concrete REPORT
ALSO INSIDE xtramix group concrete chemicals pumping equipment bim and concrete
cOncRETE PavEs ThE way
Cemex’s Marsat Lal Mirpuri advocates for a change in the way we build roads and highways in the Middle East
A supplement of:
Xtramix is one of the leading cement products company in UAE, with an ultra-modern European-technology production facility. Through advanced design capabilities, the company produces a wide range of standard and specialist cement products. Xtramix provides a first class service through
consultation, planning and installation. Xtramix Group of Companies P.O.Box: 32020 - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 2 5511118; +971 2 6191111; +971 3 7805647 - Fax: +971 2 5511425 Email: xtramix@xtramix.ae Website: www.xtramixgroup.com
READYMIX PRECAST BLOCKS & INTERLOCK GRC
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EDITOR’s COMMENT
Group Chairman and Founder Dominic De SouSa Group Ceo naDeem HooD
puBLiShinG direCtor RaZ iSLam
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Registered at imPZ
A Collective Effort Over the last year, the cement industry has seen an increase in demand of 63.9 million tonnes per annum, highlighting the increased construction activity in the GCC region. While Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE have been the main drivers of this demand, it’s been interesting to see a shift in perceptions within the industry. Sustainability was a recurring theme when we spoke to people within the industry, and as the feature shows, significant strides are being made in this regard. The cement industry – which has long been criticised for being one of the most eco-unfriendly around – seems determined to make a collective effort to push for greater accountability when it comes to green building. This is an exciting development and will be at the heart of any push by the regional governments’ drive for increased sustainability and green building. Whether it’s through research of new polymers and admixtures, or through the incorporation of technology into cement pouring, the industry is an example the entire construction sector should follow.
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Xtra large ambitions
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starting small with bim
Po box 13700 Dubai, uae Tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 www.cpimediagroup.com
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Gavin Davids Editor
a solid foundation
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Printwell Printing Press LLc
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Market Overview concrete
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Cementing Change Big Project ME casts an eye over the GCC cement market, and experts highlight issues facing the regional concrete industry
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n June 2015, Alpen Capital released a report on GCC construction highlighting key issues and trends. One of its more intriguing sections focused on the raw materials used on construction projects, with a particular emphasis on the key building material of cement and its by-products. According to the report, cement has seen an increase in demand of 63.9 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), up from 81.5mtpa in 2008 to 145.4mtpa in 2014. This reflects the increased construction activity in the region. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are expected to be the major drivers of demand in the GCC construction market, thanks to the ambitious and extensive government-backed infrastructure projects that are either underway or in the planning stages. Events such as Expo 2020 and the 2022 World Cup have been the catalysts for some of these investments, but another major factor is the national vision projects established by GCC governments as they seek to modernise and diversify their economies. However, the slump in demand during 2010 and 2011 resulted in an over-supply of cement, which led to the likes of the UAE and Oman exporting cement to its neighbours
in the Middle East, such as Yemen, Egypt and North Africa, the report added. Once the economy recovered, local demand for cement grew at a CAGR of 14.5% from 2012 to 2014. The added cement supply was used to meet the increase in demand in local markets, and the surplus fell from 27.8mtpa in 2012 to 12.0mtpa in 2014. Demand in 2015 is expected to reach 130.5mtpa, up 9.9% on 2014, the Alpen Capital report said. “The UAE is bracing itself for Expo 2020, while Qatar is developing for the World Cup in 2022,” says Andre Mikaeilli, manager of Pozzolan International, a building materials supplier based in Hamriyah Free Zone Sharjah. “Other countries in the region also feel a requirement to develop their infrastructure in a multi-diagonal way. We are optimistic about seeing this growth, and that is why we’re here,” he tells Big Project ME. Pozzolan International specialises in the development of plastic spacers for concrete covers and supporting parts for reinforcement. He adds that the concrete market in the UAE is well developed and highlights the precast industry as especially competitive. This market potential attracted Pozzolan to
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“The UAe is brAcing iTself for expo 2020, while QATAr is developing for The world cUp in 2022. oTher coUnTries in The region Also feel A reQUiremenT To develop Their infrAsTrUcTUre in A mUlTi-diAgonAl wAy. we Are opTimisTic AboUT seeing This growTh”
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MARKET REVIEW concrete
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growing demAnd Cement demand in 2015 is expected to be 9.9% more than it was in 2014.
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Market Overview concrete
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inTegrATing Technology The integration of technology is driving change in the concrete industry.
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the UAE in the first place, Mikaeilli points out. “With all the major precast companies [in the market] and the ongoing airport and other relevant development projects, we believe that the potential in the market is not a secret. “Having the perspective of Dubai Expo 2020 and the Qatar World Cup 2022 in mind, and the emerging construction market in Saudi Arabia, we decided to establish Pozzolan International FZC so as to be closer to the ongoing projects and tenders in the market,” he adds, highlighting major infrastructure projects such as airports and roads in the UAE as a major focus for the company. Khaled Awad, chairman and founder of Advanced Construction and Technology Services (ACTS) and vice-president of the American Concrete Institute, tells Big Project ME that the GCC region is a world leader in specifying and enforcing high-quality standards in construction, particularly in concrete. Awad highlights the presence of three of the world’s tallest buildings in the region (Burj Khalifa, Makkah Clock Tower and Kingdom Tower) as clear evidence of the advancements made in GCC concrete technology. “The ready-mix industry in the GCC is one of the most advanced in the world in terms of producing quality concrete. The aggressive weather in the region is a catalyst for concrete
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corrosion, which is considered to be the cancer of concrete structures, and therefore, concrete quality and durability are essential to maintaining long service life for structures. This is reflected in stringent project specifications, and the industry is coping well with these.” Awad also praised the work being done in the region to drive research and development in ready-mix concrete, as it will lead to significant advantages for the industry. “Integrating technology in different aspects of concrete production is the main driver for change. The use of sensors to identify quality parameters seems to be gaining ground. Data management is also another increasingly important area for the sector. Technology adoption and green initiatives will differentiate winners and losers in the industry.”
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130.5mtpa – Forecast demand for cement in 2015
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145.4mtpa – Demand for cement in 2014
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81.5mtpa – Demand for cement in 2008
However, he concedes that this will not be easy, since concrete has always been associated with a high environmental impact, and calls on the GCC industry to seek lower carbon footprints in production and even materials. “Since the region has one of the highest consumptions of cement per capita, the industry as a whole should work diligently to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete by driving the demand for cement alternatives. It is not going to be easy; it needs commitment from the industry, but also incentives from the specifying authorities. We have gone through many cycles of booms in the Middle East, and unfortunately, all come with a high environmental cost. To date, there is no serious effort to curb this with the current infrastructure boom in the Gulf,” he warns in conclusion.
