Allan Block Contractor Certification is back, and this time we are determined to do it in a way that hopefully reaches and helps more contractors than ever before. The Allan Block Rewards Program is designed to recognise those Allan Block Certified Contractors for their loyalty and commitment to building top-quality Allan Block projects around New Zealand.
The International Geosynthetics Conference for 2019 was held in Houston, Texas in February and included a number of very valuable highlights that we would like to share.
There is a lot of benefit to a contractor to win a reinforced soil project. However, we must realise that there is a high level of skill required. They will need to be familiar with the required design outcomes, and understand the importance of the compaction levels, required fill types, drainage detailing and facing construction to name a few.
The introduction of an IANZ certified geotextile testing facility in New Zealand is a big step up for the industry. For many years the closest approved laboratories were in Australia requiring samples to be shipped internationally if any site samples required testing.
Once again, we find ourselves deep in the middle of winter with the weather pounding our road networks and coastal areas, and many parts of the country experiencing saturated ground conditions.
New Zealand has a very long coastline in proportion to its land mass, with approximately 15,000 kilometres of coastline, which is the 9th longest of any country in the world. This makes the country especially susceptible to the effects of coastal erosion, with frequent storm events causing major land loss and affecting state highways and private property.
Whether its enhancing your backyard, creating more usable space for a subdivision, or a large commercial development, retaining walls are creating value for customers every day by allowing them to gain more usable ground.
The Industry and the NZTA, along with other RCA’s in New Zealand are actively looking for innovation to provide better outcomes and lower costs, however innovation requires a change in the way we do things, a change in attitude and sometimes even a change in our written guidelines and codes.
Cirtex Industries Ltd has always had a strong focus on continued learning and staff development, investing significant amounts on training and developing staff to allow them to excel in their role.
Erosion and sediment control are two distinct though related processes. Erosion control is preventing the washing away of soil particles by the action of wind or rain, while sediment control relates to controlling or containing the sediment laden water once erosion has taken place.
Road closures and delays on our state highways and regional roads following storm events seem to be more common than ever. Some of the big events hit the headlines and cause major delays over days or even weeks, while dozens of smaller slips go unnoticed by the media but still cause untold headaches and delays to road users nationwide.
What is extensible reinforcement in a bridge abutment or MSE Wall? It sounds like we are trying to build with some stretchy rubbery product. However Inextensible reinforcement sounds more like it. Nice and strong, and it won’t stretch. Now is that the case?
Last month I was privileged to attend the GeoFrontiers conference in Orlando USA. There were many interesting and cutting-edge developments presented which we were able to bring back home.
The term Urban Heat Island (UHI) refers to the fact that urban areas are hotter than rural areas due to human activities, in fact, Cities are on average 2˚C hotter during the day than rural areas, and as much as 5.5 ˚C hotter at night.
There are many options when considering a product for base stabilisation and reinforcement of roads, foundations and working platforms so which is the best solution for the many scenarios?
The use of geogrids in pavements and foundations is well established now and the benefits would be known by most engineers and roading contractors. However, are you clear on which geogrid type to use, and whether a triaxial or a biaxial geogrid will be best for your application?
For many years you have likely heard of the benefits of geosynthetic reinforcement in road pavements, and maybe even experienced it first hand, but there have been very few tools that allow us to incorporate these known benefits in to a pavement using actual test data and reputable methodologies.
Many of you would have noticed the rapid housing growth at Pokeno, just beside the southern approach to the Bombay hills. As these developments move towards the surrounding elevated ground the outlook over the surrounding area opens up to a vista of town and country scenes, increasing the value of the housing and therefore the return for the developer.
Temporary cut batter support for earthworks sites is one area where Platipus Earth Anchors are proving to be an extremely attractive solution, adding value for contractors, clients and specifiers alike.
It was great to be apart of the Queenstown Airport Extension Project alongside Downer and Beca. Cirtex was approached by Downer New Zealand to look at what solutions we could provide to replace an aggregate drainage blanket required underneath the pavement for drainage, along with reinforcing the pavement section of the new runway.
P: +64 7 868 9909
F: +64 7 868 3435
E: info@cirtex.co.nz
16 Queen Street, Kopu, Thames 3578, New Zealand
PO Box 470, Thames 3540, New Zealand
© Cirtex 2019 | All rights reserved | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap