Rocla and Technicrete, part of the Infrastructure Specialist Group (ISG), re-open for business after the initial level 5 COVID-19 situation in South Africa.

 

“We are pleased to announce that our manufacturing plants are running although at a reduced capacity, and that our sales representatives are available to assist customers with technical and product advice across the entire spectrum of our standard and customer specified offerings” said Malebusa Sebatane, Marketing and Communications Manager for ISG.

 

Rocla, an iconic South African brand, is one of the leading suppliers of precast concrete products for infrastructure, including pipes, culverts, manholes, poles and various other related products. Their products are regularly specified for public works infrastructure projects as well as commissioned by the private sector for commercial developments.

Technicrete has one of the most comprehensive range of concrete products in South Africa. Technicrete manufactures and supplies paving, erosion and drainage products, masonry and mining products.

Both Rocla and Technicrete are members of the Concrete Manufacturers Association of South Africa.

“All of our factories and staff are COVID-19 compliant, and work to a high standard of diligence and with stringent sanitising and personal protective equipment in place throughout its operations” concluded Sebatane.

All Technicrete enquiries should be directed to the sales team contacts stipulated on http://www.technicrete.co.za/physical-locations/

All Rocla enquiries should be directed similarly to contacts stipulated on: http://www.rocla.co.za/physical-locations/

Armorflex 165, Technicrete’s erosion control system that provides an alternative for a wide variety of erosion control and drainage projects, was specified for the recently completed Attenuation Pond for EnviroServ at their Rosslyn premises.

 

Armorflex blocks offer an excellent lining for drainage channels. At aprons at pipe inlets and outlets, Armorflex eliminates pipe undercutting that can lead to severe problems such as surrounding bank failure and siltation downstream.

 

The Rosslyn project ran from February to June 2019 and was undertaken by MK Africa Civils. “We have worked with MK Africa Civils on other projects, and we understand that at times, all does not run smoothly on-site. Upon excavation of the pond’s designated area, unexpected rock was discovered which had to be removed with chemical blasting before the required pond level could be reached. We halted deliveries of the Armorflex 165 loose blocks to site until the blasting issue had been resolved” said Luan van der Berg, Sales Consultant for Technicrete.

 

“We supplied 7,000 square meters of Armorflex 165 blocks for the Attenuation Pond which will serve as a storage for run-off dump water and any other excess water components at site. The product was supplied in palletized loose block form for manual installation, which upon completion formed the Armorflex mat formation”.

 

“The beauty of the Armorflex system, is that it is flexible and sophisticated in design, conforms to ground contours (even if settlement occurs after installation and the blocks have a specially tapered design to allow for this flexibility), settles without fracture, and requires only limited ground preparation” van der Berg concluded.

 

Technicrete manufactures the Internationally Licensed Armorflex system in South Africa. It is the only system available locally with the facility to wire tie adjacent blocks together into long mats. The interlocking design allows the surface to remain flexible to movement, eliminating the cracking and spalling issues that plaque solid concrete surfaces, even when exposed to regular inclement weather. The openings in each block and between blocks are perfectly sized to benefit from enough vegetation growth to make the surface appear ‘natural’ whilst still maintaining structural integrity.

 

Amorflex is suited to other drainage applications such as ditch linings, spillways, headwalls, sediment basins and traps, pipe inlet protection, and protection of barriers.

The effective management and subsequent attenuation or storage of stormwater has never been more critical in South Africa than at present. For many local municipalities, submission of stormwater management plans is compulsory with all proposals for new commercial and residential developments.

 

Municipalities and Engineers alike are trying to reduce the load on existing, traditional stormwater networks, as these are falling behind in their effectiveness due to massively increased volumes of water caused by the developmental impact of replacing grassland with hardstand.

 

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) and subsequent engineering design, start with the intention of creating newly developed sites that mimic their pre-development state by virtue of majority of stormwater not running off the site but rather infiltrating into the ground and thereby replenishing critical below grade water tables and aquifers. The goal is to manage stormwater on site and have as little as possible passing into municipal systems.

