Features

IRF with its flexible structure, excellent reputation and good experience in project management was chosen as the new service provider. This multi-million pound project, created in 2004 and funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) in the UK, is an initiative to promote and disseminate sustainable transport knowledge.

Special high quality glass beads provide a vital part of the solution with road markings, particularly in the dark. In the European Union alone, roughly one-third of traffic accidents involving injuries happen at night, although only 20% of all traffic flows after dark.

Independent tests are showing the benefits of the latest geosynthetics developments. Geosynthetics specialist Tensar has commissioned independent tests to prove the capabilities of its innovative TriAx product, which has set a lead in the field.

Versatility remains the key for the utility equipment sector. The range of duties that compact machines can be used for continues to grow.

Modern software is stretching traditional design boundaries on a motorway widening in the Netherlands, reports Adrian Greeman There was a time when civil engineering and aesthetics did not mix too well, especially on roads. The artistic ideas of an architect did not blend with the stringent requirements of structure. But modern three-dimensional modelling software is helping this change. Design notions that might have been overly complicated in the past are now attainable with hi-tech analysis tools.

Stricter emissions legislation mean that new engine technology and integrated drivetrain systems are being developed. With the Tier 3/Stage IIIA emissions legislation now in place in North America and Europe, the major engine manufacturers already have an array of solutions on the market. The coming Tier 4 interim/Stage IIIB legislation will be tougher still and most firms are well in hand with their plans to use both in-cylinder and exhaust after-treatment technology. While engines themselves are staying b