on various bulk power contracts is progressing well. The 33 kV line, which will provide temporary power supply to the Polihali village, was completed in June 2020 and is due to be energised in the next few weeks.

- The Polihali and Katse civil works – potable water and sewer reticulation infrastructure to permanent and temporary residential areas – have been completed, while the water treatment facilities are nearly complete. This includes the installation of mechanical equipment. The installation of streetlights is ongoing; access roads and parking lots are in the last stages of construction. Upgrades on the potable water and sewerage systems at Katse are also at an advanced stage.

- Construction of the main access roads is progressing but is behind schedule. Works on the Polihali Western Access Roads (PWAR West and East) have entailed earthworks, drainage, bridge foundations and the establishment of quarries and batch plants.

- Earthworks and pipe culverts are complete on the Polihali North East Access Road. A section of the road has been primed in preparation for double seal surfacing. Ancillary roadworks are ongoing. These include retaining walls, guard rails and road signs.

EMPLOYMENT

Polihali western access road

The Polihali diversion tunnels outlet

• 1 123 people from villages within a 5 km radius of the advance infrastructure areas have been placed with different contractors for unskilled positions.

• 1 764 skilled personnel are engaged on Phase II construction contracts, of whom over 80% are Lesotho nationals while the remainder are from South Africa and other countries.

• At the peak of construction, Phase II is expected to create between 2 000 and 3 000 unskilled job opportunities for Lesotho nationals.

IMIESA April 2021

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLANNING

The law places various onerous responsibilities on municipal engineers when it comes to disaster and risk management – and the growth of informal settlements in the context of climate change is only raising these risks.

Informal settlements still pose a real challenge for disaster management

required for this mapping may not always be readily available.

He notes that the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed some weaknesses in the application of the Act. While this law had been used to impose and enforce the lockdowns, there were legally specified disaster management bodies that were not functioning.

“The pandemic also highlighted that there were local, metropolitan and district municipalities that were not up to speed with their disaster management plans, and had not constituted the required bodies like advisory forums,” says Fourie.

Role of municipal engineers vital in managing disaster risk

A

ccording to Andries Fourie, senior technologist: Disaster and Risk Management at SRK Consulting, the 2015 amendments to the Disaster Management Act (No. 57 of 2002) have raised the bar for municipal engineers – particularly the section of the Act dealing with disaster management plans.

“Every municipality must conduct a disaster risk assessment and then prepare a full disaster management plan – the implementation of which must align and coordinate with other organs of state and institutional role-players,” says Fourie.

A key part of an engineer’s role in planning for how the municipality will respond to disasters is to ensure that the necessary investment in risk reduction is made. Fourie emphasises the law’s requirement that

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IMIESA April 2021

the municipality must provide measures and indicate how it will invest in disaster risk reduction.

“There is also specific reference in the Act to climate change adaptation, which is a growing area of concern – especially with regard to risks faced by informal settlements,” he says. “The varying weather patterns that accompany climate change are aggravating risks like flooding; municipal engineers are now having to plan more carefully to ensure that the necessary infrastructural investments are made.”

An important addition in the amended law is the element of mapping the risks; this means the employment of geographic information systems (GIS) to gather, map and analyse risks in a visual format. An added Andries Fourie, senior technologist: Disaster challenge – especially in many smaller and Risk Management, SRK Consulting municipalities – is that the information

DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLANNING

Proactive planning The planning process begins with knowing what infrastructure is in place, and exactly where everything is located. This includes water, electricity, stormwater, water treatment and emergency services. This inventory then needs to be mapped, and a value attached to each aspect – a process in which SRK Consulting is regularly involved.

This can be more readily done in formalised areas, but informal settlements still pose a real challenge for disaster management, he says.

“These settlements tend to have few, if any, of the formal amenities we usually associate with established areas – such as proper stormwater drains, enforced building codes, formal electrical connections to each property, and certified wiring in the houses. Even the roads are not well defined or controlled,” adds Fourie.

This generally makes for unsafe conditions, and high vulnerability to disasters. Dwellings are often close to water, so flooding and

+27 83 676 5904 +27 11 824 4810

ponding are common. These dwellings are also close together, making it easier for fire to spread. A lack of road access means that, in the case of fire, the fire trucks are unlikely to be able to reach the place where they are needed and there are no fire hydrants.

Water “Investing in disaster risk reduction also applies to water services infrastructure,” says Fourie. “Many poorly managed water treatment facilities and ageing infrastructure result in the discharging of polluted water into rivers. Once again, the informal settlements are often worse affected, as they are located close to these rivers and residents may use water directly from them.”

Fourie warns that the spreading of waterborne diseases like cholera is caused by these conditions and tends to happen quicker in communities with high-density dwellings. Poorly operated pit toilets – as well as refuse sites, unmanaged stormwater and sullage – also contaminate both surface water and groundwater.

“Efforts by municipalities to comply with the Act could go a long way in helping to

www.apepumps.co.za www.matherandplatt.com

address these problems – through supporting longer-term planning of infrastructure and maintenance,” adds Fourie.

“Consulting engineers and scientists can – through modelling – assist municipalities with specialised services like assessing rainfall patterns, run-off and the capacity of current stormwater facilities. Designing for a 1-in-25-year rainfall event, for instance, has very different results compared to designing for a 1-in-100-year event; the capital costs to implement the plan may often rise dramatically, so this needs to be recognised in good time from a planning point of view.”

The role of the municipal engineer is becoming increasingly important as local government adapts its disaster management plans to changing climatic conditions. Fourie emphasises the need for proactive disaster management, as the various challenges facing municipalities are often linked.

The leakage of water from municipal pipe infrastructure, for instance, is not only a loss in terms of revenue and service delivery but – in some dolomite areas – also causes dangerous and costly sinkholes.

26 Nagington Road, Wadeville

WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

PPC Laezonia Quarry: A Proud History for Performance

P

PC's Laezonia Quarry is a leading supplier of coarse and fine aggregates for the construction, roads and precast concrete industries. Laezonia’s superior-quality roof tile sand and river sand are highly sought after in the CPM industry,

especially for the manufacturing of roof tiles where the aesthetics of the finished product are particularly important. Laezonia provides 100% local quality aggregates to the Gauteng and North West regions.

Focused on contributing towards South Africa’s economic transformation, the strength of the aggregates manufactured at PPC's Laezonia Quarry has remained a critical component in ensuring the longterm use of infrastructure across supplied regions. Mining different rock types for the construction industry from sub-base material to the coarser and finer aggregates, the Laezonia Quarry’s amphibolite rock is highly recommended for inclusion in the creation of long-lasting roads.

In addition, its building sand, river

sand and washed roof tile sand have become key components in the precast industry, as they consistently exceed industry standards.

A true partner for the sector, Laezonia’s diverse aggregates have continued to conform to roads and construction industry standards – thereby empowering the community to experience a better quality of life through the provision of technical expertise, which comes with PPC’s 129 years of experience in the industry. This has remained a critical component in determining the integration of aggregates into any construction project to ensure the continued building of strong, lasting infrastructure. www.ppc.africa

For more information on the quality and diverse aggregates available, contact PPC Aggregates: +27 (0)12 318 3000

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IMIESA April 2021

WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

Mined materials that build lasting infrastructure Supply and demand may vary, but on-demand products and consistent quality control remain constant at PPC’s Gauteng aggregate operations. IMIESA speaks to Arthur Ndindani, GM: Aggregates, about the strategic value of PPC’s Laezonia Quarry.

Arthur Ndindani, GM: Aggregates, PPC

What makes Laezonia Quarry’s geology unique?

Strategically, what is PPC’s forward plan for Laezonia?

AN A distinctive characteristic of Laezonia’s complex geology is that it provides an optimum range of rock materials that can be mined from a single source for readymix, building materials and infrastructure projects. One of the most distinctive is the amphibolite deposit, which is a metamorphic rock. This is highly prized by roads authorities, design engineers and civil engineering contractors due to its hardness, longer-term durability (crushing strength), and suitability for high-volume roads like freeways and national routes.

Unlike quartz, quartzites and sandstone sourced aggregates, which tend to be hydrophilic in nature, amphibolite is the most resistant to water ingress, given the correct layer works design, compaction methodology and sealing.

Other key products comprise granite and migmatite – a composite of granite and amphibolite – which is also employed in road construction, particularly for base and subbase layer works. Laezonia also has a highly decomposed granite material – a key resource for crusher sands. Major markets in terms of the latter include asphalt manufacturers and builders.

We’ve positioned Laezonia to ensure that we are accessible and price competitive for all industry players in construction. This equally applies whether the customer is a 9 CIDB contractor, a specialist subcontractor, or an SMME in civils or building.

In the past, particularly because of its amphibolite deposit, Laezonia focused more on sector-specific, Sanral-type projects – the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project being a prime example. While that strategy hasn’t changed, PPC has now broadened its customer interface to ensure that all commercial built environment activities are covered.

This commercial focus has been supported by new mining processes to ensure that selected products can be mined at the lowest cost.

Are there synergies that add value within PPC’s Materials Business Unit?

Definitely, and this is key to our holistic customer interface. Within our Materials Business Unit, we currently operate 27 readymix plants, two ash plants, and four aggregate quarries, two in Gauteng, South Africa – namely Mooiplaas (a dolomitic deposit) and Laezonia – and a further two in Botswana.

A sub-base section ready to be stabilised with PPC Sureroad cement

What are some common mistakes contractors make when it comes to aggregate selection?

Where aggregate products are selected based more on price than performance, the result could be a failed road, factoring in the design specification and construction methodologies employed. At PPC Aggregates, our technical specialists are there to provide expert advice.

This can include preconstruction trial section analysis to ensure grading specification compliance, either via our PPC Jupiter laboratory and/or in conjunction with external road labs.

How significant is quality control?

This is the foundation of our business, since we know it’s essential for the longerterm integrity of any structure. Eliminating contamination is the starting point. Examples include the complete removal of clayey materials. All our products are washed according to the strictest standards to ensure that they are within specification.

Do you see an upturn for aggregate demand in Gauteng?

All our operations are geared towards the anticipated resurgence in public- and private-sector-led infrastructure projects. In the interim, we are experiencing a steady demand for base and sub-base material for roads projects, as well as readymix orders for building and structures. Overall, the PPC Materials Business Unit remains highly optimistic about future opportunities. We have been an integral part of Gauteng’s evolving landscape from inception and believe the next construction boom is just around the corner.

And in closing?

The hard lockdowns necessitated by Covid-19 have forced businesses to revisit their operational models, especially when it comes to modernising and streamlining efficiencies. In this respect, PPC is no exception, and all our operations are now repositioned to deliver the best value for South African construction.

How is Laezonia supporting the asphalt sector?

We cater for all market requirements – examples include 6.7 mm and 9.5 mm stone, and washed crusher sand.

www.ppc.africa

WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

The science of road rehabilitation

Developing a costeffective maintenance strategy requires an expert understanding, which begins at the design, material selection and construction stages. Saied Solomons, CEO, Sabita, talks to IMIESA about key challenges and preferred interventions.

