precast issue 1 2016

THE CMA – QUALITY CAST IN CONCRETE

ISSUE ONE • 2016

• Easing economic challenges

• CMA Award winners

• Evolution of conveyor structures

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PRECAST | ISSUE ONE | 2016

31 SCHOOL OF CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY PREPARES

PROJECTS

COMPANY NEWS 19 STRENGTHENED OFFERING AS A RESULT OF BUYOUT

19 CEO OF THE YEAR

20 INCREASING CAPACITY IN DUBAI

21 CHEMICAL COMPANY EXPANDS AFRICAN FOOTPRINT

21 10 DO’S AND DON’TS OF DEFENSIVE DRIVING

GLOBAL VIEW 22 A CASE FOR PRECAST SANDWICH WALLS

PRODUCTS 24 READYMIX USAGE KEEPS RISING

COVER STORY 2 AWARD BENEFITS FAR BEYOND PRESTIGE

INDUSTRY NEWS 5 ALLAYING FEARS ABOUT GREEN BUILDING

5 IMPRESSIVE RETAINING WALL

7 PRECAST PRODUCTS WILL EASE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES

9 CMA ENTERS NEW ERA

14 MOVE TO ENSURE QUALITY PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCTS

15 GOVERNMENT SHOULD SPECIFY QUALITY TO AVOID FAILURES

AROUND & ABOUT 16 COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE IN EASTERN CAPE

17 LOCAL CONCRETE MAN GETS INTERNATIONAL POST

18 WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS

ON THE COVER

The Concrete Manufactur-

ers Association NPC (CMA)

2016 Awards for Excellence

competition drew a bumper

crop of entries, which at

123 was almost double the

77 entered during the last

competition. The awards are

judged on photographs and

written motivations. Entries

closed on 16 October and

the judging took place on 23 November at the Jo-

hannesburg offices of PPC Cement, the main spon-

sors of this year’s event. Six trophies, one for each

category and up to three commendation awards

can be made in each category. However, awards

are only made if the judges deem the entries to

be worthy of one. The results were announced at

a gala dinner ceremony at Summer Place in Johan-

nesburg, on 23 April 2016.


ISSUE ONE • 2016

• CMA Mark of Approval

• New code of ethics

• Precast bridge for world-renowned race track

TO BE UPDATED

PRECAST is the official journal of the Concrete Manufacturers Association NPC (CMA)

Physical Address: Office 0400, Standard Plaza Building, 424 Hilda St, Hatfield, PretoriaPostal Address: PostNet Suite 8612, Private Bag X32, Kempton Park, 1620Tel: (+27 11) 805 6742Fax: (+27) 86 524 9216E-mail: [email protected]: www.cma.org.za

Publishers: Isikhova Publishing & CommunicationsPostal Address: PO Box 651793, Benmore, 2010, South AfricaTel: (+27 11) 883 4627Fax: (+27 11) 783 2677Website: www.isikhova.co.za

Publisher: Andrew MeyerTel: +(+27 11) 883 4627Cell: 082 456 5175E-mail: [email protected]

Consulting editor: Raymond CamplingTel: 076 297 2775Email: [email protected]

Advertising: Wally ArmstrongCell: 083 701 3278E-mail: [email protected]

Subscriptions/Accounts: Thuli MajolaTel: (+27 11) 883 4627E-mail: [email protected]

Design and layout: Joanne BrookTel: (+27 11) 883 4627 E-mail: [email protected]

The views and statements ex-pressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publishers and neither the pub-lishers nor the CMA accept respon-sibility for them. No person connected with the publication of this journal will be liable for any loss or damage sustained as a result of action following any statements or opinions expressed herein. The same applies to all advertising. Precast© 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including pho-tocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publishers.

Endorsed by:

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TECHNICAL 27 MANY ADVANTAGES OF PRECAST CONCRETE

28 ENSURING OPTIMAL WATER-CEMENT RATIOS

33 IMPRESSIVE PIPEJACKING PROJECT NEARS COMPLETION

34 CONCRETE PAVERS FOR PUBLIC SPACES

36 MR PRICE GETS NEW TILT-UP DISTRIBUTION CENTRE

39 CONCRETE RETAINERS SUPPORT OFFICE COMPLEX

40 REGULAR MAINTENANCE ENSURES PEAK PERMEABLE PAVING PERFORMANCE

42 PRECAST SLABS SPEED UP HOSPITAL EXTENSION

44 MEMBER LIST


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AWARD BENEFITS FAR BEYOND PRESTIGE

Past winners say that the benefits of

winning an award have been many, with

rewards going beyond pure recogni-

tion to sometimes improving sales of

products or even taking on a deeper

significance as a crowning moment in

a person’s career. We ask some of the

winners of the 2012 awards what win-

ning meant to them.

of the work. Yet we all pulled together

and overcame the challenges to deliver

a successful project. To me, it serves as

an example to the next generation of how

hard one has to work in order to achieve;

and while a project may not be ‘smooth

sailing’ at all times, it can be well worth

it in the end, as long as you persevere

and do your best,” says Sasman.

Ivan Sasman, of Ivan Sasman Archi-

tects in Cape Town says winning the

trophy for Aesthetics for the SAPS

Forensics Laboratory in Plattekloof

was a defining moment for him and

a fitting end to his career. “In some

ways, it represents a legacy of what

I’ve achieved and marks a high point for

me to begin handing over the reins to a

new generation.”

Perseverance wins

“This project was by no means easy, with

multiple government departments each

having its own list of requirements and so

many people on site for the full duration

“Winning the award gives us confidence

that we’re doing things correctly.”

Winning a CMA Award means more than just a trophy or cer-tificate – it represents a chance to showcase abilities and recognise exceptional products.

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(Above, from top): Gert van Wyk Marketing Manager of Bosun Group and Guinevere Thomas Group Marketing and Communications Manager for Infrastructure Specialist Group.

On winning multiple awards across

different companies in the group, Gert

van Wyk, Marketing Manager

of Bosun Group, says: “We

gauge ourselves against the

competition and winning the

award gives us confidence

that we’re doing things cor-

rectly. But most important,

it means that as an industry,

we’re producing solutions

for architects and contrac-

tors to build with, that are

outstanding.”

With regard to Smart-

stone (part of Bosun Group),

its winning Melrose Arch

project won a Vintage Award

and showed how well the

product lasted. “From a

Smartstone point of view,

we value the Vintage Award because it

shows that the product is durable and

still looks good more than 10 years after

being installed. It’s undoubtedly good for

our resumé and we’ve been able to use it to

our advantage when potential

customers enquire about our

products’ longevity.

Creating goodwill

“Likewise, the Soweto Side

Walk Project won a High-

ly Commended award for

Community Involvement.

It showed that paving pro-

jects are great for commu-

nity upliftment and involve-

ment, while simultaneously

recognising the community

for their hard work. The

award lent a sense of pride

to locals and gave back to

the community – that’s

what makes community-

based projects special.”

Guinevere Thomas, Group Marketing

and Communications Manager for Infra-

structure Specialist Group, agrees. “The

paving and precast industry is a shining

light in the provision of mass employ-

ment. When Rocla was awarded the

Trophy for Excellence in the Community

Involvement category, it recognised all

the people involved in the manufacture,

sales and installation of our lightweight

precast concrete sanitation units.

We’ve built up valuable partnerships with

various municipalities, which enables us

to uphold a position as the preferred

precast brand for their Expanded Public

Works Programme projects.”

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ALLAYING FEARS ABOUT GREEN BUILDING

IMPRESSIVE RETAINING WALL

The quantity surveying profession is a

key component of the construction sup-

ply chain – but all supply chain members

have to share commitment and combine

forces to make sustainable building

more acceptable in South

Africa, says Danie Hoffman,

a professional member of the

Association of SA Quantity

Surveyors (ASAQS).

Hoffman, the Progamme

Leader of Quantity Surveying

at the University of Pretoria’s

Department of Construction

Economics, is currently lead-

ing a study by ASAQS of the

true cost of “green building”

for the Green Building Council

of SA (GBCSA). The study – which is well

advanced – involves comparative costing

BRW Projects recently completed

work on one of the highest Terraforce

concrete retaining block (CRB) walls in

South Africa.

Situated in Salt Rock, KwaZulu-Natal,

Brettenwood Estate is a private hous-

ing and retirement village surrounded by

high, red dunes close to the sea. There

are three big CRB walls at Brettenwood,

with this example being the highest.

Says Ben van Schalkwyk of BRW Pro-

jects: “The highest wall reaches up to

12,6 m and is comprised of a double skin of

L13 blocks all the way to the top. The con-

crete foundation is 1 200 mm wide, 450

mm thick and reinforced with Y12 steel

bars that protrude into the double layer of

the first row of blocks that were set in the

wet concrete. The first nine double layers

of blocks were filled with mass concrete.

(Above): ASAQS professional member, Danie Hoffman.

of around 55 Green Star SA office build-

ings certified by the GBCSA between

2008 and 2014.

According to Hoffman, one of the

greatest challenges facing green build-

ing in South Africa is fear

of the unknown, particularly

costing. He says green build-

ing techniques are often

perceived as expensive and

challenging to execute – but

this need not be the case,

particularly when full life-

cycle costing of building is

added to the equation.

Complex issues

“Life-cycle costing covers all

the financial implications of building, from

concept to end-of-life, and incorporates

the costs of construction, materials,

design, engineering, water and electric-

ity tariffs, heating and cooling, repair

costs and eventual disposal cost, or

residual value.

“Quantity surveyors, as cost consult-

ants, will play an increasingly important

role to inform decision-makers on green

building. However, the responsibility for

cost-effective green building solutions

will have to be shared between quantity

surveyors and the entire supply chain:

developers, designers, contractors and

end-users.

“Quantity surveyors are essential links

in the supply chain, as they’re involved

from initial design stage to the conclusion

of construction processes, and can advise

on the specification of construction ma-

terials and prepare and control budgets,

as well as expenditure,” Hoffman explains.

Green initiatives

He believes educational institutions

also have an important role to play

to promote the cause of sustainable

construction by informing the entire

industry of the availability of sustain-

able materials and technologies, and

the benefits of best practice. “One of

the greatest challenges facing ‘green

building’ in South Africa is fear of the

unknown, particularly costing.”

All backfill material consists of stabi-

lised fill (three bags of cement to a cube

of soil) and every metre of the height of

the wall, a 2 m-wide layer of Bidim was

installed in the backfill. Finally, behind

every line of blocks the backfill was com-

pacted to MOD.AASHTO standard. It is

important to mention that for a wall this

high, drainage needs to be perfect. In this

instance, we installed an agricultural drain

behind the foundation, with 19 mm stone

wrapped in Bidim, while a V-drain was

installed at the top and behind the wall.”

Ben adds that the Terraforce L13

blocks, manufactured by Corobrik Dur-

ban, a member of the CMA, were chosen

by Vista Homes due to its extensive

experience with these blocks. Vista was

the main contractor on site and had

previously used Terraforce blocks for

large projects.

In total, 162 000 L13 blocks were used

for this wall, while 120 000 blocks were

used on the second wall and 90 000 blocks

on the third wall. There are also about 10

other smaller walls in the estate built with

L22 and Geolock 300 blocks.

(Above): Brettenwood Estate in Salt Rock has one of the highest Terraforce CRB walls in South Africa.

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PRECAST PRODUCTS WILL EASE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES

Tough economy stifles construction

Echoing Minnaar’s discussion on the

current economic situation, econo-

mist David Metelerkamp of Industry

Insight says indications

are that South Africa’s

construction industry will

be stuck in an extended

period of low growth for

the foreseeable future.

Speaking at the an-

nual feedback session

of the Concrete Manu-

facturers Association

NPC (CMA) in Kempton

Park recently. He explained that the

construction industry is intrinsically

linked to the economy and that the

battered state of our economy will

probably take a long time to recover

from its current state.

