Features

In the UK, TRL is introducing a sophisticated driving simulator that will help with developing transport infrastructure as well as research into driving. This advanced system is intended to assist in driving future transport policy, customer safety and road network performance The new simulator can be used for behavioural research into driving and can be used as a validation tool. The complete simulator package features three main systems as it consists of the new full-size DigiCar, a portable version (M

The European Union Road Federation is organising, in cooperation with the International Road Federation (IRF), the Croatian Roads Company (Hrvatske Ceste), the Croatian Road Association (Via Vita) and the University of Zagreb, the European Road Conference under the theme Corridors for Shared Prosperity in the iconic city of Dubrovnik, from 22 to 24 October 2018 Due to its privileged geographical position, Croatia represents a key crossroads in the connectivity of the South East Europe region, securing a

Dr Cristian Gonzalez, director IRF World Road Statistics, was in Athens to share IRF’s expertise in data collection at a three-day regional workshop organised by the EuroMed Transport Support Project. The event offered a novel opportunity to share national, European and international experiences and best practices with road safety data and allow a regional exchange on setting up a road map for the follow-up actions. The Workshop hosted 40 experts, of which 25 from EuroMed Partner countries. The “EuroMed T

Germany’s capital Berlin is now benefiting from a newly widened ring road, which will help reduce peak time congestion Much of the work has been carried out by local contractor Johann Bunte Bauunternehmung, which has helped to widen the Berlin ring road from six to eight lanes. The firm has made extensive use of sophisticated paving controls also on its Vögele machines, the AutoSet Plus automatic functions. And the firm claims that these tools have made the work easier for the paving team to move between t

Automated testing is improving safety during paving and saving on testing costs. But it could also help reduce long-term maintenance costs too - Kristina Smith writes Testing pavements as they are laid can be a hazardous activity. The technician may be on their hands and knees, far behind the main gang, or reaching inside the hopper to measure the temperature of the hot mix or dodging rollers to take density readings.

How asphalt plant control add-ons make operation easier while reducing costly downtime - *Carlos Cardenas The word downtime might as well be a curse word in the asphalt production industry. As any operator will say, unplanned plant shutdowns can end up costing a producer heavily in lost production, not to mention a line of unhappy truck drivers and asphalt customers. The key is to get ahead of the problem and spot issues before they skyrocket in severity. Fortunately, some asphalt plant manufacturers offe

The IRF World Road Statistics (WRS) 2018 edition has just been released. First analysis of the data on road expenditure and road maintenance expenditure in Europe shows a decrease of 11% and 8%, respectively, for the period of 2011 to 2016. Investing in roads and their maintenance is essential for economic growth and the mobility of a region. Maintenance by itself is crucial since poorly maintained roads lead to a downfall of the road network value, resulting in higher future costs related to road safety,

The world's longest and deepest road tunnel is underway in western Norway - Adrian Greeman reports

RoadResource.org as a go-to website for surfacing information is now live, explains Doug Hogue, of VSS Macropaver When RoadResouce.org went live – quietly - in July it was the end of two years of hard work by three US associations for pavement preservation. But there was no grand party or ceremonial pushing of the “go live” button, says Doug Hogue, vice president and general manager of VSS Macropaver. “For all of us in the industry July is a busy period that left little time to celebrate on the ope

Automated road repairs using 3D printing could save money and reduce disruption, reports Kristina Smith It’s the middle of the night and in the street below a team is busy carrying out repairs to the road surface. But there isn’t a human in sight. A road-repair drone has landed at the site of a crack and a 3D asphalt printer is now busy filling in that crack. A group of traffic cone drones have positioned themselves around the repair location to protect the repair drone and divert traffic around it.

The use of controlled frequency vibration for concrete continues to grow, writes Paul Jaworski Controlled frequency vibration (CFV) technology has been around since the mid-1990s for concrete pavement applications. The technology has seen a gradual increase in acceptance, particularly in certain applications. For the 0- to 37mm (1.5”) slump pavement mix designs, many contractors were experiencing material separation due to speeds over 8,000vibrations/minute (VPM). With the wide variability of concrete

Many invitations to tender continue to specify that the soil is to be exchanged. However, soil stabilisation is fast becoming a preferred option when it comes to ensuring the load-bearing capacity and quality of soil in preparation for road construction. The targeted addition of stabilising agents can help reduce the moisture content of soil, which is vital for roadworks. Compared to exchanging the entire soil, soil stabilisation is an economical and resource-saving method. Cost savings result from simpl

Eurovia says that it has successfully paved a 1km stretch of a French motorway using 100% recycled asphalt pavement – a global first for RAP.

Sophisticated reclaimer/stabiliser equipment from Roadtec has been used to provide a base for a large car parking area and industrial building in the US state of Indiana. The ground in the area is well-suited to agriculture, however this is less well-suited to construction. As a result the developer decided to use a large-scale soil stabilising approach so as to ensure that the area would make a stable base for the project. Local contractor Stabilization Services was brought in to prepare the ground. The

Contractor Continental Milling has played an important role in refurbishing the famous Pikes Peak Highway route in the US state of Colorado Working as a subcontractor for the Kiewit Corporation on the mill and overlay project, the Continental Milling crew was responsible for milling patches up to 213.4m long on the winding, two-lane highway known for its switchback turns and scenic vistas. The work was needed to prepare the route for the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Pikes Peak Highway fea