“inTegrATing Technology in differenT AspecTs of concreTe prodUcTion is The mAin driver for chAnge. The Use of sensors To idenTify QUAliTy pArAmeTers seems To be gAining groUnd. dATA mAnAgemenT is Also AnoTher increAsingly imporTAnT AreA for The secTor”
In ProfIle Abdel RAzzAk dAjAni
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Xtra Large Ambitions
Big Project ME speaks to Abdel Razzak Dajani, managing director of Xtramix, the Abu Dhabi ready-mix and precast producer with big plans for the region
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company’s success is often a matter of timing. Move too early, and you may not grab the attention of your market, because they don’t understand the value of what you’re selling. Move too late, and you’re just going to be seen as someone trying to cash in on the innovations of others. Many other factors come into play as well – are your investors going to back you sufficiently? Does your manpower have the right qualifications and capabilities? Is the economic situation of the market ideal for your product? Should any of these go awry, it’s very likely that you’ll face an uphill struggle in establishing your business. Because of these myriad factors, the most important tool in an entrepreneur’s arsenal is the ability to recognise an opportunity – and that is something Xtramix managing director Abdel Razzak Dajani has in abundance. Set up in 2005, Xtramix is part of the Al Jaber Group, one of the biggest contracting firms in the UAE. Based in Abu Dhabi, the ready-mix company is the brainchild of Dajani, who has seen it grow from a tiny operation to a company with 13 concrete batching plants in Al Ain, the Western Region of the UAE and Qatar. “I joined in 2005, with the idea of restructuring the construction material division in Al Jaber Group, the concrete and asphalt plants, the quarries and the block factory,” Dajani tells Big Project ME. “There was a time when the group was going through some changes, and an opportunity was open to start something different. That
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was when I started the idea of Xtramix.” “I pioneered in creating the business. The idea was simple. What I wanted to do was to create a total concrete solutions provider. Which actually means creating a concrete ready-mix, block factory, precast, aggregates products and so on, all under one roof.” Opportunity, the crucial ingredient for success, was now knocking on the door for the fledgling supplier. The other ingredient – timing – was next up on the board. “I’d say that we were lucky to be able to capitalise on the huge economic boom that took place, especially in the construction sector, between 2004 and 2010. We started in
“However, tHe good tHing is tHat in 2015 we saw a positive movement. instead of slowing down, we’re moving upwards, in a positive direction. readymix Has sHown a good performance tHis year”
Abu Dhabi and then expanded throughout the UAE. We started in ready-mix, then we moved into precast and block factory, and then we opened a branch in Qatar, which we’re operating with a partner,” Dajani says. Having timed its entry into the market so perfectly, Xtramix continued to flourish, despite the slight hiccup of the world economy collapsing in 2008. Today, a decade since it first started business, it employs 1,850 workers and has an annual turnover, across all divisions, of $163.3 million. Interestingly, while the economic crisis that hit the globe in 2008 certainly had a major impact on all of the UAE’s business sectors, including construction, Dajani points out that the construction industry, or more specifically the construction supplies market, only really started feeling the pinch a few years down the line. “Actually, I think the tough years for us were from 2011 onwards. The situation until 2011 was okay, we managed it very well [at Xtramix], until the end of 2010. Unfortunately, what happened then was that the UAE construction supplies market became oversupplied. “We had a big supply chain and suddenly the market dropped because of the economic crisis in the world. So most companies ended up dropping their production quota by one third of their real capacity. And since then, the market still hasn’t recovered,” he says sombrely. “However, the good thing is that in 2015 we saw a positive movement. Instead of slowing down, we’re moving upwards, in a positive direction. Ready-mix has
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in Profile abdeL razzak dajani
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shown a good performance this year, while precast is still slow because there is a huge overcapacity in precast supplies. “Unfortunately, prices haven’t improved for us, in terms of margins and everything. They’re still weak, but this is not only for construction materials, I’m talking about the whole construction market.” While the market may show a gloomy picture, Dajani actually believes that things will pick up fairly rapidly, given the huge amount of funding the UAE government is investing in the country’s infrastructure sector. Projects that have caught his eye include a roadworks project that runs from Abu Dhabi through to the Saudi Arabian border and the Etihad Railway project, with its second and third stages recently announced. “Even with the uncertainty in the Middle East, there are still projects coming up in the UAE, which has really been a blessing for us,” he says. In addition, Qatar’s massive investment in infrastructure is another market that Xtramix will look to tap, with both the 2022 World Cup and Vision 2030 providing major construction opportunities. “I can tell you that 2015 is definitely a better year than 2014, so I’m quite positive in that direction, both here and in Qatar. Our operation in Qatar is only two years old, but it has grown fast in just two years! Qatar is offering us tremendous projects right now, so we’re quite happy there. We have a good operation, a good team and good partner working with us, so I definitely see things moving in a more positive direction,” Dajani insists, adding that the company is targeting a 5% increase in turnover this year. While this may be a modest target, the managing director says he prefers to be conservative, due to the overcapacity still present in the market. He also reveals that plans are in the pipeline for an expansion into other Gulf countries, with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait at the top of the list. In addition, Dajani plans to expand operations in Qatar, a move that may be surprising to some given the furore surrounding the World Cup in 2022. However, ever the opportunist, he spots tremendous potential in the Qatari market and wants his company positioned to take advantage of it. “Qatar is a young country, and it has so much to build. In my opinion, it has a lot of things that they need to build up. They need infrastructure, rail
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increased turnover Xtramix is targeting an increase of 5% in turnover for 2015.
“a trend is emerging now, and being part of tHis industry, it may be a matter of time wHen you’ll come to tHink wHetHer you become part of tHese mega-operations or you end up being a small-sized company witH meagre margins”
expanding operations Dajani says that he plans to expand operations in Qatar.
In ProfIle Abdel RAzzAk dAjAni
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local projects Despite uncertainty in the Middle East, there are still projects coming up in the UAE.
and metro, and all these projects are all going on, it’s all part of Vision 2030. “For them to have the World Cup is basically the icing on the cake. Whether they get it or not, it really won’t stop them. They must finish building their own country. There are a lot of project opportunities in Qatar that would benefit all the citizens of Qatar and its expatriates,” he enthuses. “Even with all this hype with FIFA, I think it’s just that. I think that FIFA can never back out from their decision, it’s been officially awarded, and Qatar is doing whatever it can to build the stadiums, as required by FIFA. They’ve also done a lot of positive movements regarding the labour laws and the opening up of the country.” Having successfully set up the company for regional success, Dajani is already eyeing the next step in the evolution of Xtramix. As benefits someone who’s created a company that strives to take advantage of market conditions, he says he’s observing international cement trends with some interest. “Globally, we are part of the cement industry. It’s the main industry that supplies everybody, and in the past couple of years, we’ve seen strong movement happening in terms of huge mergers. “Lafarge merged with Holcim, and it was recently announced that there is a huge merger coming up between Heidelberg Cement and Italcementi. “You can see that these top five or six companies are merging to become megacompanies. A trend is emerging now and being part of this industry, it may be a matter of time when you’ll come to think about whether you are part of these mega-operations, or you end up being a very small-sized company with meagre margins,” Dajani says. This is precisely the fate he wishes the Xtramix Group of companies to avoid. Having worked for a decade to raise the company to its current heights, the managing director reveals that his long-term vision is to merge Xtramix with one of the global giants of the industry, thereby cementing its legacy in the Gulf region and beyond. “It’s my vision to merge with one of the big names. We are part of the world and we have to follow the impact [of these mergers]. It’s not like we’re going to say, ‘Oh, we’re going to stay small.’” Clearly, with Abdel Razzak Dajani in charge, there’s not much chance of that happening.
