Roads and Infrastructure March 2022

MARCH 2022

ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA MARCH 2022

WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION Coffey Testing’s female leaders share their insights on the barriers and progresses so far

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A DIVERSE INDUSTRY Roads and infrastructure industry leaders on how to promote greater diversity AUSTRALIA’S GREENEST FREEWAY How Alex Fraser contributed to supply of sustainable material for Melbourne’s Mordialloc Freeway

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MARCH 2022 CONTENTS

Secmair’s Chipsealers have been used for sprayed seal applications for over 40 years.

Read the story on Pg 40.

31 Cutting a fine line The key features of the Simex PL 45.20 High Power, detailed by operators at Geoff Wilde Earthmoving.

34 Excavating in tight spaces How the reduced tail swing radius and advanced safety features of JCB CEA’s 245XR Tracked Excavator is helping a Melbourne business operate in confined areas.

COVER STORY

37 From strength to strength A Queensland-based paving business has found new ways of winning larger projects with a simple machinery upgrade.

14 Creating a place for women in construction Roads & Infrastructure speaks to five women working in leadership positions at Coffey Testing on how the company is promoting gender diversity in a male-dominant sector.

ASPHALT NEWS

PROJECT REPORT

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

18 Behind the construction of ‘Australia’s greenest freeway’ How Alex Fraser’s supply of sustainable construction materials supported the completion of the Mordialloc Freeway in Melbourne.

40 Secmair’s Chipsealer moving forward The evolution of Secmair’s Chipsealers over four decades has made them an essential equipment for sprayed seal applications worldwide.

42 If you build it, use crumb Tyre Stewardship Australia is promoting the sourcing of crumb rubber from accredited recyclers.

23 We ask the roads and infrastructure industry experts to share their views on barriers to more diversity.

44 Soil treatment: Leaving no trace behind Roads & Infrastructure investigates the sustainable soil management options offered by the SUEZ-Ventia soil processing facility in Melbourne.

TRAINING

SAFETY IN FOCUS

ROADS REVIEW

26 Learning by doing Wirtgen Australia’s first female Apprentice Technician details her experience and aspirations.

TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT

28 Laying the groundwork Andrew Wilder, General Manager of LiebherrAustralia, explains what makes Liebherr’s concrete pump range unique.

48 A one-stop-shop for temporary fencing A new e-commerce platform launched by the team behind 1300TempFence is making ordering and receiving temporary fencing more seamless than ever.

ASSET MANAGEMENT

AfPA SECTION

52 AfPA’s take on diversity AfPA’s newly formed National Diversity and Inclusion Committee is aiming to help address the barriers and challenges to successfully attract, recruit and retain a broad workforce.

54 AfPA Member Profile Daniel Orriss of Stabilised Pavements of Australia talks about recent changes within the road pavement industry and the importance of keeping up with technology.

NATIONAL PRECAST

56 Precast coating solutions from Dulux National Precast’s Industry Partner Dulux AcraTex has formulated end-to-end coating solutions for tilt up and precast concrete surfaces.

INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL

59 The Infrastructure Sustainability Council reflects on the IS Rating system’s impact on promoting greater sustainability of infrastructure projects over the past decade.

EVENTS

61 Women In Industry Awards Finalists Announced A look at the finalists for the Women in Industry Awards 2022.

CONTRACTS AND TENDERS 62 A summary of the major contracts awarded for infrastructure projects across the nation.

REGULARS

4 Editor’s note 6 News 12 People on the move

50 Looking out for overhead damage Underwriting Agencies of Australia is aiming to reduce risk of overhead infrastructure damage during machinery transport. roadsonline.com.au

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PUBLISHER Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au MANAGING EDITOR Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au EDITOR Tara Hamid tara.hamid@primecreative.com.au

CHANGING THE NARRATIVE IT’S BEEN OVER 15 YEARS, but I can still remember the first day of Civil Engineering school like it was yesterday. The paper work to register myself as a foreign student had taken longer than expected and the Engineering Drawing class had already started when I crept in from the back door and quietly sat myself on a top-row bench. Looking down at the back of my classmates’ heads, an unexpected reality sank in: I was one of less than a handful of females in a class of over 40 engineering aspirants.

When the second year came, the rest of the girls moved on to other engineering disciplines, leaving me as the only female student in the civil engineering department for the next three years.

As I sat down to speak with Dawn Watt, CEO of Coffey Testing – one of Australia’s largest material testing companies – for this edition of Roads & Infrastructure, we found a lot of similarities in our respective stories. She too had felt greatly outnumbered by her male classmates during her college days in Canada. She had also found it surprising that her passion for material science was not shared by more female students, even today.

In Dawn’s opinion, grassroot education and career leadership as students progress to higher education play an important role in piquing their interest into the discipline. But more importantly, she says the civil construction and engineering industry needs a face-lift to help shake the notion that it’s all about physical capabilities and rugged workplaces.

While Coffey Testing, and a number of other companies we spoke to for this edition, are striving to attract a greater ratio of female professionals, it’s important to remember that discussions around diversity and inclusion are not, and should never be, limited to gender imbalances.

While there are many studies indicating a concerning lack of gender equity within the construction sector, both in terms of talent attraction and a salary gap between male and female employees, other forms of inequality should not be kept out of the conversation.

A recent McKinsey study, for example, found that transgender applicants were more likely than cisgender applicants to face challenges throughout the job-application process. [McKinsey 2021 Workplace Inclusion Across the Gender Spectrum Survey.]

Also, a study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics earlier this year showed that skilled migrants were more likely to work in careers irrelevant to their qualification due to lack of opportunities, while the Australian-born were more likely to change career paths voluntarily. [Perspectives on Migrants, released 31 Jan 2022.]

It is, therefore, important that our conversations around diversity and inclusion cover the full spectrum, aiming to making the civil construction industry more welcoming for everyone, irrespective of their gender, sexual orientation, physical attributes, ethnicity or cultural backgrounds. I sincerely hope that selecting a ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ theme for our March edition is a positive step in acknowledging the industry’s role to achieve that goal.

Tara Hamid Editor, Roads & Infrastructure Magazine 4

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JOURNALISTS Tom O’Keane tom.okeane@primecreative.com.au DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au ART DIRECTOR Blake Storey DESIGN Kerry Pert, Aisling McComiskey C

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Brad Marshall brad.marshall@primecreative.com.au

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CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au HEAD OFFICE Prime Creative Pty Ltd 11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia p: +61 3 9690 8766 f: +61 3 9682 0044 enquiries@primecreative.com.au www.roadsonline.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS +61 3 9690 8766 subscriptions@primecreative.com.au Roads & Infrastructure Australia is available by subscription from the publisher. The rights of refusal are reserved by the publisher.

ARTICLES All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

COPYRIGHT

Roads & Infrastructure Australia is owned and published by Prime Creative Media. All material in Roads & Infrastructure Australia is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without the written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Roads & Infrastructure Australia are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

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NEWS

WORKS BEGIN FOR QUEENSLAND’S COOMERA CONNECTOR PROJECT

Enabling works have begun on the northern section between Coomera and Helensville.

Enabling works have begun on the northern section between Coomera and Helensville, marking the start of Stage One works on the $2.16 billion Coomera Connector in Queensland.

By constructing additional crossings of the Coomera and Nerang rivers, the first stage of construction will aim to

reduce pressure on the M1 by providing an alternative route for the growing communities and commercial hubs of Helensvale and Coomera.

Acciona Construction Australia and Georgiou Group Joint Venture, with WSP and BG&E as the designers, are undertaking the enabling works for the project, while also working on finalising the design.

The project is also set to provide improved connections and accessibility to more transport options on the northern Gold Coast.

Coomera Connector Stage One is around 16 kilometres and will be delivered in three construction packages.

These include Stage One North (Shipper Drive, Coomera to Helensvale

Road, Helensvale), Stage One Central (Helensvale Road, Helensvale to Smith Street Motorway, Molendinar) and Stage One South (Smith Street Motorway, Molendinar to Nerang-Broadbeach Road, Nerang).

Construction of the Stage One North section is expected to support 1000 jobs over the project’s life.

Main construction on the Coomera Connector Stage One North structures will start once all environmental and project approvals are in place, expected from mid-2022.

The Federal and Queensland governments have committed a total of $2.16 billion on a 50:50 basis to plan and build Stage One of the Coomera Connector.

UGL TAKES OVER NSW’S COUNTRY RAIL NETWORK As a major milestone for New South Wales’ regional rail network, UGL Regional Linx (UGLRL) has begun its 10year tenure as the custodians of Country Regional Network’s (CRN’s) around 5500 kilometres of railway infrastructure.

UGLRL won a $1.5 billion contract with Transport NSW early last year, allowing the company to take over the operation and maintenance of the rail assets, which link broad areas of regional NSW to interstate and metropolitan rail systems.

The firm, a branch of asset management company UGL which is owned by international firm CIMIC Group, takes over from John Holland, which held the rail maintenance contract for the previous 10 years.

The CRN covers 27,000 hectares of land and infrastructure, including 1200 property assets and almost 1000 bridges.

UGLRL’s CEO John Pistak said he was looking forward to a new era for the CRN. “The CRN is a crucial link between rural, regional and metropolitan communities, and we are ready to roll out our significant skills to operate and maintain 6

ROADS MARCH 2022

it,” Mr Pistak said.

CEO Country Regional Network at John Holland Rail Matt Jones said the company was proud to have operated and maintained the CRN over the past decade.

“John Holland has transformed the CRN over the past decade, introducing new technology, network-wide upgrades and enhancements, delivering significant safety, reliability and operational

UGL Regional Linx has taken over the operation and maintenance of NSW’s country regional network.

improvements for rail customers and regional communities,” Mr Jones said.

The CRN includes the regional rail lines that connect to the Australian Rail Track Corporation’s national network and the Sydney Trains network.

It comprises more than 2,400 kilometres of operational rail lines, more than 3,100 kilometres of non-operational lines, and hundreds of bridges and property assets such as stations.

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TENDERERS SHORTLISTED FOR STAGE TWO OF WESTERN HARBOUR TUNNEL PROJECT Transport for NSW has confirmed the shortlist for the tenderers for stage two of Western Harbour Tunnel project, which will see a second tunnel crossing across Sydney Harbour.

The successful parties of Acciona Construction Australia, Bouygues Construction Australia and Vinci Construction Grands Projects joint venture, and John Holland, CPB Contractors and UGL Engineering joint venture will now begin the formal tender process.

This follows the selection of a joint venture between CPB Contractors and John Holland early this year to deliver the Western Harbour Tunnel – Southern Tunnelling Works, the first stage of tunnelling for the

The Western Harbour Tunnel will be the second road tunnel under Sydney Harbour.

Western Harbour Tunnel.

The second package of works will deliver the remainder of the Western Harbour Tunnel, including the balance of northern tunnelling from Birchgrove, through Sydney Harbour and onto North Sydney, the marine work and all the tunnel fit-out.

The Western Harbour Tunnel will be a second road tunnel under Sydney Harbour.

The tunnel will connect the WestConnex Rozelle Interchange with the Warringah Freeway in North Sydney. Once complete and via the Beaches Link, there will be a continuous connection from WestConnex at Rozelle to Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The NSW 2021-22 Budget allocated $6.3 billion over the next four years for the Western Harbour Tunnel, Beaches Link and Warringah Freeway Upgrade, including $454 million in FY2021-22.

The successful tenderer will be announced later this year.

Construction for Western Harbour Tunnel is expected to be completed in 2027.

CONSTRUCTION RE-STARTS FOR MELBOURNE AIRPORT’S EXPRESS LINK

Melbourne Airport is addressing growing traffic congestion through the construction of an elevated loop road network.

Construction for a new elevated road linking Melbourne’s Tullamarine Freeway to Melbourne Airport’s Terminal four has resumed, after the project was put on hold in early 2020 due to COVID-19 impacts.

The two-stage project was first announced in 2019, aiming to create 8

ROADS MARCH 2022

a more streamlined exit from the Tullamarine Freeway to all Melbourne Airport terminals, so travellers would no longer need to navigate roundabouts and busy intersections.

Stage one of the project was approved by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure,

Transport and Regional Development in 2019 and a $60 million contract was awarded to Seymour Whyte in November 2019. However, the project was put on hold due to COVID-19 impacts, international and domestic border closures, and severe effects on the aviation industry.

As restrictions eased and borders reopened, and with the intent to restart the economy and get ready to welcome back domestic passengers and tourists, Australia Pacific Airports (Melbourne) approached Seymour Whyte in August 2021 to restart works as part of the initial contract.

A further $260 million is earmarked for stage two of the road upgrade, which may include a second elevated link to facilitate better connections to Terminals one, two and three.

The T4 Express Link will improve airport access and deliver a 30 per cent faster journey to T4 compared to current travel times. It’s expected to carry 5000 vehicles per day when completed.

Once both stages are complete, the project will add around 1.6 kilometres of new road to the airport’s existing network.

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NEWS

FUNDING BOOST FOR NSW’S M1 PACIFIC MOTORWAY EXTENSION

The Federal Government is investing a further $80 million for the delivery of the M1 Pacific Motorway Extension.

The Federal Government is investing a further $80 million for the delivery of the M1 Pacific Motorway Extension to Raymond Terrace in Hunter, New South Wales – bringing the Australian Government’s total investment in the project to $1.68 billion.

The $2.1 billion project is being jointly funded by the Australian and the NSW

governments, with the NSW Government committing the remaining $420 million.

The upgrade includes 15 kilometres of dual carriageway motorway with two lanes in each direction bypassing Hexham and Heatherbrae, interchanges at Black Hill, Tarro, Tomago, and Raymond Terrace and a 2.6-kilometre-long bridge over Woodlands Close, the Main Northern Railway, New

England Highway and Hunter River.

The project will aim to improve connections between the M1 Pacific Motorway and the Pacific Highway, improve traffic flows, improve accessibility and improve safety.

This additional funding will also enable the delivery of the Hexham Straight Widening project, which is currently going through planning approval processes.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said the extension will get people home sooner and safer and keep freight moving.

“This will ease congestion for more than 25,000 vehicles a day travelling between Newcastle and Maitland, keeping commuters moving and giving them time back in their day,” he said.

Transport for NSW called for registrations of interest from prequalified contractors in October last year to deliver the extension project. There is currently a call for supply partners to register their details for the project.

WORKS ADVANCE ON QLD’S $230M TOWNSVILLE RING ROAD UPGRADE The construction of four new bridges and overpasses are progressing on the Townsville Ring Road in Queensland, as works advance on the Townsville Ring Road Stage five (TRR5) project.

The TRR5 project will duplicate the only remaining two-lane section of the Townsville Ring Road between Vickers Bridge and Shaw Road.

In addition to improving road safety and traffic efficiency, the TRR5 project will improve local connectivity to important employment centres and essential services in Townsville, including Lavarack Barracks, James Cook University and Townsville University Hospital.

