Roads & Infrastructure June 2020

JUNE 2020

& INFRASTRUCTURE

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SAMI General Manager Sebastien Chatard introduces the company’s new online portal

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JUNE 2020 CONTENTS

& INFRASTRUCTURE

COVER STORY 14

SAMI goes digital With the release of its new online portal, SAMI outlines the streamlining capabilities of automation.

PROJECT REPORT

16 Western Sydney Airport

As major earthworks kick off at Western Sydney Airport, Roads & Infrastructure speaks to the airport’s interim CEO Jim Tragotsalos.

AAPA SECTION

20 AAPA virtual classrooms

Executive Director of Knowledge and Partnerships Tanja Conners explains AAPA’s move to virtual courses.

22 AAPA member profile

John Kypreos from Kypreos Group speaks about company growth and innovation.

ASPHALT IN ACTION

24 Foamed asphalt

Pavement Recyclers are using Wirtgen equipment for a total in-place

pavement recycling process.

26 Road Maintenance

Following years of innovation, Road Maintenance has created a new crack sealant, Maxi Seal 2.0 which incorporates crumb rubber and plastics.

28 Milling machine

Astec’s Kyle Hammon explains how the RX-505 milling machine increases worker safety.

TECH & EQUIPMENT

30 Grade control motor graders

John Deere SmartGrade technology is now available on Deere’s G-Series motor grader line.

Saferoads has created a new and improved product, the HV2 roadside barrier.

32 Concrete improvement

A regional premix company in Victoria is the first in Australia to order a Simem Zingo Dos concrete batching plant from Gough.

NATIONAL PRECAST

34 Per cent complete

InEight’s earned value management tool gives an accurate representation of a project’s progression in comparison to budgets and timelines.

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

36 Automating industry 4.0

Concepts such as Industry 4.0 are gaining traction throughout the infrastructure sector, but why? VEGA’s Stefan Kasper explains.

INFRASTRUCTURE IN FOCUS 38 Time online

IPWEA representatives discuss the development opportunities presented by online learning.

40 Infrastructure Sustainability

CEO of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, Ainsley Simpson explains the findings of a report on construction’s environmental impacts.

42 Building mindfulness

MATES in Construction and AAPA highlight best practice mental health initiatives for the road construction industry.

44 Precasting infrastructure

National Precast CEO Sarah Bachmann discusses how precast can be used to increase safety during COVID-19.

46 Crumb rubber performance

Tyre Stewardship highlights a crumb rubber asphalt demonstration in Bentleigh, which could lead the way to higher quality roads.

SAFETY

48 Barrier protection

Saferoads details its latest innovation, the HV2 roadside barrier, which aims to better protect workers and the public.

ARRB THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

50 Improving asset management

Nigel Powers outlines the aims behind ARRB’s new Best Practice Guides for Local Government.

REGULARS 04 Editor’s note 06 News

roadsonline.com.au

3

& INFRASTRUCTURE

THE LONG ROAD AHEAD WHILE MUCH OF THE COUNTRY has been slowing down and keeping to their homes in an attempt to flatten the curve of infection from COVID-19, the construction industry has continued to deliver vital infrastructure across the nation.

With strict social distancing and hygiene practices in place at construction sites, most works are continuing safely wherever possible.

As of early May, it seems the commitment made by all Australians to socially distance and stay home whenever possible is working, and the number of infections has been significantly reduced. In response to this success, many states have eased restrictions and are beginning to envision what a normal society will look like post-COVID-19.

One thing has been clear across the states and territories: infrastructure investment and projects will play a large part in the economic recovery of Australia.

Both Victorian and Western Australian premiers have expressed the importance of the role construction and infrastructure delivery will play in the economic recovery of their jurisdictions. Victoria has also launched its Building Works package which will see $2.7 billion go towards shovel-ready projects.

Queensland has fast tracked $185 million in road projects which are expected to support hundreds of jobs across the state. In NSW, the Transport Minister said the state is pushing ahead with its four-year pipeline of projects, stating transport infrastructure will be key to rebuilding the state’s economy.

There is also a particular focus from industry bodies on continual training and improvement, alongside continued work during COVID-19, so that companies can stay informed of new industry requirements, specifications and innovation as the world changes.

In this edition of Roads & Infrastructure we speak to the Australian Asphalt Pavement Association (AAPA) and the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia about their approaches to virtual education. Both organisations outline the tools they are using to continue informing industry and help individuals with their professional development.

On page 20, AAPA’s Tanja Conners explains how the association has set up virtual classrooms and she discusses the importance of engaging and interactive training modules.

The industry has also expressed its desire to continue to focus on innovation and growth throughout COVID-19. Our AAPA member for the month, John Kypreos, explains how Kypreos Group is using any additional time to test products with recycled elements, so that the products can be put to market as the country moves into a new normal.

Finally, Managing Editor Toli Papadopoulos will be moving on from the publication and we wish him all the best on his new journey.

It is an exciting time for me to step up into the Assistant Editor role at Roads & Infrastructure.

While the industry faces many challenges, it remains resilient and ready continue works. I look forward to covering stories about an industry that is constantly pushing boundaries by providing Australians with safe routes to essential work and playing a crucial role in the growth of the economy.

Lauren Jones Assistant Editor, Roads & Infrastructure Magazine 4

ROADS JUNE 2020

PUBLISHER Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au MANAGING EDITOR Toli Papadopoulos toli.papadopoulos@primecreative.com.au ASSISTANT EDITOR Lauren Jones lauren.jones@primecreative.com.au JOURNALIST Holly Keys holly.keys@primecreative.com.au DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au ART DIRECTOR Blake Storey DESIGN Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Brad Marshall brad.marshall@primecreative.com.au 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 ON THE GOLD COAST’S LARGEST ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT Construction has started on the $1 billion Pacific Motorway upgrade from Varsity Lakes to Tugun, the Gold Coast’s largest road project. In preparation, concrete barriers have been erected, VMS boards installed, and speeds reduced to make way for construction.

The project will see the M1 transformed into at least six lanes from Brisbane to Tugun. It will feature the region’s first diverging diamond interchange, upgrades to four motorway exits, a new service road built over Tallebudgera Creek and a new connecting western service road.

The upgrades will preserve the corridor south of Varsity Lakes for a future rail extension. This progress comes alongside the near completion of the new Stapley Drive Bridge on another section of the M1 upgrade, between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes. Traffic is expected to flow over the bridge from next week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Federal Government had fast-tracked the project to help bust congestion and create a jobs pipeline to help in the recovery from COVID-19.

“Our $500 million investment to upgrade the M1 will boost jobs and get workers home sooner and safer,” Mr. Morrison said.

“This isn’t just a project with significant

long-term benefits, it’s going to be delivering benefits right now with more jobs to help local workers as Australia moves past the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the project was not only about tackling congestion in Australia’s sixth largest city, but also keeping Queenslanders in jobs.

“This project will support more than 830 jobs and we’re going to keep delivering jobs and infrastructure,” Ms. Palaszczuk said.

She says the works are starting before the current section is complete as the government wants to see progress and jobs continue.

“Getting started on this project sooner rather than later means when we come out of COVID-19, Queensland’s economy can support as many jobs as possible.”

The project will be divided into three packages. Varsity Lakes to Burleigh will be the first to be delivered.

Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said close to 80 per cent of businesses currently working on the first M1 upgrade between Mudgeeraba and Varsity Lakes were local.

“Getting shovels in the ground now means that once works wrap up on the Mudgeeraba to Varsity Lakes section in

The Pacific Motorway upgrade will see the M1 transformed into at least six lanes from Brisbane to Tugun.

mid-2020, there won’t be a pause in muchneeded jobs,” Mr. Bailey said.

“Attacking coronavirus means going at it from all angles. That includes the economic front, where major construction projects like this are crucial to keeping Queenslanders employed and assisting businesses as much as possible.”

The $1 billion M1 Pacific Motorway, Varsity Lakes to Tugun project is being jointly funded by the Federal and Queensland Governments, with both contributing $500 million each.

SAFETY SQUAD ESTABLISHED BY THE MAJOR TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AUTHORITY The Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (MTIA) have created a specialised safety team to verify strict safety measures, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, are being followed at major road and rail projects. Affectionately named the safety squad, the group is made up of around 70 staff, many of them travel to worksites to carry out random spot checks.

Some of the sites include the Metro Tunnel, West Gate Tunnel, level crossing removals and more than 100 other road and rail projects in Victoria. The safety squad will help to ensure the health and wellbeing of 6

ROADS JUNE 2020

the workforce on these projects and keep Victoria’s Big Build moving forward. This will help to keep people employed throughout the pandemic.

Victoria’s Big Build said contractors on project sites are also conducting daily spotchecks and have their own safety protocols in place, including: • physical distancing • wearing the correct PPE (face masks and gloves) if working in close proximity to another worker • reducing the amount of time two workers are in close proximity

• proper hygiene measures and staggered shift times.

MITA project sites also have increased procedures in place to help make physical distancing easier for workers. This includes processes such as limiting the size of workgroups at pre-start meetings, providing visible markings on site, additional crib space and signage to crib huts to maintain four square metres per person, proper hygiene measures and staggered shift times.

Works are continuing across all MTIA project sites and there are currently no confirmed COVID-19 cases on MTIA project sites.

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NEWS

EARLY WORKS CONTRACT AWARDED FOR WA’S $852M BUNBURY OUTER RING ROAD PROJECT The early works contract was awarded to deliver important prepatory work.

Fulton Hogan has been awarded a contract to deliver early works including earthworks preparation, planting and fencing as part of Western Australia’s Bunbury Outer Ring Road project. According to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti, while the procurement process to secure alliance

contractors to design and construct the South-West’s “biggest-ever transport infrastructure program” is still ongoing, the early works contract was awarded to deliver important preparatory work.

“During extensive engagement with the local community, rural landowners whose

dwellings are located within 500 metres of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road main alignment were offered early screen planting,” she said.

“While the final approvals process for the project is ongoing, these early native plantings are works that can be conducted now when jobs are needed and contribute positively to the local environment.”

Ms. Saffioti said the planting would provide a buffer, visually softening construction works and the future road infrastructure for nearby landowners.

“The Outer Ring Road is the biggest transport infrastructure project ever planned for the South-West and will generate significant economic and employment opportunities,” she said.

“Maximising local business procurement is a key objective for the project so I’m pleased to see local contractors and local nurseries involved in these crucial early works.”

The $852 million Bunbury Outer Ring Road project includes the remaining stages of the four-lane, 27-kilometre link between Forrest and Bussell Highways.

SAFEWORK NSW RELEASES APP TO HELP SAVE LIVES Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson, has announced the launch of SafeWork NSW’s new app, Speak Up, Save Lives which allows workers to anonymously report workplace health and safety issues. The app is expected to make it easier to report workplace risks by sending photos of unsafe practices directly to SafeWork NSW. Mr. Anderson said SafeWork inspectors do a fantastic job, but they can’t be everywhere at once.

“The app is a quick, easy and confidential way for anyone to report unsafe worksite or work practices using only their mobile phone,” Mr. Anderson said.

“If you spot anything risky, play your part in protecting your own safety as well as that of your work mates by immediately 8

ROADS JUNE 2020

who are casually employed, on temporary reporting it to SafeWork.” or labour hire contracts, or from a CALD The Speak Up, Save Lives app and web community, are less likely to raise concerns based tool was developed in consultation about unsafe work. with the industry and the family of Christopher Cassaniti, an 18 year-old who lost his life in a tragic workplace incident last year.

“Since launching Speak Up, Save Lives as a web platform in October last year, SafeWork has received 1647 reports from workers, handed out 472 improvement notices and $56,880 in penalties,” Mr. Anderson said.

He said the most important feature of Speak Up is The app, Speak Up, Save Lives will provide confidentiality to workers reporting workplace health and safety issues. confidentiality as workers

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NEWS

NEW TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION FOR BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT CRACK SEALING New technical specifications have been released by Austroads. The specifications cover the requirements for supply of sealant and the sealing of cracks in asphalt and spray seal pavements, using hot placed elastomeric and crumb rubber sealants.

The new specifications prevent water from seeping into the pavement material.

Ross Guppy, Austroads Program Manager said Austroads Technical Specification ATS 3470 includes information on quality system requirements, materials, pavement surface preparation, application of sealant, performance requirements and records.

“It’s part of the comprehensive suite of specifications Austroads is producing for road and bridge construction. These standardised specifications will save time and money in the long term as industry adopts consistent contemporary practice on construction projects.”

The specification is provided with six new test methods that give detailed instructions on the following aspects; •p reparing hot poured joint sealant for testing (AGPT–280-20)

The test methods will provide precise information of safety precautions, equipment, preperation, procedures and reporting.

• fl ow properties of hot poured joint sealant (AGPT–281-20) • t ensile bond strength test for hot poured joint sealant (AGPT–282-20) •h eat degradation of hot poured joint sealant (AGPT–283-20) •p enetration into hot poured joint sealant (AGPT–284-20) • a n extension test for hot poured joint sealant (AGPT–285-20)

Richard Edwards, author of the specifications, said these test methods provide precise information on safety precautions, equipment, preparation, procedures and reporting.

“They are derived from existing Transport for NSW test methods which in turn are sometimes derived from American Society for Testing Materials Designations.”

DEPUTY PM SAYS CONSTRUCTION SECTOR IS KEY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH In a statement Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said construction is key to navigating Australia out of the pandemic while maintaining jobs and economic growth.

The statement reads the Federal Government is continuing to work closely with the construction sector during this unprecedented pandemic to ensure longevity and job creation throughout and on the other side of COVID-19.

Mr. McCormack alongside Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge recently participated in a webinar hosted by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia to discuss the ongoing challenges in the sector as a result of the pandemic.

The Deputy Prime Minister said almost 110,000 people are employed in heavy and

civil engineering construction in Australia.

“Designing and constructing infrastructure is vital to Australia’s immediate and longterm future and we are committed to ensuring our record $100 billion pipeline stays on track during this time.”

He said the health and safety of workers and the community remains a priority, but he is pleased with the measures the sector has implemented so it can continue operation under social distancing rules.

“The Federal Government has recently called on our states and territories and the 537 local governments to ask them what infrastructure can be brought forward,” Mr. McCormack said.

“We are now assessing that infrastructure with responses received from three-quarters of the local councils,” he said.

There are now around 160 major projects underway.

