tall poles gain high praise - rocla · sedgman ltd. the tunnel is made up of atlantic civil...

INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN RELY ON FIRST QUARTER 2013

Tall poles gain high praise+ SuperCor® makes the grade

+ Plastream® slots right in

Installing Rocla® large diameter steel reinforced concrete pipes on a residential street, without disrupting homeowners, was a challenging task for the Tweed Shire Council team charged with increasing stormwater drainage capacity on Blue Jay Circuit in Kingscliff, New South Wales. Designed by Council engineers to cater for a 1 in a 100 year storm event, the Rocla® pipes will enable better drainage for lower lying land further down the catchment from an existing housing estate that has no feasible overland flow path.

Installing the pipeline was by no means easy, and involved removing parts of the existing road, dewatering and reconnecting all services. Residents also needed to gain

access to their homes, meaning only two pipes could be joined and backfilled at a time.

With a small footprint to work in due to the close proximity of homes, and complex requirements for dewatering and shoring, the council developed a unique frame and anchor system which allowed the 2,250mm diameter pipes to be pulled together from inside.

As well as reducing disruption to residents, the ability to complete the joints with workers standing in the pipe rather than in the trench, eliminated the need for workers to be in the pipe trench, greatly improving pipe installation safety.

The process of joining the pipes using this innovative method was highly successful, with the site supervisor commenting that the pipes joined so easily “they almost walked themselves home”. Not bad for a pipe weighing close to 8.5 tonnes!

www.rocla.com.auCall 131 0041

Smooth joints help deliver innovative pipeline project

www.rocla.com.auCall 131 004 2

Australian Construction Products has been appointed as the exclusive Australian distributor for Barrier Systems Inc (BSI).Part of the Linsday Corporation in America, BSI is recognized as a global leader for the supply of crash cushions, terminals, TMAs and portable barriers. BSI consistently develops solutions for road hazards and provides the best product based on total life cycle costing.

Two of the featured products are;

TAU-II™ Crash CushionThe TAU-II™ is a fully re-directive crash cushion used at locations where the most demanding performance is a necessity. The TAU-II™ is fully re-directional and crash tested and approved to NCHRP 350 TL-2 and 3. It is available in a variety of widths to suit shielding of hazards up to 2.6m wide.

ABSORB 350® Crash CushionThe ABSORB 350® Crash Cushion is a water-filled, non-re-directive, gating crash cushion that is approved to NCHRP Test Levels 1 and 2 criteria in Australia. It attaches to either portable, permanent or moveable concrete and steel barriers. It is an ideal hazard protection for work zones and other temporary situations.

To learn more about these products, visit www.acprod.com.au

360m Multi-Plate® tunnel completed

The result of Atlantic Civil Products’ recent contract to supply the Stockpile Reclaim Tunnel at a Queensland mine was an impressive sight, before being buried beneath a 20 metre high mound of coal.At 360 metres long, nearly six metres wide and more than three metres high, the tunnel was designed and manufactured by Atlantic Civil Products, with construction managed by infrastructure specialists Sedgman Ltd.

The tunnel is made up of Atlantic Civil Products’ HA44 Multi-Plate™, supplied with steel brackets for services support. Four 78P Multi-Plate™ Pipes were also used to create a coal valve framework, which was designed by Atlantic Civil Products’ in-house engineering design team. The structure’s escape tunnel was formed using Hel-Cor™ corrugated steel pipe.

ACP appointed exclusive distributor for BSI


Plastream® slots right in on highway upgrade

Bowled over by an easy sewer solution

Officially opened in June, the new grade-separated interchange at the intersection of Perth’s Great Eastern and Roe Highways was completed by McMahon Contractors for Main Roads Western Australia.Included in the works were 400 metres of 225mm diameter Plastream® slotted Pipe, supplied by Rocla’s Perth team.

Plastream® Slotted Pipe is a perforated, steel-reinforced polyethylene pipe that can be used for a variety of subsoil drainage applications. The 3mm by 9mm rectangular slots punched into the product’s walls create a perforated area over 2.1% of the pipe. This allows efficient flow transfer rates, minimising the size of the drainage infrastructure.

Available in standard sizes between 225mm and 900mm, with up to 2250mm available for special orders, the product is well suited to applications requiring infiltration, exfiltration and on-site detention.