Do provincial and municipal roads authorities have a clear understanding of road pavement condition assessment/analysis and how this influences current and future maintenance budgets? If not, how can Sabita assist?

SS A Rural Roads Asset Management Systems Grant became available in 2018 to enable effective investment in municipal roads through the development of road asset management systems, the collection of roads data, and the prioritisation of projects. A budget allocation for this initiative is also made in the current annual budget and covers numerous district municipalities

Saied Solomons, CEO, Sabita

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IMIESA April 2021

across all provinces. The intention was to train young professionals to assist with the necessary competence in this discipline.

Sabita’s membership consists of highly qualified engineers who can assist in the rollout of this programme if required. What would bring clarity on the progress of this initiative is the publication of annual reports on the condition of the respective road networks.

What are your views on alternative products/technologies for road stabilisation (i.e. those that replace conventional materials like cement and lime)?

Bitumen stabilised materials (BSM) incorporating either bitumen emulsion or foamed bitumen are suited to both the construction of new pavements and pavement rehabilitation using in-place recyclers and/or off-site mixing plants. Pavements constructed using a BSM in the base layer are durable, sustainable and can contribute to meeting environmental objectives. BSMs are also suitable for labour-intensive construction.

The use of BSMs normally results in significant project cost and time savings, and can incorporate benefits such as: • reduced energy consumption, therefore lowered emissions • being a flexible material, it is not prone to shrinkage cracking experienced with cementitious stabilisers • improved resistance to moisture damage, as the finer aggregate particles are coated in bitumen • enables lower-quality aggregates, e.g. G5, to be considered for use as a base layer • assists with early trafficking, as material treated with foamed bitumen achieves a significant increase in cohesive strength once compacted.

Sabita’s recently updated Technical Guide 2 deals comprehensively with these types of materials.

Could cold in situ recycling help to fast-track the rehabilitation of municipal roads?

Worldwide, the demand for road rehabilitation far exceeds the demand for new roads. In most countries, annual maintenance budgets are insufficient, resulting in an ever-expanding backlog of rehabilitation requirements. This situation has seen the adoption of in-place recycling as one of the preferred procedures for addressing the need for structural rehabilitation by recovering and reusing material in the existing pavement. Bitumen stabilisation enhances the properties of the recycled materials, providing service lives that meet conventional norms, normally at a reduced cost and over a shorter project duration.

In situ recycling offers environmental advantages, with the conservation of natural aggregates and a reduction in material wastage, noise, exhaust and dust emissions.

Pothole repairs are mostly a temporary solution, but is there a more permanent one?

The appearance of a pothole is generally a sign of a road in an advanced stage of distress through neglect of maintenance.

While the methods described in Sabita Manual 12 refer to specific actions to repair obviously distressed areas, it is always essential to identify the cause(s) of the distress and to examine adjacent areas for early signs of the same distress types. If present, it is advisable to take preemptive action either to prevent the further development of such distress or to deal with such areas in the same way as the obvious case.

In many instances, damage to road pavements is caused by the inadequate draining of surface or subsurface water.

Whenever repairs are made, the client or their agent should investigate this cause and, where appropriate, take action such as deepening or clearing side drains or installing subsurface drainage systems.

The repair of potholes is a consideration where there is no evidence of deep-seated

WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

pavement failure of the base and/or subbase layer(s). Potholes should be repaired as soon as possible before they grow bigger – signifying a serious road traffic hazard – and cause the underlying layers, now exposed to water ingress and strength loss, to disintegrate.

In the design of an asphalt pavement, the engineer is guided by documents such as Sabita Manual 35 and 24 – which comprehensively cover best practice – in conjunction with national pavement design codes

Are road failures mostly due to poor aggregate selection and compaction, or is incorrect asphalt specification a core part of the problem?

It is important in the first instance to define what represents a ‘failure’, as a distinction must be made between the varied conditions that might make the pavement less than perfect.

In certain instances, the problem might not be a failure but rather a repairable defect or a condition that may only be a warning of possible future adverse developments. As an example, if a crack appears in pavement, it could be a sign of lack of maintenance rather than a failure.

Failures, however, are either: • attributable solely to the quality of the pavement itself – these may typically appear in the form of stripping, ravelling, disintegration, cracking and rutting of the road surface, which may develop regardless of foundation support • in the form of slippage caused by the lack of bond between the top course of the pavement and the underlying base or intermediate layer • those attributable to deficiencies in the base or the underlying support.

In the design of an asphalt pavement, the

South Africa

engineer is guided by documents such as Sabita Manual 35 and Sabita Manual 24 – which comprehensively cover best practice – in conjunction with national pavement design codes. Material selection is critical at this initial stage, which subsequently leads to various laboratory and paving trials of the mix design in order to assess whether the desired functional requirements have been met. The correct placement of the asphalt mix is also of critical importance and this activity is well covered in the recently updated Sabita Manual 5.

And in closing?

Roads are economic and social imperatives and proper road maintenance of this public asset, which delivers a higher economic return on investment than any other type of infrastructure, is vital.

The real cost of not maintaining roads is difficult to quantify, as poor roads are dangerous and affect road safety, lead to higher transportation costs and bottlenecks

on busy routes. If done on time, maintenance can significantly extend the structural and, therefore, service life of a road. However, if road maintenance is deferred, it deteriorates rapidly and, instead of maintenance, road rehabilitation is required, making costs soar.

A well-functioning pavement management system is essential to carry out surveillance programmes to identify areas where maintenance is required, in order to prioritise and action projects. An output of a pavement management system is mapping the condition of the road network in a specific area. This should be published on an annual basis as visibility of the results of the road condition not only informs on progress, but also assists with accountability.

While the challenge of competence and developed skills is real, these can far more easily be dealt with than the impact of declining road conditions. Tackling road maintenance in earnest across our 750 000 km network will help avoid a debt burden on future generations.

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WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

Meet the specification with SmartPave New asphalt concepts are constantly being developed to withstand the heavy strains caused by rising traffic volumes; however, traditional test methods are often insufficient to characterise these innovative and mainly polymer-modified materials.

T

o ensure consistent quality, Anton Paar’s SmartPave 92 and SmartPave 102e dynamic shear rheometers are purposedesigned to analyse unmodified, as well as modified, asphalt binders and bitumen products in a wide temperature range. This is either according to standards or with classic rheological methods.

Anton Paar dynamic shear rheometers have proven themselves worldwide for decades through numerous innovative technologies like the EC motor, the Toolmaster automatic tool recognition system, and the most accurate Peltier temperature control for dry sample thermostatting available.

This guarantees unrivalled accuracy, convenience, and ease of use in asphalt and bitumen rheology.

With the SmartPave series, technicians can conduct multiple tests to verify product compliance. These tests include the following:

Superpave performance grading according to AASHTO T315 / ASTM D7175 Classification of asphalt binders relative to their rated performance in a temperature range from 6°C to 88°C related to the conditions under which they are used. This includes environmental conditions and pavement temperatures.

Viscosity determination of asphalt binder according to AASHTO T316 / ASTM D4402 / DIN EN 13702 Research the processability of asphalt binders in a temperature range from 60°C to 200°C. Standard testing methods are used for viscosity determination of asphalt binders with a rotational viscometer/rheometer.

Multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) according to AASHTO T350 / ASTM D7405 / DIN EN 16659 Determine the rutting per formance of modified asphalt binders by measuring their

SmartPave 92 (left) and SmartPave 102e dynamic shear rheometers are purposedesigned to analyse unmodified, as well as modified, asphalt binders and bitumen products in a wide temperature range

Anton Paar dynamic shear rheometers achieve the most accurate Peltier temperature control for dry sample thermostatting available

percentage recovery and non-recoverable creep compliance.

Rheological property determination of GTR-modified (ground tyre rubber) asphalt binders (AASHTO draft) Verify the temperature-dependent rheological properties in an appropriate range with a special DSR setup based on a concentric-cylinder, Peltier-controlled temperature device.

Determination of temperature-dependent rheological behaviour of asphalt binders according to DIN EN 14770 In addition to the existing standard methods, Anton Paar offers various Peltier-controlled temperature devices, which cover a wide temperature range.

RheoCompass software Tying everything together is Anton Paar’s RheoCompass. This is a navigation tool that provides a complete overview, as well as the exact insights required.

Designed for intuitive use, the clientand-server-based RheoCompass enables application-oriented template filtering, customised test and analysis definitions, highly simplified data retrieval, as well as a fully automatic, fast temperature calibration and verification routine, and much more.

IMIESA April 2021

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WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

Why do some seals work and others don’t?

When water gets into a road surface, it results in an unwanted pothole pandemic

The headline is meant to be an attention grabber. In fact, all sprayed seals or chip seals work but some are just more appropriate than others. It all depends on the correct selection criteria, substantiated by the fundamental principles any design engineer must employ in order to ensure the success of any seal type specified. By Johan Muller

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Johan Muller, founder of Bituminist Consulting, has an MSc in Organic Chemistry and has worked in the roads industry for more than 27 years.

He started to live his passion as an independent road binder specialist in 2018. Knowledge transfer and training form key components.

T

he central theme for the roads feature in the April 2021 issue of IMIESA is repair and maintenance interventions. It is therefore imperative that when we discuss the most appropriate process for seal selection, important aspects are included in this discussion; however, it is inevitably impossible to include all the details involved in the design process of surface seals.

Two things that bituminous binders do not adhere to at all are water and dust.

Therefore, if you want a successful seal, these two culprits must be dealt with prior to any construction attempt.

Obviously, road owners must assess the condition of the existing roads to be repaired and maintained. Often, we reseal over existing asphalt layers, but reseals can also be done on top of aged seals.

Some, but not all, important criteria to consider are: • Cracks, and type of cracking: the magnitude, severity and extent are all important. When water gets into a road surface, it results in an unwanted pothole pandemic. Sadly, the costly result of insufficient attention to maintenance and repair strategies is all too visible in most municipalities.

• Rutting/deformation creates another collection point for water, which results in unsafe driving conditions, with excessive mist spray. Worst-case scenarios cause aquaplaning.

• Stone or chip loss is a result of construction errors or ageing over time.

This needs to be corrected before your next reseal intervention.

• Bleeding and punching go hand in hand.

Care must be taken before attempting your next maintenance intervention.

Technical Methods for Highways (TMH) 9 Manual for Visual Assessment of Road Pavements Part A and Part B, issued by the Committee of Transport Officials (COTO) in May 2016, describe the process to assess surface seals both visually and with instrumentation. Visual assessments include surface failures (de-bonding), surface cracking, surface ravelling (aggregate loss) and bleeding, whereas

WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

surface macro-texture and skid resistance are measured with instrumentation.

Without going into detailed design processes, there are numerous high-flyers and some totally neglected surface seals worth mentioning:

Cold binder applications Although rejuvenation sprays do not classify as a seal type, they are an important surface spray to remedy and prevent water ingress. Simple basic environmental conditions to perform fog sprays are optimum during the colder, dry winter months in summer rainfall areas.

Under such conditions, cracks and pores in the road surface are wide open and the bitumen emulsion rejuvenator alternatives are capable of penetrating into the road surface.

