RPF Issues from CAPSA 07

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RPF Issues from CAPSA 07

• Roads Pavement Forum
• 20/21 November 2007

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Background

• Based on the final presentation of Jooste and
  Myburgh and summary paper by Jooste, Myburgh
  Sampson in the proceedings
• Final Proceeding posted on web site for download
  by delegates
• Lecture, presentation, papers and the full
  proceedings will be available for sale in 2008
• Theme Consolidating best practice
• Solution to problems
• Role of RPF in addressing issues

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The Conference
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The Bush
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Future Conferences

• Current policy SA v southern Africa
• 2011 in SA
• Unique branding
• Venue (Size and containment)
• Exhibition
• Social programme/Networking
• Networking
• Should CAPSA bother to go to other southern
  African countries? (Issue for CAPSA S Com)

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Identified Problem Areas and analysis

• Problem areas
• Variability and Risk issues related to Quality
  Assurance and Pavement Design
• HSE
• HMA design
• Structural pavement design
• Surface Seals
• Evaluation of perceived progress
• Problem awareness
• Knowledge and understanding
• Available tools
• Implementation of solutions

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Variability Risk issues related to QA
Aspect Progress Comment
Awareness Good
Knowledge understanding Fair SA best practice well abreast of international norms
Available tools Good Plant lab equipment deemed to be appropriate and good
Implementation Poor

• Issues
• Laboratory Accreditation (Structures in place)
• Reluctance of contractors to embrace
  performance-based contracts (includes pay
  factors) (RPF task group?)
• Laboratory proficiency (Structures in place -
  RPF)
• Loss of experienced practitioners (Skills Dev TG
  RPF)

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Variability Risk issues related to Pavement
Design
Aspect Progress Comment
Awareness Good Stochastic simulation is an integral part of SAMDM
Knowledge understanding Fair Model for overall pavement system still lacking
Available tools Fair Some tools available but not properly integrated
Implementation Poor No widespread implementation of stochastic principles

• Issues
• Training and technology transfer of the revised
  SAMDM which promises to address current
  deficiencies in implementing stochastic methods
• (covered in SANRAL project Skills Dev TG, RPF,
  AsAc)

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Other issues related to variability risk

• Improved performance testing and monitoring to
  ensure better quality control
• (RPF task group on HMA Quality Control
  Performance)
• Segregation of HMA a major problem for quality
  control (HMA industry working group)
• Tighter specifications and the introduction of
  bonus/penalty schemes to improve the quality of
  HMA (RPF task group on HMA Quality Control
  Performance)
• Performance-based contracts still not widely
  accepted. Improved collaboration and cooperation
  between role players required (RPF task group on
  HMA Quality Control Performance)

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HSE
Aspect Progress Comment
Awareness Good First full plenary
Knowledge understanding Good Abreast of European USA practice. Needs refinement for SA
Available tools Good Contract Safety file BitSafe course and kits plus Bit Stab guide
Implementation Fair Framework and time-frame for meeting HSE demand in Distin paper

• Issues
• More self-regulation and transparency related to
  HSE is still needed by the bituminous products
  industry (Sabita structures in place)
• Improved safety mindset that propagates self
  regulation (Sabita structures in place)

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Other issues related to HSE

• Change of attitude to HSE needed
• Early awareness of HSE should be cultivated
  (school level)
• Obligation of industry stakeholders to generate a
  culture of compliance but tools required to
  monitor compliance.
• (Sabita structures in place)
• Environmental concerns about the exploitation of
  gravel resources
• Who takes responsibility for coordinating
  broader HSE issues for the road sector??

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HMA Design
Aspect Progress Comment
Awareness Good Rut resistance being addressed
Knowledge understanding Fair Fundamental understanding of aggregate interlock v binder stiffness lacking. Plus durability
Available tools Good Better understanding of aggregate packing in AsAc courses. Manual 24 to supplement new HMA design
Implementation Poor Marshall design prevails

• Issues
• Development of a unified HMA design method for SA
  incorporating the latest lab equipment and
  international best-practice (HMA industry
  working group/APT S Com)
• Laboratory resources (human and financial) to
  equip laboratories to meet design requirements
  and interpret results
• (Skills Dev task group RPF)

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Other issues related to HMA

• The adoption of a performance-based
  classification system for binder selection
  (Binder Specs TG RPF)
• Method needed to simulate the long term ageing of
  binders (Binder Specs TG RPF)
• Acceptance criteria linked to a unified HMA
  design method required (HMA industry working
  group/APT S Com)
• Increased awareness and focus on the importance
  of mix durability (HMA industry working group/APT
  S Com)

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Structural Pavement design
Aspect Progress Comment
Awareness Good Revision of SAMDM plus Bit Stab design guide
Knowledge understanding Good Significant improvements since CAPSA04
Available tools Fair Excellent tools in SA but beware of black-box syndrome
Implementation Fair Some tools being implemented but revised SAMDM still at inception phase

• Issues
• Lack of design manual to guide practitioners,
  especially inexperienced ones, in the selection
  of input parameters and interpretation of
  results (covered in SANRAL project)
• SAMDM still at the inception stage

