Changes in AS4324.1-2017 – Procurement

By Richard Morgan
Changes in AS 4324.1-2017 - Procurement

Standards Australia recently published the latest edition of AS 4324.1 Mobile equipment for continuous handling of bulk materials – General requirements for the design of steel structures in December 2017. The standard was first published in 1995 and the revision has been prepared by the Standards Australia ME43 committee to update it and clarify areas which have caused ambiguity. It was recognised that AS 4324.1 is very important in the procurement process for this equipment and this aspect needed further emphasis.

The usual method for procuring bulk materials handling machines is a design and construct contract with the contractor having responsibility for design, manufacture, supply and installation. As the contractor is responsible for design and the equipment is critical for the performance of the facility, it is important that the design requirements are specified clearly. This led to more emphasis being placed on specifying design requirements that are specific to the machine, and the recognition that effective controls, protective devices systems and load limiting devices play an integral part in the operation and limitation of applied loading to structures of this type.

Appendix B in AS 4324.1 prescribes information that is required to be established within a technical specification for supply of a machine. The Appendix was significantly expanded in the 2017 edition with the objective of providing a comprehensive checklist for writing a technical specification to ensure the purchaser and supplier are in agreement on the details of supply.

Further items have been added to Table B1 of AS 4324.1 for inclusion in the technical specification:

  • Nominate rates, production requirements etc. – Clause 1.9
  • Nominate corrosion allowances – Clause 1.10
  • Nominate standards for mechanical, electrical and controls – Clause 1.11
  • Nominate limitations on use of brittle materials – Clause 2.2
  • Nominate material / fabrication standards including substitutions – Clause 2.3
  • Clarify load case requirements – Clause 3.1.1
  • Nominate settings for protective and load limiting devices – Clause 3.1.2
  • Nominate bulk densities – Clause 3.1.3
  • Nominate requirements for design mass – Clause 3.3.2
  • Nominate requirements for excessive encrustation – Clause 3.3.3
  • Nominate design methods for material loads – Clause 3.3.5
  • Nominate allowable protective / load limiting devices – Clause 3.3.6
  • Nominate methods for permanent dynamic effects – Clause 3.3.9
  • Provide information about conveyors – Clause 3.3.10
  • Nominate pin and pivot point details – Clauses 3.3.11 and 3.5.15
  • Nominate friction factor for crawler machines – Clause 3.3.12
  • Nominate details for wind speeds – Clause 3.4.2
  • Nominate service life etc. – Clause 3.4.3
  • Clarify loading requirements – Clauses 3.4.4 to 3.4.7
  • Nominate design requirements for temporary conditions – Clauses 3.4.10 to 3.4.11
  • Nominate abnormal inclination requirements – Clause 3.4.12
  • Clarify grounding requirements – Clause 3.5.2
  • Clarify requirements for blocked chutes and hoppers – Clause 3.5.5
  • Clarify requirements for flooded belt – Clause 3.5.6
  • Clarify requirements for collision cases – Clauses 3.5.7 to 3.5.9
  • Clarify requirements for wind loading – Clause 3.5.10
  • Nominate requirements for earthquake loading – Clause 3.5.12
  • Nominate applicable changes to load combinations – Clause 3.7
  • Nominate stability requirements for wind loading – Clause 4.1
  • Nominate special requirements for assessment of drifting – Clause 4.2
  • Nominate fatigue design life – Clause 5.2
  • Nominate special requirements for permissible stress method – Clause 5.4.2
  • Clarify buckling design requirements – Clause 5.4.2.6
  • Nominate special requirements for limit state design – Clause 5.4.3.6
  • Nominate special requirements for serviceability – Clause 5.4.4
  • Nominate special requirements for fatigue design – Clause 5.5
  • Nominate special redundancy requirements – Clauses 5.7.1 to 5.7.7
  • Nominate requirements for catch hooks – Clause 5.8
  • Nominate requirements for lifting items – Clause 5.10
  • Nominate the extent to which loading from Clause 3.7 is applied to ancillary structures – Clause 6.1
  • Nominate the extent to which loading from Clause 3.7 is applied to supporting structures and rails – Clause 6.2
  • Nominate the extent to which loading from Clause 3.7 is applied to tie-down and restraints – Clause 6.3
  • Nominate the extent to which loading from Clause 3.7 is applied to major maintenance works – Clause 6.4
  • Other Geometrical requirements or limitations to be provided—i.e. stockpile layouts, berth layouts, etc.