NATIONAL
NATIONAL PRECAST
CONCRETE ASSOCIATION AUSTRALIA NUMBER 66 • November 2012
PRECASTER
ACN 051 987 181 • ISSN 1037-9908 [Link]
Dolphin dive
Construction of a 360-metre jetty and marine offloading The precast side of the project required work on a large scale.
facility was a crucial part of developing the new Gladstone This included manufacture of 137 dead man anchors weighing
Liquid Natural Gas (GLNG) plant and the success of one of 14-tonne each, 25 fender panels at 14-tonne and 11 ‘dolphin shells’
Queensland’s major mining projects. weighing between 35 and 42 tonnes. The precaster also oversaw the
Located on Curtis Island on the Central Queensland Coast, the extensive procurement of structural steel cast-in items for the dolphins.
facility comprises a new barge berth, sea water intake pump support
structure, adjoining passenger ferry berths and associated access Dolphins are self-contained marine structures used for the
catwalk, bulk aggregate berth and a load on-load off (LOLO)/roll on-roll mooring and berthing of ROPAX berthing vessels. They are
off (RORO) facility. essentially a structural, sacrificial formwork system which is
Construction of the new plant was taken on by Bechtel Oil & Gas on permanently exposed. Soon after casting, all inner surfaces are
behalf of some of the world’s best-known oil and gas companies, green-cut, providing a construction joint surface for the in-situ
including Santos, Petronas, Total and KoGas. concrete to bond to. The dolphins are supported on steel piles
A highly complex and large scale project, Bechtel engaged John Holland driven into the sea bed. Use of both dolphins and piers enables
to oversee its engineering, procurement, design and construction. ARUP the overall size of the piers to be considerably condensed.
was selected as the engineer, while Stresscrete was chosen to supply
and deliver the specialised precast elements. ...story continues on page 5
In This Issue
Pg 1 Gladstone Jetty & Pg 4 Uni SA M2
Marine Facility Pg 5 Green Fox
Pg 2 Perth Desalination Pg 6 Pigments in Precast
Pg 3 Edithvale Discovery Center Concrete
National Precast... making precast first choice
NATIONAL PRECASTER NUMBER 66 • November 2012
Precast concrete helps shape Perth’s second
desalination plant.
Perth’s water shortage problems have been alleviated by the construction of a second salt water desalination plant by the WA
Government at Binningup. The plant is 100% powered by renewable energy, uses reverse osmosis technology, and will deliver 100
billion litres of water per year to drought-prone Perth and nearby Bunbury.
The $955 million project is the largest integration project ever requirements. Such a concrete mix produces a slow gain in early
undertaken by the WA Water Corporation, and includes 13 large plant strength. Underground electrical tunnels were also required which
process buildings, an administration and control centre, ocean inlet and involved the design and manufacture of 60 large inverted box culverts
outlet pipelines, and major works to connect the new supply into the and 100 precast covers from steel moulds designed specifically for this
existing system. purpose. To meet the tight construction program for stage one and two
A disused limestone quarry was the site chosen to help reduce of the project, 31,000m2 of precast panels were produced (200m2 per
environmental impact. Tunnelling methods were employed to construct day), and 2600 tonnes of box culverts, making this one of the largest
the precast sub-sea pipelines; with minimal impact on sand dunes and precast contracts to be awarded to a local WA firm.
to avoid closure of the beach. AJ Lucas, as part of the Southern Seawater Alliance, was awarded
Precast concrete was the natural choice for the building facades the contract to design, construct and operate the desalination plant,
because of its durability in the extreme coastal environment, great including ongoing maintenance of the facility for the next 25 years.
acoustic properties, cost effectiveness and speed of erection. The Lucas drew on their trenchless technology expertise to install the intake
planning and arrangement of buildings, the use of precast walls, and pipelines, and the facility came online 3 months ahead of schedule and
an 8m high vegetated berm help reduce the noise generated by the within budget.
