Unit of Competence # 6

Unit of Competence: Apply Principles of Asphalt Paving and Compaction Construction.

Module Title: Applying Principles of Asphalt Paving and Compaction Construction

LO 1 Ensure appropriate planning and preparation is carried out tasks

1.1 Accessing, interpreting and applying compliance documentation relevant to the work
activity
1.2 Accessing, interpreting and clarifying the specific task information and requiring relevant
to undertaking the flexible pavement construction tasks
1.3 Ensuring available a job plan makes best use of the available resources and meets task
requirements

Learning Instructions:
 Access, interpret and apply compliance documentation relevant to the work activity
 Access, interpret and clarify the specific task information and requirements relevant
to undertaking the flexible pavement construction tasks
 Ensure a job plan is available which makes best use of the available resources and
meets task requirements

1.1Accessing, interpreting and applying compliance documentation

relevant to the work activity

Documentation is essential to all aspects of every worksite. From environmental plans through to
extraction plans, documentation exists that outlines what to do, when to do it and how it is to be
done.
Compliance documentation is the name given to the documents that require you to undertake
tasks in a particular way or to meet a given standard. Every civil construction worksite will have
site-specific requirements that will be outlined during your initial induction. Staff should be
notified of changes to compliance documentation during tool box meetings, staff newsletters or
other established forms of communication used on the site.
As a civil construction supervisor, you will be working extensively with compliance
documentation, both in your work activities and for the work activities of those people you are
supervising. The range of compliance documents on your worksite may include:
 Legislative, organizational and site requirements and procedures, e.g. for Occupational
Health & Safety /OHS/, environmental protection, licensing requirements,
personnel/workers training records.
 Site specific policies and procedures.
 Codes of Practice.
 Employment and Workplace Relations legislation.
  Ethiopian guidelines and specifications e.g. EBCS (Ethiopian building codes of
standards).
 Manufacturer's guidelines and specifications, e.g. machinery pre-start checklists, service
Requirements, vehicle operator’s manuals, vehicle specifications (operating capabilities
and limits).
1.2 . Ensuring available a job plan makes best use of the available resources
and meets task requirements
Each task on a civil works program will have specific information and requirements that
must be known and met. As a supervisor it is your responsibility to know and understand the
organizational and site operational requirements and to be able to share these requirements
with the members of your team.
These requirements May include:
 Site geological and geotechnical data, including:
 rock types and characteristics
 soil types and characteristics
 site hydrological data, including:
 surface water
 ground water
 site meteorological data, including:
 rainfall
 humidity
 temperature
 wind
 site engineering survey data
 known and potential site hazards, constraints and conditions
 site cultural and heritage information
 task specifications
 task drawings
 sources of materials
 types of asphalt
 other organizations and contractors involved in the task or related tasks
 coordination, timing and budgeting requirements

 Site geological and geotechnical data

This data could include rock and soil types and characteristics. Knowing the type of soil and rock you
are dealing with allows you to determine the correct machinery, resources and work methods to achieve
the required tasks.

Information on geological and geotechnical factors that affect the site also allows for better time
management and project management by understanding how long it will take to complete tasks.
Rock and soil types

Identification of the different types of rock and soil is essential to the successful completion of most civil
construction projects.

Soil and rock types may include

Rock Types: Soil and rock Rock Types:

Metamorphic y
include: Rocks are heavy and hard.

Igneous Rocks are volcanic and can be hard, but may also be
very light

Sedimentary Rocks and shale’s could peel out when cut and
removed.

Soil types Sandy o and rock Soils will require a lot of stabilization
types may include:

Clay Soils are harder to work with due to the physical

hardness of the soil and the ability of these soils to
hold water for long periods of time

Soil and rock types will have been identified during the site engineering surveys. Interpretation of this
data allows for successful planning and preparation on the worksite.

 Site hydrological data

This data is the information relating to water on, in, near or under your site. It will include surface water
and ground water but could also include rivers, dams and other areas where water is or could be. The
hydrological data is used to ensure correct drainage of the site, for protection of the waterways and water
dwelling.