Texture slurries are essential to ensure an even road surface before a subsequent seal is applied. Timely pre-treatment of the existing road needs to be planned and programmed well in advance to ensure curing and prevent punching of the subsequent seals. In cases of severe rutting, it is often necessary to perform rutfilling, which calls for a more sophisticated micro-surfacing slurry.

Conventional anionic slurries and cationic micro-surfacing slurries are completely underutilised in the suburban environment.

In Sabita’s Manual 28 – The Best Practices for the Design and Construction of Slurry Seals (June 2011), practitioners were assisted with valuable guidelines and this is now incorporated in Manual 40/TRH3.

Slurry seals are cost-effective solutions and, furthermore, have the ability to create

wonderful job opportunities for labourenhanced construction techniques.

Slurry-bound macadam construction is now included in the surface seals in the new COTO manuals and has beautiful application potential in road network improvements in previously neglected municipal infrastructure development areas.

Hot binder applications Sand seals and grit seals are still implemented on a large scale in the Western Cape rural areas. Although grit seal construction has been used in the past as part of a municipal engineer’s arsenal, it has sadly gone almost extinct in most municipal environments.

In some urban environments, grits seals are excluded due to sensitivity to early rain before the binder has worked itself into the grit layer. Sand may also wash into subsurface drains. However, the best examples of durable bitumen rubber grit seals are probably found in the Roodepoort area in the City of Johannesburg. Here, these seals have performed exceptionally well under increased traffic volumes for more than 20 years.

Some of these grit seals were intended

by Johan Hattingh from PHB Engineers as multilayered construction techniques with a 4.75 mm grit, which were supposed to have been built up in subsequent years.

It is absolutely remarkable to examine the durability of the bitumen rubber grit seal binder that is still flexible after 25 years.

Many suburban roads are constructed with 7 mm (old 6.7 mm) road stones. Children could safely play in cul-de-sac zones and quiet suburbs in years gone by. These

thin seals offer wonderful resurfacing alternatives in suburbs where asphalt surfacing would generally have been specified in recent times.

Municipal examples This cost-effective seal type is totally underutilised, but if larger metros such as the City of Cape Town have grasped the benefit of a 7 mm and 10 mm bitumen rubber single seal, what prevents other metros from coming to the same conclusion?

The City of Tshwane adopted bitumen rubber and polymer-modified single seals in favour of asphalt in the late 1990s, which resulted in huge savings. Not only are bitumen rubber single seals functional and aesthetically pleasing, but they are also more durable and outlast any other binder type.

High traffic areas In order to accommodate heavier traffic loads, the seal types selected employ larger road stone. These comprise single size aggregate such as 14 mm, 16 mm and 20 mm, which are used in single and multiple seal construction types. Gerrie van Zyl at MyCube indicated that 20 mm single seals in the urban environment are too noisy and 16 mm single seals should predominantly be used on slower and heavy traffic roads.

Historical perspective About 20 years ago, many seal designs called for 20/10 mm (the old 19/9.5 mm) double seals. Sadly, misconceptions and the misinterpretation of what a ‘proper’ double seal or a one-and-a-half seal were

Slurry-bound macadam constructed with a labour-enhanced method on Abel Erasmus Pass in Limpopo

IMIESA April 2021

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WHO'S WHO IN ROADS Cape seal before slurry application on a section between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay in Namibia. Due to the fog common to the area, hot-applied bitumen could not be employed. Cationic spray grade emulsion was used for the seal construction. Anionic stable grade emulsion was in turn used for the slurry construction

Otta seals require soft binders such as MC3000 or 150/200; back-brooming takes about three months and extends the time before road marking can be completed.

Additionally, Otta seals are sensitive to early rain. Mining permits are also required to screen material next to the road.

Therefore, if the requirement is to purchase aggregate from a commercial source, it becomes an expensive seal. Here, one would much rather select a Cape seal as a more economical alternative.

Urban perspective

resulted in these seals being prone to stone loss (stripping) in time – sometimes shortly after construction.

Nowadays, it is more common to see 20/7/7 mm triple seals being specified. The dry run of the second 7 mm layer is cleverly designed to absorb the motion of the road stone and binder under traffic, in situ, and over time. The durability of these triple seals has now been proven in many published studies to provide the best value for money for road owners of heavily trafficked road networks. It should, however, be noted that these triple seals still have sensitivity on very coarse crushed stone bases.

Cape seals Cape seals of various stone sizes are probably the heroes of all sprayed seal construction, especially when it comes to seal life. The combination of various stone sizes from 10 mm to 14 mm to 20 mm, in combination with single or multiple slurry seals with these stone sizes, provides an interlocked system that is less pervious to water and air.

The result is reduced oxidation of the seal binder and it is generally accepted that the Cape seal may outlast most other sprayed seal types, as it is regarded as a stiff seal structure. The Cape seal is an excellent, lowCape seal between Swakopmund and Henties Bay in Namibia

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risk choice with regard to early aggregate loss due to the turning actions of traffic at intersections.

Cold-applied binders, like bitumen emulsions, were prone to run off the camber or at steep elevations in the past, but the new-generation, high-viscosity cationic bitumen emulsions make the use of these emulsions possible as tack binders in the Cape seal and other seal types.

In areas where the road temperatures could not be achieved with hot-applied binder, a new construction approach has now opened for the contractor. The emulsion, in combination with manually propelled chip spreaders, opens another area for new entries into the construction fraternity. A wider scope for more job creation in the roadbuilding sector, especially applicable for rural and suburban construction, is now further enabled.

Otta seal The use of a graded stone seal, like the Otta seal, which is widely and successfully used on the rural road network in Botswana, has many application possibilities across Southern Africa on low-volume roads.

Sadly, this construction technique has not received the necessary attention in rural community projects.

It is important to acknowledge that there are constraints with certain seal types in a built-up environment. Engineers must ensure that additional accommodation for the residents’ demands are catered for to address issues such as early traffic accommodation and the potential contamination of existing infrastructure.

Environmental factors As the pressure increases to use more environmentally friendly and durable construction practices, two product types for use in sprayed seal construction are now receiving more global attention.

The use of end-of-life tyres in products such as bitumen rubber is nothing new to South Africans. Incentives in Australia and New Zealand to incorporate more tyres in road binders for seal applications are hot topics and receive high-level attention in these countries.

The promotion of the use of more cold-applied binders, such as bitumen emulsions, is also increasing in popularity.

The probability and potential to employ these products in the municipal environment in sprayed seal construction are soon going to predominate the sprayed seal market in appropriate applications.

Industry preparation Despite the negative impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the activities of global citizens during the last year, several

WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

Slurry-bound macadam being applied on the Abel Erasmus Pass project in Limpopo

valuable industry documents have been revised and adopted as standard practice.

Two worth mentioning are: • Design and Construction of Surface Treatments – Sabita Manual 40/ TRH3 Second Edition –February 2021.

(The previous revision Technical Recommendations for Highways was TRH3 2007). This document, available from Sabita, now also includes Sabita Manual 10 related to the urban environment ‘Bituminous surfacings for low volume roads and temporary deviations’.

A micro-surfacing slurry project in eThekwini employing Ralumac coldapplied asphaltic material (Photo credit: Dickie Werner, Tosas)

• COTO Manuals: Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Works for South African Road Authorities Chapter 10 Surface Treatments October 2020.

(The previous revision of the Committee of Land Transport Officials (COLTO) was 1998). Chapter 8 deals with pretreatment such as texture slurries.

These documents are available on the Sanral webpage.

I think it is commendable that, after the many years required for the review process and consolidation of these best practice documents, they are now available for use. The responsible use of the manuals is now promoted through a series of webinars facilitated by the Society of Asphalt Technology (SAT) and the South African Road Federation (SARF). SARF and SAT organise these courses in the interest of engineers, and it is a resourceful way for engineering professionals to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points.

From the above discussions, it’s clear that there are many solutions for rehabilitating and constructing South Africa’s road network. A key factor is selecting the right seal.

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Prioritising gravel to paved routes in KwaZulu-Natal A high percentage of South Africa’s road network is unpaved, which, given budget constraints, poses a challenge in terms of their upkeep. This is compounded by a shortage of suitable gravel sources. A more viable option would be to pave highertrafficked sections. The following KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Road Network case study supports that argument.

By Gugu Ndlovu and Professor Dhiren Allopi*

T

he regravelling of unpaved roads at their optimal frequency extends the life of gravel borrow pits and also results in significant savings on road infrastructure budgets.

Achieving this requires an in-depth understanding of gravel material behaviour when deployed as the wearing course under prevailing conditions. This must also be supported by an effective decisionsupport system for the prioritisation of the maintenance and upgrading of unpaved roads.

Within KwaZulu-Natal, the province’s Department of Transport is responsible for more than 24 713 km of gravel roads within the provincial road network. This requires adequate annual funding to cater for new access roads, and the maintainance and upgrading of the existing unpaved network.

There is a vital need to enhance the existing planning criteria, and thus the optimal utilisation of funds.

Background To date, the department has made significant progress in capturing all declared public roads into a single geographic information system (GIS). Both the declared paved and unpaved provincial road networks have been classified in accordance with the Technical Recommendations for Highways (TRH26, 2012). Traffic count surveys and road network condition visual assessments, in line with the Technical Methods for Highways (Draft TMH22, 2013), have also been carried out.

The latter assessments were completed following a call made by the National Department of Transport for all provinces to have updated input data for use in the Rural Road Asset Management System (RRAMS). This has a direct bearing on the allocation of the Provincial Road Maintenance Grant (PRMG) for the maintenance of the unpaved road network. Among other reasons, the PRMG was also established to supplement

Gravel-loss survey This is an edited version of a technical paper. The full paper and references are available from the authors.

Email: gugwana84@gmail.com / allopid@dut.ac.za.

provincial investments for routine, periodic and special maintenance (Department of Transport Conditional Grant Framework 2016).

The outcome of KwaZul-Natal’s assessments shows that the network condition has worsened compared to previous years. Many issues have contributed to this, such as the underfunding of road maintenance projects, shortage of suitable road material sources, as well as the lengthy process of obtaining environmental approvals for borrow pits.

The majority of the funds to date have been used for the provision of new gravel roads and for the upgrading of gravel roads to paved roads.

Prioritisation methodology

The developed prioritisation system for the upgrading of unpaved to paved roads in KwaZulu-Natal ranks gravel road segments using selected prioritisation factors.

The baseline traffic criteria used is 200 vehicles per day (vpd).

Each prioritisation factor is represented as a separate GIS shape file layer. The factors were carefully selected to ensure that the department’s project priorities align with national and provincial strategies.

Much of the data comes directly from the Provincial Growth and Development Programme, as well as outputs from other national and provincial strategies (Department of Transport Project Planning These figures show the road visual assessment information that can be stored within the Gravel Road Management System (GRMS) Framework 2018).

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WHO'S WHO IN ROADS pits and suitable quarries.