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Paving the Way
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Big Project ME speaks to Marsat Lal Mirpuri, commercial and technical director at Cemex, to find out how concrete roadways can be a viable transport infrastructure alternative for the GCC
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oncrete production and application in the GCC has always been focused on traditional applications in the construction sector. It has traditionally been used, and continues to be used, in the construction of skyscrapers, shopping malls, bridges and residential developments, among others. Despite the diversity of usage, one aspect of concrete application hasn’t really caught on in the Middle East: the construction of national highways. The USA has long been an advocate of the material, combining it with asphalt to pave thousands of miles of interstate roads and highways. This is due to the higher volumes of traffic on these national highways, which also have much heavier vehicles travelling on them compared to smaller city roads and streets. This combination of higher volume and heavier weight calls the durability of asphalt into question. Clearly the move has been a huge success, and as a result a number of countries have followed suit. India recently built a highway from Pune to Mumbai, a concrete expressway getting rave reviews from travellers and engineers. So why doesn’t the GCC look to use concrete as an alternative to the traditional asphalt? It comes down to two crucial factors, says Marsat Lal Mirpuri, commercial and technical director at Cemex in the UAE: a lack of awareness within the industry, and the cost of implementing concrete roadworks. “I believe that it’s a bit of both, in addition to the fact that there is the belief that roads should only be built with asphalt. Unlike the that day by day looks for new materials to achieve Concrete can building be moreindustry, than 15°C (27°F) productivity, lower maintenance costs and higher comfort for colder than higher asphalt on a warm day.
CONCRETE vs. ASPHALT HEAT ISLAND EFFECT Cities are warmer than their surroundings, which in summer leads to discomfort, medical conditions, and higher air conditioning use. Light-colored surfaces such as concrete reduce this so-called Urban Heat Island Effect.
Normal (left) and thermographic (right) pictures of pavements: Concrete
Asphalt
Average Temperature Concrete: 33°C (92°F) Average Temperature Asphalt: 49°C (121°F)
Concrete
Asphalt
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low maintenance Using concrete means less road maintenance, which means less disruption for road users.
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the end user, the road industry only concentrates on how to lay asphalt faster and better,” Mirpuri says, in conversation with Big Project ME. “Also, people believe that concrete roads take longer to open to traffic, due to the need to wait for the 28-day results. But just like asphalt roads after laying the wearing course, there are other activities that prevent a road being open to traffic which are not related to the total strength of the final layer.” Analysing the advantages of concrete roadways leads to some interesting insights. The figures show that concrete’s durability is far more reliable than asphalt. On average, the maintenance of asphalt occurs every two years, with a major reconstruction
“often, the best way to overcome fear of change is by execution, by showing that what is said can be done”
CEMEX HIGHWAYS Puebla, MEXICO This urban highway of 5.3 km (3.3 mls) was completely reconstructed in conventional concrete in order to put an end to the constant maintenance and repair work that the previous asphalt surface required.
Tijuana, MEXICO Disappointed with the quality of its asphalt-paved road network the city of Tijuana asked CEMEX to rehabilitate more than 160 km (100 mls) of 4-lane highways with whitetopping. In addition, CEMEX provided support for the financing of the project under a PPP scheme.
Guadalajara – Colima, MEXICO A 34.5 km (21.4 mls) stretch of the highway with a total surface of 528‘000 m 2 (5.7 mln sft) was rehabilitated in fulldepth reclamation, i.e. a cement treated base using the pre-existing asphalt layer as aggregates, resulting in almost 12% savings in cost and around 30% less construction time.
Dortmund – Kassel, GERMANY
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This stretch of autobahn built in conventional concrete used some 9’000 metric t (10,000 sh tn) of CEMEX cement that was not only optimized for pavements but also reduced the carbon footprint of the project by some 2’500 metric t (2,800 sh tn) CO 2 .
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scheduled every ten years. Meanwhile, concrete roadways need minor repairs every ten years, while surface grinding occurs after 30 years. In that same time frame, an asphalt road would have had three major reconstructions. “Concrete roads can be designed for 50 years or more,” says Mirpuri. “They last around three times longer than asphalt roads before a first major rehabilitation is required.” Less major maintenance means less disruption for road users, less congestion and a smaller economic impact of roadworks on local businesses. It also helps reduce pollution associated with congestion due to roadworks. “There are many advantages when you build a road with concrete instead of asphalt,” Mirpuri says. “If we take the sustainability approach, these advantages can be grouped into three major areas. Social – better night visibility, shorter braking distance and less disturbance of traffic. Then there’s economic – there’s lower ownership costs, decreased energy consumption on light, durability is increased and there is responsible sourcing. The third area of improvement is environmental – countries can achieve a lower CO2 footprint, while also reducing the urban heat island effect. They can also reduce air conditioning consumption.” With summer temperatures in the GCC reaching 50°C, the urban heat island effect is of real concern to city and infrastructure planners. One of the most common causes of accidents in the region is burst tyres, which occur most frequently in extremely high temperature conditions. Therefore, it’s interesting to see that a report by the US Environmental Protection Agency, entitled ‘Reducing Urban Heat Islands: Compendium of Strategies – Cool Pavements’, shows that concrete roadways are, on average, 16°C cooler than asphalt. In fact, citing its own studies, Cemex says that if a city like Los Angeles converted from asphalt to concrete, it would reduce summer temperatures by around 0.6°C, which would result in annual savings of $90 million on air conditioning energy. These are just some of the many benefits of using concrete; however, that does not mean there are no downsides. The chief concerns raised about concrete centre around cost – paving costs for a concrete road are considered to be higher compared to asphalt. And when it comes to maintenance, if a concrete road breaks, then the entire slab needs to be replaced, as compared to asphalt, which just requires socalled ‘running repairs’ as it gets damaged. However, Mirpuri points out that these concerns have been raised in many other countries, and that the response should be the same: “Make
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Puebla, MEXICO A 120‘000 m 2 (1.3 mln sft) whitetopping project to rehabilitate a worn out asphalt pavement; apart from the life-cycle cost saving of 54% compared to an asphalt rehabilitation, construction time was cut by 20%.