However, there is a glimmer of

hope for role-players in the industry

who should look towards sectors that

are performing well and tailor offer-

ings to meet demands. Also, in cer-

tain geographical areas requirements

exist for housing, infrastructure,

etc which can drive local construc-

tion economies far higher than the

average. Moreover, sectors such as

retail are booming and construction

of retail centres is at an all-time high.

“Since the global economic crisis

in 2008, the world has experienced

the slowest recovery from such an

event ever. In addition, the slowdown

of China is putting immense pres-

sures on commodity prices. This

has caused turmoil among producer

countries and has led indirectly to

emerging economies taking a beat-

ing. While the world’s

economy is expected

to grow by only 2,6%,

South Africa’s economy

will be even slower, at

just 0,7%.”

He cited the following

areas as being poten-

tially lucrative in the

year ahead:

1. Property trusts and

funds are buoyant and continue to

invest in properties.

2. Retail construction is booming

and showed an 18% annual growth

last year.

3. The affordable housing market con-

tinues to grow at 8% per annum.

4. Townhouse developments are

growing by 6%.

5. There are well publicised plans for

a Mega-Housing projects in

Gauteng, with 700 000 units

planned in four years.

6. Similar projects are planned

for KZN and pockets across the

country.

“It pays to make use of informa-

tion at the disposal of the industry

and to capitalise on the many op-

portunities that exist in order to

ensure that your business doesn’t

remain stagnant during this period,”

concluded Metelerkamp.

As emerging market currencies take a

pounding on world markets and the rand

tests new lows against the US dollar,

it is prudent for the local construction

industry to seek more efficient ways of

developing much-needed infrastructure

and housing.

Weighing in with some positive in-

put on current economic challenges,

Executive Director of the Concrete

Manufacturers Association NPC (CMA),

Frans Minnaar, says that the construc-

tion industry can weather the storm

by ensuring that faster, more efficient

methods are employed to construct

infrastructure, roads and houses.

He explains: “Bearing in mind that

government has to deliver on a fair amount

of promised development projects to

soothe the expectations of its support-

ers, it’s not unreasonable to believe that

many of these projects will have to be

completed soon, irrespective of economic

data. Along with private sector projects,

this will give some impetus to the market

and will provide some stimulation for the

industry which will no doubt lead to fierce

competition among bidders”.

On the upside

With the expectation of tighter budgets

(Above): David Metelerkamp of Industry Insight.

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[email protected]

CAPE TOWN Montreal Drive, Airport Industria 7490 P.O.Box 6074, Roggebaai 8012 Tel (021) 386-1923 • Fax (021) 386-2514

GAUTENG Verwoerd Road, Meyerton 1961

P.O. Box 694, Meyerton 1961 Tel (016) 362-2236 • Fax (016) 362-2235

www.concreteunits.co.za

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2015 FULTON AWARD W

INNER

INNOVATION IN CONCRETE

and shorter delivery times that will be

required to ease government’s mount-

ing delivery pressures, the answer to

sustainable construction will lie in the

use of more efficient techniques. While

traditional building product suppliers may

be in for a tough time, Minnaar believes

that precast concrete product suppliers

will fare better, as their products will

provide “under-pressure” contractors

with faster and more efficient means of

construction.

“In order to effectively complete pro-

jects, government and private-sector

investors will have to look at more efficient

ways of construction in future, with the

use of high-quality products that will speed

up installation and provide shorter project

durations. Contractors, too, will have to

operate more smartly and do careful cal-

culations regarding materials, transport,

installation and labour costs, in order to be

more efficient and competitive.”

Also, while speed will be of the es-

sence on future projects, a move to using

precast elements improves quality of

workmanship, as elements are produced

under well-controlled conditions in estab-

lished factories. Rather than sacrificing

quality for speed, contractors will then

have the opportunity to address govern-

ment’s need for improved quality, as well

as speed and lower costs.

Smarter methods

“Rebuilds currently cost government mil-

lions of rands per annum and with a move

to quality precast concrete

products (manufactured by

CMA member producers), an

opportunity exists to eliminate

this problem and save additional rands in

years to come.”

“Simultaneously, the use of precast

concrete products will ensure stability

in the workplace with the provision of

long-term job security in factories. It’s

also well known that the use of precast

concrete products is creating short-

term jobs for local communities during

the installation and placing of these

products and it therefore serves a dual

purpose as far as job

creation is concerned.”

“By simply changing

the way we design and

specify materials for

building projects,

we have the potential to de-

liver more for less. While economic

realities no doubt has an impact on the

delivery of infrastructure and housing, a

shift to precast concrete has the oppor-

tunity to save end-users time and money

to ensure development continues at an

acceptable pace,” concludes Minnaar.


CMA ENTERS NEW ERANot a moment too soon, the Concrete

Manufacturers Association NPC (CMA)

is in the process of registering an all-new

company to undertake quality assurance

services and issue the long-awaited CMA

Mark of Approval to verify product compli-

ance with SANS specifications on behalf

of its members.

Until now, the SABS had been the only

certification body active in the concrete

manufacturing industry, but long and cost-

ly delays in the issuing of marks of approval

were hampering the industry and members

called for swift action to address the situ-

ation. This prompted the CMA to establish

the new company, which will test and verify

compliance with SANS specifications. The

company will open its doors in May 2016

after it has completed trial assessments

and received the go-ahead

from the South African

National Accreditation

System (SANAS).

The Quality Assurance

division will be operated

as a separate revenue-

generating company, with

the CMA holding 100%

shares in the business.

Revenues generated will

be used to fund opera-

tions and profits received

will be used to supplement

the CMA’s coffers, thus

reducing its dependency

on grants. CMA Executive

Director Frans Minnaar

says a general manager

and marketing manager

will be formally appointed

soon to start the ball

rolling. “The establish-

ment of the company is

a step in the right direc-

tion and ensures that

our members will be able

to prove their compliance

with SANS specifications without being

hamstrung by inefficiencies of outside

certification agencies.“

CMA Mark Scheme

While certain members remain unable to

obtain certification due to backlogs at

the SABS (and other reasons), the CMA

is working rapidly to start up a quality

assurance and certification company that

will be able to take over the responsibility

for the precast concrete industry.

Incumbent General Manager of the

new CMA quality assur-

ance company, Christo van

Zyl, updated members on

progress towards estab-

lishing the CMA Mark of

Approval at the CMA feed-

back session held in Kemp-

ton Park recently. “We’re

currently in the process

of submitting our quality

management system to

SANAS for accreditation.

Once this has been done,

we’ll begin to determine

costs and select ‘guinea

pig’ customers and prod-

ucts to go through assess-

ment under the scrutiny

of SANAS. Once that’s

been completed and we’re

awarded SANAS accredi-

tation, we’ll be allowed to

open for business.”

He says it is a common

misconception that only

the SABS can provide cer-

tification of SANS specifi-

cations and issue a mark of

approval (SABS Mark of Approval). It is im-

portant to remember that since 1994, the

standard specifications no longer belong to

a specific certification authority and any

properly registered certification authority

may assess and certify companies to the

SANS specifications which are our national

specifications. “Our specifications are only

printed by the SABS.”

(Above): CMA Executive Director, Frans Minnaar.

(Above): General Manager of the new CMA Quality Assurance company, Christo van Zyl.


Powerful web presence

CMA members have entered the “Internet

of Things” with the launch of the interac-

tive World of Precast web portal that

allows users to submerse themselves

in a world where concrete products and

manufacturers are just a click away.

The experience-based

website is based on a 3D

visual representation of a

city and allows browsers

to delve deeper and find

products and manufac-

turers to undertake their

projects. The website

also cross-references

products with the CMA

members that manufac-

ture the goods in order

to ease the search for

precast concrete product

manufacturers. World of Precast was

conceptualised and built by WOW Inter-

active and provides a unique tool that

is visual and easy to use. Steve Cowling

of WOW Interactive says the portal has

been specially designed with 14 fields,

each a visual rendering, that clicks through

directly to manufacturers and products.

It is infinitely searchable, giving users a

unique experience to interact with the con-

crete world that we live in. Enter the World

of Precast at www.worldofprecast.co.za.

The year that was

In many ways, the year 2015 was a spring-

board for bigger and better things to come

from the CMA with a number of new initia-

tives planned.

Producers 86

Non-producers 22

Contractors 5

Associates 14

Cement producers 4

Total 132

Recounting the activities of the organi-

sation during the CMA’s annual feedback

session, Executive Director Frans Min-

naar said that the association is engag-

ing more closely with its members and is

becoming actively involved in addressing

challenges to assist them as well as

identifying opportunities

wherever they exist. High-

lights of the year included

the planning and near-

f inalisation of the new

CMA website, as well as

World of Precast interac-

tive web portal. Planning of

the CMA Mark of Approval

was also undertaken and

all the necessary steps

put in place to launch a

new 100% CMA-owned

quality assurance company

to manage the certification process.

Reach-out roadshows were held in new

areas to introduce the CMA to manufac-

turers, as well as end users in the Kwa-

Zulu Natal and Limpopo areas. In addition,

seminars on the new ISO 9001:2015

quality assurance standard, as well as the

Hybricem hybrid building techniques, were

held across the country. The association’s

presence was also felt at the Totally Con-

crete trade show, where the CMA boasted

a large booth that included participation

of 15 members, each with a panel on the

stand and room for their technical repre-

sentatives to interact with visitors.

During 2015 the membership remained

largely unchanged, with four new members

and four resignations. At the end of the

year, the membership was as follows:

(Above): Steve Cowling of WOW Interactive.

New publications launched during the

year included a much-needed Manhole Man-

ual, as well as Quality Management System

Guidelines. Sales of existing publications

went well, with good sales of the Structural

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Concrete Masonry Design Guide, Lock-

pave & Permpave programmes and the

Step-by-Step Guide to Perfect Paving.

The CMA’s road ahead

This year promises to be an exciting

year for the CMA with the launch of a

new certification company, a round-the-

country roadshow and a host of semi-

nars planned so far.

With SABS certif ications taking

unacceptably long, the CMA is launch-

ing its own certif ication agency to

assist its members to

obtain certification on

required SANS stand-

ards in order to qualify

for tenders and meet

engineering specifica-

tions. A series of com-

bined roadshows will be

held across the country

to announce and ex-

plain the transition from

SABS certification to

the CMA’s own mark

of approval, as well as introduce new

members and users in far-flung areas

to the services of the CMA. Seminars

planned thus far will include Roof Tiles,

Lintels, Paving and Permpave.

Publications will also receive atten-

tion, with the Roof Tile and Paving manu-

als up for review. An investigation is also

being led to establish the need for a Wet

Cast Paving manual to be developed.

Simultaneously, Precast magazine is

growing in leaps and bounds, with ap-

proximately 8 000 people reading the

magazine per issue.

Publisher Andrew Meyer says: “Since

we took ownership of the

magazine eight years ago,

it’s has gone from a loss-

making publication that

cost the association

a considerable amount

of money to a no-risk

publication for the CMA

that’s well respected

and eagerly anticipated

by members and all those

involved in the manufac-

ture and procurement of

precast concrete products.”

While neither the association nor its

members are required to contribute

towards publishing of the magazine, it

does need advertising in order to survive

and members are urged to continue to

support the magazine. The association

will continue to step up its public rela-

tions efforts throughout the year and

will remain visible through participation

Multi Story Buildings, High Strength Security Walls, Retaining Walls

Market leader in Hollowcore – Western Cape

Corner Fabriek & Oop Street, Bellville South

021 951 7700

info@topfl oor.co.za

www.topfl oor.co.za

A

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Member of Part of the

GROUPGROUP

(Above): Andrew Meyer, publisher of Precast magazine.

(Above): Some of the new publications launched during the year.

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO

PERFECT PAVING

MANHOLE MANUAL

Q U A L I T Y C A S T I N C O N C R E T E

CONCRETE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (NPC)

QUALITY MANAGEMENTSYSTEM MANUAL

Q U A L I T Y C A S T I N C O N C R E T E

CONCRETE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (NPC)


in trade shows such as the Cape Con-

struction Expo and Totally Concrete 2016

later in the year.