The TRR5 project will also see the installation of Intelligent Transport Systems, drainage for flood mitigation 10

and noise mitigation measures.

In August 2020, TMR awarded a contract to the Georgiou AECOM consortium to design and construct the TRR5 project.

As a result of the works, more than $40 million has been injected into Townsville and the surrounding region.

Bridge piling has already been complete on two of the four major structures.

The $230 million upgrade project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments on an 80:20 funding split. It is due for completion in 2023.

The project will duplicate the only remaining two-lane section of the Townsville Ring Road.

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE HELPS YOU KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST MOVEMENTS ACROSS THE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR.

DAVID MCPADDEN JOINS VENTIA EXECUTIVE TEAM David McPadden has been appointed Ventia’s Group Executive – Transport (on an interim basis) as Peter Borden stepped down from the role due to health issues. Borden has been instrumental in the growth of Ventia and will remain with the business for a transitionary period through 2022. McPadden has previously served as the General Manager of Ventia’s Australian Road Transport Operations. Prior to joining Ventia, McPadden held the position of Executive General Manager for WBHO Infrastructure and Senior Construction Management and Project Director roles at Leighton Contractors and BMD. McPadden holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering (Honours) from Swinburne University of Technology.

TSA APPOINTS ADVISOR FOR SCIENCE AND INNOVATION SECTORS Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) has appointed Dr Linda Mitchell as the first science and innovation advisor for the organisation. TSA CEO Lina Goodman said the appointment was another step forward in advancing Australia’s competitiveness in managing its own tyre waste stream and unlocking opportunities for the national economy.

“This new role is about building our capability to collaborate with, and support, science and innovation sectors critical to research and development of new products from used tyres,” Ms Goodman explained. “It’s also about connecting research and industry to increase commercial returns, such as the creation of new markets, technology, skills and jobs.”

INFRASTRUCTURE NT COMMISSIONER APPOINTED The Northern Territory Government has appointed Ms Louise McCormick to the role of Commissioner for Infrastructure NT. Over the past 16 years, McCormick has been involved in planning, delivery and management of some of the Territory’s largest and most complex infrastructure projects and has been instrumental in securing Australian Government funding for significant road upgrades across the state. Infrastructure NT was established in 2021 in accordance with the Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission’s recommendation to establish a strategic infrastructure planning and development function.

The role of the body will be to plan and coordinate the Territory’s infrastructure needs in line with industry and population growth.

BESIX WATPAC STRENGTHENS LEADERSHIP TEAM Australian construction contractor BESIX Watpac has appointed Nick Luzar as Chief Operating Officer. CEO Mark Baker said the new executive appointment aligned with the company’s objective to strengthen its strategic focus on transport and marine infrastructure, in addition to its core capabilities in health facilities, stadiums and complex commercial projects.

Luzar is a UNSW graduate with a Bachelor of Building and an Executive MBA, and his career portfolio matches the BESIX Watpac strategy with experience in marine infrastructure, rail, health and education facilities and a wide range of building projects. He has worked with Thiess, John Holland, Laing O’Rourke, Acciona and most recently Hansen and Yuncken as NSW/ACT State Manager.

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Coffey Testing Technicians Maaria Pajula (left) and Mariane Cipriani (right) working in the specialty testing laboratory.

CREATING A PLACE FOR WOMEN IN

CONSTRUCTION

MATERIAL TESTING IS ONE OF THE MOST MALE-DOMINANT SECTORS IN THE CIVIL CONSTRUCTION SPACE. ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE SPEAKS TO FIVE WOMEN WORKING IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AT COFFEY TESTING, INCLUDING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER DAWN WATT, ABOUT HOW THE COMPANY IS BUCKING THE TREND.

W

hen Dawn Watt graduated from Lethbridge College in Alberta, Canada with an Associate’s Degree in Civil Engineering nearly 24 years ago, she was one of only three female students graduating that year from a class of 33.

Today, she is the Chief Executive Officer of Coffey Testing, one of Australia’s largest and oldest material testing companies. But, as she observes, little has changed in the way of 14

ROADS MARCH 2022

female representation in the industry since she started her career.

“The civil construction space is still very much male-dominated. Within the large Australian material testing companies, ours is the only one with a female CEO. We also have a number of women in leadership and technical positions within our team, which is not a very common trend in the industry,” she tells Roads & Infrastructure.

The reason for low representation of women, she believes, should be sought at grassroot educational levels.

“Traditionally, labouring and construction is not targeted at females in high school. So, when females at high school are working out what they want to do in the future, I don’t believe that enough emphasis is placed on those careers that have traditionally been for men,” she says.

COVER STORY

“Females are not only under-represented in the university engineering degrees, but they are also less likely to take up vocational technology or civil construction courses such as those offered by TAFE. Even when we advertise for an entry level position where no experience is required, for every one female applicant we get around 30 male applicants applying for the position.”

CREATING INCLUSIVITY As a leading material testing company with a presence in construction, mining and civil infrastructure projects in almost every corner of the country, Coffey Testing is trying to break the stigma that the field of material testing is unsuitable for women.

“There are no limits to how far women can progress their career with Coffey Testing.

We currently have a female Lab Manager who oversees Coffey’s two permanent laboratories and three temporary projectbased laboratories across Queensland,” says Watt.

Watt’s own career journey has taken her through various roles within Coffey Testing, from starting out as a Concrete Field Technician, to becoming Clean Lab Manager, Product and Development Manager, and Operations Manager. In 2016, Watt became Coffey Testing’s General Manager following the parent company’s acquisition

by American company Tetra Tech. But Watt and a team of senior managers were offered a partial buyout and in 2019 Watt was appointed Coffey Testing’s CEO. This year, the management team purchased the remaining shares from Tetra Tech, making Coffey Testing a 100 per cent Australian owned business.

“Coffey was founded by geotechnical engineer David Coffey in 1958. Of the six businesses originally represented by the Coffey brand, Coffey Testing is the only one retaining the Coffey name and logo and we

are very proud of that,” explains Watt.

Whenever she can, Watt takes the opportunity to share her passion for civil engineering and material testing with aspiring students, particularly the female students.

“I think we should let our females know that material testing is not just about carrying big buckets of sample. So, whenever I talk to students at career expos or giving speeches at my sons’ school, I focus more on the scientific aspect of the job and why we are doing these tasks, why is it important to that high-rise building that the concrete is the right specification, or what a particular soil test means for the durability and longevity of the roads we build,” she says.

“Coffey Testing also ensures that as a business we participate in International Women’s Day, highlighting our females and the careers that we offer.”

Watt’s message to other business leaders and company managers is to help enlighten the younger generation about the wide array of possibilities within the civil construction industry. This, she says, should be followed by consideration for flexible work arrangements and possibilities for career progression.

“One thing we have found is that a lot of males are more casual and therefore more transient, whereas female employees tend to be more permanent, and as such we always make sure they are included as much as possible in our training programs for progression in technical and management careers. This may mean providing some flexibility around project sites and working rosters.”

PROACTIVE SUPPORT FROM MANAGEMENT Dani Guest has worked with Coffey Testing in different capacities since 2012, currently serving as National Human Resources Manager. She says resolving the issue of

gender imbalance within the construction industry requires proactive support from the management teams.

“Gender imbalance in the construction industry is so deeply engrained that to move towards a gender-balance sector is no small task. Often construction can be inflexible in regard to working arrangements and position duties due to the nature of the industry,” Guest points out.

“Unfortunately, saying they support gender diversity is as far as it goes for majority of companies. To really mobilise change to the gender imbalance in the industry, I think a specific and tailored approach needs to be taken to not only attract women to the industry but to also proactively provide pathways for women to progress into management or leadership positions.”

HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Coffey Testing’s Marketing Manager Tari Rahman adds that the ‘learned gender roles’ which have developed over the decades have contributed to the gender bias present in the construction industry today.

“We are definitely heading in the right direction though,” she points out. There are a growing number of campaigns and training programs encouraging females to give the construction industry a go. It will take time, but these female-focussed campaigns and programs are a great way to help balance gender in the industry, making women feel more comfortable to enter the industry,” she says.

“The construction worker stereotype and the general male culture of the industry is starting to shift and while there is still work to do, it is becoming more common to see females on a job site. I am proud to work for a company that has a high female representation in leadership roles as well as a growing number of females in technical positions.” roadsonline.com.au

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COVER STORY

IMPORTANCE OF ROLE MODELS Amy Ryan has worked with Coffey Testing for over 19 years, starting fresh out of school to join the company as a Junior Administration Assistant. Today, she holds the position of Chief Administrative Officer for Coffey Testing, overseeing and providing daily support of the operations of the organisation.

Ryan says, over the past 19 years, she has seen change happening slowly within the industry.

“When I began my career at Coffey Testing, I was not even aware that construction materials testing existed. It was not commonly advertised as an option for women at school when they were searching for a career. Presence of females within the workplace was low, and very rarely did women even apply for the open positions,” she recalls.

“Over my 19 years, I have seen a change, and it’s no longer a shock to see women within the industry, including many now that hold leadership roles. I believe the more prominent women feature in advertisements and marketing for construction, and the more construction options are presented at schools and forums, the more women we will see with successful careers within the industry.”

NEED TO CHALLENGE THE NORMS Suze Garas, Coffey Testing’s Chief People and Compliance Officer, is directly involved with workforce attraction and retention as part of her role leading the People and Performance team. She says several barriers have resulted in low representation of women within the construction industry, including informal recruitment practices that tend to attract males, a lack of female role models in leadership positions, limited career progression for women and often an innately masculine culture.

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“To encourage a more gender-balanced sector, the construction industry needs to reposition itself as an accessible career for both women and men by reviewing current recruitment practices and promoting itself as an aspirational career. We need more diverse role models and champions to promote gender equality and help create an inclusive work environment where women feel comfortable,” she says.

“Many of the current norms that have been accepted for years need to be challenged and problematic work cultures addressed to help engage and retain woman and provide more progression opportunities. Schools and educational programs need to highlight the

value of construction jobs for women so that young females can see a career is possible within this industry.”

Mercedes Skillen, Senior Technician at Coffey Testing.

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10/2/2022 1:54 pm

BEHIND THE CONSTRUCTION OF

‘AUSTRALIA’S GREENEST FREEWAY’ MELBOURNE’S MORDIALLOC FREEWAY HAS BEEN CALLED ‘AUSTRALIA’S GREENEST FREEWAY’ FOR ITS UNIQUE DESIGN FEATURES AND HIGH PERCENTAGE OF RECYCLED MATERIAL. ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE SPEAKS TO THE TEAM AT ALEX FRASER, ONE OF THE PROJECT’S KEY SUPPLIERS. TOM O’KEANE REPORTS.

T

he delivery of the new Mordialloc Freeway in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs by McConnell Dowell, Decmil Group and Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) in November last year marked the completion of one of Australia’s most sustainable freeway constructions.

The project was one of the six selected by the Australian Constructors Association and Engineers Australia as finalists to compete for the prestigious 2022 Australian Construction Achievement Award (ACAA), with the winner due to be announced in May. The project delivered nine kilometres of dual carriageway between Mornington Peninsula Freeway and the Dingley Bypass, eight kilometres of shared walking and cycling paths and six new bridges, including four with new freeway entry and exit ramps.

Construction of the project commenced in October 2019 and was completed four weeks earlier than scheduled, on 21 November 2021.

The Mordialloc Freeway construction was firmly focused on sustainability, using large volumes of recycled materials and emission reduction initiatives.

Hundreds of tonnes of plastic waste was reused in the noise walls and the drainage pipes, and thousands of tonnes of kerbside glass and construction and demolition waste was recycled into the green pavement.

MRPV also put strategies in place to 18

ROADS MARCH 2022

minimise the project’s impact on local wildlife and the environment. As a result, more than a million plants, grasses, shrubs and indigenous and native trees were planted along the freeway and 44 per cent of the energy used during the construction was sourced from green energy providers.

This emphasis on sustainable practices extended to the project’s suppliers, who were tasked with delivering innovative sustainable and recycled materials to lower the carbon footprint and broader environmental impact of the project.

USE OF GREEN MATERIALS The nine-kilometre section of newly developed arterial features more than 150,000 tonnes of recycled asphalt and over 193,000 tonnes of recycled roadbase material supplied by Alex Fraser, one of Melbourne’s leading manufacturers of sustainable construction materials. Alex Fraser also provided its paving expertise to the iconic freeway project.

The project chose to use Alex Fraser’s ‘Green Roads’ roadbase and asphalt products, containing volumes of recycled content, including concrete, brick, rock, reclaimed asphalt products (RAP) and waste glass fines. Alex Fraser worked with project leads from McConnell Dowell Decmil Joint Venture to innovate their asphalt supply resulting in unprecedented carbon savings on the pavement build for a project of this type.

The supplier introduced a Green Roads

asphalt mix design, incorporating much higher volumes of RAP, which in itself contains quantities of aged, high viscosity bitumen. As a result, significantly less new bitumen was required to bind the mix, and was added at a lower viscosity. This high

The Mordialloc Freeway construction in Melbourne used around 800,000 tonnes of recycled and reused materials.

PROJECT REPORT

recycled content asphalt was designed to meet VicRoads’ General Registration, and delivered a boost for the project’s sustainability outcomes with big cost and carbon savings.

All up, the use of Green Roads roadbase and asphalt in the Mordialloc Freeway project directly diverted more than 249,739 tonnes of recyclables from landfill; saving close to 1,432,166 kilograms in greenhouse gases, when compared to the use of conventional construction materials and methods. The recycled glass incorporated into the pavement amounted to the equivalent of 204 million glass bottles, or approximately 512,511 yellow wheelie bins.

MRPV’s Brendan Pauwels, the Program Director for the Mordialloc Freeway, says the project’s commitment to greener construction methods will likely act as a benchmark for future projects.

Following the award of the contract to the McConnell Dowell and Decmil Joint Venture, the project required a supplier that could satisfy the requirements of the construction and the specifications for sustainable material. Pauwels says Alex

Fraser was able to display its capabilities, particularly with its Sustainable Supply Hubs, which were within close proximity of the project.

“We met with the team from Alex Fraser during the lead up to the procurement process to understand what they could contribute to the project,” he says.

“Alex Fraser has a number of plants which were well located, and they were making some very impressive progress in the recycling space. The joint venture did utilise Alex Fraser, which was a great outcome given what they could offer, including a range of sustainable products and asphalt.”

LAYING THE GROUNDWORK Utilising its Clarinda Recycling Facility, as well as the nearby Dandenong Asphalt Plant, Alex Fraser was able to provide timely delivery and production of products, which predominantly catered for the project’s asphalt material needs.

Pauwels says the project has achieved unprecedented results for recycled asphalt use in Victoria’s major projects.