San Angelo, Texas, USA The roller compacted concrete design for this 12’800 m 2 (138,000 sft) project convinced the city engineer: 41% less cost for rehabilitation and maintenance, first major rehabilitation after 25 years, and 10 days less construction time.
Solin, CROATIA The application of conventional concrete with exposed aggregates gives this 1’635 m 2 (17,600 sft) parking a distinctive and elegant look while ensuring superior durability.
Cali, COLOMBIA Another example of decorative conventional concrete is this park featuring 9’800 m 2 (105,000 sft) of colored concrete, built by CEMEX as a turnkey project with a fixed and guaranteed price per m 2 ,effectively eliminating cost risks for the municipality.
sure we use the right material for the job.” “Concrete pavement has been used in many different applications – highways, airport runways, urban and rural roads, parking lots, dedicated bus lanes and so on. However, it is not a universal solution. In many cases, concrete pavement has been used as a base material, and an asphalt layer has been added which is normally thinner compared to when other materials are used for the base. So this way, we can overcome performance or road safety issues.” Ultimately, however, it is clear that
concrete roadways offer major advantages. The question is, how does the industry in the GCC adapt and evolve to ensure this is taken on board, or at least considered? “We have a very traditional cement industry. This means that the conversations with government bodies are often related to environmental improvements in the production and distribution of cementitious, or how we can reduce the CO2 footprint by using cementitious supplements like GGBS or PFA,” says Mirpuri. “I believe that we
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CEMEX StrEEtS, SIdEWAlkS, pArkInG lotS
should start an agenda with the authorities on how cement intensive pavements can help shape a better and more sustainable road network in the UAE.” Given the overabundance of cement in the supply chain following the real estate crash in 2009, perhaps one way of convincing the government and the industry is to point out the economic benefits for cement manufacturers. “I don’t know if it could solve the imbalance, but I’m sure that it will help it improve drastically,” Mirpuri says, in reference to the current demand/ supply imbalance plaguing the regional cement industry. “Today, the UAE demand for cementitious is about 50% of the total installed capacity. By changing to concrete pavement, we can generate an additional demand of 448 tonnes, based on the calculation that 1 kilometre of a four-metre-wide road will use 280mm of concrete as the final layer, for every kilometre that instead of asphalt uses concrete.” “If we consider that in the next three years, there is going to be an addition of 3,000 kilometres of roads to be added to the UAE network, then we can say that these projects can improve the cement industry by adding 13 million tonnes (based on the calculation of roads of four lanes, each four metres wide and with a pavement thickness of 280mm) of cementitious, which is equal to the approximate volume of cementitious sold in 2014 in the UAE.” The biggest challenges facing the uptake of concrete roadworks are perhaps education and awareness, and to this end, Mirpuri asserts that consultants may need to take a more active role in pushing contractors in this direction. “In the infrastructure engineering industry, most of the consultants have a good idea of how to design concrete pavements [rigid pavements], since the methodology [ASSTHO 93] used in both are similar. “However, they prefer not to do so, because in many cases, the contractor that is going to execute the job prefers to do it with asphalt, because they have mastered the process and are more comfortable with what they have been using for years. “We 30need to take away the initial fare associated with change and train contractors and the authorities by doing smaller projects like secondary roads, internal industrial roads and so on, where they can master the execution process,” he explains. “The UAE has a very good track record with residential and commercial projects where changes have been made in order to deliver more sustainable structures, so we believe that the same can be done with roadworks. Often, the best way to overcome fear of change is by execution, by showing that what is said can be done,” Mirpuri concludes.
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sector focus ConCrete ChemiCals
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Adding to the Mix
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Big Project ME speaks to concrete chemical experts to find out the impact of admixtures on the entire concrete chain.
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sector focus ConCrete ChemiCals
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t’s common knowledge that the UAE is one of the most stringent markets when it comes to concrete production and use. Given the appetite for construction in the country, this caution and care is understandable. With projects that are the envy of the world, making sure the concrete used is of the right quality and standard is among the most basic, and crucial, aspects of the construction process. To this end, considerable investment has been funnelled into the science of concrete chemicals, to ensure that contractors get the best performance out of the concrete used on their projects. Two companies that invest heavily in research and development are Mapei and BASF, both international firms that have set up significant local and regional presences to better serve the booming GCC construction markets. “The majority of our investment goes into research and development,” says Hazem Kanan, regional manager for Concrete Admixtures at Mapei. “We have more than 18 major labs around the world, and one of them is based in Dubai. We believe in developing new polymers and construction chemicals, from equipment through to the development of polymers. Mapei is one of the global producers of polycarboxylate polymers, which are used in our own products.” Kanan explains that when it comes to developing construction chemicals, specifically admixtures, the UAE is the top market in the GCC region, in terms of both quality and requirements, but is being quickly followed by its Gulf neighbours. “The UAE sits at the top, from the point of quality and from the point of high requirements
“The UAe siTs AT The Top, from The poinT of qUAliTy And from The poinT of high reqUiremenTs for concreTe. recenTly, qATAr hAs sTArTed To go in ThAT direcTion, while in sAUdi ArAbiA, omAn And KUwAiT, There Are now some reqUiremenTs”
for concrete. This has moved to other countries. Recently, Qatar has started to go in that direction, while in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, there are now some requirements. The difference there is that the raw materials make it difficult, while the technique, such as it is, to use concrete admixtures, differs from place to place. “However, I could say that, as a rule of thumb, not one cubic metre of concrete is produced in the GCC without concrete admixture. That’s regardless of the technology and regardless of the range of admixture that is used.” Admixture is clearly well worth looking
into in deeper detail – and that is exactly what BASF has been doing for quite some time. For the first time in 25 years, the company has produced a new polymer for admixture, and they believe it will have a significant impact on concrete rheology. “Our new brand is called MasterEase. It comes with the tagline: ‘Rheology made Easy’. Rheology is the study of the flow of materials. What we’re trying to do is improve the characteristics of concrete and make it easier to place, easier to pump and easier to finish,” says David Bowerman, regional business segment manager, Admixture Systems and Cement Additives, Construction Chemicals division for BASF. “It’s based on a brand new polymer which is a superplasticiser for low-viscosity concrete. It’s a brand-new polymer and it’s the first new polymer for admixture for 25 years, so it’s quite a big deal! It’s something that’s unique to BASF and is patented so that no one else can copy it. It has a number of advances in terms of concrete rheology.” The new polymer was launched in June 2015 at the ERMCO (European Ready-Mix Concrete Organisation) Congress in Istanbul, and Bowerman says the plan is to roll out the product in the Middle East by the end of this year. The initial response from the GCC industry has been overwhelmingly positive. Bowerman puts this down to the growing recognition of the importance of rheology in taking the science of concrete forwards. “We’ve looked at producing high-strength and high-flow, but the disadvantage is that concreTe invesTmenT Concrete manufacturers have been investing heavily in R&D to ensure that contractors get the best performance out of their concrete.
