News of the Month. Metropolitan Division. The extensive regrading of Bunnerong-road betwecn Smith-street and Flint-street, planned by the Lands Widening of the main bends on the Great ii'estern Department to conform to the levelling of the adjacent Highway at Mount Victoria Pass has recently been completed. The rock cuttings. which are situatcd wecl sandhills and to the extension of Fitzgerald-avenue of the Mount York turti-off, have been widened from from Robey-street, to junction with Bunnerong-road 18 feet to 26 feet, and the visibility greatly improved. within this section, has been completed and the road

Vehicular ferry at Sackville Reach. Left, the old two -vehicle punt; right. the present six-vehicle punt. [Illustrations by courtesy of Motor in Aurlralio.

More than 6 miles of concrete pavement, 20 feet reopened to traffic. The reconstruction of a further wide, have now been laid on the Hume Highway from section of Bunnerong-road in cement concrete between the water race at Came's Hill towards Sarellan. Work Smith-street and Maroubra Bay road is now in hand. IS proceeding on the remaining length of 1% miles to the railway level crossing at Narellan. Outer Metropolitan Division. Four concretc box culverts have been constructed The timber beam hritlges over Cohen's, i2llen's and between the 5 and 654 mile posts on the Castlereagh- Breakfast Creeks on the Wiseman's Ferry-Spencer- road (No. 15s) to take the place of four old wooden road (No. 225) are now having the finishing touches culverts. put on and have been opened to traffic. '9540 34 MAIN ROADS. Vol. 11, No. 3. -__

The vehicular ferry " Mildred," which is in service concrete for the northern abutment of the bridge over on the Hunter River between Newcastle and Stockton, Bowman's Creek and also the suhstructure of the tim- i? at present undergoing its annual overhaul. Exten- ber beam approach span on tlie southern side. sive repairs are being carried out and the work, which is being done at the Stockton slip, is expected to occupy approsimately four \vceks. Upper Northern Division. Contractor tiibbons has completed I mile 4.hfeet of gravel construction on the North Coast Highway between Il'oolgoolga and South Grafton, in the Shire of Orara. On the North Coast Highway between Hallina and Bangalow, the Tintenbar Shire Council has completed the reconstruction of I mile in bitumen penetration macadam. Messrs. Model Homes Ltd. have completed I niilr 1.030 feet of gravel construction on the Furracabad clcvelopniental road (No. IOCB), in the Municipality of Glen Innes. Contractor Cooley has completed I mile 670 feet of waterbound macadam on the h.lurwillumhaIi-Rlue Knob-Lismore road (No. rq), in the Shire of Tweed.

The " Mildred " on the Stockton slip. Contractors Kennedy Bros. have completed a four- span timber beam bridge over Goolmangar Creek, near The bituminous surfacing of the tireat Northern Nimbin, on the Lisniorc-Murwillumbah road (No. Highway between Mooney Mooney ('reek and Gosford I+), in the Shire of Terania. has now been completed. Experiments are being car- ried out with surfacing materials on the section bc- tween Peat's Ferry antl Mooney Mooney Creek, with,a Lower Northern Division. view to providing a tar or bituminous surface on the Uneniployment relief work on the Attunga-Somerton gravel pavement. rkvclopmental Koad (No. 1093) in Cockhnrn Shire is in full swing under the direction of the Council and good progress is being made. Fifty-two local nien are employed in rotation in two gangs, and it is expected \ that 2.x miles of gravel road will be constructed for h an expenditure of f2.500. The work done will assist in reducing production costs in a rich wheat area as well as afford relief to unemployed. The wages paid to 30th September amount to approximately 94 per cent. of the total expenditure, this high percentage being largely due to the Council's action in not charging plant hire, valued at f215 18s. 4d. to date, for the plant ug nnrl rPlief punt rnamtaimng servzce at Stockton Ferry, in use. Newcastle. The deviation at the Devil's Pinch on the Oxley Eighway, in Coonabarabran Shire near Mullaley. is Contractor F. H. Stewart has completed the con- nearing completion and traffic will shortly he able to struction of I mile 3,402 fect of concrete pavement avoid the steep and stoney existing road. The devia- antl 1,457 feet of perictration macadam oh the West tioh is I mile 2,000 feet long and, together with the Maitlalid-Cessnoclc road (No. 218) in the Shire of neiglihouring L2bbott'sGap deviation, 2 miles 2.840 feet Kearsley. The width of payment is I& feet, and the long, for which plans have been prepared. will elimi- depth of concrctc is 7 inches, thickened to 9 inches at nate the only steep grades for 105 miles between Tam- the edges. "The work was financed from Federal Aid worth and Coonabarabran and will enable traffic to Funds and is an extension of a length of concrete pave- proceed between these two towns in all weathers. The ment carried out hy the Council's day lahour organisa- tleviation will be paved with basaltic gravel from a local tion under a previous agreement with the Board. quarry. Excellent top soil can he very cheaply obtained Good progress is being made by tlie contractors on near or on the Highway. closer to Coonabarabran, hut, the Kavensworth-Hebden Developrnerital Road (No. owing to the haul involved it is cheaper to quarry 1052) in Patrick Plains Shire. Contractor R. Oxford gravel for the deviations. has completed a length of 2.224 feet of gravel pave- Dumaresq Shire Council has commenced widening ment near Hebden School, and Contractors D. Crow- and regrading on two short sections of the Great ley and A. W. Stephens have practically completed a Northern IIighway between Armidale and Uralla. lcngth of 1,450 feet of similar work near Ravensworth. These sections (1,200 and 2,100 feet, respectively) lie Contractor J. F'. Shedden has completed pouring the mar the middle of a considerable length of well-graded November, 1930. MAIN ROADS. 35

and aligned road, and, in their present state, constitute Inlet at Narooma. on the Prince’s Highway. The dangerous bottle-necks. Traffic between Uralla and erection of the southern steel truss span has been com- Armidale is relatively heavy and normally proceeds at pleted and the erection of the bascule span is proceed- a fast rate, causing much dust. Consequently the nar- ifig. row formations and the poor visibility on the two sec- tions were a menace and have caused mishaps. On On the Braidwood-Queanbeyan trunk road (No. gr), completion .of these small jobs, the whole length of the a deviation is being constrctctcd, and portion of the highway between Armidale and Uralla (13% miles j existing road regraded, on Burbong Hill, between will have been brough’t to standard width and shape. Uungendore and Queanbcyan. Funds have been pro- The work is of considerable local importance. vided by the Unemployment Relief Council for the employment of 180 men, in three equal quotas, each Contractors Bailey and Carr are now making good quota working four days on and eight days off. progress with the erecnon of a new three-span timber beam hridge, with approaches, over Khoribakh Crcck, The Board’s maintenance staff is scarifying, re- near Krambach, on the North Coast Highway. iVork shaping and resheeting wth gravel a length of j miles has been held up for the past two months on account of the Federal Highway, near Collector. of wet weather and the difficulties met in excavating for the concrete pier foundations. but these latter have now been overcome. It is anticipated that the bridge will be completed in six weeks, when the old hridge, which has carried traffic for fifty years, will be de- molished.