 Site meteorological data

This data includes rainfall, humidity, temperature, wind and night conditions such as frosts and
fogs. Having a good understanding of this data allows you to plan your daily activities more
successfully.
On civil construction worksites, meteorological data can have a huge impact on the tasks and
activities that are undertaken. To access meteorological data use a reputable website, such as
www.bom.gov.au.
 Engineering survey principles and data
Engineering surveys are a very important aspect of supervising civil works. Without
appropriate surveys for setting out works, monitoring progress and for conforming completed
components, the job will be made much more difficult. A lot of civil works tasks rely on accurate
survey and level points to achieve the work targets. For example:
 drainage pipes must be surveyed to ensure they are in the right place and allow the water
to have the correct fall
 Embankment construction uses survey to ensure that the fill layers are placed correctly
 Construction of structures such as dams and bridges rely on engineering survey to meet
strict conformance requirements
Site engineering survey data is used in monitoring the progress of the job. Survey and leveling
reports contribute to part of the lot records. These are also used as a historical record for the
project.
 Material properties and test results
Sources of materials should be identified before work commences. Often this identification will
be done while engineering surveys are being completed or will be done by the purchasing or
procurement department if materials need to be purchased. Interpretation of these results and
requirements will allow you to ensure the correct materials are being used in the correct manner
for the required results.
 Site hazards, constraints and conditions
These could include known hazards, constraints and conditions or the hazards that have the
potential to occur. Hazard identification should be an activity that is undertaken by every
member of the team, but as a supervisor it is your responsibility to ensure you and your team are
undertaking regular hazard identification actions. Constraints and conditions are those factors
that will or may impact on the activities. The impact could be through actions that need to be
taken, areas that need to be avoided or resource and material choices.
 Site cultural and heritage information
This data is the information that relates to the history of the area in which you are working.
Often when the local population object to the construction of the project, they will use cultural,
environmental or heritage grounds. Cultural and heritage data may form some of the constraints
and conditions on the site that affect what resources are used, the areas where access needs to be
restricted and other factors.
A cultural and heritage officer may be appointed to work on some large sites. This person is then
able to assess the cultural and heritage value of any objects found on the site. As a supervisor
you need to be aware of the impact the cultural and heritage data can have on the conditions in
which your team is working.
 Types of asphalt
Asphalt is a mixture of dark bituminous pitch with sand or gravel, used for surfacing roads.
When working with asphalt, it is important to know the different varieties that are available.
There are three main types of asphalt: Hot Asphalt, MC Cold Mix, and UPM. There are also
different varieties of these asphalts for summer and winter use. Below is a brief overview of each
type of asphalt.
 Hot Asphalt is the type of asphalt that you mostly see when driving past a construction
crew. Use mostly for paving and patching, Hot Asphalt, as its name suggest, is easiest to
work with when the temperature of the asphalt is high. Hot Asphalt is a permanent
solution to a problem, but must be used almost immediately after purchasing. As the
asphalt cools, it becomes increasingly difficult to work with, and once completely cool, it
hardens like a rock.

 MC Cold Mix is asphalt that can be used as a temporary fix. Since the asphalt is used at
cold temperatures, it is slow to cure and best used in areas that have little to no traffic.

 UPM is also a cold mix asphalt, but unlike MC Cold Mix, it can be used as a permanent
fix to any asphalt or concrete problem, Designed to work in any weather condition, UPM
can be used to fix both wet and dry holes, allowing you to make any repair in any
situation. Once that asphalt has been compacted, it is immediately ready to be tread upon.

 These three different types of asphalt offer good solutions to asphalt problems that you
might have in your home or business. By knowing the differences, you can make sure
you pick the right one for your situation

 Why is asphalt used for roads?