This helps in projecting associated maintenance costs. It also helps in forecasting the future deficit of borrow pit material so that future maintenance strategies can be planned well in advance. Being This graph shows the gravel road maintenance programme, which can also be stored within the GRMS able to predict the future demand and supply of quarry and borrow pit material can also assist in determining future costs and the best timing for maintenance interventions.

Conclusion

Prioritisation factor presented on GIS

Investigation of traffic baseline Literature reveals that sealing can be considered as an option in a range of 50 to 500 vpd. It is therefore clear that the traffic baseline cannot be the same for all road segments and may vary due to prevailing conditions.

In KwaZulu-Natal’s case, benefit analysis from a road authority’s and road user’s perspective will be analysed to assess and make recommendations regarding baseline traffic. As the costs of maintaining unpaved roads differs from one geographic location to the next, so too will the traffic baseline criteria.

Prioritising the upgrading of unpaved roads to paved must consider their historic behaviour. This can be holistically approached with ease when supported by inputs from the GLPM tool and other databases. Road asset managers then need to investigate the percentage split required to optimally distribute road funds according to costs and socioeconomic priorities. *Gugu Ndlovu is a project manager at Sanral and Professor Dhiren Allopi works out of the Department of Civil Engineering at Durban University of Technology.

When to upgrade unpaved roads to paved?

For a road authority to determine the right time to upgrade an unpaved road, it has to have performance management tools in place to predict deterioration patterns. Updated input data like traffic counts, complemented by a good record-keeping of road maintenance history, becomes vital for these tools to bare positive results.

The right time to upgrade is when it becomes too costly to maintain. The rate of gravel loss assists in determining regravelling frequencies and the agent’s costs of maintaining a gravel road.

Recommended approach Setting up the targeted and intervention roughness coefficient for each road class must be undertaken so that maintenance can be programmed accordingly.

Management of gravel road performance using tools such as the Gravel Loss Prediction Model (GLPM) is critical, as it helps the responsible agent to plan accordingly and timeously. The GLPM predicts the rate at which a gravel road will lose gravel. This then determines the optimal regravelling frequency.

The GLPM and allied tools like the Gravel Road Management System (GRMS) store important information about the behaviour of gravel roads. They can also incorporate other databases such as the Material Information Management System. It is important for roads authorities to have a materials database of local borrow

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Concrete routes deliver durability and economy Concrete pavements are widely used globally to carry heavy loads and provide longlasting solutions for highways, airports, bridge decks, as well as low-volume municipal roads. Bryan Perrie, CEO of Cement & Concrete SA (CCSA), discusses the benefits.

When did concrete emerge as a meaningful alternative to bituminous pavements?

BP The world’s first concrete pavement was built in Inverness, Scotland, in 1865, while in Edinburgh there are still sections paved in 1872 that are in use today. The first modern concrete pavement in the USA was constructed in Bellefontaine, Idaho, in 1893 and is also still in service.

Locally, concrete roads have been built in the Eastern Cape since the late 1920s and some

by Italian prisoners of war in the North West province during and after the Second World War. A number of these roads are still functional.

South Africa’s first modern concrete freeway was built on the N2 outside Cape Town in the late 1960s and some parts are still in use.

What are the major advantages of concrete pavements?

There are significant advantages from a construction, economy, health and safety, and performance perspective, some of which are listed below.

Key economic benefits: • comparable initial costs for equal designs in other materials • lower life-cycle costs for comparable designs • very low maintenance and user disruption costs • reduced fuel costs for trucks • reduced stormwater reticulation if needed • ideal for upgrading existing deteriorated roads by overlaying.

Performance benefits: • long service life • resists oil and fuel spillages • does not rut, shove or corrugate • easy to repair and maintain.

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Construction benefit: • Labour-friendly – i.e. ideally suited to labour-intensive and labour-based construction methods.

ABOVE Continuously reinforced concrete pavement under construction at Langeni, Eastern Cape BELOW Bryan Perrie, CEO, Cement & Concrete SA

Safety and environment benefits: • excellent light reflection and greater visibility, requiring less energy to illuminate • long-lasting skid resistance and traction for safer driving • no rutting, which could create conditions for aquaplaning • texture can be varied to warn motorists of hazards • uses local materials for construction • can be completely recycled.

account and predicts the degree of likely failure. It also considers life-cycle costs and not just initial costs. This is an important factor when it comes to costing concrete pavements.

How many types of concrete pavements are commonly used?

Should municipalities consider switching to concrete pavements?

There are two main types – the one being in situ concrete and the other concrete block paving. In the case of in situ concrete, there are different design types, with the most common in South Africa being either plain jointed or continuously reinforced. Block paving is generally for lower-volume roads, while continuously reinforced concrete is mainly used for freeways and higher-volume roads. The same situation applies internationally.

Does South Africa have the skills in place to design and build concrete roads?

CCSA’s School of Concrete Technology runs a course specifically covering the design and construction of concrete pavements to assist consultants and contractors.

In addition, CCSA has a software package – cncPave – for the design of concrete pavements based on South African conditions.

The package is comprehensive and innovative.

It takes the variability of all the inputs into

Concrete is ideal for low-volume roads and can also be used for overlaying damaged asphalt roads. Concrete roads generally have significantly lower maintenance costs and lend themselves to labour-intensive construction. These are both significant benefits for municipalities.

Do concrete pavements form part of future infrastructural programmes?

It is hoped that they will. Sanral is already busy rolling out several tenders for concrete pavements for upgrading and widening the N3 between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, and on the N2 around Durban.

From our standpoint, CCSA and its forerunners have always promoted and supported concrete pavement applications.

We will continue to promote the advantages so that public and private sector decisionmakers are well informed about the longterm benefits.

WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

New innovation patching up POTHOLE PATCHING TRAILER DEMO South African roads

S

outh African motorists and pedestrians alike are acutely familiar with potholes and the dangers of road deterioration.

A sobering statistic reveals that an average of 1 000 potholes are reported weekly to authorities in Johannesburg alone.

Shisalanga Construction, an innovative leader in asphalt and road construction, is tackling the nationwide pothole problem with new technologies.

The company’s most recent innovation is a prototype pothole-patching trailer able to patch between five and eight tonnes of asphalt a day.

“It’s like transporting a mini asphalt plant hitched to your vehicle,” says Lisa Mills, financial manager.

“The trailer is a packaged unit and has everything needed to patch up potholes successfully.”

Shisalanga’s Pothole Patching trailer significantly streamlines the patching process. The mobility of the trailer prevents the back-and-forward nature of transporting hot mix, since the unit has built-in

storage able to keep up to eight tonnes of mix sufficiently warm without compromising its quality.

“This portable technology can maintain the temperature of asphalt more consistently than other trailer products on the market. What’s more, the trailer actively aids in curbing environmental issues associated with patching by allowing us to rejuvenate and recycle in situ material taken from potholes, thereby extending the life of old asphalt,” explains Deane Koekemoer, managing director.

As eco-friendly alternatives to hot mix asphalt, Shisalanga’s Eco Asphalt and Warm Mix Asphalt guarantee high performance while simultaneously lowering the carbon footprint associated with paving.

“In time, our trailer will become a game changer for SMMEs and for municipalities who either don’t have easy access to a plant or don’t have a massive budget for patching,” Koekemoer adds.

POTHOLE-PATCHING TRAILER Patch between 5 and 8 tonnes of asphalt a day

Significantly streamlines the patching process

Reduce transportation cost of asphalt

Hot storage within the unit

Recycle uplifted asphalt on site

Mobile “mini asphalt plant”

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WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

Integrated solutions for asphalt production Leading the way since 1869, Ammann’s reputation for asphalt plant innovation continues to push the boundaries of economy and efficiency. This turnkey approach ensures that used and new equipment customers are never left behind.

A Counterflow 120 drum mix plant

“South Africa’s current bitumen shortage has led to a sharp increase in imported drummed products, spurring growing demand for our drum decanters,” explains Richard Hurst, director, Kenzam Equipment.

Mobile asphalt lab

A

mmann asphalt plants are high value assets designed to deliver decades of service.

Now this life can be extended even further with the latest Ammann retrofit technologies. These can also be installed on other OEM plants.

“Retrofits are proving to be a popular option for contractors and asphalt suppliers who wish to delay large capital equipment replacement decisions. For this reason, Ammann’s strategy is to assist the industry by upgrading older plants so they can run for longer and more efficiently,” explains Rocco Lehman, general manager, Ammann South Africa.

Ammann asphalt plants are distributed in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa by Kenzam Equipment, which is responsible for new equipment sales, maintenance, refurbishment and parts. In turn, the Ammann road construction and allied machine range is sold and supported by ELB Equipment in South Africa.

Asphalt plant retrofit offerings Key proprietary Ammann retrofit technologies include: - upgraded capabilities for older plants to produce recycled asphalt pavement products - burners that enable the use of multiple fuel types, while delivering reduced noise levels - the Amix mixer, a compact and proven solution for increasing plant capacity - the as1 Control System, which creates an intelligent and intuitive operating environment.

Other practical examples include the

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upgrading of baghouse systems, or the addition of one where it didn’t exist previously to ensure compliance with the latest environmental legislation.

New Kenzam manufactured products that have now been added for Ammann customers include containerised asphalt labs, a crucial element in plant calibration and the consistent production of high-quality asphalt products.

This partner offering in terms of mobile labs will be a world first for Ammann. Kenzam will also be producing asphalt core sampling machines for the contracting market.

Consultancy service

New plant sales

As part of its turnkey retrofitting service, Kenzam will carry out a detailed assessment of the client’s existing plant. Ammann and Kenzam also plan to offer a consultancy service to help clients maintain and optimise efficiencies within their supply chain and business operations. This will range from expert advice on asphalt production through to the best paving and compaction equipment setup. This consultancy service will prove beneficial for both existing and new entrants to the asphalt market.

Alongside its retrofit solutions, Ammann anticipates an upturn in new asphalt plant sales as larger-scale road projects start to gain momentum during 2021 and going into 2022.

Popular Ammann plants sold to date in southern Africa include the Counterflow 90 and 120 asphalt drum mix plants. The most recent Counterflow sale was to a contractor in Zimbabwe in 2020.

“We’re excited about future prospects in the road market and continue to work closely with our customers to ensure that we’re always ready and responsive,” Lehman concludes.

Associated product solutions In addition to Ammann’s OEM technologies, a range of associated products supplied by Kenzam Equipment now also form part of the offering to customers.

Kenzam Equipment forms part of the Kenzam group of companies that specialise in the manufacture of ancillary products for sustained asphalt production, catering for customers across sub-Saharan Africa.

Examples include drum decanters, emulsion plants, plus mobile and static bitumen tanks.

Ammann’s mobile asphalt core sample machine manufactured in South Africa by Kenzam Equipment

WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

Visibility, flexibility and control HAMM’s new HP series replaces the tried and tested GRW pneumatic tyre roller range first launched in the 1960s. The three new models comprise the HP 180, with an operating weight range from 8 t to a maximum of 18 t; the HP 240, ranging from 8.5 t to 24 t; and the HP 280, at 10 t to 28 t.