Technical feedback

The CMA’s Technical Commit-

tee, under the watchful

eye of Taco Voogt, never

rests as they move from

one technical issue in the

precast concrete industry to

another and ensure that both

manufacturers and end users’

interests are looked after.

Last year, the Technical Com-

mittee concentrated on SANS

1058:2012 standard for concrete

pavers and brought about changes to

the old standard, which was open to

different interpretations. The changes

included a modification to the effect that

historically proven aggregates may now

be used. Water absorption requirements

have been taken out of the main body and

moved to an annex as a recommendation

only. The tensile splitting test

length determination of a block

was defined and the K-factor

has been removed from the

standard. These suggestions

have been submitted to the

SABS for ratification.

Changes were also on the

cards for SANS 1215:2008

concrete masonry units, with

the f irst action called for

being the adoption of BS EN

771-3:2003. This resulted

in the new SANS 50771-3:2015 being

promulgated and the workgroup has

subsequently requested that the old

SANS 1215:2008 be withdrawn. Other

amendments have also been made to

(Above): Taco Voogt.

SANS 542:2015 for concrete roofing

tiles, where minor changes and admin-

istrative revisions were made. SANS

541:2012 precast concrete slabs was

scrutinised and contradictory wear and

abrasion requirements were

amended. Interestingly, it was

also found that equipment re-

quired to do the tests was not

available in the country. SANS

927:2013 for concrete kerbs,

edgings and channels was also

changed, among many others.

Voogt warned members

that the SABS auditing division

has recently clamped down on

CMA members with regard to

the interpretation of national

standards. This has led to certifications

being withheld on products that previously

did conform – in particular, on the compli-

ance with SANS 1083 for aggregates for

concrete, etc.

• CMA Mark of Approv

al

• New code of

ethics

• Precast b

ridge for w

orld-ren

owned race track


ISSUE THREE • 2015

ISSUE TWO • 2015

co

nc

re

te

manufacturers

as

so

cia

tio

n Q

uality cast in concrete

• Pushing production with self-compacting concrete

• Pioneering prestressed slab manufacturer celebrates 20 years

• New home for CMA

the cma – QUaLItY caSt IN cONcRete

the cma – QUaLItY caSt IN cONcRete

ISSUE onE • 2015

co

nc

re

te

manufacturers

as

so

cia

tio

n

Quality cast in concrete

• Durban Bluff project puts watertight jacking pipe to the test

• CMA’s new Executive Director• Concrete masonry pitfalls and solutions


14

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The construction and financial industries

in South Africa are becoming increasingly

aware of the value of using products that

have been specifically manufactured for

construction projects under strictly

controlled conditions.

During times of economic strain,

decision-makers especially are aware

of the value for money and preventing

unnecessary re-work or replacement

costs. According to the Concrete

Manufacturers Association NPC (CMA)

Executive Director, Frans Minnaar, if

one looks at the construction industry

as a whole, one will realise that quality

assurance forms an integral part of the

total construction process.

The success of construction will

always be influenced by all parts of the

process and the successful execution

of each stage is vitally important not

only for the final use of developments

but also for the thorough utilisation

of investments, government funds and

public money.

Quality systems

“By implementing quality assurance dur-

ing the entire process, successful and

timeous completion of projects becomes

a reality. If one starts to investigate the

unsuccessful projects reported through

the media, it soon becomes apparent

that the causes for failures or delays are

usually a result of the lack of adherence

to proper quality assurance systems.

“The problem is that in many instances

the interpretation of quality assurance is

MOVE TO ENSURE QUALITY PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCTSlimited to the quality of workmanship only,

instead of realising that quality assurance

should be an overall concept of service,

manufacturing, delivering and installation.

If you examine a common example of failure

to deliver, such as what is happening at

large construction projects like power

stations, you will soon realise that delays

and even strikes by workforces are caused

by lack of quality assurance in different

aspects of the projects.

“These include: poor planning, mis-

taken procurement, poor services such

as human resource functions, poor

control on deliveries, etc. For every

single function in any project, there are

standards available for the implementa-

tion of quality assurance in services and

production which have to be enforced

both by the client and the contractor.

If that is enforced and controlled cor-

rectly, then theoretically (apart from

natural influences such as weather

conditions or natural disasters) there

should be no delays or failures caused by

these aspects of a project. Obviously it

is human to err and one can still expect

certain non-conformities to get through

any process, but with thorough controls,

these should be very limited and time-

ous quality assurance assessments and

surveys should actually prevent it from

occurring,” says Minnaar.

Insist on quality

He adds that for this reason, the CMA

has set a goal for 2016 and onwards to

play an important role in preventing the

use of poor-quality precast products

in the industry. The introduction of the

CMA Accreditation and Mark of Approval

marks a proactive step by the asso-

ciation to further improve the quality of

precast concrete products offered by its

members to the construction industry.

In future it will be a requirement for

members of the CMA to implement a

standardised quality assurance system

within precast manufacturing plants

that will be assessed and evaluated by

competent systems auditors to en-

sure compliance with applicable South

African National Standards. Products

manufactured in accordance with SANS

standards will receive the CMA Mark of

Approval as proof of compliance.

“The CMA wants the industry to be

confident in the use of products that

carry the CMA Accreditation or Mark of

Approval and be safe in the knowledge that

the product complies with the required

standards. We also want to see the in-

dustry specifying only products that carry

the CMA mark and, in so doing, ensure

good-quality precast concrete products

are used in future,” Minnaar concludes.

(Above): The CMA Mark of approval.

15

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Building material producer associations

are calling for tighter specifications to be

applied when awarding tenders to ensure

that the principles of quality are applied

from the very beginning.

In light of government’s rising repair

bill, the Aggregate and Sand Producers’

Association of Southern Africa (Aspasa),

as well as the Southern Africa Readymix

Association (Sarma), whose materials

constitute the vast majority of materi-

als on any standard construction site,

suggest that the most likely cause of

structure failures is the use of inferior

or non-suitable materials.

“No matter how good the design is

or how skilled the workmen are, the

structure will fail every time if unsuitable

materials are used,” says Nico Pienaar,

Director on the boards of both asso-

ciations. While some professional bodies

within the industry have begun question-

ing government’s tender process and the

awarding of tenders to inexperienced

(cheap) contractors, he cautions that

attention also needs to be given to ensur-

ing quality building materials are used.

Low entry barriers

“In South Africa it is a fact that anybody

can buy a mixer truck and start producing

‘readymix concrete’. Likewise, sand and

stone can be excavated from any vacant

lot and be labelled as building sand and ag-

gregates. But the reality is that this does

not constitute proper building material.

“Industry associations such as ours

were established specifically to bring

regulation to our industries and formalise

them to the extent that members can be

relied upon to produce products which

conform to the standards required by

their customers.

“If procurement is done from the infor-

mal or unregistered end of the industry,

there are no checks and balances and no

real way of knowing what you are buying.

Did the so-called readymix supplier use

inferior-quality cement, was batching done

correctly, were the desired mixes adhered

to or did the supplier use aggregates with

the right mineral composition?”

A quick fix

“It is therefore imperative that gov-

ernment and the formal construction

industry become serious about quality

and begin to ensure that materials are

procured only from professional suppliers

who are registered with the relevant in-

dustry association and who are regularly

measured against strict standards and

criteria, as is the case with both Sarma

and Aspasa members.

“It is our belief that government can

dramatically reduce failures and subse-

quent expenses resulting from rebuilds

simply by procuring building materials

from compliant and registered compa-

nies,” concludes Pienaar.

GOVERNMENT SHOULD SPECIFY QUALITY TO AVOID FAILURES


16

AR

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& A

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COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE IN EASTERN CAPEconstruction in a short period and enjoy

benefits beyond housing delivery.”

Helping development

Beyond supplying machinery, Hydraform’s

participation in this project has not only

helped create shelter for worthy citi-

zens, but has involved the community in

the construction of their own houses.

Radway Green Farm community members

have also benefited from being gainfully

employed during this process and have

acquired the necessary transferable

skills in both block-making using Hydra-

form’s technology and construction.

“The community members we em-

ployed for this project previously had

no transferable sk i l ls, other than

farming. Now they have the ability to

produce blocks and build using Hydra-

form interlocking building technology.

A key objective of the project was to

ensure that the community members

were not only beneficiaries of homes,

Brick and block equipment manufacturer,

Hydraform, has contributed to the con-

struction of 27 affordable homes in the

Eastern Cape on behalf of the Department

of Rural Development & Land Reform.

As part of the department’s com-

mitment to development and upliftment,

the Radway Green Farm community just

outside Grahamstown is being provided

with permanent shelter during a process

that would offer them employment while

teaching them invaluable skills.

Hydraform is a CMA member and has

been a forerunner in the industry for close

to three decades, supplying interlocking

block-making machinery to a growing

market and of fering the necessary

training and skills development to inform

and enhance the user’s experience of

the machinery. This existing model fed

into the company’s extended offering to

deliver turnkey solutions for specialised

housing delivery.

Sales & Marketing Director for

Hydraform, Nazlie Dickson notes: “The

opportunity this initiative gave us was

to implement our own project and prove

that a community can be transformed

and enabled by participating in local


Bryan Perrie, Managing Director of The

Concrete Institute, has been elected

Vice-President of the International

Society for Concrete Pavements (ISCP).

Perrie is one of South Africa’s

leading authorities on concrete

pavements and globally respected

in this field, having delivered

papers on the subject at dozens

of top-level conferences all over

the world. He was elected to the

new ISCP post at a recent ISCP meeting

which coincided with the Transportation

Research Board’s 95th annual meeting

held in Washington and is the first South

African to serve in this capacity.

ISCP, of which Perrie has been a

board member for several years, has

since its establishment in 1997 aimed

to “facilitate the advancement

of knowledge and technology

related to concrete pavements

through education, technology

transfer and research at an

international level”.

The ISCP’s current Board of

Directors comprises concrete pavement

authorities from many countries, includ-

ing Chile, Germany, Australia, the USA,

Canada and Belgium.

LOCAL CONCRETE MAN GETS INTERNATIONAL POST

but were trained in block-making and

construction as part of their skills

development. The community produced

150 000 blocks that went into building

their houses,” she says.

The Hydraform block-making machin-

ery was transported to site, ensuring a

good- quality product that didn’t have

to travel far to get to its destina-

tion, which cut down tremendously on

transportation costs and rendered the

product more inherently energy-efficient.

The Radway Green Farm project also

offered a unique set-up to test out the

versatility and robust nature of the

machinery. Notes Dickson: “The project

itself is in a rural setting where there

are no formal water and power facilities

or supply. But this made no difference

to the performance of our machinery,

which is highly mobile and can produce

blocks on site.”

The right solution

Hydraform block-making machinery

provides smart solutions to the logistical

challenges presented by a rural build

and due to its innovative dry-stacking

method, the final product has a lower

embodied energy than traditional bricks

and blocks.“Hydraform blocks are not

baked or fired, which saves a remarkable

amount of energy.

“The dry-stack interlocking technology

also saves construction time and cement

costs, as well as providing materials with

less embodied energy, contributing to a

structure that is greener overall. This

project is a self-sustainable and inde-

pendent development that included solar

power generation and a waste manage-

ment system, as well as water delivery.”

Hydraform’s product of fering is

uniquely positioned to serve developing

countries in their quest for infrastruc-

ture development and stability due to its

inherent adaptability. “Our products are

able to work around infrastructural con-

straints and still deliver housing, public

buildings, clinics and schools – even in

the most remote areas. This extended

offering means we make meaningful con-

tributions to South Africa’s job creation,

skills development and community uplift-

ment objectives,” concludes Dickson.


Three companies recently joined the Concrete Manufacturers

Association NPC (CMA) to share in the combined knowledge of

the association, be part of the drive to promote the use of pre-

cast concrete and ensure quality products and reliable services.