 Asphalt pavement provides a smoother surface. A smooth surface reduces damage to the
pavement, necessitating fewer repairs. It improves fuel efficiency and reduces wear and
tear on vehicles, making the choice for asphalt a great economical decision.
 What is asphalt made?
 Asphalt is a sustainable paving solution made from a mixture of aggregates, binder, and
filler. Aggregates are processed mineral materials such as crushed rock, sand, gravel
materials. Binder is used to unite the aggregates together to form a cohesive mixture.
 What is the top layer of asphalt called?
 Surface Course Asphalt
 Surface Course Asphalt: The top layer of an asphalt structure, sometimes called the
wearing course. It is designed to accommodate the traffic load and to resist skidding,
traffic abrasions and weather. The aggregate and mineral filler is of a smaller size than
the intermediate or base courses of asphalt.
 What is the mixture of asphalt?
 Asphalt mixtures: Asphalt is a mix of sand, gravel, broken stones, soft materials, and
asphalt. In Marshall's Standard Test* for designing asphalt mixtures, it was found that the
percentage of asphalt required can be reduced as the density of the mixture increases.
 Components of Flexible Pavement

Sub grade
Function and Significance of Sub grade Properties

• Basement soil of road Bed.

• Important for structural and pavement life.
Flexible Pavement Materials
 The main constitute of a Flexible Pavement are :
1. Granular Materials (Natural or Crushed)
2. Asphalt/ Bitumen
• Granular Materials Covers more than 97% of the layer materials
• Granular materials provide strength.
Granular Materials
• Obtained from Naturally occurring source or quarry or from Crushed stone
• Used in sub base and base course
• Main purpose is to provide structural strength/support
Sub Base : one or more layers of a specified or selected materials of designed thickness placed
on the sub grade to support base course.
According to ERA Technical Specification the materials for Sub base Construction include :-
• Natural Gravel
• Weathered Rock
• Crushed Gravel
• The materials should fulfill the following Requirements
Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirement for Crushed Sub base
 • Similarly different specification requirements are provided in for
– Base
– Wearing Course
• Different Countries have different Specification requirements based on the local
condition
Base Course :- one or more layers of specified materials of designed thickness placed on a sub
course or sub grade to support a surface course.
Surface course :- the top layer sometimes called wearing course. One or more layers of
specified materials designed to accommodate the traffic load the top layers of which resists
skidding traffic abrasion.
Construction sequencing
Knowing the sequence of work activities allows you to plan effectively. For example:
Earthworks:
1. Mark out the work area.
2. Clear and grub – which is vegetation removal.
3. Topsoil removal.
4. Next step in the construction process.
Roadwork Construction:
Would follow the earthworks steps, but then include:
1. Formation of drain lines or contours.
2. Cut and fill to the needed level.
3. Compaction activities.
4. Pavement layers.
Drainage:
Would include the steps for earthworks then:
1. Form drains lines.
2. Form out the area to be worked in – that is build the frame to hold the drain system.
3. Lay pipes, box drains or culverts.
4. Back fill.
Quantity calculation
As a supervisor, you may be required to complete a variety of calculation tasks to determine
quantities for materials required on the worksite. The most common calculations will be for:
 Area.
 Volume.
 Percentage.
 Grade.
 Resource consumption figures.
Area

If you were given an area, and you know one of the dimensions (e.g. width or length), you can
work out the other factor.
Another common calculation is for volume.
This is calculated by multiplying length x width x depth or height. That is, depth if it is hole or
height if it is a pile.
A percentage of a known figure is relatively easy to determine

Therefore 350 kg would be left at stockpile 1, while 650kgs would be in stockpile 2, (simple
subtraction of 350 from 1000).
Slope/gradient/grade
The slope/gradient/grade of a road or drain is the amount that the road or drain rises, or falls,
over a certain distance. There are two main methods for expressing this:
Method 1
In Method 1, the slope or gradient is expressed as the distance over which the road falls or rises
by one meter.
Example 1
If the slope gradient is given as 1 in 200, it means that the road rises 1 meter in 200 meters.

Note: 1 in 200 is also shown as 1: 200

Example 2
If the slope gradient is given as 1 in 20, it means that the road rises 1 meter in 20 meters and is
therefore much steeper than the road in Example 1.
Note: 1 in 20 is also shown as 1:20
Method 2
In Method 2 the slope/gradient/grade is expressed as a percent i.e. the amount that the road rises
or falls over a distance of 100 meters.
Example 3
If the slope of the road is given as 10% it means that the road rises 10 meters in 100 meters.