The innovative Rocla® Bowl, a durable concrete small diameter maintenance shaft has proven to be an easy-to-install alternative for contractors installing sewer pits on the Gold Coast.Twelve units were installed in April, in a trial that lasted for six months and aimed to gain approval for wider use from the Gold Coast City Council.

‘Class D’ rated, Rocla® Bowls can be placed in trafficable areas where traditional plastic maintenance shafts aren’t suitable. They allow great flexibility in design and installation, and with a 600mm diameter access all the way to the surface, they provide good access for necessary pipeline maintenance equipment.

Pre-trial, the design of the pit was modified to make it more suitable for low grade sewer lines – the ‘fall’across the prefabricated moulded base was reduced from 80-90mm to 10-20mm.

The verdict? Contractors, Coops Drainage hailed the product a success – it simplified installation, reduced time on site and required less selected fill, equating to a low cost and long lasting solution.


Ease of handling reduces installation time

Use of Rocla’s lightweight yet durable Plastream® Steel Reinforced Polyethylene Drainage Pipe resulted in lower freight costs and significantly reduced installation time at the Glenorchy Council’s Stormwater Harvesting Project at Derwent Park in Hobart. The project is a combination of flood mitigation and re-use of stormwater that, after passing through the Plastream® pipeline, will be filtered and re-used in industrial applications.

More than 620 linear metres of 1950mm diameter Plastream® SRP, and an equal length of 2250mm diameter Plastream® pipe, were laid in a twin line at the site. The lines were designed and installed in accordance with AS2566, Buried Flexible Pipelines. The product’s unique steel reinforced plastic structure results in a low weight pipe, meaning that the six metre lengths could be laid safely using slings and an excavator. This resulted in much faster installation compared to the more traditional concrete pipe which is installed at 2.44 metres per lift.

The ability to ‘nest’ the 1950mm diameter pipe within the 2250mm diameter pipe was critical to the impressive reduction in freight costs. In addition, because the pipes came in six metre lengths, Rocla was able to transport 24 lineal metres at a time.

Plastream® SRP Drainage Pipe at a Glance:w Available in diameters ranging

between 225mm and 2250mm.

w Lightweight, with a long lifespan.

w Resistant to creep, abrasion and chemicals.

w Installed strength can withstand substantial traffic and earth loads.

w Six metre lengths require fewer joints, meaning fast installation.

w Range of complementary pipeline fittings available including bends, junctions, trees and reducers.

w Designed to AS/NZS2566.1

w Installed to AS/NZS2566.2

For more information visit www.rocla.com.au


Rocla’s MassBloc® ‘instant’ retaining wall system is being put to good use on a number of Cairns Regional Council road contracts. The precast product’s clever interlocking design enables much faster dry-stacked construction, making it a popular choice for a range of applications, including retaining walls, slip and embankment stabilisation, bridge abutments and mass gravity walls.

In Cairns, MassBloc® was used on five contracts, including Lake Morris Road – a popular route that winds through rain forest to reach the Copperlode Dam on Lake Morris – and Heavey Crescent, where the product was used to protect houses downstream from waterways that are severely affected from upstream erosion and storm flows come monsoon season.

With a number of solid blocks remaining from a previous contract, the client’s engineers were asked to create a design that integrated these with the standard MassBloc® product. The resulting solution proved highly effective in reducing the width of excavation required and made it easier to attach the guard rail posts.

In total, around 400 MassBloc® blocks were ordered. Ensuring the block production met site requirements demanded close attention from Rocla’s team.

Ultimately this ability to deliver, and the product’s versatility has encouraged the Council to consider MassBloc® for future projects.

MassBloc® en masse in Cairns


Construction projects requiring temporary traffic barriers now have access to an innovative water-filled barrier solution that is quicker and cheaper to install than similar products.ArmorZone™ Plastic Barriers, which are available exclusively through Australian Construction Products (ACP), have been approved by the AustRoads National Assessment Panel for use throughout Australia.

The product is NCHRP 350 tested and approved at Test Level 2 (TL-2) for longitudinal barriers, or use in 50kph zones as a fully re-directive barrier.

ArmorZone™ has a unique polyethylene composition, profile design and steel connector pin system that allow it to be installed straight or curved to a minimum radius of 28 metres if required. The absence of steel inside the barrier, and the fact that each barrier requires less water than comparable barriers, makes it much faster and less expensive to fill.