 

Technicrete’s “Aqua” range of blocks, manufactured to national standard: SANS 1058-2012, subscribe to a form of SUDS known as Permeable Paving whereby vertical ‘slots’ between adjacent pavers provide drainage channels allowing stormwater to flow from surface, through the paving layer, into suitably designed layerworks below. The premise behind a permeable paving system is such that voids, inherently present between stones (19mm – 63mm) making up the structural layerworks of the pavement, can accommodate water capacity up to 25% of the volume of these layers.

 

A general design consideration for the paving block is to allow water to flow through this layer at a rate of approximately 9000 liters (9000mm) per m2 per hour. A geotextile placed between the bedding and storage layers will have the effect of throttling this flow through rate to approximately half, or 4500 liters (4500mm) per m2 per hour, although at design stage of the overall system, one generally uses a rate of 10% of the maximum, namely 900 litres (900mm) per m2 per hour as this allows for up to 90% potential blocking up of the system over time. Accordingly, a heavy rainfall event can be designed to be managed such that the entire volume of water is maintained and managed within the site boundaries.

 

A secondary consideration at this stage of design is whether to capture this water only for attenuation (slow release) or retention and re-use, both of which offer a myriad of further options. As such, three basic design philosophies prevail, namely a full infiltration system, a partial-infiltration partial-discharge system or a ‘tanked’ storage system.

 

A full infiltration system is underlaid with a pervious geotextile and is suitable for use where it is feasible to   infiltrate stormwater directly into a suitable subgrade.

 

A part infiltration – part discharge system enables attenuation into the municipal network at the rate prescribed for the site as well as infiltration into the ground below.

 

The third option is that of a tanked system which is lined with either LDPE or HDPE impervious membranes to create a ‘tank’ and thereby capture and store the water for reuse in grey water and irrigation systems. With additional treatment, this stored water could be made available for potable use. In some instances, the impervious membrane is required to restrict water from entering the subgrade and thereby preserve structural integrity of this layer. This could be an important factor where clay subgrades are encountered, in dolomitic areas or where soils / storm-water are expected to be contaminated.

 

An additional advantage of permeable pavement design is the element of contaminant treatment. Studies have shown that heavy metals, including but not limited to, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Nickel and Zinc are partly removed from the water through percolation in the stone layerworks such that water flowing out of these systems is within potable requirements for these metals. Hydrocarbons (Oil) has also been seen to be broken down by micro-organisms that grow in the geofabric and other layers that are generally kept moist.

 

Technicrete’s Permeable Paving systems have been successfully applied in various developments, including major industrial factories and large campus parking facilities and should be both the client and designers preferred system for prevention of run-off and flooding. These systems are ideally suited for installation in car parks, industrial estates, retail centres, pedestrian areas, domestic estate drives, freeway services, garages, truck stops, container terminals and other heavy-duty applications and can be installed at almost any installation where traditional segmental concrete block paving has been specified.

 

As with all Technicrete products, our in-house engineering team is always available to advise and assist with designs in this regard.

Remember the old cobbled streets of London and York, and the ancient Souks of the Middle East with their tiny cobbled side streets? Whilst those streets and sidewalks evolved through years of usage by people and horse and cart carriages, Technicrete’s bevelled Cobble Bond paving can create a similarly attractive cobbled effect for those developers wanting to install a high-class finish to residential or commercial developments.

The pavers, which can be applied in various pattern formations such as Stretcher Bond, Herringbone and basket Weave are 100% South African manufactured by Technicrete. The paving block has a strong interlock capacity, with the cobble look having been created by a central groove which is beveled across the middle of the block. The paver block is available in thickness and length widths of 50mm 200 x 100 and 60mm 200 x 100. Sizes such as 80mm and 100mm are available upon request.

The Cobble Bond paver is designed specifically to withstand the vehicle and pedestrian traffic anticipated on such projects that have domestic driveways, municipal parking areas, pedestrian pavements, pathways and commercial developments. It is a durable yet cost effective paver option. The product gives a smart finish to any project and offers a colour range of Terracotta, Plum, Grey, Slate, Tan and Autumn.