“I think each project is starting to

push the boundary more and more. The percentage of recycled material in this project, I believe, is the highest content which has been achieved by MRPV to date on a new freeway construction,” he says. “Two years ago, 20 per cent was the highest content percentage which we were achieving regularly across the board on projects.”

According to Pauwels, the specifications introduced by the Victorian Department of Transport (VicRoads Standard 407), as well as momentum within the industry have both been key factors in increasing the use of recycled materials.

“We continue to understand the nexus around solving some of the challenges in using recycled materials, from a maintenance perspective, the design perspective and the fire risk perspective Hopefully, other projects can jump off the back of this initiative,” he says.

BETTER DRIVING EXPERIENCE The Mordialloc Freeway construction has drastically improved the driving experience for local commuters who use the connection daily. Much of the

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PROJECT REPORT

Alex Fraser paved sections of the Mordialloc Freeway, using the ‘echelon’ pavement technique.

improved driving experience comes down to Alex Fraser’s paving skills.

To improve rideability, Alex Fraser’s asphalt crews used two pavers in unison, which were continuously fed with asphalt by a single shuttle buggy. This allowed multiple lanes to be paved seamlessly.

Brendan Camilleri, General Manager Alex

Fraser Asphalt says the technique known as ‘echelon’ was used to create a highquality solution with maximum efficiency.

“The main reason why we used this technique on the project is that you can achieve a higher quality paving outcome.

You can achieve greater compaction and also allowed us to cover a greater

distance throughout a single day’s worth of operation,” says Camilleri.

Camilleri says the technique helped to optimise one of the projects most precious commodities, time.

“This became especially important when we needed to make up time due to COVID-19 delays including Melbourne’s lockdowns and industry shutdown,” he says.

“This process is extremely effective in reducing the bumps in the section below the surface, meaning we achieved the smoothest finish possible in the top layer of asphalt,” says Camilleri.

“The use of echelon paving not only reduced the construction timeline but also provided a high quality pavement with improvements in longitude joints that should translate to a longer lasting pavement,” he adds.

Alex Fraser Managing Director Peter Murphy says the outcomes of the project have been exemplary. “The results speak for themselves. When motorists drive on this freeway, they will experience one of Melbourne’s smoothest rides, and a pavement quality that has surpassed all expectations,” he says.

“The Mordialloc Freeway might not only be Melbourne’s greenest road, but its best road.”

Alex Fraser supplied more than 150,000 tonnes of recycled asphalt for the freeway’s construction.

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ROADS REVIEW

ROADS REVIEW

THIS MONTH, WE ASKED THE INDUSTRY LEADERS: HOW CAN THE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY ENCOURAGE MORE DIVERSITY?

CHRIS MELHAM, CEO, CIVIL CONTRACTORS FEDERATION – NATIONAL The Civil Contractors Federation (CCF) continues to play a lead role in workplace diversity through the development and implementation of a range of programs and services in collaboration with its members and government. These include initiatives focusing on leadership, mentoring, networking, and information, all of which reflect CCF’s commitment to best practice, diversity, and inclusion. CCF will continue to work with industry and government to develop and implement practical, relevant, and valuable initiatives to help ensure civil construction continues to embrace diversity. The current voluntary approach is an effective mechanism to drive diversity improvements in our industry, not mandates by governments prescribing diversity targets.

SARAH BACHMANN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NATIONAL PRECAST CONCRETE ASSOCIATION AUSTRALIA Diversity and inclusion are two critical requirements that span across all aspects of business. Never more relevant as Australia heads into the post-COVID19 infrastructure-led recovery, diversity and inclusion – when properly harnessed – can bring very real value. Underpinning the ability to practice diversity and inclusion in the infrastructure space is how organisations harness diversity. Innovation in diversity means redefining power and the engagement of leaders who themselves model diversity. Leading by example should pave the way as diversity of discussion is fostered and as cultures are cultivated that focus on learning, creativity, equity, dignity, and flexibility.

JON DAVIES, CEO, AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTORS ASSOCIATION To increase diversity, we need to first solve the challenges that are preventing the construction industry from being an employer of choice. To do this, the Australian Constructors Association, together with the governments of NSW and Victoria, is developing a new industry Culture Standard. The Culture Standard is a framework for clients and contractors to work together to ensure workers are provided adequate time to rest and pursue life activities outside of work. It will also help ensure the occupational health and mental wellbeing of workers is prioritised so the industry can attract and retain a more diverse range of workers. Once finalised, governments will be called upon to incorporate the Culture Standard into their procurement requirements. For more information, visit: www.cultureinconstruction.com.au.

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ROADS REVIEW

JONATHAN JONES, HEAD OF EDUCATION, INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING AUSTRALASIA (IPWEA) Establishing a pipeline of diverse talent should be a priority for the roads and infrastructure industry. An effective way of attracting diverse talent is through the establishment of scholarships and study grants that supports skill and capacity building within the industry.

Scholarships can be targeted at the development of a range of skill sets and at all careerlevels. In 2021, IPWEA partnered with a key industry player to launch the IPWEA LOGiT Indigenous Scholarship, with the intent of supporting current and aspiring Indigenous Asset Management professionals to build their capability and enhance their career trajectory and contribution.

LISE SPERLING, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR NSW AND ACT, AUSTRALIAN FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION (AFPA) Workplace diversity and inclusion is not automatic, and there is no quick fix. It requires proactive leadership, accountable commitments, cultural change, and measurable outcomesbased initiatives that promote and support an equitable workforce. From inclusive recruitment processes and celebrating accomplishments and cultural holidays, to ensuring pay equity and fostering open and safe communication, the industry can drive the continuous process of inclusion. AfPA embraces a continual improvement culture encouraging diversity and inclusion. AfPA’s National Diversity and Inclusion Committee is inviting discussion on the barriers on behalf of the flexible pavements industry. We are proud that our members are implementing their own policies and openly sharing their learnings as a leading employment industry of choice that embraces all.

DEEPAK MADAN, CHIEF MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, SRIPATH ASIA-PAC At Sripath, we view diversity as an integral part of our organisation’s DNA. We belong to a global group of companies, which includes: Sripath Technologies, USA; Bitpath, India; Sripath Innovations, UK; and Sripath Asia-Pac, Australia. Our team members and the experts we engage hail from a diverse set of backgrounds, cultures, religions, ethnicity, and preferences. One of our core competencies is to foster this diversity and channel our expertise and talent to nurture an organisation that is innovative, customer-centric, and forward thinking. Each of our businesses benefits from our diverse perspectives and our collective insight into the global bitumen industry. This allows us to deliver innovative products, outstanding customer service and excellent technical support to our customers. We are proud of the multi-talented team of experts that are so vital to our business.

If you or someone at your organisation is an industry leader and would like to be a part of this monthly column in 2021, please get in touch with Editor, Tara Hamid: tara.hamid@primecreative.com.au 24

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Rebecca Kassabian is Wirtgen Australia’s first female Apprentice Technician.

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ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE CAUGHT UP WITH WIRTGEN AUSTRALIA’S FIRST FEMALE APPRENTICE TECHNICIAN TO LEARN ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE SO FAR AND HER GOALS FOR THE FUTURE.

I

n 2021, when Rebecca Kassabian saw an advertisement online for a service technician vacancy that offered vocational training and apprenticeship by Wirtgen Australia, she didn’t know what to expect from the job. She had never worked with vehicles or heavy machinery, except for her year-long experience as traffic controller.

Seven months into the four-year program as Wirtgen Australia’s first female Apprentice Technician, she’s finding the job a lot more interesting than she had imagined.

“I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I do,” says Kassabian. “Every day is different. We 26

ROADS MARCH 2022

come into the workshop every morning and we are assigned the required tasks for the day, which can be anything from servicing machines, building or preparing new machines to be sent out or helping introduce customers to the machines they have purchased.”

While the program combines theoretical classes at TAFE New South Wales with hands-on experience at Wirtgen’s workshop in Western Sydney, Kassabian says most of her learning so far has come from working with experienced Wirtgen service technicians and learning on the job.

“Apart from another second-year

apprentice and myself, everyone here is fully qualified. So, if I ever struggle with anything, I can just ask one of the guys and they will point me in the right direction, whether that’s using a different tool or just using the tools differently.”

Kassabian says while her family were supportive of her career choice, some thought she might not be cut out for it.

“My brother thought I was not ‘hardy’ enough,” she jokes.

But the experience is already coming in handy, she says. Recently, she was able to replace the water pump on her own car without much help from her supervisor.

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

Kassabian’s training exposes her to working on the full range of Wirtgen Group’s machinery, from Kleemann cone crushers and screens to Wirtgen’s rollers, asphalt pavers, milling machines and more. But her core focus is to become an expert on repairing Kleemann crushers.

“At some point in the future, I can see myself heading out to the country and working solely on crushers. For now, I just want to learn as much as I can and grow my skills. We have a mechanic here in the workshop who knows everything there’s to know about Kleemann crushers. My goal is to get to that level,” she says.

WIRTGEN’S TRAINING MODEL The apprenticeship program, which has been offered by Wirtgen Australia since the late 1990s and more regularly since 2021, is part of the company’s strategy to absorb and train the right talent, Chris Adams, Wirtgen’s Service Manager for Australia and New Zealand, explains.

“To date, every Wirtgen apprentice who has completed their apprenticeship has been offered a full-time position with

Wirtgen,” Adams says.

“Wirtgen first engaged apprentices back in the late 1990’s with an intention to invest, grow and provide development paths. Since then, we have become a lot more structured in our approach to apprentices and have developed the program to a point where we employ 12 per cent of our service workforce via the apprentice program. Our goal is to increase this to 20 per cent by 2024.”

While the program’s intake has been intermittent in previous years, Adams says Wirtgen is looking to expand its apprenticeship program.

“Wirtgen Australia operates in a comparatively small niche market, which creates some limitation with respect to the sheer number of apprentices we employ.

With that said, it also enables us to be dynamic and personable when it comes to our staff and particularly the apprentices.”

The Wirtgen program is currently offered in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Auckland, New Zealand.

“Wirtgen has always strived to provide opportunities for education and work experience. Together with an apprenticeship

provider we look for candidates who are eager and have the willingness to learn and constantly be challenged. We seek candidates who are resilient. Our technology continues to evolve and so must our work practices.”

Adams, who himself completed his apprenticeship with Wirtgen in 2006, says seeing more female applicants and people with disability show interest in the training is a positive and welcomed sign.

“Since the introduction of the program, Wirtgen has made it a priority to diversify our staff intake, provide equal opportunities and promote all applicants to come forward. In 2021, we employed our first female Apprentice Technician and hope to provide future employment on the successful completion. Wirtgen believes diversity is one of the critical ingredients of a healthy work environment,” says Adams.

“Both Wirtgen and our parent company John Deere believe that by strengthening the diversity of our workforce, we can provide everyone an equal opportunity to achieve their best and make the biggest impact as their true self.”

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LAYING THE

Liebherr’s THS 140 D-K crawler concrete pump offers maximum delivery rates of up to 135 m³/h.

GROUND WORK

ANDREW WILDER, GENERAL MANAGER OF LIEBHERR-AUSTRALIA, SPEAKS TO ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE ABOUT WHAT DISTINGUISHES LIEBHERR’S CONCRETE PUMP RANGE BEYOND EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN.

L

ike any construction relying on a solid foundation, Liebherr Australia General Manager Andrew Wilder is a firm believer that there’s more to being a good equipment supplier than selling quality machines. Equally important, he says, is laying the groundwork for customer support.

Building on that philosophy, when Liebherr Australia decided to complement its range of deep foundation equipment with the introduction of concrete pumps, Wilder says it was critical for the company to have a wide network of technical support and spare parts to back up the pumps throughout their lifecycle.

“Unlike some other equipment manufacturers, Liebherr has traditionally not entered a new market without the technical, parts and a support network set up,” says Wilder.

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“It is for this reason, Liebherr is globally seen to have the best support for our products. It is also why the entire product offering sold by Liebherr Concrete Technology is not yet available in Australia.”

As a global company, Liebherr has been in the concrete industry since the 1950s, producing mixers and tower plants. From there, Liebherr’s concrete technology has progressed into trailer mounted mixers, recycling plants and concrete pumps.

In Australia, Liebherr has been selling concrete technology equipment since the late 90s, with the THS crawler concrete pumps the latest to be marketed in Australia and New Zealand.

THS CRAWLER CONCRETE PUMPS Liebherr’s THS crawler concrete pumps are currently sold in two capacities – the 110

D-K crawler concrete pumps, which offer a maximum delivery rate of 102 m³/h, and the THS 140 D-K with maximum delivery rates of up to 135 m³/h.

A typical application for crawler concrete pumps is providing drilling rigs with concrete for foundation applications.

This involves drilling deep holes into the ground and filling them with concrete as the drill is removed.

Used across deep foundation works in civil, mining and construction projects, Liebherr’s THS concrete pumps are fitted onto a crawler running gear and can be controlled with manual controls or remote control. Furthermore, an optional Bluetooth controller can be fitted to the drill rig to control the main pump functions.

This, Wilder explains, is one of the key innovations in the machine, allowing more

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

efficient use of manpower.

“If you have one operator driving the drill rig, the same operator can control the pumping process remotely. This synergy between drill rig and pump reduces the time spent on site and decreases labour costs.

Furthermore, our customers can reduce concrete waste, which in turn reduces expenses for them and their clients.”

Sustainability is another aspect of Liebherr’s THS crawler concrete pumps, which has been embedded in the design, Wilder explains.

“The Liebherr crawler concrete pump is years ahead when it comes to sustainability and design,” he says.

“From the provision of low-emission Tier 5 engines, to providing high output concrete, every aspect of the design helps maximise efficiency. More importantly, from a serviceability point of view, the THS series has been designed with features such as a large engine bay and changeable wear plates in the hopper to ensure minimal downtime for maintenance.”

In the rare event of an unexpected breakdown, the THS series can continue to work in emergency mode, which will ensure the jobsite doesn’t stop. This, Wilder points out, has helped out Liebherr clients on a few occasions.

“When dealing with concrete, timing is often very critical. If you have a large load of concrete arriving at the site, you can’t afford to have the pump malfunction. With the THS crawler concrete pumps, you can manually override the electric-powered functions, so that the pump can still do its job and get you out of trouble, while you wait for a technician to arrive and fix the issue,” he explains.

LIEBHERR’S SUPPORT NETWORK Wilder says before even introducing the THS crawler concrete pumps to the market, Liebherr-Australia had already established the required support network. This, among other things, involved arrangements for a steady supply of spare parts and machines to keep up with demand.

“Our team of service technicians are based in Sydney, but they are constantly travelling across Australia and New Zealand to support our clients. We also have offices in almost every major Australian city. Additionally, our technical teams are readily available to diagnose issues over the phone or through video calls,” explains Wilder.

