News
How to get the best out of Ultra Mender
4 May 2022
Check out our latest video letting you know how to get the best out of your Ultra Mender application.
Ultra Mender’s versatility is achieved through advanced polymer technology, which allows it to be applied at ambient temperature before curing in minutes to form a strong plastic-like material.
If you have any questions contact Darcy Rogers our resident expert.
https://www.roadscience.co.nz/ultra-mender
New Bitumen Tank for South Island
12 April 2022
Today we would like to celebrate the commission of large bitumen tank at the Port of Lyttleton - Road Science has invested in this tank to bolster onshore storage and enable a secure supply chain.
The bitumen tank is a repurposed oil tank, and took the team 18 months to convert. It has five million litres of storage for the substance that shapes New Zealand’s roads and pavements.
“The new tank increases onshore storage space significantly for the South Island, building resilience for our business and ensuring supply certainty for the entire roading industry,” Doug Carrasco
#bitumensupply #downer #investinginsupplychain
Bituminous
1 April 2022
Never shying away from a chance to innovate - we would like to inform everyone we have been branching out into the world of fragrance.
We proudly announce Bituminous, a smell like no other - it will transport you to the distinct smell of the chipseal or asphalt road wherever you are.
Contact Road Science to purchase direct.
#aprilfools
Safety Shout-out!!
23 March 2022
Mount Maunganui, Plant Manager Murray. Northcott wanted to talk about a safety initiative.
Over the years, the manufacturing plant has tried different approaches when it comes to sampling very hot products (bitumen can be 180C). Personal protective equipment has always been the first-line of defense when taking samples, but weather conditions have always made it a challenge to take hot samples. Just imagine trying to do this in the pouring rain!
Murray’s team have introduced a ‘simple’ sample box that gives added safety while taking samples. It’s as easy as opening the door, placing the sample container under the sample point and closing the door. Once you open the outlet valve the sample is poured - all inside the confines of the sample box. This gives protection from the elements and keep the person taking the sample safe from any splatter.
This simple solution has made a huge difference in keeping people safe - and that's what Road Science is all about! Good work Murray and the team.
improvements to the roads in Hamilton
21 March 2022
Road Science has been working with the Hamilton City Council/Downer Infrastructure Alliance recently to make improvements to the roads in Hamilton.
Projects have been using Road Science's Enviro Base Bitumen Emulsion. This product stabilizes the base course layer to improve the long-term waterproofness of the roads.
Emulsion is mixed into the base course using Downer’s Wirtgen Stabilizing machine this hoes the subsurface and injects the emulsion directly. This machine is directly fed from a Road Science emulsion tanker.
The use of bitumen emulsion for this process means the crews are working with products that are safe to handle. They are applied at ambient temperatures, compared with the alternative process using 180C bitumen (for foam bitumen stabilization). The Road Science process also eliminates the need to have a water cart hooked to the stabilizing machine.
Feedback from the alliance - “the roads that have used this product are standing up really well!”
Enviro Shield trial in Dunedin
2 March 2022
Great work Michael He and the South Island manufacturing team for the recent Enviro Shield trial in Dunedin. This was the first time Enviro Shield has been manufactured and used in the South Island. We look forward to bringing more of this product to the South!
https://lnkd.in/gV47azP
Enviro Shield is a surface treatment which acts as a protective layer for aged asphalt and chip seal surfaces that are beginning to fret and ravel. It costs as much as plain old chip seal but looks and behaves like asphalt.
Aaron Northcott - 10 years of service
9 February 2022
Congratulations to Aaron Northcott who started with Road Science 10 years ago. His journey into the Road Science manufacturing business started in 2012, when he was working for Pacific Terminals which involved handling products like bulk molasses.
He received a phone call from his Dad Murray. Northcott who was the Manufacturing Manager for the Road Science Plant at Mount Maunganui informing him that there was a position becoming available for a bitumen plant operator at the New Plymouth site. His father said that this would be a great opportunity as he knew first-hand how progressive the company was and it would provide the career opportunity that Aaron was looking for. He encouraged Aaron to apply for the position.
Aaron was the successful candidate for the role and jumped across the road (from Pacific Terminals) to the Road Science New Plymouth site. Yes they are literally adjacent and within a stone throw away from each other on the Port of Taranaki. He was now a Bitumen Plant Operator at 18 years old. Over the next ten years Aaron took all the opportunities that were made available to him and developed his skills and abilities to become really proficient in manufacturing and liquids material handling. This resulted in him being appointed the Manufacturing Manager (Site Manager) for the entire Road Science New Plymouth Plant in February 2021 .
Along the way Aaron has encountered some great people that have supported him into his current role. He said “from the very first Manufacturing conference, everyone said just pick up the phone, phone a friend we are here to help .” Which is what he has done many times over the years. He also believes he deserves some of the credit for being so awesome at what he does!
Aaron is now in the position where he is leading and encouraging new people coming into the business. He’s finding the best part of his role is helping his team resolve issues and achieve their own goals.
I wanted to share Aaron’s story to show the career progression that’s possible within our manufacturing business, Ross Godkin National Manufacturing Manager.
Improving the performance of Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) through smarter binder selection
27 January 2022
The first Technically Speaking of the year questions how we can create longer lasting roads in New Zealand. Looking forward to reading more articles from you Michael He!
Merry Christmas
21 December 2021
A very Merry Christmas from the team at Road Science.
Keep safe over the break, we look forward to working with you next year - Doug Carrasco.
Highest user of Zeus for 2021!
17 December 2021
Congrats to Lachlan McLeod from #Downer's Sealing and Asphalt team. Lachlan was the highest user of our weather forecasting app Zeus for 2021!
Since introducing Zeus we have seen emulsion wash-off events almost eliminated from the business and we appreciate users like Lachlan putting the effort in to avoid this.
Thanks again Lachlan!
