Canada's “Rock to Road” Magazine

March/April 2006 Issue

• Ontario Paver of the Year 2005
• Asphalt show breaks records
• The price of not knowing costs
• What's new in asphalt pavers
• Volvo launches new G900 motor grader range

For a copy of the issue that contains these articles with colour photos, click here.

Ontario Paver of the Year 2005
Pioneer Construction wins Ontario 2005 Paver of the year Award

By Andy Bateman, Engineering Editor

     Every year the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) recognises quality roadbuilding in each of the ministry’s five regions, with one winner receiving the prestigious Paver of the Year Award. The awards for 2005 were presented during the 79th Annual Ontario Road Builders’ Association Convention, held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto on February 6-8, 2006.
    The winner of the 2005 Paver of the Year Award was Pioneer Construction Inc., for outstanding work on MTO Contract 2004-6009 in the MTO’s Northwestern Region. Pioneer’s Thunder Bay Operations won the 15.5-km long pavement rehabilitation contract on Highway 11/17 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon, from 0.1 km east of the Highway 527 Junction and extending easterly for 15.5 km. The scope of work included the construction of a westbound truck climbing lane, an eastbound passing lane, culvert replacement, grading, drainage, granular base and hot mix paving for a total contract value of $8.9 million.
   Work started in October 2004 and was completed in September 2005. Pioneer’s successful project team included district superintendent Chris Bowles, project superintendent Mike Howard, quality control administrator Michelle Hagen and general manager Fred Hakala.
    Like all contracts, this one had its challenges. Hakala reports that heavy snow followed by spring flooding hampered the opening of a new MTO quarry, earmarked as the contract’s source of aggregates and location of its portable asphalt plant. On site, one of the job’s biggest challenges was heavy traffic volume. According to Phil Annett, the firm’s vice president for Northwestern Ontario: “This particular stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway has the combined traffic from both Hwy 17 and 11 and as a result created enormous challenges in accommodating the traffic volumes during construction”.
   In a co-operative effort with the MTO and the contract administrator, Thunder Bay Testing, Pioneer undertook to perform the majority of the paving operations at night — an operation generally limited to multi-lane 400 Series highways in Southern Ontario, with the switch from day to night time paving achieved within three days.” In terms of paving, Hakala adds: “The relatively thick asphalt lifts – a 75 mm binder course lift of Superpave 19 and a 55 mm surface lift of Superpave 12.5 – also posed some initial challenges, although Pioneer’s site team soon learned the right temperature and correct time to get on the mat and achieve the required compaction.
   Site conditions placed additional demands on the crew, including the need to maintain a safe construction site, high traffic volumes, night time work and the maintenance of erosion control measures to minimise environmental impacts.” A number of subcontractors contributed to Pioneer’s success. Roto-Mill Services Ltd. completed pulverizing while Royel Paving Ltd. carried out tack coat and granular sealing work. Drilling and blasting was done by Acadian Drillers and Northwest Lines completed line marking. Wilco Landscaping did guide rail, channel realignment, and landscaping work.
   In terms of equipment, hot mix asphalt was supplied by a 200-tonne/h capacity Astec Six Pack portable plant located in the MTO’s Loon Pit No.1. Pavement milling work was completed by a Caterpillar PM-565B cold planer, achieving an average production rate of 100 tonnes/h. Pioneer’s paving train included a Roadtec SB-2500 Shuttle Buggy feeding a Caterpillar AP1055D paver equipped with a Topcon averaging ski, while the compaction train included Caterpillar CB534D XW, PS300B and Dynapac CC42 rollers making four passes each to achieve densities of 93-94 per cent.
   Material quantities included 54 831 tonnes of hot mix asphalt, with 28 042 tonnes of Superpave 12.5 mm mix and 26 789 tonnes of Superpave 19 mm mix. The mix designs utilised Performance Grade Asphalt Cement (PGAC) 64-34 from McAsphalt Industries and Redicote 82-S anti-strip agent. Fine and coarse asphalt aggregates were sourced from the MTO Loon pit where crushing was completed by Gilbertson Enterprises Ltd.
   The Loon pit also provided some 25 200 tonnes of Granular B Type II, while 95 900 tonnes of Granular A was sourced from the Pioneer Mt. Baldy pit, again crushed by Gilbertson. Additional material quantities included 35 100 m3 of earth moving, 21 000 m3 of rock excavation, 95 900 tonnes and 25 200 tonnes, respectively, of Granular A and B Type 3 base material, 150 000 m2 of pulverizing, 10 000 tonnes of milling as well as culverts, pipe liner, channel realignment and erosion controls.
   The 2005 Central Region award was won by Graham Bros. Construction Ltd. for its performance on MTO Contract 2002-2000 in Mississauga. This contract included paving and new lane construction on the eastbound and westbound lanes of Highway 401 from Renforth Drive to Highway 427, as well as the demolition, replacement and widening of the bridge structure carrying Highway 401 over Highway 27.
   Additional work included the installation of thirty-six high mast lighting poles and Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS). Valued at $24 million, the contract began in July 2002 and was completed in December 2005, with the 42-month contract time line driven by complex structural work.