Example 4
If the slope of the road is given as 1% it means that the road rises 1 meter in 100 meters
horizontal distance. This slope/gradient/grade is much flatter than that in Example 3.

Resource Consumption
Resource consumption, including required supply rates, refers to how much material is used or
consumed and how quickly it can be resupplied, either from another location on the worksite or
from an external supplier.
It is important to know supply times from external suppliers as there may be a delay to the works
if materials are not available when needed. Daily production figures will often be used as a
guideline to work out consumption rates. Be aware, however, that not all materials are consumed
at the same rate and supply rates may differ from worksite to worksite. If you are unsure about
how to correctly calculate any of these quantities or interpret resource consumption figures, your
manager will be able to help you.
Estimation principles
On civil construction sites you will need to use different estimation techniques on occasions. The
principle of estimation is to attempt to make an educated guess as to what amounts, distances or
other unit of measurement is required. Commonly materials or time are the main factors that will
require estimation.
Coordination, timing and budgeting
Coordination, timing and budgeting requirements need to be managed on a worksite to ensure all
actions and activities are within the required costs and timeframes. Budgeting is a constant factor
with all civil construction projects to ensure the project finishes within the financial constraints.
Contract requirements
Civil works are always conducted under contract. Depending upon your level of responsibility
you may need to have a very detailed knowledge of the contract, or if you are a front line
supervisor you may need to have a general knowledge of what is required and how it is required
to be delivered..
Remember, the contract is a legally binding document that states how a task must be completed.
If the surveillance officer changes these requirements in the field, ask for written confirmation of
the changes before implementing the changes. This is particularly important on sites where there
is more than one surveillance officer. For details on the contract, speak with the site contract
manager. This person will be the main contact for any issues with the contract. Alternatively you
can speak with the site quality assurance manager. All procedures and policies that relate to the
contract should be contained in the contract management policies and procedures manuals.
Insure a job plan
Job plans are used in order to complete the tasks assigned to your team. There are a number of
aspects to be considered when creating a job plan.
Include:
 Human resource requirements
 Machinery requirements
 Construction materials requirements
 Sub-contractor support requirements
 Waste disposal requirements
 Coordination requirements
 Activity scheduling
 Materials delivery scheduling
 Risk assessment and management requirements
 Occupational health and safety requirements
  Quality management requirements, including testing scheduling requirements
 Traffic management requirements
 Environmental requirements
 Communication requirements
 Reporting requirements
Risk assessments and management requirements

Conducting risk assessments on the tasks and activities is essential to ensure the health of your team
members. How these assessments are to be conducted will be determined by the organizational policies
and procedures. Each site will have specific requirements that must be met and procedures that must be
adhered to.

OHS requirements

These will work closely with the risk assessment and management process. Ensure you know the OHS
requirements for the tasks your team members are undertaking to ensure you are able to inform the team
as to what is required of them. Each site will have slightly different requirements and it is essential you
identify and apply these in accordance with the needs of the site.

Environmental requirements

The protection of the environment is a task that needs to be undertaken by all members of the site. You
will need to know the environmental protection requirements so you are able to create job plans that
adhere to these requirements.

Traffic management requirements

Traffic management requirements could include contracting a traffic management company or having
your own trained staff undertaking traffic management. Traffic management plans account for signage
requirements, site access or isolation needs and activities being undertaken. The design and creation of
traffic management plans is a specialized area that requires additional training. Each traffic management
plan will differ, so always double check that you are using the correct plan or drawing before passing on
the information to your team members.

Quality management requirements

Each civil construction activity will have quality requirements. These requirements will be
outlined in the task or site specifications. You must know and apply these quality requirements to the
task. Some of the common quality requirements include testing of materials and tasks, compactions,
scheduling, and inspection by Quality Assurance (QA).
LO 2 : - Ensure appropriate initiation of tasks is carried out
2.1 Communicating clear and timely instructions to team members and others involved, for
the safe, effective and efficient conduct of the tasks
2.2 Confirming the necessary resources available for the safe, effective and efficient conduct
of the tasks, to meet the specific task requirements
2.3 Setting out tasks as required for the effective completion of the task
 Learning Instructions:

