AsphaltNEWS - May 2021 - Volume 35 Issue 1 - Southern African Bitumen Association
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asphaltNEWS
Volume 35
Issue 1
May 2021
In this issue
CEO Overview 3 SAT Binderrr Conference 16-17
National Centre for Asphalt Technology Transport and Construction Paper 18-21
Test Track 4-6
Impact of COVID-19 in respect of
SABITA Awards 7-9 the Younger Generation 22-23
N2 Realignment - Digitisation 10-14 Training 24
List of Manuals, Technical Guidelines Impementation of PG Binder
and DVDs 15 Specification in South Africa 25-28
List of Sabita Members 29-31
Asphalt News is published by the Southern African Bitumen Association (Sabita),
a non-profit organisation sponsored by its members to serve all stakeholders
through engineering, service and education.
No articles, extracts, photographs or other elements of this publication may
be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written permission of the
Southern African Bitumen Association
Editor: Hazel Brown
CEO OVERVIEW
NCAT
The National Centre for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn
University, Alabama USA has recently published its research
findings spanning the years 2000 -2018. The areas reported
on include: fine vs coarse-graded asphalt, warm mix asphalt,
high RA content asphalt, MEPDG performance prediction,
design gyrations, open graded friction courses (OGFC), bond
coats for OGFC’s, rutting tests and air voids. These findings are
summarised in one of the ensuing articles and will no doubt
be of great interest to many in South Africa’s road industry.
DIGITAL TOOLS IN CONSTRUCTION
With the intent to exploit the benefits that digital tools offer
the construction industry, a pilot that utilises Building Information Model (BIM) standards 360 has
been deployed on the National Route 2 (N2) realignment of the Southbound Carriageway between
Umhlali and Umvoti river bridges, which is currently under construction. The end result will not only
be a digitally twinned 3D model of the South bound carriageway, but also enable quality control
through appropriate data captured in a cloud link. Whilst this latest approach enables innovation
within the design, construction, management and management of projects, it should also assist with
future maintenance and or rehabilitation work.
COVID-19 LESSONS LEARNED
The Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, in partnership with the Government Technical
Advisory Centre (GTAC) and the National Research Foundation, compiled a Country Report on the
measures implemented by the South African government to combat the impact of the Covid-19
pandemic in South Africa.
A redacted version of the section dealing with the construction sector, complete with lessons learnt,
makes for interesting reading and should assist with creating greater resilience in coping with future
disruptions of this nature.
SAT
The Society for Asphalt Technology (SAT) is planning to hold its inaugural conference on the 9th
September 2021. The online event will be branded as SATBinderrr and aims to play a complementary
role to other industry forums like the RPF and CAPSA. The one-day event will cover innovative research
and research findings and is positioned to be practical rather than academic in content. It is also
considered as a platform for younger professionals to showcase their passion for the roads industry
though the various presentation on their specific area of specialty.
We trust that that you’ll enjoy the read.
Saied Solomons
3
NCAT TEST TRACK
LESSONS TO BE LEARNT FROM NCAT
TEST TRACK EXPERIMENTS
A recently published document by the National
Centre for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn
University, Alabama USA – Research Findings 2000
–2018 provides a summary of key findings from
their Test Track at the end of the sixth research cycle
in 2018 and comments on their implementation.
The Test Track, regarded as a “real-world laboratory”,
is a 1.7 mile (2.7 km) oval comprising numerous
test sections. Its operation is funded as a
cooperative project among highway agencies and
industry sponsors with specific or shared research
objectives.
Key findings published in the report is of interest
as many address issues that have been discussed
and debated in South Africa for some time now.
Resolution of many of these has been elusive and
some of the findings that may well give direction
in South Africa are singled out here in various
categories.
FINE VS. COARSE-GRADED ASPHALT
Following the study of 27 sections built with a wide range of aggregate types to compare coarse-,
intermediate-, and fine-graded mixes and subjected to heavy traffic, findings indicated that fine
graded asphalt mixes complying with Superpave requirements perform as well as coarse-graded and
intermediate-graded mixes. Additionally, they tend to be more workable i.e. easier to compact, less
prone to segregation and less permeable. Based on these findings, many state highway agencies revised
their specifications to allow the use of more fine-graded mix designs.
It should be noted that another reported finding related to aggregate grading is that mixes with gradings
through the Superpave “restricted zones” were not necessarily susceptible to rutting. The restricted
zone requirement has subsequently been removed from Superpave specifications.
WARM MIX ASPHALT (WMA)
At the end of the 2003 research cycle two sections of WMA, in which chemical additives technology
was employed to achieve a surfactant effect (to facilitate binder film covering), were opened to heavy
traffic immediately after construction. These sections remained in service throughout the 2006 cycle
and, after 10.5 million ESALs, rutting performance was comparable to hot mix asphalt, with no cracking
evident. One section was left in place, and was still serviceable after more than 16 million ESALs at the
start of the 2009 cycle when this experiment was terminated to make provision for another experiment.
HIGH RA CONTENT ASPHALT
Six test sections were used to evaluate the performance of pavement sections with 20% – 45% RA
4
content. After approximately 20 million ESALs, the sections exhibited practically no rutting, very
NCAT TEST TRACK
little ravelling and a limited extent low severity surface cracking. The use of a softer virgin binder was
shown to provide better resistance to ravelling and cracking of the 45% RA sections.
No improvement in rutting or cracking performance was observed when using polymer-modified
virgin binder in the mixes with 20% or 45% RA. Additional test sections built in 2009 with 50% RA
performed better than a corresponding test section with virgin binder in all performance measures
including fatigue cracking. The improved fatigue cracking is partly attributed to a higher stiffness of
the 50% RAP mixes, which resulted in substantially lower bottom face tensile strains compared to
sections with all-virgin mixtures.