   Those closely involved in the job included Graham’s superintendent Mark Thompson, general manager Alfredo Maggio, vice president operations Carl Graham, operations manager (Asphalt Division) Murray Graham, as well as Jim Vanbiesbrouk of the MTO and Terry Choo-Kang of contract administrator Morrison Hershfield.
   This job presented a number of unique challenges to its builders. On the structural side, two existing bridges carrying live 401 traffic had to be supported during their sequential removal and reconstruction, a reportedly unique approach that required considerable planning and engineering as well as a rigorous proposal and approvals process.
   On the paving side, work was done on one of the narrowest and busiest sections of Highway 401 in the Greater Toronto Area. This stretch has no collector lanes and, until its reopening, had only three express lanes each direction. No mainline closures were allowed during the daytime, while daytime construction access to mid-road closures was restricted due to potential traffic congestion. All mainline repair work and paving was done at night. In order to keep the 401 open during the day, the job also called for fast-track concrete patching, a process that required close coordination between concrete supplier James Dick Concrete and Graham Bros. Thompson explains: “The 401 pavement here includes asphalt on top of concrete. Once the existing asphalt had been milled off, a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) was used to test and identify areas of concrete requiring replacement.
    “The replacement involved the cutting and removal of concrete sections, dowel drilling and installation into adjacent sections, plus the pouring of new concrete, all in a four-hour window. Road closures were allowed from 10 pm to 6 am, with penalties for late opening. This meant that the new concrete had to be in place by about 2 am each night to allow sufficient time for it to gain strength and take traffic loading by 6 am. The approach worked well in practice as we obtained high early concrete strengths of up to 20 MPa within four hours.”
   When it came to asphalt paving, it was found that the allowed closure times were not long enough to be productive during weeknights. As a result, almost all the top course paving was done over two weekends on Friday and Saturday nights. To meet the echelon paving specifications and keep longitudinal joints to a minimum, the shoulders were paved first then the longitudinal joint ramp was removed to allow two full lane paving per shift.
   It was found that the job required two full seasons of night work for the fast track concrete repairs and paving, along with daytime work on structures and road widening in order to keep on schedule. All in all, the job schedule required work to continue around-the-clock for six days each week in the summer seasons.
   Asphalt mix design changes also impacted on Graham, with the contract’s surface course asphalt originally specified as Dense Friction Course (DFC), but later changed to Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) by the MTO. As this was Graham’s first experience with SMA, the change triggered the addition of a new mineral filler silo, a 136 000-litre capacity upright AC tank and Krendl Fibre metering machine with a Merrick Controller to the company’s Brampton asphalt plant set up.
   The Graham team attributes the contract’s success to co-operation and communication between contract administrator Morrison Hershfield, the MTO and Graham as prime contractor, as well as excellent planning and scheduling of daytime, night-time and subwork crews. Another likely factor is Graham’s depth as a vertically integrated construction materials and contracting business able to draw on an extensive operational team and equipment fleet.
     Aggregates were supplied from a company pit, among others, while hot mix asphalt was produced at the company’s plant, delivered by company trucks and paved with company equipment. Specifically, hot mix asphalt for the job was produced by a 400-tonnes/h capacity double barrel drum/ batch plant located in the company’s Brampton yard. The asphalt was delivered to site by a mixed company truck fleet that included Mack five-axle live bottom units each hauling 43 tonnes, Kenworth and International tri-axle and pup units hauling 47 tonnes as well as Mack and Western Star tri-axles carrying 24 tonnes.
    On site, milling equipment included Terex CMI PR 800-7 and Roadtec RX60B cold planers as well as a smaller Ingersoll Rand MW175. The company’s paving train included a Roadtec SB-2500C Shuttle Buggy feeding Caterpillar AP 1000 B and Roadtec 180-10 pavers working in echelon. Breakdown compaction was completed by two Caterpillar CB634 units followed by a Hamm GRW18 pneumatic roller in the secondary position and a Caterpillar CB534C finishing roller to achieve overall Mass Relative Density (MRD) densities of 92 - 96 per cent.
    The contract called for a number of asphalt mixes totalling 51 400 tonnes including 17 000 tonnes of HL8 mix combined Performance Grade Asphalt Cement (PGAC) 58-28 with internally supplied fine aggregates, coarse aggregates and 20 per cent reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). The contract’s Heavy Duty Binder Course (HDBC) totalled 16 000 tonnes and combined PGAC 70-28 with high stability sand, HL3 stone and 19 mm clear stone from Dufferin Aggregates. The 4 400 tonnes of Dense Friction Course (DFC) combined PGAC 70-28 with fine and coarse aggregates from Lafarge Canada’s Coldwater quarry.