For information about Zeus:
www.roadscience.co.nz/zeus
For information about Bitumen Emulsion:
https://lnkd.in/gHkDQsdb
Mobile Mapper and Central Waikato NOC
15 December 2021
Done and dusted! Road Science's Mobile Mapping Team has finished the final area wide survey for Downer's Central Waikato NOC maintenance team for 2021. In 2020, team had Road Science use their Mobile Mapper to survey 250Km of their network, gathering survey quality point cloud data at traffic speed.
This data has allowed Graham, Kylie, and James to extract the required topographical survey data from the point clouds for upcoming renewals - all without a single surveyor going to site! This has saved the contract money and is a massive health and safety benefit for the team.
The data can also be used for locating assets, pavement and asset condition mapping and numerous other applications. Get in touch with Graham Watson or or Nik Vishwanath to find out more.
Standard bitumen verses PMB
7 December 2021
It feels like it’s getting hotter ever year and it is. You can see the damage this is causing on our roads. Check out this video about how PMB can work for you…
FWD on the Chatham Islands
25 November 2021
Recently Mohammed Faizan and Road Science's FWD machine got to spend time on the Chatham Islands. This was to complete some testing for the Chatham Island runway extension project.
Over one day each FWD test point was subjected to 12 tests with the impact loads ranging from 40kN to 110kN to simulate aircraft wheel loads.
The raw data was sent to Dr Greg Arnold to determine pavement layer modulus values for different loads to be used to optimise the pavement design of the new runway.
Road Science's team has the only IANZ accreditation to test method (AG/AM:T006) in New Zealand. The team can deliver FWD data in raw f25 data files, back calculated moduli or incorporated into full pavement designs using in-house expertise.
Get in touch with Jasen Schaaf jasen.schaaf@roadscience.co.nz or Nik Vishwanath nikhil.vishwanath@roadscience.co.nz for more information.
Hawkeye 1000
15 November 2021
Shaun Kingsbury was in Queenstown with the Hawkeye 1000 last week doing a network wide texture and geometry survey of the Queenstown Lakes District Council's reseal program. This data is seamlessly integrated with Downer's proprietary seal design algorithm which ensures the correct seal is designed using a data driven approach.
Road Science's Hawkeye survey vehicles measure texture and geometry, they can also measure roughness (NAASRA). It has high resolution video cameras that accurately log digital images of roadside assets, minimising the need for physical site visits.
To learn more about the Hawkeye and how you could use it on your project or contract call Nik Vishwanath or Shaun Kingsbury.
#Downer #dataanlytics #hawkeye
Project highlight - Bluff to construct a new Bitumen wharf pipeline to a refurbished wharf
26 October 2021
Project highlight
Today we would like to highlight a project happening in Bluff to construct a new Bitumen wharf pipeline to a refurbished wharf.
Road Science’s terminal in Bluff has significant geographical importance supplying the lower half of the South Island with bituminous products.
The current wharf at Bluff where Bitumen ships berth has come to the end of its life, it’s made of wood and is well over 100 years old.
Work has started with the construction of a concrete culvert along the roadway towards the new bitumen pipeline and the new pipeline installation will be completed by July 2022.
We are proud of this significant investment which secures the future of manufacturing in the lower South Island, this project ensures we can continue to manufacture and supply our top quality products to our customers.
We look forward to keeping you update with progress over the coming months!
#Downer #Bluffwharfupgrade #roadingproducts
Emulsion Stabilisation
20 October 2021
Check out our recent work with Taranaki NOC using emulsion stabilisation on their maintenance patches.
The team loved working with it and found it eliminated common problems with cement stabilisation where patches blow out prior to sealing.
#Downer #emulsionstabilisation
Dune planting
8 October 2021
Last Friday morning was spent with Chris and his team from Coast Care, every year our Mount Maunganui Laboratory team dedicate time to volunteering in the community.
Stefan Senf always leads the charge with one of his passions ‘the dunes’ which are the backbone of our beaches, the buffer between the land and the sea.
Many native plants were replanted, and the team even learnt about the biodiversity the dunes offer.
If you would like to know more about how to get involved check out Coast Care’s website https://lnkd.in/g4ah-Unt
#givingbacktothecommunity #Downer
Te Wiki o te Reo Maori
16 September 2021
Kia ora koutou
As we celebrate Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, I would like acknowledge all my colleagues from Road Science who are - learning, listening, singing, reading, writing and/or speaking Te Reo and I would like to share one of my favourite quotes.
"Whaowhia te kete mātauranga."
"Fill the basket of knowledge."
This was explained to me as when you stop learning, you will stop growing. Becoming mature not only entails your age, but it should also speak highly of how much you have learned through the years. Seize every chance to learn. Read a book. Listen to people. Learn Te Reo. There are many ways to learn and life is but a huge classroom!
Noho ora mai, Doug Carrasco
Manufacturing Team Conference
7 September 2021
As most of the country prepares to move into Level 2 , we would like to share a celebration which happened before this recent crazy time.
Every year Road Science holds a conference for its manufacturing team. The conference is a time when the whole Road Science team comes together and have an opportunity to discuss what building our future looks like. It’s a time to review goals and objectives, reflect on progress and determine how we can better assist each other to achieve more. It's important for the team to get together as each plant works remotely.
It is also a time to Celebrate Success and a team and as individuals. We are proud of our whole team and , we have two awards to recognise outstanding performance. Manufacturing plant of the year and manufacturing person of the year.
This year he plant of the year was our Lyttelton plant! Congrats to the Lyttelton Team lead by Matthew Sinclair, and the team of Nick Sundstrum, Brendan Hall and Amos Taylor.
The person for this year was Sylvie Kerr! Thank you for all your hard-work.
Thank you to everyone who made our time together so successful! Looking forward to next year. Ross Godkin
Stay Safe
23 August 2021
We hope you’re staying safe.
Just a quick note to say we are only operating when we need to assist with essential work.