Some of these include the Western Sydney Airport earthworks stage and the 1700-kilometre Inland Rail project.

Mr. Tudge said a huge proportion of the economy relies on the construction and infrastructure sector.

“COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on Australian businesses, individuals and our economy which is why a strong construction sector is so important to maintain jobs and industry confidence,” Mr. Tudge said.

“We want this crucial job sector to be maintained and remain as strong as ever so we are in a much better position to come out of COVID-19 and get our economy back on track.” roadsonline.com.au

11

NEWS

CONTRACTORS COMPLETE BILLION DOLLAR NORTHLINK WA PROJECT As the biggest road infrastructure project in WA’s history the $1.02 billion North Link WA is now fully open. The road provides a free-flowing link between Morley and Muchea, helping to double road capacity and improve journey times.

Road users travelling from Kewdale to Muchea can now avoid up to 16 sets of traffic lights, two railway crossings and 21 speed limit changes. A range of major construction companies have worked on different sections of the NorthLink since 2016. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the third and final section of the project, a 22-kilometre dual carriageway between Ellenbrook and Muchea, will transform how traffic enters and exits Perth from the state’s north.

“The opening of the final section means road users, particularly freight, can now realise the full benefits of the 37-kilometre highway,” the Prime Minister said.

“NorthLink WA has also supported around 7000 direct and indirect jobs for Western Australians throughout its construction.”

Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said NorthLink WA was a vital, state-of-the-art

The road provides a free-flowing link between Morley and Muchea.

transport link between Morley and Muchea that would support the north of Perth for generations.

“So many areas of Perth will benefit, for example it will divert 80 per cent of heavy vehicles away from local roads and improving connection throughout the Swan Valley for residents and the 600,000 tourists visiting the area each year,” Mr. Tudge said.

Western Australian Minister for Transport and Planning Rita Saffioti said the new Tonkin Highway will be capable of carrying more than double the current number of vehicles.

“NorthLink WA has been a major feat of collaboration across successive governments, having initially been funded in the 2013 Federal Budget as the Swan Valley Bypass, and continued under the current state and federal governments,” Ms. Saffioti said.

A new principal shared path, around 42-kilometres long has also been completed from Railway Parade in Bayswater to Muchea. The NorthLink WA project was jointly funded with the Federal Government providing $820.84 million and the Western Australian Government $204.06 million.

$250M NSW GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY UPGRADE COMPLETE The jointly funded $250 million Great Western Highway safety upgrade between Katoomba and Lithgow has been delivered, with safety works at Blackheath now complete.

Federal Infrastructure Minister Michael

Upgrades to the Great Western Highway are expected to deliver safer, faster and more reliable journeys.

12

ROADS JUNE 2020

McCormack said the recently-completed works would deliver safer, faster and more reliable journeys for those travelling in, around and through the Blue Mountains.

“In 2012, the Federal and NSW Governments committed $250 million to improve traffic flow and safety on the Great Western Highway between Katoomba and Lithgow,” Mr. McCormack said.

“Work started in 2013 and included a three-lane upgrade at Forty Bends and safety upgrade through Hartley Valley.

Safety upgrades in Mount Victoria village and at Blackheath opened to traffic in December last year.”

NSW Regional Transport and Roads

Minister Paul Toole said the state government is moving forward with its broader commitment to duplicate the highway between Katoomba and Lithgow.

“As someone who drives the Great Western Highway regularly, I know this project will deliver a safer route over the mountains, and in all weather conditions,” he said.

According to NSW Senator Marise Payne, the completion of the upgrade caps off a “mammoth infrastructure project” for the Blue Mountains.

“The vital safety upgrade at Blackheath is a good example of that, with new dedicated turning lanes at the well-known Govetts Leap Road and Bundarra Street pinch point.”

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SAMI GOES

DIGITAL

WITH THE RELEASE OF ITS NEW ONLINE PORTAL MY.SAMI, ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE SPEAKS WITH SAMI BITUMEN TECHNOLOGY ABOUT THE STREAMLINING CAPABILITIES OF AUTOMATION.

E

stablished to meet market demand for new bitumen technology in Australia, SAMI Bitumen Technologies has been a leader for innovation in the infrastructure sector for over 40 years.

Pioneering polymer-modified binders and a shift towards more environmentally conscious infrastructure, SAMI has grown significantly in those 40 years.

The company, for instance, opened a new bitumen processing plant in Kwinana, Western Australia in 2019, and is now a leader in supplying binder technologies to projects across the country each year.

With growth, however, a new set of challenges emerge, namely the management of accelerating orders and corresponding customer requirements.

To get ahead of the curve and streamline its processes, SAMI has developed and implemented a new automated customer ordering system.

Replacing a manual system of taking orders over the phone and communicating instructions to production staff via email, the My.SAMI portal has been successfully rolled-out along the east-coast of Australia and in Western Australia.

Designed to optimise site production and better manage quality on-site, My.SAMI has already facilitated the production of a vast range of orders from its bitumen terminals and emulsion/polymer binder production plants across Australia.

According to Sebastien Chatard, SAMI General Manager, My.SAMI successfully streamlines order management by providing better visibility and real-time information about the scheduling of production, testing and delivery.

Before the My.SAMI rollout, Scott Olson, SAMI State Manager WA, says SAMI used a 14

ROADS JUNE 2020

Through the My.SAMI portal, customers can order products, see delivery advices and download lab reports.

“WE IDENTIFIED A NEED TO AUTOMATE, AND OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN INTERNALLY AUTOMATING OUR PROCESSES THROUGH THIS NEW ONLINE SYSTEM. FROM THERE, THE NEXT STAGE WAS DEVELOPING A PLATFORM THAT GAVE CUSTOMERS ACCESS TO ONLINE ORDERING AND PRODUCT INFORMATION.”

paper-based system for its delivery advices.

He adds that batch cards were formulated on excel spreadsheets or manually.

“We identified a need to automate, and over the last four years have been internally automating our processes through this new online system,” he says.

“From there, the next stage was developing a platform that gave customers access to online ordering and product information.”

Through the My.SAMI portal, customers can order products, see delivery advices electronically and download them.

Mr. Olson adds that with each delivery

of binder, customers can download a test report directly through the portal.

“Instead of using manual bits of paper and logging information, it’s all done automatically.

“Plus, as our plant operators work on iPads, they can input data on the floor, and make that available to customers on a real time basis,” he says.

Originally rolled out on the east-coast in 2019, Mr. Olson says SAMI decided to roll the system out in Western Australia this year, after recognising its efficiency effects and positive customer responses.

Mr. Olson highlights streamlined lab

COVER STORY

reports as one of My.SAMI’s key features.

“Previously, someone had to approve the report and then email that to the customer, which could take hours or even a day depending on a number of factors,” he says.

“But what happens now is that once the product has been approved, the test report is automatically available online for the customer. This simplifies the whole process, from picking up the product, through to accessing delivery advices and lab reports.”

The reaction from SAMI’s customers has been positive, Mr. Olson says. He adds that the portal enables greater ordering flexibility.

“When working on any kind of project there are constantly shifting variables. If something changes late in the afternoon or evening, operators can jump on their phone and alter their order right there – be it product type, quantity or delivery time,” he says.

“Those changes are then automatically fed back to the bitumen allocator at SAMI, which eliminates unnecessary delays.”

Mr. Olson adds that some operators responsible for ordering bitumen are often

The My.SAMI portal automates and streamlines the ordering process for customers.

“IN QUEENSLAND, OUR CUSTOMERS DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS, AND GIVEN THE SCALE OF THOSE PROJECTS, THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TEST REPORTS STRAIGHT AWAY. AS SOON AS THE LOAD HAS BEEN LIFTED, THE CUSTOMER CAN GO IN, DOWNLOAD TEST REPORTS, ACCESS PRODUCT TECHNICAL REPORTS AND DELIVERY DOCKETS FROM THE PORTAL. ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS INSTANTLEY ACCESSIBLE, MEANING OPERATORS DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR OUR DRIVER TO GET TO SITE.”

out in the field, and having access to a live ordering tool simplifies their day-to-day activities.

“Instead of having to go back to the office and send an email or spreadsheet, operators can access the My.SAMI portal onsite and order more product for the next day,” he says.

“We’ve also had a great response internally. When SAMI staff began using the system at our bitumen plants, people from other departments would notice them working through the portal and say, wow, when can I have access?”

Mr. Olson adds that the My.SAMI interface, which can be access via desktop, tablet or mobile phone, is designed to be user intuitive.

“When we first started the roll-out, I asked if there was a training manual I could show people, and the team said no, you won’t need one,” he says.

“From my experience this has proved to be true. People pick it up quickly regardless of their level of computer literacy. It’s all very straightforward.”

Leanne Rook, SAMI National Bitumen Allocator, expresses similar sentiments, highlighting the system’s simple interface and user-friendly design.

“My.SAMI works like a one stop shop to facilitate convenience for our customers.

And they love it, it’s such an easy system to use.” she says.

Ms. Rook, who works for SAMI in Sydney but manages allocations for the entire east-coast, says all SAMI customers in QLD and NSW are live with the portal.

“We’re now bringing Victoria into the fold. All of our customers have their passwords and access information and are now able to get online and use the system,” she says.

Much like Mr. Olson, Ms. Rook highlights My.SAMI’s ability to provide real-time access to lab reports as a critical component.

“In Queensland, our customers do a lot of work with the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and given the scale of those projects, the Department needs test reports straight away,” she says.

“As soon as the load has been lifted, the customer can go in, download test reports, access product technical reports and delivery dockets from the portal. All of that information is instantly accessible, meaning operators don’t have to wait for our driver to get to site before they can access it.”

Additionally, Ms. Rook says from the perspective of an allocator, My.SAMI has significantly ramped up efficiency.

“During the busy season many tankers have to be organised back-to-back.

Entering every order that comes in takes a lot of time. But with My.SAMI that time is freed up, meaning I can focus my attention on other important tasks. I can’t wait for everyone to be using it,” she says.

According to Ms. Rook, another benefit of the portal is its ability to reduce human error.

“When information is provided over the phone, things could get lost in translation.

But with the app, customers can put in accurate information about delivery time, temperature and location,” she says.

“All the customers feedback has been really positive; they love the system.”

Mr. Chatard feels similarly, highlighting the role of clear and consistent communication in the successful delivery of both small and large-scale infrastructure projects.

“MY.SAMI has pioneered a new avenue to communicate, opening the way to enhanced customer experience,” he says. roadsonline.com.au

15

WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT PROJECT

TAKES OFF

AS MAJOR EARTHWORKS KICK OFF AT WESTERN SYDNEY AIRPORT, ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SPEAKS TO THE AIRPORT’S INTERIM CEO JIM TRAGOTSALOS ABOUT KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND THE FUTURE ECONOMIC SUCCESS OF THE REGION.

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n 2012, a joint study on aviation capacity in the Sydney region was presented to the Federal and NSW Governments.

It found Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney did not have enough capacity to meet growing demand for air travel in the Sydney region.

Following this report in 2014, the Federal Government announced Western Sydney Airport would be built.

Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said Western Sydney Airport will deliver the vital infrastructure needed to unleash the economic powerhouse of the Western Sydney region.

Across 1800-hectares of land in Western Sydney sits the site for Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.

With an expected opening date of 2026, major earthworks kicked off on the project in early March 2020.

The scale of earthworks is equivalent to over 10,000 Olympic swimming pools of earth being moved over the site.

Before earthworks could begin, the

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ROADS JUNE 2020

Western Sydney Airport team were tasked with deciding on an airport layout.

Western Sydney International Airport is a greenfield project and is being built on a piece of land with no existing infrastructure.

Jim Tragotsalos, Western Sydney Airport interim Chief Executive Officer, says it is a unique and mammoth task to build a greenfield airport that will eventually become one of the biggest gateways to Australia and the Sydney region.

“The benefit of a greenfield airport means we can design the airport from scratch using the latest technology and implementing learnings from airport layouts around the world to create the best customer experience possible,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

In 2018 Arup, a major engineering design company, was appointed to deliver the Airport Planning Services.

“As part of that process and following input from various stakeholders, we released an optimised Airport Site Layout in

2019, which streamlines airport operations and provides for safer aircraft manoeuvring, improving efficiency and providing greater flexibility for growth,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

“We’re also working closely with our airline partners, Qantas and Virgin Australia, and freight partners as we design the airport, drawing on their experience and insights to ensure we design the best airport possible.”

As the major earthworks package has begun for the airport, CBP LendLease Joint Venture have started to prepare the foundations for the construction of the terminal, runway and all airport infrastructure.

SUSTAINABILITY Planning to minimise the impacts of construction on residents and the environment, was a key consideration for the airport.

“We’re very fortunate that the 25 million cubic metres of earth we will need to move to make way for construction of the

PROJECT REPORT

With an expected opening date of 2026, major earthworks kicked off at Western Sydney Airport in March 2020.

terminal and runway will largely remain on site,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

“The site is very hilly, the difference between the highest and lowest points is equivalent to a 12-storey building, with the amount needed to fill the valleys roughly equal to what will be taken off the hills, meaning fewer trucks on local roads.”

The earthworks contractor is also required to achieve an Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) The Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack asks for the first sod to be called.

rating. ISCA ratings are holistic, and aim to reduce the impact of construction across many different categories such as project governance and management, climate change mitigation, resource use, noise, dust, water consumption, materials, stakeholder engagement, biodiversity and heritage.

“Dust suppression is a key focus for our construction team, with water carts on site using local sources of non-potable water, such as on-site dams to minimise dust,” Mr.

Tragotsalos says.

“We are also using hydromulch, an emulsion of water, grass seed, straw mulch and soil binder, to assist with dust suppression.”

The early and bulk earthworks packages are required to meet holistic sustainability requirements within the ISCA ratings system. The terminal design package is also held to account for meeting specified requirements using the Green Star and National Australian Built Environment (NABERS) rating systems.

“Western Sydney Airport has developed a Climate Risk and Adaptation Assessment which sets out requirements that early earthworks, bulk earthworks and all future packages are required to comply with,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

“This includes a requirement that contractors conduct a climate change risk and mitigation review at the commencement of each package of work.”

For the terminal design, sustainability will be one of the airport team’s main priorities.

It was also a key criterion when assessing the terminal design competition.

“We’re currently engaging with other infrastructure projects, industry peak bodies, research institutions, suppliers and waste specialists to learn from their experience and understand opportunities for using recycled content,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

While he says it is early days in the design of Western Sydney Airport, sustainability and waste reduction will be a key consideration when selecting materials.