Recently, the team had to think outside the

box as they dealt with COVID-related border restrictions and lockdowns. They resorted to using interactive glasses to provide remote services to customers.

“The interactive glasses are used by our on-site technicians to interact with the head office. We can also send the glasses to customers so that our technicians can remotely see what the customer is seeing and rectify any problems. The added value is that we can then keep the camera’s recording on file, which is good for warranty purposes and tracking the machine’s history.”

As part of its guarantee to provide peace of mind to customers, Wilder say LiebherrAustralia also maintains a steady supply of machines and spare parts for its entire fleet.

“Our game plan with the concrete pumps is to have a minimum of two units available at any given point in time. As such, we have made arrangements with Liebherr’s factories in Europe to provide us with a staggered delivery of crawler pumps, which we feel will be sufficient to meet the market demand in 2022.”

Similarly for spare parts, Wilder say Liebherr-Australia customers have nothing to worry about.

“We have enough Liebherr parts at our warehouse in Sydney to build two of these units from scratch, and we are always reviewing our stocks to maintain and improve this position. We also work with our customers to ensure they too see the value in stocking their own parts locally, helping them with direct shipments out of Europe to save them money.”

As with the upfront investment, Wilder acknowledges that Liebherr’s concrete pumps are on the premium end of the market but says the overall cost of ownership is balanced through low maintenance costs and availability of technical support.

“To my knowledge, we are the only equipment manufacturer within this segment of the market to provide remote technical support free of charge, and the level of spare parts availability as we do,” says Wilder.

While the THS series of crawler concrete pumps continue to deliver for major construction projects in Australia, the Liebherr-Australia team is already gearing up to launch more innovative products to the market in the near future, Wilder hints.

“Liebherr has a global reputation for quality and innovation. The mindset that some manufacturers have is that they produce a

great product and then stop trying to make it better. ‘If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,’ they say. But Liebherr is constantly looking at our product range to implement continuous improvements, even to products that are market leaders,” says Wilder.

“All I can say for now is that there’s going to be some additional concrete technology brought to the country within the next 12-18 months, and it’s going to be a lot more advanced. But as always, we are laying the groundworks first, offering the required technical training to our team so that we can provide full product support. In the meantime, the THS series continues to provide peace of mind to our customers as a low-maintenance concrete pump technology.”

For further information, please contact: Phone: 02 9552 1800 Email: LAS-LANSales@liebherr.com or visit: www.liebherr.com.au Liebherr’s THS crawler concrete pump is fitted onto a crawler running gear and can be controlled via radio remote control.

Liebherr technicians and customers can interact remotely using smart glasses.

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TOMORROW’S SOLUTIONS. TODAY

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

The Simex PL 45.20 High Power Planer features a unique self-levelling system.

CUTTING A

FINE LINE

SIMEX’S PL 45.20 HIGH POWER PLANER IS PROVIDING A CONSISTENT SOLUTION FOR INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL PLANING PROJECTS. ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE DISCOVERS THE KEY FEATURES OF THE ATTACHMENT WHICH ARE HELPING OPERATORS MAXIMISE THEIR PRODUCTION.

O

perating across the Yorke Peninsula, as well as the rest of South Australia, Geoff Wilde Earthmoving has become an established name in the state’s civil and earthworks industry.

Geoff Wilde, Founder and Director of the business, says reliable service has become the cornerstone for success for the company.

“We have a strong domestic client base whom we serve with general earthmoving

services including house/shed pads or foundations, retaining walls, septic tank installations, bulk water carting, house demolition, as well as several housing subdivision builds,” he says.

“Our main business opportunities are linked with local and state government works. We support SA Power Networks and SA Water with various infrastructure requirements. We also have a good relationship with local councils for building roads, crossings and more.”

As part of sustaining the reliability of his operations, Wilde enlists the use of robust and dependable machinery, ensuring that downtime can be reduced, and efficiency can be boosted.

He says the need for a product such as Simex’s PL 45.20 High Power Planer was highlighted before undertaking additional subdivision project.

“Through the subdivision works, deep trenching for sewers is often needed. For many projects in our area, we have to roadsonline.com.au

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TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

deal with limestone rock. Previously, the traditional solution for this has been using larger machinery, which are expensive to hire or buy and fairly limited in capability,” he says.

“After crunching the numbers before starting a particular subdivision job,

Geoff Wilde Earthmoving.

Renex Equipment Manager Daniel Drew says the Simex PL 45.20 High Power Planer has been designed to deliver larger workloads and cuts, while retaining the compact size of the attachment.

“The high-power version of the Simex

“I REACHED OUT TO SOME PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY, AND SOME MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD HEARD OF THE SIMEX PRODUCTS. I GOT IN CONTACT WITH THEM, AND WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, WE HAD THE PL45 OPERATING ON OUR KOMATSU PC 200-7 EXCAVATOR.”

The Simex PL 45.20 High Power Planer has been designed to ensure a consistent planing experience.

we saw potential problems using traditional machines.”

Wilde says through consulting with his contacts within the industry, he decided to purchase the Simex PL 45.20 High Power Planer.

“I reached out to some people in the industry, and some mentioned that they had heard of the Simex products. I got in contact with them, and within a few weeks, we had the PL45 operating on our Komatsu PC 200-7 excavator,” he says.

CONTROLLED POWER With a professional relationship which has lasted longer than 20 years, Renex Equipment – authorised dealer for Simex products in South Australia – has serviced and supported the product needs of 32

planer is suitable for the latest generation of HighFlow Skid Steers, which have higher flows from the auxiliary circuit,” he says.

As Drew explains, the Simex PL 45.20 High Power Planer consists of two “standout” features.

“Firstly, the Simex PL 45.20 High Power Planer has an in-built tank in the hook-up plate. Simex is the only manufacturer in the world to do that,” he says.

“The machine is a lot more stable by having the tank on the loader arms, rather than on the roof of a machine. This also makes the tank easier to fill up, since you don’t require as many points of contact to access the tank. Operators can access the tank from the ground.”

Drew adds that the second standout feature is providing the operator with

real-time data, meaning users can have confidence that they are optimising the performance of the attachment.

“The Optimiser – or Performer – is a performance instrument attached to the planer, which gives the operator in the cabin information regarding the performance of the product. This data is focused on the key torque range and power range for the planer and operates off pressure,” he says.

For example, at a depth of 200 millimetres (the maximum planing depth of the PL 45.20 with reduced width), an operator is unable to simply plane at that depth. They must first taper that depth by doing one or two passes with the planer.

The Optimiser will indicate the ideal depth for tapering, ensuring the operator achieves maximum performance.”

A host of other features come as standard on the Simex PL 45.20 High Power Planer.

This includes the standard self-levelling system. By allowing the lateral slides of the planer to automatically adjust to the milling surface, the feature enables the planer to have maximum stability for passes with its 450-millimetre standard drum.

Operators of the Simex PL 45.20 High Power Planer are also provided with a selection of customisable options, depending on the application.

“Operators can change between profiling teeth types. This allows flexibility for operators when switching between jobs such as asphalt work, concrete work or simply resurfacing,” says Drew.

Wilde says he has been impressed with the product’s performance.

“It’s a versatile, high productivity unit for relatively low cost. So after saving tens of thousands of dollars and paying for itself on the first job, we’ve been able to use it for a lot of our domestic works, with better results than using rock breakers,” he says.

“It doesn’t have the brute force of a rock breaker and can be used with high precision.”

He says the initial impression of the machine has also persuaded the company to contemplate an additional purchase.

“The PL45 is ready to go from our depot to support our domestic operations all the time. We would buy another with no hesitation should our works’ demands increase,” he says.

ROADS MARCH 2022

EXHD

EXHD0411 Rental Awareness_A4 Ad_FA.indd 1

2/9/21 4:25 pm

EXCAVATING IN

TIGHT SPACES

WITH ITS REDUCED TAIL SWING RADIUS AND ADVANCED SAFETY FEATURES, JCB CEA’S 245XR TRACKED EXCAVATOR IS HELPING MJB CONTRACTORS OPTIMISE ITS SERVICES IN CONSTRICTED WORKING SPACES.

S

ince its inception in 2000 as a multidisciplinary construction company, MJB Contractors has developed into a multi-million-dollar business, undertaking contracts from some of the industry’s largest players, as well as from the Victorian Government.

Director Paul Ritchie and Co-owner Mick Bourk have used their combined 50 years’ experience in excavation, carpentry and concreting to support the growth of the business.

As Ritchie explains, this rapid growth has also allowed for an expansion of the

business’ machinery fleet.

“Once I became the Director, I saw the money which could be saved by purchasing machinery, rather than renting it. From that point onwards, every year I would try and invest a portion of the company’s profits back into machinery,” he says.

MJB works across multiple industries including the industrial, commercial, and civil construction sectors. Ritchie says the company is achieving its goal of becoming a one-stop-shop for project delivery.

“To be a sub-contractor that can do everything, from the groundwork to The 245XR Tracked Excavator has a tail swing radius 40 per cent shorter than its predecessor.

34

ROADS MARCH 2022

concreting, installing elevated beams and more, is really important for us. We try to deliver the whole package from start to finish,” he says.

CREATING SPACE In recent years, MJB has been tasked to assist with supporting Victoria’s Level Crossing Removal project, undertaking works across Melbourne.

Ritchie says the constricted space at each level crossing removal job presented a significant challenge. But he says upgrading to a 245XR Tracked Excavator from the company’s previous machinery has proven to be the perfect solution.

“It was time for us to upgrade to a larger machine, with a bit more weight and more power,” he says.

“We work in tight rail corridors where there can be objects such as scaffolding nearby. Using the previously owned machine wasn’t worth compromising the safety of my employees. The shorter swing radius of the 245XR gives me confidence that my workers can be safe when they are near the excavator.”

The 245XR Tracked Excavator features a tail swing radius of 1.72 metres, 40 per cent less than its predecessor the 220X. This equates to a working radius reduction of 1.6 metres compared to the 220X. In addition to the reduced tail swing, the 245XR Tracked Excavator features ‘Selectable Slew Swing Smoothing’, enabling operators to have maximum control over the speed and accuracy of the machine while working in confined spaces.

Despite the focus on movement in small spaces, the size and features inside the 245XR Tracked Excavator’s operator cabin are not compromised.

A seat-mounted joystick and switch controls move with the operator, while

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

The 245XR Tracked Excavator features ‘Selectable Slew Swing Smoothing’, giving the operator greater control during slewing actions.

Bluetooth radio is also fully integrated. The cab has double cushion viscous mounts to reduce vibration, and interior noise to 69 decibels.

Ritchie says the cabin features provide operators with a sense of comfort and more importantly, control.

“When you are operating the machine, you also have access to cameras all around the 245XR, so you can really observe what is going on and who is within close proximity of the machine,” he says.

ON-SITE ADAPTABILITY As Ritchie explains, he has also seen a significant reduction in downtime since purchasing the 245XR Tracked Excavator.

He says the pre-loaded preferences on the machine make switching between attachments much more efficient.

“Our 245XR Tracked Excavator has been pre-loaded with configurations for different attachments. By simply pushing a button, we can change the machine’s oil flows to suit our six different attachments,” he says.

“For drilling different ratios and materials, this enables us to quickly and efficiently swap between required attachments.

Previously we have had to manually change the oil flows.”

Ritchie says these configurations also extend to the slewing speed of the machine.

“The hydraulics in the machine are also super-fast. The slew speed can be dialled down or up, depending on the movements required,” he says.

“When we are working in tight spaces, it

Operators are provided with reduced operational noise and greater visibility inside the 245XR Tracked Excavator’s cabin.

can be quite dangerous if a machine has a high slew speed, so having that option to reduce the speed is really vital.”

For MJB Contractors, purchasing the 245XR Tracked Excavator has also opened the doors to additional contracts and jobs throughout Victoria. As Ritchie observes, keeping upto-speed with the modern requirements of the industry has been a core strength of the business.

“Costs for manpower is very high in our industry today, so you need to switch to better machinery as much as you can to reduce labour hours,” he says.

“We have already had a lot of enquiries regarding concrete piling. Before purchasing the 245XR, we would predominantly contribute to a job once the piling had already completed.”

Following the success of the 245XR Tracked Excavator, Ritchie says MJB won’t look past CEA JCB for any machinery and maintenance needs.

“We purchased our first JCB telehandler in 2016. Since then, I have been really impressed with JCB’s service. Every single bobcat, excavator or telehandler we own is from JCB,” he says. roadsonline.com.au

35

Victoria’s leading provider of sustainable construction materials

Building greener roads asphalt . aggregates . roadbase . sand

phone: 136 135

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greenroads.com.au

9/2/2022 9:37 am

9:37 am

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

GOING FROM STRENGTH

TO STRENGTH

SINCE UPGRADING TO THE CAT AP600F WHEEL ASPHALT PAVER, SWARLY ROAD CONSTRUCTION HAS SEEN THE DOORS OPEN TO LARGER PROJECTS AND MORE WORK VOLUMES. OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR ADAM DAHLENBURG SAYS HASTINGS DEERING’S SUPPORT HAS BEEN INVALUABLE TO THE COMPANY.

S

tarted out as a cartage service company in the Moreton Bay region in Queensland, family owned and operated business Swarly Road Construction has since grown its asphalt paving business to conduct multiple residential, commercial and industrial projects in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.

Over the last three to four years and with support from Hastings Deering, Swarly Road Construction has actively grown its fleet of Caterpillar asphalt paving machinery, while training and hiring more operators to grow its team of paving experts.

Adam Dahlenburg, Operation Supervisor at Swarly, says the addition of a Cat AP600F Asphalt Paver to the company’s fleet was a “no-brainer” as the team looked to expand its fleet.

“I decided we should go with the Cat paver as they’ve got a lot to offer. With the value of the machine and the cost and availability for parts, it was a sensible choice for us,” he says. “With some other [machinery manufacturing] companies, parts are a lot harder to come by. Caterpillar’s record for spare parts and their warranty is really impressive.”

KEEPING QUIET Initially, Swarly operated as a labour hire business, sending crews who would operate other contractor’s machinery. Over the past few years, the company has grown its own fleet of machinery.

Purchasing the AP600F Asphalt Paver marks the company’s first introduction into larger machinery, having owned the smaller

Cat AP300 Paver prior to this. Dahlenburg expects the purchase to provide a significant increase in the company’s capabilities to undertake larger projects.

With a large number of Swarly’s paving operations happening close to residential areas, quietness is another key feature in the Cat paver that has impressed Dahlenburg.

“In terms of operating the machine, one of the standouts is the reduction of noise when operating the paver. They are probably one of the quietest machines around.”

Ryan Van Den Broek, Industry Manager for Road Construction at Hastings Deering, says the AP600F Wheel Asphalt Paver is ideal for contractors who usually operate within urban areas, due to its reduced sound output.