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sUsTAinAbiliTy in focUs David Bowerman says that sustainability will have a major impact on concrete manufacturers.
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sector focus ConCrete ChemiCals
sometimes, as the strength of concrete gets higher and higher, it means that the water content of the mix goes lower and lower, which means that often the mix gets very sticky. “If it becomes sticky, then it becomes difficult to pump, place and finish. So what we wanted to do is keep all the advantages of the traditional concrete admixtures, but improve the rheology to keep it easier to pump,” he explains. With the perennial focus of construction being building tall, the introduction of a product like MasterEase comes with many additional benefits that may not be immediately apparent. Aside from making it easier to pump, place and finish concrete, MasterEase also allows ready-mix firms to better manage and maintain their equipment. In the wake of the downturn, when many ready-mix firms downsized their fleets of concrete trucks and pumping equipment, this could prove invaluable. “One of the things that MasterEase allows companies to do is pump concrete faster, which means that if you’re trying to improve the utilisation of your fleet, then it means that the truck is not parked on-site discharging concrete for so long,” Bowerman says. “It can turn around, get another load and go back to the site. That ultimately means that you don’t have to go out and buy a new truck. You can make the best utilisation of your existing fleet, and it’s the same for concrete pumps.” It also means that ready-mix companies can pump concrete much faster and with less pressure, reducing wear and tear on equipment. Concrete pipelines have a finite lifetime, and a product that reduces
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the friction between the concrete and the pipelines means they will last longer. Finally, with GCC governments beginning to enforce green building codes, the use of admixtures can have a considerable impact on the sustainability of projects and the carbon footprint of construction sites. “From a sustainability point of view, we’re trying to minimise [our impact],” says Hazem Kanan. “First of all, we go for bulk deliveries to reduce shipping costs. We follow something called Product Line Certification, which keeps to the minimum charges when it comes to transportation. We source raw materials locally, and that helps as well.” “We have developed what we call Silicon Zero
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governmenT enforcemenT GCC governments have begun to enforce green building codes, meaning admixtures could have a considerable impact on a project’s sustainability.
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to recycle the concrete itself. Instead of dumping the rejected concrete, we give solutions to our customers that allow them to recycle their concrete. The environment is important to us and so we’ve developed a product that will allow us, to an extent, to consider maintaining sustainability and green building.” Bowerman agrees that sustainability will have a major impact on concrete chemical manufacturers, and admits that BASF has been planning for this for quite a while. “We certainly see that [greater focus on sustainability] with the regulations that Dubai Municipality have brought in, and we’re very well placed to take advantage of that,” he says, highlighting BASF’s Green Sense Concrete concept as an example of how the company is preparing for this inevitability. “The Green Sense Concrete mix often uses high-powder content, whether that’s byproducts of aggregate production or alternative cement sources. It fits in quite nicely with the launch of MasterEase, because often, if you increase the amount of powder in concrete mix, it does become pretty sticky. By putting MasterEase into Green Sense Concrete mix, you’re getting both the sustainable mix and also one that has improved rheology. “We have a number of projects running in the Middle East using Green Sense Concrete, but unfortunately, I can’t tell you what they are due to confidentiality agreements! But they have certainly proven to be more sustainable, and also more cost-effective, than a standard concrete mix, which I think is also something which makes it a lot more attractive,” he concludes.
First choice
First choice for ready-mix concrete:
Putzmeister truck mixers Putzmeister Concrete Pumps GmbH · 72631 Aichtal · Germany · www.putzmeister.com Putzmeister Middle East · Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) · Swiss Tower · Office 1403 · P.O. Box 262657 · Dubai, U.A.E. Tel: +971 (0) 4 454 27 83 · Fax: +971 (0) 4 454 27 82 For inquiries: (General / Oman, Qatar, U.A.E.) Jens Bawidamann, Regional Director E-Mail: BawidamannJ@pmw.de Mobile: +971 (0) 52 6700053
2865 EN
(Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia) Bastian Dreher, Regional Sales Director E-Mail: DreherB@pmw.de Mobile: +971 (0) 52 6700056
in focus ConCrete equipment
PumP it up
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MIDDLE EAST
The Middle East is known for tough operating conditions and high customer expectations. Big Project ME looks at how manufacturers of truck-mounted concrete pumps are adapting to meet these demands
CONCRETE REPORT 2015
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in focus ConCrete equipment
I
t’s easy to marvel at the skyscrapers, luxurious hotels, ambitious metro projects and other architectural wonders taking shape across the GCC. But the less glamorous, and sometimes overlooked, aspect of all this construction is the equipment needed to build these projects. Post the financial crisis of 2008, demand for construction machinery nearly ground to a halt as most projects underway found themselves in limbo. Concrete equipment sales suffered a similar fate, and several concrete pumps bought before the crisis lay idle in the ensuing years, explains Jens Bawidamann, regional director at Putzmeister Middle East. Now, however, as the industry gains traction, business is booming again in concrete pumps. But while the UAE market is currently nearly saturated as far as stationary pumps go, truckmounted pumps are increasingly in demand. “We have had extraordinarily good business for our truck-mounted pumps, especially for our newer models,” Bawidamann tells Big Project ME, noting that the German manufacturer has been seeing continuous growth in the Middle East over the past five years, with especially strong sales in the GCC. Putzmeister has been finding success with truck-mounted pumps in longer boom lengths, and the company has launched new machines in the past few years in the 30m, 40m and 50m classes. “They are more userfriendly, efficient and maintenance-friendly, and customers are really realising that now.” A recent addition to the German brand’s line-up is the BSF 36-4 16H, a pump with a 36m boom length. Other boom lengths popular in the range are 42m, 49m and 56m. Meanwhile, Italian concrete equipmentmaker CIFA has also been faring well in the region, with double-digit growth in recent years all over the Middle East, says Adalberto Marcello, head of Communication, Digital Marketing & CRM at CIFA. CIFA supplies truck-mounted pumps in its Steeltech and Carbotech ranges in the region. Pumps in the Steeltech range have booms made of steel, as the name suggests, whereas those in the Carbotech range are made of carbon fibre, which is designed to be lighter and longer-lasting. In the Middle East, the Steeltech models with boom lengths of 42m and above are the most popular, Marcello says. While the Carbotech range is also available, it is currently more popular in Europe, which has stricter limits on the loads trucks are allowed to carry. As the market for truck-mounted pumps
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booming industry As the construction industry recovers, business in concrete pumps is booming again.