“An important sustainability measure already underway is our partnership with Sydney Metro which involves Western Sydney Airport taking more than 500,000 tonnes of high-quality sandstone from Metro tunnelling sites for use at the airport,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

“The crushed sandstone will be reused as a high-strength foundation to support the construction of the runway, taxiways and roads on the airport site, reducing waste, carbon emissions and saving taxpayer dollars.”

There is also a 117-hectare Environmental Conservation Zone on the airport site along Badgerys Creek, which the airport team will protect to preserve features of high environmental value.

The Federal Government has undertaken a roadsonline.com.au

17

Earthmoving machinery used to create the foundations for Western Sydney Airport.

range of measures to mitigate the airport’s impact on biodiversity, including investing around $200 million for a biodiversity offset package.

LOCAL BENEFITS Western Sydney is a growing region, as a census showed the Greater Western Sydney Region had a usual resident population of 2.3 million in 2016. Mr. Tragotsalos says around 40 per cent of the workforce travels outside of Western Sydney for work each day.

He says the Gold Coast, with around 540,000 residents, and Adelaide, with around 1.3 million residents, have significantly smaller populations than Western Sydney and both cities are serviced by airports.

“When Western Sydney International opens in 2026, it will be the closest major airport for more than 2.5 million people,” he says.

“This once-in-a-generation project will be the catalyst for the transformation of Western Sydney, creating economic growth and opportunity for the region.”

He says the airport itself will create thousands of jobs, but it will also stimulate even more high-quality jobs in areas like education, engineering and advanced manufacturing in the Western Sydney region.

“It will also create opportunities for businesses of all sizes, opening Western Sydney up to the world.”

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One significant factor in the process to build Western Sydney Airport is providing jobs for local workers. The Airport has a target for 30 per cent of airport construction jobs to go to Western Sydney locals.

“One of our key priorities in building Western Sydney Airport is to be the catalyst for the transformation of this region, creating thousands of jobs closer to where people live,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

There are several employment targets that apply to the airport and its contractors including a 10 per cent diversity target with a 2.4 per cent target for Indigenous workers and a 20 per cent target for learning workers such as apprentices, graduates and trainees.

“From 2026 when the airport opens, Western Sydney Airport will have a target of 50 per cent local employment,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

LOOKING AHEAD Western Sydney Airport has already begun the search for a construction contractor to build the airport’s terminal precinct. Registrations of interest closed in September 2019.

This contract will include construction of the first stage of Western Sydney International’s integrated international and domestic passenger terminal. It will also cover the baggage handling system, security systems, IT network and aerobridges.

“The contract is expected to be awarded in 2021, with work to begin shortly after.

The terminal will cater for up to 10 million passengers per year on opening in 2026,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

Gradually the terminal is expected to expand as demand increases, to eventually cater to 82 million passengers per year by the 2060s.

In 2020 earthworks will be a key focus.

Contractors will get on with moving the equivalent of 10,000 Olympic swimming pools of earth.

“Market soundings have also commenced for more job-creating contracts including construction of the terminal precinct, runway and taxiways and internal roads,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

He says the airport is working closely with the terminal design team British firm Zaha Hadid Architects and Cox Architecture in Sydney, to ensure a state-of-the-art terminal precinct is built.

“As well as building an airport, we’re focused on building an airport business to maximise the economic and social benefits this project will bring to Western Sydney,” Mr. Tragotsalos says.

“We’re working closely with our local community, from schools to business groups and local councils, and with our airline and freight partners, to ensure we build an airport that Western Sydney and the nation can be proud of.”

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THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM

COVID-19 HAS SPED UP THE JOURNEY TO VIRTUAL LEARNING ACROSS THE GLOBE. THE AUSTRALIAN ASPHALT PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION IS ADAPTING MANY OF ITS COURSES TO ONLINE CLASSROOMS, PRESENTING A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION SHARING.

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n 31 December 2019, online video communications platform Zoom had shares trading at $68.04 USD. In under four months on 23 April 2020 the jump in virtual learning, prompted by COVID-19 saw Zoom shares more than double to $169.09 USD. Industries across the globe have had to adapt to digital technologies as a result of COVID-19. While there are many platforms used, online communication applications such as Zoom have never been more crucial to keep people connected at work.

The road construction industry in Australia is continuing to operate as an essential service. However, one of the underlying factors to the industry’s progression is enabling its employees to stay informed and educated as materials and practices evolve.

As the peak body for the flexible pavements industry in the country the Australian Asphalt Pavement Association, (AAPA) has long provided training and education courses to its industry members.

While these courses have often been face-to-face and interactive, the association is one of many organisations setting its sights on virtual learning.

Tanja Conners, Executive Director of Knowledge and Partnerships at AAPA says COVID-19 has prompted the association to look at how it could best transform its faceto-face learning, virtually.

“We adopted Zoom to move our learning online. It gives us the opportunity to have breakout rooms during education sessions, chats with all attendees and we use the virtual whiteboard to set sessions up like we would normally,” Ms. Conners says.

“We adapted most of the courses we run, so in some cases a one-day course over eight hours now might be split into two hour sessions over three days.”

As road construction is largely about practical learning, Ms. Conners says it was 20

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COVID-19 has prompted AAPA to look at how to tranform its face-to-face learning virtually.

important to ensure the virtual learning environment felt as close to real conditions as possible.

“My biggest push for our courses is to ensure attendees are still seeing a presenter, they can still ask questions and have interactive group discussions,” she says.

Most AAPA courses are not pre-recorded to ensure that attendees can benefit from real-time discussions and ask questions when needed.

To enable more practical demonstrations than in previous courses, AAPA is in talks with suppliers to see if industry members can tape practical sessions, to be explained by a specialist virtually. This will give the opportunity for attendees to view demonstrations and ask questions in a virtual classroom setting.

“Filming demonstrations will give us the opportunity to run the tape multiple times.

Then, even if an attendee is watching the session back, we can still have them ask questions and the specialist will reply later with a virtual message,” Ms. Conners says.

“We want our virtual training to be more than just reading notes and answering a quiz at the end. Human interaction is going to be a major focus for us.”

Traditionally AAPA holds training sessions in each state to ensure industry members from across Australia can attend. By transforming these sessions virtually, Ms. Conners says there is a better opportunity for members to share information and talk to businesses in other states.

“A company from NSW would not often fly to QLD to do a face to face course, but now they will be able to attend a virtual classroom from any location. This way, businesses can share their experiences with different climates and geographical challenges,” she says.

To ensure members are informed of education opportunities, the association is continuing to promote its courses through email newsletters and social media.

It is also partnering with other organisations to promote courses that are relevant to their lines of work, such as the Institute of Public

“WE ADOPTED ZOOM TO MOVE OUR LEARNING ONLINE. IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BREAKOUT ROOMS DURING EDUCATION SESSIONS, CHATS WITH ALL ATTENDEES AND WE USE THE VIRTUAL WHITEBOARD TO SET SESSIONS UP LIKE WE WOULD NORMALLY.”

Works Engineering Australia.

“Even in these times when road construction is continuing as an essential service, there are still industry advancements that need to be adopted,” Ms. Conners says.

“It is really important that for works to be successful, employees keep up their professional development as well as ensuring they are up to date with the latest health and safety requirements and that comes through training.”

When the Australian economy begins to recover from COVID-19, Ms. Conners says AAPA intends to continue virtual classrooms.

“We will bring back face-to-face learning when it is required but some of

our presenters and attendees travel long distances for these courses so virtual classrooms will be a great option in some circumstances,” she says.

“Virtual learning may even allow us to hold courses more often, or even to offer diversified customised courses as we can call on experts from around the country.”

Ms. Conners says virtual classrooms are a game changer for accessibility and affordability of courses. People may no longer have to travel long distances to attend some courses, reducing travel and work hour factors.

“Where anyone might have been resistant to virtual learning in the past, right now they aren’t able to be resistant and it’s

forcing people to look outside of the square and challenge education norms,” she says.

In addition to its suite of courses, AAPA will be providing opportunities for the industry to learn about mental health and well-being in a virtual classroom.

“It’s actually starting to become a factor in some contractual agreements that companies put forward their mental health and wellness policies,” Ms. Conners says.

“AAPA is doing an introduction course with the Braveheart Freedom Fighters organisation so that companies can learn to meet these contractual well-being obligations.”

The association will continue to look at specific industry needs when developing its training and work to best present its offerings virtually.

“COVID-19 has given us a chance to find better ways to offer training so that companies can continue to perform better works, improve efficiencies and stay up to date with industry information which is continuously evolving.”

AAPA MEMBER PROFILE: JOHN KYPREOS KYPREOS GROUP OF COMPANIES Q: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AN AAPA MEMBER AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME ONE? A: We had a General Manager Greg White that came in from Boral, he was in charge of our asphalt division from about 2002 until 2006 and he got us to join AAPA. When he retired around 2005 I took on the mantle of being the producer member and representative for AAPA. I was then NSW Vice Chair for three years and State Chair for about a two and a half years. After that we moved to category B directorship and I am now the chair for the AAPA Sustainability Committee.

Q: HOW DID YOU START YOUR CAREER IN THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? A: I have been doing road works of one sort or another since I was about 15 in the family business. I finished university with a degree in physics and had an offer to go and work at NASA or work at the family business. At that time, we were building an asphalt plant, so I decided to take on the asphalt business.

I remember someone said to me, ‘once you get asphalt in your blood and you enjoy it, you’ll never leave’. In 2001, we opened an asphalt plant which we built and designed and once we began producing it really just got in my blood and I’ve liked it ever since.

Q: WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CURRENT ROLE? A: I enjoy the challenge and getting teams through challenges. For example we had the enjoyment of an asphalt plant breakdown reecently and instead of our staff throwing their hands up in the air and saying ‘that’s it for the day’, the maintenance staff were out there to try and get the plant running as quick as possible. I knew about the issue but to come in and hear that the team achieved what they needed to do and more, it’s probably one of the best things you can hear. We have done a lot of training to 22

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get our staff to that level of knowledge so they can make those calls. There isn’t really recognition of trades from this industry so it’s up to the individual companies to pass that knowledge on to the crews, and knowledge is one of the key things to help an organisation survive and grow.

Q: WHAT IS A RECENT CHANGE YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE INDUSTRY AND HOW ARE YOU/THE COMPANY PREPARED FOR THAT? A: I think the biggest change is in the sustainability space, using waste products in road pavements. We outlaid a large investment in Western Sydney for a new asphalt plant which we spent a considerable amount of time designing to cope with those waste streams. We are also talking about testing a lot of new products and systems through that asphalt plant. COVID-19 has helped us in some ways by allowing us to continue our mainstream works and also focus on research and development works.

We are testing and trialling products now so that when COVID-19 restrictions lift we can start to bring them to market.

Q: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MOST INTERESTING ABOUT THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? A: The amount of work that the industry faces and work in the sustainability space are interesting. For sustainability, from initial talks two years ago to where we are now there has been so much development.

When I talk about sustainability though it’s not just sustainable products, it’s things like sustainable practices and systems, what aboriginal engagement opportunities are we offering, what other socially responsible programs do we have along the lines of anti-discrimination or feminism. It’s not just diverting material from landfill, but it is the whole practice of social responsibility to make us a sustainable business for the next 20 plus years.

John Kypreos, Managing Director of State Asphalts NSW - a Kypreos Group company.

Q: HOW HAS BEING A MEMBER OF AAPA BENEFITTED YOU IN THE INDUSTRY? A: It’s given us a voice at the table. From a state perspective it’s given us a foot in the door to speak to Transport for NSW and other government departments. It’s been good to discuss issues with them and find a common goal as an industry. As a member of the national board, it’s been great to share issues with other states. Some of the issues in NSW carry across and it’s good to give an NSW perspective. Also, I have been able to see what other states are doing such as VIC with recycled glass. I could bring that information back to NSW and communicate that with WCRA for their knowledge.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE? A: The goal between me and my other two brothers is to see the business grow for the foreseeable future so we can see its centenary year. Considering the group started from such humble beginnings, dad started it with 20 dollars in his pocket, and to see it grow to what it is now has been great. For us to pass this on to our children would be our greatest achievement.

AAPA PODCASTS

AAPA is excited to announce that it is rolling out a new Industry based Podcast.

“Conversations about the Flexible Pavement Industry and what the Industry can expect post COVID-19”

As part of the publicly available podcast you will hear from vip speakers and leaders in the industry and from our members and suppliers.

This will be available on itunes and spotify as well as accessed through our website.

AAPA is also creating a technical series which will be available only to members more details to follow. ◊ A series of vip speakers and leaders in the industry ◊ Opportunities for our members and suppliers to share about their business, products and industry benefits ◊ Technical series for members only

for sponsorship enquiries or to be part of this podcast please contact ilsa.dennis@aapa.asn.au

Pavement Recyclers teamed up with Wirtgen to introduce the latest cold recycling equipment.

DRIVING A

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE REHABILITATION OF ROADS, THOUGH IMPERATIVE, CAN BE RESOURCE INTENSIVE AND FRUSTRATING FOR ROAD USERS. PAVEMENT RECYCLERS IS DEDICATED TO THE INVESTMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO PROVIDE A MORE SUSTAINABLE, QUICKER AND GREENER ALTERNATIVE.

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ehabilitating roads is a necessary but somewhat disruptive process that under conventional methods, relies on the removal of the existing material and the importation of new replacement materials.

These conventional methods can take time, involve machinery and heavy trucks, and use large amounts of virgin and finite materials.

To address some of these situations, Pavement Recyclers, a division of Stabilised Pavements of Australia has introduced its new method of pavement recycling foamed asphalt. This comes after years of customer engagement, environmental assessments and detailed engineering research.

Foamed asphalt combines insitu-foamed bitumen additive with the single-pass, paver-laid method similarly used for asphalt.

This process is significant for recycling, as up to 100 per cent of the existing road can be recycled and turned into a quality product without importing new quarried 24

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material or disposing waste to landfill.

Pavement Recyclers is backed by a unique relationship with Wirtgen that spans 30 years and has seen the introduction of innovations to the Australian pavement industry. The partnership has collaborated again to import machinery designed and developed specifically for the foamed asphalt application, the Wirtgen W 380 CR.

A pair of Hamm HD+140 vibrating and oscillating rollers are used to finish the process.

