Skip to main content

Features

A defining milestone for Caribbean cooperation
July 20, 2012
Over 200 delegates from 31 countries took part in the 1st IRF Caribbean Regional Congress, a new platform for dialogue at the service of a region with fast-evolving infrastructure needs. As they address the questions of development and global integration, many of the Caribbean region's island nations are adopting visionary measures to adapt their highway infrastructure to the needs of a booming economy, growing regional trade and an increasingly mobile population.
Quieter roads
July 20, 2012
Sound absorption systems can cut traffic noise With traffic volumes increasing worldwide and highways having to be redesigned to minimise their impact on the environment, the industry has had to come up with new solutions that reduce the impact of roads. Highway noise is a major issue both in urban and non-urban locations so engineers have been busy developing innovative solutions that can help alleviate this problem. Durability and effective noise dampening properties are claimed for the new All Weather So
Making a base
July 20, 2012
Soil stabilisation offers a cost effective solution for road construction in the right conditions Ensuring the soil underneath the aggregate base of a road has been stabilised with cement, lime or fly-ash can provide a greater working life and a reduced risk of problems that can arise as the road ages, such as subsidence. The technology works particularly well in ground with high clay content and where there are local shortages of stone for use in aggregates. Reducing the need for aggregates where they are
Multi-role machinery for utility sector
July 20, 2012
The application range and machine choices available for the utility equipment sector continues to grow and evolve - Mike Woof reports The development of the tracked loader from the skid steer loader in recent years has been a major development for the utility equipment sector. The tracked loader offers huge advantages in terms of working stability and low ground pressure operation. When these machines first began appearing on the market, customers were sceptical and there were many comments that there was n
New road safety project manager for IRF
July 19, 2012
Dave Elseroad joins team to cement IRF Geneva’s full-time commitment to Road Safety. The growing outreach and potential of the IRF Group of Experts on Road Safety as well as the increasingly prominent role played by IRF Geneva in the international arena - notably through its work in cooperation with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and as Chair of the Safer Roads and Mobility Project Group of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC)- have prompted the appointment of a n
Road accident data management
July 19, 2012
IRF Geneva unveils a modern solution for road accident data management. This year's Intertraffic Amsterdam exhibition provided a high-profile backdrop for the launch of RADaR, a pioneering new tablet application developed to facilitate the on-site collection of precise and scientific accident data, primarily by traffic police. Introducing the application to an international audience gathered in the venue’s inaugural Smart Mobility Centre, IRF Geneva's director general, Sibylle Rupprecht, highlighted RADaR's
UK Roads Crash Demo Day is a Big Hit
July 19, 2012
Representatives from local authorities, the police, and the highway safety-related business world attended last month’s UK Roads Crash Demonstration Day at MIRA near Nuneaton, in central England. Guy Woodford reports It was never meant to be an occasion for crash test dummies. And each of the latest road safety solutions from leading highway technology companies tested at the UK Roads Crash Demonstration Day passed with top marks. A crowd of over 100 enjoyed the high impact, minimum damage action.
CONEXPO Russia is rouble rouser
July 19, 2012
Huge investment in new and existing Russian transport infrastructure has created a wealth of commercial opportunities for major construction equipment manufacturers as Guy Woodford discovered at the recent CTT 2012/CONEXPO Russia exhibition A 20% rise in visitor numbers and a 15% increase in exhibitors at this year’s CTT 2012/CONEXPO Russia, compared to 2011 show levels, illustrated the attraction of big infrastructure project spending in Russia to the world’s largest construction equipment companies.
New president, new plan
July 19, 2012
Special ECED meeting approves Action Plan to create stronger EU representation for distributors Members of the European Confederation of Equipment Distributors (ECED) have endorsed an Action Plan aimed at strengthening the distributors' association at EU level. This was agreed at an Extraordinary General Assembly in Brussels, Belgium, convened by newly-elected ECED President, Dr. José Gameiro, in his role as board member of ACAP (the Portuguese Cars and Machinery Association). The meeting asked the ECED
Growth in a versatile workforce
July 19, 2012
Some of the biggest names in the construction industry have released innovative new utility machines and equipment in the first few months of 2012. Guy Woodford looks at some of the latest models To mark the 25th anniversary of the Bobcat compact excavaor range, the Doosan-owned company recently unveiled a new limited edition version of the Bobcat E16. The special 1.6 tonne model is said by the company to provide an attractive complement to the also new and enhanced versions of both the E16 and 1.4tonne E1
How Croatia tackles its weight problems
July 19, 2012
Karin Junker, Regional Sales Manager Eastern Europe and Russia, HAENNI Wheel Load Scales, Switzerland, looks at weight enforcement in Croatia Croatia's modern period in history began in 1990 with the country's change of political and economic system, and the achieving of independence from Yugoslavia on 25 June, 1991. The country remained war torn during the 1990s but regained stability and economic growth after the turn of the millennium. During a recent trip to Croatia to visit HAENNI's distributor in t
Winning formula for formwork
July 19, 2012
An unusual application of formwork took place recently in France, while formwork using one particular engineering construction kit was used for the first time in Poland. Guy Woodford reports An 80m long wild game underpass is an innovative feature of the Route Nationale 88 (RN 88) expansion in south-west France. For construction of the arched underpass tunnel, a PERI tunnel formwork carriage using VARIOKIT engineering construction kit was used. Thanks to the equipment’s easy handling, along with pre-assembl
EU research projets underway
July 19, 2012
Several important EU-funded road research projects will impact on recycling and life-cycle thinking Three new European Union-funded road research related projects have started and they are likely to have an impact on recycling and life-cycle thinking. The RE-Road project aims to develop knowledge and innovative technologies for enhanced end-of-life strategies for asphalt roads. Such a strategy has an important impact on the energy efficiency and the environmental footprint of the European transport system a
An array of crushing and screening innovations was presented at the recent INTERMAT 2012 exhibition
July 19, 2012
The crushing and screening phase is a crucial component in aggregate production and new development will help optimise performance - Mike Woof reports Crushing and screening is a key part of the quarrying cycle and has a huge impact on overall operating performance. Optimising operations will cut running costs, reduce materials wastage and also provide a more consistent product quality, boosting cost-effectiveness dramatically. An array of innovations were revealed to the market at the recent INTERMAT 2012
Working towards safer India mobility...
July 18, 2012
Sibylle Rupprecht, IRF-GPC Director General, looks towards sound mobility management at the 3rd Regional Conference of the International Road Federation 3rd-4th October 2008 in New Delhi, India More than 1.2 million deaths and 23 million injuries are caused by road accidents worldwide every year. Of these, India accounts for 10% of fatal accidents. These alarming figures were disclosed by the speakers at the 3rd Regional IRF Conference on 'Mobility and Safety in Road Transport' to some 250 engineers and exp