https://ipweaq.intersearch.com.au/ipweaqjspui/handle/1/8322 Sat, 11 Jul 2026 02:22:59 GMT 2026-07-11T02:22:59Z https://ipweaq.intersearch.com.au/ipweaqjspui/handle/1/8333 Title: The rehabilitation of old Wallaville Bridge Authors: Brown, Suzanne Abstract: Old Wallaville Bridge crosses the Burnett River near Wallaville, southwest of Bundaberg. It is a bridge with an interesting history that now requires significant work to continue to carry heavy vehicles. The bridge is currently load limited and council is planning to rehabilitate the structure. The bridge was on the Bruce Highway until the Tim Fischer Bridge was opened in 1999. The substructure was constructed in the 1940's with a timber superstructure. In the late 1960's the superstructure was converted to post tensioned deck unit bridge. This was done under traffic. Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://ipweaq.intersearch.com.au/ipweaqjspui/handle/1/8333 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ipweaq.intersearch.com.au/ipweaqjspui/handle/1/8332 Title: Gravel Pit Optimisation Using QGIS Authors: Alcorn, Rhys Abstract: McMurtrie Consulting Engineers (MCE) has been engaged by North Burnett Regional Council (NBRC) to provide natural disaster event project management services for flood events declared in 2022 and 2024. In response to the disaster, significant quantities of gravel were required all over the region. Prior to the event, NBRC had made the decision to close their Council-managed quarries and burrow pits, citing internal staffing difficulties to comply with mining WHS legislation. The process going forward was to purchase gravel from commercial quarries. Such was the size and scope of the event, that procuring gravel from commercial quarries was not feasible. The cost of cartage and the damage that the unsealed road network would sustain during restoration works would cause more damage than what was being repaired. Two of the commercial quarries were closed due to environmental compliance, and DA non-compliance. This lack of commercial material caused a perfect storm of limited gravel supplies in the NBRC region. MCE ‘s recommendation to NBRC was a strategic opening of gravel pits around the region. These gravel pits would be required to fulfill all Flood Damage related activities, as well as NBRCs maintenance and resheeting projects. The gravel must also fulfill grading requirements for use as an unsealed driving surface. Civil Engineer Rhys Alcorn had developed a tool for his thesis, that calculated the distance from gravel pits to damage locations using QGIS algorithms. This method was retrofitted to determine the closest gravel pit from each damage location on the road network. It was then possible to determine the total gravel required from each gravel location. Furthermore, MCE working in conjunction with NBRC, arranged material testing at each of the proposed gravel pit locations. Optimum gravel sources were identified, with marginal materials excluded from further analysis. Where marginal materials would benefit from material blending, these were considered for further analysis. Excluded gravel pits were removed from the GIS tool, and the calculations were rerun. Total quantities at all viable sites could then be determined. This initiative could be used to develop annual gravel crushing campaigns for local governments. Where damage is known, and resheeting locations are identified, annual crushing requirements can be calculated and advertised for Tender. Furthermore, this tool will allow Councils to determine the shortest path from one location to another location. This could have the following uses: - Determining which damage should be repaired by which work depots. - Closest works depot to any point on road network - Closest water source to damage location - Closest gravel source to damage location If Councils embrace the idea of determining the closest viable resource to works location, significant savings can be achieved in fuel costs, and damage to unsealed road networks. A map showing the closest gravel points for road networks should be hung in every Local Government works department. It is a very powerful tool. This presentation will step the audience through the methodology used to create these outputs. Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://ipweaq.intersearch.com.au/ipweaqjspui/handle/1/8332 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ipweaq.intersearch.com.au/ipweaqjspui/handle/1/8331 Title: Dealing with defects Authors: Bradbury, Matt; Power, Alex Abstract: An unfortunate reality is that on most projects, defective work is inevitable. If not addressed properly, defective work can give rise to significant rectification costs, and cause delay to the successful completion of the project. The approach taken towards the management of defects is critical towards ensuring the success of the project and to protecting the community’s assets. This presentation will draw upon McCullough Robertson’s experience in successfully resolving defects disputes and provide a checklist of issues to consider when encountering a substantive defect. By turning its mind to each of the issues in the checklist, Principals will be able to manage the approach to defects, along with managing the recovery of costs from any parties responsible. Defects may be encountered during the project, or years later after the completion of the project. Both scenarios will be addressed in this presentation, and the powers of the Superintendent under the contract will be considered along with formal steps that parties can take to enforce their rights in respect of defects. Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://ipweaq.intersearch.com.au/ipweaqjspui/handle/1/8331 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ipweaq.intersearch.com.au/ipweaqjspui/handle/1/8330 Title: Investigation and Development of a Contemporary Pavement Design Procedure for Rockhampton Regional Council Authors: Vaughan, Grant Abstract: This presentation will be a summary of the Industry Project I completed in 2022 and submitted as my final assessment in the Masters of Engineering Practice Course. The purpose of this project was to investigate and understand how road pavements perform in practice, and to use this understanding to develop a Pavement Design Procedure to be used by Rockhampton Regional Council in everyday practice. This project relates to common Council roads such as light to medium trafficked urban streets, and lower volume rural roads, constructed using traditional unbound granular pavements with bitumen surfacing or thin asphalt surfacing. I will start by discussing the outcomes of a literature review summarising the history of road pavements and road pavement design, the development of Road Pavement Design Manuals and Empirical Design Charts, the key points of traditional and current pavement design procedures, and the transition from Empirical to Mechanistic design methods . I will then discuss the outcomes of a visual assessment of pavement condition completed on 103 projects that had been constructed between 1993 and 2012, for the purpose of understanding how pavements were performing using existing pavement design methods. The observed defects were summarised to assist with understanding pavement deterioration mechanisms and guide procedural improvements. The outcomes of my investigation into the three main components of pavement design (i) Design Traffic Calculation, (ii) Determination of Subgrade CBR, and (iii) Pavement Thickness Design, will be discussed. For each pavement design component, a procedure has been recommended for implementation. The investigation into design traffic considered how accurately generic traffic load distribution (TLD) data and presumptive values represent heavy vehicle loading on typical Rockhampton streets and concluded that design methods using presumptive values applied to a percentage of the AADT were significantly over-estimating the total design traffic. The subgrade CBR investigation recommended accepting partially saturated subgrade conditions and outlined a testing regime to quantify the in situ subgrade strength and moisture conditions to be adopted for the site. This followed analysis of a case study that monitored subgrade moisture conditions every month for a period of 12 months, to better understand how partially saturated subgrades perform. Numerous pavement designs were completed comparing QTPDM Chart 1, Austroads Chart 8.4, and Austroads mechanistic-empirical design methods to determine the most appropriate method to calculate pavement thickness. An economic analysis was completed, concluding that the Austroads empirical design charts are the most suitable option for Rockhampton streets. Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://ipweaq.intersearch.com.au/ipweaqjspui/handle/1/8330 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z