Road Science is supporting the country and staying in lockdown hoping we can get back to normal business as quickly and safely as we can. Please continue to contact us via the usual channels, we look forward to talking with you. Doug Carrasco
www.roadscience.co.nz
0800 180 200
Technically Speaking - Enviro Shield
10 August 2021
The kiwi dream is to own a house and it's even better if it has a nice smooth asphalt surface outside it. Any new subdivision in New Zealand will have an asphalt surface but what happens when that road needs to be resurfaced in the future? Find out by reading our latest Technically Speaking about Enviro Shield written by Nina Barbier from our Technical Development team.
Smart camera on Te Rapa
13 July 2021
Our smart camera located on Te Rapa Road has been monitoring multimodal traffic usage (including cyclists and pedestrians) for six months. It's so clever it can detect traffic volumes, speeds, lane utilisation and traffic type. Take a look at the useful information we’ve been able to extract so far!
Great work Katarina Gage!
#downer #smartcamera
Celebrating Matariki
1 July 2021
Matariki is a special occasion in the New Zealand calendar which marks the start of the Māori New Year.
Signified by the Matariki cluster of stars reappearing in our night sky, this is a time to reflect on the past year, celebrate the present, and plan for the year ahead.
We would like to share what Matariki means to our Technical Implementation Manager, Nik Vishwanath.
Product Spotlight
30 June 2021
We’ve had feedback that you would like to know more about our products...so this will be the first in a new series named 'Product Spotlight.'
The first product we would like to tell you about is Enviro Bind a specially designed emulsion used in stabilisation of basecourse.
About the product
The emulsion is milled into the basecourse using conventional equipment. The small bitumen particles in emulsion disperse very easily and readily attack and bind up fine material in the basecourse.
Why Enviro Bind?
The industry has limited success with unbound materials and cement stabilisation with a number of rehabs lasting less than ten years. Lack of water proofing has been a common theme in unbound basecourse and there is significant evidence showing that cement bonds in cement stabilisation will break down over time leading to waterproofing issues.
Emulsion stabilisation can be easily applied and offers superior water proofing to other technologies. This means lower failure rates and less maintenance.
Benefits/customer feedback
• Faster to construct (recent trial using Enviro base was constructed two days faster than cement which paid off the additional cost of the emulsion
• Better finish - binds up fines and allows for stone mosaic surface - better adhesion of seal
• Better water proofing - uses half as much bitumen compared to foam bitumen (1.5% vs 3%) and at 1.5% it provides better coating and water proofing than foam
• No cement/dust on site
• Can be used with conventional equipment
• Some SH sites were left unsealed for two months without blowing out like other patching options (better productivity for sealing crews doing patching)
#productspotlight #roadscience #basecourse #Downer
Enviro Shield
22 June 2021
The product everyone's been waiting for - Enviro Shield! Enviro Shield gives an asphalt appearance for the cost of chip seal.
https://lnkd.in/g__pGmd
Darcy Rogers, Simeon Hall, Nina Barbier, Nik Vishwanath
Data capture work for Trentham T2UH
11 June 2021
Last week the team won a WorkSafe New Zealand award for their innovative work in the field of data capture which helps reducing the amount of time workers have to spend in the road corridor.
Please enjoy a short video from the team showcasing their data capture work for Trentham T2UH. This demonstrates the safe, quick and accurate capture for this collaborative project. Working alongside teams from Downer, KiwiRail, Aurecon, Sitech NZ & RB Civil.
James Barker
Graham Watson
Richard Carter
Click here for the video https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6808558537489293312
Winner of Safeguard Award
2 June 2021
We are thrilled to announce that last night Road Science won the "Dentons Kensington Swan best initiative to address a work-related safety risk" at the Safeguard Awards.
The award was won by the the Mobile Data Capture Unit which has world-leading technology that provides an incredible service while keeping people safe https://lnkd.in/fkNpnJq. The judging panel recognized Road Science for their innovation. Stating that by adopting new technologies they have reduced exposure and time spent in the road corridor.
I would like to acknowledge everyone in the team that made this possible Doug Carrasco
#Safeguardawardwinner2021 #awesomeworkteam
Nik Vishwanath's presentation at NZHIT conference
11 May 2021
Good morning NZIHT conference attendees. At 1:00pm today we have Nik Vishwanath presenting about improving the wet performance of base course using emulsion stabilisation. Greg Arnold will be in attendance to answer any tricky questions.
#NZHITconference2021
Darcy Rogers NZHIT Presentation
10 May 2021
Calling all NZIHT conference attendees...don't miss Darcy Rogers' presentation today at 4:50pm discussing how to deliver better value surfacings using PMB. He's ready for all the tricky end of day questions.
#NZIHTconference2021
Enviro Shield - Happy residents in Wellington City
6 May 2021
Auckland done! Now we are keeping the residents in Wellington city happy. Enviro Shield gives an asphalt appearance for the cost of chip seal.
https://lnkd.in/gdBJait
#enviroshield
Drive safe this long weekend
23 April 2021
As we go into another long weekend, please take extra care on the roads while driving, especially important with overseas visitors being back on our shores.
Plan your journey, allow enough time take breaks and drive to the conditions. Stay safe. Doug Carrasco
#drivesafenz
Finalist of the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety 2021 Awards for 2021
20 April 2021
The New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety 2021 Awards for 2021 have been announced and Road Science is a finalist!
Our submission profiled our dedicated team - the Mobile Data Capture unit. This team of professionals use technology to improve safety and the quality of information used in pavement design everyday. Well done guys!
https://lnkd.in/fkNpnJq
#awardfinalist #TheNewZealandWorkplaceHealthandSafety2021Awards
+SNZ Workshop
19 April 2021
Graham Watson attended the +SNZ Workshop in Auckland on Friday to showcase our Mobile Mapper. It was a day full of presentations and knowledge sharing - Graham touched based with many individuals in the data capturing industry.
If you would like to know more about our data collection services visit our website https://lnkd.in/fkNpnJq
#roadscience #lidar #mobilemapping
Thank you Janet Jackson
15 April 2021
Janet Jackson started with Road Science in 2005 as an Interim Laboratory Manager in Auckland and as they say "the rest is history."