The W 380 CR uses a down-cut drum to break up the existing pavement, whether granular or asphalt. Down cutting is particularly important because it breaks down the material to the finer gradation required for successful coating of particles in the foaming process.

Whilst reclaiming the pavement material, the W 380 CR also simultaneously

ASPHALT IN ACTION

introduces and mixes foamed bitumen.

Wirtgen have long been major players in the foamed bitumen process and the new machine contains further advances in the technology to widen operating parameters.

The W 380 CR machine can operate at 3.2, 3.5 or 3.8 metres wide and at depths up to 300 millimetres. The cold recycling machine can also be used as normal profiler with the added advantage of extra cutting width to increase productivity of processes worked in conjunction.

Once broken down and ‘foamed’ the material is conveyed to the paver following the W 380 CR in the construction train for single pass laying using a high compaction tamping screed.

Paving the product enables a high degree of finished level control and construction of pavements as wide and deep as the material volume allows.

Placing material through a paver also allows for secondary mixing, which assists in uniformity and provides a high degree of precompaction. This process can subsequently reduce the number of roller passes needed

to achieve necessary compaction.

Finally, a pair of Hamm HD+140 vibrating and oscillating rollers are used to finish the process. The combination of vibration and oscillation on a 14-tonne class roller with a drum width of 2.1 metres enables compaction efficiency, even in sensitive areas around buildings, over services and against existing compaction pavements.

Through this process the entire pavement is rehabilitated in a single pass, with production rates able to exceed 500 tonnes per hour.

David Berg, General Manager of Pavement Recyclers says in his experience the process delivers major benefits.

Beyond the benefits of the process itself, the performance of pavements using foamed bitumen technology has been found to be advantageous.

For instance, a foamed bitumen trial on the Kwinana Freeway, featured in Austroads Research project TT1825, showed average rut depth after five years in operation was around two millimetres.

The report noted the pavement was performing well with low rutting after five and a half years.

“It is a unique key advancement in the insitu recycling process in Australia that offers asset owners and road users the opening of the door to further innovation,” Mr. Berg says.

“Our initial trials have enabled us to not only develop our understanding and nuances of the construction process and validate the positives, but they’ve also confirmed to clients that this has very real potential to stretch budgets further without compromising pavement quality.

It’s a ‘more for less’ alternative.”

Mr. Berg says the process is adaptable for local government works or large highway projects.

The first three projects completed by Pavement Recyclers using this process have all been local government projects, one was with the Central Coast Council on Chain Valley Bay Road, north of Sydney.

Boris Bolgoff, Central Council Director Roads Transport Drainage and Waste says the exciting new road construction technique will be revolutionary in Australia.

Pavement Recyclers rehabilitated a 750 metre stretch of the road which Mr. Bolgoff says was successful.

“The work was excellent, I went out to the second project and the level of finish from

the paving was impressive,” he says.

“At Central Coast Council we embrace new technology to deliver for our community and we jumped at the opportunity to work with our industry partner to use this exceptional road construction system for the first time.”

He says in his view the trials were successful not only for the road but for the community and the environment.

“We could not have been happier with the outcome. The process was quick, cost effective, significantly reduced truck movements, and my favourite, 100 percent recycling of the existing pavement.”

Mr. Berg says this process would be well suited to city works where disposing of materials can be a challenge, whereas this process there is no need to dispose of any material.

Foamed asphalt will grow into a core pavement product for Pavement Recyclers and the process will be available to asset owners around Australia.

“It’s a single pass process with a paver finish that recycles all of the material. As recycling is the way forward, we want this process to become commonplace,” Mr. Berg says.

“Asset owners have the opportunity to revolutionise the way pavements are rehabilitated and maintained. Through this technology Pavement Recyclers and Wirtgen can deliver a pavement with structural integrity, environmental sustainability with economic savings”

From the trials so far Wirtgen estimates that this process results in major savings: • Foamed asphalt delivered via this process is 30 to 50 per cent cheaper than some alternatives • Stops the waste of valuable construction materials going to landfill by over 80 per cent • Upcycles the existing pavement material which can be reused up to 100 per cent • Reduced construction time by up to 50 per cent • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 50 per cent • Prevents heavy truck movements on local roads • Able to be recycled again, leading to longer term benefits • One pass paver laid process

roadsonline.com.au

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A BLEND OF

RESOURCES

ROAD MAINTENANCE’S MAX FITZGERALD EXPLAINS THE COMPANY’S PUSH TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE CRACK SEALING PRODUCTS AND DETAILS ITS NEW SEALANT BEING TRIALLED WHICH INCORPORATES CRUMB RUBBER AND PLASTIC.

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n 2020 Major Road Projects Victoria introduced its ‘Recycled First’ policy, which, aims to optimise the use of recycled materials in major infrastructure projects. The policy comes after growing interest and investigation from the road construction industry and authorities into different recycled products.

For long term crack sealing specialist company Road Maintenance Pty/Ltd, continual research and development is a core part of the business. This ensures the company can continue to supply high end, sustainable products for any projects.

Max Fitzgerald, Road Maintenance Owner, says the company has been using recycled crumb rubber for decades but it wanted to investigate how to incorporate waste plastics successfully too.

The first step in this process was to create asphalt and crack sealing mixes with a

higher percentage of crumb rubber.

“We successfully achieved 16.4 per cent crumb rubber with our invented non-toxic odour suppressant. The binder was kept under six per cent for dense grade asphalt, this eliminated bleeding on hot days and was easy to lay,” Mr. Fitzgerald says.

A trial of this mix was performed in 2017 with the City of Casey and Cardinia Shire Council. The mix was blended by South East Asphalt and was laid by R&C Asphalt.

“Approximately 9000 tonnes of asphalt was laid with the use of crumb rubber binder. On one occasion we laid the mix in front of a primary school with students watching from the school fence with no complaints regarding the smell. The odour suppressant works really well,” Mr. Fitzgerald says.

Following the success of this trial, Mr. Fitzgerald says the next step is to

incorporate waste crumb rubber with waste plastics into pavements keeping within Australian specifications and to be used universally for asphalt, spray sealing and crack sealing .

After investigation, research and development, in 2019, Road Maintenance created a new crack sealant incorporating both plastic and crumb rubber. Mr. Fitzgerald says the product called MaxiSeal 2.0, uses over 20 per cent crumb rubber with 2.4 per cent waste plastics, meeting australian standards for crack sealing.

“Plastics and rubber do not like to be mixed, they have different weights which minimises segregation. We had to build special equipment to homogenise the materials before adding to the bitumen, and we achieved this with no microplastic particles,” he says.

“This could really help Australia by

Road Maintenance spray seal on the Wimmera Highway.

An example of Road Maintenance crack sealing on Wests Road, Wyndham.

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ASPHALT IN ACTION

reducing the volume of bitumen that has to be imported for pavements and is also a good use of waste products.”

He says that crumb rubber in asphalt, not only creates a solution for waste tyres but also helps to extend the life of a pavement by working to stop moisture seeping into the subgrade.

During testing for MaxiSeal 2.0 a technical analysis found a viscosity of 7.72 per cent, torsional recovery of 61.4 per cent and softening point of 97.5 per cent.

MaxiSeal was found to have significant benefits such as temperature resistance.

Mr. Fitzgerald says it was also found to have good flexibility, moving with the cracks as they expand and contract in heat.

Since then Road Maintenance’s MaxiSeal 2.0 has been laid on multiple municipal roads around Victoria.

A demonstration of the new mix was performed for the Maroondah City Council on Mundara Drive, Ringwood.

“The new and improved product was laid in Wests Road, Werribee servicing the tip and quarry. It was applied in Oriel Rd, Heidelberg West in Banyule City Council

P L A N T

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and it has also been demonstrated in Ringwood, for crack sealing applications,” Mr. Fitzgerald says.

He says he had great feedback from one of the councils, when a representative who checked the results shortly after the demonstration was impressed with the work and how the mix looked.

For spray sealing solutions, a test section for the B08 mix was sprayed on Wimmera Highway, East of St Arnaud in Victoria. The Department of Transport (VicRoads) and Rich River Asphalt care of Ray Lykles did the application on 24 March, 2020.

“We are also in negotiation with another two councils to have the plastic and crumb rubber binder laid in trials. This will help with their sustainability goals.”

For further improvement in productivity when laying the improved binder, Road Maintenance is in the process of designing holding tanks. Mr. Fitzgerald hopes these will hold modified bitumen and make it easily transportable from site to site, minimise segregation and allow for fast turnaround of road transporters with each tank holding 36 tonnes.

E Q U I P M E N T

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P A R T S

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The company is also working on the design for a batching plant, capable of blending crumb rubber and polymer blends.

“We want this batching plant to be installed in any asphalt plant with little space or even in a yard with a storage tank to feed the bitumen into the blending plant. This plant will be able to blend 25 tonne lots,” Mr. Fitzgerald says.

“Both of these units would be selfcontained with heating, weight scales and pumping, using electricity for power instead of existing equipment.”

Mr. Fitzgerald says he has always strived to find innovative ideas for new equipment and materials and MaxiSeal 2.0 is evidence of that.

“Australia needs to be a leader on the world stage for road construction, especially with sustainability and new materials,” he says. “Demonstrations and trials of new materials are so important to push the Australian road construction sector forward so that we can create better quality roads and also help to use waste materials such as plastics and crumb rubber.”

S E R V I C E

&

S U P P O R T

ASTEC AUSTRALIA PAVING SOLUTIONS

EQUIPMENT TO BUILD AND RESTORE THE WORLD’S INFRASTRUCTURE ASTEC AUSTRALIA.

an Astec Industries Company

PO BOX 142, ACACIA RIDGE, QLD, 4110 • 1300 278 322 • astecaustralia.com.au

ASPHALT IN ACTION

WHERE SAFETY MEETS

SUSTAINABILITY

THE ROADTEC RX-505 MILLING MACHINE ENABLES CONTRACTORS TO EFFICIENTLY RECYCLE ASPHALT USING TECHNOLOGY AND AN ERGONOMIC DESIGN THAT INCREASES WORKER SAFETY AND PROJECT PRODUCTIVITY.

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urisdictions across Australia are reviewing and performing trials to investigate increasing specifications for the percentage of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) able to be incorporated in a new mix.

The environmental benefits of RAP, including the reduced need for virgin materials, has led to a boost in its popularity.

With a growing push for enhanced environmental practices from the industry and stakeholders, Astec has introduced the new RX-505 milling machine into the market.

One way of producing RAP is to mill existing asphalt pavement and incorporate the used asphalt into the new mix. While the RX-505 delivers positive environmental outcomes for contractors, it goes further, with worker safety and efficiency at the heart of its design.

Kyle Hammon, Roadtec Product Manager for Milling Machines, says the most striking features of the RX-505 relate to its focus on the end user.

“We have launched a system on this model called rear object detection. It enhances the level of safety for people on the ground and anyone who might be behind the machine,” Mr. Hammon says.

Rear object detection, an optional technology for the RX-505, provides an increased level of safety for the crew. If a person or object is detected behind the reversing vehicle, the system will automatically put the machine in neutral.

Additional sensors and ground level buttons also allow ground crew to disable reverse if necessary.

The RX-505’s rear leg load sensing disables the drum when an abrupt change in rear leg pressure is detected. In addition, a cutter drum safety interlock prevents the gearbox and drum drive components from absorbing the shock if the cutter drum makes contact with an object underground.

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ROADS JUNE 2020

The RX-505 features a drum index device which can be activated in maintenance mode.

A dust extraction system, rear back up camera and magnetic base halogen work lights also increase safety and visibility for the RX-505’s operator and ground crew.

“All the safety features are customer driven. As companies get bigger, they want insurance their staff will be best protected in any situation,” Mr. Hammon says.

Another important feature on the RX-505 is a drum index device which can be activated in maintenance mode.

The mechanism allows the drum to rotate independently of the cutter belt drive, enabling safe access to the cutter drum during maintenance.

“To perform routine maintenance on the machine you have to go underneath it. The drum index device removes the possibility of an accident or malfunction causing a cutter drum activation, which can seriously harm the maintenance staff,” Mr. Hammon says.

Alongside operator safety, efficiency is a major focus for the RX-505.

“This machine has updated controls that will give the operator display notifications if a failsafe or safety system is active. And that prevents the crew from having to do unnecessary trouble shooting.”

The machine also features customised

conveyor belt tensioning. This means that each belt can be independently tensioned, ensuring all belts are tracking properly and so reducing breakdowns.

The RX-505’s folding conveyor with self-cleaning pulleys saves time, first by enabling quick transport and loading of the machine, and then by ensuring maximum efficiency in operation.

The cutter drum cuts up to 330 milimetres deep and up to 2200 milimetres wide. The inside walls of the cutter housing are fully lined with replaceable chromium-clad wear plates to withstand the pressure from milling operations.

Automated water spray bars are featured at the front for dust suppression and at the rear for cooling the cutting teeth.

“The automated system will spray water onto the cutter drum to cool it down and the water will cut off when you over propel the system,” Mr. Hammon says.

As with all other Astec machines, the Roadtec Guardian Telematics system is available on the RX-505. The system allows customers to remotely view aspects of the milling machine’s operation.

If an issue occurs, the Guardian System allows the team to identify the problem and despatch the right person and equipment to rectify it quickly.

“You can connect to the machine using a cellular system in real time, this allows you to diagnose issues with the machine and sometimes solve them remotely,” Mr. Hammon says.

He is excited that the introduction of the RX-505 into the market will enable more contractors to do cold-in-place recycling.

“Cold-in-place recycling has grown steadily in the US and it tends to really surge in interest whenever contractors come to the end of a highway build where preservation is the focus, so we are excited to bring more of this technology to Australia.”

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A SmartGrade motor grader offers an impressive range of grade-control and hydraulic functions.

INTEGRATED MASTLESS

GRADE CONTROL

ROAD BUILDING AND SITE DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTORS CAN NOW REAP THE BENEFITS OF JOHN DEERE SMARTGRADE IN THE SUCCESSFUL G-SERIES MOTOR GRADER LINE.

T

he team at John Deere know that for road construction contractors looking to maintain a competitive edge, grade-control systems are a must.

To ensure earthworks are precisely graded, it has introduced the capability for its SmartGrade technology to be available on the G-Series motor graders.

John Deere’s SmartGrade is built with intelligent features that help workers to maximise productivity.