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in focus ConCrete equipment
continues to grow, in parallel with the surge in construction activity, Big Project ME asked: What are customers in the region looking for when buying these machines? Marcello and Bawidamann both firmly emphasise the importance of product reliability, and support from the dealer and manufacturer. “Customers look for a solid partner to be able to assist them in everyday needs. They expect us to be reactive, responsive to their needs and queries, especially when it comes to spare parts and service,” CIFA’s Marcello says. Bawidamann points out that ease of use and maintenance is essential. “They need machines which are easy to handle for operators, user-friendly and reliable. The resale value is also quite important.” Premium equipment manufacturers often admit that Middle East customers tend to
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be highly purchase price-conscious, which means it can be a challenge to convince them to buy premium equipment and original spare parts, rather than cheaper alternatives. Bawidamann points out that since a concrete pump is one of the highest investments for a ready-mix business, buying reliable equipment is crucial. “If this machine stops, the whole factory stops. The batching plant has to stop, the drums and mixers have to stop. So this is the most important machine in the ready-mix plant. That’s why reliability is so important.” A rugged and reliable product is even more crucial in order to withstand operating conditions in the Middle East, notorious for being among the toughest in the world. “What you have to consider is that the Middle East market is very different from Europe. First of all, you have the climate. You
“if this machine stops, the whole factory stops. the batching plant has to stop, the drums and mixers have to stop. that’s why reliability is so important”
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paying attention Equipment providers are expected to be responsive and reactive to their customers’ needs.
CONCRETE REPORT 2015
have lots of dust, humidity and heat, which is not good for any machinery. Second, you have a different level of skills in the people who are operating the machines. An operator from Europe will treat his machine like his baby. Here, people don’t care as much,” he says. “Third is that the projects are on a much bigger scale than in Europe. The amount of concrete which is pumped here per year is maybe the highest in the world. So the pumps are running the longest, they are pumping the most, they have the most [unskilled] operators and the worst weather.” It’s certainly a long list of demands and challenges for equipment to face, so it’s worth examining how manufacturers are adapting to the demands of the region. One way to do this, of course, is through launching new features and systems geared towards making concrete pumps more user-friendly and efficient. In response to customer feedback on its products, Putzmeister has been working on ease of maintenance on its concrete pumps, Bawidamann says. One approach is to rely more on bolt connections rather than welding on newer machines, making it easier to carry out repairs. “In the past, for example, the pipe-holders
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in focus ConCrete equipment
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up to speed Putzmeister holds annual training sessions to keep operators and technical staff fully up-to-date and aware.
Green effIcIency: the pluG-In hybrId mIxer As part of efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, CIFA has unveiled a new product in its concrete mixer line-up: the plug-in hybrid truck mixer from its Energya series. It is available in two models, E8 and E9, and is much quieter than a traditional mixer, while also using up to 30% less fuel, Marcello says. in a conventional truck mixer, drum movement is generated by a hydraulic system. in the hybrid mixer, on the other hand, the drum is rotated by an electric induction motor powered by a lithium-ion battery. the batteries can be charged either from the power grid or through a generator powered by a diesel engine on the truck. this allows the truck mixer to be fully operational even when the batteries are dead or the truck is switched off. thus, during loading operations in the plant and when discharging at the work-site, the truck’s diesel engine can be turned off, and the drum can be powered by the electric motor connected to the battery. During transport, the diesel engine recharges the electric battery if necessary, ensuring that the truck mixer can operate autonomously. “When you brake with a standard truck, you just lose the kinetic power that you have when travelling,” Marcello says. “With Energya, you’re able to put part of that energy inside the batteries to be used later in making the drum turn. So it adds a lot of efficiency.” the advantage of the mixer being able to operate even when the engine is switched off particularly comes into play when noise is an issue, such as in city centres, Marcello points out. “if you
were welded. We have a lot of movement during operations, so the pipe-holders crack and then people start to weld by themselves, which they should not do because it’s special steel. You need a certified welder, and if [customers] weld by themselves, most of the time they make it much worse. To avoid this, we introduced more bolt connections. Anybody can open and close a bolt, so it’s simpler. We also have much more interchangeable parts, and we have reduced the variety of parts,” he notes, adding that this also makes maintenance a lot easier. Putzmeister also offers a one-sided support (OSS) feature when space is at a premium, allowing the truck-mounted pump to function when its support legs are extended only on one side, so that the boom can still function in confined spaces. To ensure that the human element, namely the operator, is also accounted for, Putzmeister holds annual training sessions for safety, trouble shooting, technology special projects and so on, to keep operators and technical staff fully aware of how the machines should be operated and maintained. Technological advances play an increasing role in making concrete pumps safer and more efficient, and CIFA has introduced a Smartronic system, available as an option on the Steeltech series. Smartronic is an electronic system
overseeing safety aspects of the pump to prevent operator error, Marcello explains. For instance, the system can prevent the truck-mounted pump from tilting if stabilisation is incomplete. Additionally, the system is also capable of recording data, working hours and so on, providing a convenient interface between the machine, operator and service team. The Smartronic system enables the operator to detect and fix errors as they arise. However, as tech-savvy as they may be with mobile phones and the like, Middle East customers are not always at the forefront of embracing technology in machinery. Marcello admits that CIFA’s clientele in the region often prefer machines with fewer electronics, which could mean a reduced likelihood of things going wrong. However, the company is actively looking to promote the system, and clients are beginning to recognise its advantages, which include fuel efficiency. “The machine is completely managed by an electronic system, one of the main tasks of which is to adapt torque delivery from the truck engine. So it helps to adapt the correct pumping speed and truck engine revolution in order to be more efficient in fuel consumption. In our previous machines, people could have very high RPMs or very low RPMs. Both conditions are not optimal for fuel consumption.”
have to work in closed environments such as in a metro project or in underground works, being able to switch off the truck, you can just stop polluting. You don’t produce exhaust gases, and so that contributes to enhance the living and
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working conditions of the employees.”
CONCRETE REPORT 2015
“the projects are on a much bigger scale than in europe. the amount of concrete which is pumped here per year is maybe the highest in the world”
COMMENT construction technology
MECONSTRUCTIONNEWS.com
paul Wallett
Middle East Contractors Can Start Small with BIM for Concrete to Save Costs From automating concrete pours to exporting rebar detailing, BIM can provide the right tools at the right time, says Paul Wallett
A
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“While these projects are large, Middle east contractors can start sMall by using biM on concrete and rebar, providing the right tools at the right tiMe to coMplete jobs accurately, on tiMe and on budget”
CONCRETE REPORT 2015
cross the Middle East, construction projects are roaring to life, from soaring mixed-use towers to sparkling new sporting facilities, with thousands of workers, concrete mixers and rebar arriving on construction sites daily. Despite the optimism, a closer look reveals Middle East contractors are largely still staying with the traditional method of using 2D drawings on-site to pour concrete and install rebar. In the United Kingdom or United States, this is unheard of. Project managers use a digital 3D Building Information Model and a mobile app to automate the concrete pouring from a tablet, improving cost, time and efficiency. What is holding the region’s contractors back from adopting BIM for concrete? And what can be done to shrink this gap and put the Middle East on a par with leading global markets? Despite the hype around BIM, in the Middle East’s highly competitive construction market, many contractors are not looking to adopt BIM across their entire operations. Part of this is the nature of contractors in the Middle East. Whereas construction projects in mature markets have specialised subcontractors for concrete, structural steel fabrication and detailing, in the Middle East, general contractors often pour the concrete on their own. Many contractors here are also wary about the potentially significant costs of transforming their entire operations for BIM, including training staff on the software and investing in IT infrastructure to handle large, detailed models. And in the occasional instances where a BIM model would be required, it can be produced after the fact. It’s not the most efficient approach. But it’s familiar, it’s worked for decades, and the cost of labour for the cast-in-place process is nowhere near as high as in Europe or North America.
