Intermediate Equipment Handbook
Intech Associates
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Material for this manual has been assembled from assignments and colleagues working in the appropriate
technology road works sector in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, as well as available reference documentation.
Important cooperation from engineers and other personnel in the road authorities in these countries has been
supported by a number of agencies and organisations including DFID, ADB, BPWA, CIDA, DANIDA, DGIS,
EU, Helvetas, ICE, KfW, NORAD, SDC, SIDA, USAID, ILO, TRL and the World Bank. The author wishes to
acknowledge the cooperation and support received from these individuals and organisations, as well as the
valuable comments on the drafts provided by colleagues. Particularly significant contributions have been made
by William Benko, Andreas Beusch, Malcolm Cutler, Kingstone Gongera, Colin Gourley, David Griffiths, John
Howell, Alain Labeau, Collins Makoriwa, Ramsey Neseyif, Patricia Petts, David Salter, John Douglas Tracey-
White and Marcus Van Zyl.
THE AUTHOR
Robert Petts is Principal of Intech Associates; Consulting Engineers to the road management and maintenance
sector.
Robert Petts, B Sc, C Eng, MICE, MIHT, MIAgrE.
Intech Associates, 53 The Park, Great Bookham, Surrey, KT23 3LN, UK.
e-mail: rob@intech-consult.demon.co.uk
THE FUTURE
This Handbook has been planned as a dynamic knowledge source, to be available to practitioners free of charge
in electronic form. Comments and contributions for future editions are welcomed by the Author. Extracts from
the Handbook may be used freely, provided that the source is appropriately acknowledged by title and author.
Suitable download web-sites are being investigated to make this Handbook available to as wide an audience as
possible.
At the time of finalising the initial edition of this Manual, there are concerns and intense discussions on the issue
of the carbon footprint of all economic and social activities. Available data is currently limited on construction
equipment sourcing and application. However, the Author believes that this issue will become increasingly
important in political and economic decision making. It is possible that Intermediate Equipment approaches will
be shown to have the potential to provide more eco-friendly and sustainable solutions to rural development
challenges as further research knowledge becomes available. These will be in addition to the undoubted social,
local employment and affordability benefits.
This Handbook focuses on a number of key issues relating to equipment ownership and operation. Research for
this document has highlighted significant knowledge gaps that could be beneficially investigated. Besides the
carbon footprint issues, there is a need for more knowledge and better understanding of the potential,
performance, limitations and factors affecting operation and costs of Intermediate Equipment in Emerging and
Developing regions. It is planned to develop a companion guide on Intermediate Equipment operation.
The benefits of the Intermediate Equipment approaches will not be realised unless all of the sector stakeholders
act in concert to disseminate, support and ensure the mainstreaming of the concepts and approaches embodied in
this Handbook.
October 2012
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