SmartGrade technology delivers the first-of-its-kind mastless integrated grade control as a factory option on new machines and field kit for equipment already on the job.

The 3D system is fully incorporated into the machine’s structures and software, delivering precise grading performance while eliminating masts and cables.

SmartGrade Motor Graders offer an impressive range of grade-control and hydraulic functions, including intuitive automated features that lessen operator 30

ROADS JUNE 2020

workload and boost efficiency.

These automated features allow the operator to pre-select the dozing or grading mode, load level and material type and SmartGrade will automatically lift the blade when heavier loads are encountered.

Luke Kurth, Motor Graders Product Marketing Manager at John Deere Construction & Forestry, says earthmoving customers already use SmartGrade technology with the Deere dozers, and many have asked when it would be available on the motor grader line.

“We’re excited to be the first manufacturer to offer this integrated solution to the Australian market. The same machine can now be used throughout the job site, from site clearing to final grade, maximising operator resources and fleet utilisation,” Mr. Kurth says.

The technology is designed without external masts and cables from the moldboard to prevent possible theft or damage. It has removed the need to climb

onto the machine daily and install blademounted sensors and components to reduce set up time and complexity.

This way the operator can run the technology using all of the machine functions such as blade pitch, circle side shift and circle rotate. These functions all help to reduce damage risk.

In the cab, the grade system interface is built into the Grade Pro (GP) controls, which are available in the Deere exclusive fingertip or dual joystick design.

SmartGrade also eliminates the need for external grade-control components that impede maneuverability, so final-grade machines can be involved earlier and more effectively in site development.

An all new automation suite is included with SmartGrade and can be used on all of the GP graders. It helps operators by reducing the number of controls needed to perform common tasks.

The suite also features auto-articulation, blade flip and operator-selectable

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

machine presets.

Auto-articulation combines front steering and rear articulation. Blade flip is a Deere exclusive which enables the operator to automatically rotate the blade to a set position without holding the control at the end of a pass.

Finally, machine preset, another Deere exclusive, allows the operator to activate multiple functions by pressing a single button (Return-to-Straight, Auto-Shift, lights and so on). Up to three positions can be stored in the monitor.

Sean Mairet, Grade Control Product Marketing Manager at John Deere WorkSight, says SmartGrade graders are the latest in a long line of technologies Deere has developed to help customers become more efficient and automate controls for one of the most sophisticated pieces of equipment on the job site.

“Whatever machine you have on the job site, Deere’s focus on industry-leading innovations will help operators be more productive and let owners better manage their workloads,” Mr. Mairet says.

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upon by fleet managers looking to get the most out of SmartGrade motor graders, with support for both the grader and the SmartGrade system.

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CONCRETE

IMPROVEMENT

A REGIONAL VICTORIAN PREMIX CONCRETE BUSINESS HAS CHOSEN THE SIMEM ZINGO DOS CONCRETE BATCHING PLANT FROM GOUGH INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS TO UPGRADE ITS CONCRETE PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES.

I

n April 2020, Michael McCormack told Roads and Infrastructure he had written to all local governments across Australia asking them to bring maintenance works forward, to provide jobs and help stimulate the economy.

It has been made clear also that many state governments around the country view infrastructure and construction as key to their economic recovery from COVID-19.

The Simem Zingo Dos has the capacity to produce approximately 70 cubic metres of concrete per hour.

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ROADS JUNE 2020

With these signals from government, the construction sector is preparing to serve the community with more projects, supporting jobs and economic growth.

One such company was producing concrete using a single weigh hopper bin system and were on the hunt for a new plant to upgrade their supply capabilities. In looking for a new concrete batching plant, the company turned to Gough Industrial Solutions.

For a mid-volume production, Frank Di Medio, National Business Development Manager at Gough, knew instantly the Simem Zingo Dos concrete batching plant would be a great solution.

Fortunately, the Zingo Dos plant also comes with a bonus, as Gough Industrial Solutions are keeping the plant in stock in Australia. This means all the parts are ready to go, eliminating the wait for shipping from overseas which can take months.

“It was the first plant we suggested because it is medium volume and based on the company’s location and workload it was the best suited plant we had for their operation,” Mr. Di Medio says.

The Simem Zingo Dos has the capacity to produce approximately 70 cubic metres of concrete per hour, and with twin 110 tonne silos for cement storage.

“This Simem plant is a piggyback twin weigh hopper solution, so this will allow operators to put multiple loads up at one time,” Mr. Di Medio says.

The plant is also expected to offer companies some flexibility in their staffing, as the computer system offered with the plant, called Simem@tic, enables the plant to be run by one person.

“They can basically run a one-man band because they can have a tablet system set up in the Front-End Loader (FEL). Instead of having two people, one in the loader and one in the office, it can be done with one man inside the loader as everything is performed in there via Bluetooth,” Mr. Di Medio says.

“Through Bluetooth or the internet, all the information for the FEL operator weighing up the material in the hoppers comes through the tablet from the order office. This way the office can see exactly what is happening.”

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

The plant also enables the loader to achieve consistent accurate measurements.

“Cement weigh up accuracy is critical because cement is an expensive part in the mix. The plant ensures precision through the computer batch system and the augers used to transfer cementitious product to be weighed up for loading,” Mr. Di Medio says.

The Simem Zingo Dos is fixed but modular, meaning companies could add silos or bins if required.

Mr. Di Medio explains this plant is well suited to companies that have a demand for exposed decorative concrete, but also do the standard grey premix concrete.

“The Zingo Dos gives the flexibility to have two loads up at the one time, increasing the production rate. If you were going to buy a load of grey concrete you can put that in one bin, and if you had a decretive exposed aggregate you can put that in another bin weighed out and ready to go,” he says.

“It just gives flexibility in the types of

mixes that you can do. The plant is suited to the low to medium volume market.

It’s important because some high volume plants might struggle to do a decorative sort of mix, whereas these types of plants give that flexibility.”

The simple set-up of the Zingo Dos batching plant is another major benefit.

“We supply all the civil layout drawings and information to the company, and they perform the civil works to get the site set up. Once the foundation is set, Gough can come in and bolt the plant down,” Mr. Di Medio says.

“The plant comes pre-wired and with all the pneumatic airlines connected that run through to a junction box or MCC. Once we have agreed on a site and its ready, then it takes about two to three weeks for us to have the plant up and running.”

He says the design of the Zingo Dos, once up and running lends itself to simple maintenance.

“There aren’t a lot of components that need attention. The main ones would be

the rollers, tail drum and head drum which need frequent greasing, but these are all easily accessible,” Mr. Di Medio says.

“For general inspections the plant components are easy to view, and the guarding is designed to be simple to remove so that any maintenance and repairs can be conducted easily.”

As Roads & Infrastructure covered earlier this year, the plant is already in stock with Gough in Australia, critical spares are also stocked to prepare for a possible breakdown or part failure.

This plant is the first of its kind to be used in Australia however Gough Industrial’s counterparts in New Zealand are well experienced with Simem plants.

“As well as the possibility to expand the current plant, the Zingo Dos plant with Simem@tic, enables the owner to purchase a second plant and batch remotely,” Mr. Di Medio says.

He says it is a great plant for a medium sized operation, which will enable future expansion to match company growth.

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PROJECTS

ON TRACK

INEIGHT’S EARNED VALUE MANAGEMENT TOOL GIVES AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF A PROJECT’S PROGRESS TOWARDS COMPLETION, COMPARING THIS AGAINST FORECASTED BUDGETS AND THE PREDICTED TIMELINE.

T

he earned value management (EVM) principal is believed to have been used first by the United States Federal Government to better manage and understand major aerospace contracts in the 1960s.

Definitions of EVM can vary, but it is essentially a process that enables companies to compare the amount earnt on a project to the amount budgeted, whether this be for labour, costs, equipment, materials or other variables.

The principal calculates a project’s “per cent complete” by adding the value earned and the project’s overall progress, multiplied by the project’s budgeted amount. It is used by stakeholders as a key performance indicator for projects.

As a major worldwide software company, InEight has been working on software tools incorporating elements of EVM on infrastructure projects for over 30 years.

As the demand for larger, smarter infrastructure grew across the globe, InEight created a dedicated EVM tool to keep infrastructure projects on track.

Rick Deans, Executive Vice President, Industry Engagement at InEight, has been with the company for 22 years, working in the infrastructure sector.

He says the InEight EVM tool is the result of everything the company has learnt about project costs, forecasting and software tools for the past three decades.

“Civil infrastructure is really where InEight got its start. These types of projects are where we have our roots and everything we have learnt is incorporated into this modern EVM product,” Mr. Deans says.

As infrastructure projects get larger and more complex, there is an increasing need for accountability across all levels of

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ROADS JUNE 2020

the project’s delivery to ensure it can be finished on time and on budget.

InEight tools incorporate EVM on a daily basis. Initially, work plans can be created before the start of a shift to understand what crew is working and the amount of equipment, work hours and materials that should be used.

“When contractors collect digital data we can use the numbers for a lot of things.

That might seem like a big ask for people in the field to collect this data, but from our experience it’s no different than what they do with a paper time sheet,” Mr. Deans says.

“This way, the daily plan is already compared against the overall work plan and the original project assumptions to determine if there is going to be any variance. Then, actual productivity can be compared against the plan and everyone from the foreman up to the project manager can instantly see how that day’s work compares against the budget and also how it affects the forecast.”

InEight’s interpretation of EVM is that everyday business executives should be able to make good decisions based on accurate data reporting without having to employ a team of EVM specialists.

“A large part of EVM is understanding how much should have been spent in terms of cost, work hours, materials or equipment hours to achieve a specific amount of work,” Mr. Deans says.

“You get a much clearer picture of the actual performance of the project and its team when you can quantify actions and use those quantities for reporting.”

The daily field capture shows stakeholders the daily progress and any notes that crew has put into the system, which would usually be any issues or progress updates.

“Our tools have been made fit for purpose on construction sites. A big part of the daily field capture is done on mobile devices, and this syncs up with InEight web-based tools,” Mr. Deans says.

He says EVM is a good way for contractors to see how everyday works are affecting the initial cost estimates.

This is well suited to contractors who are under pressure to keep unit costs in line with the initial estimate.

“If you think about all of the decisions that are made daily on these projects, each one of those has ramifications, and EVM can InEight has been working on software tools incorporating elements of EVM on infrastructure projects for more than 30 years.

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

help workers to identify issues before they become a major problem,” Mr. Deans says.

“If there is an issue on site, many times we leave the jobsite and don’t learn about the issue until much further down the track.

EVM solutions can help us identify these events so they can be solved while people are still mobilised on site.”

In future, contractors can use this data as the basis for another similar piece of work.

“It can really help to decrease the variance between estimate and actual values, especially when you have gone through a few project cycles,” Mr. Deans says.

For project owners, EVM allows increased visibility. Owners can see how the project is performing in cost and scheduling areas.

Owners and contractors can then collaborate to predict any changes and adjustments that need to be made to ensure the project is completed as planned.

“At the end of the day, project management is really resource management, so EVM provides the ability to see how some activities are performing so that managers can divert or borrow those resources from overperforming activities and put them on some of the underperforming activities,” Mr. Deans says.

EVM is a good way for contractors to see how everyday works are affecting the initial cost estimates.

“Without a dedicated earned value management system these decisions are probably still being made daily, but they aren’t data-driven decisions. When decisions are data-driven, they are justifiable and definable at any stage.”

InEight’s tool can be used in two different ways, from the bottom up or the top down, on any project.

These two methods can then be

combined on the same project for increased accuracy.

“A top-down estimate relies on historical values. For example, a contractor might know how much it costs to move each cubic metre of earth so they can come up with a rough cost by looking at similar projects that have been completed,” Mr. Deans says.

“Top-down starts at a high level and doesn’t necessarily have a lot of supporting detail but it is a good early indicator that will be refined as the project goes on.”

Mr. Deans explains the bottom-up estimate as one that is implemented at a point where the contractor or owner has a good understanding of the overall scope.

“Before the project, a contractor might have said we think it’s going to be $500,000 to do this work. But starting from the bottom up, the project is further along, so now the user can model the productivity assumptions, understand what sort of equipment and materials are needed, and create that estimate from the bottom up to come up with a more refined number.”

He says it’s important to incorporate both estimates on a project. When the estimate becomes more refined, it will give a more accurate budget and keep everyone on track as the project progresses.

“One of the things we hear from our customers is that if you are diligent with EVM, it’s easy to identify tasks that are out of scope. You can get on the site and help with other new tasks so you can prioritise jobs appropriately and deliver to the outcomes promised long before shovels are in the ground,” Mr. Deans says. roadsonline.com.au

35

PROCESS AUTOMATION AND

INDUSTRY 4.0

CONCEPTS SUCH AS INDUSTRY 4.0 AND DIGITISATION ARE GAINING TRACTION THROUGHOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR, BUT WHY? VEGA’S STEFAN KASPER EXPLAINS.

I

ndustry 4.0 is a term used to describe the fourth industrial revolution, which means: after mechanisation, mass production and the digital revolution, society is in the era of digital networking machines, products and IT networks.

In this context, the Internet of Things (IoT) marks the entry of the internet into the consumer goods sector. For example, the networking of household appliances, consumer electronics, automotive electronics and the internet.

According to VEGA Product Manager Stefan Kasper, another key concept is the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which further subdivides the IoT and establishes a separate domain for industrial manufacturing.

“The term IIoT refers to networked machines or production facilities, including associated measurement technology,” he says.

“Its most important advantages include the prospect of being able to react more quickly to inefficient processes or problems, saving time, and using smart machine data to control production and operating processes and entire value chains more efficiently.”

All of this should be possible in nearly real time, Mr. Kaspar says, with the help of intelligent monitoring and decisionmaking processes.

That’s the theory, but what does the actual implementation look like from the perspective of a field instrument manufacturer like VEGA? In the area of level and pressure measurement and monitoring, Mr. Kasper says VEGA is ready to meet the individual requirements of the process and infrastructure industries.

“We are consistently modular. This is a big 36

ROADS JUNE 2020

advantage, because on this basis we can get started at any time,” he says.

“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel to meet our customers’ current requirements.”

Mr. Kasper explains that VEGA relies on bridge technologies such as Bluetooth and future-oriented, scalable solutions that can be integrated into existing systems.

He adds that VEGA can also provide new systems, with tailor-made basic security configurations that continue to grow with new capabilities.