pumps used in the facility. Client: Southern Seawater Joint Venture
In 2010 Permacast was awarded the main contract to manufacture, Builder: AJ Lucas
supply, install, grout and seal 1035 precast façade panels for the Architect: Parry and Rosenthal
thirteen process buildings. All panels have a design life of 100 years Engineer: Worley Parsons
and were made with an S50 low heat concrete mix to meet durability Precast manufacturer: Permacast
The Southern Seawater Desalination
Plant has won a swathe of awards
including the 2012 International Global
Water awards ‘Desalination Plant of
the Year’, the 2011 WA Engineering
Excellence Awards, the Master Builders
Excellence Award, and the 2012
Australian Architecture Award. Stage 2 of
this project will be completed by the end of
2012, supplying up to 20% of Perth’s water
needs, and is a glimpse at what, one day, all
plants will look like.
PAGE 2
NATIONAL PRECASTER NUMBER 66 • November 2012
Photographer: Peter Bennetts
One for the birds
Lightweight and adaptable, GRC was the natural choice for this distinctive birdlife viewing station that seamlessly blends with its
wetland surroundings.
Perched on Melbourne’s outer fringe, in a Ramsar-listed world Because GRC weighs only around 10% of conventional precast, lighter
natural heritage zone that a host of rare bird species call home, is the custom timber moulding was able to be used to create the intricate
Edithvale Wetlands Discovery Centre. Commissioned by Melbourne valley-and-ridge pattern that is a signature feature of the building.
Water, the centre gives the local community, many of whom live in the In addition, use of GRC meant there was no need for the cost, concern
suburbs directly adjoining the wetlands, a prime opportunity to observe or environmental disruption involved in engineering and constructing
their natural environment. heavy structural columns, that would have been required to support
According to Jan van Schaik, from Minifie van Schaik Architects, it was the full weight of a conventional concrete structure.
the juxtaposition of the natural and urban environments that inspired All up, some 40 wall panels of various sizes, totalling some 300
the building’s design. square metres, were used in the project. The panels are unfinished.
“This was an interesting project because on the one hand you have the The concrete has been impregnated with a pleasing charcoal pigment
wetlands, but at the same time the area is surrounded by suburban that takes on different hues according to the play of light on the
homes. The intent of the design is to reflect this crossover between the surface.
urban and the wild. So, for example we have the naturalistic, idealised As Asurco’s Des Pawelski explains, the chief challenge in the job
zoomorphic patterns in the building’s façade combined with the involved creating the moulds which would successfully recreate the
building’s roofline, which is angled to echo that of a suburban home,” complex and intricate patterns – some with valleys up to 200mm deep
he explains. – that the architect required.
Conceived as a series of viewing points to provide occupants with “Using GRC meant we could make moulds from laminated MDF boards
snippets of views from every possible angle, another design feature direct from the architect’s 3D drawings using a 5-axis CNC router,”
is the interesting window shapes, while the bright orange recycled he explains. “We coated the custom wood with epoxy and a skin of
material that wraps around the lower part of the building mimics the tooling resin which worked very well for limited-use moulds. As well as
orange underside of one of the bird species that frequents the region. giving us a precision finish, we also had to use four different moulds. If
The building also includes all the sustainability features one would the panels were cast as conventional precast panels, then the moulds
expect in a building of this nature, such as composting toilets, solar would have been far more costly.”
panels, natural ventilation, double glazing and full insulation. And, in The final result is one that ticks all the boxes: for aesthetics,
another nod to its special purpose, construction took place over two environmental performance and cost-effectiveness.
bird migration seasons, with workers downing tools when some of the
transient birdlife moved in for a lengthy stopover on the annual journey Client: Melbourne Water
south to the Antarctic. Builder: Built Vic
Architect: Minifie van Schaik
Uniting all the building’s elements is its glass reinforced concrete Engineer: Worley Parsons
(GRC) shell. Supplied and erected by Asurco Contracting to meet Precast manufacturer and erector: Asurco Contracting
exacting design requirements, the super-lightweight material was a
natural choice for the project.
