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Stainless-steel pump
 Ace Pump says their new FMC-150FS-HYD-206 pump is
constructed of 316 stainless steel for the ultimate in corrosion prevention.
Pump life is greatly increased with chemicals and fertilizers that may
attack standard pumps. Pump ports include NPT and flanged attachments to fit
any application.
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Biodegradeable anchoring staple
A new 100% biodegradeable staple from American
Excelsior anchors erosion and sediment control products and solutions in
place. Staples will compost and biodegrade in cold, warm, or hot ground
conditions. The barbed shoulders and tip provide great holding capabilities.
Staples are available in 4- and 6-inch lengths, in cartons of 1,000. A
mechanical installation gun can speed up the installation process.
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Alternative to paving
Midwest Industrial Supply offers Resin Pave, a
process of mixing their dust control/soil stabilization product (Road Oyl)
with native soil to create roads, paths, and driveways. The mixture creates
a permanent, natural paving system. Soil conditions, weather, and the
desired outcome determine how much native soil is mixed with Road Oyl.
Midwest will come out to the site to develop customized solutions.
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Expansion joint sealant
Joint Guard from Garon Products provides a durable
flexible epoxy seal for expansion joints that will not become brittle and
break out with movement. The sealant is pourable, self-leveling,
self-priming, non-shrinking, and flexes up to 50%.
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Quick loading
Petersen’s new DL3 Lightning Loader, nicknamed the
Twister, is engineered for high-volume collection operations after
hurricanes, ice storms, and tornadoes. The unit features a 45-cubic yard
dump body and a 20-foot boom with an all-purpose clamshell bucket. Dual
mechanical joystick controls located at the stationary top-mount seat
operate the unit.
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Paint striper
 Newstripe’s Rollmaster paint striper has been
redesigned with an improved adjustable pump spring tension that speeds
priming and compensates for pump hose wear. The redesign also includes
high-performance polymer pump rollers, bronze pump bushing, and improved
tolerances.
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Compression testing system
A new compression testing system from Instron, the
SATEC Series DX Compression System, is equipped with automatic exudation
detection for soils and audio prompting for stailometer testing for asphalt
and soils. As moisture is detected in a soil sample, a PLC interface
determines if exudation has occurred; if it has, the test will end
automatically and load results are instantly reported in the Partner
software. A single operator can run the tests consistently and efficiently,
according to the company. The operator is prompted with an audio alert at
each load level when a reading is required from the stabilometer pressure
gauge. The software stores the data and results in a database for easy
access.
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Wood grinder
 Morbark’s 4600XL Wood Hog has a 14% larger
hammermill than its predecessor, increasing the tip swing to 36 inches. The
infeed opening has been expanded to 60 inches. It also features an internal
planetary drive feed wheel with no chains and sprockets, which means less
maintenance, more torque, and increased durability. Eighteen hammers provide
an aggressive, multi-purpose grind. The machine also comes standard with an
adjustable fifth wheel pin that allows weight transfers to accommodate state
and highway road restrictions. The Wood Hog is also available as a
track-mounted unit.
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Product Application
DOTs Impressed with New Attenuator
Two departments of transportation recently tried a
new type of attenuator, the Smart Cushion Innovations Impact Attenuator from
Work Area Protection and SCI Products.
The attenuator collapses in segments, varying
stopping resistance during the impact. It allows lighter and slower-moving
vehicles to have longer ride-down distances and lower ride-down G forces,
and only reaches maximum stopping resistance when a vehicle is traveling at
the maximum design speed. Resetting the attenuator after an impact usually
requires only two 0.25-inch shear bolts and can be completed in less than
one hour. The possibility of saving money and time, while ensuring the
safety of drivers, appealed to the DOTs.
Arizona
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| The Arizona DOT was so
impressed with the performance of the first Smart Cushion
installation that they installed another unit at the
Bell Road exit ramp on I-17. |
Ron Jones, a branch manager for Trafficade Services,
a distributor that works with the Arizona Department of Transportation to
provide traffic control products, first learned about the Smart Cushion at
the 2005 American Traffic Safety Services Association Show and thought that
it looked like a good quality product. In May 2005, he introduced it to the
Arizona DOT and they agreed to test it at the I-10/Loop 202 interchange.
A driver impacted the Smart Cushion at an estimated
90 miles per hour. The attenuator was badly damaged and had to be replaced,
but the driver survived the impact.
“Even though it’s not designed to handle such high
speeds, the Smart Cushion still performed its job by taking the force of the
impact,” said Jones.
“We’re always looking for new products that will
save money and improve service without compromising the public’s safety,”
said Greg Gentsch, assistant district engineer, ADOT.
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| This
Smart Cushion installation at the I-10/Loop 202 interchange
performed its job well when impacted by a vehicle traveling 90 miles
per hour--the driver of the vehicle survived. |
The test attenuator was impacted four times between
May and August before ADOT decided to purchase another Smart Cushion. In
December 2005, ADOT installed a second attenuator at the Bell Road exit ramp
on I-17, which was under construction, because a significant number of
accidents occurred there.
“The Smart Cushion costs a little more than other
attenuators, but it’s designed to withstand repeated impacts with little
repair costs,” said Gentsch. “Other attenuators cost less but are more
expensive to repair because they consistently require more replacement
parts.”
Gentsch estimates that the time it takes to reset
the Smart Cushion is 50% less than traditional attenuators. Repair time is
saved because few parts are needed to reset the attenuator.
“We’ve been very happy with it,” said Jones. “It’s
very easy to repair because, normally, all you need to replace are the two
shear pins, which are relatively inexpensive. At most, we have to repair the
front reflective panel because it is bent.”
Pennsylvania
In 2004, the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation began a construction project on State Route 114 south of
Harrisburg, rebuilding the road and median.
“We had to shift the traffic from different
locations so our work areas could be protected by the barrier,” said Jim
Payne, project superintendent, Hempt Brothers, the prime contractor for the
project.
Hempt Brothers placed barriers to separate the
drivers from the work area. They had Smart Cushions installed at the ends of
each barrier to protect oncoming traffic. According to Payne, the
attenuators were hit 25 times; about 85% of the impacts required no
replacement parts other than shear bolts.
“It would usually take all day to repair a
traditional attenuator,” said Payne. “With the Smart Cushion, it only takes
two hours. With the minimal time it takes to reset, our jobs are not
interrupted as much, which helps us stay efficient on the job. I believe as
a result of the Smart Cushion, the road construction industry can better
control time because it doesn’t take long to reset. It also does its job by
keeping drivers safe.”
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RWIS updates
 Surface Systems, a member of Quixote Transportation
Technologies, added three Road/Runway Weather Information System equipment
and software options to its line of weather information technology — RWIS
elite, RWIS advanced, and RWIS companion. RWIS elite is a full-feature site
with numerous sensor options and capabilities that is capable of measuring
advanced road conditions and traffic information, and has the power to
activate roadside devices. RWIS advanced meets most RWIS needs with the
ability to upgrade to a full site as desired. RWIS companion allows current
RWIS users to increase their data network by adding sites cost effectively.
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Reprinted from Better Roads Magazine
August 2006 |
