Features

As recently announced by the Chair of IRF Geneva, Kiran Kapila, “we are pleased to welcome TRL, the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, to the IRF family. With its wide-ranging and global road-related research activities, TRL represents a true asset to the IRF membership. We are excited at the prospect of working closely with TRL towards a world of safe, sustainable and efficient roads and road networks.” With over 80 years of knowledge and experience embedded in its history, TRL’s vision is to meet mode

Enhancing the sustainability of road planning, construction and operation has long been one of IRF Geneva's priority themes. With the call for greener construction practices increasing worldwide, IRF is helping to both encourage and inform this evolution through an authoritative new online resource. Developed by the New Zealand Transport Agency, the ‘Environmental Management and Urban Design online learning tool’ offers a comprehensive series of learning modules, particularly targeted to the needs of tr

IRF Geneva has a long history of providing cutting-edge educational and professional development facilities and resources specifically targeted to the needs of road sector professionals worldwide In this respect it builds on its tradition as a neutral platform for global exchanges and precision service. A wide range of current opportunities may be found in the Training & Services section of the IRF Geneva website (www.irfnet.ch). Many, including the annual Senior Road Executive courses, need little intro

Of all the fast-growing economies of the Arabian Gulf region, Saudi Arabia is by far the largest in terms of population and gross national product. Due to rising oil prices and increased foreign investments, Saudi Arabia's national economy has grown exponentially over the last ten years - having doubled in size since 2002 to $481.6bn. With a surface area of 2,150,000km2 (roughly equivalent to one quarter of the surface area of the continental United States), Saudi Arabia has a much greater need for high

The call for papers was launched in late 2012 with two objectives in mind, to attract the best in innovative technical, institutional, economic, business and policy issues that are relevant, recent, and significant. These papers are suitable for presentation in a technical session, and to attract original research and technological innovation that is recent, relevant and significant, as well as for presentation in a scientific session. The Technical & Scientific program is being developed through the

The IRF is setting the stage for the most comprehensive conference ever in the Middle East — an expanding and dynamic region and home to some of the largest and most ambitious infrastructure projects in the world The 17th IRF World Meeting & Exhibition will feature more than 80 technical and scientific sessions, as well as 30 plenary, executive and special interest sessions, covering literally every aspect of ground transportation, making it the largest and most ambitious transport and road sector con

The 2011 EC White Paper on Transport acknowledges that transport is the backbone of Europe’s economy, directly employing 10 million people and accounting for approximately 5% of EU GDP. In addition, it recognises that ‘infrastructure shapes mobility’ and that ‘curbing mobility is not an option’. Given the importance policymakers place on the ability to move people and goods seamlessly across Europe, it becomes rather hard to explain why they have neglected for so long the main ‘vehicle’ for mobility acro

The pavement industry needs to come up with novel solutions in order to meet the twin challenges of climate change and squeezed budgets. This was the message from Kraton Polymers market development manager Rombout Hartemink when he addressed FIRM13. Hartemink illustrated the properties of Kraton’s modified bitumen with the aid of his stretchy bar. This 250mm-long bar of Highly Modified Bitumen stretches to five or six times its length, returning to its original state in around five minutes. “It changes

Chemical giant ICL is now promoting Poly Posphoric Acid (PPA) in Europe, presenting it to FIRM13. PPA can be added to bitumen by itself or with polymers and has been used in the US for 35 years, becoming more popular in the last 15. “This is related to the recognition that PPA can safely bring bitumen quality to within specifications and the demonstrated synergies in polymer modified bitumen,” said René Maldonado, manager technical development at ICL Performance Products. “PPA is now being used by sever

Colas has been working on new chip seal solutions for high traffic roads using bitumen emulsions. Technical director Christine Deneuvillers presented the company’s new range of Colas High Traffic chip seals to the 2013 FEHRL Infrastructure Research Meeting (FIRM13) in Brussels in June this year. Although chip seal is used on main roads in France, its most common application is on rural roads, said Deneuvillers. But today’s financial restraints mean that techniques such as chipseal, which can help exten

Preservation can make roads perform better and last longer - and save money in the long run. Kristina Smith reports BAM Wegen has laid the first ever half-warm porous asphalt section on a major highway in the Netherlands. The asphalt for the 500m-long test section on the A18 near Varsseveld was produced at 105°C rather than 160°C, representing a saving on energy and CO2 emissions of around 30%.

New machines are now being offered at the compact end of the asphalt compaction market - Mike Woof reports Manufacturers have developed an array of new machines and solutions for the compact end of the asphalt compactor market segment. These units have been designed to meet the latest regulations for Europe and the US, with low emission engines that are also more economical on fuel. But as these machines are made in large volumes, the market for smaller asphalt compactors sees fierce rivalry between fi