Thank you for your service and dedication Janet! Doug Carrasco
NZTA M1-A 2019 Specification and the Multi Stress Creep Recovery Test
9 March 2021
The NZTA M1-A 2019 specification has now been in circulation for over a year. As discussed in my previous article, this specification moves away from the old penetration grading to a performance based specification. It is quite a significant shift and requires a bit of understanding to get to grips with the new system for grading and naming binders. If you haven’t yet viewed that article it’s a good place to start to get a general overview of the new specification.
The whole performance-based system selected is based around the Multi Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR) test. The MSCR test is a rheological test for the high temperature properties of the binder and can be pretty well correlated to rutting resistance. Rather than the penetration test which only tells us a property of the binder at 25˚C, the MSCR test is performed at the maximum temperature a pavement will get to in a particular region. As you might recall there are three ‘climate zones’ that an area can be assigned.
To read the full article click here.
Just ask wendy
8 March 2021
Often in our Owens Place office you will hear “just ask Wendy.” Wendy Proudlock our receptionist, has been a member of the Road Science team for 9 and a half years, during this time she has been a personal trainer, a best friend, an aunty, a mother and an a*** kicker. Wendy gets ‘stuff’ done and helps everyone else along her way.
Today is International Woman’s Day. We would like to celebrate all the other Super Women out there and thank our Super Wendy for being there for us when our team needs it. Today the modern women must wear many different capes and Road Science is an organisation that’s supportive of this!
Wendy is just one of the many women at Road Science who is keeping the place running and I would like to thank everyone of them Doug Carrasco
#ChooseToChallenge #internationalwomensday
Enviro Shield Proving Popular in Auckland
3 March 2021
Enviro Shield is proving popular in Auckland with multiple sites being sealed last week.
Enviro Shield is used on residential roads as an alternative to chip seal. It provides a protective coating for existing asphalt enriching the surface and prolonging its life while maintaining a smooth surface you would expect of asphalt. https://lnkd.in/gV47azP
#happycustomersinauckland
mobile weather station
23 February 2021
This mobile weather station provides accurate weather data and road surface temperature that enables Road Science to make better decisions around specifying binder grades
This is important as it directly correlates with NZTA M1-A specification regarding the binder grade selection for climate zones.
The Road Science mobile weather station provides on-site real time data analytics from the various sensors that are available. Data is then feed back into our online weather application Zeus - www.roadscience.co.nz/zeus providing us with more accurate data to give to our crews on the ground.
Contact Katarina Gage if you would like to know more.
Ultra Mender Goes Retail
9 February 2021
Our amazing product Ultra Mender is now available for you to use at home...
"Take your DIY to Ultra level. Ultra Mender puts industry-level innovation in the hands of everyday kiwis. While the science might be complicated, using the product is as easy as using super glue." Darcy Rogers
Ultra Mender is a versatile cold binder that fixes bitumen, asphalt or concrete surfaces.
It can fix crack sealing, pot holes and deformations in driveways or pathways, it forms robust and long-lasting patch repairs and cures in minutes to form a strong plastic-like material.
Order yours today by visiting https://lnkd.in/gB_rwmr
Black backed seagull chicks on top of tank
24 January 2021
Steve King has been supervising work at a Lyttelton tank farm on a newly leased 5,000T tank (previously used to store heavy fuel oil). Extra bitumen storage is needed in the south island so this will be converted into a bitumen tank over the next six-months. Once access to the tank was granted he discovered three tiny Karoro (black backed seagull chicks) in a nest on the roof of the tank. Normally Karoro nest on the ground so on top of a tank, right beside the harbour really is prime real estate.
Steve called the Department of Conservation for more information and they advised that if the chicks had plenty of room to move away from workers they would be fine. They also said they should be ready to fly around end of January.
Scaffolding started early January and in the pre-start briefing Steve laid out the plans to look after the chicks. Once the scaffolders reached the final height, they would only work on one side of the tank at a time - this let the chicks stay well away.
Steve said it has been really easy to think about what the chicks need and to adapt the work around it without affecting the project timeline. Once flying properly they will still hang around the area, being fed by mum and dad for another month so he’s looking forward to watching them grow.
KATARINA GAGE - winner of REAAA's young presenter award
16 December 2020
This year Road Science had two entrants into REAAA’s Young Presenter competition. David Alexander presented on plastic asphalt and Katarina Gage presented about road weather technology. Kat explained the current problems we have on our roading networking, impacts the weather causes and the innovative technology that has been created to mitigate this.
We would like to congratulate Katarina for winning the young presenter award for 2020! Awesome work Kat!
Zeus Has Landed
9 December 2020
Zeus is an online forecasting tool that provides roading workers clear advice on when and where they are able to spray Road Science products. Once logged in the user is taken to a simple interface showing whether or not it is safe to seal on a particular day. Factors taken into account include product type, humidity, temperature and rain forecasts.
For your viewing pleasure we have put together the following video featuring David Alexander, Katarina Gage and Nik Vishwanath from our Technical Development team.
To download Zeus visit www.roadscience.co.nz/zeus
New Smart Camera for Te Rapa Road
2 December 2020
Shout out to Katarina Gage, Matthew Kofoed and Ryan Dick for a successful install of a shiny new smart camera on Te Rapa Road in Hamilton this week. The Road Science team will greatly benefit from the intelligent, accurate data this new technology will provide!
Emulsion Stabilisation Trial
20 November 2020
Last week Road Science undertook a bitumen emulsion stabilisation trial with the Waikato District Alliance and Downer Stabilisation Team. Nik Vishwanath introduced the teams to a new Road Science product Enviro Base.
The product was added directly into the drum of Downer's Wirtgen WR2000 Stabiliser and was found to improve the speed and quality when constructing the pavement.
Enviro Base greatly improves the impermeability of the material and the constructed pavement can withstand longer periods of time unsealed without raveling away and potholing. This allows construction crews to be more efficient when scheduling their first coat seals.
If you have any questions about this product contact Nik Vishwanath.