The new members include Polokwane-based Coreslab, a thriving

precast manufacturer and hollow core specialist. The company

opened its doors in 2008 as a hollow core plant focusing mainly

on residential projects. As the company grew, the owners began

exploring various different fields and soon diversified to include in-

frastructural and other types of structures into their nationwide

repertoire. Since then the company has successfully completed a

number of impressive projects, including a 50 ML precast water

reservoir, a complete pavilion with precast columns, raker beams,

seating benches and closures, as well as its latest project, a

six-storey hotel in Thohoyandou using precast columns, beams,

hollow core slabs and wall panels.

Another innovator and welcome addition to the CMA family

is Cemblocks, a company which has built up a vast amount of

knowledge and experience in the manufacture of bricks, building

blocks and paver bricks. The Rustenburg-based company has

grown to become one of the largest manufacturers of paving and

building blocks in North West Province by relying on its cumulative

knowledge and using of the latest technology to remain a market

leader in its area of operation. Apart from its home territory,

the company also distributes products to Gauteng, Mpumalanga,

Limpopo, Eastern Cape and even Botswana. The company manu-

factures about 3 500 m2 of paving at the specialised paving plant

and an average of 470 000 bricks/building blocks per day.

West Rand-based Econo Cast is another company that has

taken innovation to the maximum with its thermal slab products.

In addition to beams, lintels and ash blocks, the company manufac-

tures a lightweight expanded polystyrene block and pre-stressed

rib system to meet increasing demands for thermal efficiency, as

well as offering a lightweight and easy-to-erect system in place

of traditional bricks-and-mortar techniques. The company’s slab

system is said to be 30% lighter than equivalent concrete rib and

block slabs. In addition, the company offers services that include

civil and structural engineering, raft foundations, earthworks,

platforms, reinforcing, concrete and power floating, as well as

completion certificates.

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS

(Above, from top left): Econo Cast provides alternative products to meet demand for thermally efficient building; the Cemblocks plant in Rustenburg; Coreslab provides innovative precast products.

19


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CMA member Sika won

the award for Best CEO

of the Year last year,

beating competition from

the largest listed com-

panies in Switzerland.

The ranking is compiled by Obermatt, a

Swiss financial research firm focused on in-

dexing company performance. The Obermatt

CEO of the Year rankings measure a company’s

performance against that of its competitors.

The performance metrics which are monitored

are sales growth, operating performance and

total shareholder return.

The top ranking of Sika is based on its strong

results of the past three years – the best ever

in Sika’s history. It’s outperformed compa-

nies such as Geberit, Lindt & Sprüngli, Barry

Callebaut and Givaudan, while others such as

Roche, Nestlé or Novartis failed to reach the

top 10 ranking.

Sika CEO Jan Jenisch acknowledges the

company’s global employees as follows:

“Friends, this award goes to all of you and we’d

like to congratulate you for making Sika one of

the most successful companies. You conse-

quently implemented Sika’s Strategy 2018 and

made our growth model work.”

The acquisition of Polish precast concrete

machinery manufacturer and CMA mem-

ber, Techmatik, by USA-based Columbia

Machine will strengthen the combined

companies’ offering and provide improved

support services to global customers.

This is according to Rick Goode, CEO

of Columbia Machine, who added that

Techmatik is a recognised leader in the

design and manufacturing of moulds,

production machines (“big board”), han-

dling, cubing, curing, batching and mixing

solutions for the production of paving

stones, hardscapes and other dry cast

concrete products.

“Techmatik has been our strategic

partner for almost 10 years and our

companies have collaborated on mould

and equipment solutions for a number

of customers around the world. Its in-

novative product designs, best-in-class

quality and customer-centric focus has

CEO OF THE YEAR

STRENGTHENED OFFERING AS A RESULT OF BUYOUT aligned very well with our customers and

employees,” says Goode.

Dariusz Kupidura, founder and Presi-

dent of Techmatik, adds: “We’re excited

to be part of the Columbia family of

companies. Our companies work very

well together. Columbia’s worldwide

sales and service channels should help

Techmatik continue to grow, while we’re

also looking forward to helping Columbia

support its existing customers in other

markets with local parts, mould and

service capabilities.”

The partnership is expected to take

the combined company to the next level,

with both companies’ customers and em-

ployees expected to benefit from the com-

bined strength in product offerings and

worldwide customer support capabilities.

Established in 1937, Columbia Ma-

chine is a third-generation, privately

held, global leader in the design, manu-

facturing and support of equipment for

a variety of industries, with customers

in over 100 countries around the world.

Primary business units include batching

and mixing, concrete products equip-

ment, production equipment moulds,

mechanical palletising machines, robotic

palletising solutions, conveyor system

solutions, pallet load transfer solutions

and manufacturing services.

(Above): Sika CEO Jan Jenisch.

20

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Dubai’s Consent LLC has bought a con-

crete block machine from CMA member,

Techmatik, for $2,7 million. Consent LLC

is the United Arab Emirates licensee of

another CMA member, Terraforce.

Manufactured in Poland, the Techma-

tik SHP 5000 Pro C can produce con-

crete blocks from 40-550 mm. Quiet and

energy-efficient, its steel pallets ensure

an output which is consistently high.

Exporting throughout the world,

Consent LLC is a leading manufacturer of

concrete products and polyester straps.

Its largest production facility is located

in the UAE and it supplies kerbstones,

paving blocks, granix tiles, masonry

blocks, retaining wall blocks and other

custom-made precast products.

Alan Sakr, Group General Manager of

Consent LLC, comments: “We’re currently

working on several projects, so it’s hard

to say what the equipment will be used for

initially, but Dubai’s Palm Islands and sev-

eral city parks, including Zabeel, are some

of our most important ongoing projects.”

INCREASING CAPACITY IN DUBAI

The past decade has seen Terraforce

steadily extending its footprint into the

international retaining-wall market. Based

in Cape Town, the company is a precast

concrete manufacturer specialising in

modular, hollow-core concrete blocks and

since its inception over 25 years ago, it

has maintained a strong foothold in the

South African CRB wall market. See more

at: http://www.terraforce.com/about-

terraforce/company-history/.

Techmatik CEO, Dariusz Kupidura,

observes: “We’re a family-owned com-

pany and ongoing business partnerships

have always been important to us. We

believe this is the beginning of just such

a partnership.”

Techmatik supplies moulds for the

production of paving blocks and decora-

tive concrete products, concrete block

machines, complete process plants, con-

crete mixing plants and machines used to

manufacture vibrated, pressed and ready-

mixed concrete. The company delivers its

block-making equipment directly to several

hundred customers worldwide. For fur-

ther information, visit: www.techmatik.pl.

(Above, from left): Techmatik CEO, Dariusz Kupidura (left) and Alan Sakr, Group General Manager of Consent LLC (image by courtesy of www.thebig5hub.com); South Africa’s humble Spekboom covers this Terraforce block wall at Al Jalila Children’s Hospital in Dubai, UAE.

21


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CMA member Sika is opening its first con-

crete admixture and mortar production

facilities in Nigeria and Ivory Coast. The

global specialty chemicals company has

established new subsidiaries in Ethiopia

and Tanzania and is enlarging its presence

to 16 countries on the African continent.

Sika established the subsidiary in

Nigeria and Ivory Coast in 2014 and is

currently investing in local production

facilities in Lagos and Abidjan. The plants

will manufacture high-quality concrete

admixtures and mortars to supply the

booming construction, refurbishment and

maintenance markets in these countries,

where a large number of international

and medium-sized local contractors are

working on contracts, particularly in oil

and gas, infrastructure, commercial and

residential projects.

Paul Schuler, Sika Regional Manager

EMEA, emphasises the importance of

Sika’s expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa:

“Our new production facilities in Nigeria

and Ivory Coast and our new subsidiar-

ies in Tanzania and Ethiopia represent

CHEMICAL COMPANY EXPANDS AFRICAN FOOTPRINTanother milestone in the consequent

execution of Sika’s Strategy 2018. With

the latest investments, we’ll further

accelerate our growth in sub-Saharan

Africa and increase Sika’s market share.

It demonstrates our strong belief in the

potential and the prosperous future of

the continent.”

According to him, Nigeria is the

biggest economy in Africa in terms of

population and GDP. With roughly 180

million inhabitants and an expected an-

nual growth rate of approximately 5%,

the country will have major requirements

in the construction sector. In addition,

with 23 million inhabitants, Ivory Coast is

one of the smaller African countries, but

also offers promising growth potential for

Sika. Cement consumption in both coun-

tries is expected to grow by 9% in 2015.

“One pillar of Sika’s Strategy 2018

is the accelerated build-up of emerging

markets and the expansion of the supply

chain. The overall objective is to increase

sales generated in emerging markets

from the current 37% of total sales to

42-45% by 2018. Africa is one of the

focus regions for us going forward and

our investment is already bearing fruit,

with Sika’s sales in the region improving

by 18% in the last year,” says Schuler.

(Above): Sika’s new Nigerian plant.

Defensive driving should

be one of the top priori-

ties for any company to

preserve its health and

safety per formance,

said Andries Marais,

Safety, Health, Environ-

ment & Quality manager

of the Chryso Southern Africa Group in

an address to his colleagues and fellow

members of the CMA recently.

Marais was speaking at an a.b.e. Con-

struction Chemicals quarterly company

performance briefing session in Boksburg

which was organised by Chryso Group

Vice-President, Norman Seymore. a.b.e.

is part of the Chryso Southern Africa

Group of which Seymore is CEO.

Marais said employees should be

aware that South Africa’s road safety re-

cord is appalling and that defensive driv-

ing while on company business should be a

major concern, whether delivering goods

by truck, driving to see a customer, or

travelling to and from the office. He listed

some cardinal rules for defensive driving:

10 DO’S AND DON’TS OF DEFENSIVE DRIVING

(Far left): Andries Marais of Chryso Southern Africa Group.

1. Stay focused on your driving. Keep

your hands on the wheel in the 10

o’clock and 2 o’clock positions.

2. Do not engage in other tasks while

driving: “Defensive driving does not

allow for eating, drinking, smoking, do-

ing make-up, holding something or

using a cellphone,” Marais warned

distance behind the car in front of you

is very important.

7. Make yourself visible. Know the limita-

tions of the colour of your vehicle

and how conspicuous it is, especially

in gloomy, overcast conditions.

8. Avoid road rage incidents and stay

calm, even if provoked.

9. Adapt to road conditions, especially

if weather conditions or road surfaces

change and traffic volumes pick up or

diminish.

10. Familiarise yourself with the traffic

rules – and obey them.

“The company has achieved an excep-

tionally good health and safety perfor-

mance in the past year, but the alarming

statistics about motor vehicle accidents

– especially in the construction industry

– leave no room for complacency,” Marais

added. The Department of Labour recently

said that the SA construction industry

had a less than 50% rate of compliance

with health and safety regulations.

3. Scan the environment around you all

the time and be aware of what’s hap-

pening on the road or sidewalks.

4. Stay alert and don’t drive if you’re

tired or upset.

5. Go with the flow. Driving at the same

pace as the traffic flow is the safest

option – neither faster nor much slower.

6. The two-second rule for keeping your


22

Precast sandwich walls have been

in use in Europe for decades,

with some adaptations made to

suit local requirements. However, the

basic principle remains the same:

two walls of reinforced concrete

separated by an interior void

and held together with interior

trusses made of steel, wood or

composite materials, depending on

strength and insulation requirements.

This provides a wall that is equally

strong or stronger than bricks-and-

mortar construction, but with the

added benefits of outstanding thermal

insulation, as well as protection from

noise pollution and other elements.

Perhaps its most important feature,

however, is that the walls can be mass-

produced in precast factories where

they can be quality-checked, controlled

and rolled out in large quantities to

meet demands. Once on site, they offer

further benefits as they are simply

erected, fastened and take a fraction

of the time (and labour) compared with

standard types of construction.

Greener alternative

With ever-stricter building require-

ments and a growing demand for en-

ergy- efficient building in South Africa,

the time may have arrived for local

precast companies to investigate and

GLO

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Throughout Europe and parts of the developed world, the need for strong, versatile and well-insulated building has popularised the use of a type of precast wall which is easy to manufacture, install and provides unmatched insulation and strength characteristics.

of construction. Its popularity overseas

is not surprising, as the method arose

in response to many of the same chal-

lenges that plague the local construc-

tion industry today.