A

s is customary with HAMM, the HP series offers a modern, spacious operator platform or panoramic cabin with maximum visibility over the machine and construction site. In this respect, all models comply with the new ISO 5006-2017 operator’s field of view standard, which is markedly stricter than the previous provisions.

“In terms of machine design, HAMM is sticking with the proven asymmetrical frame concept in the HP series,” says Waylon Kukard, sales manager, Wirtgen Group South Africa. “This is not only a hallmark, it’s also a quality advantage because it follows the track

offset between the front and rear wheel sets and always allows for a clear view of the outer flanks of the front and rear wheels.”

Another key innovation is the flexible ballasting, which comes standard. With this feature, the operating weight is quickly adjustable to suit the asphalt type, layer thickness and application.

HAMM offers various ballast body kits for this purpose, allowing for different weights to be achieved. Because the ballast spaces are in the centre of the machine, the weight is always evenly distributed over both axles – perfect conditions for optimum compaction quality.

Additive sprinkler system HAMM has also optimised the additive sprinkler system. Previously, additive concentrate was mixed with water and then filled into a separate tank on the roller. On the new machines, the additive concentrate is simply filled without premixing. The roller doses and mixes the additive during compaction in accordance with the specification.

“This also brings about an increase in quality because HAMM avoids separation of the additive-water mixture by virtue of the design. Swapping from water to additive can also be done at any time directly from the operator platform,” Kukard adds.

The new HP series offers a spacious operator platform or panoramic cabin with maximum visibility over the machine and construction site

The ballast spaces are located in the centre of the machine, so the weight is always evenly distributed over both axles

IMIESA April 2021

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WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

N1 widening underscores the value of planning

Completion of the additional lanes, shoulders and concrete median barrier. The original 20 mm UTFC layer was replaced with a 25 mm UTFC layer

Over past decades, the N1 (TR9/1) connecting Cape Town’s Nor thern Suburbs has progressively evolved into a superhighway. The most recent inter vention is the widening of an approximately 5 km section between Jip de Jager Avenue and Old Oak Road from a four- to a six-lane dual carriageway along with a range of associated works.

The demolition operation started on a Friday night and included both the demolition and removal of debris from the roadway. The road was reopened to traffic on Saturday afternoon – less than 24 hours after demolition began

The original fourspan Old Oak bridge consisted of a beam and slab deck supported on three piers and two abutments. The contractor elected to demolish the bridge using large excavators.

A sand layer was placed on the existing roadway to protect it from falling debris

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L

ed by the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works, SMEC South Africa was appointed in 2013 for the full scope of professional services. This ranged from project management, planning (including traffic modelling and analysis), detail design and procurement, to contract administration, supervision and close-out.

“When design work commenced in 2013, in excess of 120 000 vehicles were already using this route daily, making it one of the highest-trafficked roads in the province,” explains Michael Hendrickse, chief engineer: Geometric Design, Western Cape Department of Transport & Public Works.

“This also meant that when the 36-month construction programme started in 2016, traffic flow disruptions had to be kept to a minimum. For this reason, key phases were often completed at night, such as asphalt resurfacing.”

The City of Cape Town’s Regional EMME Model was used to forecast traffic demand volumes based on a 20-year design horizon post implementation. This was further refined by employing a microscopic transportation modelling simulator to calculate anticipated travel times and average speeds during the morning and afternoon peak periods.

“The model that we used assumes a residential growth of 50% or 500 000 dwelling units in 20 years – i.e. by 2032,” says Hendrickse. “It also incorporates a modal shift towards public transport and takes into

WHO'S WHO IN ROADS

The shaping of the upper selected layer for the additional traffic lanes and shoulders within the newly constructed concrete median barrier, as well as temporary concrete safety barriers

account various new road links as proposed in the city’s CITP road network for 2032.

We were also mindful to ensure that the project ties in appropriately with Sanral’s planned upgrade of the N1 east of Old Oak Interchange.”

Pipeline relocation and bridge demolition A key hurdle that needed to be tackled at the onset was the relocation of a 60-yearold 1 200 mm OD Wemmershoek bulk water pipeline section from parts of the median on the existing dual carriageway.

This was successfully replaced with a new 1 500 mm OD steel pipe positioned outside the newly demarcated road reserve. Had the older section been left in place, there was a real risk of construction-related damage and catastrophic failure. Also, repositioning the pipe made sense from a future serviceability perspective.

Asphalt base patching in progress on the existing lanes. Since lane closures were not permitted during daytime hours, these works had to be carried out at night

“A key reason why the overall project was so successful is that sufficient time was allocated for proper planning,” says Cobus Hendriksz, functional manager: Roads & Highways, SMEC. “That included the comprehensive traffic studies so that we could study the different scenarios.”

Another key challenge was the need to remove the Old Oak West bridge to make way for a new and higher overpass structure. The way it was executed is remarkable. Instead of taking 48 hours as planned, the bridge was demolished and the freeway reopened to traffic 20 hours later.

“Reopening the N1 in less than 48 hours was an incredible achievement for the project team,” says Hendriksz.

Key works With the road construction phases gaining momentum, the existing grassed median island was removed so that the

The new Old Oak bridge closely matches the adjacent bridge. Construction of the northern abutment footing is shown in the foreground with piling of the southern abutment shown in the background

new inbound and outbound inner lanes could be constructed. Additional road works included the upgrading of four interchanges at Plattekloof, Jip De Jager Avenue, Old Oak Road and Durban Road, and the construction of new auxiliary lanes between the interchanges on both inbound and outbound carriageways to improve weaving capacity.

Ancillary works entailed a new street light system, new traffic signals at all interchanges, the removal and replacement of all overhead sign gantries, the relocation of the existing Freeway Management System, and the installation of sleeves for multiple fibre operators along the northern boundary.

“Thanks to utilising a multidisciplinary approach and strong teamwork between the department and SMEC, this mammoth project was completed on time and within budget,” Hendriksz concludes.

HDPE lined pipes were installed to protect the infrastructure from attack against biogenic corrosion

Driftsands sewer project to unlock further development Commencing in the western suburbs and terminating at the Driftsands Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), the Driftsands Collector Sewer Project is a critical component of the city’s expansion plan to serve the growing western suburbs, and the economic nodes developing alongside the N2, Fairview and Walmer.

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ccording to Melanie Geyer, project manager: Planning and Research Division, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), the existing Driftsands sewer line – which is 12.5 km long – was constructed in 1983 and commissioned in 1986. “Numerous new developments have been built since 1986. The pipeline has reached its design limitations and must therefore be augmented to allow all wastewater to drain to the Driftsands WWTW. There are two other collector sewer lines in the western suburbs – Lorraine/Fairview and Walmer Heights – that discharge wastewater into the Driftsands Collector Sewer at different points. Therefore, any upgrades or augmentation to those two collector sewer lines, prior to increasing the

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capacity of the Driftsands Collector Sewer, would be pointless.”

The project has a significant economic impact on the municipal environment because any future developments in the area (such as the Baywest Development on the N2) may not be approved by the municipality’s Wastewater Conveyance Division until the Driftsands sewer line has sufficient additional capacity. Furthermore, a portion of the existing sewer line passes through premises belonging to Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA). As ACSA is anticipating the expansion of Chief Dawid Stuurman Airport, a portion of the Driftsands sewer line must be diverted to accommodate a future runway.

The Drift Sands Collector Sewer is primarily a gravity line and is made up of different

pipe materials like fibre cement, concrete and high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

With the upgrade, NMBM chose to install concrete HDPE lined pipes, with chambers and manholes lined with Fondag C and HDPE liner to protect the infrastructure from attack against biogenic corrosion.

The majority of the Driftsands Collector Sewer Project’s funding has come from National Treasur y through the Urban Settlements Development Grant. A portion

Melanie Geyer, project manager: Planning and Research Division, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

NELSON MANDELA BAY

The excavation level for Phase 2 varies between 8 m and 12 m deep

of loan funding has also been provided for both Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Loan funding was specifically approved for this project through the NMBM Council process, as the funding will unlock various new developments in the medium-class range, which will result in income generation for the NMBM through the monthly Rates & Taxes accounts process.

Phase 2 The project team is focused on preserving the environment as far as possible. A ‘search and rescue’ operation was conducted prior to site clearance to find small animals like snakes, birds, frogs and tortoises. There was also a concerted effort to conserve all indigenous trees.

Greyer maintains that Phase 2 is a complex project. “We experience fluctuating soil conditions, from soft sand to solid rock, random rock pockets and groundwater.

Compared to Phase 1 – where the pipeline was above ground in some sections and the landscape required a build-up, or was at very shallow depths below the ground – the excavation level for Phase 2 varies between 8 m and 12 m deep. Furthermore, as part of Phase 2 is constructed on ACSA property, special clearances as well as permits for the installation of the pipes must be obtained from ACSA, and work at night was forbidden.

Phase 2 is in close proximity to a densely populated township, so sufficient safety requirements must be in place, such as barricades and fences, in an attempt to prevent children and animals from falling into trenches.”

Community involvement and emerging micro enterprises (EMEs) While the Driftsands Collector Sewer Project is not labour intensive, an effort has been made to employ any available skilled and unskilled people from the local community.

NMBM abides by the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (No. 5 of 2000) and 30% of the contract is executed

by EME contractors. A total of 21 EME contractors were employed in Phase 1 and 27 EME contractors will be employed in Phase 2. These EMEs also receive training in terms of health and safety, interpreting project documentation, and preparing a work plan.

Further phases “Phase 1 to Phase 4 involves the augmentation of the pipeline capacity to allow for developments in the city to take place. Phase 3 will be more complicated than Phase 1 and Phase 2 because half of the pipeline construction will run through the dense Gqeberha (Walmer township) area.

This will necessitate community engagement, social facilitation and negotiations in terms of relocations or compensation. Phase 3 will not commence until the necessary social aspects have been dealt with,” adds Geyer.

“Phase 5 and Phase 6 will encompass the rehabilitation of the existing pipeline. In Phase 5, we will get rid of a maintenance headache by replacing a siphon with a gravity sewer line.

“While the current focus is on the upgrade of the bulk sewer pipelines, NMBM

has prioritised the upgrade of its WWTWs to ensure sufficient capacity to treat the received wastewater,” concludes Geyer.

THE DRIFTSANDS COLLECTOR SEWER PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN A PHASED APPROACH, THROUGH SIX PHASES: • Phase 1: Construction of parallel 1.8 km 1 500 mm diameter concrete HDPE lined pipe - Commenced: March 2017 - Completed: August 2019 - Contract value: R52 800 000 (including 14% VAT) - Contractor: WK Construction - Consulting engineer: Bosch Projects • Phase 2: Construction of parallel 925 m 1 500 mm diameter concrete HDPE lined pipe - Commenced: June 2019 - Anticipated completion date: July 2022 - Contract value: R75 878 147 (including 15% VAT) - Contractor: HT Pelatona Projects - Consulting engineer: Bosch Projects • Phase 3: Construction of parallel 1.8 km 1 500 mm diameter concrete HDPE lined pipe • Phase 4: Construction of parallel 380 m 1 500 mm diameter concrete HDPE lined pipe • Phase 5: Replacing existing siphon with 1 500 mm diameter concrete HDPE lined pipe • Phase 6: Relining of existing sewer pipelines

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NELSON MANDELA BAY

Increased efforts to conquer water crisis In mid-April, combined dam levels in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) were at 13.73% – placing huge pressure on the region’s water security. Added to this, NMBM is restricted by the Department of Water and Sanitation to extract 268 Mℓ/day; presently, the city is using approximately 300 Mℓ/day.

municipal boundary, which are grouped into six clusters. Two contractors work per cluster. At the commencement of the contract, a backlog of 16 665 leaks was identified, which has now been resolved; however, it must be noted that new leaks and complaints are added every day – it will never reach zero.”

