Construction World March 2022

READYMIX

CCSA PUBLICATIONS PROVIDE PLASTERING

T he role Cement & Concrete SA’s Information Centre has played in providing knowledge for the sustainable infrastructural development of Southern Africa, and the training of top concrete technologists, cannot be calculated but must be immense given the scope of service provided, says Susan Battison, Senior Information Specialist for CCSA. The Information Centre has steadily grown over the past 64 years and now has over 150 000 seminal reference items on cement and concrete, including information on Established in 1957 as part of Portland Cement Institute (PCI), the Centre has been a part of the PCI successors right through to the Cement & Concrete SA (CCSA), established in March this year. “The Centre has been a valuable and trusted source of information for hundreds of tertiary students who have become some of the world’s leading concrete technologists, and now occupy top positions at the latest forms of, and new developments in, concrete. GUIDELINES C ement & Concrete South Africa (CCSA) has among its extensive list of publications two leaflets which deal with plaster problems which often becomes a nightmare for contractors and have for many years been among the most frequent technical inquiries received by the CCSA and its predecessors. Hanlie Turner, Business Development Manager of CCSA, says many building contractors are not sure how to evaluate acceptable plastering, mainly because of a lack of formal standards or regulations covering plaster quality. “This makes it difficult for home-owners and other clients to force a contractor to make repairs,” she states. In addition to the tuition in plastering provided by the CCSA’s

universities and industry bodies and companies in many corners of the world,” Battison states. She says placing monetary value on the Information Centre’s unique collection is impossible. “It is the largest cement and concrete ‘library’ in Africa and, probably, the southern hemisphere. The true value of the collection lies in the information that has been gathered, and the true potential of this is only realised by accessing and using that information,” Battison states. “Despite revolutionary changes in information technology in recent years, the Information Centre collection has kept pace with the latest trends in information dissemination and remains a valuable resource on cement and concrete information.” Part of the CCSA Information Centre’s services is the sale of the newly-published and acclaimed 10th edition of Fulton’s Concrete Technology, and titles such as Architectural Concrete, Concrete Basics for Building, Concrete Road Construction, Guide to the Common Properties of Concrete, Concrete School of Concrete Technology in its regular courses, CCSA publishes two free leaflets with detailed guidelines on plastering: • Successful Plastering provides the technical information necessary to ensure that plastering is done correctly. It deals with selecting materials (including assessing the suitability of sands), calculating mix proportions, and provides instruction for the preparation of the surface of various substrate before the plaster is applied; • Common defects in plasterdiscusses how to assess if a plastering project is acceptable and covers the most common defects in this part of the building process. The leaflet includes

Hanlie Turner, Business Development Manager of CCSA

advice on structural and non- structural cracking, debonding, lack of hardness, grinning (when mortar joints are clearly visible through the plaster), expansion and popping. The causes and repair method for each problem are discussed. 

THE CONCRETE INFOCENTRE THATHELPED SHAPE SA INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

Industrial Floors on the Ground, Fundamentals of Concrete, Farm Reservoirs and many more. Other publications are listed on the website https://www.cemcon-sa.org.za/ information-hub/books-for-sale/. Books may be purchased directly from the Information Centre in Midrand or online at BidorBuy at https://www. bidorbuy.co.za/. Hanlie Turner, Business Development Manager of CCSA, says the Information Centre handles the sale of all Cement & Concrete SA publications. “Members of Cement & Concrete SA are entitled to take out printed reference works and enjoy a discount on any publication purchased. The business model of the Information Centre has changed within the CCSA stable to be a ‘member-only’ library. Access to this invaluable collection of concrete technology reference works is highly valued by our members. In fact, the cost of membership of Cement & Concrete SA is insignificant when the value of information that could be accessed is considered,” Turner adds. 

30 CONSTRUCTION WORLD MARCH 2022