Ultra Mender Case Study - Downer NZ and Porirua District Council
29 October 2020
Put your coffee down and your feet up while you read about an ingenious Road Science product - Ultra Mender...
https://lnkd.in/gWSbd7c
Nik Vishwanath
Fast break emulsion Trial
8 October 2020
Nina Barbier and Nik Vishwanath were in Auckland this week trialling fast break emulsion with the Downer team.
This product is designed to offer extremely fast curing which can be opened to uncontrolled traffic within minutes, it has the potential to significantly reduce disruption from resealing the road and to allow sealing all year round.
Te Wiki o te Reo Maori
17 September 2020
In celebration of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori we would like to share Nik Vishwanath's story. He is on the road to full te reo immersion and is currently studying Te Pūtaketanga o te Reo for a New Zealand Certificate in Te Reo.
Nik wanted to gain a deeper understanding of Māori culture and learn more about New Zealand's history. He also adds that he wanted to challenge himself to learn a new language and encourages others to do the same. "Through the people I've met on the course, it's evident that te reo is alive and thriving, and it's something I want to be part of as a New Zealander.
"There are really no barriers to learning, a lot of the courses are accessible and free, run by passionate teachers that create a learning environment no matter where you are from or who you are."
Here's a photo of Nik from this week at the Downer Transport Services Central Region Leadership Conference.
Awesome work Nik!
Supporting the Coast Care Program
11 September 2020
It was beautiful morning to help out the Coast Care Program!
Here's some photos of our Mount Maunganui Laboratory Team helping dune regeneration by planting some new seedlings.
Thanks for the pictures Simeon Hall
Celebrating Diversity in the Technical Services Team
5 August 2020
In our Road Science Technical Services team we have 18 different nationalities spread across six continents. The guys had a great time researching the meaning of their flags and then sharing this knowledge with their colleagues. The photos represent a snapshot of the team with their national flags.
Thank you to the Downer Gisborne team for inspiring our team to find more out about each other!
Workshop with Hamilton Alliance Team
7 July 2020
Great day yesterday working with the Hamilton Alliance team, we valued their time, energy and openness that allowed our R&D team dive deeper into their business to see how we can work together to bring innovation to the city. Thank you Pip Loader Loader for driving the day in all the right directions.
#ideationworkshop #R&D #Roadscience #piploader #HamiltonAlliance
Celebrity Visitor - The Leica Pegasus: Two
2 July 2020
There was a celebrity visitor at the Global Survey Auckland office last week when James popped in with the Leica Pegasus: Two (Ultimate) Mobile Mapper! This high-speed Profiler delivers 1,000,000 points across 200 line scans per second, combined with the imagery stitched together by the IMU & GPS.
The Pegasus: Two is used for road, rail or water surveying and captures calibrated imagery and point cloud in one pass. The Cameras rotate 360° so they can also analyse structures and it has an additional two external cameras used for pavement analysis – crack, roughness and rut detection.
We operate this cutting-edge technology as we are committed to delivering superior road and pavement solutions for longer lasting roads across New Zealand.
#nzleicastories #roadscience #pegasustwo #mobilemapping #laserscanning #surveying #realitycapture #whenithastoberight #leicageosystems
Enviro Shield in action
16 June 2020
Nik Vishwanath was in Auckland today seeing Enviro Shield in action.
Enviro Shield is used on residential roads as an alternative to chip seal. It provides a protective coating for existing asphalt enriching the surface and prolonging its life while maintaining a smooth surface you would expect of asphalt.
https://lnkd.in/gV47azP
New emulsion plant for Taranaki
9 June 2020
Road Science has opened a new bitumen emulsion plant in Taranaki demonstrating a commitment to safety, sustainability and quality. It’s the fourth emulsion plant for Road Science and it continues an ongoing responsibility to bring world-leading roading technology and products across New Zealand.
This investment establishes a robust product supply chain specifically to deliver new products and services into the lower south of the North Island, giving Road Science more research and development capability to conduct full scale production trial of new innovative products. The plant is the latest investment and is a specialised emulsion plant that Road Science has acquired from ENH Engineering from Denmark www.enh.dk. ENH is an emulsion plant manufacturer having built over 200 units throughout the world.
The plant has several innovative features developed with Road Science which makes this plant unique with special additional capabilities.
Falling Weight Deflectometer
4 June 2020
In a first for New Zealand, Road Science can now IANZ accredit the capture of Falling Weight Deflectometer data to AG:AM/T006. IANZ accreditation. This means our systems, procedures and equipment are thoroughly audited for compliance with national and international best practise, ensuring the data you get is accurate and consistent giving the end user more confidence.
Hand Sanitier
4 May 2020
Four weeks ago we posted about how Road Science helped with the short fall in hand sanitiser due to COVID-19. Today we would like to celebrate the production of over 10,000 litres that have been used in hospitals, police stations, food factories, and construction sites. Well done to everyone who made this happen with a special mention to David Alexander for leading the project!
Mobile Mapper
20 April 2020
As we prepare for level 3 next week it might be time to consider how you are going to collect survey data for your next project. If you haven’t considered it before, now is the time to look at mobile mapping which can collect data quickly and safely while observing social distancing and contact tracing guidelines. The mobile mapper can collect survey grade data rapidly at road speeds, with no traffic disruption, often with no traffic management. Road Science then provides comprehensive analysis and support for the data which is collected.
Visit https://lnkd.in/fkNpnJq for more information, we look forward to talking with you.
Our laboratory technicians back in action
17 April 2020
We would like to highlight our laboratory technicians today, this week they have been back at work testing product compliance for essential works. Projects include the Queenstown Airport Runway and the Wellington CentrePort Wharf. Thank you for the essential work you are doing to help at this time!