PAGE 3
NATIONAL PRECASTER NUMBER 66 • November 2012
Rock star
“We worked closely with the project team during the design
development stage, even before we were appointed as precast
contractor,” he explains. “Our experience tells us that the more work
Known as M2, the newly built University of South Australia’s
that is done at an early stage to explore the design, cost and practical
Mineral and Materials Building has become a landmark at the
building solutions, the better the outcome for all concerned, and this
University’s Mawson Lakes campus.
project was a prime example.”
The finished M2 design exemplifies the blending of stylised form with
A combination of steel moulds and concrete moulds was used to
function and exceptional environmental performance. With a design
achieve maximum economy in the manufacture of the 201 differently
that both integrates and reflects many of the geological and mineral
shaped panels the building required. In all, this totalled some 2,200
formations that its occupants study, the building also scores a 5 Green
square metres of intricately detailed colour-controlled panelling that
Star rating, with maximum emissions of 85kg of CO2/m2, in line with
was integrated with other high quality architectural finishes. “Aside
the university’s exacting brief.
from the extraordinary attention to detail required in creating the
Working with builder Hansen Yuncken on the project, John precast, the co-ordination of the panel construction and erection
Wardle Architects and Swanbury Penglase Architects conceived a programme was critical because of the complexity of the job and the
‘stratification’ theme that echoed the surrounding creek, lake and tight programme,” recalls Michael Favretto.
wetlands of Mawson Lakes.
“We had to maintain a high level of co-ordination between the
Use of precast concrete for the building’s façade was vital to engineer, the architects and the builder, including thorough 3-D
successfully executing the stratification concept. Different colours, modelling of the panel geometry, to simplify construction. For example,
shapes and textures in the precast panels create a blurring of the panels had to be erected and in place before insitu slabs were
building edges at the perimeter, helping with the integration of the poured, and would be ‘hanging’ from the building. There were a lot of
building with the external landscape and creating a soft transition construction technicalities to deal with – but the result is well worth all
between inside and outside. the effort.”
Speed and efficiency of construction was a priority for the project, and The end result has certainly more than lived up to its promise: an
the building program was planned accordingly, with staged release of iconic building with its unique precast façade as one of its most
construction packages to allow commencement of the early stages distinctive elements.
before the final construction documents were issued.
Builder: Hansen Yuncken
According to Michael Favretto from Bianco Precast - which won Architects: John Wardle Architects & Swanbury Penglase Architects
the contract to supply and erect the precast elements – early stage Engineers: Wallbridge & Gilbert Engineers
planning and collaboration was the key to the project's success. Precast manufacturer and erector: Bianco Precast
PAGE 4
NATIONAL PRECASTER NUMBER 66 • November 2012
...story continued from page 1 Despite some of the logistical challenges, the clear advantages
of using precast over casting in-situ were unmistakeable to all
As Stresscrete’s Craig Zinn explains, the biggest challenge for concerned, delivering time, cost and, perhaps most important of
the job involved creating the formwork systems to accommodate all, safety benefits that helped keep the project running smoothly
complex shapes and other requirements. despite tight timelines.
“The steel reinforcing was quite congested and complex around “The hazards of working over water are minimised with precast,
the steel cast-in items and at corners where the base joined the because construction personnel work in a contained area with built-
walls,” he explains. “We used a high performance self-consolidating in edge restraints,” says Craig Zinn. “Using precast also means
S50 concrete mix to assist the mobility of concrete around the there is no need to assemble and strip complex framework systems
congested reinforcing bars. To protect against the aggressive over water, saving considerable time in construction and time
marine environment, the finished concrete was treated with a working over the water, making it a far more economical option.”
waterproofing protective coating.” Client: Bechtel Oil & Gas
Transporting the 7-metre wide dolphins also posed challenges, and Contractor/project management: John Holland
was achieved with the help of two police escorts, taking up two Engineers: ARUP (major works); Ashton Engineering (steel cast-in
lanes of traffic on the Bruce Highway between Rockhampton and beams for dolphins)
Gladstone. Precast manufacturer: Stresscrete
Another dimension
A tight site, complex, multi-dimensional plan and strict
environmental requirements were just three of the challenges
overcome in the construction of this dynamically different
Queensland office building.
