Road Structures

Approval has been given for a new port tunnel connection project in Sri Lanka. The project will be carried out under the PPP model and will connect capital Colombo with Port City. The work will be carried out by with CHEC Port City Colombo, a subsidiary of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).

Drainage specialist Lanes Group is implementing the first project to extensively line highway drainage pipes as part of a Smart Motorway initiative in the UK. Lanes has been commissioned by the Carillion Kier Joint Venture working for Highways England to install ultra-violet – UV - liners during the M6 Junction 16-19 Smart Motorway scheme between Crewe and Knutsford, in county Cheshire. Lanes said that it is the first time that roadside drainage pipes will have been extensively lined, instead of being

With the official go ahead being given for a new expressway in Poland’s southern Silesia Region, tendering can now commence. This last stretch of the S1 expressway will run from Bielsko-Biala to Zwardon and will measure 8.5km long. Tendering is now starting for the project, which is expected to cost in the region of €351.25 million and should take two years to build. This new road project forms part of the 2014-2023 National Road Construction Programme.

Central Alliance, a pre-construction services company based in northern England, has set up a geotechnical division called Geo Construction. The company’s investment in the new division includes acquisition of specialist drilling contractor Electro Install that focuses on geotechnical and slope climbing proficiencies. Electro Install’s rigs have full body and mast rotation, enabling Central Alliance to carry out ground investigation in the same orientation and location as proposed remedial works such as

Berger Grundbautechnik is using two Sennenbogen duty cycle cranes simultaneously for preparatory works for the planned BAB 100 motorway in Berlin. The new stretch of motorway will connect the eastern areas of Berlin to the central road circuit and the BAB 113. Large sections of the section being built run in a tunnel or in a trough of up to 7m. Hard at it are the Sennenbogen 690 HD and the new 6130 HD units. With a working weight of 130tonnes and two 300kN free-fall winches, the 6130 HD operates a 25tonne

Sennebogen is now offering a 50tonne capacity crawler crane that the firm claims is easier to transport and more versatile than other models in the range. The new Sennebogen 1100 crane is the smallest in the line-up and features a lattice boom job with possible lengths from 10.3-52.3m, as well as a sophisticated load control system. The firm says that the machine offers a good lifting scope with regard to height and breadth, while the variable boom system is also said to allow the driver to cope with

Key routes in England are to be upgraded as part of a programme of works worth a mighty €33.9 billion (£30 billion) plan from 2020 to 2025. This five year plan from Highways England will see many of the major A road routes being reclassified as A(M) expressways. These will resemble motorways in many respects, with new on and off ramps and additional lanes being constructed. The A14 stretch between Cambridge and Huntingdon will be one of the first stretches to be upgraded in such a fashion. This is an

A barge-mounted crane from Manitowoc is playing a key role in a major Illinois bridge replacement project. The machine is being used by Kraemer North America, which is replacing an 84-year-old truss bridge near Savanna, Illinois. The firm is employing a barge-mounted MLC300 equipped with the sophisticated variable position counterweight (VPC) technology, which is said to allow the MLC300 to adjust its counterweight during each lift and keep the barge stable while lifting. When Manitowoc introduced its VPC

The market for piling machines is seeing new technology come to market – Mike Woof writes UK firm BSP is now offering an improved range of piling systems, with its SL30 model and compact BH120. The SL30 can be used to drive Z piles in pairs and its hammer has a drop weight of 2.5tonnes, delivering an impact energy of 30kNm at up 84blows/minute. The SL piling hammer is designed for driving sheet piles and small bearing piles and is available with legs and inserts for use when freely suspended or with back

A series of key crane deals have been made across the Middle East. In Bahrain, Modern Mechanical, Electrical and Transporting (MMET) has placed an order for multiple Demag and Terex all-terrain cranes. MMET has an existing fleet of 15 Terex and Demag cranes. With its recent order, the company will expand its service capabilities with the addition of one Demag AC 60-3, two Demag AC 100-4Ls, one Demag AC 160-5, one Demag AC 220-5 and one Terex AC 40/2L. A major selling point for MMET was the