“For projects in urban area, noise is very much a concern. The F Series pavers are

Queensland-based Swarly Road Construction recently acquired a new Cat AP600F Wheel Asphalt Paver.

roadsonline.com.au

37

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

Cat supplier Hastings Deering has been supporting Swarly Road Construction with training and aftersales services.

very quiet machines. They are designed to be quiet and for the noise and emissions to be moved out of the way of the driver,” Van Den Broek says.

This is in part thanks to the AP600F Asphalt Paver’s ‘Eco-Mode’. This operating option uses a lower engine speed of 1650 roundsper-minute (RPM) to moderate noise, as well as reducing fuel burn by five per cent over Cat E-series pavers.

Additionally, the top-mounted airflow system in the F Series pavers is designed to direct fumes and sound away from the crew, creating a more operator-friendly environment.

Van Den Broek says the AP600F Asphalt Paver provides the operator with a flexible paving solution.

“Like all Caterpillar machines, the AP600F Asphalt Paver is very productive. It has features that really help to produce a high level of rideability for customers and satisfy the parameters of the project,” he says.

Additionally, Hastings Deering branches also provide training and even re-training for their customers – a service that Van Den Broek says customers appreciate even more with the current shortage of skills in the industry.

“We understand that there is a turnover of staff and operators in the paving industry.

Right now, there’s also a shortage of people in the workplace, so people move around more often. Our local branches are offering a lot of re-training and follow-up training to our customers to make sure they are getting the most out of their machine,” he says.

During his experience with Hasting Deering’s Sunshine Coast and Brisbane branches, Dahlenburg says Swarly Road Construction has been supported every step of the way.

“They are very close to us, as their main workshop is in Caboolture so it’s really great.

They have provided a very good service,” he says.

EASE OF OPERATION As an experienced Operation Supervisor, Dahlenburg says the simplicity of operation is essential as operators switch from one machine to another.

“When learning how to operate a new machine, it’s very similar across different pavers, it’s just about the new features and how they work,” he says.

All Cat F Series asphalt pavers, from the AP300F up to the AP1000F model, feature the same operating console. This enables the user to change between machinery, without having to re-adjust to different controls.

Van Den Broek says the implementation of the same operating console provides comfort to operators.

“The functions are all the same, the buttons are in the same position, so it creates more comfort and confidence for operators as they go from one machine to another.”

Swarly Road Construction is aiming for bigger paving projects with its new Cat paver.

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ROADS MARCH 2022

“Hastings has assigned one paving specialist to look after us exclusively. I can talk to him if I have any issues, parts requirements, or enquiries about warranty, etc. It really has benefitted our business,” he adds.

With more and more investments pouring in from the federal and state governments into road projects in Queensland, Van Den Broek says the Hastings Deering team is geared up to support growth for its customers like Swarly.

Currently, the Hastings Deering branches across all major cities in Queensland are helping maintain a fleet of over 70 Caterpillar Asphalt Pavers for their customers, while also providing follow-up training and preventive maintenance services to those who require them. Van Den Broek says the team is growing to keep up with the increased demand.

“As the size of the existing equipment across the state grows, so does our support team. We have recently hired a new application specialist to help with the followup training sessions. We are also stocking more parts at our regional branches in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton and Darwin to assist customers,” says Van Den Broek.

“Hot mix asphalt is a perishable product, so our customers often cannot afford to wait for parts delivery when they have a breakdown. Our product support representatives are the first point of contact, wherever in Queensland or the Northern Territory our customers may be. This gives them confidence and peace of mind knowing that we are just a phone call away.”

A Chipsealer fitted onto a four-axles truck. The machine can be designed according to the truck chassis type.

SECMAIR’S CHIPSEALER

MOVING FORWARD

SECMAIR’S CHIPSEALERS HAVE BEEN USED FOR 40 YEARS IN FRANCE. THEY ARE NOW BEING USED IN MANY MORE COUNTRIES FOR ALL TYPES OF SPRAYED SEAL APPLICATIONS. ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE LOOKS AT THEIR EVOLUTION AND CURRENT APPLICATIONS. The Chipsealer can handle multiple sprayed seal repairs on the go.

W

hen the first Secmair Chipsealer – also called Secmair synchronous sprayer-spreader – was invented in early 1980s, it had been designed specifically to carry out sprayedseal patch repairs. Since then, its use and technical capabilities have evolved, making it suitable for different types of sprayed-seal applications.

Sprayed-seal treatment is one of the most popular road maintenance techniques in the world. The traditional setup for sprayed-seal applications consists of the binder sprayer on one side, and a chipspreader on the other side. While this setup is still used to apply sprayed seals, having multiple equipment and operators involved (even for small to medium jobs), and the time lap between the movement of the sprayer and the chipspreader, can pose constraints to the application process.

ONE MACHINE, ONE OPERATOR For small to medium sprayed-seal treatments, the Chipsealer is an alternative to consider. It offers the option to apply a high-performing sprayed seal with only one machine and one operator.

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ROADS MARCH 2022

By simultaneously spraying the asphalt and spreading the chips while the binder is still hot, the Chipsealer guarantees perfect bonding between the two materials.

Applications rates for both materials are computer controlled to ensure a high level of accuracy. As the machine is forward operated, no truck drives on the freshly applied surface.

The spray bar is equipped with an independent left/right hydraulic height adjustment, making it easy to precisely control the spray pattern. This also means if there’s a side shift, such as while turning, the binder still gets perfectly covered by the chips. The spray bar has a working width of up to 4.4 metres, offering coverage for an entire lane section in a single pass.

Last but not least, having a single machine on site with a compact overhang means it’s easier for operators to access narrow jobsites.

THE PATCHING PROCESS Consistent with what it has been originally designed for, the Chipsealer can handle multiple sprayed seal repairs on the go.

Thanks to Secmair’s long proven New Pilot

ASPHALT NEWS

The New Pilot Video system provides an eightmetre-long road view to the operator.

system, the operator can define the sections he needs to repair anywhere across the working width with an adjustable patch width of 200 millimetres – all while sitting in the cab.

A video camera fitted to the front of the truck provides an eight-metre-long road view to the operator through a video screen. Superimposed on the road view, the operator can trigger the machine using a joystick to draw the patch as per the road repair requirements.

This feature offers a unique way to provide a preventive maintenance approach, which complements the standard sprayed seal applications.

HOT BINDER APPLICATIONS Some specific sprayed-seal applications may require spraying hot binder with temperature

as high as 200°C, depending on the binder’s class and whether it is polymer modified (e.g., with crumb rubber). In addition to the high-temperature binder – which requires a Dangerous Goods compliant machine – high application rates might have been specified.

Secmair can provide Chipsealers with an appropriate binder system to tolerate such high temperatures. In combination with Secmair’s standard fully automatic purging system, a thermal oil heating system, consisting of binder pump, filter, and spraybar, can also be proposed for the binder system to avoid clogging.

Where a high application rate is required, the asphalt system can deliver up to 3 kg/m² with a full spraying width operation.

LIGHT BINDER SPRAYING Another area of application for the

Chipsealer is in light binder spraying, such as for typical tack coats/bond coats.

Due to the Chipsealer’s computerised system, the operator can reach application rates as low as 0.1 kg/m². The machine will then propose the right application condition to get the right pressure in the system to get a good spray. Depending on the required range of application rates, Secmair’s experts can advise on the right nozzle type on offer.

With the techniques involving light application of materials expanding in the market, new solutions are coming to the world of road maintenance. ASI Solutions’ Rhinophalt is one such asphalt treatment solution. Rhinophalt bonds with the bitumen binder through a cold spray-applied process to slow down the rate of deterioration. Due to a collaboration between Secmair and ASI Solutions, Secmair customers can now use the Chipsealer for this process.

NEXT STEPS David Redelsperger is Secmair’s Area Sales Manager for the Oceania region, based in Melbourne. In his role, he oversees the Australian and New Zealand markets and responds to customer queries.

He says thanks to local support provided by Secmair, some of the best-known contractors are already teaming up with Secmair.

“We currently have some more units on order to be delivered within the next few months to handle crumb-rubber sprayed seal, Rhinophalt or computer-controlled tack coat, to name a few. You will keep hearing and seeing more of Secmair,” he says.

The synchronous forward application of the binder and chips.

roadsonline.com.au

41

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

IF YOU BUILD IT,

USE CRUMB

TYRE STEWARDSHIP AUSTRALIA SUGGESTS SOURCING CRUMB FROM ACCREDITED TYRE RECYCLERS FOR ALL ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.

I

f you’re driving down Stanlake Avenue in Mitcham, South Australia, chances are you’ll drive over a stretch of the road made from 850 used tyres.

It is part of Australia’s largest trial of asphalt produced from recycled tyres, being run across six Adelaide council areas by The City of Mitcham. The trial is in collaboration with Adelaide-based Topcoat Asphalt and funded

by Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) with the support of Tyrecycle Australia.

Across Australia, local councils, like the City of Mitcham, are leading the way in testing and using crumb rubber asphalt (CRA) in the construction and maintenance of road assets.

The obvious environmental benefits are good news for the community. Councils are also attracted by the opportunity of generating home-made construction material, by recycling their own tyres to build their own roads to suit local conditions.

But it’s the properties of CRA that are the biggest drawcard. Users report that CRA roads are resilient and long lasting. They’re impervious to water and wear better than normal asphalt. There have also been reports of reduction in road noise.

Roads are only one of the many uses of tyre-derived materials such as crumb. Other uses of these versatile materials include: • Permeable pavements .

• Synthetic grass and matting for sporting fields and playgrounds.

• Arenas and walkways for the equestrian industry.

• Sidewalls for the agricultural industry.

• Blast and ballistic resistant barriers and bullet stops.

• Alternative fuels.

If you’re going to use crumb, choose crumb from tyre recyclers accredited with the Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme. Here are five good reasons why: 1. Accelerate environmental sustainability: Accredited participants are part of an ACCC-authorised industry framework to 42

ROADS MARCH 2022

effectively reduce the environmental, health and safety impacts of the 56 million EPUs, which reach the end of their life in Australia each year.

2. Contribute to Australian-made solutions and innovation: Accredited participants create local products using local waste, and are part of Australia’s circular tyre economy driving the advancement of new technologies and domestic markets; particularly important since December 2021 when the Waste Export Ban came into force.

3. Increase regulatory confidence: Accredited

OPERATES IN

participants are audited for compliance with the relevant Environmental Protection Authority, health and safety standards and transparent reporting of data to TSA to inform future programs.

4. Help stamp out rogue operators: Disrupting the market with cheap collection fees and hazardous, potentially illegal, stockpiles by supporting recyclers who are doing the right thing.

5. Meet community expectations: Accredited participants are committed to sustainable outcomes and reducing the burden of waste for future generations.

PRODUCES

CONTACT

Rubber crumb Tile adhesive Surflex Sidewalls

www.chiptyre.com.au

QLD

Rubber crumb

www.sevenstartechnology.com.au

VIC

Rubber crumb Playground surfaces Sports mats Equestrian surfaces Acoustic mats Roads and driveways Custom projects

www.tyrecrumb.com.au

Tyrecycle

VIC

Recycled Rubber Crumb Asphalt (RCA) and spray Tyre derived fuel Tile adhesives Rubber granule Moulded products

www.tyrecycle.com.au

Carroll Engineering Services

QLD

Rubber crumb Rubber granules

www.carrollengineeringservices.com.au

VIC, SA and QLD

Rubber crumb Rubber granules Truck casings Tyre derived fuel

www.eltaustralia.com.au

NSW

Granulate Powder Steel Textile fibre

www.atr.eco

Chip Tyre

QLD, Northern NSW

Seven Star Technology

Tyre Crumb

ELT Recycling

Australian Tyre Recyclers

Source: Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA). TSA Accreditation is not a commercial endorsement of a business. Accreditation is a recognition that the business concerned is adhering to the TSA guidelines of environmental sustainability in relation to the management of end-of-life tyres.

To find out more about the applications of crumb through Tyre Stewardship Australia’s Case Studies, visit: www.tyrestewardship.org.au/innovation/case-studies/

HIGH-TECH solutions for ROAD MAINTENANCE and asphalt remediation

Water Spray System to reduce dust and in-built tank in the hook-up plate makes it easy for operators to fill up the tank from the ground.

Performer informs the operator how to work with Simex attachments to maximise power and performance.

SIMEX Planers ADVANTAGE: • Constant milling depth, always • Cut up to and against kerbs • Stability, no vibrations • Hydraulic side shift • Milled material remains in the work area • Independent RH-LH depth adjustment • Width up to 2,000mm • Depth up to 350mm

Authorised Dealer Network in Australia

NSW

VIC / SA / TAS

Groundtec Equipment (02) 9642 2030

Walkers Hammers (03) 9315 3788

groundtec.com.au

walkershammers.com.au

QLD / NT

WA

QLD Rock Breakers (07) 3715 0800

Total Rockbreaking Solutions 1300 921 498

rdw.com.au

totalrockbreaking.com.au

The SUEZ-Ventia soil processing facility is located within the Taylors Road Landfill in Melbourne’s south-east.

SOIL TREATMENT: LEAVING

NO TRACE BEHIND

THE SUEZ-VENTIA CONTAMINATED SOIL PROCESSING FACILITY IN MELBOURNE’S SOUTHEAST FACILITATES ZERO-RESIDUE TREATMENT OF CONTAMINATED SOILS. ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTIGATES THE SUSTAINABLE SOIL MANAGEMENT OPTIONS THE SITE OFFERS TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

T

he issue of land contamination and the risks it poses to safe and efficient handling of infrastructure projects has been brought to the spotlight recently, particularly with the development of two events last year.

First was the high-profile case of Melbourne’s West Gate Tunnel project, where disputes over how to manage the project’s waste, some of which was contaminated with potential carcinogens called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), delayed the project’s expected delivery by at least two years and led to nearly $2 billion in cost blow-outs.

While in this case, after much consideration for the environmental 44

ROADS MARCH 2022

impacts, a decision was reached to dispose nearly three million tonnes of contaminated rock and soil from the project in a landfill facility, there has been growing support within the industry for re-use and recycle of contaminated soil as a more sustainable option.

Moreover, new environmental legislation from the Victorian Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has significantly shifted the regime of risk associated with soil containing asbestos, PFAS and other chemicals on major property and infrastructure projects.

Amendments to the Environment Protection Act (2017) that came into effect on 1 July 2021 have replaced the old system

that governed liability for polluted soil and given the Victorian EPA new powers to enforce compliance across the sector.

As a result, landholders, property developers, contractors, sub-contractors and third parties can be held to significantly higher levels of accountability for actions that are harmful to the environment or community, with their liability now even extending for decades beyond their direct involvement with the project.

The above two scenarios help explain the critical importance of having sustainable options available for re-use and recycle of contaminated soil, to make sure the remediated soil can be safely and efficiently returned to the environment without

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

The EarthSure facility can process up to 100,000 tonnes of contaminated soil each year.

creating more pollution in the process.

