Construction Plant World 11th Jan 2018

EDITORIAL FOCUS ON ROAD CONSTRUCTION
TAKE TO
THE ROAD
By Steed Webzell
The construction of roads relies on a
number of key technology systems,
typically comprising asphalt, concrete and
coarse aggregate equipment, as well as
corresponding finishing machines for
infrastructure work. Finishing machines
take care of tasks that include the
positioning, compacting, levelling,
demolition and removal of the materials.
Types of finishing machines include slipform
pavers, concrete pumps, concrete
vibrators and rollers, among others. Of
course, selecting the right machines, in
terms of capability and reliability, is pivotal
to all successful road-construction projects.
Able to provide testimony to this fact
is JC Balls & Sons, which recently took
delivery of a new Tier 4 final Bomag BW
213DH single-drum roller fitted with
Bomag Terrameter and Trimble GCS900
grade-control system. The new machine
was put to work immediately on the A50
phase 1 corridor scheme on the outskirts
of Uttoxeter in Staffordshire. After
commissioning by a Bomag engineer and
Trimble agent, Sitech, the Bomag was
tasked with completing the compaction
of a 1m lift of pulverised fuel ash (PFA)
adjacent to the new bridge over the A50.
The BW 213DH bought by JC Balls &
Sons is powered by a 115kW Deutz
engine with a diesel particulate filter, a
diesel oxidation catalyst and selective
catalytic reduction. The twin-pump
model has a maximum travel speed of 12
km/h, while the load-sensing EcoMode
engine management saves up to 30%
fuel, reduces emissions and provides a
quieter working environment, says
Bomag.
Increasingly, contractors are using GPS
and grade-control systems to save time
and money, and improve quality
assurance on large and complex projects.
Bomag offers its own integrated
continuous compaction control systems,
providing display, control and
documentation, and the option to
integrate Bomga compaction data with
leading grade-control systems, as in this
case, where the BW213 is fitted with a
Trimble GCS900 grade-control system.
The Trimble system provides display
and mapping of the site integrated with
real-time compaction data from the
Bomag Terrameter. In-machine
documentation of compaction results is
also available.
Naturally the inherent terrain
associated with each individual roadconstruction
project presents its own
challenges. Take the steep, narrow slopes
of the Swiss Alps, for example, where
asphalt paving places demands on
construction personnel and machine
technology alike.
In the mountain village of Castiel,
located in Arosa district, HEW