The May 2009 launch of Asphalt Academy’s publication on Bitumen Stabilised Materials, TG2 Second Edition, introduced a new testing protocol for bitumen stabilisation designs that included vibrating hammer compaction for specimen manufacture and triaxial testing of large specimens. At that stage, no commercial laboratory in South Africa was geared up to carry out such work and to do so would require a significant level of investment. This posed a business risk since future demand for such designs was both unknown and uncertain.
In response to this dilemma, Dave Collings (one of the compilers of TG2 (2020)) approached Jan Venter (MD of Soilco Materials Investigations) with a proposal to tool up and provide the industry with specialised testing facilities for bitumen stabilised materials (BSMs). Soilco agreed, but on condition that a separate stand-alone business be established together with those who had experience in the technology. Accordingly, BSM Laboratories (Pty) Ltd was launched in September 2009 with Soilco, Pavement Rehabilitation Services (Rennie Shunmugam) and UCD Technology (Eric Uppink, Dave Collings and Rod Dunstone) taking equal shares (and investing equally).
In addition to carrying out mix designs and quality assurance testing of field samples, BSM Laboratories maintains a close relationship with those involved in relevant research work, primarily Stellenbosch University. This allows a healthy exchange of information that is vital for the development of any young technology. The latest test procedures published by SABITA in the 3rd Edition of TG2 (2020) reflect the experience gained by BSM Laboratories from more than ten years of testing various bitumen stabilised materials. With recycling / bitumen stabilisation offering an attractive solution for the world’s distressed road networks. BSM Laboratories is geared to meet the challenge.
The business is modelled similar to that adopted by SRT for specialised testing, the only difference being that BSM Laboratories is focused solely on bitumen stabilisation. Initially, Soilco allocated space in their Central Laboratory in Westmead to establish the necessary facilities and provide the much needed support once work commenced. A significant amount was invested in equipment and training of personnel. Wynand van Niekerk joined in April 2010 as the General Manager and, with support from Jan Venter and Rennie Shunmugam, took on the challenge and refined the relevant testing procedures. The results of these tests allow design engineers to confidently classify a BSM in accordance with TG2 (2009), thereby facilitating the use of BSMs on a wide range of projects. Although slow in the beginning, demand for testing picked up as Road Authorities and designers gained confidence in the results produced by the laboratory. This had a positive influence on the amount of BSM work being put out to tender, more recycling machines being sold and an ever increasing demand for both mix design and quality control testing. By 2011 the premises at Soilco proved to be inadequate and operations were moved to larger premises. For similar reasons, operations were moved again in 2016, this time to Circuit Road in Westmead, next door to Soilco, where premises are shared with SRT. Thus, Circuit Road in Westmead became a one-stop centre for all roads related testing requirements.
The expanding business brought with it the need for additional investment and, in 2013, the shareholding was increased by bringing in additional partners from both the consulting and contracting sectors of industry. Then, in 2015, the untimely death of Rennie Shunmugam resulted in his shares being taken over by Roadlab, another large commercial laboratory with a presence in all South African Provinces and beyond.
This increased demand for testing is coming from all corners of South Africa, and beyond our borders, which is extremely encouraging. However, such a spread of projects poses several challenges, especially concerning the distance that samples have to be transported to our laboratory in Westmead and the size of sample required for a full BSM stabilisation design. Several alternatives have been considered to address these challenges.
Attempts to operate small satellite facilities attached to larger commercial laboratories have proved to be impractical, primarily as a consequence of the non-continuous flow of work. Regardless, contingency plans are in place to open such satellite facilities in all main centres of South Africa whenever demand is sufficient.
AH Greyling (Chairman)
WJ van Niekerk (Managing)
R Dunstone (Financial)
DC Collings
GH Greffrath
CJ van Biljon
BSM Laboratories offer testing, training and even set up of mini satellite laboratories on projects around Southern Africa. We are continuously striving to improve testing and knowledge in Bitumen Stabilised Materials.
Copyright © BSM Laboratories