Features

Bentley’s point cloud innovation for information modelling in road design
August 22, 2013
Latest software packages from Bentley Systems will help optimise project design and construction efficiency – Mike Woof reports Software systems have come a long way in helping optimise construction projects from design through construction to delivery. And the latest software from Bentley Systems offers additional capabilities for road design applications. Bentley Systems is offering the V8i (SELECTseries 3) versions of its InRoads, GEOPAK, and MXROAD products. All of the products now share the
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Caterpillar smoothens Colombian airport
August 21, 2013
Cartagena, Colombia’s coastal city attracts large numbers of visitors, generating heavy traffic through the Rafael Nuñez International Airport. However the surface of the runway had suffered from heavy wear, r esulting in bumpy landings and this was in need of repair. In addition, engineers wanted to create a graded, ramped approach to aid with both take-offs and landings. However, the volume of air traffic using the airport meant that construction work had to take place in a tight timeframe, between mi
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Redevelopments at southern Polish airports
August 21, 2013
Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport in the south-east of Poland is now benefiting from a new taxiway constructed over a 50-month period and costing some €22.5 million. The work was required as the airport needs to increase capacity to cope with growing passenger traffic. The main portion of the project was for the construction of a 3km long taxiway, which lies parallel to the airport’s main runway. This taxiway now allows aircraft to manoeuvre away from the single runway and free up capacity for take-offs and land
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Upgrades to Fort McMurray airport will aid Canada’s oil industry
August 21, 2013
Canada’s vast tar sands operation is providing a major financial boost to the country and this industry has relied heavily on Fort McMurray airport. Situated in Alberta, Fort McMurray is a remote town that has seen a huge expansion following the upturn in activity in the tar sands operations nearby. Although the massive resource has been worked for decades, only in the last 15 years or so have new extraction methods made the operation truly economic. Since 2010 Fort McMurray’s population has increas
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Mali’s international airport sees improvement
August 21, 2013
A three-year modernisation programme at Bamako-Sénou international airport will improve the facility and allow larger aircraft and greater passenger numbers. The Malian Government has been undertaking a vast extension of the airport with the aim of being able to accommodate over a million passengers/year and all sizes of passenger aircraft. The project is being handled by MCA-Mali, a consortium led by RAZEL-BEC and also including the Vinci Group, which is active in Mali. Guillaume Derousseau, constructio
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Runway rebuild for key Bulgarian airport
August 21, 2013
Varna Airport in north-east Bulgaria provides an important international link for the country, with a runway rebuild helping improve capacity. The airport is of particular importance for Bulgaria’s tourist trade as it provides a major connection for visitors to the Black Sea coast. And the reconstruction work at Varna Airport’s only runway will ensure the facility is able to handle the area’s increasing visitor numbers. The project had to be carried out quickly and efficiently to prevent delays to f
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Hamburg-Finkenwerder airport has new runway surface
August 21, 2013
Hamburg’s Finkenwerder airport is now benefiting from a new runway surface following work carried out by contractor KEMNA BAU. The company recently used machines from Dynapac to resurface 36,000m2 of the runway track in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, a facility used by Airbus. The airport handles around 10-15 take-offs and landings/day when aircraft are either undergoing flight testing or being delivered to customers, as well as for deliveries of components by transport aircraft. The project was tricky as the
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New airport for Papua New Guinea
August 21, 2013
A new airport has been constructed in the southern highlands of Papua New Guinea that will help with communications and logistics for the development of a natural gas project in the area. Built at Komo, the airport is sufficiently large to be able to handle the massive Russian Antonov AH-124-100 transport aircraft. Construction of the airport however proved challenging as the climate in this mountainous area is known for its changeable weather and heavy seasonal rainfall. However the airport was need
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Improved runways for Jeddah International Airport
August 21, 2013
With an increasing number of aircraft using Jeddah International Airport in Saudi Arabia, the authorities realised there was a need to upgrade the facilities. King Abdulaziz International Airport opened in 1982 and serves over 15 million passengers/year, with a high percentage travelling on the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, some 80km away. The city has the largest port on the Red Sea and is named after Abd al-Aziz ibn Saud, the former king and founding father of Saudi Arabia, and is one of the kin
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A global perspective on sustainable transportation systems
August 21, 2013
With nearly 400 participants from 21 countries and tribal nations, the recent 2013 International Conference on Ecology and Transportation (ICOET) held in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, was a resounding success – writes Leonard Sielecki The five-day conference ran from June 23rd-27th 2013, and attracted transportation planners, engineers, environmentalists, and academics from national and state agencies, universities, and non-government organisations. It was organised and co-sponsored by the Center for Trans
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Research shows male drivers more likely to overtake rashly
July 1, 2013
A new survey carried out in the UK reveals that male drivers are more likely to risk lives by overtaking blind and speeding on rural roads. As a result male drivers are being urged to be more careful. The survey was carried out jointly by safety body Brake and insurance firm Direct Line. The data reveals that 24% of drivers risk catastrophic head-on crashes by overtaking blind, while 44% admit speeding at over the national speed limit of 96km/h (60mph) on rural roads. Men are much more likely to take these
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FEHRL Brussels event proves successful
July 1, 2013
The recent Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL) Infrastructure Research Meeting 2013 in Brussels (FIRM 2013) attracted a large number of attendees, from Europe as well as further overseas. The event included a number of presentations on key road infrastructure topics, with major input also from other associations such as the European Asphalt Paving Association (EAPA). The plenary session drew high-level speakers from a number of National Road Administrations and European institut
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ERF aims to boost the voice of road infrastructure in EU research policy
July 1, 2013
As of 1 January 2014, the European Union's (EU's) next Multi-Annual Financial Framework for the period 2014–2020 will come into effect. One of the key components of this European strategy aimed at boosting competitiveness and increasing Europe’s innovation potential is the EU’s Strategic Framework for Research and Development called ‘Horizon 2020’. Recognising that without research and development, Europe cannot maintain the industrial leadership it currently holds in many areas, European leaders look set t
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Bridge engineering worldwide
July 1, 2013
Guy Woodford looks at vital bridge construction, repair and inspection projects in China, Europe, North America and Australia The Heron Road Bridge in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada is a vital link within the City’s transport network, as it crosses the Rideau River, which divides the east and west parts of the City. Constructed in 1966-1967, the Heron Road Bridge is approximately 275m long and includes six lanes.
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Effective washing processes are crucial to provide quality materials
July 1, 2013
Effective washing processes are crucial to providing quality materials. Materials washing specialist CDE is offering three updated machines, the Evowash, the M2500 and the Agg Max 83R. All three machines have benefitted from improvements compared to previous versions but the Evowash unit features the most changes, including two ideas with patents pending. “We have been evolving the Evowash ever since we invented it 20 years ago, hence its name,” said Iain Walker, technical sales manager for the Middle East.
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