DESIGN GYRATIONS
Gyratory compaction effort specified in AASHTO standards (Ndesign ranging from 50 to 125) was too
high. The lab compaction effort was not representative of what actually occurs in pavements since
high Ndesign numbers tend to grind and break down aggregate particles more extensively than what
occurs during construction or under traffic. Numerous mixes on the Test Track designed with 50 to 70
gyrations in the Superpave gyratory compactor performed well under the heavy loading. As a result,
many states significantly reduced their Ndesign levels. (The current requirements in SA are 75, 100 and
125 cycles for design levels IB, II and III respectively.)
MEASURED VERSUS MEPDG PERFORMANCE PREDICTION
Fifteen structural study test sections were analysed with the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design
Guide (MEPDG) using the default national calibration coefficients. For virtually all sections, the MEPDG
over-predicted rutting, to the extent of 70 to 100%. The rutting predictions for most sections were
significantly improved after calibrating the model coefficients. MEPDG fatigue cracking predictions
with the default coefficients were also poor for the majority of the sections. In about half the cases,
the MEPDG significantly under-predicted fatigue cracking. Attempts to adjust the fatigue model
coefficients did not improve the overall correlation of predicted versus measured fatigue.
NEW GENERATION OPEN-GRADED FRICTION COURSE (OGFC)
The use of OGFC mixtures in the southern states as a method for reducing wet-weather accidents on
highways has declined in recent years due to premature ravelling after six or seven years in service.
In 2012, the Alabama DOT sponsored three test sections to evaluate potential adjustments in its mix
design procedure to improve the durability. The first adjustment was the use of a finer gradation with
9.5 mm NMAS, the second is the utilization of synthetic– instead of cellulose fibre, and, ultimately,
bitumen-rubber binder instead. These changes were incorporated in three OGFC mix designs. The
three mixtures had no cracking or ravelling, and rutting was about 0.05 inches (1.3 mm) after 20 million
ESALs. These proposed changes are being considered in an updated OGFC mix design procedure.
TACK (BOND) COATS FOR OGFC
Delamination can significantly affect the longevity of open-graded friction course (OGFC) mixtures
and is due largely to construction practices and tack coat applications. Due to its high air voids
content, an OGFC has less contact area with the underlying surface, consequently a heavier tack coat
is needed for these mix types than for a dense-graded mix to form an adequate bond.
Two tack coat studies conducted in the 2009 and 2012 cycles evaluated several tack methods for
improving OGFC performance. Results of these studies found that a thick polymer modified,
cationic bitumen emulsion applied with a spray paver at a target rate of 0.20 gal/yd2 (i.e. 0.9 litres/
m2) significantly improved OGFC performance. In addition, a non-tracking hot-applied polymer tack
applied with a conventional distributor at a target residual rate of 0.15 gal/yd2 (0.68 litres/m2) can be
considered an alternative to the above mentioned emulsion applied with a spray paver, depending
on paving conditions.
5
NCAT TEST TRACK RUTTING TESTS
The Hamburg wheel tracking test (HWTT) has been increasingly accepted by state DOTs in recent years.
The test is considered to be a proof test for rutting and moisture damage susceptibility. Although
there are no national criteria for Hamburg results, many highway agencies set the maximum rut depth
between 4 and 10 mm at 20,000-wheel passes.
In HWTTs in accordance with AASHTO T 324 at 50°C on 18 mixtures from the 2012 track cycle, results
correlated reasonably well (R2 = 0.74) with rutting measurements on the track, and none of the test
sections had any evidence of moisture damage.
It was noted that the flow number (FN) test is another lab test of interest for evaluating the rutting
resistance of asphalt mixes. In the third cycle NCAT used a confined FN test with 10 psi (69 kPa) and
a repeated axial stress of 70 psi (483 kPa). A strong correlation was found between the results of the
FN test using these conditions and rutting on the track. Using this method, a minimum FN of 800
cycles was recommended for heavy traffic pavements. More recently, NCHRP Report 673, A Manual
for Design of Hot Mix Asphalt with Commentary, and NCHRP Report 691, Mix Design Practices for
Warm Mix Asphalt, both recommended the FN test for assessing the rutting resistance of mix designs.
The testing criteria and traffic level performance thresholds from these reports have been adopted in
AASHTO TP 79-13.
Flow number tests conducted on surface mixes from the fourth cycle did not correlate well with the
measured rutting for the test sections. However, all results met the FN criteria in AASHTO TP 79-13 for
3 to 10 million ESALs of traffic. Through each cycle NCAT has conducted several performance tests on
the mixtures placed on the track, including dynamic modulus, repeated load tests, and wheel-tracking
tests to determine if laboratory test results correlate with actual rutting measured on the track. Results
have shown that dynamic modulus does not correlate well with rutting.
AIR VOIDS
Track research was carried out to identify an appropriate lower limit for this acceptance parameter.
Surface mixes were intentionally produced with air voids between 1.0 and 3.5% by adjusting the
aggregate gradation and increasing the asphalt contents. Results showed that rutting increased
significantly when the air voids were less than 2.75%.
It is important to note that the experiment used only mixes with conventional bitumen and without
RA. Other surface mixes on the track containing modified binders or high recycled asphalt binder
ratios that were produced with air voids below 2.5% have held up very well under the extreme traffic
on the track.
Application of accelerated pavement damage on the NCAT test track
SABITA Awards
Directly after Sabita’s virtual Annual General Meeting which was held on the 15th April, we were
pleased to be able to hold our annual awards function, albeit remotely. As we did not hold this special
celebration last year, this function included an award for 2019 as well as three awards for 2020 detailed
below.
2019 SABITA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE SUSTAINABLE USE
OF BITUMINOUS PRODUCTS
Mr Dave Collings, representing Loudon International was presented with this award having contributed
decades of knowledge and input in respect of cold recycling technology for which the following specific
details were highlighted in the nomination received:
Development of Cold Recycling Technology with Bitumen Stabilised
Project Nominated
Materials
Short description of Mr Collings’s contribution does not apply only to one project. It relates to the
the project development of all the necessary facets of a technology i.e. cold recycling, to
provide reliable and sustainable structural rehabilitation of pavements. This
technology, in turn, has been successfully applied in many projects.