The building is the Queensland headquarters of Kane Constructions, known
affectionately as ‘The Green Fox’. A three-storey building, it combines
striking elevations with strong environmental specifications including
reduced water and electricity use, extensive use of recycled materials and
passive design.
At a mere 10 metres by 40 metres, built to the side boundaries and with
a council-required setback of 3 metres to front and back, the tight site
posed a key challenge and was a key driver for the choice of precast as the
predominant form. Aesthetics was another major drawcard for both client
and architect.
Even with the benefits of precast, installation of the panels – supplied by
Austral Precast – required significant planning, ingenuity and engineering
know-how.
The external walls weighed up to 18 tonnes each and required extremely
accurate set out, as they sat on the site boundaries. This was achieved with
use of a 200 tonne crane – a tight fit on the site and calling for extensive
traffic management.
The height of panels and multi-levels of the building required complex
engineering: panels had to be braced off each other then to the ground, to
ensure braces from two-storey panels were not penetrating through a visible
part of the off-form concrete ceiling.
The building’s northern facade comprises precast concrete columns over two
levels in random arrangement, separated by an in-situ concrete beam on a
different plane. Challenges arose because the columns could not be propped
traditionally, due to both aesthetics and formwork clashes. The solution
entailed two parts: the first row of columns was held between the level one
slab and the beam formwork, while the second row was constructed later
between the then-poured beam and the roof slab formwork.
Despite the site challenges and the complex slab rebates and penetrations,
the end result was a smooth installation with no errors – and a very happy
client. Client and Builder: Kane Constructions
“It is only through pushing the boundaries of good design and application Builder: Kane Constructions
of technology, together with use of offsite manufactured materials, that Architect: MARC & Co
innovation becomes mainstream practice”, said David Rutter, Director of Engineer: Meinhardt
Kane Constructions. “It is this aspect of the project we are most proud of.” Precast manufacturer: Austral Precast
PAGE 5 Photographer: Kate Mathieson
NATIONAL PRECASTER NUMBER 66 • November 2012
NATIONAL PRECAST
Pigments in precast concrete CONCRETE ASSOCIATION AUSTRALIA
Coloured precast is popular for use in architectural building panels, infrastructure projects, CORP ORATE MEMBERS
bridges, paving and street furniture. Colored concrete can be surprisingly affordable, even on Asurco Contracting n [08] 8240 0999
large precast structures. Austral Precast n [03] 9794 5185 (VIC) or [02] 9604 9444 (NSW)
or [08] 9493 5116 (WA) or [07] 3265 1999 (QLD)
Pigments have been used to permanently colour concrete for about a century. The use of Bianco Precast n [08] 8359 0666 (SA)
pigments in concrete enables architects and builders to emphasize the character, enhance the Delta Corporation n [08] 9296 5000 (WA)
form, complement the natural hues of the landscape, and add life and value to a project. Duggans Concrete n [03] 6266 3204
Hanson Precast n [02] 9627 2666
Naturally occurring pigments are found in mineral rocks and range in colour from red, brown to Hicrete Precast n [08] 8260 1577 (SA)
yellow. Synthetic oxide pigments were developed to make additional colours and to create a more Hollow Core Concrete n [03] 9369 4944
homogeneous particle size with a more uniform bulk density and water absorption. Synthetic Humes n 1300 361601
pigments are generally preferred for all architectural concrete work and are more intense in MJB Industries n [08] 9797 0999 (WA)
PERMAcast n [08] 9525 1380 (WA)
colour than their organic counterparts, with excellent long-term colour stability. Green and blue Precast Concrete Products n [07] 3271 2766
pigments are processed from copper oxides and cobalt deposits, and can be very expensive. Quatro Design n [07] 5525 0775
Reinforced Earth n [02] 9910 9910
Integral concrete colouring using pigments involves adding a powder, granule or liquid pigment
Rocla n [07] 3331 3515
into the concrete mix so that the colour is bound into the concrete matrix. Pigment particles SA Precast n [08] 8346 1771 (SA)
are finer than cement particles, so once added to the mix, will surround and coat the cement Stresscrete n [07] 4936 1766
particles, giving the concrete its colour. The amount needed is typically 1-3% of the cement Ultrafloor (aust) n [02] 4015 2222 (NSW) or [03] 9614 1787 (VIC)
weight, although some projects may require as much as 6%. Any more and the colour becomes Waeger Precast n [02] 4932 4900
Westkon Precast Concrete n [03] 9312 3688
saturated.