“We are very excited to be able to offer ArmorZone™ in Australia and believe this product will be well supported because it is quicker and cheaper to install than other water filled barriers,” says Zalman Paris, General Manager of ACP.tc

ArmorZone™ Plastic Barriers Benefits at a Glance:w Smaller footprint: At 50kph it has a 1.04 metre deflection.

w Wider application of use: Lower minimum deployment lengths compared to other systems.

w Flexibility: Suitable for roadside or median applications.

w Convenience: ArmorZone™ can be dispatched in stacks of 15 units.

For more information visit www.acprod.com.au

ArmorZone™ traffic barriers get the green light


Flexible product on the right track

Joint effort meets demand

Meeting the demand for pipe generated by a major drainage upgrade for Mildura Rural City Council required a joint effort by Rocla’s Wodonga and Campbellfield factories.Contractors, Waters Excavations required 550 of Rocla’s 1500mm diameter concrete pipes to complete the project, which is one of the largest upgrades ever undertaken in Mildura, Victoria. The Wodonga and Campbellfield factories worked closely on supply logistics to ensure that the client’s order was met.

Specified by Aurecon in Mildura, Class 3 rubber ring joint concrete pipe was chosen to provide a durable long term solution to alleviate local flooding which had occurred in large storm events.

The product was used to create two 1.6 kilometre long pipelines that, once complete, tripled the local stormwater drainage capacity.

The reduced maintenance requirements and high degree of design flexibility of Rocla’s PermaTrak® precast concrete boardwalk system were critical factors in its selection for the Liverpool stage of ARTC’s Southern Sydney Freight Line Project. More than 1,700 units of PermaTrak® three metre tread were used in the creation of the boardwalk, which was completed by Ford Civil for Australian Rail Track Corporation.

The project required both standard tread and a tapered version that allows for the creation of curves with a radius as tight as 11 metres.

With a number of obstacles to negotiate, the contractor valued the flexibility that the tapered system offered.

This flexibility also included a number of alternatives for easy fixing of a steel guard rail.

To ensure a successful outcome, Rocla partnered with Ford Civil and design consultants Aurecon well in advance of the project to provide design support for the layout and connection details.

Construction began in June and the boardwalk was completed in late-September.


Tall poles gain high praise

The logistical advantages of having a Queensland-based factory were demonstrated recently, when Rocla supplied Powerlink Queensland with more than 180 poles for its QR Bluff, Duaringa and Wycarbah 132kV Transmission Line Projects. These projects were logistically challenging at times due to wet weather conditions, however Rocla delivered the poles on time, avoiding unnecessary delays to the project schedule. In a market historically dominated by steel structures, the availability of Rocla’s taller, stronger reinforced concrete product offers a much smaller footprint and reduced footing installation costs in comparison to lattice towers.

This has led to a significant shift in the way that construction of transmission line projects is approached.

It’s not just customers that are impressed with Rocla® pole products. Rocla® Strong Poles recently won the top prize for New Product Innovation at the global Fletcher Building Innovation Awards.

The judges praised Rocla for its innovative approach to modifying single structure communication poles and adapting them to suit the transmission markets, commenting:

“Rocla® Strong Poles recognise growing customer demands for taller poles with greater tip strengths and free-standing capacity. These stronger poles allowed entry into the lower end of the steel lattice tower market to compete against imports and capture share in high voltage transmission lines.”


SuperCor® makes the grade Atlantic SuperCor® at a Glance:w A high strength, cost effective

alternative to conventional bridging.w Uses include vehicle and railway

underpasses, box culverts, underground storage and mining applications such as stockpile tunnels and rail loading tunnels.

w Available in a variety of shapes, including box culvert, round, ellipse and as a range of arches.

w Spans can exceed 20 metres.w SuperCor® can be designed to

match all service life requirements.w Sinusoidal corrugation (381mm in

pitch and 140mm in depth) provides up to nine times the stiffness of conventional structural plates.

w SuperCor® structures can be installed on a plate-by-plate basis, or through sub-assembling adjacent to the site and lifting into place using Franna type cranes.