We want to remove contractors’ fear of adopting BIM. That’s why we’re telling Middle East contractors that while it’s ideal to have BIM throughout the entire design-buildoperate process, if they’re not comfortable with that approach, then it’s not necessary. Instead, contractors can start small and use BIM as the right tool at the right time. One of the best places to start is with concrete. BIM BenefIts ConCrete ModellIng and PourIng, and reBar ModellIng
There are three key areas where BIM models can be used in relation to concrete: in concrete modelling, managing the pouring of concrete and modelling rebar. In concrete modelling for pre-construction, a BIM model can be easily created based on a structural engineer’s model or by importing and tracing over a PDF file. Projects can be represented as they are to be built, including concrete, reinforcement, embeds and temporary works. The in-depth detail of the BIM model leads to faster, more accurate concrete and rebar quantity take-offs, from tender to execution. Contractors have organised, accurate estimates, while models can be easily communicated through BIM viewers or through multiple data exchange formats such as IFC, DWG and DGN. When it's time to pour the concrete, BIM models give contractors confidence that everything has been covered. Models can be divided into pours without having to split the project up, allowing the team to measure exact quantities to avoid delays or costly errors due to ordering the wrong amount of concrete. Similarly, rebar models provide the precise quantity of take-off, rather than the traditional method of formula estimation, reducing costs
COMMENT construction technology
Hilton Garden Inn in Abu Dhabi, by Emirates Precast Concrete LLC; and the massive Baiji Simple Cycle Power Plant in Iraq, by PGESCo. advanCed teChnologIes Could take BIM to the next level
MIrrorIng Best PraCtICes to drIve MIddle east BIM adoPtIon
Around the world, governments are increasingly mandating the use of BIM on projects. For example, the European Union recently mandated BIM for publicly-funded projects, and in the United States, trade bodies are pushing for
the Integrated Project Delivery collaborative process, which includes BIM adoption. Yet few Middle East municipalities and countries mandate BIM, aside from on megaprojects. While BIM mandates would accelerate BIM adoption, Middle East contractors are increasingly looking to markets such as the United States for technological innovation. In the United States, two of our most innovative customers are the contractors Wayne Brothers and Barton Mallow. Wayne Brothers swapped 2D drawings for 3D BIM models, reducing the amount of time from the award to rebar submittal by 50%, while meeting schedules and responding more quickly and accurately to clients. Like many Middle East contractors, Wayne Brothers often faces tight timelines to start site work. The benefits of adopting BIM paid off, with the company’s first project, a 90,000sqm industrial complex, seeing 99% of rebar fabricated correctly, saving time and money, compared to 2D drawings that saw 10-20% of rebar fabricated incorrectly. Similarly, Barton Mallow had used BIM for construction management, but only recently turned to the technology for steel rebar detailing and fabrication. By using BIM, Barton Mallow has improved its efficiency by 15% in man hours for rebar detailing. In the region, we’ve seen BIM used for concrete in a wide range of project sizes and types, including King Abdullah Sport City’s centrepiece stadium in Saudi Arabia, by Besix; the UAE Presidential Guard’s mess hall in Abu Dhabi, by Al Fara’a General Contracting Company; the
Paul Wallett is Area Business Director of the Middle East for Tekla, which provides advanced construction software.
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and excess rebar. Rebar can be modelled to coordinate with MEP and fire protection systems to avoid clashes, and have fabrication with detailed codes, automatic grouping and numbering. By automatically exporting rebar shop drawings, retailers have the bar lists and SDI/CNC files, potentially doubling efficiency. Once contractors are comfortable with the benefits of BIM for concrete and rebar, they can then expand BIM across their operations to architecture, design and MEP processes. Using open BIM software such as Tekla Structures, contractors can collaborate across a wide range of file types, so they can easily import and export models and information created in other BIM and CAD applications. Once the master model is created, that can then be exported to a BIM viewer like Tekla BIMsight, which can be shared onsite but not changed – especially useful for less experienced construction staff. As a result, all aspects of the design-buildoperate process can be modelled quickly and precisely before construction, so that when workers arrive on-site, everything fits together like a puzzle, and any changes can easily be adapted within hours rather than days.
What happens when concrete foundations have already been poured, but additional insights are needed for installing the first structural steel elements? This was what Al Habtoor Murray and Roberts faced with the campus of ParisSorbonne University Abu Dhabi. Using 2D drawings would have meant costly delays in installing the steel, measuring concrete variance, then re-sending for fabrication. Instead, the main contractor switched to a BIM model, generated by scanning the site. The BIM model decreased the amount of rework in the design, fabrication and erection of steel frames and facade, cutting hours by 50% and ensuring the campus opened on time. Laser scanning is just one of the many technological innovations having an impact on BIM. Many contractors worldwide are looking to further tie the BIM process to realtime costs of production and add 4D and 5D functionalities, such as incorporating how time of day and weather patterns affect concrete pouring and rebar installation. With the Middle East’s high mobile penetration, many contractors could eventually deploy mobile solutions such as Tekla Field3D, to collaborate on BIM models on mobile devices. Using an open application programming interface, app developers can deliver innovations such as automating assembly tags for how to pre-tie the framework cage. Imagine applying this to the Middle East with the variety of languages spoken by the diverse community of construction workers! Across the region, concrete is a big business, with one report showing the GCC alone with $3 trillion in construction projects in the pipeline – from Smart Cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to stadiums and transportation in Qatar, to the World Expo 2020 site in Dubai. While these projects are large, Middle East contractors can start small by using BIM on concrete and rebar, providing the right tools at the right time to complete jobs accurately, on time and on budget. n
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sector focus Piling and Foundations
MECONSTRUCTIONNEWS.com
A solid foundation Big Project ME examines alternatives to traditional deep piling methods, to make building foundations more cost-effective and sustainable
alternative methods Alternative methods of piling are gaining in popularity due to their cost-effectiveness.
