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Contractors face an array of sophisticated paving technologies, Mike Woof reports. Asphalt paving technology continues to advance as manufacturers develop more efficient and reliable equipment. Paving techniques are also improving, while new polymer modified bitumen materials and recycling methodologies further increase the range of road surfacing options available to the client and contractor.

While the use of GPS is now commonplace in industry there are locations that do not get a reliable signal throughout the working day. The location, geographical layout and depth of a quarry can cause 'canyoning', where GPS signals are not dependable.Poor signals make GPS-based machine tracking technology unreliable but a Canadian firm has an RFID-based system it believes could be the answer for such sites. This cost effective QuarryTag system has been adapted from a product that has been widely used by the

Geospatial engineering company Coastway has completed an as-built survey of the final section of the M8 motorway in Ireland using the StreetMapper mobile mapping system.

Key international seminar promoting affordable, safer and environmentally friendly pavement preservation practices. Building on the success of last year's seminar, IRF is proud to invite you to the 2nd Annual Preserving our Highway Infrastructure Assets seminar, which will be held in Orlando, Florida, USA, from 3-6 August, 2010.

Work on an award-winning US bridge was completed with savings and benefits to motorists through the help of an innovative barrier. The bridge replacement of US 31 over I-465 and Lick Creek in southern Indianapolis, state capital of Indiana, won the 2011 Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Indiana. Stephen J. Christian & Associates of Indianapolis completed the design in less than nine months to allow Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to take advantage of the favourab

Tony Marshall, Director at Arup, looks at ways in which the company encourages sustainable mobility. From policy and systems development through to the design and execution of major infrastructure projects, he reviews Arup's global project experiences and research programmes

Innovations abound in the aggregate production sector - Mike Woof reports. With road construction accounting for a significant percentage of aggregate production, developments in this industry are of major importance for the highway sector. Technical advances in aggregate production methods have pushed technological boundaries, resulting in cost/tonne reductions for products and improving operating efficiency for major producers.

Italian company Fracasso says it now offers a barrier system developed around a modular design concept to meet an array of needs. Called 4safe, the system is said to combine high safety standards along with versatility in use. The system is said to be easy to assemble and uses common components that can be assembled in different ways to meet varying containment requirements. The 3n beam is the key to the range and has been proven in TB11 impact testing. Where required the system can be assembled to H4 stand

Taxi drivers in Czech capital Prague have a poor reputation for over-charging unwary tourists. However a new phone application aims to offer a solution to this problem, by using GPS technology to calculate the proper charge. While the city authorities have been struggling for some years to eradicate the problem, unscrupulous taxi drivers have continued to take passengers by longer routes than necessary and are also known to fix meters so that they overcharge. The city's mayor was himself overcharged some ye

In the US state of Idaho a man reported to a county sheriff's office with a request to be deported to Mexico. This request was denied so the man instead stole a police car and headed for the border. However the car contained a cell-phone belonging to one of the officers and was tracked. When the vehicle ran out of fuel, officers were able to apprehend the offender and he was then deported to Mexico, as he had originally wished.