Feasibility of Transporting Mainland Aggregate to Auckland.

Type of content
Theses / Dissertations
Publisher's DOI/URI
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)(Civil)
Publisher
University of Canterbury
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
English
Date
2004
Authors
Brockett, David
Abstract

The Auckland aggregate industry is approaching a crisis situation: conflicting land use and amenity values in both urban and rural areas are relegating quarries to increasingly remote sites. This has lead to higher transport costs, increased wear and congestion on the roading network and the ability of the suppliers to control the market through decreased competition. A seemingly inexhaustible source of quality aggregate can be won from the West Coast of the South Island, where geomorphic action produces material and high rainfall and gravity transport it to the coast often threatening important infrastructure. This dissertation examines the plausible method and conditions to transport aggregate from the overstocked supply of Westland to the resource handicapped greater Auckland area. Investigation involved literature review; meeting market authorities, contacting both local and central government authorities; and discussion with academics. It was found that the governance of the New Zealand Transport sector is currently in flux meaning only speculative projections can be drawn. The West Coast river gravel resource is predominantly high grade aggregate greywacke and granite origin, with the proportion of low-grade aggregate schist increasing the further south the location. Sustainable extraction quantities from West Coast would need to be established prior to removal of large quantities of gravel. Access to the Port of Onehunga is restricted to 4 days a week and no barges are currently available due to the international demand for coal. It is inevitable that the Auckland Aggregate resource will become exhausted. It was deduced that this will to occur between 2015 and 2021. The shipping of sealing chip to Auckland is currently feasible if a back load is negotiated. Shipping other aggregate types will become feasible as the native resource diminishes and the cost of compliance in Auckland increases further.

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Citation
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Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Rights
All Right Reserved