For example, the lack of sk il led

artisans on site was becoming a major

headache, as was the ever-greater

need for speed of construction pushing

contractors to find alternatives that

would enable them to keep pace with

deadlines. On the other hand, there was

a growing need to meet thermal and

energy efficiency targets. These are now

becoming familiar challenges locally too

and building professionals should note

that sandwich walling addresses all of

these challenges and provides a number

of other compelling benefits.

Making sandwich walls

Typically, the sandwich wall is con-

structed with two separate walls

about 5 cm thick and with an insulation

gap of about 8 cm in between although

different thicknesses may be specified

for different applications (no less than

25 mm is recommended, though). De-

pending on requirements, the insulation

gap may be filled with insulating foam or

other suitable materials according to (Above): Easy-up houses can be built using precast sandwich wall panels.

“Employment opportunities can

be transferred from temporary job sites to more permanent

opportunities in precast concrete

factories and plants.”

perhaps invest in systems to manufac-

ture sandwich walls locally. We would

be well advised to follow the example of

Europe, where major cement producers

and precast manufacturers collaborate

to develop systems for generic types of

construction, as well as meet specific

needs for niche applications.

As far as sandwich walls are con-

cerned, this practice has led to this type

of wall panel becoming available in a wide

range of widths, lengths, thicknesses

and finishes to suit most requirements.

As a result, the product has become a

well-known and mainstream alternative

to bricks-and-mortar and other forms

A CASE FOR PRECAST SANDWICH WALLS

23


GLO

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required performance criteria. Similarly,

bridges or connectors should be speci-

fied with the end use in mind, whether

it be composite materials to assist

with insulation or steel for strength and

cost-efficiency, etc.

Reinforcement of the panels will also

be manufactured in accordance with

requirements for structural strength,

as well as other requirements for lifting

and handling and transportation of the

manufactured unit to the construction

site. Panel sizes may vary considerably,

but usually make allowance for typical

construction standards. Depending

on eventual end use of the panel,

manufacturers overseas have become

adept at designing and manufacturing

panels that are “builder-friendly” through

the variation of surface finishes for

external and internal walls.

For example, walls on the exterior

may have hardy and weather-resistant

finishes or could be manufactured to

resemble brick or stone finishes, etc.

On the interior side, the walls may be

made smooth or have other aesthetically

appeal ing character istics to help

beautify the building’s interior. If desired,

the concrete may even be stained or

coloured to provide permanent and low-

maintenance finishes. Window and door

openings can be cast into the walls at

the manufacturing plant as part of the

fabrication process and services such as

electricity, plumbing, etc can be installed

directly into the panels, if required.

Fit and fix

Once on site, the panels are simply lifted

into place and erected using suitable

fasteners and techniques. The job of

construction is therefore moved away

from time- and labour-intensive bricks-

and-mortar or masonry work to become a

job of fitting and connecting – somewhat

like building a Meccano or large-scale

Lego set. It also allows for multiple

trades to be active on site at the same

time, as electrical, plumbing, carpentry

and other trades are mostly pre-installed

and can be instantly connected once the

panels are put in place.

Starting at the ground floor, this

means that on installation of the ground

floor wall panels, the contractor can

use the walls for ground stabilisation

immediately and begin the fenestration,

flooring and paving without the usual

delays to cure concrete. Simultaneously,

where required, the next level may be

added while work underneath continues

and in this way the construction time on

a project can be dramatically reduced.

Finally, one of the greatest attributes

of precast sandwich walling is its

unmatched performance in terms of

energy efficiency. It combines the highly

desirable thermal mass properties of

concrete with the applaudable R-values

of insulation materials such as expanded

polystyrene, extruded polystyrene,

polyiscyanurate or whichever sandwich

insulation filling is used. Provided the

materials are properly specified and

designed, the end product is a wall

that should comfortably meet any

requirement or specification for “green

building” and energy efficiency.

Viable solution

Overall, there is much room for the

sandwich wall panel to be included in the

standard offering of building materials

in South Africa. It is strong, provides

top-class insulation and dramatically re-

duces construction times on site. It also

has the ability to transform the modern

building site into a more advanced arena

where a handful of skilled artisans are

able to fit and erect structures exactly

according to drawing and specifications.

Employment opportunities can be

transferred from temporary job sites to

more permanent opportunities in precast

concrete factories and plants, as well

as product handling job opportunities

between the precast yard and the final

building site. While precast sandwich

walls may not be a suitable alternative

for every project, it is certainly worth

investigating its feasibility in others.

“It provides a wall that is equally strong

or stronger than bricks-and-mortar

construction, but with the added benefits

of outstanding thermal insulation.”

(Above): Ready-manufactured walls can simply be lifted and fixed into place on site.

(Above): Precast sandwich walls can be made to have a smart and functional exterior and interior finish.


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In recent years the use of readymix

concrete on large-scale building and con-

struction sites has grown to more than

50% of all concrete used and the figures

show that the trend is continuing.

In developed countries such as the

USA, UK and other European countries,

readymix concrete com-

prise approximately 90% of

all concrete used, indicat-

ing that there is still much

more room for its growth

as a primary construction

material in South Africa.

Johan van Wyk of the

Southern Africa Readymix

Association (Sarma) says

the growth of readymix

can be attributed to the

requirement for faster con-

struction times, the efficient deploy-

ment of labour and quality assurance of

Sarma-accredited concrete.

Bagged cement stranglehold

“In South Africa it’s difficult to break the

bagged cement and site mixing mental-

ity, as it’s always been assumed that

site mixing is a cheaper option. There’s

also an assumption that concrete is

concrete and it doesn’t matter how it’s

mixed and handled on site, as long as

the instructions on the bag are more

or less followed.

“Thankfully, through our ongoing

engagement with the market, as well

as high-level meetings with govern-

ment procurement bodies, industry

organisations representing professional

engineers, civil engineering contractors,

consulting and municipal engineers,

as well as architectural

bodies and the quantity

surveying fraternity, we’re

pleased to see that percep-

tions are changing.

“When one looks deep-

er into site-mixed versus

readymix on larger pro-

jects, the preconceived

ideas of cheaper concrete

can easily be refuted. On

an outright cost basis, the

use of sand, aggregates

and concrete is far cheaper. However,

add labour, time, wastage and spoilage

as a result of rain/broken bags etc and

the price swings in favour of readymix,”

says van Wyk.

Professional approval

Mix designs according to the above

specifications may take up to 28 days to

refine, test and approve in accordance

with engineer’s requirements. On the

other hand, readymix concrete mixes

have been tested, approved and certified

and Sarma-approved readymix suppliers

READYMIX USAGE KEEPS RISING

should be able to provide off-the-shelf

mix designs to suit applications.

In addition, concrete is manufactured

in “factory conditions”, which means

they are easily able to produce consist-

ent concrete of the required quality and

specifications for the duration of the

project. Site-mixed concrete, on the

other hand, usually makes it much more

difficult to produce consistent quality

as the strength varies as long as the

hosepipe is left in the mix or as long as

the mixer adds the right quantities and

does not get tired of mixing and break

for lunch, toilet, etc.

Van Wyk explains that Sarma has

played an important role in the industry

since 2007 when it began emphasis-

ing the need to improve the quality of

readymix concrete to international

standards.

Ongoing upliftment

“Since then, the association’s members

have adopted health, safety, environ-

mental and quality standards that are

comparable with the very best in the

world. It also plays a leading role in pro-

moting the use of readymix concrete and

raising awareness of issues affecting the

(Above): Johan van Wyk, General Manager of Sarma.

(Above): Readymix concrete makes sense for any project larger than simple renovations of existing houses such as this tilt up wall to be used in the construction of a house

25

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TSconcrete and construction industries.

“The local readymix industry is in good

shape and is getting better and smarter

every day. Our members are leading

the way in terms of innovation and are

constantly adding products to their of-

ferings that are tailored to new building

techniques and new requirements from

the construction industry. Increased

membership has also had another knock-

on effect, as improved funding allows us

to expand our reach and raise further

awareness of the benefits of readymix

concrete among professional associa-

tions,” says van Wyk.

“The adoption of stricter building

practices on residential projects as

well as the increasing incorporation of

readymix to speed up delivery of afford-

able housing developments across the

country will also drive the increased use

of readymix. Most importantly, if the

company uses a professional readymix

supplier, it will be able to tap into that

company’s specialist knowledge and have

concrete made that exactly suits the

workability and strength requirement for

a particular project. It can even supply

designer mixes with special properties

for high-tech building and architectural

applications,” says van Wyk.

Still the best

He concludes that Sarma-accredited

readymix has the right properties to

satisfy modern requirements for energy-

efficient building, while providing design-

ers with a material that is freely available

and sustainable to uphold environmen-

tally responsible building practices into

the future.

“We therefore foresee a bright future

for the use of readymix in South Africa

and would recommend that companies

which traditionally made use of site-mixing

operations engage with our members or

make contact with us to explore potential

benefits of using readymix concrete.”

(Above): Readymix is convenient off site or for large jobs at the yard.


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Precast concrete structures save time,

money and maintenance costs.

An all-new and innovative precast

concrete conveyor belt structure has

been developed by Tenova TAKRAF Af-

rica to replace traditional steel support

structures.

The foundationless concrete conveyor

system was conceptualised locally to

overcome some of the challenges that

limit traditional conveyors and provide a

practical evolution of the existing method.

While cost and speed of erection are

the most immediate benefits of the new

system, mining and industrial clients will

find a vast array of other equally impor-

tant benefits that accrue to making the

system a worthwhile solution to inves-

tigate wherever conveyors are needed.

Experience counts

Inventor Norman Collier explains that

prior to masterminding the system, he

had been involved in the implementation

of two of the world’s largest overland

conveyors at that time and wanted to

develop a system to overcome some of

the challenges the team had faced during

those projects.

“Firstly, I wanted to significantly in-

crease the speed of erection of such a

project to spend less time on site and so

reduce the associated overheads. I also

wanted to provide the flexibility to change

as and when needed, without derailing

the construction process. In addition,

the design allows easy expansion as sites

develop, as well as providing the option

to simply remove and relocate to another

site when the job has been completed.

“Once the modular conveyor is in

place, it requires no further maintenance

and eliminates the need for things such

as galvanising or paint throughout its

lifetime. The end product is therefore a

system that can be installed at speed

EVOLUTION OF CONVEYOR STRUCTURES infinitely configurable to meet custom-

ers’ requirements. In addition, it requires

minimal maintenance and is quieter, easier

and safer to install.

“Perhaps the most significant differ-

ence is that it empowers local communi-

ties in terms of job creation and skills

development, as precasting facilities

need to be set up close to site to manu-

facture the products. Local labour can

be used to manufacture the components

and once the project is completed, the

yard is left in full operational condition

for local community to use. Skills learnt

by locals can then be transferred to

manufacture bricks, build walls, sleep-

ers and install paving to name a few,”

adds Collier.

Development and manufacture

Design and manufacture of the moulds is

undertaken by Chloorkop-based Allasso

Construction, which has worked in part-

nership with Tenova TAKRAF to develop

suitably adjustable and rugged moulds

that are able to produce different-sized

(height, width and length) components

and remain durable for multiple castings.

However, the system is also designed

to be used on site with moulds produced

per order and transported to the site in

order to simplify logistics and minimise as-

sociated costs. Once set up, the moulding

process is done in 24-hour cycles with the

ability to maintain high production rates

throughout.

Typical statistics for the compo-

nents are:

• Length is 2 500 mm x 1 200 mm height x

900 mm width (can be adjusted to suit

width and idler spacing requirements).

• Weight is approximately 675 kg.

• Standard sizes are used and can ac-

commodate any commodity in terms

of weight and space

• Strength is 40 Mpa.

(approximately a metre per minute) and

costs approximately 49% less than tra-

ditional methods. Due to the foundation-

less design, modules can be added and

removed as required by simply levelling

the ground and laying a foot tile on which

the structure stands,” says Collier.