Mr Collings has contributed to numerous cold recycling projects in South Africa
Motivation in terms and abroad in the past three decades. His contribution includes development
of Award criteria of: specialized pavement evaluation methods for rehabilitation, appropriate
laboratory mix design methods, structural pavement design models, application
guidelines and implementation (construction) as well as training of the human
capital to expand and support the technology. Through the application of the
technology, many successful and sustainable projects have been completed, to
the benefit of the broader roads industry.
In Dave’s acceptance speech, he very humbly
pointed out that in all his achievements, that
it has very much been a joint effort since
the late 1980s with numerous role players
within industry. He mentioned that these
co-workers from various companies have all
played a significant role in the development
of BSM technology to make it a serious
option for constructing cost-effective / highly
durable base layers. In highlighting Sabita’s
Technical Guideline 2, Dave stated that this
publication is recognized globally as the go
to guide for bitumen stabilization.
Photo 1: Mr Dave Collings
SABITA AWARDS 2020 SABITA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE SUSTAINABLE
USE OF BITUMINOUS PRODUCTS
Congratulations was extended to Mahandren Manicum – known to many in the industry as Mannie in
respect of the 2020 Award. The main motivation for this is the “P20-1” project that Mannie had been
very involved in. In short this was the rehabilitation of P20-1 from km 10 to km 30 in the Maphumulo
area. Scope of works includes the production of BSM1 by KMA plant using aggregate from milled
sections. Thereafter paving A-E2 modified binder wearing course. Ancillary works includes guardrails,
V drains, kerb and channels and gabions by CPG contractors. The use of BSM1 resulted in a saving of
80% on the project.
The nomination highlighted that whilst Mannie is the Managing Director of Naidu Consulting, his
passion for road pavements is evidenced through his extensive involvement at project and sector
level. He understands the importance of sustainability and its importance in the South African context
and remains committed to being a catalyst of change in our country. Whilst Mannie shows passion for
the pavement sector, his participative approach has seen an engagement of all key stakeholders to
not just introduce advancement, but to operationalise it at a rapid pace. Mannie continues to lend his
technical expertise to realise the country’s ambitious through active participation in Industry forums
and giving freely of his or his team’s time in this pursuit. He is currently working with one of his teams
to unpack Contract Participation Goals through pavement rehabilitation works showing how the
initiative may be effectively utilised to capacitate emerging contractors without compromising the
output of projects. Mannie is passionate about transformation and has driven the sub-contracting of
meaningful work to emerging contractors in the road pavement sector.
In his acceptance speech, Mannie stated that it is an absolute honour to receive such a prestigious
award. He continued by saying: “I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge my colleagues who
were also nominated for this award. I know that each one of us deserved to win this award.
I want to thank SABITA for keeping the
asphalt industry moving forward during
these unprecedented times, always striving
for technical excellence and making a
valuable contribution to international best
practice. We are all proud to be associated
with such a strong brand.
To all the clients with whom I work,
thank you for believing in us, for placing
your trust in us and for allowing us to
innovate in asphalt technology. And to the
contractors, thank you for executing the
work with diligence. Together, we all make
innovation possible.”
In closing, Mannie thanked all their
Pavement Engineering and Construction
Team, especially the ‘frontline’ site teams,
stating: “All of you who have braved the
Covid-19 pandemic to work on site, your
outstanding commitment and dedication
makes me look good. I dedicate this award
to you guys. Thank you!”
Photo 2: Mahandren Manicum
8
2020 CEO MERIT AWARD FOR NOTABLE HSE ACHIEVEMENT
SABITA AWARDS
In respect of the nominations received, it became evident, due to the motivations that were outlined,
that this time around called for joint recipients, being Ms Melissa-Ann Jew from AECI Much Asphalt
and Mr Eddie Jansen van Vuuren – AECI Spraypave.
In respect of the nomination that Melissa-Ann received, the following details were provided: At the
time when Much Asphalt joined the AECI Group in 2018, the TRIR was over 3, against an AECI internal
aim of
N2 REALIGNMENT-DIGITISATION
Composed by: Trevor Zumani (SANRAL PM); Philani Mkhize (Design Bim Lead); Nitesh Singh
(Construction BIM Lead)
INTRODUCTION
In order to “seize the day”, Naidu Consulting in partnership with the Main Contractor – Raubex
and supported by the client, SANRAL, has piloted the use of BIM 360 (a preferred Common Data
Environment-CDE) on the National Route 2 (N2) Realignment Southbound Carriageway between
Umhlali and Umvoti river bridges, which is currently in construction. The intention is to produce a
digitally twinned 3D model of the South bound carriageway, together with point cloud quality control
data linked to the model. Digitisation within a cloud-based platform has become a strategic driver for
innovation within the Built Environment. A paradigm shift is currently taking place with a move away
from the conventional 2D practices towards 3D and 4D efficiencies within the field of road design and
construction. With the recent international transition to the ISO 19650 Building Information Model
(BIM) standards, this case study is intended to embrace BIM as a strategic operational process within
project implementation stages such as: Design, Construction Management and Close Out.
PROJECT TEAM STRUCTURE
The success of BIM required the Client’s support as well as commitment from both the Engineer’s
and Contractor’s supervision teams leading to a collaborative production of project information. The
project team for this project compromised of:
· SANRAL : Project Manager - Trevor Zumani
· Naidu Consulting : Resident Engineer (RE) – Martin Gardiner; Assistant Resident Engineer (ARE) –
Poovern Gounden; BIM Design Lead – Philani Mkhize; BIM Construction Lead – Nitesh Singh
· Raubex : Contractors BIM Lead – Diveshen Nair; Construction Manager (CM) – Carlo Olivier; Site
Agent (SA) – Gary Wright
10The following organogram highlights the project team jointly responsible for collaborative
N2 REALIGNMENT-DIGITISATION
production of information.
Figure 1:
BIM Project
Organogram
MODELLING
The approved design was undertaken on a 2D platform with design outputs in a typical 2D .dwg format.
3D modelling was undertaken to convert the 2D drawings to a BIM 360 compatible model.