Te Ara Whanake - Maori Leadership Programme
8 April 2020
We have an amazing bunch of people who work for Road Science, this week I would like to share the personal journey of Katarina Gage who firstly attended Downer’s Te Ara Whanake (Maori Leadership Programme) as a participant and now as a facilitator of the programme. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading about some of Kat’s insights, one of them being, “be open minded and try to adapt to other people's styles – a lot of people are stuck in one way of communicating and haven’t tried other ways!” https://lnkd.in/fRdnkE3
Hand sanitiser - providing a vital product in a time of crisis
3 April 2020
A lot has happened over the past few weeks, including the production of 192, five litre containers of hand sanitiser, by our team at Road Science! This amazing creation will initially supply all of our teams who are delivering essential services, including hospitals and the healthcare industry. Working alongside existing suppliers, the team were able to secure an allocation of ethanol (the component that kills germs) and utilise a manufacturing plant, which was already setup to handle flammable raw materials – allowing them to get straight to work. The formula is made to World Health Organisation standards and production is going strong – with the next batch making a massive 600, five-litre bottles. You’ll also notice the product itself is branded Spotless Group, which made a lot more sense due to their recognition for cleaning services. We love seeing the business coming together and supporting each other. Well done to the Road Science team for utilising their skills and providing our teams with vital equipment during a time of crisis! Thank you also to our teams who are continuing to keep the power on, the water running, hospitals cleaned and the phone and internet connected. Kia Kaha New Zealand!
Staying connected
1 April 2020
Ultra Mender - So Easy Even Dave Can Do It
17 March 2020
International Women's Day
10 March 2020
The Leica Pegasus
26 February 2020
Road Science’s Leica Pegasus: Two Ultimate completes its first rail corridor mission on KiwiRail’s T2UH Duplication Project. A full set of survey deliverables were captured, including 3d scan data, imagery and survey control for the stretch of rail corridor between Sutherland Avenue (Silverstream) and Park Street (Upper Hut).
Two brand new ARRB Hawkeye high
12 February 2020
International Day of Woman and Girls in Science
10 February 2020
We are proud of our team and how Road Science encourages diversity in our workplace. Today is International Day of Woman and Girls in Science, we would like to celebrate all the women in our team who are involved in Science and acknowledge their important contribution to our business.
Technical Development Team - 'The Video'
24 December 2019
Before we sign off for 2019 here’s a video about our Technical Development Team, we wanted to demystify the people and processes that create our amazing products – we hope you enjoy it! Have a safe Christmas, the team at Road Science.
Unravelling the new NZTA M1-A 2019 specification for performance graded binders
13 December 2019
Celebration for new tankers
2 December 2019
It was a once in life time opportunity last week to see four of these beauty’s lined up. Our new tankers were officially blessed by Steve Barker at a celebration event last week, the new fleet means greater flexibility, greater efficiency and greater safety – a winning combination.
Pictured: Doug Carrasco - Road Science General Manager, Steve Barker - E2 Coordinator, Ross Godkin - National Manufacturing Manager.
Safeguard Magazine
11 November 2019
A snap of Jackie Brown-Haysom from Safe Guard Magazine https://lnkd.in/faS4DvZ taking photos of the crew today. Nik Vishwanath, Murray. Northcott, Gregory Alford and Matthew Sinclair were all involved in an innovative solution around how to eliminate Hydrogen Sulfide emissions when making one of our products.
The latest Hawkeye
4 November 2019
Road Science continues to purchase the latest Hawkeye high speed data survey technology from ARRB to provide data driven solutions for our customers. Our latest Hawkeye 1000, which was purchased earlier this year is our 3rd generation high speed data surveying vehicle. We have another one just landed in the country which will be available early next year. We are currently collecting texture, geometry and video data in the Waikato for our customer to use in their reseal programme.
Technically Speaking - Ultra Mending Sunken Services Hatches
30 October 2019
Mobile Mapper in Te Anau
29 October 2019
Gorgeous photo of the The Mapper which was in Milford last week, capturing data from Te Anau through to Milford including the Homer Tunnel for the Downer Utilities Team.
Bitumen emulsion frequently asked questions
14 October 2019
Would you like to know more about bitumen emulsions? Phillip Muir our Operational Support Manager has just put together this useful frequently asked questions document available on our website https://lnkd.in/fc82U2g Enjoy!
How innovation eliminated a Hydrogen Sulfide risk
10 October 2019
Grab a cuppa and find out how innovation eliminated a Hydrogen Sulfide risk….brought to you by Nik Vishwanath Click here to launch the webinar https://lnkd.in/fM5R5_q
Mobile Mapper
9 October 2019
Our Mobile Mapper is on display today at the S+SNZ Engineering & Positioning Workshop in Christchurch https://lnkd.in/fVrneQR Richard Carter is ready and waiting for any questions you may have!!
Preventing Tarmagedon
27 September 2019
Road Science had three presenters at preventing Tarmagedon this week https://lnkd.in/gfghR_2
Awesome work Richard Carter, David Alexander and Greg Arnold feedback was “the Road Science guys were professional, highly engaging and technically interesting!”
Community Volunteering Day
24 September 2019
As part of Community Volunteering Day last week the Mount Maunganui Laboratory participated in dune planting at their local beach. They spent two hours planting approximately 200 native dune plants to help protect the coast line, this was highly appreciated by Coast Care and the Regional Council!
Tauranga Marathon
21 September 2019
What a fantastic effort from our team at the Tauranga Marathon today! Great turnout from our people as we continue to focus on health and well-being at Road Science. Congratulations to everyone who entered and many thanks to those who supported.
New b-train
9 September 2019
Introducing our sparkling new b-train. This spectacular looking bituminous tanker is going into the Road Science transport logistics fleet from next week! We look forward to providing safe and efficient deliveries from this new unit to all of our customers.
Plas Mix and EME2 featured in The Contractor this month
2 September 2019
Nice to see both Plas Mix and EME2 featured in The Contractor this month!
Samoa project coming to an end
29 August 2019
Our project in Samoa is coming to an end, one person we would like to mention is Caleb Hay who has been in the South Pacific for over 12 months running our IANZ Laboratory. We look forward to having you home next month Caleb, thank you for doing such a great job!
APPA presenter Darcy Rogers
19 August 2019
Don't forget Darcy Rogers' is presenting today at APPA in room (C2.2&3) on developing a viable emulsion alternative to hot cutback bitumen in New Zealand. He's really looking forward too some tough questions to the end!
