IPWEA Vic Blog

The Municipal Engineering Foundation has made two scholarships up to the value of $1,000 each available to attend the 20th National Works and Engineering Conference to be held in Bendigo on 26th and 27th September 2013.

To apply please send and email to CEO IPWEAvic, Dr Anne Gibbs, (agibbs@ipwea.org.au) stating your Name, Organisation, Position, a brief outline of why you should be given the scholarship, and your contact details.

Preference will be given to rural engineers.

Applications close Friday 6th September 2013.

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CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS
2014 IPWEAvic Public Works Conference
To be Held on 26^th 27^th March 2014 at The Hotel Windsor, Melbourne

The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA), Victorian Division, have been convening the outstandingly successful IPWEAvic Public Works Conference for a number of years. This event is recognised as the key annual public works technical event for the local government and public works sector and attracts over 150 participants, including both managers and Councillors from local government as well as consultants and contractors.

The conference is to be held over two days at The Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring Street Melbourne on 26^th and 27^th March 2014.  The Annual IPWEAvic Awards for Excellence will be held at a Gala Dinner on the evening of Wednesday 26 March 2014.

In 2014 the IPWEAvic Public Works Conference is themed around Engineering a Liveable Community.  The program has been divided into 4 distinct technical streams

• Stream A – Roads, Traffic, Transport
• Stream B – Project Management
• Stream C – Waste Management
• Stream D – Asset Management

The Conference Committee is seeking presentations that will stimulate and expand thinking in line with each of the conference streams within the conference theme:  Engineering a Liveable Community.  If you would like to be considered for presenting at the conference please send in an abstract by Friday 30 August 2013 to vic@ipwea.org.au for consideration by the conference committee

Abstract Submission

Abstracts are to be submitted by email to vic@ipwea.org.au by Friday 30 August 2013:

• The abstract must be typed, no less than 100 words, no more than 300 words
• Include 10-20 key word description of the abstract and 100 word biography to introduce presenting author
• Abstract file to be named yoursurname_abstract.doc emailed to vic@ipwea.org.au
• Lodgment of abstract does not indicate automatic inclusion into the Conference program
• Lodgment of abstract acknowledges consent to publication of presentation on IPWEA website
• Communication will be with presenting author only. Abstract receipt & acceptance acknowledged by email.
• Presenters will be required to fund their travel, accommodation, conference registration & other costs
• Successful authors will be notified in October 2013; specific speaker instructions and timings will then be provided

Register your interest in attending or sponsoring by email to vic@ipwea.org.au with contact details.

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The Victorian Auditor General’s Office has released a report on the Orgnisational Sustainability of Small Councils, tabled 12th June 2013.

Find the report to read at this url http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/reports_and_publications/latest_reports/2012-13/20130612-small-councils.aspx

Findings included advice around:

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Mildura Solar Plant has opened.  It is capable of providing electricty for 500 homes.

Click on the picture from ABC Radio for more information

Read this artilce from the Weekly Times 17th July 2013 edition regarding the project http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2013/07/17/576923_latest-news.html

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IPWEA is undertaking training in Melbourne on NAMS.PLUS2 on 24^th July 2013.  Details http://www.ipwea.org.au/EducationEvents/EventDescription/?CalendarEventKey=167edfbe-eb00-432c-99b6-e92dd427295b

As you would be aware NAMS.PLUS2 is an IPWEA product and a tool to help councils write their own asset management plans in accordance with the IIMM and it also provides access to:

• A suite of asset management planning templates.
• A guided pathway to sustainable service delivery (220 page eBook).
• On-line modelling.
• Self-assessment maturity model (NAMF).
• On-line Help Desk support service.
• Training and support.
• On-site support and assistance options.

All this at a very reasonable price.

Details of the IPWEA NAMS.PLUS2 online guided pathway for asset management planning can be found at http://namsplus.ipwea.org.au .

