Road Structures

Additional Argentina-Chile tunnel project proposed

January 9, 2015

An agreement has been reached between Chile and Argentina over a long discussed tunnel project. The proposed tunnel would stretch 11.5km and connect Argentina’s Mendoza Province with Chile’s Region VI, with the project having first been mooted as far back as 1992. The cost of the proposed Paso Las Lenas Tunnel has yet to be revealed although the projected route through the Andes Mountains has been announced. The tunnel portals will be some 2,050m above sea level and the project will include the construction

Czech minister Tok warns Eurovia to speed up D1 bridge repairs

January 8, 2015

The Czech transport minister has given construction firm Eurovia until April to start repairs on two bridges it built or face having its bank guarantees withdrawn. Transport Minister Dan Tok, who until December was the chief executive of Skanska in the Czech Republic, said he would call for a new tender for the repairs if no action is taken by Eurovia, according to a report by the Czech internet news portal iDNES. Tok said that the road bridges constructed six years ago on the D1 motorway slip road in

Flyover projects planned for Myanmar

January 8, 2015

A major construction programme worth a total of US$2.5 billion is planned for Myanmar. The plans calls for the construction of some 54km of flyovers to be built in the city of Yangon, the country’s former capital. The Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) has stated that the tender process for the project will be open to local and overseas companies. Private investment in the project is expected, with the tender due in the 2015-2016 financial year. Yangon is Myanmar’s largest city with an estimated popul

Morgan’s FireMaster FireBarrier 135 boosts tunnel protection

January 6, 2015

Morgan Advanced Materials says its new FireMaster FireBarrier 135 sprayed refractory cement offers superior fire protection and simple, cost-effective installation. The 135 is ideal for concrete tunnel lining and ventilation shafts, escape tunnels and refuges as well as critical systems such as water mains and communication cables.

Bridge inspection: destructive versus non-destructive methods

January 6, 2015

Tens of thousands of bridges in the United States are in desperate need of repair. But where to begin analysing their deteriorating state? Roger Roberts* investigates tips and techniques for ensuring bridge safety The average age of America’s more than 600,000 crumbling bridges is 42 years – many are 60 to 80 years old. The situation is dire, with many described as functionally obsolete, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ latest edition of its Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.

Formwork solutions for bridge maintenance and repair

January 6, 2015

An array of innovative formwork solutions have helped in the repair and construction of key bridge links - Mike Woof writes Formwork producers are continually developing novel solutions for bridge maintenance and construction applications. Several key structures have benefited from the novel use of formwork systems, with suppliers such as Doka, PERI, Pilosio and RMD all working on important structures in recent times. In Estonia, construction work is underway on the bypass around Tartu, the country’s

Denmark to create Rodby port to service Fehmarn Belt construction

January 6, 2015

The Danish government said it will create a large port area east of the small town of Rødbyhavn to facilitate construction of the future Fehmarn Belt tunnel link. The US$7.5 billion project is an 18km tunnel including two railway tunnels, two motorway tunnels and an emergency tunnel. Construction start is scheduled for later this year and should take between six and seven years. The tunnel is part of the major infrastructure project called the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link to connect the German island of Fe

Crane fleet helping construct Indian highway

January 5, 2015

Manitowoc’s Grove cranes are helping transform a major highway in north west India, writes Mike Woof In India a fleet of rough terrain cranes has played a key role in constructing a major highway project.

Algeria signs off two contracts of Hauts Plateaux motorway work

January 5, 2015

The Algerian Council of Ministers has approved two contracts for stretches of road on the Hauts Plateaux motorway. No details of the contractors were given for the work that is to link Lambidiri to Draa Lahmar via Ouled Fadhel. Construction is expected to take 18 months. Last March, World Highways reported that work on the 1,000km Hauts-Plateaux motorway project was to begin that month. Construction cost for motorway’s 10 sections was estimated to be around US$8.94 billion, according to Algerian Minis

XCMG provides rescue capabilities to Chinese earthquake area

January 5, 2015

Within 24 hours after the 6.5 magnitude earthquake, XCMG was hard at work on site XCMG recently provided a fast emergency response to an earthquake-stricken area of China. The firm’s rescue team rushed to provide help following the 6.5-magnitude earthquake which hit Ludian County in Yunnan Province. Rescuers reported 398 deaths, 1,801 injured, and in excess of 10,000 buildings having collapsed.