Central Western Division. Reconditioning of Adelaide-street, Blayney (Mid- \Vestern Highway) has been completed. The central 20 feet, for which the Board is responsible, was scari- fied, reshaped, extra metal added where necessary, consolidated and surfaced with bitumen ernulsion. The side strips were reconditioned by the Council, using decomposed granite. Woodward-street, Orange (North-Western High- way), is being reconditioned. The work consists of A benched and superelevated curve on Alpine Hill. Monaro the reconstruction of 2.532 lin. feet of the existing Highway, between Adaminaby and Kiandra. pavement to form a base coursc and thc addition of a bitumen penetration macadam surface course, 3 inches The Murrungal Shire Council is regrading a length thick. Several culverts are to he constructed. The of I miles of the \Vattaniondara-Nutnhy tlevelop- work is being carried out by the Municipality under the mental road (KO. 1058) and constructing a 14-feet supervision of its consulting engineer. wide gravel pavement, for which funds haw been pro- A deviation of the North-Western Highway is being vided by the Unen~ploynicr~tRelief Council. constructed south of Wellington. Thc prcsent road is subject to extensive flooding by the lkll River. The Riverina Division. work consists of 3 miles of earthworks and gravel pave- ment, with cnlvcrts, and is bcing carried out as an On the Cootamundra-Harden road (No. 243) at a unemployed relief work, under the supervision of the point 634 miles north of Cootamundra, in Jindalee Board. Shire, two old timber hridges mill be eliminated, and On the Peak Hill-Dubbo trunk road (No. 56), 3 the cost of their renewal saved, by the construction of i!!iles 1,260 feet of gravel pavement, with culverts, is a short deviation, including a pipe and a box culvert, being constructed in Peak Hill Municipality. The work on an improved alignment. extends between the town and the northern town boun- The Wallendheen Municipal Council has recently dary. reconditioned the length of the Wallendbeeti-M’ombat The reconstruction of the North-Western Highway road (No. pz)within its area. in Dubbo Municipality has bccn completed. The work The Junee-Cootamundra road (No. 243) is being consists of a base course formed by reconditioning the improved by the Illabo Shire Council. Between Beth- existing pavement, and a 3-inch tar penetration niac- ungra and the northern shire boundary, the narrow adam surface course, and extends for a distance of I side-cuttings in rocky ground are being widened by mile 3,155 feet, from the Macquarie River bridge to stone-walling and filling: curves are being superelevated the southern boundary of the Muncipality. and the waterbound macadam pavement is being re- conditioned and sheeted with gravel. Southern Division. Contractors Winnett and Son will complete at an A satisfactory foundation has been obtained for all carly date I mile of gravel pavcnient. with culverts, on the piers of the bridge being cohstnicted over Wagonga the Urana-Rand road (No. 125) in Urana Shire. 36 MAIN ROADS. Vol. 11, No. 3

Expenditure from I st July, to 30th September, I 930.

Expenditure Expenditure Total Expenditure to for month q,st July, 1930. 01 Septemhar.

COUNTYOF C,UMRERLANDMAIN ROAWFUND- s. d. t s. d. Construction of Roads and Bridges ...... 28,203 15 3 76.497 '5 8 Cost of Land Xcsuniptions ...... 2,177 14 11 28,007 9 0 Maintenance of Roads and Bridges ...... 16.348 4 3 47.397 3 6 liepayment of 1.oans ...... 293 5 0 16,603 8 o Survey. Design, Supervisiun and Administration ...... 9,003 9 9 24.288 4 3 Miscellaneous ...... 3.988 10 5 21,817 12 I Totals ..... 14X,686 IZ 11 1 60,014 19 7 208,701 12 6 COUNTRYMAIN ROADSFUND- Construction of Itoads and Bridges, including Hesumptions 73.632 14 6 44.953 9 7 118.586 4 I Maintenance of Roads and Bridges ...... 146,115 o 6 63,012 13 2 209,127 I3 8 Cost of Survey, Design, Supervisiun and .4dmi11istration 11,133 7 9 6,921 6 I 18,054 13 IO Yisccllaneous ...... 21.067 19 4 3,948 0 5 25,015 19 9 Totals ......

FEDERALAID ROADSFUXD - Construction of Roads and Rridgei;. inclirding Resumptions Miscellaneous ...... ,: 'l'otals ......

DEVELOPMENTALROADS FUND- Construction of Roads and Eridges ...... 51,062 18 8 22,526 I o 73.588 19 8 Survey, Design. Supervision and Administration ...... 360 17 1 144 o 11 504 18 o Miscellaneous ...... 552 16 o 481 I6 8 ! 1.034 12 8 ~- .~ -- Totals ...... 51.976 11 9 23,151 18 7 I SUMM.4RY ALL FUNDS-. Construction of Iloads and Hridges. including Resun~ptions Maintenance of Roads and Bridges ...... Rcpaymcnt of Loans ...... Survey, Dcsign. Supervision and Administration ._. , ,. hliscellaneoiis ...... Grand Totals ...... 576,6%2 18 r - Oxley Highway, Peel Shire. water over the road will be 15 inches. The downstream shoulder is tar-surfaced and has a 3 to I batter, and Contraotors J. and V. McIlwain have completed all the road is marked with painted posts. work except tar surfacing on their contract for the ccnstruction of I mile 500 feet of gravel roadway (and culverts) on the Oxley Highway, in Peel Shire, 3 Great Northern Highway, Cockburn Shire. miles west of Somerton. The constructio'n deals with Some very useful work is being carried out by Cock- one of the most troublesome sections between Tam- burn Shire Council on the Great Northern Highway worth and Gunnedah and traffic will not now be held between Uralla and Tamworth, near Gostwyck Shire up except for short periods on very few occasions in Boundary. At this point the noticeable descent from any one year. The highway crosses a wide, flat valley the tableland begins and travellers leave a wide straight near its junction with the Peel River, and it was not road for a narrow, poorly aligned and steep section considered necessary to provide a road above the (which, however, has a very good running surface). highest flood level in the valley. The drainage system The change is abrupt and the visibility poor. The adopted is somewhat unusual ; a concrete culvert (four Council is now widening and realigning the road for 1,400 cells, each 4 ft. x IO ft.) takes the whole of the normal feet and cutting away the crest to improve visi- flow in the valley; greater run-off is provided for by bility. Similar work is about to be undertaken on the tlortherti approach to Rose Valley bridge. on the high- the culvert and a concrete causeway, 200 feet long, way 24% miles north of Tamworth, wherc a fatal situated in the overflow channel, 1,400 feet away from accident occurred some months ago. Both the sections the culvert ; in the heaviest storms, these two waterways referred to havc been used for many years without are iriadequate and the waters will flow over the tar- complaint, but the improved running surfaces now surfaced and slightly embanked roadway between the maintained encourage faster travelling than possihle causeway and the culvert. The maximum depth of hitherto, and necessitate better visibility. November, 1930. MAIN ROADS. 37 Factory Methods in Modern Road Construction. BY A. E. TOYER,B.E., A.M.I.E. AUST., Engineer-in-Charge, Metro@olitanDivision. 4 paper read before the I.ocal Government and Highway Engineering Branch of the Sydncy Division of the Institution of Enginrers, Aust., on 7th Novcmber, 1930. OADMAKING cannot be looked upon as an must first be ascertained. The prime cost of each exact science. Within the last few years, huw- material added to the cost of laying will then readily w ever, it has reached a stage of far greater indicate the most suitable material to be used; e.g., scientific exactitude than had ever been attained in it may be cheaper to construct a thicker pavement, the past, and the 'nearer it can be brought to this ideal using slightly inferior stone, than to construct a the greater will be the value of every f I spent on road thinner pavement of a superior quality of stone. construction work. This is clearly a matter of The manner in which any particular material will paramount importance all over the world at the pre- react to the cycle of operations to which it will be sent time. Because of this trend, the road overseer subjected in constructing the pavement has an of the old school is fast disappearing, his place being important bearing on the cost of laying; e.g., the taken by the modern highway engineer, using modern fewer the grades of material to make up any batch of equipment and knowledge based on co-ordinated concrete, the less the work involved in proportioning scientific research, with the construction engineer and and arranging each batch. Again, it is well known scientist working hand in hand. that aggregates of certain shapes will make a work- Large road works these days are organised in much able concrete with less mixing and the use of less water the same way as production and manufacture are con- than aggregates of other shapes. This is a decided trolled in a modern factory. In fact, the methods are advantage, as any reduction in the mixing time enables identtical, with the exception that road construction is the plant to produce more, while the less the amount carried out in the open air instead of in a building. of water used, within limits, the greater the strength This fact, of course, has a large influence o'n the pro- of the concrete. The materials to be used having been duction. owing to there being no protection against decided upon, it then behoves the engineer, hy sampling the weather. To attain maximum production in road and testing, to ensure that the quality of the selected work, the job must be organised and controlled in the materials does not vary. same way as the manufacture of a stock line in a The Selection of ~guipmfnt.-Equipment, once factory. Efficiency is reached only when every man purchased, generally remains with the engineer, for and every item of plant are producing their maximum better or for worse, until it is worn out. This is output. This can be obtained only by the scientific usually quite a lengthy period. In modern road con- application of engineering and econoinic principles. struction, as in other manufacturing processes, the In order to illustrate how such principles may be general organisation of the whole process hangs upon applied to road work, I propose to take as an example the plant employed. Hence time occupied in consider- the construction of a concrete pavement. No attempt ing the type of equipment required is well spent. will, however, be made to cover the whole field of this Most of the inistakcs made in purchasing equipment class of construction. The principles involved are are due to the fact that the engineer has not realised quite general, and can be applied equally to any other to the fullest extent the functions he requires the plant type of road construction work. to carry out and under what conditions it has to per- Before work on the pavement can be comme'nced form these. Before recommending plant for purchase, (once that all-important preliminary, finance, has been the engineer should tabulate the duties he requires of arranged), it is necessary to obtain- the plant and the conditions of operating. If this is (i) materials, done carefully, a sound choice generally follows. For (ii) equipment, and example, in the case of a mechanical shovel, if it is (iii) labour. required to do the greater part of its work in the 12 feet space between kerb and tramlines (as one fre- These requirements form the foundation of any fac- quently finds on metropolitan roads), a full revolving tory enterprise. For succcssful results they must be shovel, which will foul posts on the kerb lines and mutually adapted to the one end, viz., the manufacture overlap the tramway area whenever it revolves, should of the desired article at the lowest possible cost. A not be chosen. It would be better to select a shovel wrong choice in any of the three is likely to become in which only the boom swings on a segment, the body a burde'n on production, irrespective of how well they of the shovel remaining stationary. On the other may be used subsequently. Their co-ordination should hand, if the shovel will be most of its time working receive, therefore, the most detailed attention of the in box cuttings, where the excavated material will engineer. be loaded into waggons behind it, a full revolving type The Selection of Materials.-The choice of materials should be preferred. With machines for mixing opera- is, of course, bound up with quality and price. If the tions, one should consider the respective claims of specification. aiming at a definite strength of pave- mobile and stationary units and their capacities for ment, allows altefnative materials, the quantity re- economical work under the conditions under which quired of cach of these, on the basis of equal strength, they most frequently operate. 38 MAIN ROADS. Vol. 11, No. 3.

