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Driving advances in engines and drivelines
February 27, 2019
Technology advances for engine and driveline systems continue - Mike Woof writes With the Stage V emissions requirements being introduced in Europe, a number of engine manufacturers have already announced their plans. Leading engine makers such as Cummins, Deutz, John Deere, Perkins and Volvo Penta have all released information regarding the engines that they will be offering. The new standard introduces the particulate particle count (PN) and applies to all diesel engines above 19kW for off-road applic
Road recycling with Ammann in China
February 27, 2019
A Chinese road builder is planning to add recycling capabilities to its existing asphalt-mixing plants to meet new environmental guidelines. Another benefit of this approach is that the firm will also be able to substantially reduce its costs CSCEC Road & Bridge is a highly successful business in China and utilises Ammann Uniglobe Asphalt-Mixing Plants for its operations. The firm says that the results have been impressive and during one key road expansion project, one of its Uniglobe plants produced 700
Researchers trial 3D printing for both concrete and asphalt roads
February 27, 2019
Automated road repairs, using 3D printing, could save money and vastly reduce disruption, and researchers are already showing it’s possible - Kristina Smith reports It’s the middle of the night, and in the street below a team is busy carrying out repairs to the road surface. But there isn’t a human in sight. A road repair drone has landed at the site of a crack and a 3D asphalt printer is now busy filling in that crack. A group of traffic cone drones have positioned themselves around the repair location
Boral launches the FMAS - Forward Moving Aggregate Spreader truck
February 25, 2019
Construction materials group Boral and truck manufacturer Iveco have launched an aggregate surfacing truck in Australia. The Boral FMAS - Forward Moving Aggregate Spreader – will make the method of spray seal road construction in Australia much easier, according to the two companies. Until now, the process involved road crews working with reversing trucks that applied the aggregate through an elevated tipper body, increasing the safety risks to workers. To improve safety and maximise visibility, th
Plain sailing for Caterpillar’s PM 300 series
February 22, 2019
Caterpillar’s revamped small cold planers have upped the stakes in the urban refurbishing market. World Highways deputy editor David Arminas recently caught up with A.J. Lee, global segment manager, on Spain’s Costa del Sol
LeeBoy’s strong future, through Tier 4 Final investment
February 22, 2019
LeeBoy is seeing strong sales for its road machines at the moment, particularly in the US. And the firm’s early investment in fitting Tier 4 Final compliant engines has played a significant role Christopher Barnard is CEO of LeeBoy and commented, “The US has been strong. Demand is there and the infrastructure spending is there. It’s a good market. In our segment for commercial paving we’re doing very well.” The paver range is selling well and the firm’s 8520 model is a particularly strong seller. Barnard
Rebuilding a Chinese highway using RAP
February 22, 2019
A Chinese contractor has opted to use RAP in delivering quality roadways at lower cost. The firm utilised an ABA UniBatch asphalt plant from Ammann to achieve this. The Chinese authorities are at present keen to increase the use of RAP in road building, in a bid to reduce the environmental impact of construction projects. However for this to be carried out, the high RAP-content mix must meet high quality standards. Shandong Binzhou Road Construction Corp (SBRCC) has carried out a number of high-profil
All aboard the Wirtgen paving train on Germany’s A7 project
February 21, 2019
The A7 is being widened between Hamburg and Bordesholm from four lanes to six - in some places to eight - to ensure the motorway remains an efficient traffic artery. The aim is to create a pavement with a high degree of driving comfort but which withstands the loads of heavy-goods traffic. For widening the 60km stretch in the Schleswig-Holstein region, consortium Via Solutions Nord and joint venture ARGE A7 Hamburg-Bordesholm opted for steel reinforced concrete paving with an exposed aggregate concrete s
Trimble announces key technology developments
January 24, 2019
Trimble is expanding its range of machine control technology options for users of graders and excavators with key new releases. One is for the LOADRITE Payload Management system, which can now be utilised on excavators already equipped with the Trimble Earthworks Grade Control Platform. The other systems are new versions of the Trimble Earthworks Grade Control Platform that can be used with graders or deliver automatic guidance for tiltrotators. These are key developments for the firm, boosting its ran
Kenya port suspension bridge project makes progress
January 15, 2019
A new suspension bridge in Kenya’s key port city, Mombasa, will help unlock potential – Shem Oirere reports Plans for the construction of a US$200 million suspension bridge in Kenya heva moved a notch higher. The country's urban roads agency recently announced the shortlisting of three bidders for the design, finance, construct, operate, maintain and transfer public private partnership (PPP) contract model. Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) is a state agency that manages, develops, rehabilitates and mai
Russia’s most expensive road project to commence
January 15, 2019
Construction work is being planned for Russia’s most expensive road, which will be built in south of the country – Eugene Gerden reports Work is due to commence shortly on Russia’s most expensive road, in the south of the country. The highway will form part of the existing 1,600km Moscow-Sochi road, according to recent statements from senior officials at the Russian Ministry of Transport as well as local analysts. As part of the project, the Russian Government, together with private investors, plans to
IRF announces winners of its 2018 Global Road Achievement Awards
January 15, 2019
IRF has announced the winners of the 2018 IRF Global Road Achievement Awards, a global competition to recognise outstanding achievement by road professionals. Instituted in 2000, the Awards have distinguished 150 programs, projects and products from around the world. This year, the IRF is honouring 11 projects from around the world, each leading the way in innovation across major road and highway disciplines. The selection was made by an international panel of senior road development specialists. "As an in
Low income countries account for only 3% of global road networks: a constraint for economic growth
January 15, 2019
An analysis of road network data from IRF World Road Statistics (WRS) reveals the low percentage of road networks in low income countries and underdeveloped regions of the world. These results link poor quality roads and lack of road infrastructure to constrained economic development and growth The IRF World Road Statistics (WRS) includes up-to-date data on the road and transport sector for over 200 countries and covers nine important road topics, one of which is road networks. An analysis of the road
IRF Geneva takes centre stage at the 1st Africa Road Safety Forum
January 15, 2019
Africa has 2% of the world’s cars but 16% of the world’s road deaths, and more than 300,000 people lose their lives in road traffic crashes in the region every year, while thousands more are injured. Against this background the 1st Africa Road Safety Forum was organised in Marrakech, Morocco on 13-15 November. The event had the support of IRF (Geneva) and provided an opportunity to present the newly created IRF Global Road Data Warehouse and to mark the establishment of an IRF Africa. The event was placed
Indeco breakers assist on building new Mexican roads
January 14, 2019
Indeco breakers have played important roles in two key road projects in Mexico, at Acapulco and Querétaro.