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This event was held on 11 July 2013 at ARRB offices in Vermont South and was generously sponsored by ARRB

NOTES

Pavement Asset Management Fundamentals, Jon Roberts, Principal Research Engineer- Asset Management

Types of data collected relevant to pavements include:-

• Traffic data
• Climate data
• Drainage data
• Strength data
• Environment
• Road safety

STEP is used to estimate remaining life (structural testing evaluation pavement).

A TDS vehicle is soon to be delivered to ARRB.  It is suited to use on long stretches of road and gets best results from travel at 40 to 80 km/hr and will be used on main highways work in the first instance.  There is at least one years work booked for the vehicle when it arrives.   After that time it can be considered for use on local roads.  Possibly another unit may be purchased.

An alternative method for use on local roads to measure strength is the falling weight deflectometer.   The deflectograph is best for urban streets and short lengths of road giving results every 100m.  The benkelman beam can also be used.

High roughness and cracking in a pavement does not necessarily translate into a low strength pavement

Pavement Performance Modelling and the LRDS, Dr Tim Martin, Chief Scientist – Asset Management

A local roads deterioration study was undertaken between 2002 and2011 including 236 organisations.  The results of this study will be presented at the ipwea public works conference in Darwin in August 2013

Selecting an Appropriate Surfacing for Your Needs, Kym Neaylon, National Technical Leader – Pavements and Surfacings
Roughly 90% of Australian road pavements are sprayed seal and 10% are asphalt
Good drainage is the key to a good pavement

Low traffic loading generally have a spray seal pavement whereas high traffic loading generally require an asphalt pavement.   However the Hume Hwy is a sprayed seal pavement with high vehicle loading a but here the traffic is not stopping and starting so a spray seal is acceptable.

There are many different surfacing treatments available.   Australian roads technical reports explain when best to use each type of surfacing.  Here are some rules of thumb

• Single/single sprayed seal     7mm -> 10 mm-> 14 mm  Used for light traffic with the stone size increasing as the traffic loading increases which increases the amount of bitumen on the road.  Bitumen should be placed 2/3 of the way up the stone.
• Double/ double sprayed seal  10/5 -> 14/7- >14/10
• Polymer modified binder PMB   S10E – > S15 E -> S20 E
• Reinforced seal ( bandaid treatments) – fibres -> geo fabric
• Asphaltic concrete ( significant traffic loading)  AC7-> AC10 -> AC 14 – > AC 20

Never use a highway mix for a residential job
Highway mixes are designed to resist rutting and heavy traffic loading
Residential roads want lots of bitumen as they sit there and deteriorate in the sun.
Treatments :  Given traffic loads and function of pavement there are many tools available to assist in determining appropriate treatments.  Look in AustRoads Guides.

Challenging job surfacing a runway in Oslow in WA which was built on a salt pan with salt pan.

Optimum Mix Designs and Q&A Specifications, Shannon Malone, Laboratory Manager
Consider the VicRoads 400 series
There are 152 general and conditional mixes
This gives opportunity to pick a “green” mix where possible

How long will your concrete bridge last? Dr Ahmad Shayan, Chief Scientist – Concrete Technology, Materials Sciences
ARRB has developed a service life predictor for concrete bridges.
Steps in rehabilitation of an Existing structures

• Field study
• Patch repair
• Apply Catholitic protection
• Replace corroded steel

Alkali – aggregate reactor ( AAR) Diagnosis

• Visual observations
• Micro structural experiment
• Residual alkali content
• Experience
• Strength

Prevention

• Select no reactive aggregate
• Check cement composition ( C3A, SO3 , alkali)
• Use supplementary cementitious materials in correct quantity
• Use appropriate admixtures to reduce water content
• Verify low permeability of low concrete

Freight and Heavy Vehicle Considerations on Local Roads, Adam Ritzinger, Specialist – Freight and Heavy Vehicles
Asset Owners and the Freight Industry have differing emphasis on their needs of the road freight network.  This gives rise to problems and opportunities.
We need to be aware of the next generation of heavy vehicles, some of which are not suited to Victorian Roads.
ARRB has developed the PBS route assessment tool RAT with MAV

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