The SelectioR of Lobozlv.-I do not propose to Careful coilsideration should bc given to the loca- attempt to say anything new respecting the choice of tion of each stock pile and the quantity to be stored labour, hut to content myself with the remark that therein. Certain materials may be stored without the men selected should be experienced, willing, in- tlifliculty and others, owing to their perishable nature, telligent. and physically suitable for the class of work require more care, e.g., cement. Yct other materials, they have to carry out. juch as sand, are liable to be blow!l away by winds. Having dealt briefly with the selcction of materials, Hence any programme of stock pillng involving sand equipment and labour, I will now indicate how their should be arranged in such a manner that the sand is use may be organised to produce maxirnunl efficiency piled as late as possible prior to the commencement of in output, and how such organisation affects the cost the work, while the bulk of the cement, apart from the of production. amount required to tide over any temporary check in the supply, can be brought to the job day by day The Supply md Storage of hfnfelinEs.-In the con- during the construction operations. 'The quantity of struction of most pavements, at least some, if not all, each material stock-piled or stored should be that of the materials have to be transported considerahle which, together with the amount of each similar distances to the job. The next point for the engineer material that can be brought on to the job after con- to consider, as regards materials, is, therefore, what struction has commenced, will ensure continuom work- are his daily requirements to ensure maximum output. ing. On large jobs, the application of this funda- mental rule will frequently requirc the establishment I I of stock piles of consitlrrable size. These should be located in positions handy to the work, their nunmer and situation depending, in general, mainly on the locality and nature of the country. In concrete con- struction it is a golden rule to advance the construc- tion towards each stock pile, unless special conditions (such as steep grades. on which it is desirable, with a view to counteracting the tendency of the concrete to run downhill, that the laying should proceed upgrade are encounteretl. To attempt to carry the concrete past any particular stock pile, and at the same time to continue to draw supplies from it. would in general impede both the transport and laying arrangements. h'ith this principle as a basis, the quantity of inaterial to be placed at each site is then automatically determined by the position of cach stock pile, this being, iri the case of the tirst pile. the amount required to construct the pavement from the end of the construc- tion work to this pile, and in each succeeding stock pile A 16.000-ton stock pile of broken stone and sand. showing the quantity needed to pave the length between it and lorry tipping. and plant for re-loading and batching. the immediately preceding pile. Unless attention is given to the details outlined above, the job may easily In the United States of America, so it is understood, cost considerably more than it should. It has been the railways will make up daily a special train con- found in practice that, as a general rule, stock piles taining the day's requirements of the job and arriving should be spaced not closer than -? miles. Stock piles at a scheduled time. It is practically impossible to should he built as high as possible and each occupy a arrange things so nicely here, and, in general, it is minimum area, as this arrangement facilitates reloading necessary to resort to stock piling in order to provide and reduces to a minimum the waste due to the materials for continuous working of the plant. One of the being in contact with thc ground. most frequent errors in organisation that one sees is TlrP EflerfI'w Working Day.-The effective working the omission of this " insurance policy." While cer- day may be described as the nuinher of hours which tain additional costs may bc involved in creating these the plant is operating on any one day. Full efficiency reservoirs, it is rarely that they are not more than has been obtained only when the effective or actual made up by the manner in which they eliminate idle working day becomes equal to the nominal working time. In concrete work, where accurate proportioning day. In order to secure that the greater proportion of the component parts of each batch is required. the of the workmen are kept fully eniplnyed during the stock piling may be arranged so that any reloading whole of their working hours, it may be necessary to will be associated with making up the batches. In arrange for a certain number to work overtime. e.g.. such a case, the whole of the materials will have to be in concrete paving the paver driver should commence, stock piled or stored. In other classes of pavement, say. fifteen minutes before general starting time, in however, it will frequently be possible to take a large nrder that the machine may be ready to deliver a batch proportion of the material direct to the road, and lead as soon as general starting time arrives. Similarly, a to the stock piles only those amounts which cannot be certain numher of hatches must be transported in time so utilised, the latter hcing drawn upon when the rate to reach the mixer at the starting hour. In order that of demand on the road exceeds the rate of supply to the overtime on this account may lie reduced to a mini- the job. mum, it is advisable to arrange for the transport Iiovember. 1930. MAIN ROADS. 39 - waggons to he loaded overnight with metal and sand, piece of plant should approach the nominal working the cement being left to be loaded in the morning: day. It is also essential that it should produce tlie alternatively, a certain number of lorries must coni- riiaxiniurn output pcr hour worked. In concrete road mence, say. fifteen minutes before normal starting work the rate of progress depends on the mixer pro- time. Likewise, in the evcning, the paver should con- duction. The rnethods whcrcby it may be ctisured that tinue to operate to close up to knock-off time, which, of a mixer will produce the maximum quantity of mixed course, will result in a ccrtain amount of overtime oii material per hour workcd will now lie consitlercd. the part of the finishers. Expenditure on overtime Before commencing paving operations, a tinit. scientifically planned is more than recouped by lower schedule should bc prcparcd, showing the length of production costs. If the effective working day does time in which it is desired to complete the work and not approach within close limits of the nominal day a the daily production needed to sccurc this. Once this serious financial loss will accrue, for if men are re- point has been decided upon, it should be the special quired, after starting, to wait fifteen minutes for the endeavour of the engineer to adhcrc to the programme. mixer to turn out the first batches in the morning ant1 "Do the best you can," without any definite and after lunch, and allowed to ease off towards knock-of:' realisable ideal as a constant olljectivc, is not the motto time to allow the finishcrs to ccase work on time, a for an efficient job. LVhile it is almost impossible to nine hours nominal day is very easily transformed into maintain constant daily output, owing to weather, minor a seven hours efiective day. breakdowns in plant, &c., yet constant production per The following analysis of one of the wor1;s of the fortnight or month is generally possible of attainment, Main Roads Board shows the relationship betwecn the except under extraordinary weather conditions. eifective and nominal working day on a typical work. Ib'hile speaking of weather conditions, I may remark It covers a period of approximately one innnth from that a ccrtain amount of production is apt to bc lost the 11th November to 9th Deceinbcr, 1929:- owing to work being- stotmed too soon or when not