 Ensure clear and timely instructions are communicated to team members and others
involved, for the safe, effective and efficient conduct of the tasks
 Confirm that the necessary resources are available for the safe, effective and efficient
conduct of the tasks, to meet the specific
 task requirements
 Set out tasks as required for the effective completion of the task
2.1 Communicating clear and timely instructions to team members and
others involved, for the safe, effective and efficient conduct of the tasks
Task resource requirements
Resources may include:
 Labor
 Equipment and tools
 Material supply vehicles
 Construction materials
The following are examples of Task Resource Requirements:

Task Resource Requirements

Personnel/workers requirements Do you have enough trained and competent people

to complete the tasks in the timeframe given to
you?

Plant, machinery and equipment requirements Do you have access to the machinery needed to
complete the tasks?

Coordination requirements This is how each component of the plan will work
together to achieve the end result.

Communication requirements

Instructions may include:

 Briefings: information that is given to someone just before they do something, or a meeting
where this happens
 work orders
 site meetings
  Communication requirements could relate to internal or team communications and also external
communications to suppliers, testing agents, media or community liaison personnel/workers.
 Construction is always a race against time.
 You worry about contract working days, calendar date completions, hours, days, weeks, months,
seasons and years. You do so because time is money.

Accurate communication can save time.

 Why do you think that the two-way radio is in your truck?
 Why does the home office have a FAX machine? A modem? Answering machines?
The answer is that these communication devices save time, and time is money. However, for
all of these advanced technical innovations, our personal communication skills are not always
that advanced as they should be.
As a construction supervisor,
 You spend much time communicating.
 You instruct your crew members,
 report to your supervisors,
 coordinate with your subcontractors,
 listen to your inspectors, and
 Answer questions from the landowners. All of these activities require communication
skills, and your effectiveness as a supervisor depends, to a large degree, on your effective
use of these skills.
Communication is the process of sending and receiving information, thoughts, or instructions
from one person to another. The process includes the sender's word choice, voice tone inflection,
and body language, as well as the receiver's understanding, feed-back, and, if the process is
successful, commitment. Clear and accurate communication is a learned process. No one is born
with this ability. To become an effective communicator, you must learn about the process and
practice its skills.
By using the information in this session, you will become a more accurate communicator and a
better highway construction supervisor. You will be able to give clear instructions, accurate
information, and you will know how to verify that your messages have been accurately
understood, resulting in a savings of time. By learning to communicate more accurately, you will
also enhance your leadership and motivational skills.
2.2 Confirming the necessary resources available for the safe, effective and
efficient conduct of the tasks, to meet the specific task requirements
Accurate communication
Accurate communication is a two-way process: information, thoughts, or instructions are given
or sent by one person and received and understood by another. Accurate communication always
involves three components:
(1) A sender
(2) A message, and
(3) A receiver.
Communication is accomplished through speaking, listening, and feedback.. Think of accurate
communication as an asphalt roadway. The roadway is made up of components: subgrade, base
rock, and asphalt pavement. If any of these three components fails, the roadway fails. The same
is true of the three components of accurate communication
2.3. Setting out tasks as required for the effective completion of the task
Contractors and other organizations
Team members May include:
 other members of the organization’s management team
 members of the team directly involved in the task
 suppliers representatives
 sub-contractors representatives
 supervisors or managers of other organizations who are involved in related tasks
Different contractors and other organizations will have an impact on the activities undertaken on
the site. As a supervisor it is important that you understand the roles these others will play in the
construction project and how their activities will impact the activities of your team.
On most projects there are various teams working on different stages of the project, with each
team relying on the others to complete tasks on time so the next task can start on time. Without a
good working relationship between the various work teams, it can be extremely difficult to
achieve a good end result without a significant amount of stress and anxiety.
LO 3 :- Oversee the execution of tasks
3.1. Monitoring flexible pavement construction task performance to achieve the required
outcomes
3.2. Carrying out and recording plant equipment and tools maintenance requirements
Learning Instructions:
 Monitor rigid pavement construction task performance to ensure it achieves the
required outcomes
 Initiate adjustments to work practice or job plan to ensure safe execution of work
and achievement of required outcomes
3.1 Monitoring flexible pavement construction task performance to achieve the required
outcomes
Setting Out
The Works are to be correctly set out to ensure that the location, gradients and levels are strictly
adhered to. Care must be taken at all times to preserve legal survey marks, bench marks and level
pegs required for checking purposes. Should any such marks be disturbed they will be reinstated
by the Transport representative and appropriate cost recovery charges made.
Task monitoring requirements
Monitoring, Include:-
 ongoing risk assessment
 engineering survey
 sampling and testing
 observation and recording
 general supervision
Task requirements should include:
 monitoring requirements
 personnel/workers performance requirements
 resource and material requirements including plant and equipment
 operational techniques that are required to complete the tasks correctly to the required
standards
Operational techniques will vary greatly from task to task and site to site due to the varying
specifications and site requirements. By selecting and assigning the most appropriate plant,
equipment and personnel/workers to completing the tasks you will have better end result.
When evaluating which people should be working where, look at the strengths, skills,
competencies and abilities of each person and assign them to tasks they are able to complete.
Sometimes it is necessary to assign a person to a task they are not yet competent in completing,
so that they can develop the skills required. If you need to do this, ensure you have a competent
person assisting them to ensure the task is completed adequately.
Required outcomes May include:
 task specifications requirements
 task drawings requirements
 coordination requirements
 activity scheduling requirements
 unit cost requirements
 waste management requirements
Task specifications
This information is how the activity is to be completed, based on your client’s requirements. It
can be conveyed in site or task drawings, plans and documents. Project specifications may give
an acceptable range of data, but they may also be highly specific in what must be achieved.
When interpreting and sharing this information with members of your team, ensure you are just
as clear and detailed about what must be achieved and how the requirements are to be met.
Activity scheduling
Every plan will consist of many small parts that must be achieved in a set order to gain the end
result. Activity scheduling is an art form that a supervisor should develop.
3.1. carrying out and recording plant equipment and tools maintenance
requirements
Motor Grader
The motor grader is one of the most versatile items of earth moving equipment. It can be used for
light stripping, grading, finishing, bank sloping, ditching, backfilling, and scarifying. It is also
capable of mixing and spreading soil and asphaltic mixtures. It is used on building construction
projects as well as in heavy and highway construction. It is frequently used for the maintenance
of highways and haul roads.
Compaction
When towed, self-propelled compaction plant is being used, it must follow close up behind the
grader, but only on sections where grading has been completed. Usually about eight passes of a
roller will be needed to achieve full compaction, working towards the Centre of the road.