In the absence of any local road industry guidelines for the Level of Development (LOD) of the model,
an LOD300 was selected for the level of detail in the model. A depiction of the various BIM LOD’s are
illustrated in Figure 2 below:
Figure 2: Depiction of BIM Levels of Development
The modelling process included the extraction of the geometric details from the conventional 2D model
which was designed in Model Maker. This was followed by replicating the 2D model into AutoDesk
Civil 3D for the purposes of creating a 3D model. The modelling included creating the cross-section
templates or assemblies that will display the key road furniture (i.e. surface drains, guardrails, road
markings, layerworks, and sub- surface drainage) on the corridor. For a better visual representation of
the model, the 3D solids were imported to Navisworks.
A visual 3D layout generated for the project is shown in Figure 3:
11N2 REALIGNMENT-DIGITISATION
Figure 3: A portion of the 3D Model of Umvoti River Bridge Southbound Carriageway
(KM 26.400 to KM 27.140)
Navisworks provides the capability of importing relevant 3D solids from the design model, and in-turn
produces a 3D model that includes the layerworks, roadside details and subsurface drainage.
Figure 4: 3D extract of Pavement Layers Figure 5: 3D extract of Sub-surface drainage
The additional purpose for utilizing Navisworks is its ability to provide a 4D (time based) model by
linking the construction programme to the 3D model. The net effect of this will be a 3D model that can
be viewed in realtime (4D) as the construction sequence progresses.
DATA COLLECTION TEMPLATES
The conventional process for requesting an inspection on a 2D model is as follows:
· The Contractor telephonically or via email, contacts the Engineer to arrange an inspection of the
works,
· The Engineer will print a hardcopy of the checklist and meet the Contractor on site for an approval
inspection,
· This checklist is then scanned and filed electronically as well as in hardcopy, and
· After the project is complete, all the information is archived at an offsite location.
With the adoption of BIM 360 Build, the project delivery team has collaborated to convert strategic
hardcopy templates into a digital format.
Through site based team collaboration, the following digital data collection templates have been
created for quality control:
12· Request for inspection (RFI) templates for each major inspection activity on site eg. sub- surface
N2 REALIGNMENT-DIGITISATION
Drain, individual layerworks, JCP layerworks.
· Construction quality and quality assurance checklists eg. daily diary, drainage pipe laying, concrete
structure works, etc.
· Swim lanes to identify RFI and checklist process for specific activities. The swim lanes also depict the
responsibilities of all individuals in the specific activity with real time alerts and approvals.
The inspection process will follow a smooth digital process as summarised below:
· Through the use of a mobile phone or PC device, the Contractor will now be able to create a request
electronically on the geo-referenced model for an inspection by the Engineer.
· The supervision team will receive an instant email and push notification from the BIM 360 platform
alerting them of requests awaiting their attention. The inspection is then carried out on site by the
Contractor and Engineer.
· Requests for site laboratory testing or site surveyor level checks are also submitted to the relevant
parties via the BIM platform.
· An event log tracks and records the activities conducted during an inspection of Works depicted in
Figure 6. All logged activities can form part of the Contract’s quality control documentation which
is available as part of any audit process.
Following inspections, the Contractor and the Engineer will each sign off on their mobile or PC device
before the system will approve and close out the request. Once closed out, the data (with x,y,z co-
ordinates ) is uploaded into the CDE and linked to the 3D model.
The adjacent Figure 6 is a typical
event log for inspection of
completed selected layerworks
on site.
The event log tracks the
activities from the start of the
task to the end with all relevent
layerwork reports uploaded to
the BIM CDE.
The system allows for attached
files to be accessed from the
event log.
This proves invaluable in
the process of a project
audit or in the aid of making
informed decisions during the
construction process.
Figure 6: Event Log for the inspection of selected layerworks
13N2 REALIGNMENT-DIGITISATION
Figure 7 is a Concrete Pre-
Paving checklist, which is
used for the JCP basecourse,
preceding the paving
operation.
The checklist confirms:
· The production samples
for laboratory testing are
taken,
· That all survey level checks
and reinforcement postions
are confirmed,
· That the formwork is
straight/aligned, cleaned
and sealed to prevet
concrete leaks, and
· That the correct
reinforcement and
affixation methods have
been adhered to by the
construction team, before
any concrete paving can
occur.
Figure 7: Electronic inspection checklist
CONCLUSION
The implementation of BIM on the N2 Umvoti – Umhlali Southbound Carriageway, will be a first step
towards understanding the benefits and efficiencies that can be expected from such a digitisation
process.
The 3D modelling and data collection process will produce a digitally twinned As-Built model, housed
within a BIM 360 cloud-based repository. The BIM 360 common data environment is compatible with
Industry Foundation Classes (IFC).
The intention is for this to be a case study on the process of BIM implementation and the applicability of
its use throughout the project lifecycle for Maintenance and Rehabilitation.