I I I I I I I

I - * This lost tiiiic ib iiiade up ui minor plan1 brcakdownb and changing over of stock piles. resulting in disorganisation of transport. The Adjzistinent uf Etrrlicr to .Siibseque?zf Processcr. necessary on account of wcather coriditions. The mere -It will IIC accepted as axiomatic that, for the most fact that the weather looks unsettled is not in itself a economical results. each stage of the work must have valid excuse for not commencing thc day's concreting in view sulxequcnt stages. This may be illustrated b!- operations, but should rather be a warning to the considering the points to be borne in mind as regards engineer to take what preliminary steps ma); I>c ncces- the excavation, which is a general preliminary to the sary for the protection of his work in the event of rain pavement. falling. (i) No material should be moved unnecessarily, either in Once the rate of production is laid tlown, the deter- amount or distance. Before excavation is commenced, mination of su1)sitliary equipment, facilities and per- the disposal of the spoil should, thcrelore, bc carefully considered and decided upon in order tha.t transport sonnel iiecessarj- to maintain the stantlard output cobts inay be reduced to a minimum over the wholr follows on known experience gained from previous job. (This is one of the purposes of the mass dia- jobs. A well organised job is one in which tlie pro- grams shown on all plans prepared by the hard in duction has a uniform averagc, a little less than the connection with works involving extensive excavation.) (ii) The trimming of the batters of earth cuttings should theoretical maximum. Record outputs are not in he postponed until the concrete pavement is laid; the general profitable. although an occasional record run material from the cutting may- then be pulled down is justified hy its stimulating effcct on the morale of on to the pa.vement for curing purposes. the crew, antl the friendly rivalry it induces with crews (iii) M'hen the excavation is mcrcly boxing out, sufliciriit excavated material should be heaped continuously on other jobs.

alone~~ Y~ each side of the road bed to throw back on the When are we getting maximum efficicncy out of pavement for curing purposcs. plant antl equipment I 'This has to he determined by a (iv) The excavation operations should be kept wfficiently in advance of the mixer to ensure that there will he series of time studies of the individual times to coin- no hold up of the mixer on thtir account. This con- plete ahy cycle of operations, e.g. :- sideration will determine the earliest time at which (a) For a skimmer shoid owned I)); thc Roartl, paving operations may he commenced tlie time taken to c-omplete a cycle of opera- Tiwe Studies us a Glkid? to Eficirtccg of Iiidii..idz!al tions is as follows :- 0perutions.--It will usually be found on each road sec. construction work that there is one piece of plant the (i) Diqging and crowding Irucket till fillccl 1.3 output of which determines the rate of progress of a (ii) Raising and traversing Iro (iii) Emptying Iiiicket ...... , . large part of the process. It holds the key to success. (iv) Travcrsing Ixiom and hin and. on the other hand, to failure. It has already been digging position . . . . , . . explained that the effective working day of such a Total 40 MAIN ROADS. Vol. 11, No. 3. -

It should be noted that in (ii) and (iv) two opera- (ii) That the number of hours ou which the production tions are carried out concurrently. was less than thirty batches pcr hour is 36 per cent. of the total hours worked. These hours have been The capacity of the bucket being one-third cuhic yard, analysed with the following results :- the theoretical maximum output becomes 35 cubic Hrs. Min. yards per hour, or approximately 300 cubic yards per (0) Insufficient transport and difficulties working day of 8;d hours. With this as a basis, the in operating mixer on grades ..... 18 o efficiency of the operator can be easily checked, pro- (6) lingiiie trouble ...... viding, of coursc, that there is sufficient transport (..) Lag in output immediate1 lunch ...... 17 '5 available to handle the output. (d) ibliscellancotis ...... 16 4.i (b) In the case of a 27 cubic feet concrete paver owned by the Board, the minimum time of Total ...... 56 rj oljeration Of a conlP1cle cycle is as fol- The lag in production immediately after lunch IS lows :- most pronounced, and is attributable to two causes :- sec. (0) Delay in recommencing transport facilities owing to Lag iii charging .... drivers immediately hefore lunch proceeding to either depot or niixer to drth boiling watcr for tea; and (b) the gcncral iucrtia of the crew after eating and resting. Hence forty batches per hour is the theoretical maxi- This lag in production is very well illustrated in the mum output. However, this can only be obtained by curves shown in Fig. r. 'The curves are particularly perfect operation and an over supply of transport to interesting also in that they show a consistent increase

