Connected Construction

ITS JPO Releases Turbo Architecture Version 7.0

April 5, 2012

The US Department of Transportation's ITS Joint Program Office has announced the latest update to Turbo Architecture 7.0, a software application that supports development of regional and project ITS architectures using the National ITS Architecture as a reference. Turbo Architecture is heavily utilised by transportation system professionals in both the public and private sectors to document the inventory and interfaces for regional and project ITS architectures.

Innovation in concrete mixing

April 4, 2012

Nurock Mixers has developed an innovative compact volumetric machine.

Affordable excavator GPS grade control

April 4, 2012

Hemisphere GPS says that its new Earthworks excavator grade control system suits use with small to medium-sized contractors. The package is said to be simple and affordable and displays bucket position relative to desired grade, improving accuracy and efficiency when digging foundations, trenching, cutting a slope and in many other excavation applications.

Bentley announces award nominees

March 21, 2012

Software specialist Bentley Systems has announced the project finalists in the 2011 Be Inspired Awards competition and the four winners of the 2011 Be Inspired Special Recognition Awards. The awards honour the extraordinary work of Bentley users improving and sustaining the world's infrastructure. Five independent panels of jurors, comprising accomplished Bentley users and distinguished industry experts, selected the 59 finalists and the Special Recognition Awards candidates from nominations submitted by 27

Software developments aids construction projects

March 21, 2012

Liebherr claims its wide range of Litronic control system featuring CANUS software ensures construction projects are delivered on time and to budget. The system’s PDE data recording unit logs information such as depth, suspension levels, drilling speed and geometry. It then displays it in real-time via a colour touchscreen in the operator's construction machine cab. Due to constant awareness of the working process, the operator is able to adapt the PDE unit to suit changing environmental conditions. PDE rec

ESRI's highway data solution

March 20, 2012

ESRI is developing a comprehensive highway data maintenance and linear referencing solution scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2010. Aimed at highway departments, state departments of transportation, and national roadway administrations, the company says it will provide an integrated set of tools and functionality that allows agencies to easily maintain highway geometry, their associated multiple linear referencing systems, and complex roadway features

Precision narrows the gap between design software and GIS

March 20, 2012

Greater precision is helping blur the boundaries between GIS technology and design software While GIS map based technology has extended its range across an ever more universal spectrum of uses in the highways sector, it is increasingly showing weaknesses for engineering purposes. It is very often not accurate enough. This has not mattered previously because the GIS tool has been seen essentially as an automated version of paper based systems from the design department's point of view. Where engineers

Innovative utilities approach

March 20, 2012

An innovative approach to the management of utilities works is the result of a partnership that has produced the Intelligent Trench. This novel underground mapping solution is also being combined with PelicanCorp's beforeUdig service to deliver a comprehensive and accurate national record-sharing service for underground assets in the UK. The new no-charge service allows local authorities and contractors to use the Intelligent Trench portal to access utility plan information directly from the portal's data b

New functionality for infrasfructure design software

March 20, 2012

Chris Bradshaw, Autodesk's vice-president for the Infrastructure Solutions division spoke to World Highways. The launch of the fourth version of its Civil 3D design software early this year will see software maker Autodesk getting serious about its road and general civil engineering package. Bigger projects can be handled in the 2008 version, and a range of new functionality is being added. "Though not everything we would like yet," said Chris Bradshaw, Autodesk's vicepresident for the Infrastructure S

Award-winning road and bridge design software

March 20, 2012

The integration of software tools, users and data was an important factor in a major highway project The giant High Five interchange in Texas, USA, emerged as a key winner in Bentley Systems' software awards this year. It won both the Innovation in Road and Bridge category and, significantly, Connecting Project Teams. The awards, a feature of the annual exhibition/conference organised by the software house, attract increasing interest from industry, and competition has become widespread, not least bec