A new shopping and fitness centre, Williams Shopping Centre, in Klerksdorp, was looking for an inexpensive yet durable paving solution that would meet the needs of the centre’s anticipated patrons of newly opened restaurant and fitness outlets.

With a continuous influx of customers to the newly developed centre, it was imperative that the paving offer good longevity while still giving an attractive finish for the shopping centre.

Technicrete was specified at the tender stage for the project to supply their Double Zig Zag (DZZ) pavers, but after the client saw the finish on the company’s newly launched Cottage Stone paver at a site nearby, they too were commissioned for the project.

Wian Blom, Sales Consultant for Technicrete in the Klerksdorp area commented “We recently launched our new Cottage Stone paver, and we have been extremely satisfied with the feedback from our customers on its quality, finish and cost effectiveness for projects such as this. We believe that the Cottage Stone paver will soon become the preferred choice for many projects as a result of the product’s durable properties and appearance.”

The Williams Shopping Centre installed 750m² of the Cottage Stone paver in a slate colour around the shopping centre in addition to the specified 3500m² of grey 60mm DZZ’s utilised in the parking areas.

 

Health care clinics by their very nature have an enormous amount of foot traffic that requires safe, sturdy, attractive and long-lasting paving. The new Jouberton Community Clinic, a primary health care centre in Klerksdorp, North West Province, sought paving that offered these features and were cost effective. Technicrete, part of ISG, fitted the bill, with their JZZ pavers that were installed throughout the clinic surrounds.

“The quality of our JZZ pavers was the main reason our Technicrete product was selected” said Sales Consultant for Technicrete, Wian Blom, “We had recently utilised the JZZ paver at a project in Mafikeng, and when we showed the contractor, Trade First, the finish on the pavers they were very happy with the quality and contracted us to install these at the Jouberton Community Clinic” Blom commented.

Technicrete installed 7500m² of JZZ 80mm pavers as well as 2500m² of 60mm pavers all in a slate colour. These were installed alongside all the community clinic’s newly created driveways. “Additionally,” said Blom “We were then asked to install JZZ pavers to the adjoining road that services the community clinic. This is a project where a substantial amount of our pavers was required, and our nearby manufacturing factory in Stilfontein were able to ensure that the quantities needed were delivered as and when required by the project contractors” Blom said.

The Technicrete JZZ pavers is a solid block interlocking paver that once applied forms a continuous, hard wearing surface. They are suitable for municipal parking areas, domestic driveways, petrol forecourts, pedestrian pavements, pathways and commercial developments and industrial and factory roads. Any area that needs to accommodate regular feet and vehicle traffic, including delivery bays where forklift trucks are utilised, will find the JZZ paver a most practical and suitable surface.

 

A little bit of magic is to be found just outside of Polokwane in the form of The Aloes Lifestyle Estate, which since inception in 2010, has continued to expand its upmarket residential and retirement living concept. The tranquil and exclusively designed estate contracted Technicrete and Rocla for their paving and kerbs requirements. Site Agent for Oscon Electrical and Civil Contractors Ltd, Leon Labuschagne said “The entire Aloes Lifestyle Estate project since Phase One in 2010 to Phase Five in 2018 has chosen and installed Technicrete paving and kerbs. Good quality, longevity and affordability are some of the factors which made Technicrete a preferred choice of supplier to the project”.

“Nearly 7,000 kerbs of various dimensions and 15,700m²   of Double Zig Zag (DZZ) 60mm grey pavers have been applied throughout the estate. The DZZ’s from Technicrete have given Aloes a very upmarket aesthetically pleasing yet practical finish” he said.

Technicrete’s range of DZZ interlocking pavers form a hard-wearing surface overlay which is perfect for application in lifestyle estates as well as petrol forecourts, municipal parking areas, commercial developments and heavy-duty industrial areas. The pavers form a Herringbone formation once installed.

“Lifestyle estates such as The Aloes depend heavily on the functionality and appearance of products that are finally installed at such upmarket developments. The products selected from Technicrete by Oscon Electrical and Civil Contractors are of a high quality and provide a lifespan suited to the traffic requirements of the estate.  A combination of mountable and semi mountable precast kerbs were selected which gave a superior edge restraint finish. We were delighted to have been involved in the development and expansion of Aloes Lifestyle Estate” said Mishack Mdhlului, Technicrete’s Sales Consultant for the Polokwane region.

 

When a couple in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, decided to build their dream retirement home they were faced with an unexpected challenge, soil erosion due to the high lying area of their land. A Google search highlighted Technicrete’s Earthform retaining wall blocks as a solution. Meeting with Technicrete at their Polokwane office offered them the erosion solution they required.

“Our Earthform retaining wall blocks are ideal for the kind of challenges the couple was facing. The longevity of the product has stood the test of time on many projects where soil erosion has been vast due to flooding” said Peter Hilton, Sales Consultant for Technicrete in Polokwane.

Due to the magnitude of the project, Hilton travelled to Thohoyandou to assess the site and take the required measurements, which took over two hours. The house, large enough to accommodate four children and extended family, was built high up in the magnificent hilly area of the region affording the property exquisite views, but the heavy rains were causing massive soil erosion on the chosen site.

Hilton added “Earthform gives embankments a natural support while protecting the land from collapsing due to erosion. Additionally, it provides an attractive and practical finish in difficult to maintain steep areas through the creation of plantable and easy to maintain retaining walls”.

“I knew that Manie Troskie from Engineered Interlock Solutions (EIS) was a specialised concrete block retaining wall contractor that has many years of experience in the design and building of concrete block retaining walls as he is a regular customer of ours. Due to the massive size of the project and the challenging terrain, I referred the couple to Troskie for the retaining wall installation and design” said Hilton.

Troskie said “EIS designed and constructed the retaining wall in various stages. The critical area was in front of the house where 80mm wide tension cracks already had developed. There was a risk that this embankment could collapse. A total slip failure would have had a major impact on the structural integrity of the house. The in-situ embankment was cut back to the required design distance for the Geosynthetics reinforcement and drainage to be installed. The soil was stockpiled for reuse”.

“The fill wall was constructed in two terraces, each 3m high. The terraces were of a more economical design solution and provided a softer look for landscaping. There were various smaller terraced walls constructed on both sides of the house.  One wall was constructed as a 7m high continuous wall that flared out into 3 smaller terraces” said Troskie.

“The wall behind the house in the cut section was also designed as a two-terrace wall. The bottom section was 5m high and the second wall 3m high. There is an access road to the neighbour’s property on top of the wall. This required that embankment was cut back and the soil stockpiled to provide space for the Geosynthetic reinforcement and drainage”.

Troskie added “This is the biggest residential retaining wall project that we have undertaken to date. We happily used the recommended Technicrete Earthform retaining wall blocks because we ourselves have used them in the past on other projects due to the quality of the block and its longevity “.

“Over 20,000 grey Earthform blocks were needed to complete the Thohoyandou project. The house was situated off the main tarred road, and this is where the expertise of the Technicrete drivers came to the fore as they battled dirt roads, at times in bad rainy weather, and still delivered on time as scheduled without breakages” he said.

“The access to stock as required and competitive pricing are other factors that made working with Technicrete a win-win situation over the eight months that it took to complete this project. The technical advice from Peter Hilton was spot on for this development and the couple involved were very happy with the end result in terms of erosion control and final appearance” said Troskie.

Earthform retaining wall blocks can be stacked up to 7m high provided that sufficient Geosynthetic reinforcement, erosion control layers and drainage are installed in the reinforced fill section directly behind the Earthform retaining wall blocks.

Plants or vegetation suited to the style of the Earthform retaining wall blocks should be planted facing outward of the front face of the wall and require little maintenance.

The blocks are available in Autumn, grey and plum.