Fig. I. Curves ahowing hourly rates of production for concrete paver over different periods. eliminate slight delays that must occasionally occur if in hourly production as the aItcriioon goes on, and the mixer is serviced by the economic number of trans- that the greatest production is obtained during the lasi port waggons. This maximum output per hour can hour of the day-due, possihly, to the gradual decrease only be maintained then at odd times under favourable in temperature. Incidently, they were prepared from conditions. It is possible, however, to maintain records of a job where the men worked the fortyfour an average output qq~roachingthe theoretical maxi- hours of each working week in five days, and demoii- mum, e.g.-For the same job as previously mentioned strate that this is preferable, so far as production is and the same period, viz., the I 7th November, ~yzg,to concerned, to spreading the work over five and a half 9th December, 1929, the following is an analysis of or six days, as is allowable under the award. Where the batches per hour turned out :-- the work is largely performed by machinery, and thus the most arduous labour eliminated, no hardship on the Numkr of hours in which output was men is involved hy so doing. maintained at-Batches per hour. A \-FT PR* Total Total Batches hours. Batches. per The Oigaizisntioii of Tmlzsbort.--Jn order that any hnur. 40. 36-40, 32-36. 30-32. thtFi0, mobile mixing plant may maintain its production, it is 1 1 ,I 1 necessary to arrange for the continuous supply of materials to the mixer. The most common means of doing this in this State is by motor lorry-. Of ccurse, it would be a simple matter to eiisure that thrre would be no delays in supplying inatcrials to the mixer by pro- From these figures it will be seen-- viding more lorries than are economically necessaty or (i) That the averape number of h:ltrhrs per hour is 31.S; justifiable. but no engineer true to his profession co;ild rcprescntitig an efficiency of 79.5 per cent. adopt this way out. Therefore, it is necessary for him November, 1930. MAIN ROADS. 41 to make a close study of his transport conditions and Transport can only be efficiently organised if sukable arrive at some solution whereby there are sufficient, but loading and hatching arrangements are made. I'liese not more than sufficient, lorries to keep the mixer con- can be readily secured by loading from hoppers fitted stantly supplied. Transport of materials to the niixer with hatching devices, or mobile elevating machinery in the case of mobile plants, or of the mixed nia:erial fitted with batch hoppers. An example of the latter is from a stationary plant, is a very expensive item. For shown in the photograph on page 38. this reason 1 propose to deal fairly fully with this i~l~ase The number of lorrics required to maintain any ser~ of _.the work. vice, of course, depends on the time taken by one lorry 1 he fundamental economic law in regard to trans- to complete its cycle of operations. lhe time taken by port is that it must be elastic, i.e.,, capable of being a lorry to do a round trip may be subdivided into readily increased or decreased as occasion demands. (a) Time of servicing, i.e., loading and unloading. For this reason the system of hiring lorries under coli- (b) Travelling time; which is a function of the distance. tract is to be preferred to one where a fleet of lorries hlr. J. L. Harrison, of the TJnited States Bureau of Public Roads, has developed the following formula for single batch lorries :-- T = 6 f 8d. \Vlicre T = the time taken on round trips in minutes; 6 = the time in minutes for servicing, i.e., loading, backing, unloading ( usmg mechanical loading devices and tiirntalile) ; 8 = a constant depending on the average speed oi vehicle; d = th: length of haul in miles from stock pile to mixer. I It is clear, however, that the travelling time taken for any particular distance includes :- (a) A period of acceleration on leaving depot. (b) A period of deceleration on approaching mixer. (E) A period of acceleration on leaving mixer. Turn-t.iblr. fur reducing time occupird in turn in^ lorries (d) A period of deceleration on approaching depot. on suhgrade. The periods of acceleration and deceleration form a is owned and maintained by the constructing autho- variable proportion of the total time taken for the rity. It is also necessary that the vchicles should be journey, and hence the travelling time cannot bear a suitable for the work required of them. Lorries should constant ratio to the distance travelled, as provided for fulfil the following requirements :- in the Harrison formula. In fact, in very short (a) Possess stecl or steel-lined bodies. hauls, the sum of the periods of acceleration and de- (b) Re speedy, and litted with pneumatic tyres. celeration might quite easily equal the total time of the (c) Be fitted with fast tipping device. journey. For this reason, I consider that Mr. Harri- (d) The body should have a steep angle of tip. son's formula requires amendment by the substitution (e) If turntable are employed for reversing the lorries, or if the lorries have to back into the boot of the of a variable which is a function of tt for the constant mixer, they should conform tu certain overall dimen- 8. Thc formula then becomes :- sions, such as wheel base and overall width of truck. T=6+.~d. Where the subgrade is suitable, the lorries feeding Where T == the time to complete round trip in minutes; the mixer should travel on the completed formation, as 6 = the time uf scrvicinp; this makes for quicker transportation by avoiding con- 'P = a variable dependent upon the valne of d; d = the distance in miles from stock pile to mixer. gestion and delay owing to passing of vehicles on side From records and experience gained on the Board's tracks ; also the completed formation 011 suitable sub- grades provides a very smooth and easy road. This, works over a considerable period, the values of 'p for however, involves that the vehicles shall be turned some various values of d for two-ton lorries have been com- distance, say 2jo feet. from the mixer, and shall back puted, and are shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen from the down to it in order that they may discharge their loads graph that, while the values of may be regarded as into its boot. The turning of the lorries within the more or less constant for distances exceeding 1% miles, restricted area of the formation. without assistance, is the rate of variation is very rapid for distances less a difficult process, and usually takes approximately fonr than 1% miles. minutes. By the use of a turntable the operation can From the value of T in the formula T = 6 + pd, the be completed in less than one minute. This saving ill number of trucks required can he calculated from time does not, however, fully retlect the benefit5 accru- ing from the turntable, for when the lorries are tirrned under their own power the outgoing empty lorries from Where N the number of one-hatch lorries required. the mixer are blocked. and, irrespective of how many = 1' = the production required in batches per hour may be employed, it is often impossible to iced the mixer at the rate necessary to maintain high produc- To assist in making a ready check on transport, thc tion, owing to the interruption of all traffic during the nomogram (or alignment chart), as illustrated in Fig. 3, period each lorry is heing turned under its OWil is used. The batches per hour required and the dis- power. tance of haul being known. a straight edge placed 42 MAIN ROADS. Vol. 11. No. 3.

across the diagram on these points immediately in- check on the efticiency of lorries is the system wherehy dicates on the centre column the number of trucks the lorry-driver is issued with a daily ticket, which is required. The time of round trip is also indicated on punched on leaving the depot and check-punched on the right hand column. delivering the material to the mixer. These cards then The number of trucks as calculated from this for- automatically record the total nuniber of trips run ~y mula having hcen put into operation, the time of the lorries during the day, and, incidentally, the amount individual lorries should be compared at intervals with of material used in the pavement. tlie calculated time of the trip. This provides a check To obtain the maximum efficiency of lorries, it is of the efficiency of any particular lorry or driver, and also necessary to load them in such a way as to enable also of the loading and utlloadiug opcrations. Before the material to he tipped in the quickest time.. This !eaving this matter 1 would like to stress the fact that can be arranged. in the case of concrete materials, by the calculations made as suggcstcd above in regard to Truck Supply Nornogrsm 52 SI lorry requirements are more than theoretical figures. 50 09 They are based on actual experience on tlie Hoard's 48 works. and can be relied on to hold in practice. 47 46 (5 a4 43 MAIN ROADS BOARD0FN.S.W 07 dl 40 Truck supplyfor 27c.R Pavers 39 (Snngle betch trucks) 38 ar 38 T = 6+Yd L

3 U L 2 32 5 C I i 31 E 1 0 0 3 9 L 295 n 7s c Q a 21 C 7 2 6 3 26 $ U 25 U I 4 11 245 L 3 Y 23 L d 2 m 22 21 I 0 - 0 0 ffc m; ul 19

18

(7

I6

I have stated previously that, in order that the 15 transport organisation may be sul'ticiently elastic to meet the needs of economical working, the hire system 14 of securing lorries is to be preferred. Under these circumstances thc work is tendered for usually at an hourly rate. Where long li~.nlsare concerned, say in F . 3. excess of 3 or 3% miles, it is sometimes difficult or undesirable to obtain the theoretical number of trucks loading the metal first, the sand next, and finally the rcquired. This disability can be at least minimised if cement on top. For mixed materials special measures the trucks are speeded up above their normal average are required, such as oiling the body in the case of an pace, and for this purpose tlie payment of a bouus to asphaltic mixture, and placing a piece of hessian 011 the each driver, in addition to the honrly rate. of so much bottom of tlie lorry, secured to the top of the front per batch tlelivcred at the mixer in excess of the board of the vehicle, in the case of concrete. numhcr of batches which would be nominally deliveret1 Cost-kecpiny as a Measiire of General Eficimcy,- in accordance with the nomogram already described, Up to the present we have been considering the major has been found effective and is recommended. IVhcrc, points of management governing thc organisation of however, the required number of trucki as calculatetl individual parts of any work. Jt is obviously equally can be obtained, it is better to employ them and elimi- essential that there should he some ready means con- nate the lionus system. for the efficiency of individual stantly available by which the efficiency of the whole lorries can be checked from the calculated output of job can be readily nieasured. Without this, desirable each lorry and by timing trips occasionally. A further changes in organisation ~vouldpass unnoticed. November, 1930. MAIN ROADS. 43

