Construction World October 2015

REDUCING BLAST VIBRATIONS

SA-based blasting leader BME is supplying advanced detonators and expertise to Rock Busters PTE, a blasting specialist subcontractor to Samsung for the construction of Land Transport Authority (Singapore) Caldecott Station, T213 Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL T213) to blast with the least possible vibration impact – protecting nearby tunnels, skyscrapers and other sensitive structures on the land constrained city-state.

Umesh Chhika, general manager for Asia Pacific and strategic projects at BME, said the company has been engaged to provide electronic detonation systems and related technical advice to ensure low-vibration blasting in the 35 metre-deep box cut, from which three more rail tunnels will be developed. He said the special requirements of the project suited BME’s specialised expertise in electronic detonation services and products. “We havemade huge strides in advancing the field of controlled blasting through our digital blasting systems,” said Chhika. “Electronic delay detonators play a vital role in controlled blasting, especially when used in conjunction with our in-house AXXIS digital initiation system and supporting software.” The timing flexibility of the AXXIS system supports the detonation of small, multiple charges in each blasthole to keep vibration levels down, he said, and the accuracy of the timing between individual charges allows vibrations to be predicted accurately and reliably. The TEL project is a 43 km underground rail >

line between the existing Thomson and Eastern Region commuter lines in Singapore, and will add 31 new stations to the existing rail network. The first phase of the facility is expected to start operating in 2019. “To further enhance our controlled blasting techniques, BME employs its own Blast- MapIII software to plan complex timing designs and also analyse the results for each blast,” said Chhika. “Our extensive experience

ABOVE: The timing flexibility of BME’s AXXIS system supports the detonation of small, multiple charges in each blasthole to keep vibration levels down, and the accura- cy of the timing between individual charges allows vibrations to be predicted accurately and reliably. TOP: Electronic delay detonators play a vital role in controlled blasting, espe- cially when used in conjunction with BME’s in-house AXXIS digital initiation system and supporting software.

– which earned us this contract – includes blasting for various civil blasting contracts.” BME’s advisory services will there- fore augment the company’s products and software to ensure the success of their contribution. The TEL project is a 43 km under- ground rail line between the existing Thomson and Eastern Region com- muter lines in Singapore, and will add 31 new stations to the existing rail network.

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WATERPROOFING LOADING ON REVIT South African architects and other designers have welcomed the fact that the specificati ons for a.b.e. Construction Chemicals' waterproofing products have now been preloaded on Autodesk REVIT software.

important additional unforeseen costs later in the construction schedule. Boddington added that a.be. is planning to preload all other applicable a.b.e. products onto Autodesk REVIT software, including a.b.e.'s flooring, specialised adhesives, structural glazing, concrete repair, silicone and sealants, and construction commodity products.

a.b.e. is part of the Chryso Southern Africa Group. Ivor Boddington, a.b.e.'s Product Manager: Concrete Repairs & Protection & General Construction, says Autodesk REVIT is an innovative building information computer program that has trans- formed building design from drawing flat sketches on paper to creating virtual, three dimensional designs. "It enables architects; structural engineers; mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineers, designers and contractors to design a building and its components in three dimension, annotate the model with 2D drafting elements – such as used for waterproofing – and then access construction information from the building model's database," Boddington stated. "Three-dimensional modelling itself is not new but in the past the 3Dmodels would merely >

illustrate what a building would look like when completed. Now, thanks to the Autodesk REVIT program, architects and other parties involved in designing and construction can plan ahead when it comes to the finer details of their design, including the annotation of the a.b.e. water- proofing the new structure will require. "The fact that a.b.e. waterproofing specifi- cations can now be extracted and inserted to a project at the design stage means that the designers can automatically generate a Bill of Quantities containing all the products and measurements required, the extruded elevations to be provided for, as well as the final conceptual visualisation," Boddington explained. Autodesk REVIT enables designers to extract energy analyses and environmental impacts, as well as waterproofing requirements, prior to the construction of a building, thereby saving

a.b.e.'s full range of waterproofing products are now within easy access for architects and designers through Autodesk REVIT software.

CONSTRUCTION WORLD OCTOBER 2015