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iven the UAE’s penchant for building vertically, a large number of high-rise buildings have cropped up over the past decade or so. There’s no question that such projects need deep piling. However, as residential communities, mixed-use projects and the like also begin to gain traction across the country and wider Gulf region, traditional deep piling may not always be necessary. Big Project ME decided to find out where the industry is heading and what alternative methods can be offered to deep foundations to make
CONCRETE REPORT 2015
construction more cost-effective and sustainable. While the most common method across Dubai remains rotary bored piling, alternate piling methods such as continuous flight auger (CFA) are becoming more widely used due to their cost-effectiveness, says Peter Titus, managing director of Total Foundation Solutions (TFS). “In Western Europe, the United States, parts of South America, CFA is the main method you would use because it is so much cheaper. Everyone is trying to trim the cost of their overall building, not just the foundations. And they’re looking to find ways
to do this faster and cheaper, so CFA is the main method used in France, Spain and the UK.” CFA piles are formed by drilling a CFA into the ground. The sides of the hole are supported at all times by the soil-filled auger, eliminating the need for temporary casing or bentonite slurry. Upon reaching the required depth, concrete is pumped down the hollow stem as the auger is steadily withdrawn, and a reinforcement cage is placed into the wet concrete after withdrawal of the soil by the auger. In addition to being cheaper, a key
sector focus Piling and Foundations
different options While piling is right for high-rise construction, it may not be suitable for other types of structures.
“there is more and more understanding that perhaps you don’t have to have a large-diameter pile under a villa”
Menrad Vibro. “Certainly, when they’re looking at warehouses, villas, residential areas, even mosques and lots of industrial units, piling is not necessary because of the loads of the building. It can be done by improving the bearing capacity and the settlement control of the ground.” As the majority of soils in the UAE and GCC are sandy, the recommended ground improvement techniques are vibro compaction or dynamic compaction. However, in Oman and parts of Qatar where silt or clay are present in the soil, one should consider stone columns or dynamic replacement, Redgers says. In the vibro compaction technique – which was used in the Palm Jumeirah islands in Dubai – loose granular soils are compacted by penetration of a vibratory probe or vibroflot. Based on results from a test zone, Menard Vibro determines the optimal probe frequency and power, as well as the required period of vibration
for the site. The technique increases soil bearing capacity while reducing total and differential settlement. It is possible to treat up to depths of 70m, according to the company’s website. In terms of the benefits of ground improvement techniques compared to piling, Redgers says they are faster, cheaper and better for the environment. “It’s a more value-engineered option. From a cost point of view it’s better, but also from an environmental point of view, you don’t have the extra transport and the extra use of diesel and petrol and many materials on-site.” Additionally, when drilling piles, the soil comes to the surface and needs to be taken away. “When you do ground improvement, this doesn’t happen. There is less truck movement, less use of aggregates, less use of steel, so it’s all around a better solution. It’s technically better, it’s environmentally better, and it meets the requirements that are needed.”
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advantage of CFA is that it’s much faster, Titus notes. “The time you spend making each pile is reduced. You can auger the pile, pump the concrete, lift the cage and drop it in one fourth or one fifth of the time it would take you to excavate using a kelly bar system.” However, CFA does pose limitations in terms of the depth and diameter of the piles. Per Titus, CFA piles can be drilled down to 41m deep and 1.5m in diameter, using high-torque specialist CFA rigs. “If you get very tall buildings like the Burj Khalifa, you have piles much deeper and much larger in diameter than this can provide,” Titus explains, adding that in this case, the rotary bored piling machine works best. Titus says that while piling and diaphragm walling machines were mainstays in the past, micropiling machines are more in demand now as construction needs evolve. “We have a lot of buildings here which are valuable and need to be retained. Sometimes some of them have had some issues with settlement or differential settlement.” Additionally, some clients are also looking to extend existing buildings, which will need foundations to be strengthened. “The trend is heavily moving towards micropiling, so to have something small enough to put in through a building, adjacent to a building, under a building, involves using smaller machines.” These techniques are becoming popular as the market realises that drilling large piles isn’t always necessary, he adds. “Definitely that’s the new demand, where we have buildings that might require extensions or remedial work if there’s some problem. There is more and more understanding that perhaps you don’t have to have a large-diameter pile under a villa.” This understanding has spurred the rise of ground improvement techniques as a viable alternative to deep foundations, when piling may not be entirely necessary. One company specialising in soil improvement techniques is Menard Vibro, which offers alternatives to deep piles or deep concrete footings. The firm provides a host of services including rapid impact compaction, dynamic compaction, vibro compaction, vibro replacement (with stone columns) and vertical drains. The improvement methods can be broadly classified as either using additional material, in which the soil is reinforced, or without additional material, with soil compacted. While piling remains the right option for high-rise construction, it’s not necessary for other types of development, explains Jason Redgers, regional business development manager at
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COMMENT Bashar aBou Mayaleh
MECONSTRUCTIONNEWS.coM
Precast Performance Bashar Abou Mayaleh, managing director at Hard Precast Building Systems, explains why precast concrete is growing in popularity
P
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recast concrete is a relatively young product for the construction industry in the UAE, in contrast to Europe or the USA. Let’s start by highlighting its benefits. Using precast in construction decreases the number of man hours required, leading to a 60% advantage in time efficiency. Precast also results in faster installation, making construction cycles up to 25% shorter and positively impacting the client’s immediate return on investments. The use of precast also translates into several other advantages: less material and storage needs; superior quality of finished elements, as precast production happens in a controlled environment; design precision and a wide variety of finishes impossible to achieve with the traditional method; reduced risks of accidents and errors; and the option of producing pre-finished products. Despite the initial reluctance of architects and consultants, the popularity of precast concrete has soared in recent years. Numerous precast projects reaching completion around the UAE are testament to this. The trend shows no signs of waning: due to its structural strength and high-quality finishes, precast is specified today for almost every new development, from low-rise buildings to towers, from security to infrastructure. At HPBS, we feel the UAE market is experiencing steady growth since the announcement of Dubai Expo. Hence there is a significant level of interest and strong support from local municipalities around the country keen to approve precast, so we see increased opportunities in the market combined with urban intelligence, and we are thankful for the chance to participate in enhancing the UAE’s skyline. HPBS offers a full range of services including design, re-design, value engineering, manufacturing, logistics and installation, covering all types of precast building applications, such as: precast structures and wall systems, cladding, hollow core slabs
CONCRETE REPORT 2015
“Due to its structural strength anD high-quality finishes, Precast is sPecifieD toDay for almost every new DeveloPment”
and pre-stressed beams. Our current facility is located on a 700,000sqf plot in Dubai Investment Park, to serve both Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Our services and products are driven by rigorous ISO 9001, 14001 & OHSAS 180001 quality management systems, and we follow the highest QA/QC & HSE standards. The HPBS portfolio covers a diverse range of developments, including villa complexes, schools, labour and staff accommodation, parking structures, low-rise and high-rise buildings, residential and commercial complexes, and industrial warehouses. HPBS has a proven track record of over 270 projects delivered on time, and we have undertaken work on several landmarks such as Jumeirah Beach Residence, Jumeirah Lake Towers and the City Walk development.
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