“It’s important that users don’t have to invest large sums of money up-front, and that the solution can be seamlessly integrated into their existing systems without compromising security,” he says.

VEGA has a comprehensive offering of Bluetooth technology, covering almost its entire sensor portfolio.

In this way, Mr. Kaspar says the company reacts flexibly to different security requirements.

“Accordingly, the universal display and adjustment module PLICSCOM is available with or without Bluetooth,” he says.

“In the Bluetooth version, this function can be deactivated or reactivated at any time by means of a hardware switch.”

Furthermore, when used with multiple sensors, the radio function is optional.

“Bluetooth is already securely encrypted at the interface level when using a PC, laptop, smartphone or tablet,” Mr. Kaspar explains.

“Additionally, sensor access via Bluetooth is only possible with an access code.”

Wireless technology can also be applied to older devices, with PLICSCOM being backward compatible for the majority of VEGA sensors already in the field – as far back as 2002.

“The display and adjustment module

PLICSCOM is a convenient and economical solution wherever existing systems, which usually only have analogue 4-20 milliampere interfaces, are to be upgraded to digital, step-by-step in a sustainable fashion,” Mr. Kaspar says.

The range also meets User Association of Automation Technology in Process Industries requirements for open architecture.

“The association demands that the IT components be quickly and flexibly integrated, since these are generally shorter-lived than industrial process plants themselves,” Mr. Kaspar says.

He adds that is the only way for process engineering to keep pace with Industry 4.0 developments.

“This is exactly where VEGA’s initiatives start out from: the best possible system availability, security and lean solutions that can be easily upgraded if required,” Mr. Kaspar says.

Bluetooth offers a form of communication that runs via a separate, second data channel, which allows it to function independently of the user channel.

“In this way, field devices can be analysed in parallel to the existing process control without interfering with plant security and availability,” Mr. Kaspar says.

“In the future, this local type of Bluetooth communication will be expandable to a complete diagnostic network, allowing diagnostic access from the control room down to the field level possible, also for existing analogue field devices from VEGA.” Mr. Kasper adds that this will allow plant operators to react faster and in a more targeted manner to errors.

Furthermore, Bluetooth communication will enable operators to detect process deviations early by recording the extensive

TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT

Wireless technology can also be applied to older devices, with PLICSCOM being backward compatible for the majority of VEGA sensors already in the field.

information available in the field device and taking appropriate countermeasures.

NO MORE EMPTY BINS Just as flexible in use, Mr. Kaspar says VEGA’s Inventory System is a big step ahead in digital intelligence.

“It offers ideal status monitoring, which forms – or can form – the data basis for efficient process supply and automatic reordering,” he says.

Mr. Kaspar adds that the functions of the VEGA Inventory System work to support respective application requirements.

“Is it supposed to automatically notify the supplier as soon as minimum stock levels are reached? Is it “only” meant to visualise the course of production cycles over different periods of time, locations, media to provide the user with the basis for further action?” Mr. Kasper asks.

“Or should it be used to “simply” shorten supply chains to remote sites via remote inventory data being utilised over long distances? Or is it about integrating and automating inventory directly into an ERP system?”

The options and possibilities are many and varied, he explains, and can always be extended at a later date.

“A plus in security is the free choice of the network host,” Mr. Kaspar says.

This task can be carried out locally by

the users or transferred to the protected, always up-to-date VEGA cloud.

“The VEGA Inventory System stands for minimum effort and maximum compatibility – always according to the modular principle.”

FUTURE STANDARD APL Mr. Kaspar explains it can be challenging to network field devices via digital fieldbuses, and to make the analysis and evaluation data available to the control level.

“Due to their high complexity and costs, these technologies have not yet been able to replace the analogue 4-20 milliampere process signal as the most widely used interface for level and pressure measurement technology, even decades after their introduction.”

By closing this gap, Mr. Kaspar says Bluetooth has become a bridge technology.

“It mediates between the analogue current interface of a field device and the Ethernet-based IT networks that are standard in many companies,” he says.

“But why are field devices in the process industry not upgraded for direct connection to the existing IT infrastructure, through an Ethernet interface, for example?”

Mr. Kaspar says existing two-wire technology, based on the 4-20 milliampere interface, has a decisive advantage.

Namely, that measured value and supply

voltage can be provided simultaneously via only two wires.

“In addition, they belong to the ignition protection class “intrinsically safe”, so they are also Ex-proof for use in flammable hazardous areas,” he says.

An alternative is the new Advanced Physical Layer (APL) standard. Based on industrial Ethernet technology, Mr. Kaspar says intrinsically safe, two-wire Ethernet communication will be able to assist demanding applications in process automation in the future.

“According to the plan, it will be designed for a range of up to 200 metres and a bandwidth of 10 megabit per second– including the power supply,” Mr. Kaspar says.

Eleven industry partners are currently involved under the umbrella of the Profibus user organisation, including VEGA, FieldComm and ODVA. Their common goal, Mr. Kaspar says, is to eliminate the communication bottleneck between field devices and the control level.

“Even if several years elapse before the first APL devices are available on the market: If it is possible to radically simplify the setup and administration of such networks, this technology has the potential to become the future standard for process automation,” he explains.

On the road to Industry 4.0, Mr. Kaspar says VEGA is focused on added value for people, applications and enterprises.

He points out that every sensor contains important measurement data.

“It’s all about getting the most out of them. The best networking of data and its users looks different in every industrial process,” he explains.

“Wherever encrypted data transmission via wireless network is a perfect fit for an application, or using VEGA Inventory System, perhaps eventually even APL will take over this task.”

According to Mr. Kaspar, communication requirements are fundamentally different in each case, but all have the goal of not leaving valuable sensor data unused in the field.

“From configuration to measurement, recording and diagnosis, through to fault analysis, the aim is to make important information transparent and use it to bring the digital interface between automation networks and conventional IT networks a big step forward,” he says. roadsonline.com.au

37

IPWEA will be adapting its face-to-face learning to online platforms.

NOW IS THE TIME

FOR TRAINING

COVID-19 HAS HAD A MARKED IMPACT ON MOST WORKING LIVES. WHILE MANY ARE FACING CHALLENGES, THE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING AUSTRALASIA AND ITS VARIOUS BRANCHES IS ENCOURAGING THOSE IN A POSITION TO UP-SKILL TO USE THIS TIME TO HELP PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THE FUTURE.

I

n early 2020 Infrastructure Australia found the growing demand faced by Australia’s road network and the high cost of maintaining roads was contributing to an overall maintenance backlog.

As construction continues across the country during COVID-19 this presents the opportunity for all levels of government to address the road maintenance backlog.

Pushing forward some of these projects could also help to stimulate the economy and drive local employment.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said in April that he had written to all local governments requesting they bring forward maintenance projects to stimulate the economy and support local jobs.

However, COVID-19 is putting added pressure onto councils and their ability to retain staff. In mid-April the Australian 38

ROADS JUNE 2020

Local Government Association called on the government for local councils to be included in the Federal Government’s Job Keeper payment after estimates showed a large number of employees were at risk of being laid off.

In the face of these challenges, there is room for opportunity. In some cases, councils and state governments now have the chance to address the skills shortage and even the maintenance backlog by employing the construction sector to begin maintenance projects.

Francine Binns, Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) NSW CEO says the pandemic has created a focus in many areas from federal, state and local governments to get works moving as this would be advantageous for employment opportunities, reducing the skills shortage and economic stimulation in regionally.

“Getting these projects moving is in line with the IPWEA mission, to enhance the quality of life of our communities through public works and services, especially at this time,” Ms. Binns says.

With reduced commuting and interstate travel, IPWEA is urging its members to use any time presented by COVID-19 to expand knowledge.

“I think there is a great opportunity for local government to bring forward some shorter-term infrastructure projects such as improvements from local roads, pathways and parks. On these projects we can teach people important skills in those areas which could have a positive impact,” Ms. Binns says.

She says in the past many people have been reliant on city centres for job opportunities, but as COVID-19 has shown workers can be flexible and adapt to

INFRASTRUCTURE IN FOCUS – TRAINING

“WE ARE TRYING HARD TO MAINTAIN CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR MEMBERS, HOSTING TELECONFERENCES AND INVITING THEM TO REACH OUT FOR SUPPORT. IN FACT, WE KNOW OUR YOUNG MEMBERS ARE EMBRACING THE CHANGE WITH A WEEKLY ONLINE HAPPY HOUR.” remote working, now is the time for local governments to entice people out to the regions. This way workers can gain practical learning opportunities in remote places instead of in city centres as a first choice.

“I think the pandemic is going to change our way of thinking. For example, jobs in the regions might become more attractive.”

IPWEA has long served the public works sector to grow networks, inform, connect and transfer knowledge and a large part of this has involved events, training and certificates.

National CEO David Jenkins says COVID-19 presents an opportunity for individuals and organisations to look at training and development needs.

“I think everyone should be turning towards associations in these times, as they are the bodies that can provide them with the right information and tools to move forward,” Mr. Jenkins says.

As many of IPWEA’s courses and development programs were already based online, the main aspect the organisation will be adapting is its face-to-face learning.

“I think it’s important from a learning perspective that we engage people in the tasks. When you shift face-to-face learning opportunities online you still must have those face-to-face elements.

IPWEA is ensuring that its webinars include live question and answer sessions with participants which helps to synthesise learning and gives people a sense of connection,” Mr. Jenkins says.

“For us online education and training is not new, it is tried and tested. While we have an eight-week long internationally recognised professional certificate, there are shorter sessions and webinars for people to try online first.”

He says online courses are a great way to develop skills and ensure that people can come out of this time with a stronger education moving forward.

“In this job market unfortunately we have seen people lose their jobs or be stood down and if you do get into that tough position you want to be able to upskill yourself so when job opportunities come

up you are best placed to be re-employed.”

Ms. Binns says IPWEA NSW are looking for the gaps in training and are planning to deliver learning courses in a variety of formats, so that the industry can make the most of this opportunity.

Each year the NSW branch holds regional forums that bring together key councils and engineers for information sharing and networking. This year, the team is working to move these online also.

“We are hoping to make the sessions interactive; they are smaller gatherings so conversations can be relevant and robust,” Ms. Binns says.

David Hallett, Executive Director of IPWEA Victoria, is also working to move events to an online platform.

“We are trying hard to maintain close relationships with our members, hosting teleconferences and inviting them to reach out for support. In fact, we know our young members are embracing the change with a weekly online happy hour,” Mr. Hallett says.

Similarly to his colleagues, Mr. Hallett sees this crisis as an opportunity not just for businesses but for IPWEA itself.

“The pandemic has thrown us into a new way of working which will in many ways prepare us for a new normal. It has forced

us to learn about alternative methods of working and communicating. I think now is a great time to try some elements of training and development online to see if they work better than the current face-toface options,” Mr. Hallett says.

“We already realised a lot of our members are very busy, everyone working in infrastructure is. Sometimes, as much as people wanted to network and do further training it was a challenge to make time.”

He says IPWEA VIC was already planning to develop more online content to sit alongside its face-to-face events, but the pandemic has accelerated this work.

“We have been pushed to find ways of delivering differently and that’s not a bad thing. For professionals lacking time, online learning is faster and more convenient and can be just as good or better than traditional methods. The challenge will be, when restrictions ease, to find the balance and re-establish the new normal,” Mr. Hallett says.

“This is a time for us to learn if these new online delivery methods are more valuable for some of the courses and events we offer. It is a good time to be experimenting with technology and trying new tools so that we can improve our offerings for the long term.”

Ms. Binns says COVID-19 has shown the strength of the population to be able to transform so quickly and settle into this new normal, while looking for opportunities.

IPWEA was already planning to develop more online content to sit alongside its other offerings.

roadsonline.com.au

39

BUILDING A NET

ZERO FUTURE

AS AUSTRALIA’S STATES AND TERRITORIES WORK TOWARDS A NET ZERO FUTURE, A REPORT HAS BEEN RELEASED DETAILING INFRASTRUCTURE’S CONTRIBUTION TO EMISSIONS. ‘RESHAPING INFRASTRUCTURE’ QUESTIONS PRACTICES TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES ON INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

In signing up for an ISCA rating each project or asset determines what business as usual looks like, and where they would like to get in the future.

C

limate Works Australia estimates construction, and the operation of physical infrastructure assets for transport, energy, water, waste and communications, directly contributes to around 70 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.

This is calculated to be 15 per cent direct contributions and a 55 per cent contribution annual emissions through activities enabled by the infrastructure.

While infrastructure assets do not have control over emissions from the vehicles that use them, there is potential for transport and other infrastructure to support the uptake of low emissions alternatives.

These are the findings of a paper by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of 40

ROADS JUNE 2020

Australia (ISCA) ‘Reshaping Infrastructure for a net zero emissions future’, in conjunction with Climate Works and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council.

The paper looks at what impacts the infrastructure built today will have on emissions targets set for 2050, when much of the infrastructure will still be in operation.

Ainsley Simpson, ISCA CEO, says when new infrastructure is created and begins to operate, it enables an emissions trajectory well beyond 2050.

“This is why we decided to commission the paper, because decisions we are making today are critical in the enablement of emissions reduction for the next 50 to 100 years,” Ms. Simpson says.

ISCA administers the infrastructure

sustainability rating scheme, which is a framework that can be applied to projects in order to benchmark cultural, social, environmental and economic benefits created from infrastructure projects.

ISCA’s rating scheme is being deployed on projects such as the Sydney Metro NorthWest and many Melbourne Level Crossing Removals, with a growing portfolio of infrastructure works in Australia and New Zealand.

“We started seeing significant progress in performance through projects we were working on and we are looking to ensure all infrastructure, large and small, deliver benefits to communities and the economy, by implementing our rating system more widely,” Ms. Simpson says.

INFRASTRUCTURE IN FOCUS – PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY

“The council has seen 18 per cent reduction in emissions in the projects certified to date; that’s the equivalent of $76 million in avoided emissions. There has been a 30 per cent improvement in materials efficiency, with 85 to 97 per cent construction waste diverted from landfill.”

Every Australian state has either set targets or goals to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

With infrastructure contributing to around 70 per cent of these emissions, the paper highlights it is a good place to start looking for reduction opportunities.

The paper looks at the influence infrastructure assets have on a net zero emissions goal and aims to start a conversation between stakeholders as to the challenges and opportunities for emissions reduction.