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Other issues related to Structural Design

• The ability to account properly for traffic
  loading in design and the suitability of an
  equivalent single wheel load (based on a
  universal damage function) (covered in SANRAL
  project)
• Transfer function may differ significantly from
  reality (covered in SANRAL project)
• Translation of APT to LTPP (especially accounting
  for cyclical environmental effects) (covered in
  SANRAL project)
• Shear strength and associated deformation
  becoming increasingly more popular but no routine
  shear testing device available for bound and
  unbound materials (covered in SANRAL project)
• Limitations of linear elastic theory (covered in
  SANRAL project)
• Inexperience of designers (Skills Dev task group
  RPF)

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Surfacing Seals
Aspect Progress Comment
Awareness Good
Knowledge understanding Fair Much improved from a decade ago. Revision of TRH 3 completed
Available tools Fair Software tool for seal design discussed
Implementation Good TRH 3

• Issues
• Black-box syndrome for seal design (Seal design
  task group RPF?)
• Appropriate conversion of heavy vehicles for seal
  design (Seal design task group RPF?)
• Lack of a dedicated focus on developing
  appropriate solutions for low volume roads
  (PRAC/APT S Com)

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Other issues related to surface seals

• Prediction of stone embedment in seal design
• Ball penetration test and the interpretation of
  results needs review
• Texture depth measurement
• Guidelines for sealing in winter months (Sabita?)
• (Seal design task group RPF?)

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Other diverse issues from the workshops

• A comprehensive design guideline for rural areas
  and the use of marginal materials is required
  (PRAC/APT S Com)
• Perception related to Labour Enhanced
  Construction need to be better managed and
  marketed (APT S Com/Gautrans)
• Guideline on the design and use of RAP in HMA
  required (RPF task group on RAP??)
• Comprehensive database on available aggregate
  sources and their properties required (ASPASA??)
• Programme of education for politicians and client
  bodies involved in funding road assets (Skills
  Dev task group RPF) (Sabita, Councillors prog)
• Improved communication in all spheres of
  government (RPF task group?)

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Summary of main problems
Problem Theme Potential Approaches to Address Problems
Loss of experience amongst client body representatives and relevant political decision makers RPF Skills Dev task group? Develop and implement a framework to train and educate client body representatives and political decision makers in aspects related to road asset preservation. Develop a guideline for client bodies, to clarify the importance of roads as a national asset, and to explain key variables that drive maintenance strategies.
Lack of attention to guidelines and design solutions for rural situations and low volume roads. PRAC/APT S Com Develop design guidelines tailored for rural and low volume design situations (specifically for southern Africa, as opposed to only South Africa). Investigate existing solutions to optimize the use of marginal materials, and develop suitable technology transfer mechanisms.
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Summary of main problems (continued)
Problem Theme Potential Approaches to Address Problems
Slow progress on implementing new equipment and design solutions. HMA Industry task group/APT S Com (RPF task group on HMA Design, Quality Control Performance) Commission a Task Team to investigate impediments to implement new technologies related to HMA design, and to make recommendations on expediting the routine implementation of new equipment and design concepts. Refine and unify the latest HMA design approaches to suit implementation in southern Africa. This should also address mix design criteria as well as testing protocols and criteria for performance based tests.
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Summary of main problems (continued)
Problem Theme Potential Approaches to Address Problems
Slow progress on implementing and refining performance based contracts and/or implementing performance based concepts in conventional contracts. RPF Task Group on Quality Control and Performance?? Commission a Task Team to investigate impediments to the more widespread use of performance based contracts. Create a forum for regular, constructive debate of performance based concepts (contracts in general and also specific methods such as pay factors). Appoint a Task Team to refine and expedite the use of Pay Factors in various aspects of asphalt pavement construction (e.g. as related to Riding Quality, volumetric properties of HMA, etc). Ensure continued debate and progress on the development of a performance based specification for binders.
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Conclusions

• CAPSA 07 was a very successful conference and
  achieved the goal of Consolidating best
  practice
• Many advances have been made to generate
  knowledge and tools to address problems and many
  challenges remain
• Awareness of the problems is good
• Implementation of available knowledge and tools
  remains a major challenge.
• Compounded by poor growth in human resources and
  loss of experienced practitioners
• Progress in the industry is critically dependent
  on HRD and the development of design tools and T²
  mechanism that are suited to the current HR
  realities in the region

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Implications to RPF Blacktop related

• RPF Binder Specifications task group should
  continue to take responsibility for performance
  grading and binder durability issues
• New RPF task groups should be considered for the
  following areas
• HMA Design, Quality Assurance, Specifications
  Performance
• Seal Design input parameters
• RAP
• The HMA Industry task team overseeing the current
  HMA research should report to the proposed task
  group

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Implications to RPF Generic

• RPF Skills Development task group should address
  the issues related to HRD and skills development
• The role of RPF in communicating with all spheres
  and levels of government
• New RPF task groups should be considered for the
  following areas
• HSE in the road pavement sector ??

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Smoking Damages your Health
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Back to the Bush
Thank you