This is exactly what SUEZ, a global leader in the waste and resource recovery industry, and Ventia, a company with 20+ years of soil remediation expertise, have set out to do at their EarthSure Soil Processing Facility in Melbourne.

EARTHSURE SOIL PROCESSING FACILITY Located within an industrial zone in the outer south-east Melbourne suburb of Dandenong South, the SUEZ-Ventia EarthSure facility is a soil remediation plant capable of treating both organic and inorganic contaminated soils with zero residues.

While the SUEZ Taylors Road Landfill Smart Cell has been an important public resource for Victoria’s waste needs for over two decades, the decision to co-locate a soil treatment plant within the hub came in 2015, when the Victorian Government identified the landfill as a compatible site for resource recovery.

In 2017, construction of the EarthSure plant commenced, which uses direct thermal desorption treatment and stabilisation technologies to treat a range of contaminated soil to minimise its environmental impact and create the potential for re-use.

In 2019 and after fulfilling a series of

stringent compliance measures from the EPA, the EarthSure facility received the EPA’s seal of approval to treat categories A, B and C soils – which include almost all categories of contaminated soils that require treatment before disposal.

Since then, the plant has been involved in diverting waste from landfill on several infrastructure projects, including Metro Tunnel and the West Gate Tunnel in Victoria, Central Station in Sydney and complex gas remediation projects in Wollongong, Fitzroy and Highett. These projects alone have diverted over 40,000 tonnes from landfill.

The completed facility has the capacity to process up to 100,000 tonnes of contaminated soil each year. This includes soil contaminated with coal, crude oils and gasworks wastes; petrol, diesels and hydraulic oil; pesticides and carcinogens found in transformer oils and old appliances like refrigerators.

The Taylors Road Landfill is the only facility in Victoria that can receive soils or waste that have been stabilised or chemically immobilised. Heavy metals can only be treated via the method of immobilisation used by EarthSure, making EarthSure’s position within the Taylors Road Landfill boundary an added advantage. It’s also further reassurance for customers that

their material will be in the right place post treatment.

Treated soil from the plant can be returned to the source site or reused elsewhere. In the absence of demand, all treated products can also be sent to the Taylors Road Smart Cell, where clean fill is beneficially reused as top-dressing to cover layers of compacted solid waste.

HOW IT WORKS So how does the thermal desorption process work and how does it ensure a zeroresidue soil remediation outcome?

The remediation process starts by storing the contaminated waste material in a pre-treatment building on site where the material is tested, categorised and screened prior to treatment.

A powerful Emissions Control System (ECS) ensures the air in the pre-treatment building is constantly ventilated via an induced draft fan which draws the air through a series of particulate filters and beds of granulated activated carbon to purify the air. A continuous Emissions Monitor on the ECS ensures the treated air does not contain any dust particles or organic compounds.

Soil requiring treatment is loaded into a soil hopper. From the hopper, the soil is transferred through a series of conveyor belts, including a weigh conveyor to roadsonline.com.au

45

monitor throughput and a magnet conveyor which removes ferrous materials, prior to being directed into the direct thermal desorption system. Here, the soil is heated up to 550 degrees Celsius, which cleans the soil by liberating contaminants from it into the gas stream.

This is then followed by treatment of the contaminant in the gas stream at up to 1100 degrees Celsius. The high gas treatment temperatures destroy all organic contaminants by converting them into simple and harmless substances comprising primarily H2O, CO2 and acid gases such as HCl, which are neutralised to form common salt (NaCl).

The final product is an inert soil devoid of harmful contaminants.

Other treatment technology at the facility includes the stabilisation of inorganics such as lead and arsenic by the application of special additives to bind or immobilise the contaminants of concern to prevent their migration.

“It’s like a blank canvas. You can add the required additives to the treated soil and use it in agriculture or as topsoil, but you can also use it in landfills and project sites as alternates to raw materials like sand,” explains Tai Truong, Facility Manager at EarthSure.

The thermal desorption system is a state-of-the-art PLC controlled plant that is equipped with numerous safety interlocks to ensure the soil is cleaned without creating any risk of harm to personnel, environment or equipment.

The stringent discharge limits set by the EPA require the plant to continually monitor pre- and post-contaminant levels at the site. Ongoing testing of the discharge stacks remains highly regulated by the EPA, with discharge limits having to meet strict European Union guidelines.

“To give you an example, the limit set by the EPA for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) discharged from the plant is 0.83 grams per day, which is far less than the

The thermal desorption system is a state-ofthe-art PLC controlled plant, equipped with numerous safety interlocks.

46

ROADS MARCH 2022

daily VOC discharge permitted from car exhausts,” says Truong.

Apart from the time required for routine maintenance, the EarthSure facility is capable of processing 15 tonnes of soil per hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The plant is fitted with a rigorous system of controls and real-time monitoring including sophisticated alarms that help ensure full compliance throughout its operation.

A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION Mark Globan, SUEZ’s Infrastructure Manager for Victoria, says both SUEZ and Ventia are proud of their contribution to delivering a safe, environmentally friendly and sustainable soil remediation solution.

“Our client base extends to local and federal government departments. We also work with contractors and developers involved in excavation and subdivision work on commercial and residential projects.

In the past, we have also successfully treated material impacted by PFAS, which

Treated soil from the plant can be used in landfills, or returned to environment after further treatment.

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

we received from the state and federal government clients,” he says.

“Our treatment process has enabled these projects to meet sustainability targets and completely eliminate risk of future legacy liabilities by destroying the contaminants.

We view our ability to offer our clients a disposal solution that prevents costly legacy issues down the track as a big differentiator that sets us apart.”

As awareness grows around PFAS contamination in the environment, Globan says thermal treatment would be the only viable option available to deal with future risks.

“PFAS is a group or family of persistent organic pollutants that is recognised as potentially very toxic and is arguably the most difficult to destroy or break down.

While the awareness of the dangers associated with PFAS is relatively new, its ubiquity and enduring use as firefighting foam is well documented. Moreover, PFAS’ ability to migrate to far reaching areas

has been demonstrated, its recalcitrance is acknowledged by scientists and its carcinogenic properties and general harm to all life is also now being recognised throughout the world,” says Globan.

“With continued development, more PFAS will be found. When temporary storage of PFAS containing water and PFAS impacted soil is no longer an option, pressure will mount to find a solution to the problem.

Thermal treatment is the only technology available in the market to destroy the PFAS contaminants reliably and safely and remove all risk of leaving a potentially costly legacy behind.”

Beyond leaving a good legacy behind, finite landfill spaces would also require project owners to consider re-using waste from their projects, particularly when the cost of carrying the waste to a landfill area renders it unfeasible, Globan observes.

“With finite landfill space available, we need to help prolong these assets and divert the waste that can be reintegrated back

into the economy. Our treatment process removes organic contaminants to well below the clean fill thresholds. What would otherwise be landfill then becomes available for use in infrastructure projects for a variety of purposes such as a road base, a structural fill or trench backfill in lieu of valuable virgin material commodities and natural resources such as sand and crushed rock.”

With the amendments to the Environment Protection Act placing greater responsibility on organisations and individuals with regards to soil contamination, Globan says a pro-active approach to environmental management on projects has never been more critical.

“Today, more than ever, Australians are being asked to take responsibility for their waste and we are seeing an increased focus on a ‘recycled first’ approach across major government infrastructure projects.

With EarthSure, we are offering businesses an affordable and safe option today, to eliminate legacy concerns for tomorrow.”

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A ONE-STOP-SHOP

FOR SMART SITE SOLUTIONS WHEN DEPLOYING BULKY EQUIPMENT SUCH AS TEMPORARY FENCING, EFFICIENT AND TIMELY SITE DELIVERY COULD BE A CHALLENGE FOR SITE MANAGERS. SITE HQ, A NEW E-COMMERCE PLATFORM LAUNCHED BY THE TEAM BEHIND 1300TEMPFENCE, IS MAKING THE PROCESS MORE SEAMLESS THAN EVER. seamless, Clifton says a lot of work has gone into designing the website and linking product information to a database of transport providers.

“The website is designed so that it can calculate the volume and weight of all the products in the customers’ shopping cart. The freight calculator will then determine the type of truck required, and instantaneously it collects and compares quotes from a large database of transport providers throughout the country. The customer is presented with the cheapest freight option, without even realising the complex mechanism that’s happening behind the scenes,” he explains.

Sitehq.com.au is a new e-commerce platform for temporary fencing launched by 1300TempFence.

I

magine you have just placed an order for 250 metres of temporary fencing panels.

At 2.4 metres per panel, that’s a total of 101 panels, in addition to 101 clamps and 101 fence feet required to install the panels on site. Now, it’s time for the seller to arrange for the delivery. But when would you know your total shipping cost and estimated time of delivery? Normally, you would be asked to wait for a quote by the seller within the next 24 hours to gather that information based on your location. But, if you are using the newly launched e-commerce platform sitehq.com.au to place your order, it’s only a matter of minutes.

The platform was launched late last year by the team behind 1300TempFence, the Australian company specialising in temporary fence hire and sales across Australia and New Zealand. As Dan Clifton, General Manager – Sales and Marketing at 1300TempFence explains, the idea

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behind launching Site HQ was to provide a one-stop-shop for all 1300TempFence’s sales products, while offering a seamless e-commerce experience to construction site managers.

“It’s all about creating an end-to-end sales experience, where all the information you need to make a decision is within reach and immediately available,” he says.

“Traditionally, the sales team would receive an order, they would then get on the phone and work things out with the delivery companies to get the best quote for customers. But we wanted to eliminate this step, so that the customer could just order their required fencing equipment and get quoted upfront immediately, with full transparency on the type of vehicle required and the estimated time of delivery,” he explains.

While the shopping experience from the buyers’ perspective is now completely

RAPID GROWTH The launch of Site HQ means 1300TempFence now has all its sales products, including temporary fencing, portable toilets, water filled barriers, site security cameras, shade cloth and star pickets, available through a single platform.

As Bruce Fouracre, one of the cofounders of 1300TempFence points out, the new platform’s launch is in line with the company’s rapid growth in recent years, both on the sales and hire areas of the business.

In November 2021, the company recorded 1.2 million metres of temporary fencing on hire, a 20 per cent rise from May of the same year, when it had just hit a record of one million metres on hire.

The growth 1300TempFence has been experiencing, while partly contributed to their expanding branch network and product portfolio, is also a result of the broader growth in the construction industry, Bruce says.

“If you had told us back in March 2020 that COVID would mean things were going to explode in the construction industry, we

SAFETY

would never have predicted that. But we’ve been extremely lucky that construction has been booming, and that we’ve been in the position to grow with it,” he tells Roads & Infrastructure.

To align with this rapid growth, Bruce says the business has been making structural improvements to better cater to its customers. Launching Site HQ is a step in this direction, he says.

“A lot of our customers know that we specialise in temporary fencing, but they are not familiar with the other products we have on offer, including road traffic barriers, portable toilets and site cameras.

Site HQ is all about having a one-stop-shop to make the whole range accessible with a click of a button,” he says.

A COMPANY WITH A VISION The journey 1300TempFence has taken from being a small, Melbourne-based business to becoming a leading Australian hire and sales company in just a little over two decades is impressive.

Brothers Bruce and Martin Fouracre, along with their friend Mark Eaves, started out their business as a small bin hire company in Melbourne back in 1995.

With the onset of legislations that enforced the use of temporary fencing by local councils and insurance companies on construction projects, the team saw an opportunity to venture into temporary

Bruce Fouracre, Director and Co-Founder of 1300TempFence.

fencing, eventually selling the bin hire business in 2007 to focus solely on temporary fencing.

In 2008, Phil Heath joined the business as its first Business Development Manager. Phil’s experience in franchising and distributorship saw the company appoint distributors all over Australia and New Zealand to represent the 1300TempFence name. Eventually, and to meet its appetite for growth, the company bought back many of its franchises and agencies and converted them to company-owned branches.

Since 2017, 1300TempFence has had its own network of branches in all major cities in Australia and Auckland, New Zealand, allowing it to deploy a uniform sale and hire model throughout its branch network.

This also means the branches now have a

bigger supply of equipment for hire at any given time, offering greater scope for the customers and facilitating better inventory management across the conglomerate.

Recently, 1300TempFence introduced a new Traffic division, with industry expert Pezhman Salahshori joining the team as its first National Category Manager – Traffic.

Bruce says supply of highly engineered steel, concrete and water-filled barriers is what this new division oversees.

“Within the sector, 1300TempFence is known as a leader in engineered temporary fencing. Major infrastructure projects like the Level Crossing Removals and the West Gate Tunnel project in Melbourne rely on our fences, which are designed to cater for different wind speeds and other site conditions, ensuring maximum safety,” he says.

As for where the company is positioning to be in the next couple of years, Bruce has high ambitions.

“Our aim now is to double the size of the business within the next five years,” he says.

Looking at the growth the company has experienced since its inception, the objective doesn’t seem far-fetched. Today, Bruce says, the 1300TempFence team is the strongest it has ever been.

“We have in place the best team that we have ever had by a long stretch, so we have the confidence that it’s an achievable goal,” he says.

Using sitehq.com.au, customers can order fencing and arrange for shipping with a click of a button.

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LOOKING OUT FOR

OVERHEAD DAMAGE UNDERWRITING AGENCIES OF AUSTRALIA IS AIMING TO INCREASE AWARENESS AROUND THE INCORRECT LOADING OF MACHINERY, WHICH IS CONTRIBUTING TO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO OVERHEAD INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS BRIDGES.

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ichelle Morrissey has witnessed a wide range of insurance claims during her tenure as the National Claims Manager at Underwriting Agencies of Australia (UAA).

Morrissey and her team of ten claim consultants help manage claims Australia wide, which sometimes include complex insurance matters.

One such matter, which Morrissey says is becoming more frequent throughout the industry, is damage inflicted on overhead

infrastructure. These incidents commonly involve damage to power lines, bridges, overpasses, and other vehicles.

As Morrissey explains, what began as an infrequent incident has now become an increasingly common occurrence. A pattern that she and her team are keen to disrupt.

“We are quite concerned with this as we have had several recent claims where these incidents seem to be the issue,” she says.

“We are also seeing these increase in both severity and frequency.”

Morrissey adds that these incidents are commonly caused by one simple oversight.

“There are some commonalities between the claims, which seems to be due to simply incorrect loading. This affects mostly clients that either have a transportation business, or businesses who engage a transportation business to move their machines,” she says.

Morrissey says damages incurred in such incidents are not limited to the insured machinery, but also impact the infrastructure and other third-party assets and vehicles.

UAA’s team of claim consultants help manage claims Australia-wide.

