Asphalt milling, paving & compaction

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in the United States is offering demonstrations of its Dynatest 6875H Highway Friction Tester (HFT) to state departments of transportation (DOTs). The HFT is a self-contained testing vehicle that maps friction at one-foot intervals continuously along a pavement section. Agencies can use friction data provided by the HFT for both network-level and project-level applications. Continuous friction testing can improve agencies' ability to measure friction through inte

Among the new developments in materials testing highlighted this month is a brand new idea from one manufacturer: in-depth training to help upskill technicians in developing countries - Kristina Smith reports CONTROLS has added another dimension to its business with the launch of a specialist training service: CONTROLS Academy Centre. In what the construction testing equipment manufacturer believes is a first for the industry, CONTROLS will be providing in-depth theoretical and practical training to thos

Advances in survey technology and the evolving face of road procurement are driving demand for highway condition data. Mark Thomas, infrastructure services manager at Fugro Aperio writes how surveys of new roads can improve long-term quality While a growing suite of non-intrusive testing, measurement and survey technologies are widely used to target highway repairs and to determine asset management strategies, the use of these powerful tools remains patchy in the early stages of the infrastructure life cycl

Radar Portal Systems (RPS) has spent a lot of time developing its sophisticated pavement top-surface photometric imaging system so it can cater specifically for the aviation market. This has now been specially developed for use on aircraft runways and taxiways The system was recently used at Brisbane Airport to survey runway and runway shoulders, collecting photometric top-surface data at a 4m width at speeds of up to 100km/h. This dataset allows the firm to display meshing data of the runway surface showin

Roadtec Shuttle buggies are now being used on major road projects in Poland. This follows a decision made by the Polish road authority, GDDKIA, to use material transfer vehicles on highway projects. The need for a smooth running surface is paramount on highways as in Poland these tolled links can allow speed limits of up to 140km/h. This is why GDDKIA decided the use of a material transfer vehicle was crucial to optimising mix delivery into pavers, so as to help optimise surface finish.

Work to improve a section of the busy A12 Inntal highway in Austrian Tyrol, Austria, has been carried out by contractor Strabag. The A12 is one of Austria’s busiest highways and carries heavy traffic volumes, particularly in summer when it is an important holiday route through to Southern Europe. The heavy traffic volumes mean that the road has to withstand high stresses. The Brixlegg branch of Strabag carried out a surface renovation contract on the 5.5km stretch between Kundl and Radfield and focussed on

A new generation Vögele SUPER 1303-3i paver has been used to revamp roadways for Germany’s historic Ludwigsburg Palace grounds. The wheeled machine was used to lay coloured asphalt for the entrance area to the palace grounds. The surface quality had to meet tough requirements so as to blend with the historic location. The palace is used for state receptions and cultural events and the extensive grounds are open to the public. A number of pavement rehabilitation measures were recently implemented in the sou

Atlas Copco’s Dynapac brand is launching new models aimed at the asphalt paving market - Mike Woof reports Atlas Copco’s Dynapac brand looks set to boost its worldwide presence in the road construction market, with new asphalt paving products forming a major segment of the firm’s improved portfolio. The launch of new pavers and an improved material feeder comes at a busy time for the Dynapac brand. When Dynapac was first acquired by Atlas Copco the business was left separate initially, however it has now

Part of an iconic US bridge has been given a new lease of life, as Mike Woof reports The western section of the historic Oakland Bay Bridge in the US state of California has recently benefited from a series of improvements to strengthen its structural integrity and also upgrade the running surface. Contractor OC Jones & Sons of Berkeley CA, paved large portions of the bridge, taking on two different projects as part of the work. First was placement of the specialised epoxy on the self-anchored suspension (S

Italian firm CONTROLS is expanding its operations with the acquisition of Australian firm IPC Global. The Australian firm offers advanced material testing technologies for asphalt, soil and unbound materials and this deal will both strengthen the international profile of CONTROLS by adding the Australian facilities but will also further develop its portfolio of solutions. IPC Global will continue to be run as an autonomous operation according to CONTROLS as this will allow the Australian company to capitali