Information management system

Lyle Francis, acting deputy director: Water Demand Management, NMBM

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L

yle Francis, acting deputy director: Water Demand Management, NMBM, discusses the municipality’s interventions to reduce water wastage. “Last year, during hard lockdown, additional maintenance contractors were appointed to repair water leaks and rehabilitate water pipelines. This was done in line with the Municipal Finance Management Act (No. 56 of 2003) and NMBM’s Supply Chain Management Policy. There are 60 wards within the

NMBM’s call centre receives an average of 2 000 calls a day. Using a specialised software package called EDAMS, complaints and queries are logged about public health, electricity and water, and are sent to relevant departments. On the water side, complaints are subdivided into categories such as burst pipes, leaking service pipes, leaking valves, leaking fire hydrants, leaking meters and leaking stop cocks. These complaints are then packaged and issued to the relevant contractors, depending on ward and cluster, via an Excel spreadsheet that has complaint details, street addresses and unique reference numbers. The contractors then email that list back to the EDAMS system, where the complaints are closed. Every week, an automated report is generated that displays the number of water complaints received, resolved and outstanding per cluster.

“This automated report is a powerful tool used to flag problem areas. The performance of the contractors is tightly managed. They cannot claim that a leak is repaired when it is not or create duplicate claims for the same leak. The system will automatically recognise this and flag an error. Random daily spot checks are done by NMBM staff and call centre agents follow up

NELSON MANDELA BAY

with consumers every day to ensure that the complaints have been resolved,” adds Francis.

The EDAMS software package has numerous impressive features and is tied in to the NMBM’s asset register. It also alerts NMBM (via loggers and telemetry) if distribution reservoirs are either too low or overflowing.

Metering is a vital tool to reduce nonrevenue water (NRW). “Without accurate metering, one would not have a true reflection of NRW. The system input volume and billing have to be known and understood.

The city is currently replacing domestic and industrial meters that are older than eight years and have become inaccurate, ultimately reaching the end of their useful life cycle. It is also embarking on a project to ensure that all zones, called greater metered areas (GMAs) and district metered area (DMAs), have functional meters to give an accurate reflection of water usage.

Unfortunately, at the 151 GMAs and DMAs, only 50% of these meters are currently in operation due to vandalism and/or theft.

The readings from GMAs and DMAs need to add up to a specific total; if there is a significant discrepancy, then there may be a possible leak or unmetered connections within that specific zone.

The city has also reduced leaks by installing pressure management valves in areas that exhibit frequent pipe bursts and high night flows. There are currently 73 pressure-managed areas within NMBM and potential new sites are continuously investigated and identified.

Francis adds that NMBM is only responsible for repairs up to and including the meter – residents are responsible for any leak on their property after the meter itself. “There have been cases where residents are only aware of a leak on their property once they have received a high water bill. In some circumstances, residents can apply for a rebate. NMBM

does, however, provide assistance to the poor, whereby qualifying, low-income earners can request for NMBM to fix water leaks on their property. This is in the best interest of NMBM in the fight to save water and reduce consumption.”

Other projects In addition to water leaks, NMBM has also paid considerable attention to its pipelines. The city has approximately 4 900 km of underground water pipes.

“We have prioritised the rehabilitation of major pipelines that are old and in need of maintenance, as they can cause massive leaks and prolonged water disruptions to large suburbs. R90 million has been received this financial year for the rehabilitation of pipelines. This comes from a loan that NMBM has taken based on a 10-year NRW business plan to reduce NRW,” adds Francis.

Another positive development is the construction of the new Coegakop Water Treatment Works (WTW). Supply is sourced from an artesian aquifer over which the Coegakop groundwater wellfield was established, within which the WTW will be constructed. Once commissioned, the treatment works will be able to produce up to 20 Mℓ/day.

Further aquifer and potential drilling target areas have been identified within an economically acceptable distance of NMBM’s existing water supply infrastructure in the St George’s, Moregrove, Churchill and Bush Park wellfield areas. These sites have been earmarked for construction and will further augment water supply by approximately 20 Mℓ/day.

According to Francis, NMBM has also identified critical areas within the metro that may suffer from a lack of water should its water security situation turn critical. One such area is Kwanobuhle, with a population of approximately 250 000 people, which already experiences intermittent water

supply from Kouga Dam (which is critically low) through the Loerie supply system.

Recent projections have revealed that Kouga Dam will likely reach dead storage at a capacity of 3.1% in the next few months. “We are planning to construct a new pump station and bulk water pipeline to transfer water sourced from the Gariep Dam (Nooitgedagt), in order to mitigate this once the Kouga Dam reaches dead storage.”

Monthly household audits are conducted to find further leaks and possible illegal connections. “If there is a holiday home in NMBM that has been vacant for months but has an active water bill, then we can notify the owners about a possible leak. If there are households with very low readings, then we will investigate further; if there is an illegal connection, we will issue a fine, fix the meter and may even involve the police,” states Francis.

In the long term, there are plans for two desalination plants. The Coega Development Corporation has applied and received funding from National Treasury for a 15 Mℓ/day desalination plant. The city also has plans to construct its own desalination plant on the western side of NMBM at Skoenmakerskop, which on completion will produce 30 Mℓ/day into the system.

Water consumption While fixing leaks and using alternative water sources (like boreholes and desalination plants) to augment NMBM’s existing supply will contribute towards improving its water security, reducing water consumption is key.

“We are faced with a complexity of reducing water consumption in a city with a growing population; however, our calculations show that reducing consumption from 300 Mℓ/day to 250 Mℓ/day would alleviate significant pressure on our water supply,” says Francis.

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STUDENT ACCOMMODATION & SOCIAL HOUSING

Building conversions that add value

Across South Africa, there’s a growing need for student accommodation, and the same holds true for affordable and social housing. Closing the gap requires an innovative approach, which should include building reuse alongside greenfield developments, says Sean Kenealy, director and professional architect at STAG African, a specialist proper ty developer. By Alastair Currie

O

pened in March 2021, STAG African’s new student residence in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) is a prime example of how a developer can repurpose and add value to an existing building.

In this case, the former Summerstrand Hotel has been converted into an accredited 500-bed residence for students attending the nearby Nelson Mandela University

(NMU). The focus is on providing safe and affordable accommodation, particularly for those receiving financial aid. Amenities include self-catering communal cooking facilities for up to 80 students, catered meals, laundry facilities, Wi-Fi, a swimming pool, and numerous communal areas. Each of the existing 245 hotel rooms has been converted to a double-occupancy bedroom with en-suite bathroom.

Sean Kenealy, director and professional architect at STAG African

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An aerial perspective of the new student village at Fort Hare

STAG African’s recently completed 2 047-bed student village for the University of Fort Hare

Meeting the need for university-accredited offsite accommodation is a key priority for NMU. Currently, there are 3 299 beds in universityowned residences; however, NMU currently has around 29 000 students, which means that only around 12% of the total population can be accommodated on campus.

STAG African has a 50% shareholding in the property, now known as the Summerstrand Student Village, which was purchased on auction at the beginning of 2020. Building renovations began in August 2020 and the project was fast-tracked for completion ahead of the 2021 university year.

Plan for future running costs “The secret to successful building conversions is based on factors like research, and minimising the number of interventions

STUDENT ACCOMMODATION & SOCIAL HOUSING

required. It’s also fundamentally important for any property development that you determine the future running costs up front,” says Kenealy.

Generally, older buildings tend to be more expensive to run. This strongly influences their viability from a retrofitting perspective in key areas like electrical installations, water and sanitation, drainage, fire code compliance, and health and safety.

“Compared to commercial office-toapartment conversions, a hotel is a lot easier since the buildings are already configured for residential occupation. As with any conversion project, however, some financial contingencies will need to be made for unexpected costs.

Keeping them to a minimum depends on expert experience, without compromising on quality,” Kenealy continues.

At Summerstrand, the largest renovation costs were the upgraded services, as well as the new furnishings and carpets for the bedrooms. Face-bricked areas were also painted to enhance aesthetics.

To further improve the sustainability of the building, energy-efficiency interventions include the retrofitting of a new heat pump and hot water storage system. This replaced the older hot water boilers, which were far more costly to run. Where practical, internal and external lights have been replaced with LED fittings.

“Going forward, we will continue to refine the overall facility to improve efficiencies even further. Examples include the possibility of solar installations and greywater reuse, which are common features on our other student developments,” Kenealy explains.

Inner city projects Alongside its greenfield accommodation developments, like the recently completed 2 047-bed student village for the University of Fort Hare, STAG African has been responsible for various inner-city office block conversions.

“There’s huge potential to convert derelict buildings into social housing units; however, each one must be judged on its merits. In other words, it would be a misconception to assume that – just because it’s an existing structure – it can or should be preserved,” Kenealy explains.

One of STAG African’s first office conversions was a 15-storey building in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, which was completed around 2005. The first 14 storeys were remodelled into 140 sectional title dwelling units, most of which are under 40 m2. On the 15th floor, the original double-volume plant room was reconfigured into six penthouse apartments.

The three existing lifts were also replaced.

“An important lesson this project taught us was to find the right investment balance,” says Kenealy. “Adding the penthouses was a great idea, but it ended up increasing the original budget by around 25%.”

Deep space The best candidates for office-to-residential conversions are those that can achieve the highest ratio of usable space. “We avoid older and wider buildings (20 m or more) that have what we refer to as ‘deep space’ characteristics,” says Kenealy. “In other words, the distance from the external windows to the central parts of the building or lift cores is too great,” he clarifies.

“Ideal buildings are those with a total width of between 12.5 m and 15.5 m. A narrower building allows you to retrofit a central passage, with apartments on either side. The upside is that there are plenty of buildings like these in all South African cities that are well suited to social housing,” he continues.

However, as Kenealy point out, the starting point is to ensure that any conversion is financially sustainable and fit for purpose in terms of future occupation, which – for residential projects – influences upfront costs like additional plumbing and drainage.

The Summerstrand Hotel in Gqeberha has been converted into accredited accommodation for Nelson Mandela University students

In most cases, the extensive use of more expensive drywall construction is required when converting buildings, as the floors cannot support additional brick and mortar loads.

“One way to reduce overall conversion costs is to redesign internal sections of these buildings into communally shared spaces, like recreational rooms and central kitchens. This ‘co-living’ model is a growing trend in major cities internationally and could well become popular in South Africa, especially among younger people,” he suggests.