The checking up of the efficiency of the job can only The daily cost return show in Fig. 4 is a typical be done by collecting daily information aiid records of example of a form comhining the record of costs anit cost and production. Cost is in fact only a measure, production. It will be seen that costs are divided to another scale, of production. The collection of this n1te data should then form part of tlie daily routine of the (n) Materials, (b) Plant, (c) Labour. ofice staff. The job has no control of the prime cost of materials, Costing is a subject with which you are all familiar, ,.but has control over the quantity of materials used. and it is not my intention to deal in this paper with the I his is inimcdiately evident in comparing the calcu- details of the methods used in producing a satis- lated square yards of pavement which should have factory cost statement, but rather with the value of been constructed from the material supplied with the cost records in maintaining efficiency. On major actual yardage done. 'The costs attributable to plant are, of course, a measure of the production and eK1- DAILY CONCRETE MIXING RETURN ciency of labour. Such a daily cost return as this becomes the efficiency engineer of the job, for it ?-... Cap.Ic/rV P7cu It. W 'kith' immediately indicates to the engineer what, if any- .. . mn- 11th. Nwrmber 1519 thing, is wrong with his job. Once this is known it is generally a simple matter for him to rectify the trouble. The most tlifficult thing is, in fact, to find out what is wrong. All the observation in the world will not give accurate and positive information, although it may arouse suspicions. The daily return gives facts. My experience is that, notwithstandirig the slight additional overhead incurred in the preparation of daily reports. the unit costs of work have decreased rapidly since the adoption of such methods. Daily returns should also be used for the purpose of checking the rate of production of important items of plant. Returns of this nature are usually filled in by the machine operators. A typical example is shown in Fig. 5. DAILY CONCRETE PAVER RETURN

I I B*wKsIM) I35 144 I 61 I 92 1 292 I

R€-5: &mbm OF bry, 13 Plt (Wr:ConCrlt. slob. -A% 5td. m,Be- wt. Nob: Iih.~&ebshowqwdhemd Hostr,LouJI.pit$ *pmpoF Pow Wg.Sli#-&drura% b Slicm d %). Costs& b h%bd Miud. ~~~~ ~~- Fig. 5. Fig. 4. This particular return records the variation in pro- duction for various periods of the day, and indicates works it is necessary to furnish a daily cost of the to the engineer at what periods of the day this has 1 more expensive items of the constructioti. The tendency to decrease or increase. By its use it is monthly cost statement is only of value as a historical possible to prevent decreases in some cases. It was record and for estimating purposes. It is of no use from such returns that the graphs illustrated in Fig. 1 in maintaining efficiency. showing the variation in hourly rate of production In general, the daily cost and the daily production were prepared, from which thr lag in production after are set out on the one return, and should give sufficient lunch, already commented upon, was noted, and led information as will show at a glance the reason for any to an examination of tlie transport arrangements with fluctuation in units costs. In other words, it is not a view to eliminating. as far as possible, the causes of sufficient merely to know that the unit price has in- decrease. creased or decreased, but it is also necessary to know In addition to taking whatever steps are required to why there has been a variation, so that immediate steps keep the daily production to its highest level, it is may be taken to rectify any trouble. necessary to consider pioduction as affecting the time 44 MAIN ROADS. Vol. 11. No. 3. -. of completion of the job. This, of course, is a much theoretical average daily production to maintain the more difficult matter than daily production, as it scheduled progress of the job. Tlic daily average of involves the correlation of all operations over an ex- work done over each mouthly period is also shown for tended period, and there is the unknown factor of wet available working days and for day5 worked. Some weather to he contended with, as well as strikes, floods, such form of continuou.; record enables one to see at &c., and difficulties in subsidiary industries on which a glance how the job is running. In such records one the job is dependent for materials. As has been already does not look for extraordinary individual outputs, but explained, it is desirable on any major work to esti- for a fairly and consistently high output day in and mate and decide on a time-schedule for thc completion day out. It also gives a ready means of comparing of the work and then make every endeavour to work to the efficiency of one work with that of other works this. A correctly designed time schedule will indicate running concurrently. With its aid, the engineer is just how much of the work should be completed at able to consider thc organidon of the job as a whole. any particular date, and if the actual work lags behind and analyse the reason for good or indifferent

its proper time, then in many cases it is possible to performances. Note, for example, the increase in pro- speed up the work where more favourable opportunities duction shown on Fig. 4 aftcr the turntable for turning present themselves. lorries at the mixer had been installed. In this way It is therefore necessary to record thc daily produc- it becomes apparent as to the reason why certain opera- tion in the form of a continuous record, the actual pro. tions on one job may be continuous and yet inter- gress being charted alongsidr the time schedule for the mittent on others. The knowledge gained from such purposes of comparison. Considerablc thought has graphic records is invaluable in organising new jobs, been given by officers of the Board as to what forin for it is mainly by profiting by mistakcs in organisation of continuous record should be adopted, and after one that one is able to efficiently organise for any particular or two trial5 that shown in Fig. 6 was decided upon. set of conditions. To sum up, the study of returns and This record, in addition to showing a summary of records of the kind described i5 the most direct method the daily production sheets, indicates the theoretical of exposing inefficiencies in organisation. and has :he time schedule, the actual progress made from week to additional advantage of indicating how mistakes can be week, and the daily production as compared with the corrected. November, 1930. MAIN ROADS. 45

Reinforced Concrete Butt-ended Pipes. eliminate the next two open crossings of the Hunter beyond Bell’s crossing. The deviation is approximately The following table sets out in convenient form, for 1% miles long and will cost much less than the two reference, the stock sizes of rcinforced corlcrctc pipes Irridges otherwise necessary. which are available for purchase in New South Wales: In pursuance of the same general policy, the Council K Fowler Richard state MDnler Rpe and obtained Federal Aid for the construction of two Vtantni, Ltd Tavlar, Ltd Kcinforcrd Coiicrete Works bridges over Rouchel Brook, on the Aberdeen-Upper Rouchel developmental road (No. 1105). Roth these t Monier Pines Hume Pipes. hridges consiqt of one composite truss span and two o in...... 6 ft. plain timber beam approach spans. The trusses are 6 ft. supported in each case on concrete cylinders, the abut- I5 ,...... 6 ft...... h ft. ments being of timber. Thc hridges provide access to 16 ,, ...... 3 ft...... a stretch of rich country higher up the valley.