For more information visit www.rocla.com.au

September saw Atlantic Civil Products’ premium, hot-dip-galvanised, deep-corrugated SuperCor® product chosen ahead of conventional bridging products for use in construction of a 55 metre long, grade separated crossing at a Pilbara iron ore mine in Western Australia.An innovative alternative to conventional bridging, SuperCor® offers versatility, strength and durability on large applications. Used extensively in mining applications, it is available in a variety of shapes and diameters.

In this instance, the product used was a Horseshoe Arch, spanning 15 metres, which involved an impressive 125 tonnes of steel.

Building the structure over a live railway line, with trains several kilometres long passing regularly, provided a significant logistical challenge – this was met successfully with no LTI’s or incidents.

Rocla supports TSBE

As a Foundation Member of Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE), late August saw Rocla invited to present to 160 of TSBE’s members at the group’s Enterprise Evening. TSBE is an independent, business driven organisation that promotes the development of the Surat Basin, which is a hub for mining and energy activities.

Rocla’s team took the opportunity to speak about its recent involvement with QGC’s ‘Ruby Jo’ project, which saw Rocla manufacture and supply a high performance oil water separation system – ecoTechnic® – to Thiess.

As well as covering the mechanics, benefits and applications of the ecoTechnic® system, the team also demonstrated the design used on ‘Ruby Jo’.

The presentation was well received, as was Rocla’s involvement with the group. Reagan Parle, TSBE’s Projects Manager for the Surat Basin, commented:

“As a Surat Basin based member organisation, we are delighted to have Rocla join us. Their support allows TSBE to continue to work closely with companies capable of supplying to the resource sector in our patch. By showcasing their pipe product range to our members, Rocla have quickly engaged local contractors.”

Jason Horswill, Rocla’s Northern Regional Sales Manager, addresses TSBE members.

A faster, simpler bridge solution


Rocla’s fast and simple to construct M-Lock® Bridge system was used to deliver a 30 metre long, 14.6 metre wide crossing over a natural water course at the Mulgoa Rise Subdivision, near Penrith.Two 15 metre spans were used to complete the modular bridge, along with headstocks and concrete truncated barriers. Designed by GHD, the post-tensioned structure was installed by well known local contractor JK Williams resulting in a bridge which was easy and efficient to construct, with structural integrity.

A popular choice for rural road, subdivision and temporary bridges, M-Lock® Bridge Systems offer a reduced construction period in comparison to conventional bridges, and can be constructed at a rate of one span per week by a small crew of two to three people. It also provides an economical replacement for aging timber bridges and requires virtually no on-site wet mix.

Rocla Manufacturing and Distribution Centres • Sydney • Mittagong • Blayney • Dubbo • Glen Innes • Grafton • Canberra • Wodonga • Melbourne • Brisbane

• Toowoomba • Rockhampton • Mackay • Townsville • Cairns • Adelaide • Perth

The contents of this publication are copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Rocla Pty Limited. Product applications described in this publication are to be taken as illustrations only, and are provided without liability on the part of the company or its

employees and agents. ®™ Trademarks of Rocla Pty Limited. ABN 31 000 032 191. A member of the Fletcher Building Group. MassBloc trade mark used under exclusive licence from MassTec Industries Limited and Fletcher Concrete and Infrastructure Limited. TAU-II trademark and ABSORB 350 trademark used in Australia under exclusive licence from Barrier Systems, Inc. Super-

Cor registered trademark used under licence from AIL International Inc. ©Rocla Pty Limited, January 2013.

Head Office: Tower B, Level 11, 821 Pacific Highway, Chatswood, NSW 2067P: +61 2 8986 0900W: www.rocla.com.au

www.rocla.com.au

Poles prove their strength

When severe storms wreaked havoc across Western New South Wales in late 2010, a number of poles manufactured by Rocla’s Wodonga Plant stood directly in the path of the storm and were subjected to loads in excess of 80% of their ultimate design capacity.Following the storms, the power company that owns the affected poles placed them in storage. Rocla’s Wodonga Plant were asked to undertake load testing on the poles in May of this year to ascertain whether they were still able to meet the designated strength requirements, after already being exposed to such extreme conditions. The poles tested by the plant were 14m in length with 16kN ultimate strength and had been used to support a 33kV line.

As client and Rocla representatives watched on, each of the poles was successfully tested to well above 100% of their ultimate load capacity – more proof that Rocla® Poles perform, whatever the weather.

tall poles gain high praise - rocla · sedgman ltd. the tunnel is made up of atlantic civil...

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