Public sector incentives For developers to invest in urban renewal projects, he says there needs to be a holistic master plan, which is driven and supported by city planners. Catalytic property projects spearheaded by metros are a prime example.

“You cannot invest in isolation and then have your property value diminished by ongoing and surrounding urban decay. Government needs to drive the process and create an enabling environment where decaying city sections are reclaimed block by block,” he points out.

South Africa’s Infrastructure Fund makes provision for shovel-ready projects aimed at alleviating the massive shortage in student accommodation and social housing – the latter exacerbated by intensive urban migration.

However, mobilising these projects is increasingly interdependent on blended financial arrangements between the public and private sector. The major weighting is towards the latter in terms of the monies invested.

An incentive to achieving this would be for government to provide meaningful subsidies and/or some form of rental guarantee to property developers.

“The quid pro quo for metros and municipalities is that these dormant buildings start generating revenue streams again in terms of rates and taxes, which then help to speed up urban renewal programmes,” Kenealy concludes.

A view inside one of the student rooms at Summerstrand

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BUFFALO CITY

East London’s planned sewer diversion tunnel Addressing the demands of a growing city, the proposed East London sewer diversion tunnel entails the diversion of effluent that currently flows into the Central Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) to the new regional Reeston WWTW.

Isometric view of tunnel shaft and base intersection

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he objective for Buffalo City’s administrative capital, East London, is to unlock the development potential within Central's drainage basin and ensure that the new infrastructure can accommodate the future splitting of the waste streams. In addition, to minimise future operational and maintenance costs, the existing flow is to be diverted via a hard rock tunnel, thereby eliminating pumping costs. The site is situated on the east bank of the Buffalo River, approximately 10 km due north-east of East London Central.

The first phase of the project to divert the existing effluent from Central WWTW

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to Reeston WWTW has been completed.

This initial 10-month contract included the construction of interceptor sewers for the Wilsonia area. The second phase, which is a 30-month contract, includes the balance of the works to divert the existing flows. The project is currently with Buffalo City’s Bid Adjudication Committee for award.

The scope includes: • excavating, laying, backfilling and testing of the gravity sewer from Central to inlet of tunnel, consisting of approximately 1 200 m of pipeline varying in diameter from 315 mm to 630 mm • excavating, laying, backfilling and testing of the gravity sewer from the interceptor sewer to the central shaft of tunnel, consisting of approximately 300 m (x2) of pipeline with a diameter of 560 mm • excavating, laying, backfilling and testing of the gravity sewer from the tunnel outlet to the head of outlet siphon, consisting of approximately 100 m (x2) of pipeline with a diameter of 630 mm • laying, fixing and testing of approximately 5 200 m of 630 mm diameter continuously welded pipeline in the tunnel, including pipe chairs at approximately 3 m intervals and the valves for the crossovers at the bottom of the central shaft • excavation, mucking, supporting and lining of a 3 m nominal diameter tunnel excavated using a tunnel boring machine (TBM) at a varying depth from 10 m to 70 m below ground, to a length of approximately 3.5 km.

TBM tunnel The TBM-bored tunnel will be constructed between a point at the western end of the trenched pipeline from Central WWTW to the central shaft, adjacent to the primary school in Scenery Park, and on to the outlet a short distance from Reeston WWTW. The tunnel will be bored primarily through interbedded mudstone and sandstone, possibly interspersed with intrusive hypabyssal

igneous dolerite dykes. The excavation for the outlet will be through decomposed to highly weathered medium hard to hard rock mudstone, overlain by mixed talus conditions. The tunnel minimum and maximum overburden covers a range between approximately 15 m and 70 m. The central shaft, situated approximately midway through the tunnel, will have a 4 m internal diameter, approximately 35 m in depth to the tunnel invert.

Investigations showed that rotary core borehole drilling, which was carried out along the centreline of the tunnel to a depth of 1 m below the tunnel invert, revealed that the sedimentary rock, although highly jointed in some areas, has an average unconfined compressive strength of 266 MPa.

Key features A unique feature on this project is the use of a geotechnical baseline report (GBR). The purpose of this is to describe and set baseline values for the anticipated geotechnical subsurface conditions and ground behaviour expected to be encountered during construction.

The pipe works include a gravity pipeline from Central WWTW through to the inlet of the tunnel, a gravity pipeline to the central shaft, a gravity pipeline to the outlet, an outfall gravity pipeline, and a portion of an outfall siphon. A single pipe will be laid from the inlet of the tunnel to the central shaft. From there to the outlet of the tunnel, twin pipes are to be laid.

Manholes, using precast manhole rings and reinforced concrete drop structures, will also be constructed. In addition, two reinforced concrete vortex structures and stilling basins are required, along with a siphon inlet chamber with their associated pipework and valves.

Over the longer term, once all the effluent is diverted, the moratorium on development within Central’s drainage basin will be lifted and land with a developable area for approximately 20 000 houses will become available.

CEMENT & CONCRETE

AfriSam’s commitment to maintaining the highest environmental standards places major emphasis on water conservation and reuse, as well as the recycling of waste materials.

Sustainable construction starts with materials

A

cross AfriSam’s cement, readymix and aggregate divisions, various initiatives are in place. At its cement operations, for instance, these include rainwater harvesting, which is then used to meet many of the plant requirements.

Operations like AfriSam’s Ulco plant near Barkly West, Northern Cape, have taken this a step further in reducing the load on the municipal system. Drawing a limited volume from the Vaal River, the operation treats water for its own use, including potable water.

“The same principles apply at our aggregate operations, where the aim is to reduce any consumption from municipal sources, thereby easing pressure on their resources,” says Nivashni Govender, environmental specialist at AfriSam. At AfriSam’s readymix operations, one of the most water-intensive activities is the cleaning out and washing of concrete residue from the inside of mixer drums. During this process, the water is channelled and stored in lined settlement facilities and then reused in the concrete batching process.

“It is also vital for us to monitor water quality at our cement and aggregate plants, so we conduct

At AfriSam operations, rainwater is collected and stored in mining areas to meet various process requirements

monthly testing on all applicable waterpoints,” she says. “By applying certain parameters for identifying chemicals through SANAS-accredited laboratories, we are able to pick up any signs of pollution timeously and respond accordingly.”

Composites promote reuse Alongside its focus on water, AfriSam has embarked on numerous approaches over the past 20 years in the quest to reduce its carbon footprint. These include the development of composite (or extended) cements and ongoing energy-efficiency initiatives. At its cement plants, for example, AfriSam is busy with a fiveyear emissions reduction programme.

Composite cements contain clinker and other cementitious materials, such as fly ash from power stations and ground granulated blastfurnace slag from steel plants. The scientific usage of these products into AfriSam’s cement significantly enhances concrete performance without compromising quality.

“In addition to essentially reusing waste products from other industries, this process AfriSam is busy with a five-year emissions reduction programme at its cement plants

also reduces the amount of limestone that we have to mine and clinker we have to produce, again reducing carbon emissions from those processes, as well as reducing waste to landfill,” she says.

Controlling dust Concern with air quality extends beyond point-source emissions from stacks, to the management of fugitive dust created at the company’s operations. In the cement and aggregate quarries, dust fallout monitoring has been conducted for many years. Levels of dust fallout are checked on a monthly basis and can now be usefully analysed and trended to better understand how levels change according to the seasons and on-site activities.

While dust fallout monitoring is not currently legally required at readymix sites, AfriSam still conducts proactive monitoring, with a focus on determining the potential environmental effects the operations may have on surrounding areas.

Less waste Going forward, AfriSam has established more aggressive recycling targets for 2021, encouraging all operations to increase their reuse and recycling of general waste.

“At the readymix sites, for instance, unused concrete returned from construction sites is taken to the nearest AfriSam quarry to be recrushed and reused at a later stage,” says Govender. “This recycled aggregate and crushed cementitious material can then – in consultation with the customer – be used to augment aggregate orders.”

In terms of AfriSam’s 2021 roadmap, all company operations are also steadily rehabilitating a portion of their disturbed footprint – part of an overall effort to reintroduce biodiversity to minedout areas and return them to a selfsustaining landform.

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CEMENT & CONCRETE

Surface stabilisation between rock bolts Compressed air is added at the nozzle to spray the fresh mix, while a 7 m delivery hose will deliver the best effect

Rock bolts are used to stabilise excavations in mining, tunnelling and civil engineering operations like concrete dam reinforcement, road cuts and bridge abutments. A critical element is surface stabilisation. Technicrete TSL, a modified polymer-based, fibre-reinforced, thin-sprayed liner, provides the solution.

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A solution for efflorescence

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reventing efflorescence on concrete is often a concern for contractors, but Chr yso has a simple solution – Chr yso Alpha Color 600.

Chr yso Alpha Color 600 is a double-function admixture that simultaneously gives a durable, water-repellent property to concrete. It also improves the aesthetic characteristics of manufactured concrete products, considerably reducing the appearance of spots and rings due to efflorescence. This provides a homogeneous colour to the final product, whether it is precast or coloured concrete.

This high-per formance efflorescence reducer is available in a range of packaging, including 25 litre jerr y cans, 200 litre drums, 1 000 litre flow bins or bulk tanker loads. With a long shelf life of 12 months, it can be homogenised simply by some light agitation after extended periods of storage. It can even endure freezing, requiring only agitation after thawing to recover its properties.

Chryso Alpha Color 600 ensures a homogeneous colour

An added benefit of using Chryso Alpha Color 600 is that pigmented concrete products are much richer in colour

echnicrete TSL is supplied in easy-to-use kits consisting of a special liquid, which is a blend of powder chemicals and graded silica sand with polypropylene fibres. The contents of the kit are simply emptied into a suitable mixer or pump, then sprayed on to the cleaned rock face and into open joints and fissures. Maximum penetration is obtained by spraying directly into any open joints.

Benefits The numerous benefits of Technicrete TSL include: • rapid deployment in underground environments, as equipment is easy to handle in confined areas • the sprayed-on support is quick to mix and hardens quickly • used as rock support for area stabilisation of rock surfaces • stabilises friable ground • seals sensitive rock types such as smectite, shale, and soft shales against water and humidity • prevents unravelling of fractured ground by holding key blocks in place • seals dams, sumps and drains • temporary area support, prior to overcoating with shotcrete, which has a strong adhesion to Technicrete TSL • safely applied to damp substrates (but not on to surfaces covered in running water).

TSL EFNARC specifications Technicrete TSL has a shear strength of >0.25 MPa after 24 hours, a tensile strength of >2 MPa after seven days, and an ultimate shear bond and bond strength of 1.0 MPa.

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Chryso Alpha Color 600 acts as a water repellent because it reduces capillary absorption

FLEET MANAGEMENT

Ctrack’s flexible software solutions cover all the bases

T

he solutions on offer include fleet monitoring software provided

by Ctrack Maxx – a powerful, server-based fleet monitoring and management tool that combines advanced vehicle tracking with a sophisticated fleet analysis package.

Then there is Ctrack Mobi, a web-based application that enables you to monitor your vehicles from almost anywhere using a smartphone or tablet.

