Features

Turkish manufacturers are important trading partners in the worldwide aggregate production sector, Mike Woof reports

The concrete paving market has provided stable ground for existing players, though key market developments are in hand. US manufacturers have long dominated the concrete paving sector with well-known firms such as GOMACO, Guntert & Zimmerman, Power Curbers, Power Pavers and Terex all being based in the US, while German firm Wirtgen is Europe's leading contender in this market. However there is some jostling for position in the concrete paving sector, with some of the players looking to enter new segments. T

In Estonia, Novotrade Invest, which produces hydrocarbon resin HCR-105, has carried out research work on the material that can be used as a bitumen modifier.

A round-up of some of the major transport-related meetings that have been held in Europe. Compiled by Patrick Smith. Europe has hosted a number of annual events over the last few weeks, where important matters of transport were discussed, reports produced, and decisions taken. ASECAP (the European Association of Tolled Motorways, Bridges and Tunnels Infrastructures Operators); International Transport Forum (ITF); Arena (TRA); International Road Federation (IRF), and the European Construction Industry Federa

Innovative and sustainable construction solutions are being tackled by many in the highways industry, including bitumen producers. Patrick Smith reports. Gazprom Neft is one of the largest and fastest growing oil and gas producers in Russia, selling its products to more than 18 Russian regions and exporting them to about 50 countries all over the world.

Existing tough competition will step up another gear with the launch of further new machines in the asphalt roller market, Mike Woof reports. The asphalt compaction equipment market is intensely competitive, with a number of major firms all fighting to boost market share. And with many major manufacturers having revamped ranges during 2010 and further new models now due, this rivalry is set to become tougher still.

Retroreflectivity plays a vital role when it comes to helping drivers follow road markings clearly in the dark as Patrick Smith reports. In many instances road markings are as important as road signs, offering information about the roads being travelled and the actions drivers should or should not be taking. Toady there is a wide variety of materials available for such markings and these include paints, cold applied plastics, thermoplastic, self-adhesive tapes, modified epoxy resins and raised pavement mark

The first bC India event has exceeded all expectations and it is set to become a regular event. Patrick Smith reports A major new construction equipment show has been launched in a nation with a huge appetite for such machinery and a growth rate nudging 9% each year. With billions being spent on infrastructure (roads and highways, power stations, railways, ports and airports), India was a prime candidate for a trade fair to display the latest and local international construction machinery, building materia

There are key differences in crash cushion design and quality for the United States and European markets. Developments in barrier technologies have followed the varying demands of specific markets, resulting in manufacturers offering different solutions for US and European needs.

Stabilisers bring recycling improvements to roads in the UK and Armenia. The local road authorities near the UK city of Bath have saved nearly €250,500 on the cost of repairing a 400m long section of the B3110 Midford Road. This saving has been achieved by opting to recycle and strengthen in-situ the existing surface, instead of using conventional full depth pavement reconstruction.

Marini has been involved for some years in supplying asphalt plants to Indian companies involved in road and airport construction programmes.

The high sophistication of GPS machine control systems has resulted in a fast pace of technological advancement. The three major players in the machine control sector, Leica Geosystems, Topcon and Trimble have all made major gains in recent years. The sophistication of the latest systems can combine satellite position data from the GPS and GLONASS networks with information from total stations to provide precise, high speed machine operation. Further more the firms have also prepared themselves for the intro

Organisers of the International Show of Public Works, Construction and Mining Machinery have made every effort to assist the sector on the road to recovery

Sprayed waterproofing: 'hot topic' Sprayed waterproofing is a hot industry topic, and a paper presented at the recent North American Tunnelling Conference not only discussed this method for achieving a dry tunnel but also how it can reduce build costs and construction time.

The second tube of the Pfänder Tunnel, Bregenz, Austria, where the new main tunnel has been excavated using a tunnel boring machine (TBM), is being constructed by Alpine BeMo Tunnelling. Tubbings have been installed as the inner tunnel lining, and as part of concreting for the inner shell, the FQ 1 crosscut, suitable for vehicles, is being constructed using a tunnel formwork carriage designed and supplied by PERI.