The long awaited, added membership value, technical section of the ISTT website, the Technical Resource Centre (TRC), has now been launched and heralds a large increase in the information available online to both ISTT and ASTT members.
Access to the TRC will be only available to financial ASTT members. It can be accessed from the Members Area icon on the ASTT web site. Members without their passwords are requested to e-mail
jeffpace@astt.com.au to obtain their log on and password details.
Based on the style of the hard copy Trenchless Technology Guidelines published in 1998, the new TRC has nine sections, including asset management, on- and off-line replacement, and site survey. The sections cover the full span of trenchless techniques in a descriptive style which can be printed off as needed. Each of the nine sections then has links to sub-sections in a database for those who need more specific information. Each section features an introductory guideline, providing basic technology information and operating descriptions based on the previous hard copy “÷ISTT Guidelines’ structure. At launch, this database will be a task in progress, and will increase in size over the coming months and years, as additional data is processed and sorted.
The core of the TRC is the “÷Conference Papers’ database, which has been the most difficult and labour-intensive item to prepare. At present it contains 600 papers presented at the International No-Digs from 2000 to 2004 and the NASTT No-Dig Shows from 2001 to 2004. The papers presented at the Trenchless events in Hong Kong 2002 and Dubai 2003 respectively have also been added.
The papers have been pre-sorted according to the nine topics and can be identified by searching for keywords from their titles and abstracts. It is also possible to search for papers from a certain author or event. The papers themselves are then free to download in PDF format by ASTT members.
Work is now underway to add papers from the International No-Digs in Rotterdam 2005 and Brisbane 2006, and there will a full listing of all International No-Dig papers presented between 1985 and 1999 and NASTT No-Dig Show papers from 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. These older International No-Dig papers, which are only held as hard – copy at present will be made available to ISTT members for an administrative charge to cover scanning and postage. The NASTT No-Dig Show papers will be available from the NASTT through its website. In total these listings will provide details of a further 950 papers bringing the total in excess of 1,500.
The TRC will also contain lists of codes and standards classified according to type with details of how they may be obtained (few codes or standards are free!) There will also be a bibliography and list of publications.
In accordance with the ISTT’s objective to advance the development and application of Trenchless Technology worldwide and to promote study and research, the TRC provides a unique source of approved detailed information on all aspects of no-dig techniques to all ASTT members.
New members
On behalf of the ASTT, I extend a warm welcome to the following new Corporate Members:
Mr Tim McClure
from R & R McClure Excavations
Mr Lee McCourt
from McCourt Dando Pty Ltd
Mr Eric Jas
from Atteris Pty Ltd
Mr Jas has also upgraded his membership to Corporate status after being an Individual member since January 2000.
Jeff Pace
ASTT Secretary