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ASSET MANAGEMENT

“The reason we are concerned about this is because the potential costs of damages, not just to the loaded asset such as an excavator, but also to the bridge itself, can range anywhere from $500,000 up to $5 million, depending on the structure and what the bridge is used for” she says.

“We have seen examples where operators have used a tape measure to measure their load configuration, but for some unknown reason their measurements have been out by over 800mm in some cases, which is found out only after the load has struck overhead objects (bridges, powerlines etc).

“In some cases, we have seen large liability claims for simple overhead powerlines being struck. The cost of the powerline itself is quite low, however we have seen claims whereby the energy company is seeking legal liability for potential loss of revenue or potential incentive bonuses called Service Target Performance Incentive Scheme (STPIS).

Some of these matters have been worth millions of dollars.”

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES There are a few obvious factors as to why preventative measures are important – including for injury or death prevention, avoiding loss of assets and also to maintain sustainable insurance for the industry. The greater the loss, the greater are the overall premiums for the industry, or worst still, there’s the risk of insurance exiting the industry as it can no longer support the risk.

Morrissey says there are a few factors that are leading to the inappropriate and incorrect loading of machinery. She says adhering to industry standards for loading heights is an essential prerequisite for machinery transport.

“Operators need to consider different features such as the different arms on an excavator when loading these units. The stowing of machines can sometimes be out of sync with the industry standards,” she says.

“Not loading the machine at a specified angle or loading at the incorrect height also means that the machines are, in some instances, loaded well over specified load heights, causing some machines to impact overhead infrastructure such as bridges.”

Morrissey says there are some measures operators can take to reduce the risk of causing overhead infrastructure damage.

“Business owners need to be aware of their operators’ skillset, as well as making sure that they are training their operators to load machinery in the correct position and in

UAA is hoping to create more awareness surrounding the preventative measures for overhead infrastructure damage.

accordance with industry and road authority specifications,” she says.

“Another good practice, which most businesses adopt, is to conduct a travel risk analysis, where they plan the route in advance and check structures such as bridges along the route to make sure that they will be able to safely pass under overhead structures.”

Pre-planning and re-assessment are critical for incident avoidance, Morrissey says. She adds that operators should be encouraged to utilise their experience before completing machinery loading.

“An important aspect of this issue is the training of the operators. If your instinct is telling you something doesn’t look right, then stop where it is safe to do so, re-assess and re-measure,” she says.

THE CLAIMS PROCESS Morrissey says UAA examines each claim through external independent experts and investigators. Following the completion of the investigation, the matter is then reported to a claim’s expert, as key claims Expert Brittany Annison explains.

“We contract independent experts to complete these investigations and to do loss adjusting. As part of the process, they will go to the site, examine the cause, the extent of damage and take statements from those involved and witnesses. They also take images of the accident where possible,” she explains.

“The experts will then present this information to us as the insurance company, and we overlay the facts with the terms and conditions of our policy.”

Morrissey says the proven claims process

undertaken by UAA interprets each case with an unbiased approach.

“Depending on the circumstances, each claim is assessed on its own merits. Our role is to look at these cases from a different perspective, find out why they happened and what preventative measures could have been put in place,” she says.

“In some cases, we identify that our customers are not at fault and through working closely with our customers, we can establish subrogation (recovery) against other liable parties, as opposed to our clients wearing the full liability.”

PEACE OF MIND FOR ASSET OWNERS Factors such as damages rely heavily on the operators’ compliance with industry standards, guidelines from the equipment manufacturers and the law. That is why Morrissey stresses the importance of reassessing machinery loads to make sure they comply with regulations.

“In some instances, customers might be covered for damages to their own property or machinery, but we have seen some liability cases being excluded by the insurers because the load was heavier or larger than allowed by law or by its specifications. This is something for the business owners to be mindful of as it could leave them exposed to uninsured liabilities,” she says.

“UAA’s competitive advantage is the ability to tailor insurance policies to customer needs and our ability to manage claims for our customers, locally. Our policy also provides many benefits. One in particular is the Owners Protection benefit,” she adds.

Morrissey notes that UAA’s Owners Protection policy can provide an additional layer of protection for asset owners.

“This means that if businesses have operators who are acting ‘rogue’ and the employer is unaware of it, there is an avenue through our policy to provide some peace of mind and cover to the employer. The practice of this benefit will depend on the circumstances of the claim and the application to the policy wording,” she says.

“Our value-added services are to always assist clients by offering risk mitigation concepts into their own business to prevent incidences occurring in the future.

Our focus is to quickly respond to our customers’ needs and to manage the facts of a claim with an unbiased view, ensuring to assist our customers in time of need and help them get back on their feet as promptly as possible,” says Morrissey. roadsonline.com.au

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AFPA’S TAKE ON

DIVERSITY

AFPA’S NEWLY FORMED NATIONAL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE AIMS TO HELP ADDRESS THE BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES TO SUCCESSFULLY ATTRACT, RECRUIT AND RETAIN A BROAD WORKFORCE. LISE SPERLING, AFPA’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES AND ACT, EXPLAINS.

I

n January this year, the Australian Flexible Pavement Association’s (AfPA’s) National Diversity and Inclusion Committee gathered for the first time to discuss the barriers to diversity within the pavement sector and to come up with practical plans to address the issue.

Lise Sperling, AfPA’s Executive Director – New South Wales and ACT and herself a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, is leading the new AfPA initiative, with support from AfPA’s Chief Executive Director Carlos Rial and AfPA’s Executive Director for Knowledge and Partnership, Tanja Conners.

Sperling is excited by the prospects the new AfPA initiative will offer the industry and particularly by the overwhelming support and passion shown by all committee members in the first quarterly meeting.

“The idea for setting up this committee was born at our 2021 International Women’s Day event in Sydney. We soon realised our industry was limiting its talent potential and needs to break down the barriers for all under-represented groups within the industry and encourage a more diverse and more inclusive workforce,” she says.

“The goals of the committee are to build knowledge and to work with the flexible pavement industry to better understand the barriers and challenges to successfully attract, recruit and retain a broad workforce.

AfPA recognises that the pavement industry plays a key role in our economic recovery, and we want to make sure the industry is fostering a diverse pool of talent, including women, people from indigenous communities, people of all age groups, refugees and migrants, and all minorities.”

The 16 members on the new AfPA committee represent a wide array of skills, experiences and backgrounds. The committee is chaired by Ms Kym Murphy, 52

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The Australian Flexible Pavement Association hosts its International Women’s Day Industry Event in Sydney on March 8.

who is the General Manager (RoadTek) at Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. Other Committee members all hold senior positions, either within government organisations, the private sector or academia.

Among its first initiatives, Sperling says the committee is aiming to create new opportunities for networking, leadership, training and mentorship within the sector.

The AfPA International Women’s Day 2022 event due to be held in March in Sydney is among such initiatives.

The committee will also look at providing new training opportunities to help with knowledge sharing within the sector, Sperling explains.

“During COVID, certain segments of our industry have been severely affected, we have seen the issues around skills shortages exacerbated and the urgent need to attract the next generation of young engineers into our industry. This highlights the need for a more inclusive workforce. We look to engage and attract people of all ages into our industry, from all backgrounds.

Realising this gap, we are looking at ways to share knowledge, experience and social capital to keep the industry at the forefront,” Sperling says.

As for all complex issues, Sperling acknowledges that there are no quick and straightforward solutions to the existing lack of diversity within the sector. Nonetheless, she says, AfPA is leading the way and at the forefront of driving a change.

“This is the first Diversity and Inclusion Committee specifically dedicated to the pavement industry in Australia. We are bringing everyone together and, first and foremost, we are acknowledging that there is a problem by starting the conversation. AfPA is taking this head on and acknowledging that there is a systemic problem here that requires continuous efforts from everyone in the sector,” she says.

Ultimately, Sperling says, the committee’s goal is to create a roadmap for diversity and inclusion within the pavement sector, which would help drive more accountability from all key players in the industry.

“It’s about having practical and effective collaboration and understanding the key issues across our industry to ensure that we can deliver equitable and diverse industry going forward. We are advocating for gender equity participation across the industry and looking to identify and promote opportunities that support those fundamental values.”

AUSTRALIAN FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION

2022 Industry Awards

Nominations Open Nominations are still open for VIC nominees for 2021 www.afpa.asn.au/2022-state-and-national-awards-nominations/

2022 State Industry Awards Sponsors

Limited Award and Dinner Sponsorship opportunities are still available https://bit.ly/3sdDS8x

AfPA

MEMBER PROFILE

DANIEL ORRISS, EXECUTIVE GENERAL MANAGER AT STABILISED PAVEMENTS OF AUSTRALIA, TALKS ABOUT RECENT CHANGES WITHIN THE ROAD PAVEMENT INDUSTRY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY. HOW LONG HAVE YOU/YOUR COMPANY BEEN AN AFPA MEMBER AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME ONE? Stabilised Pavements of Australia (SPA) has been an AfPA member for more than 15 years. Our original involvement was through profiling. It has since grown to include our spray sealing capability.

the opportunities that align with the growing appetite for reduced waste and decarbonised solutions has SPA well placed to deliver the industry’s needs. Through the combination of attracting and retaining talented people within our business and the application of our market leading solutions, we’re well placed to achieve success in the coming years.

HOW DID YOU START YOUR CAREER IN THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? As a graduate engineer back in 2005, initially starting in a hands-on role in the field, which is a great way to learn the key elements of field operations!

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE? I am the Executive General Manager at Stabilised Pavements of Australia, which allows me the opportunity to support our leaders, contribute towards business improvement and identify growth opportunities.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CURRENT ROLE? There are plenty of enjoyable elements to my role. Two of the key aspects include, firstly, the opportunity to see much of Australia, both from a travel perspective and to understand the subtle differences in how our industry operates across different geographical locations. Another great aspect is the opportunity to network and learn from a range of great people that make up our industry, tapping into their knowledge, ideas and key learnings they have acquired.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT IN THE INDUSTRY? Without highlighting a single achievement, I think reflecting on the strong range of networks and relationships that I continue 54

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Daniel Orriss, Executive General Manager, Stabilised Pavements of Australia.

to build within the industry is encouraging.

Additionally, the opportunity to be part of a team that can lay claim to providing sustainable road rehabilitation solutions that are in the genuine interests of our customers. We continue to build our footprint in this area and there are still many untapped opportunities to reduce the environmental impacts of many pavement asset owners.

WHAT IS A RECENT CHANGE YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE INDUSTRY AND HOW ARE YOU/THE COMPANY PREPARED FOR THAT? That’s a timely question in our industry for a range of reasons. Apart from the obvious COVID-19 impacts, the current and increasing skills shortage is a key challenge for our industry and it is going to become increasingly demanding in the next few years. On the opportunities front, as a pavement recycling company,

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MOST INTERESTING ABOUT THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? Roads are a part of most people’s daily lives. Road infrastructure has a strong future, but evolving vehicle and transport technologies will shift how road assets are used and the way our industry will support current and future needs. Monitoring how technological advancement and asset management innovations shape our future is an ever-evolving landscape that evokes the imagination. Trying to understand emerging technologies and how they can be applied to our industry is something we need to maintain a continued awareness of and to ensure we are adequately placed to take advantage and make improvements in key areas such as safety, efficiency, communication and data analytics.

HOW HAS BEING A MEMBER OF AFPA BENEFITTED YOU IN THE INDUSTRY? AfPA provides a range of benefits to our business. Some of the key aspects would be the education and training opportunities, networking at events and the ability to connect with a good range of resources to support our needs.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE? Stay healthy, be happy and always look to learn and improve.

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E H X H I B I T I O N C E N T R E

The AcraTex AcraTilt coating can be used on all clean concrete surfaces without any primer.

PRECAST COATING SOLUTIONS

FROM DULUX

NATIONAL PRECAST’S INDUSTRY PARTNER DULUX ACRATEX HAS FORMULATED END-TOEND COATING SOLUTIONS FOR TILT UP AND PRECAST CONCRETE SURFACES. DULUX ACRATEX NATIONAL COMMERCIAL MANAGER PAUL AUGELLO TALKS ABOUT THE INNOVATIONS BEHIND THE PRODUCTS.

Q

: Could you please provide an overview of Dulux’s Acratex range and the brand’s involvement with the precast industry?

Dulux Acratex is a separate business unit within the Dulux brand, with a specialised focus on architectural texture finishes, protective membranes and roofing finishing solutions, with over 45 years of innovation and service. Acratex stands for Acrylic Texture System, which is a uniquely designed formulation from Dulux that resists cracking and staining observed in cement renders.

Around 18 months ago, we identified a

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gap in the market for coating solutions specifically designed for precast and tilt up construction. This was followed by the launch of Dulux Acratex’s BondFree Concentrate surface treatment and Acratex AcraTilt coating, which offer an end-to-end preparation and coating system to protect precast concrete surfaces.

Even prior to launching these two products, the Dulux Acratex AcraShield was a well-respected product within the industry for decades, used for coating various substrates including tilt up concrete.

Q: What are the unique features of these products?

The Acratex BondFree Concentrate is a water dilutable cleansing solution specifically designed to remove barriertype form release agents (bond breakers) from concrete panels prior to the application of a coating system. So, in essence, Acratex BondFree Concentrate is a degreaser. It breaks down the oily residue after the formwork is removed from concrete panels, ensureing proper adhesion of all coatings, be it paints, stains or coatings that protect precast from graffiti or pollution. Existing cleaning

We have found that being a partner with National Precast has allowed us to better network within different states. Our sales managers have attended a lot of meetings with National Precast members over the past months, which has helped us get a good understanding of the precast projects in each state. It’s been a great partnership from that perspective.

Q: What is in the pipeline for the future for Dulux Acratex?

Our core business focus currently is on the housings industry, which is going through a boom phase. The other opportunity for us is in the remedial space, given the extend of re-cladding projects taking place in major cities such as Melbourne and Sydney. We will be working closely with the industry to introduce our solutions for tilt up and precast concrete and to bring the benefits to end users.

Dulux AcraTex has launched its BondFree Concentrate surface treatment and AcraTilt as coating solutions for precast concrete.

agents in the market often require a lot of water in the cleaning process. By facilitating easy rinsing, Acratex BondFree Concentrate is an environmentally friendly option for cleaning the concrete surface.

The Acratex AcraTilt product is formulated to be a self-priming coating on tilt up concrete and even masonry surfaces. This means you can use Acratex AcraTilt on all clean concrete surfaces without any primer and it will render a smooth and durable surface. In formulating the Acrtex AcraTilt, we have also had the painter in mind. Typically, high fill coatings are hard to apply as they are thicker, but Acratex AcraTilt has been formulated to be easy to apply and to provide a good coverage. That is also reflected in the positive feedback we have been receiving from the market.

Q: What is the significance of these products for your customers?

Providing precast concrete users a coating

option specifically designed to provide good aesthetics and high durability means instead of having all grey surfaces, users can now achieve a clean, vivid white finish, without requiring any priming.

