Features

XCMG is developing its overseas activities with a programme called 'One Belt, One Road'. Representatives from 18 countries recently travelled to XCMG’s headquarters in China to launch the firm’s new Overseas Service Activity. This is focusing particularly on service support for customers involved in the New Silk Road project. The launch event was followed by a seminar at XCMG, with officials discussing business opportunities deriving from the 'One Belt, One Road' strategy. This forms part of a drive by t

Effective demarcation can play a crucial role in boosting safety for road users. Good demarcation is vital on a road network to help ensure that drivers stay in the correct lanes and are warned of changes that lie in their path, for example. Road markings are hugely important and for those involved in maintenance, ensuring that these are visible at night and in poor weather can help maximise safety. New technology is on the market now that can help road authorities ensure that road markings meet requirement

European and US manufacturers traditionally hold strong positions in the global market for road safety barrier systems. The strength of the European and US testing systems and processes as well as their respective legislation have helped this position. Both European and US standards for road safety barriers are well understood in other territories and are also accepted in many countries around the globe.

A test stretch of road in the US is playing a valuable role in developing technology and boosting traffic safety -*Tom Gibson writes Located a short distance from the Virginia Tech campus in the mountains of rural southwest Virginia in the mid-Atlantic region of United States, the Virginia Smart Road looks like a conventional road. But venturing to either end of the 3.5km-long thoroughfare reveals that it actually goes nowhere, at least for now. The result of a plan conceived back in the 1980s, the Vi

Concrete production technology is advancing as new systems come to market – Mike Woof reports The efficient production of high-quality concrete is crucial to many construction projects. Whether high-output plants are being used for large bridge or tunnel projects, or smaller mobile units are being used to supply specific operations such as central reservation barrier installation, the quality of the product is vital. Production technology has improved across the board due to the introduction of new systems.

In the US state of Arkansas, a key stretch of concrete roads has been improved, allowing it to cope with current traffic volumes.

Kenya’s many motorcycle taxis have an unenviably poor record for road safety - Shem Oirere writes. A state-owned road safety agency in Kenya is grappling with enforcement of new traffic regulations aimed at reducing the number of road accidents involving two-wheeled motorcycle taxis, popularly known as boda boda. The latest statistics indicate that fatalities relating to these vehicles shot up by 58% during the first four months of 2015. Experts have concurred with a previous study by the World Health Or

New concrete paving machines offer greater versatility as well as performance – Mike Woof writes GOMACO said that its Next Generation Commander III paver has been designed to increase safety and all-round visibility, while offering improved performance. This four track paver benefits from the firm’s latest G+ Connect technology as well as 3D guidance options. A key to the improved performance is the G+ control system while the machine also has power from a quiet, low-emission Tier 4 engine. Fuel consumption

This month we look at two new methods which are allowing concrete to be tested on the spot, and [over the page] we catch up on the latest news from concrete testing equipment suppliers - Kristina Smith writes Sometimes test results can be very bad news. If the concrete pavement or bridge abutment has already been poured, and if the concrete does not meet the specification, the outcome could be very expensive remedial work.

An array of new bridge refurbishment and repair solutions are available – Mike Woof writes Around the world there are many bridges requiring repairs or refurbishment, and there is a ready market for novel solutions to upgrade existing structures. New developments offer quicker and more efficient ways to improve bridge surfaces and structural performance and add new life to ageing designs. Spancrete is broadening the availability of its novel precast building solutions worldwide by offering these to th

The crushing and screening sector has seen a flurry of new model launches in recent months, with a series of new equipment introductions - Mike Woof writes. Crushing and screening systems play a vital role in the overall cost effectiveness of a quarrying operation. Ensuring that a quarry runs efficiently relies heavily on the appropriateness of the entire crushing and screening set-up for the material input, the output grades and the compatibility of each separate unit. Mobility has been a key issue in rece

Two major developments being introduced will help optimise traffic flow on routes carrying high volumes of vehicles/day. An installation of Flexicon’s flexible conduit will help keep the traffic flowing on one of the busiest sections of the M6 motorway through Birmingham by protecting power and data cabling for overhead gantries and CCTV cameras. On behalf of Highways England, who is implementing a hard shoulder running scheme between junctions 5 and 8, contractor’s Carillion is using the 63mm diameter L

Gülay Malkoc discusses the importance of investing in road maintenance.

Fast repair of Cairo’s busy urban highway has been achieved using paving equipment. And MOBA levelling technology played an important role in ensuring finish quality met requirements. Cairo is Egypt’s fast-growing capital city, with an estimated population of around 20 million living in its catchment area. The city’s fast growth rate however has placed enormous demands on its infrastructure, with transportation creaking under the strain. An increasing numbers of people use the roads in and around Cairo ev