18 I, ... 4ft. ...(:::: } 3ft.7in. 6 ft.

21 9, ... 4 ft. ... 3 ft. ... 3 ft. 7 in. 6 ft. 24 .. ... 4 ft. ... 3 ft. ... 3 ft. 7 in. 6 ft...... The Breeza-Gunnedah-Boggabri Road. The Shire of Liverpool Plains has in recent years 36 ... 4 ft. ... 4 ft. ... 3 ft. 7 in...... 42 ... 4 ft. ... 4 ft. ... 3 ft. 7 in...... formed and gravelled several sections of the road 48 ... 4 ft. ... 4 ft. ... 3 ft. 7 in...... between Gunncdah and Breeza and between Gun- 54 II ... 4 ft. ... 4 ft. ... 3 ft. 7 in...... nedah and Boggabri, and is now extending this work bo ,, ...... 4 ft. ... 3 ft. 7 in...... 72 ,, ...... 4 ft. ... 3 ft. 7 in...... by forming up about 2 miles of black soil between Breeza and Quirindi and a further section between Lengths shown can be increased to 8 feet if necessary. Gunnedah and Boggabri. Long lengths of black soil t Only manufactured in short lengths of I ft. 9 in. if spccially still remain, much of it not formed. but under the pro- ordered. gressive policy adopted by the councils concerned the 1 Can he manufactured in short lengths of z feet, 3 feet, and road will eventually lie put into order. The effort of 4 feet, if specially ordered. Namoi Shire to improve this road, which is the shortest In preparing plants for country works, where exact route from the Great Northern Ilighway to the north- lengths of culverts are not so essential as in town or west, and will become more important as the surface metropolitan areas, designs sliould he based on using is improved, was noted in the June number of Main culverts which are made up of a multiple of stock Roads. lengths. Unless the pipes are to be manufactured -- locally from moulds in the council’s possession. the source of supply can’not be foretold when the plans are The Cessnock-Broke Developmental Road. being prepared, and it is necessary to assumc a stock On the Cessnock-Broke developmental road (No. length. It is recommended that this be taken as 4 feet. 1,124) the construction of a total length of z miles If, therefore, in any situatidn measrirenient on the plan 3,714 feet of gravel pavement, between 6% miles and 9 indicates that a minimum length of 35 feet of pipe is miles from Lovedale and finishing at Patrick Plains required, 36 feet should he asked for on the plan. Shire boundary, has been completed. A contract has been let to Mr. E. J. O’Sullivan, in the sum of __c_ i1,44S 18s. gd. for an additional length of I mile 1,454 Road Improvement in Upper Hunter Shire. feet, excluding timber bridges at Phillips’ and First Creeks, for which tenders have been invited. The full Upper Hunter Shire Council has, in recent years, length, viz., 4 miles 1.333 feet, of the section of the been progressively raising the important roads in the same road in Patrick Plains Shire has been cleared Shire above flood level, either by making deviations to and culverts provided. Sections totalling 2 miles 2,961 avoid river crossings or by bridging the rivers. The feet are being formed and gravelled, and this work is most important scheme aims at reorganising the road nearing completion. along the Upper Hunter Valley, from Sconc towards Harry (No. 105). The just completed bridge over - the Hunter River at Bell’s crossing, beyond Moonan Flat, is part of this scheme. This bridge consists of The Board’s Standards. one Sq-feet composite truss and two 35-feet timber In order to permit of greater economy in handling, heam spans, on a reinforced concrete substructure. the arrangements for the distribution of the Board’s The superstructure is 16-feet wide between kerbs, but standard drawings and specificatio’ns have been slightly the substructure has been made wide enough to carry modified. As before, single copies of any of the stan- R bridge 20 feet wide between kerbs when the time dards listed on the inside back cover of Mein Roads ciimes to replace the timber portions. About a mile may be obtained direct from the Secretary without nearer Scone, Contractor Feetham has commenced a charge, but these will no longer bc available from three 3s-feet span timber superstructure and concrete Divisional Engineers. Standards marked in the list substructure bridge over Moonan Brook. Also, a grant with an asterisk may be pnrchased, as before, from the of f3,m has just been made by the Unemployment Government Printer, while supplies of the remainder Relief Couhcil for the construction of a deviation to may be purchased from the Secretary. 46 MAIN ROADS. Vol. 11, No. 3. Snow Removal on the Mt. Kosciusko Road. BY C. A. HAWKINS,B.E., Engineer, Southern Division OUNT Kosciusko, 7,328 feet above sea level, For its maintenance, there is a regular maintenance is the highest mountain peak in .4ustralia. staff consisting of a ganger and six men whose duties M Be'neath its summit, on Ram's Head Range, comprise- at a Iicight of 5,015 feet above sea level and 17 miles (i) keeping the road .below the hotel clcar of to the north-east, is situated the Hotel Kosciusko. A snow ; subsidiary Chalet at Charlotte Pass (6,035 feet), (iij reconditioning from the hotel to the summit 11 miles nearer the summit, has recently been opened each spring to make good any damage sus- for the usc of those who wish to attempt its ascent. Both of these have been established by the State and tained during the winter months ; and are conducted by thc Ncw South Wales Government (iii j tlic maintenance and gradual improvement of Tourist Bureau. the grading. alignment, surface and drainage of tlic road gcncrally. Access with the outside world is gained via the road to Jindabyne (z,8~%feet). From this point the road The gang is strengthened as required to cope with continues for 4 miles to the east and then forks-one the effects of severe storms in the summer or heavy route proceeding in a generally north-easterly direction falls of snow in the winter. to Cooma (2,600 feet), the railhead of the district It is frequently necessary to remove snow from and distant 35% miles from Jindabyne, the other route the road to a point 4% miles below the hotel. Just going northerly to Adaminaby, where it joins the under Rennix's Gap, distant I mile on the Jindahy'ne Monaro Highway. side from the hotel, the falls are comparatively light, but between the Gap and the hotel, heavy falls are , frequently expericnced, varying with the severity of the winter. Only during recent years has $ny serious attempt been made to keep the road opcn through the winter months. In earlier days cars travelled as far as the snow-linc, at which point a horse-sleigh was used to convey passengers and luggage to the hotel. Four methods of dealing with snow are in use, namely :- (i) the prevention of drift reaching the road by means of snow fences; (ii) removal hy a light gradcr; (iii) removal by snow plough ; and (iv) removal by hand shovelling. The snow fences are about 40 feet long and 4 fect Locality akstch, showing Jindabyne-Mt. Kosciusko road. high. cohstructed of rails and rough battens, as shown in the accompanying illustrations. These are placed The Jindabyne-Kosciusko road has been under in groups of two or three across the line of drift of State control since the opening of the Hotel Kosciusko, the snow. As tlic snow lodges against each fence, the and waq transferred to the administration of the Main drift is thereby prevented from reaching the road. Roads Board on 1st July, 1928. It has a total length If the fence is sufficiently high to block the major of 31% miles, the distance from Jindabyne to the part of the snow falling each winter. it is effective. hotel heing 14% miles. After leaving Jindabyne, it hut should the snow drift to the top of the fence, the crosses the Snowy River and then commences the fence is rather a danger than otherwise, as it forms long ascent of Ram's Head Range. This, in due a lee behind which the snow drifts across the road, course, leads it to levels which. during the winter possibly to a greater depth than would otherwise be months, render it subject to snow, on which account the case. special attention is necessary to keep it clear for traffic. During 1928, a year of light snowfalls, the In this, the road has the distinction of bcing one of the fences proved effective, but during the winter of 1929, two main roads in the 'State (the other being that sec- which was particularly severe, they were not so. tion of the Mo'naro Highway between Adaminahy and During the winter just passed. mild conditions Kiandra) which are regularly liable to be blocked were experienced until the middle of -4ugust, and with snow during the winter. From Jindabyne to a the fences were quite effective in keeping the road point I mile beyond the hotel, the road has been open. The location of the snow fencc is a matter of gravelled with decomposed granite, but beyond this prime importance, sonic of the earlier fences erected point there is only earth formation with a few having had to be moved Imck in order to prevent a'ny culverts. drifts forming behind them from crossing the road. November, 1930. MAIN ROADS. 47

