Construction World January 2019

ROADS & BRIDGES

PLANNING IS KEY

Much Asphalt, together with subsidiaries Spray Pave and East Coast Asphalt, has been certified as a B-BBEE Level 1 Contributor against the Amended Construction Sector Code, with effect from 12 November 2018.

I n mid-2017 Much was a Level 7 Contributor and the rapid improvement to Level 1 can be attributed to co-operation between a dedicated transformation champion and a supportive management team. The acquisition of Much Asphalt by the AECI Group has also positively impacted this result. Ayesha Isaacs joined the company as its first transformation champion on 15 June 2017. “Within less than a year we moved up to

“Our most important achievement as a company has been understanding that the market wants to do business with B-BBEE compliant suppliers. Everyone at Much knows the importance of this and our efforts to transform are backed by a leadership team that advocates the need for change.” In part due to its acquisition by AECI, Much Asphalt is 81,27% black-owned with black board participation of 57,14%. “Achieving our goals in the Employment Equity, Enterprise and Supplier Development and Skills Development components of the B-BBEE Code was the most challenging in terms of time management,” says Isaacs. “Planning and implementation are key to success. A lot of detail goes into these elements and cooperation from everyone across the company is fundamental to achieving the required outcomes.” Much Asphalt offers several learnerships and bursaries aimed at filling skills gaps and creating promotion opportunities for staff. The company also provides free courses in hand laid asphalt for emerging contractors. Not only does this help them to tender successfully for municipal projects and to do the work correctly, but it also drives the development of SMMEs and the provision of better roads. Isaacs adds that although Much diversifies its socio-economic development spend, it is focusing increasingly on supporting improvements in education as the key enabler to economic development. 

Much Asphalt transformation champion Ayesha Isaacs with the certificate confirming the company’s B-BBEE Level 1 Contributor status.

Level 4. The acquisition of Much by AECI in early 2018 pushed us up to Level 3 in line with AECI’s empowerment credentials,” says Isaacs. “In preparing for our audit against the new Construction Sector Code, we aimed to retain a high compliance score without making token investments in transformation,” she adds. “Much Asphalt has taken the approach that without meaningful transformation we will not thrive and so we are continually pushing for improvements that will benefit the Much group and its customers.

PREVENTING DAMAGE AND CRACKING IN CONCRETE PAVEMENTS When constructing concrete pavements – whether for roads, commercial hardstanding areas, or domestic driveways – it is essential to protect the concrete against environmental factors that could, for example, result in damage or cracking of the pavements.

H ere Bryan Perrie, Managing Director of The Concrete Institute, provides guidance and advice on the best methods to avoid such mishaps which can lead to substantial disputes for paving contractors and distress to property-owner and road authorities. Plastic-shrinkage cracking Plastic-shrinkage cracking occurs on the surface of fresh concrete shortly after placing and while the concrete is still in a 'plastic' state i.e. when it is still soft and workable. The principal cause of plastic-shrinkage of cracking is rapid drying of the concrete at the surface and this is influenced by the relative humidity, concrete and air temperatures, as well as wind velocity. Even relatively small changes in atmospheric conditions may have a pronounced effect on the rate of evaporation and hardening, especially if these changes occur simultaneously. The rate of evaporation is highest when the relative humidity is low, when concrete and air temperatures are high, when the concrete temperature is higher than the air temperature, and when wind is blowing over the concrete surface. The combination of hot and dry weather coupled with strong winds result in the removal of moisture

at a faster rate than it can be replenished by bleeding (the process where free water in the mix is pushed upwards to the surface because of the settlement of heavier solid particles of cement below). This almost inevitably leads to cracking. If the rate of water evaporation exceeds one kilogram per square metre per hour, precautions must be taken to prevent plastic- shrinkage cracking. Procedures for minimising the causes of this form of cracking are: •

Bryan Perrie, MD of The Concrete Institute.

Dampening subgrade/sub-base and formworks;

• Dampening the aggregates if they are dry and absorptive;

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JANUARY 2019