Tech specs

The conveyor modules are cast to tie into

existing infrastructure with standard

sockets for idler fittings. They can be

used on conveyors ranging from 750-

5 000 tons per hour and are configurable

according to belt width.

Each module weighs in at 675 kg ex-

cluding material and requires a foot sur-

face area of just under 1 m2. Depending

on capacity and speed, the ground bearing

requirement is just 80 kPa compared with

typical platforms that require 100 kPa.

Where necessary, mini-pile solutions

can be brought in to provide further

stability where conveyors are required

to operate outside of standard operating

requirements. In addition, two idler set

modules are available to accommodate

turns in the belt. Fittings are also in place

to accommodate roofing structures and

other bolt-ons.

Empowering locals

“Overall, we’ve designed a system that

costs half the price of conventional

conveyor structures, is re-usable and


He says there are two methods of fabri-

cating reinforced concrete. The first is to

pour the liquid material into

forms at a building site; this

is so-called in situ concrete.

The other method is precast

concrete, in which building

components are manufac-

tured in a central plant and

then brought to the building

site for assembly.

Perrie says by produc-

ing precast concrete in a

controlled environment –

such as at a precast yard

or factory – it is possible to monitor and

control all stages of production to enable

aspects such as adequate curing and en-

sure that the products fully comply with

the prescribed strength requirements.

Controlled conditions

“A precast yard may be an established

factory or it may be located on a building

site. Precast concrete is generally

cast at ground level, which helps with

Concrete is one of the most versatile of all construction materials and can be designed and proportioned to meet a wide range of requirements, according to Bryan Perrie, Managing Director of The Concrete Institute.

safety and productivity throughout a

project. There is greater control of the

quality of both materials and

workmanship in a precast

plant than when concrete

is cast in situ.

“This increased control

can boost durability and

lead to savings in mainte-

nance costs, inconvenience,

materials and energy. The

moulds or forms used in a

precast plant may also be

re-used hundreds to thou-

sands of times before they

have to be replaced, which means the

cost of formwork for precast is lower

than for in situ construction, unless they

have very unique shapes.

“Often, if the structure has been

appropriately designed, precast products

can be removed and re-used after the

structure has reached the end of its life

and is to be replaced,” Perrie states.

Far-ranging uses

He says there are many different types

of precast concrete products. Precast

architectural panels are used to clad all

or part of a building façade. Stormwater

drainage, water and sewage reticulation

make use of precast concrete units such

as pipes, culverts, manholes, sumps and

tunnels. Precast building components

are used architecturally as cladding,

accessories and curtain walls. Structural

applications of precast concrete include

bricks, blocks, foundations, beams, floors

and walls.

“Precast concrete products are

also used in the construction of vari-

ous transportation systems such as

culverts, bridge beams and segments,

railway sleepers, sound walls or barriers,

safety barriers and kerbs. A significant

amount of precast concrete was used in

the construction of the Gautrain system

and the soccer stadia built for the 2010

Soccer World Cup,” Perrie concludes.

(Above): Precast concrete elements can be transported to a construction site and then lifted into place.

MANY ADVANTAGES OF PRECAST CONCRETE

(Above): Bryan Perrie, MD of The Concrete Institute.


(Above, from top): Manfred Ludwig, MD of Ludwig Moisture Control; the new FL-Mobi Mic Profi-Check aggregate moisture testing device.

Emerging contractors

Ludwig explains that the tried-and-

tested microwave technology used in

the device is based on the 433 MHz

frequency. Major design criteria were

user-friendliness and compactness. “This

makes the device highly suited to emerg-

ing contractors who wish to guarantee

the quality of their precast products, but

who don’t yet have the necessary capital

to invest in major moisture control sys-

tems,” Ludwig adds.

The device forms part of a compre-

hensive suite of concrete production

technology available locally from PMSA.

Convenient checking of aggregate moisture content before making con-crete on site has become easier with a new handheld device from PMSA.

ENSURING OPTIMAL WATER-CEMENT RATIOS

Quality control is a critical factor in the

manufacture of concrete products for

the civil engineering, building and con-

struction and gardening and landscaping

industries. Responding to this need for

reliable testing, German company Lud-

wig Moisture Control has developed the

FL-Mobi Mic Profi-Check.

This testing device is used to accu-

rately determine the moisture content

and temperature of a specific aggre-

gate before batching, during the mixing

cycle and after discharge of the mixed

concrete. Key to the device’s versatility

is that it can be used in several places

during the mixing-and-batching process.

Smart device

“The exact percentage of moisture

values can be determined rapidly and

exactly upon arrival of the raw materi-

als,” says Manfred Ludwig, Managing

Director of Ludwig Moisture Control.

“Moreover, it delivers valuable and meas-

urable results on the water-to-cement

ratio and the media temperature during

production of no-slump or plastic con-

cretes in the plant, laboratory or at the

construction site.”

The measuring head of the FL-Mobi

Mic Profi-Check is manufactured from

high-quality stainless steel. It is de-

signed for easy insertion and/or pene-

tration into the aggregate or concrete

being measured. The moisture measur-

ing probe, protected by a ceramic coat-

ing, is integrated into the measuring

head itself.

The measuring head is connected to

the evaluation and transmission part

of the device by means of a 250 mm-

long V2A connecting cable. The robust

IP65 die-cast housing protects the

measuring head from mechanical wear.

An adjustable carry handle attached to

the housing facilitates simple insertion

and replacement of the measuring unit,

if need be.


Interrupted curing of concrete will inevitably have a nega-tive effect on the final quality of the concrete, cautions Bryan Perrie, MD of The Concrete Institute.

DON’T TAKE A BREAK WHEN

Perrie says the need for continuous curing of concrete is most

critical during the first few days after the concrete has been

cast. “When curing is interrupted in this period, and the cement

paste is allowed to dry out, hydration of the cement ceases.

More importantly, it becomes more difficult to get water back

into the pore structure during subsequent wetting to re-activate

the hydration process,” he says.

The difficulty of water effectively reaching the pore structure

is caused by the following developments which take place when

the concrete dries out:

• The pore water is saturated with calcium hydroxide and when

the water evaporates, this is deposited in the pore structure

near the surface of the concrete.

• The calcium hydroxide reacts with atmospheric carbon dioxide

to form poorly soluble calcium carbonate which occupies a larger

volume than the original calcium hydroxide.

• This volume increases which, coupled with the fact that calcium

carbonate is considerably less soluble than calcium hydroxide,

reduces the access of water back into the pore structure.

“In this way, when concrete is allowed to dry, pockets of un-

hydrated cement are created which are surrounded by hydrated

material and pores are blocked with calcium carbonate. Because

of their inaccessibility to water, these pockets of cement won’t

be hydrated when the concrete is wetted again and the cement

will end up serving only as fine aggregate particles.

“This is why the quality of concrete exposed to interrupted

curing, or intermittent cycles of wetting and drying during the

early stages of hydration, will always be inferior to that of con-

tinuously cured concrete,” Perrie adds.

CURING CONCRETE


The 2016 Education Programme of the School of Concrete Technology (SCT), operated by The Concrete Institute, is now available.

SCHOOL OF CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY PREPARES

John Roxburgh, lecturer at the SCT,

based in Midrand, says the need for

skills upliftment in the construction

industry has never been more vital as

South Africa prepares for the long-awaited roll-out of tenders in

the Presidential Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPs) in 2016.

“We’re expecting a busy year. The scope of opportunities is

great, but to take advantage of this, education in concrete technol-

ogy is crucial. Companies in the construction and civil engineering

industries, in particular, should use this opportunity to invest in

their employees’ skills and career development by enrolling them

for a SCT course. Using the school’s stepped approach to concrete

education, an employer can map out a progressive career path for

the employee who could then start his or her concrete education

at a level matched to individual competencies,” Roxburgh states.

The SCT is South Africa’s leading provider of education in con-

crete technology with its broad spectrum of courses and caters

for a wide variety of educational needs within the construction,

mining and concrete-related industries.

“A SCT certificate is instantly recognised and highly regarded in

the industry. A qualification in concrete technology will open doors

in many different fields of employment at a critical time in South

Africa’s infrastructural development,” he adds.

Training courses offered by the SCT are aimed at industries

such as:

• Ready-mix concrete.

• Admixtures.

• Testing laboratories.

• Construction and civil engineering.

• Mining.

• Aggregate production.

• Materials.

• Related industries such as formwork, precast concrete,

concrete products and concrete production machinery

• The increasingly popular decorative concrete market.

The SCT will present “the pinnacle in concrete technology edu-

cation”, the Advanced Concrete Technology (SCT50 ACT) diploma

in 2016 and then again in 2018. This internationally acclaimed

qualification is presented by the SCT and examined by the Institute

of Concrete Technology in London.

For further information on the 2016 SCT Training Programme,

contact the SCT Course Manager, Rennisha Sewnarain on tel:

011 315 0300.

(Above): A qualification in concrete technology will open doors in many different fields of employment at a critical time in South Africa’s infrastructural development, says John Roxburgh, lecturer at the School of Concrete Technology.

FOR BUSY 2016

32

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(Left): Aveng Infraset’s Effingham plant in Durban, where a load of 4 kN poles in 9 m lengths is about to be transported to an installation site in Matubatuba.

INNOVATIVE CONCRETE SOLUTIONSManufacturer of Equipment for the Concrete Industry

QUADRA 40 route de Findrol - 74130 Contamine-sur-Arve (France)

Tel. +33 4 50 03 92 21 - Fax. +33 4 50 03 69 97www.quadra-concrete.com

High technology Turnkey PlantBlock & Paving stone machine

State of the art handling system

Wet Cast & Precast Production lineComprehensive range of equipment for custom-made plant defi nition

FRENCH MANUFACTURER

QUADRA - 40 route de Findrol - 74130 Contamine-sur-Arve - France - Tel. +33 4 50 03 92 21 - Fax. +33 4 50 03 69 97

www.quadra-concrete.com

Com

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BOOTH B1.215

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BOOTH B1.21511-17 APRIL, MUNICH

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FRENCH MANUFACTURER

isit usvisit u

CMA member Aveng Infraset has recently completed the delivery of several precast concrete pole orders for Telkom in KwaZulu-Natal and is currently in the process of executing others.

Manufactured at Aveng Infraset’s Effing-

ham plant in Durban, they are being used

to replace timber poles in areas subject

to a high incidence of cable theft. These

VANDAL-PRONE TIMBER POLES REPLACED WITH CONCRETE

Since then, Telkom has placed 14 con-

crete pole orders with Aveng Infraset,

three of which were delivered to the

Eastern Cape region.

Aveng Infraset Sales Consultant: Con-

struction Products, Samantha Chetty,

says the major advantage of concrete

poles is that they cannot be felled with a

chainsaw and are therefore better placed

to safeguard expensive cabling.

Stronger for longer

“Moreover, they’re maintenance-free and

offer much longer lifespans. They also

have high strength-to-weight ratios,

making them easy to handle and trans-

port,” says Chetty.

Aveng Infraset’s poles and masts

are based on a distinct design and are

available in a wide range of strengths and

lengths. Besides telecommunications,

they are ideally suited to applications

such as power transmission, distribu-

tion and overhead electrical equipment

for the railways.

include Hluhluwe, Mtubatuba, Ulundi and

Pietermaritzburg, among others.

Deliveries began in December 2015:

1 700 x 7 m and 50 x 9 m 4 kN poles were

supplied to Hluhluwe; 1 100 x 7 m and 40

x 9 m 4 kN poles went to the Mtubatuba

area; and 20 x 10 m 8 kN poles were

delivered to Bizana near the Wild Coast.

All three contracts were completed in

March 2016.

Protecting cables

A fourth order, which involved the supply

of 744 x 7 m 4 kN and 26 x 9 m 4 kN

poles to Ulundi, was completed in April,

and a fifth involved the delivery of 26 x

9 m 4 kN poles and 654 x 7 m 4 kN

poles to Jozini. Aveng Infraset is also

currently supplying 200 x 7 m 4 kN poles

to central Pietermaritzburg.

