Features

Manufacturers are continuing to develop new excavators and wheeled loaders offering increased performance - Mike Woof writes. New developments are being seen in both the wheeled loader and excavator markets. Caterpillar, Daewoo, Hitachi, Hyundai, Komatsu, Kobelco and Volvo CE all have new wheeled loader or excavator models now available. The segment for wheeled loaders has seen particular innovation from Caterpillar, with different machines being introduced for tightly regulated and lesser regulated mark

Two Manitowoc MLC650s are working on a project to replace the Champlain Bridge that spans the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal, Canada. The engineering consortium - Signature on the Saint Lawrence Construction (SSLC) – is assigned to the task. The capacity and reduced ground preparation made possible by the MLC650’s VPC-MAX attachment – as well as the ease of use of its Crane Control System (CCS) – are helping the team stay on schedule. The Champlain Bridge connects one of North America’s busiest road

So far 2016 has been an important year for asphalt paver development, with a huge array of improved designs coming to market - Mike Woof writes. With both the World of Asphalt and bauma exhibitions during 2016, it is perhaps no surprise that a wide array of new asphalt pavers have been unveiled. Major manufacturers have introduced new models in both US and European configurations. Ammann, Atlas Copco, BOMAG, Caterpillar, LeeBoy, Roadtec, Vögele and Volvo CE have all launched new pavers, either in European o

Aggregate production equipment continues to become more efficient and more productive as development continues – Mike Woof writes During 2016 all the major aggregate production equipment specialists have put a good deal of new machines on the market, highlighting their investment in research and development. These firms are also investing in developing their facilities, with new manufacturing capability coming on stream. Materials washing specialist CDE Global is now offering its modular M-Series wash

Russell Fletcher* from global lighting solutions provider Harvard Technology explains how LEDs and wireless controls are changing the lighting industry. The lighting controls market is set to double by 2024, according to Navigant Research, a US-based global market research and consulting team that analyses clean technology markets. The driver is technological advancements which bring impressive results through retrofitting combined LED and wireless control systems.

Machines from the Wirtgen Group are carrying out an important reconstruction job for the surface course at Büchel Air Base. Road machinery from Hamm, Vögele and Wirtgen as well as asphalt plants from Benninghoven have been carrying out the work, delivering a new runway within a tight timeframe. To achieve this, the work had to be planned well in advance, with the contractors organising the logistics and their personnel accordingly.

Georgia’s government aspires to turn the country into a regional transport-transit hub, and with renovated and expanded transportation infrastructure it knows that the country can offer significant opportunities to others in the region, and globally – Gordon Feller writes The Caucasus Transit Corridor (CTC) is the key transit-route between Western Europe and Central Asia for oil and gas, as well as dry cargo. CTC is part of TRACECA (TRAnsport Corridor Europe to Central Asia). This is the shortest route

Doka’s formwork expertise is currently in demand during the construction of one of the busiest motorway viaducts in Germany. The 400m six-lane Lahntal Bridge in Limburg dates from the early 1960s. Every day about 100,000 vehicles cross the bridge that spans the valley of the River Lahn. But traffic loads have increased sharply, so a new bridge is being built sited just a few metres west of the old viaduct. The new Lahntal viaduct will measure a massive 43.5m in width, enabling eight lanes plus hard shoul

A series of developments in the milling machine market will give customers both greater choice and performance – Mike Woof writes. Competition is heating up in the market for milling machines, which has been dominated for many years by Wirtgen. The German firm still retains a strong share of this market, but is now facing much tougher levels of competition from key rivals, and Atlas Copco, BOMAG, Caterpillar and Roadtec in particular. Meanwhile the market is also seeing the return of another familiar nam

In 2015, Nexco East introduced a moveable barrier system in Japan, creating safer work zones along the Joban Expressway, north of Tokyo. Two of the main actors behind this project look back at how it came to life and the role of IRF. Masato Matsumoto: I graduated in 2006 from the IRF Fellowship Programme. As a young professional, becoming an IRF Fellow was a life-changing opportunity. It allowed me to meet industry executives from around world and start building a professional network. Armed with this expe

The 18th edition of the IRF World Road Meeting (WRM) will take place from 14 – 17 November, 2017 in Delhi, India. The WRM has been organised by IRF once every four years for the last 60 years. The WRM is a prestigious event and is expected to attract over 4,000 international and national participants. The theme for WRM – 2017 is “SAFE ROADS and SMART Mobility: The Engines of Economic Growth.” Road transport and mobility are the lifeline of a modern economy and contribute significantly to economic growt

The Africa Regional Seminar and Workshop delivers key recommendations on performance-based contracts. The International Road Federation (IRF) Geneva has helped co-organise the Africa Regional Seminar and Workshop on "Performance-based Contracts for Roads." This was organised and run jointly with local support from the Tanzania Ministry of Works, Transport, and Communications, the Road Fund Board, TANROADS, the Tanzania Transportation Technology Transfer Centre and the Tanzania Roads Association (TARA). Also

Malaysia’s Minister of Works receives IRF’s top award. YB Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Minister of Works and one of the chief architects behind Malaysia’s spectacular highway investment programme has been nominated to receive IRF’s most distinguished individual honor. Established in 1951, IRF’s Professional of the Year award recognises eminent public, private and education sector professionals with an outstanding track record of leadership and commitment to the road transport industry. Over the y

Work continues on the 2.3km Mersey Gateway signature bridge project close to Liverpool in the UK. David Arminas reports on some of the construction highlights. Under construction is a cable-stayed structure with three towers that will span the Mersey River’s expansive mud flats between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes near Liverpool. Including the approach viaducts on each side, it will be 2.3km long with a river span of 1km. The main bridge deck will be reinforced concrete. The 80m-high central tower will b

Congestion is a major problem in certain areas of US state Florida. Large number of commuters and tourists means that central Florida’s Interstate 4 (I-4) highway suffers particularly from congestion. Its proximity to Disneyland means that the traffic often comes to a complete standstill.