Sky Tower step up challenge
15 August 2019
Massive shout out to our Auckland Laboratory Technician @Pablo Huusmann who has just finished the Sky Tower Step up Challenge which raised money for the Leukaemia and Blood Cancer Foundation. He climbed 51 floors in 9'04" and together with his team raised over 3 thousand dollars. #awesomeeffort
FWD
7 August 2019
Another cool piece of pavement investigation equipment. The FWD is used to accurately and quickly measure pavement deflections. The data collected is able to determine the individual layer modulus which can be used to predict the remaining life of pavements. Here’s a photo of its first outing on the East Cape. If you need more information contact Richard Carter pavements investigation FWD
Mobile Mapper at CCNZ 2019
1 August 2019
Spotted at the Civil Contractors New Zealand Conference! The Leica Pegasus: Two [Ultimate] mobile mapper which captures spatial data using a combination of Inertial Measurement Unit [IMU], cameras, GPS and laser profiling technology. If you’re at the conference, head on over to the Road Science stand to find out more about this amazing technology.
Technically Speaking - Darcy Rogers
25 June 2019
Janet Jackson is now a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng)
6 June 2019
Road Science is proud to recognise Janet Jackson for yet another significant milestone in her career. This week Janet received official confirmation from Engineering NZ that she is now a Chartered Professional Engineer(CPEng). This is excellent recognition for her diverse and outstanding 40-year career in this industry. Janet is a role model for women in engineering and is now one of this company’s highest qualified engineers. Great work we are all really proud of you!
Plas Mix trial in New Plymouth
6 June 2019
Road Science recently announced our partnership with EnviroNZ to investigate the use of waste plastic in New Zealand’s roading products. We are thrilled to announce that the first large scale trial of Plas Mix was delivered last month in New Plymouth. This was the first example in New Zealand, where hard plastic has been used to surface a public road. The trial consumed 500 kilograms of hard plastic waste in 100m2 of road.
We would like to acknowledge New Plymouth’s District Council vision for being the first council in New Zealand to get on board with this project. “Road Science is committed to providing innovative solutions for technical and business challenges facing the New Zealand roading market. Developing practical and cost effective solutions to sustainability challenges remains front and centre for our team. Reducing solid waste from entering landfills, while reducing our carbon footprint and providing high quality cost effective outcomes is a challenging yet motivating assignment for us. Darcy Rogers, Simeon Hall and the technical development team are doing a fantastic job and highlighting the world-leading capability that this country has.” Murray Robertson, Road Science. For the full story view the following video…
Technically Speaking - Nik Vishwanath
6 June 2019
The latest Technically Speaking by Nik Vishwanath - Process Engineer in our Technical Team. Nik outlines a recent project he was involved in to eliminate Hydrogen Sulphide emissions.
World Environment Day
4 June 2019
Today is World Environment Day a day for encouraging awareness and action to protect our environment. In support we would like to share a significant sustainability project we have been working on.
In 2008 the team started on a journey to challenge the high energy usage at the Mount Maunganui bitumen plant. The plant initially had an annual energy consumption of 50,000GJ per year. Through an EECA energy audit Road Science found opportunities to reduce its energy consumption. By investing in energy saving initiatives the site’s annual energy consumption reduced by a massive 20,000GJ (or 1,204 tonnes of CO2)! The business now conducts EECA energy audits nationally across its manufacturing operations to identify and capture energy conservation opportunities.
The success of Road Science’s sustainability initiatives are meaningful and delivered with utmost passion for achieving the best outcomes for the business and our environment. I am humbled by the level of capability across all aspects of the Road Science business, no-one is afraid to challenge the status quo and to offer up improvements. The difference here is that ideas and creativity are translated into action, and there is more to come! Watch this space! Well done Ross Godkin and team!” Murray Robertson hashtagbeatairpollution
Young engineers
31 May 2019
On Wednesday @Murray. Northcott and @Nik Vishwanath took a group of young engineers on a tour of their Mount Maunganui bitumen storage and manufacturing plant. It was an great opportunity to teach engineers from various fields how a bitumen plant runs and to show off the best view in Tauranga!
Safeguard award win
28 May 2019
We are proud to announce that last night Road Science won a prestigious Safeguard award for ‘best initiative to address a work-related health risk’. https://lnkd.in/gyFwGup This award was given to Road Science for the innovative way the team eliminated the risk of Hydrogen Sulphide being emitted when manufacturing and storing bituminous products. To read more about the project please check this out: https://lnkd.in/gPdDykC
“This is fantastic recognition for the dedication and hard work of Nik Vishwanath, Darcy Rogers, Ross Godkin, Mike Tyne and the wider Road Science business.
We challenged the team to not just mitigate the risk, but instead remove it completely. Really pleasing to see the teams work collaboratively to achieve a superb outcome”. Murray Robertson, GM, Road Science
New Zealand Infrastructure Sustainability Summit
27 May 2019
Our Technical Development Manager, Darcy Rogers presenting at last week’s New Zealand Infrastructure Sustainability Summit. Darcy highlighted the important work Road Science is doing to redirect hard plastic away from landfill and into roading. The organisers had an abundance of great feedback about the Innovations and Impact session, and Darcy’s workshop in particular attracted a large crowds – showing just how important this work is!
Survey and Spatial New Zealand Annual Conference
12 May 2019
Rhys O'Cain was showcasing our new Mobile Mapper at last week’s Survey and Spatial New Zealand Annual Conference. This year’s conference explored the theme of shaping tomorrow’s communities by sharing concepts, ideas and knowledge. Thank you to Global Survey https://globalsurvey.co.nz for collaborating with us and sharing a stand!
Mobile Mapper
3 May 2019
Road Science is excited to announce that we can now offer high-speed surveying in motion using a Mobile Mapper. This service is now available for hire and is the only unit of its kind within New Zealand.
