Earthmoving & soil compaction

New developments in tunnelling technologies offer contractors greater efficiencies when constructing new bores. Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are widely being used in major projects such as the Brenner Base Tunnel in the Austrian Alps. Full face TBMs are highly sophisticated machines featuring a rotating drilling head, which removes the material, and, depending on the type of construction, secures the excavated tunnel with shotcrete, rock bolts and wire mesh or prefabricated segments of reinforced concrete.

A wide range of innovative earthmover solutions is now coming to market - Mike Woof writes Generally with major construction equipment exhibitions timed for the second quarter of each year, this is when manufacturers will roll out their latest earthmoving solutions. However 2017 has turned out to be something of an anomaly, with the major firms continuing to unveil new models. Firms have introduced new wheeled loaders, excavators, and dozers, although arguably, some of the most interesting developments

Machines from Sandvik are playing important roles in the construction of a new tunnel connection to Hong Kong. The Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point (BCP for short) is a series of infrastructure projects that will see the construction of the latest land crossing between Shenzhen in China and Hong Kong. This project includes the construction of highways and tunnels. The crushing and drilling equipment from Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology being used for the work is being supported by Sandvik’

Huge numbers of construction machines as well as plant and equipment are working overtime, backed by mammoth manpower, to meet the targeted completion deadline of March 2018 for India’s Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE). The 135km arterial route is being built with six lanes and surrounds India’s National Capital, Delhi, its National Capital Region (NCR) and the industrially developed North Indian states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Fayat has now completed its acquisition of Dynapac. French firm Fayat has acquired the Road Construction Equipment Division of Atlas Copco, which manufactures rollers for asphalt and soil applications, pavers and planers. These products are known under the Dynapac trade name. The agreement includes sales and services operations in 37 countries, production units in four countries: Sweden, Germany, Brazil and China and a production partnership in India.

Hamm pioneered the concept of compaction using oscillation rather than vibration and now offers a wide range of machines with this feature, both for soil and asphalt applications. The firm has developed a strong following for its oscillating compactor range, with many contractors now appreciating the benefit of this technology.

Moscow’s CTT exhibition reflected increasing confidence in the Russian construction market - Eugene Gerden reports. The Russian road building industry is steadily recovering from the consequences of the financial crisis and the overall financial uncertainty in in the country. One of the most evident facts for this was the record number of exhibitors at the recent CTT Expo for construction machines held in Moscow.

A quarry producer in Iceland is now benefiting from new technology from Volvo CE. The firm is quarrying volcanic basalt at a site not far from Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. Located around 10km to the south of Reykjavik, just outside the small town of Hafnarfjörður, is a large open quarry called Vatnsskarðsnámur. The quarry is owned by Alexander Ólafsson, a contracting company that specialises in crushing and screening.

A quarry producer in Iceland is now benefiting from new technology from Volvo CE. The firm is quarrying volcanic basalt at a site not far from Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. Located around 10km to the south of Reykjavik, just outside the small town of Hafnarfjörður, is a large open quarry called Vatnsskarðsnámur.

A quarry producer in Iceland is now benefiting from new technology from Volvo CE. The firm is quarrying volcanic basalt at a site not far from Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. Located around 10km to the south of Reykjavik, just outside the small town of Hafnarfjörður, is a large open quarry called Vatnsskarðsnámur.