Products

Blastcrete Equipment Company says that its novel Mine Mate machine can be used to mix and pump concrete for use in tunnel sealing and stabilisation, grouting and other shotcrete applications. The Mine Mate unit is said to boost safety in tunnelling and suits duties where and when ready-mix concrete is not an option. Featuring Blastcrete’s X-10 high-pressure swing tube pump, the Mine Mate is said to be productive, reliable, easy to operate and maintain.

Emergency services in the US state of Oregon recently faced a rather unusual challenge when they were called out to deal with the aftermath of a crash. A truck had overturned, spilling its load into the roadway and onto a number of other vehicles. Unfortunately the truck’s load happened to comprise several tonnes of live hagfish, which were being transported to Korea, where they are eaten as a delicacy.

A driver in the UK provided a great source of entertainment to drinkers in a pub recently. The man was towing a caravan through a narrow gap between two buildings with his SUV when he realised that the caravan was slightly too wide. Frustrated, he hit the accelerator and spun the wheels of his vehicle, succeeding only in wedging the caravan more tightly in the space, as well as breaking off a drainpipe.

Drivers in Hungary using the new R 67 expressway link will benefit from an unusual design feature of the road once the work is complete. Those driving at a certain speed will be able to hear the melody to the song, Route 67, by local rock band Republic. This effect will be achieved due to grooves cut into the road surface, which will generate harmonic frequencies in the tyres of vehicles driving within a certain speed range when using the link.

A cyclist in the UK has been sought after a very close call at a rail crossing. The barriers had dropped and warning lights were flashing when the cyclist rode up on his bicycle. Rather than waiting, the impatient cyclist hoisted his bicycle over the barrier and attempted to cross. Another person waiting at the crossing shouted concernedly that the man should wait but received an earful of abuse in return. At that point a train passed through the crossing, its driver seeing the cyclist and sounding his horn

A driver in China started out behind the wheel a little younger than normally expected. The six-year old drove his parents’ car along an urban street in Guangxi Province while being both encouraged and offered tips by members of his family. Police officers spotted the young driver and the father was given a suspension of his driving licence for the offence. When asked by police officers why he had allowed his child to drive the car the father replied that it had merely been a bit of fun. The officers pointe

In South Africa a hippopotamus was recently spotted as it strolled casually past a petrol station. The South African village of St Lucia lies close to a game reserve and the animals frequently wander out and about, presenting hazards to those around. What the hippopotamus in question was considering buying remains unclear however. It is worth noting that hippopotami are notoriously aggressive and figure higher in fatal incidents involving humans than many other large animals in Africa.

A touring cyclist in Canada recently received the benefit of a new training tool while out on a long ride. The cyclist was slowly pedalling up a long climb on his heavily laden bicycle. A bear spotted the solo rider, and deciding that this presented a meal opportunity, hopped over the guardrail and ambled quietly after the rider. Luckily for the cyclist, a driver in a pick-up truck spotted what was happening and placed his vehicle in-between the animal and the bicycle, while also sounding his horn.

A man in the UK recently picked up his brand new Ferrari from the dealer, having arranged the purchase earlier. Just one hour later the man was being helped, bruised and battered but not seriously hurt, from the smouldering wreckage of the car. The driver had lost control on a rain-soaked motorway, plunging off the road. Emergency services responded quickly, rescuing the man from his smashed Ferrari 430 Scuderia.

A new mould is now in operation for Kijlstra in its UK factory, allowing the firm to produce a larger range of culverts. The specialist precast concrete drainage manufacturer says that the new moulds also allow for faster production and lead times. As the new moulds are adaptable a wider range of culvert configurations can be offered. The firm can now produce a range of sizes up to 2.1m in height and 3.6m in width, with a standard wall and slab thickness of 250mm.

Advanced software from 3D Repo offers additional support for some of the leading packages used within engineering and construction sectors, such as Autodesk Navisworks. This updated, cloud-based BIM collaboration platform provides improved support for large 3D models used in infrastructure projects. It also offers integrated VR functionality for applications such as training, safety and project consultation.

The global road casualty rate continues to climb as motorisation levels grow and is particularly acute in the developing world. Developing countries suffer from a particularly high rate of crashes and around 90% of road fatalities. The impact, both in economic and human terms, is unsustainable. These countries cannot afford the loss to their economies of the young and economically active.

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’