The Mobile Mapper, Pegasus II Ultimate (P2U), utilises point cloud and photogrammetric solutions to provide innovative ‘all you can see’ high resolution datasets, this equipment transforms the capturing and monitoring for projects and contracts.
A Mobile Mapper combines a laser scanning sensor, multiple cameras and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to deliver its survey datasets. In the P2U’s case the point cloud dataset is captured by a laser scanner collecting 1,000,000 points across 200 line scans per second to sub-millimetre accuracy. The photogrammetric survey data is stitched together from six cameras taking photos every 3m – 5m. There are two additional external cameras used for pavement analysis - crack, roughness and rut detection. Cameras can rotate 360° so they can also analyse structures. For more information contact Janet Jackson
IANZ accredited services in Vanuatu
16 April 2019
More great work to share – this time all the way from Vanuatu.
The Road Science Laboratory business has provided IANZ accredited services for the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in Vanuatu for the Santo-Pekoa and Bauerfield Airport Runway Projects
Over the course of the project eleven staff from Road Science’s laboratory business have spent time in Vanuatu. We would like to make a special mention Frank Hu (Laboratory Section Head Auckland) who has provided leadership on this project. Well done to everyone who has been involved in this project it shows what collaboration in action looks like.
Darcy Roger's - Master's Degree
11 April 2019
We would like to congratulate our Technical Development Manager Darcy Rogers. Darcy has successfully completed a Master’s Degree in Science for Materials and Processing at Waikato University.
He managed to complete this Master’s while working full-time and studying part-time. Four years and two kids later he has received his degree and we are extremely proud of him!
Darcy would like to thank all his colleagues and especially his partner Charlie for all the support during this time. Darcy’s study has already paid dividends for Road Science, with researching the feasibility of alternative pavement materials with products such Ultra Mender and the waste plastic mix (Plas Mix).
Awesome work Darcy!
Cold roads ahead
4 April 2019
Cold roads ahead! Check out Callaghan Innovation’s article on the work we have been collaborating on. Great work Nik Vishwanath from Road Science who was a part of this project.
International Womens Day 2019
7 March 2019
International Women’s Day 2019 hashtagBalanceforBetter At Road Science we recognise that balancing work and life is increasingly challenging. We are constantly connected and no longer is there simple delineation between the two. For this reason, we encourage flexibility in the workplace and support our people to be open about personal requirements and family needs. If we are happy in our work then we are happy at home, but the priority must be to enjoy life. Hillary says it more succinct than I…! Murray Robertson
"Don't confuse having a career with having a life." Hillary Clinton Today I would like to celebrate the women at Road Science. Here is a snapshot of the diverse work they do every day to make the company what it is! Take a look at the following link https://lnkd.in/fQRdZnQ
Technically Speaking - David Alexander
4 March 2019
Making decisions today that effect future generations require more than just a common calculation. Explore the types of decision made in the civil construction industry today. Find a better way of forecasting outcomes by reading David Alexander's article - Building for tomorrow - risk and whole of life cost https://lnkd.in/fa559JG
David and Simeon at RIMS
4 March 2019
Road Science had two presenters at the RIMs conference on Wednesday, David Alexander presented on data driven treatment selection of whether to use one or two coat seals and Simeon Hall presented about redirecting waste plastics into roading. The diversity of these presentations drives home how many different areas our innovative business is involved in – great work David and Simeon!
Engineering NZ Board
26 February 2019
The Engineering NZ Board are currently holding their elections, our GM @Murray Robertson has thrown his hat in the ring for nomination.
If you think the board needs some fresh thinking vote for Murray.
Nik presenting at FINZ
4 February 2019
Nik Vishwanath from our Technical Development Team, recently presented at the Fluids in New Zealand (FiNZ) research workshop in Dunedin. This workshop is an annual event bringing together New Zealand's leading experts in fluid mechanics. This presentation was the outcome of ground-breaking research, in conjunction with Callaghan Innovation, to understand how Road Science's emulsion technology is pumped and sprayed through conventional spraying equipment.
The result of this research has allowed Road Science to optimise our customers' sprayers while also helping guide the development of more energy efficient emulsion spraying systems for the future.
Janet Jackson in the Diversity agenda
30 January 2019
The Diversity Agenda is a partnership between Engineering New Zealand, the New Zealand Institute of Architects and ACENZ. Their important goal is to generate interest and awareness of women in engineering and to ultimately see the industry achieve an increase in gender diversity. We are extremely proud that @Janet Jackson (our Technical Services Manager for the Laboratories) has featured in their publication this month!
New PMB manufacturing plant in the Port of Lyttelton
16 January 2019
We are excited to inform you that the Emulco Board recently opened a new PMB Manufacturing Plant at the Road Science plant in the Port of Lyttelton, Christchurch. Leveraging our national expertise and Road Science’s process culture, this PMB plant will replicate the excellent polymer modification produced at our Mount Maunganui plant. The Lyttelton PMB plant can manufacture 20 tonne of premium PMB product per hour. This will ensure we can provide Road Science PMB to our customers across the South Island.
Congratulations to everyone involved in this project!
Partnership with EnviroNZ
1 January 2019
Road Science is committed to developing real solutions to technical and business challenges faced in Aotearoa New Zealand. Developing practical and cost effective solutions to sustainability challenges remains front and centre for our technical development team. Reducing solid waste to landfill and reducing our carbon footprint while providing high quality cost effective outcomes is extremely positive for NZ Inc. We recently announced our partnership with EnviroNZ to investigate the use of waste plastic in New Zealand’s roading products.
Here's an update on the exciting progress we have made so far! feelingproud, Darcy Rogers, Simeon Hall
Our Road Science team have only gone and created their own weather prediction service app, which will assist sealing crews with where and when they should be spraying their emulsion product!
The app, also known as Zeus, is already being used by a number of our teams - who have been loving it. The app was three years in the making for our tech savvy team and is now ready for download on both android and the app store, usable on both desktop and mobile!
To find out more, everything you need to know can be found on their website: https://bit.ly/3iMob2o
#zeus #weatherforecast #technology #capability #transport #roads #roadscience