It is proposed to undertake the erection of scveral with each successive fall. The snow drifting into additional fences before the winter of 1y31. these cuttings quickly freezes because of the frozen A light horse-drawn grader is used below Rennix's snow walls on either side. Provided the cuttings can Gap, the snow being moved thereby s~dewaysoff the be left sufficiently wde, all but the heaviest falls can road. It has becn found to be effective where the be dealt with by the plough assisted by the grader.

i/ *.** ~ 'd I

L ..-._

1. and 2. Snow fences on the Mt. Kosciusko road in summer and winter, 9. and 4. Snow cuttings near Rennix's Gap. 5. Snow plough. depth of snow does not exceed z feet. On the 4% When a snow cutting becomes too narrow to permit miles between Rennix's Gap and the hotel, the chief of the snow being pushed aside by the plough, or difficulty in snow removal is experienced, and on this becomes filled to such a depth that the plough bogs, section a plough is used, consisting of a light cater- it is necessary to resort to hand shovelling. pillar tractor fitted with a back-filling blade attach- ment. This pushes the snow to one side an$ can he - successfully operated in snow up to 3 feet In depth. Great Western Highway, Turon Shire. It has been found necessary to begin the removal of The gravelling of the deviations which were recently snow as soon as it falls, but the width which can be constructed on the Great Western Highway in the kept clear is limited by the width of the road, and the Shire of Turon has been comple'ted and the deviations snow cuttings so formed become higher and narrower opened to traffic. 40 MAIN ROADS. Vol. 11. No. 3. Tenders and Quotations Accepted. The following Tenders and Quotations were accepted by the Board during the month of September, 1930:- Tenders. Work. I Name of Amoirntof Municipality I Soccesslul Tenderer. Accepted Tender. or Shin. Description. I , s. d. Erina ...... q Supply and delivery of 18,000 cuh. yds. of gravel between Farley and Lcwcrs 3.300 0 0 Wyong and Swansea. Tweed ...... IO Construction of low-level timber bridge over Dunbible, -4nderson and Har- 1,097 19 6 i Creek. grave. Ralmain ancl1 2007 Reconstruction of Balmain-road and Darling-strcet. Burt, Boulton and1 13,335 13 2 Leichhardt. between Perry-street and Weston-road. in cement Haywood, Ltd. 1 concrete. with'asphaltic concrete surface conrse. 1 ~ Ouotations. Amount 01 No. of De3eripti.m of Artide. Name of Successful Tenderer. Accepted Quotation Quotation. -- t S. d. Bitumen-50 ions, 60170 pcnctraticn ...... I Texas Co. (Anst.) Ltd...... 360 o o Nepean gravel---161 tons, + in...... Nepean Sand and Gravel Co...... 64 8 o Bridge timber-(F.O.R.. Moree)-rz in. x 12 in. x 34 ft.; 14 in. Oakley and Ball ...... 45 5 4 x 14 in. x 28 ft. IF.0.R.. Warialda\--Iq in. x 8 in. x 30 ft.:l I .- 13 in. x 12 in. x 8 ft.; lain. x IZ in. x 13 ft.; 9 in. x 9 in. x TZ ft. ; TZ in. dia. at small end, 89 ft. Bridae timber-12 in. x IZ in. x hz ft.: 12 in. x I? in. x 30 ft.: Allen Tavlor & Co...... 99 4 6

14-in. x 14 in. x 184 ft,; 12 in. x 6 in. x 262 ft.I Bridge timber-(Round) 12 in. dia. small end x 84 ft. (Square) R. J. U'hite & Co. Ltd...... lo 4 0 8 in. x 4 in. x 7 ft.; 12 in. x 12 in. x IO ft.; 13 In. x 12 in. x 67 It. 6 in.; 14 in. x 12 in. x 20 ft.; 14 in. x 14 in. x 48 ft. Firewood-zoo tons, in 2 ft. 6 in. lengths ...... G. Dyson ...... 140 o o Blue metal-zoo tons, 24 in. : 500 tons, $ in...... Sydney and Suburban B. M. Quarries ... 255 0 0 Concrctc pipcs-9 in. x 9.j ft.; 12 in. x 180 ft. ; 15 in. x 129 ft.; State llonier Pipe Works ...... I55 0 0 IX in. x 320 ft.; 21 in. x 155 ft. 124 228 2.i 01 Concrete .Inines-15 in. x ..ft.: 18 in. x ft.: in. x ft. : Rocla Limited ...... I95 18 2 30 in. x 40 ft.; 36 in. x 35 ft. ; 42 in. x 65 ft. I3itumen-zo tons, 60170 penetration Shcll Co. of Aust. Ltd...... 137 IO 0 Concrete Dines-18 in. x 67 ft. .. R. Fowler.I Vianini. Ltd...... 12 14 o Iincrushcd gravcl-boo tons, $ in.; 915 tons, 14 in...... Nepean Sand and Gravel Co...... 330 8 Y Concrete pipes--15 in. x 237 ft.; 21 in. x 6 ft...... State Monier Pipe V'urks ...... 41 0 0 Mastic jointing. # in.-rso pieces, type A; 355 pieces, type B; Ormonoid Roofing and Asphalt CO ... 35 2 9 50 picccs, type C. Riaken stone--r,ooo tons, in...... Emu and Prospect Gravel Co. ... 300 o o Trachyte s~ts-438 lin. ft., 6 in. x 4 in...... Loveridge and Hudson ...... 16 IX 6 Concrete pipes--15 in. x 126 ft.; 18 in. x 118 ft.; 21 in. x h4 ft.; Rocla Limited ...... 19.5 I8 2 24 in. x 30 ft. ; 30 in. x 35 ft. Blue rnetal+o tons, 21 in.; 30 tons, 14 in.; 25 tons, 9 in.;l N.S.\V. Associaird Rlue Metal Quarrica ...I 47 12 6 10 tons, ,$.in. Bitumen--I2 tons, 90/10o penetration ...... Shell Co. of Aust. Ltd...... 93 o o Tar-56o gallons, No. o (in lieu of 922) ...... Australian Gas Light Co...... ' 17 IO o Tar-z,64o gallons, No. o ...... Cancelled ...... ; ......

Sand-zoo tons ...... Emu and Prospect Gravel Co...... ~ 58 G 8 ...... i Blue metal--goo tons, 2 in. N.S.W. Associated Blue Metal Qunrrirs...i 160 8 4 Metallic jointing-r,soo ft. fur 7 in. pavement ...... Cancelled ...... Concrete pipes-36 in. x 35 ft. 10 in...... ,I State hlonicr Pipe Works ...... _I 2.5 o o The acceptance by the respective Councils of the following Tenders has been approved by the Board during the month of September, 1930:- Work. Name of Amount of

Municipality Desenptlon. ~ Recommended Tenderer. Recommended Tender or Shin. I I t s. d. Burrowa ...... ' 56 }Bitumen penetration pavement, Boorowa, 4.100 lin. ft.... Downes and Corby ... , 241 3.350 12 0 Hastings ...... 1094 Forming and gravelling, Forbes River, q,roo lin. ft. ... C. Fletcher ...... 1,663 IO o Yallaroi ...... 12 Gravel pavement on dcviation, 1,400 ft...... Addison and McGregor 784 0 0 Braidwood ... 57 Construction of 3-span timber and concrete bridge over W. Sims and Son ... 2,085 2 IO I Monkittee Creek. Upper Hunter ... 105 Three-span timber and concrete bridge, Moonan Brook ... E. Feetham ...... 1,989 6 6 Yallaroi ...... 63 Gravel pavement, 4 miles ...... __!nddison ~__- and McCregor 2,928 I 6 Sydney : Alfred Jsrnrs Kent. I.S.O.. Government Printer-lWO.