“The reason we want to start these conversations in the infrastructure industry is because, sustainability is fairly fragmented and there isn’t a formalised consistent approach to embedding net zero initiatives,” Ms. Simpson says.

The main factors identified in the report as drivers in the sector for net zero practices are government policy and private investment. It states that private investors are increasingly aligning investment portfolios with net zero emissions, in order to future-proof economic value and investment returns.

Ms. Simpson believes the other main driver, policy, is also backed by two other levers, planning and procurement.

“Most state governments now, when they plan new builds are signalling to the market that they want a level of emissions reduction. This is can be effectively

monitored using the infrastructure sustainability rating scheme, as an independently verified framework,” she says.

“Procurement is currently rewarding better decision making throughout the value chain, but policy needs to be more consistently adopted.”

The report goes on to detail the typical stages of infrastructure projects and opportunities to implement sustainable changes at each step. Some of these include strategic planning, project initiation, development and procurement, design and construction, operations and maintenance, and decommissioning.

“In signing up for a rating, each project or asset determines what business as usual looks like and then determines where they would like to get in the future,” Ms. Simpson says.

“Unless project managers and stakeholders understand the status quo, it is problematic setting achievable targets.”

Furthermore, the report contains a table reviewing potential opportunities to prioritise emissions reduction in all project stages, identifying key decision-making steps at each stage.

It closes with a nod to the role government can play in influencing these changes stating, in 2018, approximately 57 per cent of infrastructure built, was completed for the public sector.

Emissions reduction targets for infrastructure projects across Australia are slightly different for each state.

In WA and Queensland all infrastructure projects with a capital value greater than $100 million are to be formally assessed and

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rated by the Infrastructure Sustainability Rating Scheme.

In NSW the threshold for transport infrastructure projects to be assessed by the rating system is $50 million.

ISCA is consistently working through direct engagement, to communicate the return on investment opportunities for sustainability, which Ms. Simpson says show a net benefit to be had.

“We will share with state departments, private asset owners and other stakeholders the kind of benefits projects are delivering and the long-term outcomes a commitment to sustainability enables,” Ms. Simpson says.

“From our perspective infrastructure large and small, is a fundamental contributor to a vibrant society. Every element of infrastructure needs to deliver benefit to Australia.”

In the coming months, the report states ISCA will work with stakeholders to identify what the next steps are for beginning action to transition to a net zero future.

“The next step for us is to make a forum for co-creating the solutions. The importance of the interdependencies in infrastructure, mean that we have to create that platform for shared responsibility which will initially be through the forums,” Ms. Simpson says.

“I have evidence that by planning, designing and delivering better infrastructure now we will have a far more positive future. We need to accelerate making those changes, so the sooner we start the conversation, and everyone sees the value, the more rapidly we can collectively take action.”

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Social distancing requirements on construction sites mean that even in break times, workers are kept at a distance from each other.

BUILDING

MINDFULNESS IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE IS PUBLISHING A FOUR-ARTICLE ONLINE SERIES COVERING THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. IN THIS INSTALMENT, MATES IN CONSTRUCTION AND AAPA HIGHLIGHT BEST PRACTICE MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES.

I

n a fluid situation, the uncertainty surrounding many factors impacting people’s lives, whether it be health, financial, employment or social interactions, can take a toll on mental health.

Head to Health, the online Government resource and support network for those suffering with mental health issues now has a dedicated page for COVID-19 support.

The page acknowledges that discussions 42

ROADS JUNE 2020

and concerns around the coronavirus outbreak and practicing self-isolation can be stressful, having an impact on mental health and well-being.

It suggests that during this time it is important to continue to implement good practices such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, staying informed, staying positive and accessing support when it is needed.

This will help in coping with added stress

and maintaining good mental health.

While much of the construction industry continues to operate and workers are still required to carry on with their day jobs, the coronavirus has forced many changes for these workers both on-site and at home.

After work, people are unable to socialise as usual and during work hours strict rules around social distancing apply during construction and at break times.

INFRASTRUCTURE IN FOCUS – MENTAL HEALTH

MATES in Construction has long been a strong support organisation for workers’ mental health across Australia.

The charity provides evidence-based suicide and mental health programs to many industries including construction.

MATES raise awareness for mental health challenges by connecting workers and presenting the industry with researched mental health information.

Built on the foundation that ‘improving mental health and preventing suicide is everyone’s business,’ MATES in Construction encourages workers to make a difference for their colleagues.

CEO of MATES in Construction, Chris Lockwood, says the organisation has a network of over 15,000 volunteers in workplaces around the country that have done specific training to be workplace mental health supports.

“It’s been widely recognised for a number of years that one of the biggest impacts for good mental health is being employed, so uncertainty around our finances and our work mean greater pressures and we know that there will be an impact,” Mr. Lockwood says.

“In times like these, the support that we give to each other is more important than ever. We as mates can look out for each other. Even being able to talk to someone who understands where you are coming from and will know the right questions to ask is so important.”

Social distancing requirements on construction sites mean that even in break times, workers are kept at a distance from each other. In this instance Mr. Lockwood suggests social contact, while physical distancing is increasingly important.

“Physical distancing but social connection is what people need to be focusing on at this time. Keep an eye on your mates and if you realise someone is having a hard time try to open up a real conversation with them,” he says.

For organisations that are looking for ways to increase the positive mental health of their workers in these uncertain times, Mr. Lockwood suggests clear and direct communications.

“Workers feel better when they know what is going on, even if that is hard, at least it is clarity around what is happening.

This removes a level of uncertainty for

“IT’S BEEN WIDELY RECOGNISED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST IMPACTS FOR GOOD MENTAL HEALTH IS BEING EMPLOYED, SO UNCERTAINTY AROUND OUR FINANCES AND OUR WORK MEAN GREATER PRESSURES AND WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE AN IMPACT.” workers,” he says.

“Also encouraging workers to have the time and space to look out for their colleagues is important. If businesses are using the MATES program or any others, it’s important they do promote them in a meaningful way.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, MATES is actively working with all its trained connector and assist workers and are encouraging construction staff to find out who their connectors are on site.

The 24/7 helpline resources have also been increased to ensure the organisation can cope with an expected increase in demand.

“Best practice mental health at the moment is having a clear framework so people can take the time to talk to their colleagues. Making sure that there is still the time and space for workers to connect with each other and ensuring that there are adequate breaks through the day is important. It’s when those social connections are broken that people are at greater risk,” Mr. Lockwood says.

“MATES sees this as a time to step up in support across the industry. That is why we are ensuring our field-based staff are contacting all our sites and that we are engaged to build much needed resilience across the industry because there is a lot of pressure on people at the moment,” he says.

Recently the Australian Asphalt Pavement Association (AAPA) has also been planning its approach to ensuring the industry are aware of mental health best practice and support networks.

Tanja Conners, AAPA Executive Director of Knowledge and Partnerships, says it’s clear people in the industry are missing workmates and interaction with people from outside of their homes.

She says mental health awareness is extremely important.

“Even though construction work is continuing, the circumstances in which it is performed have changed and this can be unsettling,” Ms. Conners says.

Many AAPA members have engaged with organisations such as MATES in Construction and Beyond Blue to increase mental health awareness in their businesses.

In 2020 the association will be working closely with the Braveheart Freedom Fighters organisation.

Braveheart’s aim is to create awareness of the underlying secondary psychosocial triggers which contribute to an individuals state of mental health.

“We are currently working with Braveheart to decide how we can best support AAPA members at this time,” Ms. Conners says.

“David Broadhurst, the founder of Braveheart, will present some sessions with AAPA covering topics like finance, communication, purpose and health and nutrition, as these all contribute to a person’s mental health.”

The Braveheart Freedom Fighters organisation has also created a mobile application with resources and videos about aspects of mental health so that the resources can be on hand at any time.

For businesses in the road construction industry Ms. Conners agrees with Mr. Lockwood at MATES, that communication is a crucial step towards ensuring the mental health of workers.

“Constant communication, updating workers on information about their job certainty and about where they can go if they need to talk to someone, reminding them it is okay to talk to someone, is so important,” Ms. Conners says.

“It’s crucial for people in this industry to learn to say to their mates if they are having a bad day. It’s important to reiterate that it is okay to not be okay. The good thing about most people in the industry is that they will really listen and as we know a problem shared is a problem halved.”

If you are in need of mental health services, please visit: https://headtohealth.gov.au/ Call Lifeline at 13 11 14 Or the MATES 24/7 Support Line 1300 642 111 or visit the MATES website: mates.org.au roadsonline.com.au

43

Factory conditions offer a safe working environment, like this one at Alpha Precast in Sydney.

PRECASTING SAFER

INFRASTRUCTURE NATIONAL PRECAST CEO SARAH BACHMANN DISCUSSES HOW PRECAST CONCRETE ELEMENTS CAN BE USED IN CONSTRUCTION TO FURTHER IMPROVE WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS DURING COVID-19.

D

espite many social restrictions as a result of COVID-19, construction is continuing and builders around the country are managing strict social distancing and hygiene requirements.

Alongside builders and construction workers, the supply chains for infrastructure projects are doing everything possible to keep works progressing.

According to National Precast Concrete Association CEO Sarah Bachmann, so too

44

ROADS JUNE APR/MAY 20202016

are precast concrete manufacturers who are members of the association. Many of these members supply factory manufactured, or prefabricated, elements to essential infrastructure projects.

“The continued maintenance, functioning and construction, particularly of essential infrastructure like roads, rail and bridges, and buildings such as hospitals, government facilities and shopping centres, requires the precast concrete industry to stay

operational too,” Ms. Bachmann says.

“Fortunately, construction has been deemed essential activity. Not only is it a lower risk industry during the pandemic, but it is a critical driver of economic activity.”

When essential infrastructure is being built or maintained, precast concrete is very often used. Using precast elements for a project can benefit in time, cost and quality.

“Much shorter construction times can deliver savings and faster income generation

from earlier completion of projects.

Quality is optimised from the controlled environment,” Ms. Bachmann says.

“Sites where traditional construction methods are employed are usually a hive of activity, with material deliveries and storage, trades, labourers, waste, noise and dust.”

She says using precast elements in construction can deliver increased safety benefits by making social distancing requirements easier to achieve throughout the construction of projects.

Precast concrete elements, whether they be walling, flooring, beams and columns, or stairs, are manufactured off-site in factorycontrolled conditions. As well, road and rail

than many other countries in the pandemic, as winter approaches that situation may change. Precast should be used more for essential infrastructure construction, simply because it does make sites safer. As well, it isn’t affected by inclement weather conditions,” Ms. Bachmann claims.

“We sometimes see head contractors setting up dedicated factories in remote infrastructure locations. That is almost akin to fabricating products on site, as it doesn’t necessarily remove works from the actual site,” Ms. Bachmann says.

“As a key supplier to the construction industry, the precast manufacturing environment is low risk. In the precast

“IMPORTANTLY, USING PRECAST, CONSTRUCTION SITES HAVE INCREASED SAFETY WITH LESS CLUTTER AND ACTIVITY. DISRUPTION TO NEIGHBOURING PROPERTIES IS REDUCED WITH LESS DELIVERIES, LESS NOISE AND LESS DUST. WASTE IS MINIMISED ON SITE TOO, BECAUSE WHOLE ELEMENTS ARE DELIVERED.”

infrastructure works are underpinned by drainage systems that incorporate precast elements such as pipes, box culverts and other elements.

Precast is manufactured in factories away from sites and final elements are delivered to site. This can reduce the need for individual trades and labourers and can eliminate formwork.

“Importantly, using precast, construction sites have increased safety with less clutter and activity. Disruption to neighbouring properties is reduced with less deliveries, less noise and less dust. Waste is minimised on site too, because whole elements are delivered,” Ms. Bachmann says.

She says continuity of supply of precast elements is key to continued maintenance and construction of transport and building infrastructure.

She goes one step further, saying that the use of precast should be encouraged during COVID-19. As precast is manufactured off-site, it offers safer and more efficient construction.

She says with the improvement to onsite safety, it makes sense that precast manufacturing has been allowed to continue.

“While Australia seems to be faring better

factory, individual workstations are already distanced. Additionally, being a controlled environment, implementation of requirements like social distancing and improved hygiene measures is easy.”

Precast manufacturing engages strict work health and safety requirements

and practices. Factories offer a safe manufacturing environment with isolated workstations and appropriate personal protective equipment.

“That becomes even more important when we want industries to be able to continue operating for economic reasons, and when we all need to obey social distancing and strict hygiene requirements,” Ms. Bachmann says.

“We know our members have all put in place strict additional requirements to minimise the spread of COVID-19,” Ms. Bachmann says.

“They have also rolled out other initiatives to address the threat of virus spread among their workers, including separating shifts of workers, isolating workstations, staggering start and break times, distancing workers during breaks and other measures.”

The decision by federal, state and territory governments to allow construction, maintenance and associated manufacturing works to continue is applauded by the precast industry’s peak body.

“The next step is to recognise the safety and efficiency of using precast and recommend its use. That’ll ensure all workers in the construction and manufacturing supply chain are better protected as they continue to deliver and maintain essential infrastructure.”

National Precast is pushing for more off-site construction because of its safety benefits.

roadsonline.com.au

45

A unique demonstration project is underway in Bentleigh East, Victoria to identify how crumb rubber asphalt mixes perform.

THE IMPORTANCE OF

PERFORMANCE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE VICTORIAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT, TYRE STEWARDSHIP AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN ROAD RESEARCH BOARD AND INDUSTRY CONTRACTORS SAW FOUR CRUMB RUBBER ASPHALT MIXES LAID IN A DEMONSTRATION, AIMED AT ACCELERATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATE SPECIFICATIONS AND SUPPORTING CRUMB RUBBER ASPHALT.

T

he Victorian Department of Transport (DoT) and the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) have worked collaboratively for many years to advance road construction innovation and specification development.

With changing expectations regarding the resource impacts of the road construction sector, DOT and ARRB, along with Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA), are at the forefront of new work to ensure the sector can use recycled materials productively while creating an enhanced and more resilient road network.

While the push towards sustainable materials increases, not only from public pressure but is also included in some contractual agreements, the need to develop specifications for recycled 46

ROADS JUNE 2020

materials has prompted both organisations to further investigate possibilities.

Crumb rubber from used tyres has a long history of enhancing road performance and longevity around the world for nearly 50 years. In this regard, Victoria is a world leader having used crumb rubber in crack and spray sealing substantially since the 1970’s.

