Features

The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is common practice in many countries. The aged bitumen from RAP has a lower penetration and is more viscous than it was when first mixed. The reclaimed bitumen is generally balanced by the addition of fresh binder softer than the traditional one used to produce hot mixes. However, balancing penetration and softening point or viscosity does not produce an identical bitumen to the original one. One fundamental option is the regeneration of the aged binder in order t

The historic city of Raleigh in North Carolina is one of the few cities in the US that was planned and built specifically to serve as a state capital and its population and traffic volume have grown enormously in recent years An indicator of Raleigh's growth has been the need for an expanded roadway system to serve Wake County. As early as the 1970s there were plans for a Western Wake Expressway. This developed into a 112km, interstate-grade beltway, known as the Raleigh Outer Loop, which will encompass Ral

A series of rural road rebuilds have improved transport connections in the Czech Republic, helping to boost connectivity and the local economy The roads around Brandýs nad Labem, some 25km to the southwest of Czech capital Prague are crucial arteries to the rural and agricultural areas of the country. An assessment by regional authorities indicated that these roads are in need of repair. That led to cold planing and paving work on a series of rural roads near Brandýs nad Labem. The regional authorities had

Dual layer paving offers benefits to wear life as well as major cost reductions - Mike Woof reports The concept of laying the binder course and wearing course at the same time is not new to the road construction market. Various contractors have been working on systems over a number of years, with several manufacturers helping directly with these projects. A number of firms have investigated this method but three manufacturers in particular, Dynapac and Vögele in Europe and Sumitomo in Japan, have made major

The country of Qatar, located on the Persian Gulf, developed a master plan to build a new replacement airport in its capital city of Doha, the New Doha International Airport, in 2003. Its goal is to have a facility capable of handling 50 million passengers; two million tons (1.8million tonnes) of cargo, and 320,000 aircraft landings and take-offs each year by 2015. Phase one of the aggressive project is scheduled for completion early next year. The Tayseeir Contractors Company Joint Venture, including Conso

A mobile crushing solution at an Argentine quarry is said to increase production by 100% Caminos del Mercosur found success in the mid-1990s supplying crushed rock for the construction of new roads. Recently the company has enhanced its reputation as an innovator in aggregates production and supply through the adoption of tracked crushing technology. Based in Posadas, Misiones, Argentina, it says it has modernised its production capabilities through investing in a modern, mobile crusher, the Sandvik supplie

At this time of tight public budgets, performance-based maintenance contracts are gaining traction internationally, with a growing number of transport agencies recognising it as an effective instrument for making investment decisions that minimise risk and lower operating costs of existing and newly constructed highway infrastructure. However, a comprehensive survey conducted across 56 countries by IRF’s Asset Management Committee has revealed that progress is uneven. A majority of survey respondents indic

IRF once more broke ground by gathering over 600 regional transport officials for the world's first comprehensive review of sustainable transport solutions in the context of the Andean Region. Lima, Peru, an important regional crossroads for trade and a hub for engineering know-how, offered an ideal backdrop for the Congress. The event offered a comprehensive panorama of design, construction, and maintenance solutions adapted to the region's exceptionally complex topography. Geological and climatic conside

The culmination of extensive deliberation and work over the past few years by IRF Geneva’s Policy Committee on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), The IRF Vienna Manifesto on ITS – Smart Transport Policies for Sustainable Mobility will be the object of a high-profile launch during the forthcoming 19th ITS World Congress, to be held in the Austrian capital from 22-26 October 2012. The Manifesto brings together key policy arguments for investing in ITS as well as a set of supporting policy recommendations. I

The latest in the series of major road safety conferences hosted by IRF’s India Chapter will take place in New Delhi from 1-2 November 2012, with the focus on Urban and Rural Roads Each day, thousands of people are injured or killed on roads around the world. According to the World Bank, “the social and economic losses from road deaths and injuries in low and middle-income countries are projected to be on a catastrophic scale. . .” Globally, road injuries and deaths are due to a number of factors. This unde

In this second of a two-part interview, Rohit Baluja introduces the work of the Delhi-based Institute of Road Traffic Education that he established in 1991 by way of practical response to the particular challenges of road safety in a developing world context Despite the alarming trends outlined in the first part of this article (World Highways: Vol.21, Issue No.6), Rohit Baluja remains optimistic that, if only the proper foundations of traffic management systems can be established, there is no reason why dr

Iconic California crossing will offer seismic safety – Adrian Greeman reports A unique single-span single-tower suspension bridge is the iconic centrepiece of a dramatic renewal of the eastern Bay Bridge in California, crossing from San Francisco to Oakland. Tourists in San Francisco sometimes mix up their bridges, identifying as the famous Golden Gate, the double suspension bridge which runs across the wide San Francisco Bay. These serially linked bridges in fact form the Bay Bridge east to Oakland whereas