Meanwhile, Driver Mobi allows for drivers to manage themselves via their smartphones.

Drivers see their own scores and driver behaviour on journeys. They can also submit their business/private mileage declarations and complete vehicle checks.

For small businesses, there is Ctrack Drive – an affordable, feature-rich SaaS (software as a service) solution that is ideal for companies whose vehicles are non-core assets.

Furthermore, Ctrack Online is a web-based application that enables you to remotely monitor your vehicles from any computer with an internet connection.

Video monitoring and live tracking In terms of video monitoring, the Ctrack Iris

solution includes front-, back- and side-facing camera options with a web-based and desktop software platform with mobile phone app. It provides users with an online view, geofence/ point of interest data, live tracking, and video and dashboard event management.

Analytics and big data Using rich fleet analytics and smart interpretation of data, Ctrack Fleet Analytics provides the information needed for critical decision-making – from cost savings to future investments.

Ctrack’s advanced analytics visually represent the big data your business generates every day. It is possible to experience your operation in new ways, granting you the ability to isolate trends, detect risks and proactively respond to areas requiring intervention.

Rich functionality and detailed features give you more than just a tracking solution. From service schedules to route management, Ctrack provides you with its experience in a software solution tailored to your operational needs.

As fleet managers know, visibility is everything. In providing full control over your assets – where they are, what they are doing

Leading vehicle tracking and telematics services provider Ctrack has a range of software solutions for businesses of all sizes.

and how to make use of them next – Ctrack solutions optimise productivity, increase efficiency and provide asset security.

Ctrack Bureau Service And with the Ctrack Bureau Service, you can reduce your administration efforts and outsource your fleet reporting and control to Ctrack 24/7/365. With more eyes on screen, you save time and reduce risk.

Why not regulate which of your operators use different and specific assets in your business?

Or you can add an extra layer of security, with operator identification and starter lockouts.

Either way, peace of mind is a click away.

Use Ctrack data to optimise your operations and implement changes/additions to ensure costs are decreased, while efficiencies increase. The wide variety of reports available detail every aspect of your operation predictively and historically.

Ctrack’s task management and navigation options make use of driver terminals or smartphone applications to ensure your business operates like never before.

Now it is possible to automate previously time-consuming functions and increase efficiency through one simple solution.

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IMESA

IMESA AFFILIATE MEMBERS PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATES

AECOM siphokuhle.dlamini@aecom.com AFI Consult banie@afri-infra.com Alake Consulting Engineers lunga@alakeconsulting.com AQUADAM (Pty) Ltd sales@aquadam.co.za ARRB Systems info@arrbsystemssa.com Asla Construction (Pty) Ltd johanv@asla.co.za Aveng Manufacturing Infraset werner.booyens@infraset.com Bigen Africa Group Holdings otto.scharfetter@bigenafrica.com BMK Group brian@bmkgroup.co.za Bosch Munitech info@boschmunitech.co.za Bosch Projects (Pty) Ltd mail@boschprojects.co.za BVI Consulting Engineers marketing@bviho.co.za CCG puhumudzo@ccgsytems.co.za / info@ccgsystems.co.za Civilconsult Consulting Engineers mail@civilconsult.co.za Corrosion Institute of Southern Africa secretary@corrosioninstitute.org.za Development Bank of SA divb@dbsa.org.za Dlamindlovu Consulting Engineers & Project Managers info@dlami-ndlovu.co.za DPI Plastics Farhana@dpiplastics.co.za EFG Engineers eric@efgeng.co.za Elster Kent Metering Mark.Shamley@Honeywell.com EMS Solutions paul@emssolutions.co.za ERWAT mail@erwat.co.za GIBB marketing@gibb.co.za GIGSA secretary@gigsa.org GLS Consulting nicky@gls.co.za Gorman Rupp Cordeiro@gormanrupp.co.za Gudunkomo Investments & Consulting info@gudunkomo.co.za Hatch Africa (Pty) Ltd info@hatch.co.za Herrenknecht schiewe.helene@herrenknecht.de Huber Technology cs@hubersa.com Hydro-comp Enterprises info@edams.co.za I@Consulting info@iaconsulting.co.za Infrachamps Consulting info@infrachamps.co.za INGEROP mravjee@ingerop.co.za Integrity Environment info@integrityafrica.co.za IQHINA Consulting Engineers & Project Managers info@iqhina.co.za iX engineers (Pty) Ltd hans.k@ixengineers.co.za JBFE Consulting (Pty) Ltd issie@jbfe.co.za JG Afrika DennyC@jgafrika.com KABE Consulting Engineers info@kabe.co.za Kago Consulting Engineers kagocon@kago.co.za Kantey & Templer (K&T) Consulting Engineers ccherry@ct.kanteys.co.za Kitso Botlhale Consulting Engineers info@kitsobce.co.za Lektratek Water general@lwt.co.za Makhaotse Narasimulu & Associates mmakhaotse@mna-sa.co.za Malani Padayachee & Associates (Pty) Ltd admin@mpa.co.za Maragela Consulting Engineers admin@maragelaconsulting.co.za Mariswe (Pty) Ltd neshniec@mariswe.com Martin & East gbyron@martin-east.co.za M & C Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd info@mcconsulting.co.za Mhiduve adminpotch@mhiduve.co.za Mogoba Maphuthi & Associates (Pty) Ltd admin@mmaholdings.co.za Much Asphalt bennie.greyling@muchasphalt.com Mvubu Consulting & Project Managers miranda@mvubu.net NAKO ILISO lyn.adams@nakogroup.com Nyeleti Consulting merasmus@nyeleti.co.za Odour Engineering Systems mathewc@oes.co.za Prociv Consulting & Projects Management amarunga@prociv.co.za Rainbow Reservoirs quin@rainbowres.com Re-Solve Consulting (Pty) Ltd maura@re-solve.co.za Ribicon Consulting Group (Pty) Ltd info@ribicon.co.za Royal HaskoningDHV francisg@rhdv.com SABITA info@sabita.co.za SAFRIPOL mberry@safripol.com SAGI annette@sagi.co.za SALGA info@salga.org.za SAPPMA admin@sappma.co.za / willem@sappma.co.za SARF administrator@sarf.org.za.co.za SBS Water Systems mava@sbstanks.co.za Sembcorp Siza Water info-sizawater@sembcorp.com Sigodi Marah Martin Management Support lansanam@sigodimarah.co.za SiVEST SA garths@sivest.co.za Sizabantu Piping Systems (Pty) Ltd gregl@sizabantupipingsystems.com SKYV Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd kamesh@skyv.co.za SMEC capetown@smec.com Sobek Engineering gen@sobek.co.za Southern African Society for Trenchless Technology director@sasst.org.za SRK Consulting jomar@srk.co.za Star Of Life Emergency Trading CC admin@staroflife.co.za Syntell julia@syntell.co.za TECROVEER (Pty) Ltd info@tecroveer.co.za TPA Consulting roger@tpa.co.za V3 Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd info@v3consulting.co.za Vetasi south-africa@vetasi.com VIP Consulting Engineers esme@vipconsulting.co.za VNA info@vnac.co.za VUKA Africa Consulting Engineers info@vukaafrica.co.za Water Institute of Southern Africa wisa@wisa.org.za Wam Technology CC support@wamsys.co.za Wilo South Africa marketingsa@wilo.co.za WRCON ben@wrcon.co.za WRP ronniem@wrp.co.za WSP Group Africa ansia.meyer@wsp.com Zutari Rashree.Maharaj@Zutari.com

VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

SHOP ONLINE FOR BELL PRE-OWNED

T

he launch of Bell Equipment’s dedicated pre-owned website (https://pre-owned.bellequipment.com) now makes it possible to search and shop for used Bell machines worldwide. The website gives Bell operations and dealers, should they wish, access to one fully integrated platform.

“Previously, our efforts were localised and we wanted to create an online solution to promote our pre-owned equipment globally,” explains Doug Morris, managing director: Europe, Middle East and Africa at Bell Equipment, who has overseen the project.

“We are thrilled with the result because it gives the group flexibility that did not exist before. For example, Bell UK can now sell its stock in South Africa or through our entire dealer network, and vice versa. The platform gives us the ability to easily manage an integrated internal stock system, upload to our website, as well as publish to an external service provider to advertise internationally,” Morris continues.

The website is easy to navigate and groups machinery according to industry, namely: mining and construction, forestry, agriculture, roads and rehabilitation, crushing and screening, and application equipment.

For each piece of kit, there are several photographs and detailed information, which includes the brand, year of manufacture, hours worked, machine location, selling price, and contact details. In addition, customers can generate an enquiry directly from the website.

IMIESA April 2021

55

VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT

Two decades with I-Shift Launched in 2001, Volvo Trucks’ I-Shift set a new benchmark for automated clutch-based transmission systems and today is a standard feature on all Volvo FH, FH16, FM and FMX derivatives.

T

echnological developments over the past 20 years include the unveiling of I-Shift with Dual Clutch in 2014. Another significant step came in 2016, with the launch of I-Shift with Crawler gears. This enables trucks transporting a gross combination weight up to 325 t to start from standstill on a flat road. The gear ratio also enables the truck to crawl at speeds as low as 0.5 km/h, which is beneficial when performing precision manoeuvres, such as on construction sites.

I-Shift was first introduced to the South African market in 2007, with the launch of the FH, FM and FMX version 3 ranges

I-See uses cloud-based map data Another major technological breakthrough is I-See, a separate system that can be added to I-Shift. Updated in 2017, I-See analyses cloud-based topographical data, informing I-Shift when it’s the best time to change gear in order to save energy, and thus fuel.

I-See is not currently available on Euro III variants offered in the South African market, but Volvo Trucks SA has prioritised its local introduction.

quarrying where it is more productive to perform repetitive manoeuvres back and forth at lower speed.

Pär Bergstrand, heavy duty transmission manager at Volvo Trucks, comments: “I-Shift will continue to be improved for diesel trucks and it will also play an important role in our electromobility journey.

As an advanced automation technology, I-Shift offers unique abilities to contribute to Volvo’s fully autonomous transport solutions of the future. ”

I-Shift with Change Direction I-Shift is fully synchronised with the rest of the truck. The transmission uses information available from both the engine and the vehicle to work together to optimise varying applications and truck combinations

The launch of Volvo Trucks’ new heavyduty range in 2020 introduced another innovative function: I-Shift with Change Direction.

This new function enables the truck to change direction without the driver needing to use the brake pedal. This feature is particularly useful in operating environments like construction and

Precision and ergonomics are core I-Shift features

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS APE Pumps AfriSam South Africa

25 IBC

Ammann Construction Machinery SA OBC

Ctrack Gabion Baskets IMESA Mariswe

56

Anton Paar Southern Africa

37

Bell Equipment Group Services

10

IMIESA April 2021

PPC Cement Quality Filtration Systems

2, 53 43 4, 54 OFC 26 17, 19

Rand Water

16, 20

Rocla

15

Shisalanga

39

SMEC South Africa

29

Technicrete

35

Tosas

IFC

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