Features

New technologies to make rubber modification of asphalt are under development and testing. But political will is the real key to diverting old tyres from landfill - Kristina Smith reports. A new way to introduce end-of-life tyre rubber into asphalt mixes could be the key to diverting more tyres away from landfill, according to Dr Davide Lo Presti, principal research fellow at the Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre (NTEC) at the University of Nottingham.

Asphalt plants are industrial units capable of producing asphalt on a full-scale basis An asphalt plant has several key functions and is designed to accurately dose the aggregates and asphalt to ensure the correct proportions, as established in the mix. The plant should dry and heat the aggregates completely, regardless of their nature and characteristics, in order to obtain perfect adhesiveness with the asphalt binder. The drying system’s combustion gases have to be filtered so that fine aggregates tran

At the BICES exhibition in Beijing, it was clear that the Chinese construction market has bounced back - Mike Woof writes. Demand for construction machines is now improving in China once more, with the backlog of unsold or nearly new secondhand units having been absorbed. This was apparent at the recent BICES construction machinery exhibition held in Beijing, where firms were more bullish than in previous years.

Dr Kyung-Soo Yoo, an IRF Fellow (Class of 1979) and one of the chief architects behind Korea's world-class road connectivity programs has been nominated to receive IRF's most distinguished individual honour

While not required for its Sacramento Airport contract, Granite Construction* is getting to grips with IC specifications thanks to Volvo CE’s Compact Assist. In the US, 23 states have written intelligent compaction (IC) specifications for asphalt paving jobs and more states are expected to follow. Among those states with IC specs is California.

Technological advances for paving machines have greatly improved road surfaces. More advances are coming through Business Process Optimising modules, writes Stefan Volz, general manager of Volz Consulting

A Liebherr rotary drill rig and oscillator combination has been working in Mexico on a highway project for contractor Mota-Engil. A Liebherr piling rig is playing an important role on a major Mexican highway construction project being carried out by a division of the Portuguese firm Mota-Engil. The use of the rig by Mota-Engil Mexico’s newly formed geotechnical division is helping to set new quality standards for piling in the country. The contractor is leasing one of the latest Liebherr LB 24-270 rotary

Turkmenistan’s new bridge is benefiting from a novel sealing system that will optimise working life as well as maximising safety. A novel waterproofing solution is being utilised for the Turkmenabat - Farap Bridge in Turkmenistan. The project is of note as the structure is the longest metal span bridge in Central Asia. The client for the project is the state-owned firm Turkmenavtohowayollary, while the general contractor is Altcom Road Construction and the consultant engineer is Soyuztransproekt. Stirling

A major tunnel construction project has been carried out in Mexico, setting a technological precedent for Latin America . Mexican materials giant CEMEX took part in the construction of the Coatzacoalcos Underwater Tunnel in Veracruz, Mexico. This innovative project features large tunnel bores and utilised a complex construction process. As a result of these technical challenges CEMEX was required to design and deliver special concretes so as to allow the construction of the different structures needed to

World Highways recently caught up with Ralf Junker, president of BOMAG Group, during the company’s Innovation Days at its headquarters in Germany. David Arminas reports. Ralf Junker hasn’t forgotten his roots. You can put as much machine control as you like on a piece of construction equipment but all that high-technology is for nothing if the build quality isn’t there. Junker knows something about build quality. When he started at BOMAG in 1988, he was in the welding shop, eventually becoming supervisor

Enhancing safety by the use of dust collection systems for dowel pin drills - *Rob Minnich. The problem posed by silica dust is a major topic for discussion throughout the US construction industry at present. Enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) final respirable crystalline silica standard began on September 23rd, 2017, bringing the topic into the mainstream. Although it was developed to protect the health of American workers, the new rule has a much wider significance

Susanna Zammataro, IRF Geneva, writes: The China Highway and Transportation Society (CHTS) – an esteemed member of IRF – will be hosting a special Session on the Belt and Road Initiative during the IRF World Meeting in Delhi, 14th-17th November 2017. Last May, president Xi Jinping welcomed 28 heads of state and government to Beijing to celebrate the “Belt and Road” initiative, an ambitious plan in terms of infrastructure development, but also in terms of foreign policy. Launched in 2013 as “One belt, On

A massive highway project in Kenya will boost transport for the country as well as its neighbours - Shem Oirere reports. Kenya has commenced the process of rehabilitating, expanding and tolling of 657km of East Africa’s Northern Corridor that is anchored on the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa and which links the gateway with landlocked countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The alternatives to diesel fuel as a power source continue to grow as firms move to cut emissions - Mike Woof writes. Only the most myopic could have failed to notice that times are changing in terms of engine technology. In the on-highway automotive sector as well as for the off-highway construction machine segment, manufacturers are looking to lower tailpipe emissions. Similar technologies have been employed in both on-highway and off-highway sectors, although those solutions have been adapted to better