Blade position
 For most grading work, the cutting
blade is set to be vertical.
 For cutting hard surfaces, the
cutting blade should be set back at
the top to give the most effective
cutting angle. Scarifying passes
should also be made before cutting
 For spreading, the cutting blade
should be set forward at the top
z
LO 4 Report on the execution of tasks
4.1. Completing and submitting reports as required
Learning Instructions:
 Complete and submit reports as required
 Recommend changes to improve the safety, efficiency and effectiveness of the
execution of asphalt paving and compaction task tasks

4.1. Completing and submitting reports as required

BU Reporting requirements)Reporting requirements will impact how you conduct tasks and
activities. Knowing these requirements allows you to plan for time to complete the reports or for
time to collect and collate the information required to go into the reports.
Monitoring and reporting progress
A fair copy of the Contractor’s programmed should be posted up in the site office and actual
progress marked on the programmed to monitor progress of work. If necessary, a monthly
progress report should be made.
As a general guideline, the report may include:
A. Commencement date, original completion date, , revised completion date, time elapsed in
days and in percentage of the contract period, a realistic estimated completion date based
on the actual progress made and the expected time to complete outstanding works;

B. Original contract sum, predicted final contract sum, estimated percentage of work
physically completed, amount and percentage of certified value of works, expenditure to
date, yearly forecast expenditure and a predicted/actual cash flow chart;

C. Day works, variations and drawings issued;

D. Description of progress with a progress table and progress chart;

E. Claim record;

F. Safety matters and accident matters;

G. Record of significant meetings;

H. Record of hand over of works; and

I. Environmental issues.