14SABITA MANUALS AND DVDS Manual 1 Technical guidelines: Construction of bitumen rubber seals Manual 2 (PG) Bituminous binders for road construction and maintenance Manual 5 Guidelines for the manufacture and construction of asphalt Manual 7 SurperSurf – Economic warrants for surfacing roads Manual 8 Guidelines for the safe and responsible handling of bituminous products Manual 10 Bituminous surfacing for low volume roads and temporary deviations Manual 12 Labour Absorptive methods in road construction using bituminous materials Manual 13 LAMBs – The design and use of large aggregate mixes for bases Manual 17 Porous asphalt mixes: Design and use Manual 18 Appropriate standards for the use of sand asphalt Manual 19 Guidelines for the design, manufacture and construction of bitumen rubber asphalt wearing courses Manual 20 Sealing of active cracks in road pavements Manual 22 Hot mix paving in adverse weather Manual 23 Code of practice: Loading bitumen at refineries Manual 24 User guide for the design of asphalt mixes Manual 25 Code of practice: Transportation, off-loading and storage of bitumen and bituminous products Manual 26 Interim guidelines for primes and stone pre-coating fluids Manual 27 Guidelines for thin hot mix asphalt wearing courses on residential streets Manual 28 Best practice for the design and construction of slurry seals Manual 29 Guide to the safe use of solvents in a bituminous products laboratory Manual 30 A guide to the selection of bituminous binders for road construction Manual 31 Guidelines for calibrating a binder distributor to ensure satisfactory performance Manual 32 Best practice guideline and specification for warm mix asphalt Manual 33 Design procedure for high modulus asphalt (EME) Manual 34 (A) Guidelines to the transportation of bitumen and (B) Bitumen spill protocol (booklets) Manual 35/TRH8 Design and use of Asphalt in Road Pavements Manual 36/TRH21 Use of Reclaimed Asphalt in the Production of Asphalt Manual 37/TMH5 Sampling Methods for road construction materials Manual 38 A Health and Safety Guide for material testing laboratories in the road construction industry Manual 39 Laboratory testing protocols for binders and asphalt Manual 40/TRH3 Design and construction of surfacing seals TECHNICAL GUIDELINES TG 1 The use of modified binders in road construction TG 2 Bitumen stabilised materials TG 3 Asphalt reinforcement for road condition TG 4 Water quality for use in civil engineering laboratories DVDs DVD 100 Test methods for bituminous products DVD 200 Training guide for the construction and repair of bituminous surfacing by hand DVD 300 Manufacture, paving and compaction of hot mix asphalt DVD 410 The safe handling of bitumen DVD 420 Treatment of bitumen burns DVD 430 Working safely with bitumen DVD 440 Firefighting in the bituminous products industry DVD 450 Safe loading and off-loading of bitumen (The following manuals have been withdrawn: 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16 and 21)
HEAR TOMORROW’S LEADERS TODAY
The inaugural SATBinderrr conference will bring together experience and innovation, established
wisdom and new ideas, on 9 September 2021.
SATBinderrr will be the first conference hosted by the Society for Asphalt Technology (SAT) in its
27- year history. “Through this conference we hope to form the glue that binds together all the different
elements of the asphalt industry,” says Krishna Naidoo, Pavement and Materials specialist at SANRAL and
SAT National Committee Vice President.
The online conference aims to provide a bridge between the flagship CAPSA road industry conferences
and to complement the biannual RPF events. SATBinderrr will attempt to connect all the different layers
provided by the existing events, encompassing the critical themes of seals, binders and pavement
design. But it will have its own brand and bring different value propositions to the table, according to
Naidoo.
A decision was made to limit the first SATBinderrr to one full day to avoid digital fatigue and attract as
large an attendance as possible.
SATBinderrr will give voice to innovative research and research findings. It will be practical rather
than academic in tone and provide a platform for bridging speakers who are not necessarily lifelong
seasoned authorities but rather up-and-coming professionals who are equally passionate about the
industry.
“Our presenters are senior people in their organisations, but many of them have not had opportunities
to address a leading industry forum in the past,” Naidoo explains. “We are excited to showcase the new
generation of future leaders in the asphalt sector and give traction to their ideas and views about the
industry. We are also giving younger people a chance to contribute meaningfully to the development,
reputation and sustainability of the asphalt sector.”
The conference aims to attract not only the whole of SAT’s growing membership base, but also to act
as a catalyst in improving the SAT value proposition and further increasing membership locally and
internationally.
The decision to showcase younger professionals should also appeal to students, who will be offered
attractive discounts to attend and learn from the event. It is expected that the event will be a key
pipeline for students looking for positions in the industry now and in the future.
While SATBinderrr will be seeking to convey a more youthful approach to technical excellence across
all aspects of the industry, it will also leverage the experience gained by SAT and various other
organisations in staging professional online events. This conference will be the ideal platform to ensure
that SAT embraces and advances digital transformation. All presenters will have to showcase how they
have adopted digital processes to drive efficiency in the context of their respective papers.
“We invite industry sponsors to partner with us to ensure that our conference reflects the best of the digital
16revolution we are all experiencing. We believe our partner firms will benefit significantly from the fresh
SAT BINDERRR 2021
approach of SAT’s first conference,” says Naidoo.
“This is just the start. We would like SATBinderrr to become the go-to in South African asphalt conferences
that give voice to our future leaders. We are not looking to compete with our peers, however we are looking
at fitting something different into the asphalt equation.”
Preparation for the SATBinderrr includes mentoring and coaching by established senior experts to
ensure that the presentations deliver the high quality expected of a top-class roads conference. All
papers will be peer-reviewed.
The SATBinderrr organizing committee, led by Naidoo, comprises four
focus area chairs, Nirvana Loutan (pavement design), Joanne Muller
(asphalt), Nteseng Ramoraswi (seals) and Kele Makamu (binders).
Tafadzwa Mafuma, Nothando Khuluse and Nathisha Gengayah
are providing conference support, with Nathisha leading
administration. Additional capacity has been drawn from the
SAT leadership.
Further information will be available in due course on the SAT website, in the
SATBinderrr Resource Centre, in relevant trade publications and on social media.
17Transport and Construction
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CONTEXT
This article was extracted from a research paper for which one of the chapters was prepared by
Mr Benoit Verhaeghe, Impact Area Manager for transport infrastructure engineering, CSIR and Mr
Richard Goode, Infrastructure Research Specialist, Development Bank of Southern Africa.
The Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, in partnership with the Government Technical
Advisory Centre (GTAC) and the National Research Foundation, has finalised a Country Report on
the measures implemented by the South African government to combat the impact of the Covid-19
pandemic in South Africa from which the below, which covers the construction sector, has been
extracted.
INTERNATIONAL SITUATION
Internationally, and particularly in developing economies, the transport infrastructure sector faces
several challenges. Key among these is a lack of capital for investing in new infrastructure and for
upgrading and maintaining infrastructure to address both socio-economic (e.g. rural accessibility,
urbanisation, passenger and freight logistics) and environmental challenges (climate change). Globally
the infrastructure gap is widening, particularly around maintenance (PWC, 2020). The Covid-19
pandemic added a whole new set of challenges, which to some extent also affect the infrastructure
sector (Torres & Garcia-Kilroy, 2020). These include travel and supply chain disruptions, as well as changes
in human behaviour, such as remote working and networking. Travel bans and social distancing also
had a direct impact on the availability of labour, which had a significant impact on the construction
industry. Because of the lockdowns and the associated impact on labour availability and disruptions to
the supply chain, project management teams had to prioritise health and re-examine their approach to
project delivery and maintenance.
SITUATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
The construction sector employs about 1,3 million people, which stayed relatively constant from the
first quarter of 2019 to the first quarter of 2020. At the time of the pandemic, the construction industry
had been in distress for several years: it faced declining government infrastructure spending (and hence,
a lack of work), late or non-payment, rising material costs, lower profit margins, and illegal construction
site invasions, which resulted in company closures and job losses. In the run-up to the 2010 World
Cup, South Africa witnessed a surge in infrastructure development, including the Gauteng Freeway
Improvement Project. However, since then there has been a shortage of major construction projects,
resulting in a slowdown in the construction sector. Public sector capital expenditure on infrastructure
has declined. According to a 2019 report by Statistics South Africa, the country’s 757 public sector
institutions spent R250 billion on fixed assets in 2018, R272 billion in 2017, and R283 billion in 2016.
When the national lockdown started on 27 March 2020, all construction activities were put on hold,
save for emergency repairs and maintenance of essential services infrastructure. This contributed to
a further contraction of the sector. Data from Statistics South Africa for the second quarter of 2020
showed the construction sector declining by a seasonally adjusted and annualised rate of 76,6%. The
value it added to the economy saw a year-on-year change of -30,7% in the second quarter of 2020,
as against -2,2% and -0,9% in the previous two quarters. In October 2020, the South African National
Roads Agency (SANRAL) reported slow budget expenditure, owing to the suspension of construction
activities and project delays, and revenue loss because of lower traffic on toll roads, mainly in the second
quarter of the year.
18TRANSPORT AND CONSTRUCTION
In the same month, Minister Patricia De Lille confirmed that the construction industry was one of the
most severely affected by the economic downturn, having contracted by 14,2%. Transport infrastructure
projects financed through public-private partnerships, and particularly those that rely on user-pay
principles to generate capital for upgrades and maintenance, are particularly vulnerable to shocks such
as those caused by the pandemic.
In the hard stages of the lockdown, road and rail usage, and therefore the revenue collected from users,
fell significantly. SANRAL reported a revenue loss of R640 million between April and October 2020
because of lower traffic on toll roads in the lockdown (Arnoldi, 2020). Similarly, the N1/N4 toll road
concessionaire, Bakwena, reported in July 2020 that light vehicle traffic fell by 84% and heavy vehicle
traffic by 56% from normal levels during alert level 5 and by 58% and 36%, respectively, during level 4.
During level 3, traffic volumes improved to 72–79% of pre-lockdown volumes for light vehicles and to
80–88% for heavy vehicles.
As noted, the construction
industry contracted sharply
during the pandemic
(Odendaal, 2020). However,
construction sites were
reactivated for full opera-tion
on 1 June 2020 when South
Africa moved to alert level 3.
This was due in part to the
Construction Covid-19 Rapid
Response Task Team (2020),
a voluntary body comprising
a range of professional and
industry bodies, which provided sectorial guidance and support to government. SANRAL reported that
its construction sites were at 100% capacity from August 2020 (Arnoldi, 2020).
Transnet SOC
Transnet identified the risk that Covid-19 posed to the organisation relatively early – it implemented its
business continuity response process in January 2020. In March 2020 it escalated the response and devised
an approach based on enhanced communication, responsiveness and adaptability to augment and support
normal business functions.
Transnet acted to protect employees and ensure a safe operational environment through the use of the
highest available quality of personal protective equipment. It also instituted home screening, issued tools
to employees for effective self-screening, implemented companywide sterilisation with targeted post-case
clean-up, and issued an ongoing work-from-home instruction to all support staff and employees at high risk
from the virus.
In parallel to the employee health and wellness focus, Transnet introduced a high-intensity operations
workstream in the Covid-19 Command Centre as a coordination function, bringing together various decision-
makers to enable safe operational activities, depending on regulatory, legal/contractual, financial and
operational factors. Part of its role was to monitor, and coordinate the response to, the pandemic’s impact on
the company’s infrastructure; in this regard, two key themes emerged:
· Disrupted planned maintenance activities in the initial stages of the lockdown (rolling stock maintenance
depots being disrupted because of Covid-19 cases, planned infrastructure maintenance being delayed due
to suppliers being shut, etc.)
· An increase in criminal activities causing operational disruptions (pipeline ‘hot taps’, cable theft, etc.).
These incidents caused significant day-to-day operational disruptions. While they occurred more often during
the lockdown, they fit the existing pattern of threats to Transnet’s infrastructure. To help mitigate the spike
of incidents, multifaceted approaches were adopted, including the creation of reserve teams to supplement
lost capacity, close engagements with law enforcement and private security firms, community engagement,
and advertisements placed to educate communities on the impact and risks of theft and vandalism. Source:
Naidoo, 2020
19TRANSPORT AND CONSTRUCTION
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
Government acknowledges that infrastructure-led growth, as part of the economic growth strategy,
is an effective and significant way to support the economy while also responding to socio-economic
needs. Infrastructure investment, together with the use of public land and buildings, is a critical lever
to achieve spatial and economic justice by connecting people, integrating communities, and bringing
people closer to work opportunities. Infrastructure investment not only addresses new infrastructure;
it also deals with the maintenance and repair of existing infrastructure. Infrastructure South Africa
was established in 2020 as the single point of entry for infrastructure projects across the country.
It is the administrative arm tasked with addressing blockages, unlocking funding, and monitoring
implementation.
