This is the second half of the topic: ‘Trends worthwhile to watch in Road Construction and Earthmoving'.

This blog post covers the trends: Asphalt Layer Thickness, Google Glass for Construction and Maintaining Asphalt Temperature during Transport.

Asphalt Layer Thickness

Do you need to know the amount of asphalt being laid and the automatic measurements? These answers vary based on the country where the work is being done, and the description of the job type. Contractors are often paid by the amount of material they lay, as opposed to a fixed tonnage. The rationale is that smoothness comes before material savings. Generally speaking, a thicker layer of asphalt is a better choice, than not having put down enough. Some countries see it as a tremendous cost savings by having the optimum asphalt layer thickness.

This rationale is applicable in incidences where a contractor gets paid per job, or a road agency can save the public money. Toll roads are a good example where material control and measuring yield can have a major economical impact. Asphalt layer thickness can be measured with an ultrasonic sensor that is integrated in a grade control system. This trend is fairly new and might not draw a wide-spread adoption in the present moment, but is definitely worth keeping in mind as the application and markets mature.

Google Glass and Construction

Google Glass for Construction is one of the most exciting trends providing a huge potential for cost savings and productivity increase.Features like picture taking and uploading functions to smart phones, are fairly basic functions of Google Glasses.Sending pictures through voice command, as well as virtual walking while managing multiple construction sites are advanced features that have already hit the market.Field Lens and Procore, both offer cloud-based application software with integrating Google Glass functions.

See these two videos for more details.

Uploading drawings onto the Google Glass where construction workers can visualize drawings and project data right next to their sight will enable them to work hands-free and more efficiently.

A new application available is the Myo armband. It has sensors actually integrated into the armband, permitting easy gestures to be recorded with applications on the Google Glass. This video gives more detail on the application.

Are you ready for your Google Glass? It may not be a mainstream application yet, and certainly individual solutions will be available at first. However, this trend will most likely evolve rather quickly due to its huge potential for ease of work and increase in efficiency.

Asphalt Temperature during Transport

Transporting asphalt over long hauling periods, driving speed and unfavorable weather conditions have a negative impact on asphalt temperatures. As asphalt cools down while in transit, the material becomes less homogeneous leading to premature failure of a road.

As a result, German road authorities are taking the leap to make thermal tipper body insulation mandatory, by 2016. As a first step, this applies only to job sites of 18,000 square meters and higher. However, the message is being made loud and clear, that minimizing temperature loss during transport is a big concern for road authorities!

Tests from the European Research Project PAST showed the following results*:

An uncovered truck experiences a temperature loss of around 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) in a 3 minute period. The outer layer of asphalt material in a dump truck without isolation, only reaches a temperature of 50 to 70C (122 degrees F to 158 degrees F). Temperature differentials of 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) decrease the ability to compact sufficiently by 5%, which increases the possibility of early road cracks. (Reference: VDBUM Info 4, page 48)

How do you best insulate dump trucks? Using Multi-layer insulation with specially designed materials like foam plastic, fiber material and reflective films, to mention a few of the options available. For further details, check out the blog post by Gunnar Verges, Asphalt Temperature- a decisive factor in road construction quality. This is definitely a trend to watch. Further information is available through the Cologne Laboratory for Construction Machines and his team lead by Professor Dr.-Ing. Alfred Ulrich.

Ground Penetrating Radar

Road layers can be measured through the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR). As of right now, Ground penetrating radar is mainly used by road authorities to determine the status of a road for maintenance purposes. The video below provides a good overview how a GPR system works.

The biggest advantage is that there are no manual cores needed when using a GPR. This increases the safety for construction workers without causing traffic delay. GPR is not new, it has been around for quite some time. In fact, some European countries like Finland and Denmark have been using this method for a while.

This application is not a (wide-spread) application for paving quality yet, very well could be in the days and years to come. For more information, refer to this link from the Federal Highway Association, Ground Penetrating Radar.

What trend do you think will become most popular, and why?