Telkom has been replacing timber

poles with Aveng Infraset’s concrete

equivalent since a pilot project to test

the latter was successfully run in 2013.

33


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Pipe-jacking is a technology where spe-

cially made pipes are tunneled through

the ground by hydraulic jacks, thereby

eliminating the need to dig up the road

infrastructure. It offers greater trans-

parency in terms of time and costs and

is an environmentally friendly process.

Specialist contractor Khato Civils

was awarded the project and chose

CMA member, Rocla, as a main supplier.

Together the companies will complete

a historical feat due to the sheer size

and complexity of the project. It entails

moving 370 cubes of rock material which

will be hand-excavated over the entire

of 148 840 m of jacked pipeline. Due to

the lay of the land at the Hammanskraal,

Extension Jubilee/Temba section, the

project is being completed with a minimal

grade across the entire length.

Drainage challenges

“This project was initiated by the

Tshwane Department of Housing & Hu-

man Settlements in May 2014 and upon

completion in October this year, it will

benefit the community of Kanana and

Temba/Rockville by ensuring that storm-

water is properly dealt with and does

not pose a threat to lives or property of

residents,” says Mornè Delport, Project

Manager for Khato Civils.

He adds that it is not without major

challenges, which is why Rocla’s pipe-

jacking expertise is an essential compo-

nent of the project. Its expertise, cou-

pled with the durability and quality of its

product, are what make Rocla a natural

choice. One of the major challenges with

IMPRESSIVE PIPE-JACKING PROJECT NEARS COMPLETION

(Above and top): Rocla is suppling jacking pipes for the large-scale Hammanskraal Extension Jubilee/Temba stormwater pipeline.

the installation of the 1 473 ID sleeves is

the manual excavation process, coupled

with possible exposure to natural gases

such as methanol, and a restricted air

supply due to an existing sewer system

running parallel to the jacked pipeline to

be installed.

For this reason, the team are install-

ing additional air ventilation systems

and gas monitoring equipment to ensure

that all technicians and labour can be

evacuated quickly in the event of gas

leak detection.

Overcoming hurdles

“Additionally, a category 2 dam located

nearby makes the monitoring of water

pockets a crucial safety element. As can

be anticipated, the scope of the project

is enormous, so we’re pleased to be able

to partner with Katho Civils and put our

expertise into practice to overcome

some significant challenges together,”

says Brendon van Vuuren of Rocla.

He adds that the company has also

worked closely within the specifications

required and beyond, even choosing to

install a HPDE lining on the inside of the

1473 ID jacking sleeves instead of the

normal CIC lining, thereby extending the

lifespan extensively beyond requirements.

Rocla is part of the IS group of com-

panies, which also comprises Technicrete

ISG and Ocon Brick. It is one of South Af-

rica’s leading manufacturers of pre-cast

concrete products for infrastructure

projects, manufacturing products to

customer requirements in addition to

offering standard precast sizes.

A large-scale stormwater pipeline project is currently underway in Hammanskraal, where more than 148 km of precast concrete pipes are being installed by means of the pipe-jacking method.

“Pipe jacking offers greater transparency

in terms of time and costs and is an environmentally friendly process.”


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Durable, smart and safe paving located

at public transportation areas is crucial

in order for commuters to have a prob-

lem-free passage, while still ensuring

that the finished product looks aestheti-

cally smart. The projects, undertaken

by CMA member, Technicrete ISG, are

examples of the role that precast con-

crete pavers are playing in beautifying

our towns and making them easier (and

safer) to navigate.

In the first project, the durability and

finished appearance of forecourt paving

for petrol stations was shown to be a key

factor for petrol suppliers in creating an

aesthetically pleasing environment for

refuelling and convenience shopping, while

attracting motor vehicle customers.

Strong and attractive

For this reason, Legoya Development,

contractor for the Caltex garage project

in Marshall Street, Polokwane, chose

Technicrete kerbing, Double Zig-Zag

(DZZ) paving as well as BondBrick pavers

for this project. Technicrete ISG Sales

Consultant, Hendrik Steenkamp, says:

“Technicrete has paved many fuel sta-

tions and car showrooms over the years

and I believe that our DZZs offer the best

in quality and the durability required by

these high-volume traffic zones.”

He adds that BondBrick, in particu-

lar, offers a variety of thicknesses that

ensures longevity for commercial de-

velopment requirements. The company

also supplied 800 semi-mountable kerb

blocks, 2 400 m² of 80 mm DZZs and 300

m² of BondBrick pavers for the Caltex

garage development.

“Legoya has partnered with Techni-

crete ISG on a few projects and found

CONCRETE PAVERS FOR PUBLIC SPACES

(Above and top): Mabopane Railway station was upgraded with concrete pavers.

Two paving projects in urban areas recently highlighted the important role that paving plays in our daily lives in terms of attracting users with good-looking aesthetics, as well as ensuring safety by providing level and visible surfaces on which to walk.

its reliable and its pricing competitive,”

says Wouter Chalmers, owner of Legoya

Development. “We found the Technicrete

BondBrick to be suitable for the paving

of petrol station forecourts, industrial

and factory roads and municipal parking

areas, and believe it offers developers an

economic and durable option. We were

comfortable selecting Technicrete DZZ

interlocking pavers to form a hard-wear-

ing overlay surface which has proven to

have longevity at many other high-volume

vehicle or foot traffic outlets.”

Not only suited to petrol station

forecourts, they have been successfully

installed at shopping malls, road exten-

sions, industrial and commercial business

parks, as well as local governmental

infrastructure upgrades such as pedes-

trian walkways in Polokwane. The paving

has also been installed in sectional title

complexes where it has been found to be

a more affordable and a longer-lasting

option to re-tarring driveways.

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(Above): The Caltex garage project in Marshall Street, Polokwane.

Railway station project

Yet another installation, at the Mabopane

Railway Station in Soshanguve, showed

the importance of durability, safety

and affordability that concrete pav-

ers play at public transport nodes. For

the project Technicrete was chosen to

supply 11 649 DZZ Slate grey pavers

and kerbs, over 3 559 garden kerbs with

422 x 1 m semi-mountable kerbing, 8 x 1 m

barrier kerbs and 168 x 1 m mountable

kerbing for the station in Soshanguve.

In this instance, the paving was found

to be most suitable for the application

due to the good-wearing properties, as

the site has a large amount of ‘foot and

vehicle traffic’and longevity was a key fac-

tor. According to Tienie Bronkhorst, Sales

Representative of Technicrete ISG, it is

imperative that commuters are able to

walk on high-quality, solid and level paving

to and from entrances and exits. “Kerbing

around parking facilities should also be

aesthetically pleasing and clearly visible to

the commuters. The Technicrete product

is such a product,” he says.

Overcoming challenges

Bokosi Ditshimega JV, developer of the

Mabopane Railway Station in Soshanguve,

Tshwane, contracted to the leading

paving and kerb supplier Technicrete ISG

to supply DZZ paving and kerbs. Bokosi

Ditshimega JV, Themba Kokelo, says: “We

chose to use products that would give

us a quality finish while at the same time

providing durability, considering the high

traffic volumes.

“The challenges we faced at Mabopane

included storage space restrictions due

to the overhead power lines and Techni-

crete assisted us by making its trucks

available at a low cost and assisting

with the movement of products on site

wherever construction was taking place.”

She adds that Technicrete products

were used for pedestrian walkways, bus

terminals, parking areas, local and long-

distance taxi terminals. “We’re pleased

with the final finishes of the Technicrete

products because they’re good quality

and have allowed us to construct the

project as per the civil engineering

design. Technicrete ISG is part of the

Infrastructure Specialist Group, which is

also the holding company for Ocon Brick

and Rocla.”

“Kerbing around parking facilities

should be aesthetically pleasing and should

also be clearly visible.”


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Situated in Keystone Park, a modern,

light-industrial, warehousing and logis-

tics precinct in Hammarsdale just off

the N3 between Durban and Pieter-

maritzburg, the centre has a massive

56 000 m² footprint, the equivalent of

11 rugby fields. It is being constructed

by Stefanutti Stocks on one of 24 fully

serviced sites in Keystone Park and

once the proposed second phase of the

project is completed, the centre will

comprise 100 000 m² under roof.

The building was designed by Durban-

based architect, Ian Bell of Paton Taylor,

who says that tilt-up construction using

precast concrete panels was specified

not only because it offered faster con-

struction times, but due to the fact that

it came with some design advantages

as well.

Easy-up system

“Tilt-up is similar to working with Mec-

cano in that once the panels are cast

it only remains for the walls to be lifted

and bolted into position. Besides being

much faster to erect than conventional

masonry walling, we were also able to

cast close to 80% of the panels while

waiting for final building permission from

the authorities. This meant that when

the go-ahead was given in mid-August

we could immediately begin the instal-

lation work.

“A major design advantage in using

tilt-up is that it provides an instant

retaining wall for any fill-in flooring ma-

terial. For instance, the floor of the Mr

Price building was raised 1,35 m above

MR PRICE GETS NEW TILT-UP DIS

the exterior ground level to create a

docking platform and by using precast

panelling, we did away with the strip

footing, columns and beams which would

have been required for a masonry-based

retaining wall. Instead, the Mr Price pan-

els rest on the column bases and once

they were in place, backfilling could com-

(height) x 5,5 m (width). Those on the one

gable end were all 10 m wide and 4,5 m

high, and those on the northern side

were a combination of these two sizes.

There is no panelling on the eastern

gable end, which houses 2 500 m² of of-

fices built with masonry walls. A total of

138 (6 000 m²) panels were cast on site

using casting beds prepared by Bedrock.

The company also cast a decorative con-

crete panel embossed with the Mr Price

logo, which was mounted adjacent to the

first-floor office entrance. It only took

10 days to lift and install all the panels

into position, which is considerably

faster than in-situ casting or masonry

construction would have taken to erect

the walls. The lifting process at Mr Price

was split into three crane establish-

ments of 46 panels per establishment.

Innovative design

According to Bedrock Group Managing

Director, Greg Kitching, the wall panels

in the Mr Price design are not structural

in as much as they don’t support the

roof structure.

“Five panels were cast in stacks on

each casting bed, this number having

been determined by the reach of the

installation cranes. Nearly all the panels

on the southern elevation were cast

with openings for roller shutter doors

and dock levellers. A bond-breaker solu-

tion was painted on the top of each panel

to prevent them from bonding during the

curing process. Moreover, when a panel

was cast on another panel which had a

door opening, the opening was closed

mence without delay. Another benefit of

using precast panelling is that it forms

a brace between the piles,” says Bell.

Bedrock’s tilt-up panelling was in-

stalled on three elevations. The panels

on the southern side measured 10m

(Above): Steel roof trusses under construction.

“A major design advantage in using

tilt-up is that it provides an instant retaining wall for any fill-in flooring

material.”

One of South Africa’s most technically advanced national distribution centres is being constructed for the Mr Price Group using tilt-up precast concrete walling technology supplied by Durban-based Bedrock Group.

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DISTRIBUTION CENTRE

(Above, from far left): A standard advanced concrete mix is poured into a panel mould; a panel is lifted into position using an eight-point lifting system; installed panels; and steel roof trusses under construction.

with sand and a light screed to form

a flat casting surface,” says Kitching.

The panels comprised a standard

advanced concrete mix poured over a

mesh of rebar. Bedrock increased the

strength of the concrete above the

engineer’s specification by 5 MPa, espe-

cially on the fifth panels, which had the

shortest curing time before the lifting

of the panels. All the specialised tilt-up

hardware such as specialised formwork,

the cover blocks, void formers, corner

fillets, bond-breaker and lifting inserts

were South African, having been manu-

factured in-house by Bedrock.

No-frills construction

“Tilt-up walling requires almost no scaf-

folding, ladders, buckets, cement or

bricks; in fact, none of the paraphernalia

which goes hand-in-hand with masonry

construction. We work at ground level

where it is relatively safe, as opposed

to laying bricks or blocks 9 m above

the ground.