Through engagement with all tiers of government, 276 projects were identified and assessed using
the Sustainable Infrastructure Development System (SIDS) methodology. This methodology had been
developed to identify, consider, evaluate, approve and implement workable infrastructure projects in
order to ensure bankability. Such evaluation is necessary to ensure that the projects/programmes are
functional from a financial, intersectoral and needs perspective, and that they address inclusivity and
transformation. They are also assessed in terms of their ability to advance the national development
goals in support of, inter alia, the National Development Plan. The approach furthermore emphasises
skills development, training and education. As a last step in the SIDS methodology, the infrastructure
value chain of the project/programme is determined, as well as its costs, benefits, and financial
aspects, including its financial viability.
Of the 276 projects, 50 projects and 12 special projects were found to be compliant with the SIDS
methodology. Several labour-intensive public programmes to upgrade rural roads and build
bridges were also identified (the Welisizwe programme). These 50 projects and 12 special projects
were gazetted on 24 July 2020 as Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) in terms of the Infrastructure
Development Act (No. 23 of 2014, as amended). In the transport sector, 15 projects to the value of
R47 billion were gazetted (DPWI, 2020a). The potential job creation through the implementation of
these projects is estimated at 50 000 (DPWI, 2020b).
The implementation of these SIPs forms part of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan
introduced by President Ramaphosa on 15 October 2020. This plan focuses on how the public and
private sector, government, labour and communities can work together to use the pandemic as a
window of opportunity to build South Africa back up, better, through the creation of jobs, primarily
through infrastructure investment and related mass employment programmes. The 62 SIPs are at
various stages of the project life cycle and will create jobs and stimulate the economy over several
financial years (DPWI, 2020c). To ensure active implementation of the infrastructure build programme,
an Infrastructure Fund has been operationalised to provide the capacity to prepare and package
projects; by end-October, government had already committed R100 billion over ten years to this
fund, while expecting R340 billion in private sector investment for some of the 62 SIPs.
Infrastructure South Africa has been addressing constraints that used to hamper infrastructure
delivery. These institutional arrangements will help ensure that implementation is fast-tracked in line
with the objectives of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Infrastructure South Africa
has also been adapting the procurement framework to enable public-private partnerships to mobilise
private sector funding, given the constrained state of public finances.
Three funding channels have been established for infrastructure projects:
1. Funding from the private sector, including international funding institutions, multilateral
development banks, development finance institutions and commercial banks.
2. Blended financing, where the public and the private sectors invest in the Infrastructure Fund,
overseen by a committee comprising members from both sectors.
203. The fiscus, with the National Treasury allocating funding to departments, state-owned entities (e.g.
TRANSPORT AND CONSTRUCTION
SANRAL and Transnet), infrastructure grants, and the like. The Green Infrastructure Bond instrument
is another option for exploring alternative financing sources for green, energy-efficient, climate-
resilient infrastructure.
The purpose of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan is to rebuild the national economy.
At the cabinet meeting of 2 April 2020, President Ramaphosa stated that infrastructure investment
and implementation, through an immediate and purpose-driven recovery plan, was the flywheel
that would kick-start the economy. It would also stimulate the construction sector, which has been
hit hard by years of underinvestment even before the pandemic. Since April 2020, government has
accelerated the development of systems and processes to enable the fast-tracking of infrastructure
projects, including the establishment of Infrastructure South Africa and the Infrastructure Fund, so
as to create employment and boost economic output. This approach is in line with those of many
other countries, who agree that infrastructure can play a key role in recovering from the crisis, given its
impact on productivity, growth and job creation. The accelerated implementation of SIPs, with support
from Infrastructure South Africa to remove constraints, will be key in this regard. For the transport
infrastructure sector, this implies the accelerated implementation of projects in SIP 21 (Transport),
SIP 25 (Rural Bridges Welisizwe Programme), SIP 26 (Rural Roads Upgrade Programme), and SIP 27
(Upgrading and Repair of Township Roads in Municipalities Programme).
PRELIMINARY LESSONS LEARNED
Priorities for post-pandemic recovery must be driven by learnings from the social, economic and fiscal
consequences of the health crisis. This requires institutions, infrastructure (e.g. for digital inclusion),
relationships, systems and processes for long-term recovery and resilience (and, indeed, for addressing
growing emergencies such as social inequality and climate change). It also requires shifting away from
hierarchy and instruction towards collaborative governance and social compacting (Harrison, 2020).
Key requirements are the development and endorsement of standards for the transport infrastructure
sector, and the construction sector in general, on how to operate during an abrupt, pandemic-type
crisis. As a minimum, these should include mandatory protocols under the Occupational Health and
Safety Act. This could involve delegated authority to representative industry associations to develop
sector-specific mitigation measures for continued, risk-controlled operations for consideration and
approval by a national advisory panel. Building greater resilience to cope with shocks to continuing
operations, be they from extreme weather events or pandemics, is a key learning from Covid-19.
REFERENCES
· Arnoldi, M., 2020. Sanral records R640m revenue shortfall as a result of lockdown. Creamer Media’s
Engineering News, 7 October 2020.
· CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), 2020a. CSIR Energy Centre analysis using data from
Eskom Holdings, Eskom Lockdown Tracker (03-Jul-2020).
· DPWI (Department of Public Works and Infrastructure), 2020a. Patricia De Lille: Gazetted strategic
integrated infrastructure projects. DPWI, 27 July 2020.
· Minister Patricia De Lille: Infrastructure investment plan and mass public employment programmes.
DPWI, 29 October 2020.
· Harrison, P., 2020. Intergovernmental relations and sub-national responses in the management of the
COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, v.2. Wits University, 11 November 2020.
· Odendaal, N., 2020. Hard-hit construction sector pins recovery hopes on infrastructure plan. Creamer
Media’s Engineering News, 13 November 2020.
· PWC, 2020. Global infrastructure trends: The global forces shaping the future of infrastructure.
· Torres, G. M. & Garcia-Kilroy, C., 2020. Infrastructure financing in times of COVID-19: a driver of recovery.
· Zingoni, T.. 2020. Deconstructing South Africa’s construction industry performance. Mail & Guardian,
19 October.
21The ‘new normal’ is taking its toll on
South Africa’s younger generation
Composed by: Rhys Evans, MD at ALCO-Safe
As we enter the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s
clear that the‘new normal’is taking its toll on South Africa. The
effects of a struggling economy and rising unemployment
has been particularly hard-hitting on younger generations,
coupled with the emotional and mental strain of living
with social restrictions has compounded the problem.
