Features

Chinese firms LiuGong, Shantui, Sunward and XCMG revealed innovative earthmoving concepts at BICES 2015 – Mike Woof writes. Of the many new machines seen at the recent BICES 2015 construction equipment exhibition in Beijing, a number of firms were notable for their innovations. LiuGong, Shantui, Sunward and XCMG all offered particular developments in earthmoving technology that stood out from the array of more conventional equipment. All of these firms also showed more standard machines, as did other rivals

Wacker Neuson has unveiled a range of new compactor tools – Nick Johnson writes. Staged in a gravel pit near Munich in Germany, an event called The Wacker Neuson Universe recently enabled customers to check out the latest machines in the company’s growing product portfolio. On the compaction front, the highlights included electric rammers, two new reversing plates, an improved trench roller, a new range of lightweight tandem rollers and two small self-propelled single drum vibrating rollers.

BOMAG has a range of new single drum soil compactors as well as compact units for rental markets that are said to offer advanced technology - Mike Woof reports BOMAG is keen to continue being a technology leader. Jonathan Stringham, vice president of marketing at BOMAG explained that the firm is working on introducing new technology to the road construction market. He said that the new products developed by BOMAG are all the result of close partnerships with customers. The company has held workshops in t

Lithuania is one of the 28 European Union countries which is seeking to have good results in road safety. However, such as wish does not looks like easy achievable. Moreover, to get away from the worst Top 6 countries in EU could not be achieved since 1991 (by the EU road accidents database - CARE).

The firm is steadily moving up the size scale with its machines, introducing heavy equipment aimed at the extraction industries, in addition to new and more versatile machines for construction users and road machinery. The firm is working hard to develop new large excavators and trucks to meet demand from the extraction industries. The large excavators and rigid trucks are now a key part of the product range as XCMG wants to increase its profile in the extraction sector. The company has also struck an a

The Moscow City Government plans to complete building of the North-East and North-West Chords, two of the biggest road building projects in the city for the last 15 years The links will be completed during the next several months, according to an official spokesman of the Moscow Government. Both roads are considered as a cheaper alternative to the Fourth Ring Road, the construction of which was considered by the Moscow Government several years ago. However due to huge costs, which are estimated at mo

A major new highway project in Peru will improve connectivity for the Arequipa region - Mauro Nogarin writes Peru’s Matarani-Bonbon road project is an important route and forms part of the Camana - Dv Quilca - Ilo - Tacna highway project. The road stretches through several provinces in the Arequipa region. The deadline for completing the work is 720 days after January 2015, and it is scheduled to be completed by December 2016. Progress has been good and as of July 2015, it was 80% completed. The main

IRF India, in association with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), will shortly launch two road safety initiatives - the First Aid Trauma Care Training, and Black Spot Removal Programme. First Aid Trauma Care Training – IRF India will shortly launch the Indoor Simulation for Road Incident Training Environment (ISRITE) programme for drivers of heavy commercial vehicles. The objective of this training is to provide accident victims appropriate trauma care at the site of the accident itself,

Dr Rahman spoke about the potential role of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), as a technology enabler, for improving road safety and thereby achieving the goals of the Decade of Action Dr Rahman discussed the role of ITS in improving the management and planning of road networks, in data collection, for developing evidence based interventions, speed management and better trauma care through timely care to accident victims during the golden hour. Governments, said Dr Rahman, can play an importan

As a key engineering project on the Changsha-Chongqing Expressway in Southwest China, the Aizhai Bridge, constructed by the Hunan Road & Bridge Construction Group, was opened to traffic in March 2012. The Aizhai Bridge crosses the 1000m-wide scenic Dehang Canyon at an elevation of 355m. It has a main span of 1,176m, making it the world’s longest canyon-crossing bridge in the world. The erection of the main girder (the stiffening girder) of the Aizhai Bridge encountered serious challenges, including a la

IRF Geneva, together with the Multi-lateral Development Banks (MDBs), and the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) organised a side event called “Safe Infrastructure for All Users.” The side event provided information about various tools and ongoing initiatives under Pillar 2 “Safe roads and mobility” of the Decade of Action. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Transport of India, presided over a very well attended side event. Gadkari highlighted the importance of addressing the road safety of a

Marini is offering a versatile new asphalt plant targeted at emerging markets – Mike Woof writes A new asphalt plant from Marini has been developed specifically for the needs of customers in developing countries. The company says that this is a high-quality asphalt plant but without the sophisticated technology required in developed markets such as Europe. The versatile BE Tower is designed to be easy to transport, install and then take apart and move to a different site when needed. The company has also

IRF Sets International Benchmark for Road Safety Auditors The International Road Federation released a set of minimum qualification guidelines for professionals conducting road safety audits and inspections as part of a global road safety gathering in Brasilia.Speaking at the 2nd Global High Level Conference on Road Safety, IRF Executive Vice President Mike Dreznes noted that design standards alone cannot guarantee road safety in all conditions. “The IRF strongly supports the extended and expanded use of ro

The new Queensferry Crossing under construction in Scotland will be the third landmark bridge spanning the Forth Estuary - Mike Woof writes When the new Queensferry Crossing over the Forth Estuary opens at the end of 2016, it will be the third landmark bridge to be built spanning this short stretch of water. Lying alongside the existing road bridge and the historic rail bridge, this new structure will be as groundbreaking as the two earlier crossings were at the time of their construction.

Researchers at Virginia Tech university in the United States have put small radio sensors on or inside vests to allows cars to “talk” to one another, roadside infrastructure, and personal electronics such as mobile phones. If a collision is about to occur between a vehicle and a worker, the vest can warn the worker in a matter of seconds about the impending crash. Likewise, the motorist will receive a dashboard notification.The instantaneous alert is possible by short-range communication, according to a sta