“One of the crucial aspects of tilt-up

construction is the lifting process and

the lifting inserts had to be carefully

designed and positioned so that when

the panels were fully suspended off the

ground, they hung slightly off plumb in

an almost vertical plane.

“Tilt-up and precast building solutions

are fast becoming the first choice of

clients, architects and contractors in

the distribution, warehousing and manu-

facturing sectors. The advantages are

self-evident and the rate at which the

application of the technology is growing

clearly shows its cost-effectiveness,”

concludes Kitching.

In addition to those mentioned above,

the professional team comprised con-

sulting engineers Arup, quantity survey-

ors Edgecombe Hayes Hill and developer

Rokwil Developments.


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Designed by Bazi Dukhan of civil, struc-

tural and geotechnical engineering

consultancy Bazi Dukhan Consulting En-

gineers, the walls, which span 1 450 m²,

were constructed to create and support

level building platforms and to shore up

embankments.

Three walls were built in and around

three parking basements and were com-

pleted in November 2015. In addition,

two walls were erected below some of

the development’s structural elements

and were completed in early 2015.

Long spans

The wall in the upper core section is 3,1 m

high and runs to ±285 m, forming the

outer perimeter of this parking basement.

Based on a cut-and-fill operation, the wall

was constructed at an angle of 86˚ using

Verticascade blocks supplied by Durban-

based CMA member, Brickcast Industries.

The wall was constructed with a foun-

dation block which was embedded with

concrete and was used to set the angle

of the wall. Fibretech 50 x 50 mm geogrid

was laid at every third row of block levels

for reinforcing. Drainage was effected

through the installation of a 110 mm per-

forated pipe covered with F15 geofabric

and 19 mm aggregate. It was installed

behind the foundation blocks and runs

the full length of the wall. Moreover, this

and the two lower walls were designed to

allow water seepage through the walls.

Situated in the basement and sub-

CONCRETE RETAINERS SUPPORT OFFICE COMPLEX

basement, the lower walls were built

in the same manner as the upper wall

using the Verticascade block. They are

5.5 m high and run to a combined length

of 68,5 m. The two external walls were

also cut-and-fill operations. However,

they were built with a different retain-

ing block, in this instance Brickcast’s

biscuit-coloured Cascade.

Cost-effective solution

The higher wall is ± 26 m long and 4,0 m

at its highest point. It is located under

a concrete platform which houses an

(Above, from top): The upper core parking area Verticascade wall, which supports a moat and garden platform above it; one of the external walls, built with Brickcast’s Cascade.

“These concrete block retaining

walls have saved the client 40-60% in

construction costs.”

Concrete retaining block (CRB) walls have been used extensively in the construction of Milkwood Office Park in Umhlanga. The development is owned by United African Marine Shipping and was completed in January 2016.

outdoor parking area. The lower wall

is situated 2 m from the border of the

property. Eight metres long and 2 m

high, it protects a sewer manhole and

protection pipe. Both walls were built

at an angle of 60˚ with an unreinforced

concrete foundation 800 mm wide and

300 mm deep. Fibretech 50 x 50 mm

geofabric was laid at every three courses

to reinforce both walls.

Built to create secure building plat-

forms above, these wall have already

been subjected to some very heavy rains.

According Brickcast CEO, Shaun

Sewnath, besides being more attractive

than vertical in-situ retaining walls, these

concrete block retaining walls have saved

the client between 40-60% in construc-

tion costs.


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Permeable paving systems comprise

several layers of aggregate which are

topped with concrete block pavers (CBP)

either for vehicle or pedestrian traffic.

However, unlike conventional pavers

which are designed to prevent water

infiltrating beneath the paved surface,

permeable paving is designed to do just

the opposite. Permeable paving blocks

are cast with lateral indents so that

when they are laid, voids of ±8 mm are

created between the pavers. These gaps

allow large volumes of water to infiltrate

into the permeable paving reservoir. This

means that even during heavy down-

pours, there should be no ponding.

Permeable paving installations often

exceed infiltration specifications when

new. But how do they perform after sev-

eral years, when substantial quantities of

suspended solids – not to mention wind-

REGULAR MAINTENANCE ENSURES PEAK PERMEABLE PAVING PERFORMANCE

born sand and dust – have penetrated the

system? Installed in 2011, Millennia Park

provides a pointer.

Paving care

Despite some heavy thunderstorms over

its five-year lifespan, there has never been

the slightest hint of ponding. The key to

this excellent ongoing infiltration perfor-

mance is regular maintenance, performed

quarterly. This entails removing any plant

growth between the pavers, cleaning

the surface with hard brushes and then

topping up the gaps between the pavers

with fresh grit.

Based on UK-based Formpave’s pat-

ented permeable paving system, Aqua-

flow, marketed in South Africa by Inca,

Millennia Park’s paving was laid in a ratio of

two permeable to one impermeable paved

surface. It was designed by consulting en-

gineers BKS Group (Pty) Ltd, with further

input from sustainable stormwater sys-

tems consultant, Peter Wium. The latter “Gaps allow large volumes of water

to infiltrate into the permeable paving

reservoir.”

There are 150 permeable paving installations in the Western Cape, a figure which accounts for over 90% of the entire country’s permeable paving installations. Most sites average around 3 000 m² and combine permeable with impermeable paved surfaces. One such installation is the combined parking and drainage area at Millennia Park, a five-star green commercial property development in Stellenbosch, Western Cape.

(Above): Inca’s Aquaflow 200 x 100 x 80 mm standard rectangular concrete block in two colours forms a permeable paved surface at Millennia Park in Stellenbosch.

(Left): IImpermeable clay pavers can be seen in the foreground.


(Above): Part of the permeable paving surface at Millennia Park.

ensured that the system was designed

and installed correctly, which is one of the

criteria for holding an Aquaflow licence.

The paver used at Millennia Park was

Inca’s Aquaflow 200 x 100 x 80 mm stand-

ard rectangular concrete block in two

colours. Rated at 45 MPa wet crushing

strength, it complies with SANS 1058:

2010 Concrete Paving Blocks. SANS

1083:2006 Aggregates from Natural

Sources was the standard specification

for the aggregates used.

Tough conditions

The design of Millennia Park is similar to

the 45 000 m² Blue Route Mall instal-

lation, which was completed in August

2013. To determine which permeable

paving option would be the most suit-

able at Millennia Park, a full geotechnical

investigation was undertaken by BKS. It

revealed that the sub-grade was loamy,

as opposed to the sandy conditions at

Blue Route Mall. The test also involved

measuring the level of the water table –

which should be at least 400 mm below

the lowest stone layer for a successful

permeable paving installation – as well

as establishing the ratio of permeable to

impermeable surfaces.

As anticipated, a dual system of in-

filtration and egress proved to be the

most viable permeable paving solution

for the Millennia development. It involved

some drainage into the ground and the

discharge of residual water through fin

drainage into a wetland area on the pe-

rimeter of the property. Wium says that

besides infiltrating water at a rate of up

to 4 500 mm/h at the surface at Millennia

Park, the Aquaflow system can reduce

total suspended solids by up to 80% and

total phosphorus by 60% using two layers

of Inbitex® and three layers of crushed

and graded stone. This is the standard

used by the City of Cape Town to assess

the suitability of SuDS structures.

The sub-grade was excavated to pro-

vide a minimum fall of 1% to the fin drain

outlet and was compacted as necessary

to achieve a G7 Selected Sub-Grade layer

with a minimum Californian Bearing Ratio

(CBR) of 15%. All soft areas were re-

moved and filled with suitable replacement

material to provide a stable sub-grade.

Extended life

The reservoir of sub-paving material at

Millennia Park comprised the following

(see diagram): a layer of Inbitex® geotex-

tile sheeting on the sub-grade; 250 mm

of clean 53-19 mm single-sized crushed

stone; 100 mm of clean single-sized 19-

9,5 mm crushed stone; a second layer

of Inbitex®; a 50 mm course of 6 mm

bedding aggregate; the pavers; and finally

a 2,36 mm (nominal size) crushed stone

grit for surface dressing. Commenting

further on the maintenance regime, Wium

says that besides regular brushing, more

vigorous cleaning can also take place.

“This involves conventional street

sweepers with vacuum-cleaners, brush-

es, water and low-pressure hosing,

where necessary. We recommend the re-

moval of a sample of pavers for inspection

every five years in areas we identify as

being more clog-prone. In a worst-case

scenario, the upper voids, the bedding

stone and top layer of Inbitex® sheeting

can become clogged. In such instances,

a more radical maintenance process,

such as replacing some of the bedding

aggregate, would be required.

“Generally, maintenance is neither

onerous nor expensive and, if undertaken

regularly, will certainly extend the sys-

tem’s functional life. One of the great

advantages of permeable paving is that

it uses the same space as open park-

ing areas, unlike swales and attenuation

ponds, which require dedicated single-

purpose spaces. And besides controlling

water flow into stormwater drainage

and rivers, permeable paving reservoirs

also remove pollutants from the water,”

concludes Wium.

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(Above): Echo Prestress Durban’s prestressed slabs were integral to the fast-track and interference-free extension of Stanger Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.

CMA member, Echo Prestress Durban’s

prestressed hollow-core slabs have

been used for the construction of one

of two additional storeys, each meas-

uring 1 230 m² at Stanger Hospital in

KwaZulu-Natal.

The additional space is being used to

house a new maternity section and the

prime reason for using prestressed slabs

was that the existing suspend roof was

not designed to carry the weight of a

new in-situ slab. To strengthen it would

have necessitated back propping, either

through the elaborate staging of existing

load-bearing walls or through the instal-

lation of temporary beams at floor level.

PRECAST SLABS SPEED UP HOSPITAL EXTENSIONsteel cellular beams and in-situ beams.

Support for some of the new beams and

slabs had to be created by bolting steel

sections to concrete columns.

Echo Group Marketing Director, Melin-

da Esterhuizen, says the prestressed slab

option offered other advantages. “Slab

installation takes hours, as opposed to

the weeks it takes to construct in-situ

flooring. Secondly, and most importantly

for a hospital environment, there’s far

less attendant noise to disturb and upset

the patients during construction.”

Neither of these options was feasible,

as the wards below were fully functional

and occupied by patients. Prestressed

slabs, which are 30% lighter and provide

favourable span to depth ratios, provided

an alternative solution which allowed

normal hospital activities to continue

uninterrupted during construction.

The first floor section, which houses

an NVD antenatal ward, was construct-

ed on existing suspended roof. It was the

floor above it, which accommodates a

post-Caesarean and gynaecology ward,

that was constructed with Echo’s

hollow-core slabs. At 150 mm and 200

mm deep, the slabs were erected using


44

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PPC LTDTel: (011) 386 9000/(011) 626 3150Province/Country: JHB SEPHAKU CEMENTTel: (012) 684 6300Province/Country: JHB/PTA

CONTRACTOR MEMBERS

DECORTON RETAINING SYSTEMS Tel: (021) 875 5155Province/Country: WC FRICTION RETAININGSTRUCTURES (PTY) LTDTel: (011) 608 4321Province/Country: JHB POWERGATE CONSTRUCTIONTel: 071 603 5070Province/Country: JHB

PYW PAVINGTel: (031) 903 1736 Province/Country: KZN VALCAL INTERNATIONAL EXPORT Tel: (011) 867 2471Province/Country: JHB

PI – Precast Infrastructure

PB – Precast Building

(...) – Number of branches

Creating Concrete Possibilities

With the planet as one of our core values, we assess the carbon footprint of each and every one of our operations and products while actively striving to drive down our impact on the environment. For more information, contact the AfriSam Centre for Product Excellence or visit our website.

www.afrisam.com

...IT’S ABOUT WHAT CONCRETE MAKES POSSIBLE.

We produce cement and concrete but what we create is far more valuable. AfriSam creates opportunity, prosperity and growth – AfriSam creates concrete possibilities. In fact, it’s at the core of what we do. Everything from our unique, proven C-Tech formulation to over 80 years’ experience as a leader in the industry works towards the same goal – to be the company which is building a better country and continent, one possibility at a time.

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