TerraLoc

03/05/2024

City Power and Eskom know we have a solution for the underground cable theft. I have seen them on numerous occasions. Now they're standing there with their hands in the air. I think its time to talk to the press including 702 to make the public aware.

File: View of the South African flag with a magnifying glass. Videos World Press Freedom Day | Celebrating three decades of media freedom 44 minutes ago

09/05/2021

Frequently asked questions
1.) Is there a reason why we must use your bitumen? – Can we use any bitumen?
· You can use any anionic bitumen emulsion. The electrical charge in cationic bitumen emulsions are inclined to delay the polymerisation process prolonging the curing time.

· Using anionic emulsion, the initial time for the chemical reaction to take place is a few hours whilst using cationic emulsions it might take a few days.

· Due to the delay in curing when using cationic emulsions it can be expected that the final load bearing capacity of the treated soil would be about 70% of that when anionic emulsion is used.

· We prefer to use the bitumen emulsion from our supplier due to the surfactants used in manufacturing the emulsion are less harmful to the environment than others.

· As bitumen is actually a reclaimed product extracted from petrochemical waste there is always the risk that there are differences between batches supplied by unknown sources.

· Most bitumen emulsions used are of the cationic type and only a few manufacturers take the required care when manufacturing anionic emulsions.

· Soil conditions vary within a short distance and it is unwise to use unknown materials in an application where the cost of the bitumen has a small influence on the final cost of the installation.


The important point to remember that in any technology, it is relatively easy to provide a product to achieve some kind of result but experience provides insight in what not to do. Cement based products have unique properties and should only be used in those applications where it is well suited such as providing high compressive strengths. It does not adsorb heat well and is difficult to remove in the event of cable repairs or fault tracing. There are some costly water based polymers that could add load bearing properties to soil but soften when wet. These products are not well suited for this application.

Terraloc has been used for many years and experience has adapted its formulation and patents to suit adequate load loading strengths in most kinds of soils especially tailored for this application. In the event that a cable needs to be replaced the treated soil remains pickable and most important is that the excavated soil can be treated again without any remedial requirements. The hardness of the treated soil does require mechanical assistance and time to remove a cable that is not normally available to parties to remove the copper for personal gain.

Terraloc is a unique product that has not been equaled in more than twenty years. It is the only product that could achieve an interim Agrément Certificate (2015/496) for the use of an additive in soils as stabilizer to harden most materials. It is the only product to provide a wet-strength as it is insoluble in water after curing. Due to its ability to harden most kinds of soils its performance remains consistent and is enhanced in sandy soils. It is important to note that the thermal properties of the substrate will remain maintain consistent under most climatic conditions.

When alternative materials are used there is a risk of selected performance creating hot spots reducing the life of the cable. For this reason it is important to note that bitumen is only a part of the formulation and if replaced by an alternative material certain difficulties are expected.

2.) Can I share the MDMS information with my colleagues in our environmental department?
· Yes please do share the information as the MDMS is intended to allow people not familiar with the product to know how to react in the event of an emergency.

· In the industry of chemical soil stabilizers there are quite a few unscrupulous suppliers with claims based on the performance of other materials. For this reason we prefer to limit the amount of information to others and require a confidentiality agreement of our Intellectual Property with our customers.

3.) Once the mixture is complete, what is the thermal resistivity of the soil-Terraloc mixture once it is dry?
SANS 10198 gives testing that can be done, to determine this. Thermal resistivity of the soil-Teraloc mixture will determine how much we must de-rate our cable.

· The thermal resistivity of the treated soil is the same as the original material or could be slightly more conductive due to a more consistent compaction found when Terraloc is used.

· In laboratory tests no meaningful differences were found.

· Terraloc has the ability to act as a compaction aid. This means that the risk of hot spots along the cable is reduced where compaction using only water could cause small cavities along the line.

· It is safe to assume that the thermal conductivity will not be reduced and no derating is required.



4.) Is the soil-Terraloc mixture electrically conductive? If so, what is Ohmmeter reading?
· The electrical conductivity of the treated soil is similar to that of the compacted treated soil given the local soil moisture conditions.

· Due to the low dosage rates little or no difference in the electrical or thermal properties of the soil has been found.

5.) Has the soil-Terraloc mixture got electrical insulating properties?
In which case what is the insulation mm/kV it can give?

· No high voltage tests with treated soil have been done and it is expected not to alter the electrical properties of the treated soil.

· The only electrical properties of Terraloc were done to determine the resistivity of the cured chemicals without any soil added. The properties of oven baked samples compared to that of most plastics regarding dielectric strength or resistivity.

· It is important to remember that at dosages below 5% the properties of the substrate would dominate.

6.) Can this be used on steel, to prevent theft?
· Terraloc is not intended to be used on materials with a homogeneous surface.

· The purpose of Terraloc is to enhance the latent binding properties of materials such as soil, coal or other organic materials and should not be seen as an adhesive.

· It is especially effective where materials containing materials where isomorphic substitution of the compounds can be found.

7.) Is this product similar to Polyurea products on the market?
· The product “Polyurea” is a surface spray provided by the company ABE and others.

· It is a polyurethane based material that is intended to form a film and not an additive into soil to form a volumetric inert substance.

· Terraloc is not intended to be used as film and act as bridge between particles. It is able to allow gas to pass through the substrate but is hydrophilic that forms a solid substance with extremely low permeability. For that reason treated substrates should preferably be more than 20 mm thick.

09/05/2021

Product Info

TerraLoc is added to crushed stone, natural gravels or sand to form a water resistant, elastic and robust layer. It improves the compressive, tensile and shear strength of all gravel and also the abrasion and water resistance of the particulate materials for construction and cable protection. It is insoluble in water and hence does not leach. The mixing ratios and application rate (mix design) depend on the site specific material and the required design specifications.

TerraLoc encases HV, MV and LV cables and selected accessories (including bedding and blanket soil layers) to prevent theft. Terraloc does not affect thermal resistivity of surrounding soil or heat dissipation from cable. There is a simple means to remove encasement for instance where the client needs to perform maintenance. TerraLoc is manufactured under license to Ecobond which is Agrément SA Certified.

TerraLoc/ Ecobond is a patented product.

09/05/2021

About the Company

TerraLoc was created after the need for a reliable and cost effective solution to combat the current copper cable theft problem being faced by Electricity Suppliers, Mine, Communications and Rail industries. We created an anti cable theft solution called Terraloc. It was specifically created to protect any type of subterranean cables whether it’s electrical cables or a water pipe or even a gas line. Our product was tested by Eskom on two of their worst affected sub stations and there have been no further cable thefts for the last 2 years.

Our product poses no threat to the cables overheating or any other related issues. It’s 100% safe to the existing infrastructure.

The cost is very affordable. Enquiries can be sent to [email protected].

We are committed to engage in Local Economic Development and we work towards building Entrepreneurs as we believe this is where the future of our great country lies.

When an installation is required, we provide a team of Specialists to deliver on batching and mixing of chemicals, calibration of equipment and application of chemicals. furthermore, all application teams will have access to a Project Manager to ensure compliance and a quality installation.

We also provide onsite training to our clients if required.

We have an established “Back of House” team, who will provide outstanding after-sales service, which includes all Admin-, Financial-, Operations-, and Sales related queries

Terraloc is the best and only certified product to use for the following:

1. Cable theft

2. Cable protection

3. Anti Cable theft

4. Copper cables

5. Electrical Cables

6. Cable theft protection

7. Gas Pipe Line Protection

8. Water pipe Line Protection

09/05/2021