This is certainly an improvement from an aesthetics point of view. But more importantly, Acratex AcraTilt helps protect the concrete surface against degradation, elongating the life of concrete. By eliminating the need for a primer, application is also quicker and more economical.

Q: How long have you been a partner with the National Precast Concrete Association Australia and why is the partnership important to you?

It’s been nearly 12 months since we joined the Association in line with our targeted focus on the precast coating market. We joined National Precast as we knew they would help us from a networking perspective and allow us to increase awareness about our products.

Dulux AcraTex has launched its BondFree Concentrate surface treatment and AcraTilt as coating solutions for precast concrete.

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Infrastructure Sustainability Council

A CATALYST

FOR CHANGE THIS YEAR MARKS A DECADE SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY RATING SYSTEM. THE INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY COUNCIL REFLECTS ON THE SCHEME’S IMPACT ON ENABLING CHANGE AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

T Ainsley Simpson, CEO, Infrastructure Sustainability Council.

he Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating system, known then as the Australian Green Infrastructure Council’s (AGIC) Sustainability Rating System, was launched on 29 February 2012, aiming to deliver an independent rating tool to assess the sustainability of infrastructure projects across Australia and New Zealand.

A decade later, the scheme – now operating under the Infrastructure Sustainability Council – has outperformed its early ambitions, as Ainsley Simpson,

The IS rating scheme can be engaged at planning, design, as-built and operations stages of development.

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Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s Chief Executive Officer, observes.

“Our evidence base shows the IS Rating Scheme delivers strong Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) outcomes, but also provides a more skilled workforce, encourages innovation, and drives better processes,” says Ms Simpson.

“The best way to gauge the current value of the tool is that in 2013, the total value of projects that were registered i.e. people who wanted to take up the tool and measure their sustainability performance,

was $3 billion dollars. Since then, more than 316 projects valued at more than $213 billion have registered to undertake an IS Rating certification, with the scheme now mandated for various infrastructure classes across all states, the ACT and into New Zealand.”

The IS Rating Scheme is Australia and New Zealand’s only comprehensive rating system for evaluating economic, social and environmental performance of infrastructure across the planning, design, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance phases of infrastructure assets.

The tool is intended for use by stakeholders, including infrastructure owners, designers, constructors and operators, to benchmark and drive bestpractice sustainability in their projects.

The IS rating scheme can be engaged at planning, design, as-built and operations stages of development. It is set to deliver a compelling return on investment of up to $2.40 for every dollar spent.

The 2021 Impacts Report published by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council showed the IS Rating tool was undertaking ratings in most infrastructure asset classes including transport (roads, rail, airports, ports), energy, water and nature-based infrastructure.

There has been steady growth in the number of projects completing an IS certification since the IS Scheme’s establishment; in fact, certifications doubled from 13 in FY18 to 26 in FY21.

As Ms Simpson further observes, ensuring that an infrastructure-led economic recovery goes hand-in-hand with social, economic and cultural benefits is a key goal of the IS scheme.

“For instance, IS-rated As Built projects over the last four years have avoided 64 per cent of lifecycle energy GHG emissions and a further 40 per cent of lifecycle materials GHG emissions compared to business-asusual practices, representing 26.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or ‘CO2e’ emissions, equivalent to 5,522 wind turbines running for one year,” she notes.

“Circular economy results are inspiring too, with the ten As Built projects that were certified in FY21 collectively diverting 14.5 million tonnes, or 95 per cent, of project waste from landfill and ensuring the re-use of 97 per cent of spoil.”

Among successful projects rated by the scheme, the $1.2 billion CBD and Southeast Light Rail project in New South Wales was able to achieve an IS Leading certificate by simply replacing 33 per cent of emissionsintensive cement with supplementary cementing materials.

Similarly, The Level Crossing Removal Project Package Four – CBD Caulfield to Dandenong – in Victoria achieved a similar rating by using 91 per cent recycled aggregate.

In August 2021, the Infrastructure Sustainability Council launched an updated version of its Design and As-Built tool based on feedback from the industry, making the tool more intuitive and outcome-focused.

Having a common set of benchmarks across various jurisdictions has led a marked improvement in the way the sector approaches and delivers long term benefit through infrastructure and this is clearly demonstrated by the growth in assets receiving a leading rating.

With increasing uptake of the IS Rating Scheme and the introduction of the ISv2.1 Design and As Built Tool, there are plenty of catalysts for further accelerating the sustainability performance of infrastructure assets. The ever-increasing capability within the sector and focus across the jurisdictions means the time for rapid transition is now.

THE INDUSTRY REFLECTS ON THE IMPACT OF THE IS RATING:

“It is not an overstatement to say that the IS rating scheme has revolutionised the infrastructure industry in Australia.

I can recall what projects were like before IS. Sure, there was some good environmental protection and risk management, but broader concerns were barely considered.

Now, infrastructure projects are being planned, design, constructed and operated in a way where sustainability is considered in all its dimensions by a wide set of decision makers. The language of sustainability is becoming familiar to these people, and this language has given them a licence to bring their thoughts, ideas and dreams into their work to start to address global challenges like climate change.

Congratulations on driving such a remarkable (and necessary) change in 10 years!”

Rick Walters – Chief of Standards and Innovation, GRESB “The IS Rating scheme is a meaningful tool for fostering innovation and collaboration across the infrastructure sector. The scheme has helped create a common language around sustainability and assisted governments, industry and communities to understand, implement and deliver more sustainable infrastructure outcomes. As we acknowledge in the 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan and Assessment Framework, the scheme is an effective way to target investment, benchmark sustainability performance, set priorities and enable transparent reporting across a range of assets.”

Romilly Madew – CEO, Infrastructure Australia “It’s ensured that we are achieving better and better sustainability outcomes on our major projects that communities and other stakeholders are benefitting from... It’s meant that we don’t have those ‘What does sustainability mean’ conversations for projects anymore.”

Matthew Brennan – Head of Sustainability, Transurban

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7 APRIL 2022

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he Women in Industry Awards are just around the corner. This is a great time for you to secure your tickets.

The Women in Industry Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of women in traditionally male-dominated industrials sectors such as mining, manufacturing, engineering and transport and logistics.

Through acknowledging these success stories, the Awards hope to shine a light on these industries as great career choices for other women.

MEET THE FINALISTS FOR 2021 WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS: Social Leader of the Year Award Proudly sponsored by Komatsu Finalists: Anne Williams – Plant Operations Manager Rail, John Holland Jane Tiller – Ethical, Legal & Social Advisor, Monash University Jo Withford – Senior Project Engineer, Transport for NSW Penelope Twemlow – Director, PwC Pranjal Pawar – Project Manager, Development Victoria Rising Star of the Year Award Proudly sponsored by Atlas Copco Finalists: Deanne Heier – Product Performance Specialist, Norkse Skog Isabella Freeman – Project Manager, RoadTek / Department of Transport and Main Roads, QLD Kirstie Looke – Crude Scheduler, Viva Energy Australia Louisa Janssen – Site Engineer, Fulton Hogan Monique Yap – Graduate Engineer, Weir Minerals Business Development Success of the Year Award Finalists: Katherine Walton – Cyclone Specialist, Weir Minerals Kylie Hollonds – Managing Director, GF Oats Australia

Lacey Webb – Founder & Director, Resource Hub Louise Johnson – Scientific Specialist, BOC Puneeta Chellaramani – Director, KPMG Australia Industry Advocacy Award Finalists: Gina Rinehart – Executive Chairman, Hancock Prospecting Hermione Parsons – Director, Centre for Supply Chain and Logistics, Deakin University Jo Sainsbury – Director, Kickass Women Kylie Ward – Asia Pacific HR Director, Stantec Megan McCracken – Chair, NAWO Safety Advocacy Award Proudly sponsored by BOC Finalists: Ainsley Fysh – Project Systems Representative, RoadTek / Department of Transport and Main Roads, QLD Grace Kube – Graduate Process Engineer, Norske Skog Merry Manton – Board Member, Transport Women Australia Limited Sabrina Sequeria – Project Engineer, Lighting Protection International Stephanie O’Dwyer – Manager Health, Wellbeing and Innovation, BlueScope Steel Mentor of the Year Award Finalists: Angela Wiggins – Chief Counsel, BAE Systems Australia Christine Morris – Director Strategy & Performance, Komatsu Mining Kylie Fraser – President of Consumer & Healthcare Group, Linfox Larissa Rose – Director Consultant, Glowing Green Australia Lidia Trehane – Software Engineering Manager, Bosch Australia Excellence in Manufacturing Award Finalists: Cori Stewart – CEO, ARM Hub Heidi Bergman – Director, Manufacturing Sciences & Technology, Seqirus

Julie Jones – General Counsel and Company Secretary, Matrix Composites and Engineering Ltd Noelle Parlier – Chief Engineer, PACCAR Australia Sabrina Sequeria – Project Engineer, Lighting Protection International Shay Chalmers – Director, Strategic Engineering Australia Pty Ltd Excellence in Mining Award Proudly sponsored by Weir Minerals Finalists: Carly O’Loughlan – Director, Ore Contracting WA Pty Ltd Carrie Heaven – Superintendent Mine Services, Glencore Christine Morris – Director Strategy & Performance, Komatsu Mining Excellence in Engineering Award Proudly sponsored by BAE Systems Finalists: Amelinda Ilardi – Project Manager, ANCA Ashleigh Fulcher – Mechanical Engineer, Viva Energy Australia Bronwyn Evans – CEO, Engineers Australia Narelle Dobson – Director Special Projects, Department of Transport and Main Roads, QLD Rachel Barrett – Senior Verification and Validation Engineer, Bosch Australia Excellence in Transport Award Finalists: Catherine Baxter – Chief Operating Officer, Metro Trains Heather Jones – Director, Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls Kirstyn Glass – Rail Operations Consultant, Trapeze Group Asia Pacific Merry Manton – Board Member, Transport Women Australia Limited Penny Ford – Executive Director (Transport Planning Services), Department of Transport and Main Roads, QLD To secure your ticket, visit: www.womeninindustry.com.au/awards/ roadsonline.com.au

61

CONTRACTS & TENDERS

CONTRACTS & TENDERS

CONTRACTS IN INBRIEF BRIEF CONTRACTS ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDES PROVIDES AN AN UPDATE UPDATE ON ON SOME SOME OF OF THE THE CONTRACTS MAJOR ROADS & CONTRACTS TENDERS AWARDED PUT MARKET ACROSS THE AUSTRALIAN AND TENDERSAND RECENTLY AWARDED OROR PUT TOTO MARKET ACROSS THE AUSTRALIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR SECTOR.IN 2020.

xx NEW SOUTH WALES xx Tunnelling works contract awarded for Sydney’s Western Harbour Tunnel The New South Wales Government has selected a joint venture between CPB Contractors and John Holland to deliver the Western Harbour Tunnel – Southern Tunnelling Works. The $722 million contract will see the joint venture build about 1.7 kilometres of tunnels from Rozelle to Birchgrove. The Western Harbour Tunnel will be a second road tunnel under Sydney Harbour. The tunnel will connect the WestConnex Rozelle Interchange with the Warringah Freeway in North Sydney.

Once complete and via the Beaches Link, there will be a continuous connection from WestConnex at Rozelle to Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The mega-project includes a 6.5-kilometre tunnel, with three lanes in each direction and tunnelto-tunnel connection to the M4-M5 Link near Rozelle Interchange. Construction for Western Harbour Tunnel is expected to be completed in 2027.

UGL takes over NSW’s Country Rail Network as part of $1.5B contract Operation and maintenance of the rail assets on NSW’s Country Rail Network (CRN) has been transferred from John Holland to UGL Regional Linx (UGLRL) as part of a 10-year $1.5 billion contract.

UGLRL won a $1.5 billion contract with Transport NSW early last year, allowing the company to take over the operation and maintenance of the rail assets, which link broad areas of regional NSW to interstate and metropolitan rail systems. UGLRL takes over from John Holland, which held to the rail maintenance contract for the previous 10 years. The CRN covers 27,000 hectares of land and infrastructure including 1200 property assets and almost 1000 bridges. It comprises more than 2,400 kilometres of operational rail lines, more than 3,100 kilometres of non-operational lines, and hundreds of bridges and property assets such as stations.

Tenderers shortlisted for stage two of Western Harbour Tunnel Project Transport for NSW has confirmed the shortlist for the tenderers for stage two of Western Harbour Tunnel project which will see a second tunnel crossing across Sydney Harbour. The successful parties of Acciona Construction Australia, Bouygues Construction Australia and Vinci Construction Grands Projects joint venture, and John Holland, CPB Contractors and UGL Engineering joint venture will now begin the formal tender process. The second package of works will deliver the remainder of the Western Harbour Tunnel, including the balance of northern tunnelling from Birchgrove, through Sydney Harbour and onto North Sydney, the marine work and all the tunnel fit-out. The successful tenderer will be announced later this year.

VICTORIA Transurban selects maintenance partner for Melbourne’s CityLink, West Gate Tunnel DM Roads, Downer Group’s road network management and maintenance business, has been awarded a contract

by Transurban to provide maintenance and incident response for one of Australia’s busiest road networks. Under the multi-million dollar contract, DM Roads will be responsible for rapid incident response across part of Melbourne’s road network, including CityLink, along the West Gate Freeway, West Gate Bridge to the M80 interchange, and the West Gate Tunnel once opened. The contract will officially commence on July 1, 2022 for an initial duration of five years.

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ROADS MARCH NOVEMBER 2022 2021

SOUTH AUSTRALIA CIMIC’s CPB selected for SA’s Augusta Highway duplication CIMIC Group company CPB Contractors has been selected by the South Australian Government to deliver the next stage of the Augusta Highway Duplication – Port Wakefield to Lochiel.

The Augusta Highway Duplication project will overall aim to improve safety and travel times and will build on existing investments to duplicate priority sections of the highway from Port Wakefield to Port Augusta.

The project duplicates the existing Augusta Highway with a new two-lane carriageway, and intersection/junction treatments, between the intersection of the Port Wakefield Highway, Copper Coast Highway and Augusta Highway, and the township of Lochiel. Work will commence in 2022 and is scheduled to be completed in 2023.

NORTHERN TERRITORY The Northern Territory Government is preparing to release a $145 million package of tender as part of a redevelopment of the Civic and State Square precinct in the heart of the Darwin CBD. The tender will be released in the coming months, in the form of an Early Contractor Involvement contract.

The State Square overhaul is a critical part of the historic $200 million Darwin City Deal, delivered in partnership with the Australian Government and the City of Darwin. This tender will bring together the final elements of the redevelopment, with the design and construction of the remainder of the precinct, including State Square Art Gallery, the central heart, pedestrian sheltered walkways, artwork, interpretation and wayfinding within the precinct, shading, landscaping and water features.

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