However, to facilitate its increased use in Victoria, there is an opportunity to develop a crumb rubber asphalt specification that performs similar or better than conventional mixes.

To enable performance data to be collated and help to determine the effect of crumb rubber in asphalt, a unique demonstration project is underway in Bentleigh East, Victoria to identify how the material performs, compared to standard mixes.

For this project the DoT and ARRB are working closely with TSA. Senior Strategy Manager at TSA, Liam O’Keefe says demonstrations such as this are the best way to prove that using crumb rubber will not only contribute to sustainable objectives but improve the quality of roads.

Demonstrating improved field performance is a key measure in this project, with the aim to quantify performance benefits for commercial crumb rubber products.

For the first time, the DoT allowed the road construction industry to develop crumb rubber asphalt mixes free from specification requirements .

“Current specifications don’t readily accommodate significant deviation from mix formulations. Therefore, the fact that this project allows industry to innovate

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

using crumb rubber while meeting the performance requirements of current specifications, will assist in providing a more comprehensive evidence base,” Mr. O’Keefe says.

“This will underpin the case for the inclusion of crumb rubber in specifications as a polymer in mixes,” he explains.

In collaboration with TSA and ARRB, the DoT put out a call to industry to create crumb rubber asphalt mixes, developed after years of innovation and refinement.

March 2020 saw four different crumb rubber asphalt surfacing mixes laid side by side, as well as two sections of conventional asphalt.

The mixes cover a 1.4-kilometre segment of the road.

All mixes will be exposed to the same environment and wear from vehicles. The mixes were also laid by a single contractor to reduce variability of the laying process.

Over the next two years, ARRB will conduct regular checks on the surface layer, using a vehicle to measure surface texture, rutting, roughness and cracking.

The demonstration also monitored emissions from each of the asphalt mixes

on the night the surface was laid, collected core samples and undertook an in-depth pavement strength evaluation.

These results will help inform the DoT, in potentially developing a specification for the use of crumb rubber in asphalt mixes across the state.

Arthur Apostolopoulos, Manager of Pavement Technology at the DoT, says conventional asphalt mixes used to resurface most heavily trafficked roads don’t incorporate crumb rubber.

“What that means is road authorities will continue to use conventional mixes which get the results. When a new material emerges there is concern going from the known to the unknown,” Mr. Apostolopoulos says.

“We expect resurfacing to last 15-20 years.

This demonstration has allowed us to do some additional testing to try to accelerate the learning with a new product.”

One of the key elements to this demonstration was that the DoT gave its industry partners more freedom to develop and install their own mixes.

The DoT asked industry to incorporate as much crumb rubber as possible in the mix.

Each asphalt mix will be compared against each other, as the same performance tests are being undertaken on all mixes, including the two conventional asphalt mixes.

Mr. Apostolopoulos says giving industry a blank canvas to create the mix will allow the department to assess performance through understanding what is in each mix.

With that information, he says, it will be able to build a specification.

Nick Lee, Senior Pavement Technology Engineer at DoT, says there was a two-phase selection process to choose the industry crumb rubber asphalt mixes.

“Alongside laboratory and field performance, its potential to increase crumb rubber usage on the road network was also a consideration,” Mr. Lee says.

“With continued funding and support, we will be able to further progress the development of a suite of crumb rubber asphalt specifications, which will facilitate the uptake of these types of products.”

Mr. Apostolopoulos says for sustainability, asphalt performance remains a key factor.

“We are trying to drive the dollar further and are always striving to maximise the life out of our resurfacing treatments.

The challenge is to increase the use of recycled products in road construction and

provide equal or longer life than existing conventional products. If we can achieve this, then it’s a win for sustainability,” he says.

Liam O’Keefe says the partnership between industry and the DoT has been a critical part of this demonstration.

“The DoT have put a lot of funding and extra time and effort towards this demonstration, which will be incredibly beneficial if the results show positive outcomes,” Mr. O’Keefe says.

He says one of the reasons TSA works closely with the roads sector, is there is a general push to use recycled materials and incorporate sustainable practice into projects.

“What they need is technical analysis of recycled materials to know they are safe and sustainable in use and this project will give industry those answers.”

Mr. O’Keefe says Victoria is showing leadership in the crumb rubber asphalt space, which reflects the interests of the community for increasing sustainability.

“This unique project gave industry the opportunity to do something different.”

In addition to this demonstration, Austroads in collaboration with ARRB and co-funded by TSA are undertaking a twoyear project to investigate the development of a crumb rubber binder for asphalt.

Representatives from the DoT will also be involved with this project.

Mr. Apostolopoulos says generally conventional polymers are used in asphalt binders and there hasn’t been a category for crumb rubber.

He says ARRB will be testing a suite of binders in that project to see if a national crumb rubber binder specification also suitable for asphalt applications can be developed.

Development of these two projects, if successful, will allow a way forward for contractors to more readily incorporate crumb rubber binder into asphalt mixes.

This will then provide more avenues to increasing its use across the road network both in Victoria and around Australia.

Mr. Apostolopoulos says the DoT needs to ensure that there is strong evidence any new mixes will provide the required longevity.

“We are moving towards performance-based specifications for certain projects. However, when the risk stays with the state for the long term, we need to ensure that there is enough rigour in those specifications to ensure the road will perform as expected.” roadsonline.com.au

47

PROTECTION IS

PARAMOUNT

THE BRAND-NEW HV2 BARRIER FROM SAFEROADS IS DESIGNED TO NOT ONLY PROTECT WORKERS AND THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC, BUT ALSO SIMPLIFY AND SPEED UP BARRIER PLACEMENT AND RETRIEVAL.

S

aferoads has been serving the road construction industry for over 25 years. Throughout COVID-19, the company will continue to supply the latest, critical safety equipment for essential services and road projects.

To continue to improve its safety equipment offering, the company has just released the new HV2 Barrier, designed in Australia, focused on simplicity and increased protection.

Around eight years ago the company created its first hybrid safety barrier, a freestanding temporary barrier system to protect road workers and the public called the Ironman Hybrid Barrier.

While this barrier has been a success for the company, the Saferoads team wanted

to investigate if they could improve their product.

Darren Hotchkin, Saferoads CEO, says when the company started to develop the new HV2 Barrier they wrote a 10-point wish list for the ideal features of a temporary safety barrier. Once the list was established, the design for the HV2 Barrier began to form.

“The Ironman Hybrid was our first attempt at a temporary safety barrier. The HV2 is the second generation. Everything we learnt from the Ironman we have employed, with increased efficiency for the HV2 Barrier,” Mr. Hotchkin says.

“With the Ironman Hybrid Barrier, we learnt that enabling the barrier to better use it’s up and down stream mass results in better

When Saferoads started to develop the new HV2 Barrier they wrote a 10-point wish list for the ideal features of a temporary safety barrier.

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ROADS JUNE 2020

containment of the oncoming vehicle.”

A key feature of the new HV2 barrier is its containment ability. The HV2 will safely contain a 10-tonne truck in line with the Manual of Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) standard test level four. The highest capacity test Saferoads performed in the MASH standard was the 4-12, which is a 10-tonne truck, impacting at 90 kilometers per hour on a 15-degree angle.

For the Saferoads team, simply increasing the strength of the barriers wasn’t enough, they also wanted to improve productivity for customers.

It was important to achieve increased efficiency when setting up the HV2 Barrier, so it has been designed to perform without being anchored to the road surface.

SAFETY

Connection points on the barriers are simplified, there is no need for pins or bolts.

EACH BARRIER WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY TWO TONNES, WITH AN OVERALL LENGTH OF 5.85 METRES. THIS ENABLES USERS TO LOAD A LARGE NUMBER OF BARRIERS ONTO A TRUCK, TO ENSURE INSTALLATION IS SWIFT.

“As the barrier uses its weight distribution to contain vehicles upon impact, there is no need to secure it to the road surface.

Removing the need for anchoring saves time and also removes the need to damage the road crews are working on, as there is no need to drill holes,” Mr. Hotchkin says.

He says road pavements tend to vary in their construction, so contractors can’t be sure the surface they are using to anchor the barrier will perform the same as the test surface.

“A freestanding barrier like HV2 doesn’t need to rely on the pavement underneath.

You don’t have to fix holes when you are finished. This removes the risk of thinking it will work when anchored and then finding out through an accident that the pavement wasn’t strong enough to hold the barrier in place.”

The HV2 Barrier can be used on any flat surface. The barriers are also able to turn on a tight radius to protect worksites on curved roads such as at roundabouts or intersections.

“Having a barrier that can go around a reasonable radius is critical. The HV2 Barrier can simply be angled when it is put in place to curve around a corner. It makes the barrier more versatile and user friendly,” Mr. Hotchkin says.

Another aspect the Saferoads team

wanted to enhance on the HV2 Barrier is the simplicity of transporting, installing and retrieving the product.

Each barrier weighs approximately two tonnes, with an overall length of 5.85 metres. This enables users to load a large number of barriers onto a truck, to ensure installation is swift.

Connection points are also simplified, there is no need for pins and bolts. Each piece of the barrier system connects by dropping the next section into place.

“If there is an emergency and you need to get the barrier apart, or even for access in and out of the worksite, you can simply lift any HV2 out of the line of barriers,” Mr. Hotchkin says.

“When a barrier is damaged by an impact, you can pull one part out and put another one in its place, a whole system replacement isn’t needed.”

Due to the reduced weight of the barrier, contractors can use lower cost weightlifting equipment to install the barriers.

“Because of the materials we use, despite the low weight, the barrier shouldn’t collapse or break on impact. The outer casting is steel and the patented connection system is extremely highly graded casting to enable the barriers to stay connected and not deform upon impact,” he says.

Mr. Hotchkin says the HV2 Barrier has just

been approved by all state and territory road agencies in Australia and also in New Zealand, and are now ready to be purchased by companies wanting to add this asset to a rental fleet or to use on roadside construction sites.

In New Zealand long time Saferoads partner, CSP Pacific have already bought a fleet of HV2 Barriers. CSP Pacific are major New Zealand supplier of civil road construction and road safety products.

The organisation rent a range of road safety products to third parties and have been involved in projects throughout New Zealand and the South Pacific for the last four decades.

The company decided to add the latest Saferoads barriers into their fleet to provide customers with a barrier that can be deployed efficiently.

David Russell, National Hire Manager at CSP Pacific, says that the HV2 Barrier was chosen over other steel crash barriers due to its low deflection. Mr. Russel was also impressed with its freestanding ability.

“No pinning is the advantage, and I think its radius is the best of all the steel barriers,” he says.

Being unanchored, the deployment and retrieval of HV2 Barrier is a speedy process for CSP Pacific customers, which include many construction companies. This is due to the innovative connection system that allows the task to be completed even faster.

“A comment from our customer who has been installing barriers for 20 years was that this is the best and quickest barrier he has ever used,” Mr. Russell says.

Mr. Hotchkin says that it is incredibly important to ensure all roadside sites have quality protection for workers and the public. He says working without a barrier is extremely high risk and there are many incidents that can occur.

“For example, an accidental impact to a distracted driver or someone with a medical issue; any errant vehicle creates a high-risk situation to the workers on site.

Barriers also protect the travelling public from going into a work zone and impacting a large piece of construction equipment or falling into a large excavation,” he says.

“This year we hope to promote the HV2 Barrier across Australia and New Zealand projects, and we are also gaining approvals for the barrier’s use in American and Canadian states.” roadsonline.com.au

49

SHAPING OUR TRANSPORT FUTURE

IMPROVING ASSET MANAGEMENT ACROSS AUSTRALIA THE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT OF ROADS, BRIDGES AND OTHER ROAD ASSETS IS CRITICAL FOR AUSTRALIA’S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THIS, WRITES NIGEL POWERS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN ROAD RESEARCH BOARD.

The Australian Road Reasearch Board’s four new best practice guides.

T

he Australian economy has certainly been bruised and battered over recent months with COVID-19 sweeping the world. Businesses have shut down and others have been limited in their operation due to the necessary government measures to limit the spread.

Operation of the road network is critical to Australia’s economy as there is a heavy reliance on road freight and commuting via road. The transport logistics industry contributes over $100 billion each year to Australia’s GDP and this is expected to grow significantly over the next decade.

Local government plays a very important role in the management of the road network as it is responsible for over 80 per cent of Australia’s road network.

The construction and management of road assets is challenging considering the significant and diverse assets local governments are responsible for, while often being under pressure to obtain better value from their budgets.

Understanding this critical role,

50

ROADS JUNE APR/MAY 2020 2016

the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, and the Federal Government provided the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) with $2.6 million to deliver four Best Practice Guides for Local Government.

The role of the guides are to assist local government and other organisations that manage lower volume roads across Australia, oversee their road assets effectively and fulfil their obligations to the community, while also improving mobility and safety.

The guides aim to expand the understanding and capacity of local government to manage road infrastructure.

The four guides cover road materials, sealed roads, unsealed roads and bridge management, which are key assets across the local government road network.

They were released in April 2020 and the response from local government and the broader industry has been significant.

At ARRB, we have been excited to see the level of engagement from local

government, the broader industry, and also internationally around the guides.

There were over 5000 downloads of the guides in the first two weeks. We also had over 1200 people attend webinars that provided an overview of the guides and their use, and we’ve had people from every continent in the world download them.

Local government will play an important role in Australia’s recovery from the current economic downturn. This will be through numerous means from programs to support the community and local businesses to facilitate development within the area and through the management of the road network.

This will be made a little easier now with the four guides providing additional tools for local government to maximise their efficiency and effectiveness in the management of their road assets.

Find out more about ARRB and the Best Practice Guides by emailing us at guides@arrb.com.au or by visiting our website www.arrb.com.au

Road Maintenance ROAD MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN SEALING CRACKS AND FIXING ROADS ACROSS AUSTRALIA FOR OVER 40 YEARS. ITS FOCUS ON RESEARCHING AND PERFECTING WAYS TO KEEP CRACKS FROM LEADING TO TOTAL FAILED AREAS HAS HELPED SAVE COUNCILS AND ROAD OWNERS THOUSANDS. THE COMPANY IS ALSO SET ON FINDING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR WASTE TYRES TO KEEP AUSTRALIA BEAUTIFUL. ROAD MAINTENANCE HAVE DEVELOPED AND NOW USE A CRACK SEALING PRODUCT WHICH CONTAINS WASTE PLASTICS AND TYRE CRUMB.

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