AS S OCIATE MEMBERS
The cement base will affect the final colour; a white cement base will give a lighter, brighter Actech International n [03] 9357 3366
colour, a greyer cement will result in more muted tones. A consistent water:cement ratio must Active Minerals International n [07] 4059 0648
also be maintained to produce colour consistency in the finished product. Ancon Building Products n [02] 8808 1111
Aspedia n 1800 677 656
Coloured concrete will not fade over time if pure iron oxide pigments are used from reputable Barossa Quarries n [08] 8564 2227 (SA)
suppliers. Years of surface effects such as efflorescence, pollution, dirt and traffic take their toll BASF Australia n [03] 8855 6600
on the concrete surface giving a faded appearance, however this can be avoided by regular Bennett Equipment n [08] 8268 1199 (SA)
Building Products News n [02] 9422 2929
cleaning and re-sealing.
Cement Australia n [03] 9688 1943
Pigments have labour and materials’ advantages over surface coatings such as paint. The use of DesignBuild Source n [03] 8844 5822
coloured concrete means greater savings over the life cycle of the building as surface coatings Everwilling Cranes n [02] 9892 3377
Grace Construction Products n 1800 855 525
don’t have to be replaced; also eliminating the environmental burden of multiple coats of paint.
Lanxess n [02] 8748 3910
Marcel Linssen from Lanxess has the final word: “For best results the pigment dose should be Nawkaw Australia n 1300 629 529
adjusted according to the cement content. If used correctly, pigments will not fade and provide OneSteel Reinforcing n [02] 8424 9802
Pacific Computing (Australia) n 1300 769 723
colour for life”. Parchem Construction Supplies n 1800 624 322
Reckli Form-Liners & Moulds n 0418 17 6044
Reid Construction Systems n 1300 780 250
RJB Industries n [03] 9794 0802
SafePanel n 0448 778 055
Sanwa n [02] 9362 4088
Shore Hire n [02] 8708 1200
Sika Aust n [02] 9725 1145
Sunstate Cement n [07] 3895 1199
P ROFES S ION AL AS S OCIATE MEMBERS
Aurecon Australia n [02] 9465 5751
Grant Thornton n [02] 9286 5850
Inhabit Group n [02] 8003 6333
Moray & Agnew Lawyers n [02] 4911 5400
Sellick Consultants n [02] 6201 0200
Tekdraw Drafting n [08] 8342 0500 (SA)
AFFILIATE MEMBERS
Baseline Constructions n [02] 9080 2222
British Precast n +44 (0) 116 254 6161
Precast New Zealand n [64] 09 638 9416
OV ERS EAS MEMBERS
Golik Precast Ltd (Hong Kong) n 852-2634 1818
OCV Reinforcements n [66 2] 745 6960
The information provided in this publication is of a general nature and should not be
regarded as specific advice. Readers are cautioned to seek appropriate professional
advice pertinent to the specific nature of their interest.
Published by
National Precast Concrete
Association Australia
6/186 Main Road Blackwood SA 5051
Tel [08] 8178 0255 Fax [08] 8178 0355
Email: info@[Link]
PAGE 6 Executive Officer – Sarah Bachmann
[Link]