With limited access to stress relief activities, there has been
an increase in substance abuse as a coping mechanism,
which highlights a growing need for companies to focus on
the well-being of their younger staff, particularly through
employee assistance programmes.
YOUNGER GENERATIONS STRONGLY IMPACTED
A 2020 study published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
examined the psychosocial impact of the pandemic,
investigating the rates of healthy and unhealthy coping
mechanisms and differences in anxiety across generational
groups. The study concluded that while adaptive health habits (such as exercise) were comparable across
generations, unhealthy coping mechanisms (such as substance abuse) were higher among the younger
age groups, particularly millennials (15 to 34 years old). Results also revealed that the highest rate of
clinically significant anxiety lies with millennials, indicating that younger generations have the highest
rates of Covid-related concerns.
Closer to home, a study by the South African Labour and Development Research Unit assessed the
prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among young people aged 18-35 years
during lockdown. An online survey with a sample of 11 700 participants covering all the provinces of
the country revealed a prevalence of depressive symptoms of 72% among younger participants, which
is high and extremely worrisome.
SUBTANCE ABUSE DURING THE PANDEMIC
One of the most obvious unhealthy coping mechanisms is drinking. Repeated blanket bans on the
sale of alcohol in South Africa over the past year have had little positive effect. In fact, the alcohol
prohibitions have exacerbated an already dire situation as many individuals turned to other illegal,
dangerous substances as a coping mechanism, without access to alcohol.
Not only is this problematic because it has health repercussions for the individual, but there are also
criminal and legal implications as well - especially when it comes to the working portion of our youth. The
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act demands a zero-tolerance approach toward intoxication in
the workplace, particularly in high-risk sectors where accidents have the potential to be life-threatening.
How do organisations provide a safe workplace? Keeping intoxicated employees out of the workplace
requires clear anti-intoxication policies coupled with strict enforcement through employee testing. For
alcohol, breathalysers are the most effective means of testing for intoxication and for substance abuse,
saliva testing can provide immediate results detecting recent consumption effective within minutes
after the use of drugs. Saliva testing is seen as less intrusive than urine testing and also more effective at
determining recent consumption. Furthermore, the use of an oral swab to wipe the inside of the cheek
means there are fewer privacy issues with this testing method, compared to urine collection.
22THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ IS TAKING ITS TOLL ON SOUTH AFRICA’S YOUNGER GENERATION
PAY ATTENTION TO THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM
Strict enforcement of anti-intoxication policies in the workplace should be counterbalanced by measures
that seek to identify and address the underlying issue of substance abuse. This is particularly important
right now given the collective mental fragility of our younger population, as draconian implementation
of substance testing and disciplinary action will only cause employees to be more devious in their
attempts to conceal their substance abuse problem.
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) in the workplace can be an effective means for individuals to
come forward and admit to substance dependency and ask for help in dealing with their problem,
without fear of disciplinary backlash. The specifics of each EAP initiative will vary from organisation
to organisation - some assist employees by sponsoring their rehabilitation, but at the very least the
individual should be afforded paid sick leave, making it possible for them to seek treatment. In addition
to such a confidential facility, organisations need to prioritise the mental wellbeing of their workers,
while educating and creating awareness around the dangers of substance abuse and the available
options for treatment and recovery.
EVEN TOUGHER TIMES AHEAD
As difficult as it may be to face, life is going to get a lot harder for South Africans as we continue to deal
with the impact of a pandemic that shows no signs of disappearing. Access to state-provided mental
health support is extremely limited in SA, which means that businesses will be required to step up
during these tough times and prioritise the wellbeing of their workers. This is important not only from
an occupational health and safety perspective, but from a business continuity perspective - people
are the most important asset in any business, and right now those assets need additional support and
assistance.
23SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
THE ASPHALT ACADEMY (SABITA’S TRAINING ARM) IN ASSOCIATION WITH
THE SOUTH AFRICAN ROAD FEDERATION WILL BE HOSTING THE FOLLOWING
VIRTUAL TRAINING COURSES
The course will provide practitioners with a practical overview of sound and
Asphalt: An
14-15 correct practice for the production and construction of hot mix asphalt for
Overview of Best
June roads and airfield pavements. The course will also provide guidelines for the
Practice
paving of HMA in adverse weather conditions.
Bituminous 29-30 The course will inform professionals on the constituents and engineering
Binder for Roads June properties of bituminous binder in general use and their significance in
practice. It also intends to create an awareness of the importance of the safe
and responsible handling of these products.
The Use of This course is based on the content of TRH21: 2017. The course material is
Reclaimed presented in PowerPoint format, comprising 164 slides and will be presented
Asphalt in the 7 July in a single day and delegates will be required to complete a test at the end
Production of of the day. The course material is aimed at engineering professionals well
Asphalt acquainted with the design of asphalt mixes. The course focuses on special
considerations for asphalt containing more than nominal proportions of
reclaimed asphalt.
The course comprises of detailed information of the DEMAC Material
Classification System and Pavement Number Method published in Sabita’s
Technical Guideline 2. The covers covers the background and details of the
methods, including the revisions published in the TG2. Attendance of the
Flexible Pave- course would be beneficial to practitioners representing road authorities,
ment Design 22 July consulting engineers, contractors and suppliers involved in the design of
Techniques flexible pavements.
The course is targeted at practitioners operating at NQF level 5 and above.
Delegates should have their own laptop computers and have a working
knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
This course will provide practitioners with an insight into the design and
construction of surface treatments for roads. The course covers all aspects of
Design & 27-29 seal selection and design for both conventional and modified binders, using
Construction of July the new Sabita Manual 40 and provides practical hints on application and
Surface construction of surfacing seals. Attendance of the course would be beneficial to
Treatments practitioners representing road authorities, consulting engineers, contractors
and suppliers involved in the design and construction of surfacing seals for
roads, and is targeted at practitioners operating at NQF level 5 and above.
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