Tuesday, 9 October 2006
Mr David Cockerell, member of the Get Cracking team
A new machine has been invented that controls the cracking of concrete pavements so that construction and maintenance costs will be reduced and pavement quality improved.
GetCracking™ founder and innovator, Mr Allan Cockerell, has patented technology allowing significant reductions in the cost of construction and 'whole of life' costs of concrete pavements while improving the quality of the end product.
By controlling the cracking of concrete, the GetCracking™ system claims to eliminate the need for steel reinforcement in industrial building pavements because the steel is used in an effort to prevent planned and unplanned cracks from opening excessively.
"Others have developed systems to control the problems caused by concrete cracking. GetCracking™ has developed a technology that controls the cracking so that there are no problems," Mr Cockerell said.
Targeting pavements such as highways, airport runways and concrete floors in industrial warehouses, the machine named the "Concrete Cracker" has completed its first commercial trial and has been successful in mechanically inducing early controlled cracks in concrete pavements.
"The Road Traffic Authority in NSW and contractor Abigroup provided 100m of road on the Albury-Wodonga highway for the first commercial trial of the Concrete Cracker," Cockerell said.
"Concrete shrinks. The inherent problem is that concrete shrinkage takes 6 to 12 months to occur. During that time joints that crack early open wider than joints that crack later, creating problems.
"We've gone back to the heart of the problem. What we want is all the joints to crack at the same time. Then if the joints are closely spaced, all cracks will remain tight.
"Everyone else has accepted the situation that concrete cracks at different times, unpredictably, and there has been a range of products developed over 50 years in an effort to minimise the problems of uncontrolled cracking with each experiencing limited success. GetCracking's approach to the problem is unique", Cockerell said.
A finalist in UQ Business School's Enterprize competition, Allan Cockerell is hoping to use the $100 000 seed funding to apply for international patents on the technology.
Other finalists are Imprezzeo (image recognition software), PepFactants (technology break-through for industries using emulsions and foams), BioShield (vaccine for a virus that has devastated the aquaculture industry globally), Neutropharma (transfusible neutrophils), Ausonex (hearing test instrument that doubles speed of testing), and LanguageMap (cost-efficient way of testing English language skills).
"We have decided to set up a full service company where we offer the entire service of laying pavements, rather than selling the machine to companies in the business of laying pavements. That way we will control the monopoly profit associated with the 25% reduction in construction costs.
"I'd love to be out there cracking pavements now but I would say within 12 months we will be commercial. Maybe even sooner."
To secure your place at Enterprize Pitch Day on Friday 13 October, contact Amy Hsylop a.hyslop@business.uq.edu.au
Media enquiries:
Cathy Stacey
Marketing Development Manager
Phone (07) 3365 6179
Mobile 0434 074 372
Fiona Sutton
Mobile 0423 637 699
Email media@business.uq.edu.au