     The SMA mix totalled 14 000 tonnes and combined PGAC 70-28 with fine and coarse aggregates from Ontario Trap Rock, filler from Carmeuse Lime and cellulose fibres from High Tech Asphalt Solutions. Asphalt cement for all of these mixes was supplied by McAsphalt Industries, while the SMA mix design was completed by DBA Engineering. Additional material quantities included 58 000 tonnes of Granular A and 19 000 tonnes of Granular B road base materials, both from Grahams’ Caledon pit.
     Concrete was supplied by the Etobicoke plant of James Dick Concrete and included 3 000m3 of 30 MPa mix and 1 000 m3 of 35 MPa Fast Track Concrete. Additional job quantities included 18 000 m2 of base widening, 3 300 m2 of full depth base, 700 m of sewers, 120 000 m2 of asphalt removal and 6 200 m of barrier wall.
    The MTO’s Eastern Region Award was won by R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. for hot mix paving and safety improvements on Highway 416 in Ottawa from Fallowfield Rd North to Hunt Club Rd. Contract 2004-4011 was 7.3 km long and valued at $2.948 million. Work lasted from July 13 to November 15, 2005 and included grading, milling and hot mix paving as well as the installation of various safety measures.
     Tomlinson’s Bert Hendriks explains that the work had to be done at night in a rural area, with the absence of streetlights creating potential safety issues and a big demand for portable lighting equipment. In addition, the paving crew had to be trained to be much more aware of small blemishes in the asphalt surface that would be more visible in better light conditions.
     The job was also the first Tomlinson project where a single lift of asphalt was paved on a milled surface and payment made by the square meter rather than by the tonne. In this situation, Hendriks emphasises the importance of site teamwork between the site crews, project engineer Garry Carriveau and field project manager Gary McLaurin. “Good teamwork by our employees is an essential aspect any successful project, especially where milling is done by our own grinding crew. This provides more flexibility as well as the ability to try some innovative ideas that a subcontractor couldn’t do for you.” Still on teamwork, Hendriks notes that “MTO staff worked in partnership with the contractor on this job and made many things happen. Area construction engineers such as Ken Polson took the project to heart.”
    The job was not without its challenges however, including an MTO switch from day paving to night paving. The effect of this change was felt in October when low evening temperatures “started to play havoc” with asphalt compaction. After discussion with the MTO, a single warm 24-hour period was selected in which 5300 tonnes of Superpave 12.5 mm FCII Category D mix friction course mix was paved non-stop. This mix was produced by Tomlinson’s 3630-kg capacity Barber-Greene batch plant, equipped with three product silos and a lime mixing system.
    The same plant produced a total of 19 000 tonnes of Superpave 12.5 mm FCII Category D mix for the contract, while a 360-tonnes/h capacity Gencor drum mix plant supplied 9 500 tonnes of Superpave 12.5 mm RAP mix.
    On site, Tomlinson’s paving train consisted of a Roadtec SB-2500 Shuttle Buggy feeding a Cedarapids CR451 Stretch 20 paver, while compaction was completed by a Bomag BW205 double-drum unit, a Caterpillar PS 300B rubber tired roller and a Bomag BW164 vibratory finishing roller. Advance milling was completed by a Roadtec RX60B cold planer that had been modified to obtain smoothness on the first machine pass.
   Performance grade asphalt cement for the hot mix asphalt mixes was supplied by Bitumar (Hamilton) Inc., with PGAC 64-34 and PGAC 58-34 utilised in the Superpave 12.5 mm FC2 and Superpave 12.5 mm RAP mixes respectively. Dolomitic sandstone skid resistant aggregates for the friction course were supplied by Tomlinson’s Rideau Quarry, while the company’s Moodie Drive quarry supplied other asphalt aggregates in addition to Granular A and O base materials.
    R.W Tomlinson Ltd. scored a double in this year’s awards by also winning the MTO’s Northeastern Region Award. Russ Perry, manager of Tomlinson’s highway division reports that MTO Contract 2004-5002 was valued at $7.94 million and included grading, drainage, granular base, hot mix paving, temporary traffic signals and structure rehabilitation. Tomlinson was subcontractor to Cruickshank Construction Ltd. on this contract.
    The work was located on Highway 35 between Minden and Carnarvon, extending from 0.5 km north of Haliburton County Road 121N junction, northerly for 12.3 km to 0.3 km south of Highway 118. Additional work was done on Highway 118 near Haliburton, from 0.7 km west of Highway 121 extending westerly for 3 km.
     The job began in September 2004 and was completed a year later. Tomlinson’s successful team on this project included Perry, asphalt foreman John Byrnes, asphalt plant foreman Mike Dunphy and Bonnie Robertson on asphalt quality control. According to Perry, the sourcing and supply of quality materials by Cruickshank played a role in a successful project, notably imported asphalt sand from CBM Aggregates’ Sunderland pit and “perfect” crushing by Danford Construction. “Good pavement smoothness was achieved by a combination of steady production and excellent materials, allowing extremely high ERS (End Result Specification) results to be achieved”.
   Perry reports that Tomlinson’s team dealt effectively with extremely hot weather throughout the summer, as well as intense rain storms that caused major washouts. To reduce traffic delays, particularly for heavy weekend cottage traffic, road closures were limited to a maximum of three closures per day with closures also subject to minimum spacing and maximum lane length. Hot mix asphalt was supplied from a Gencor 400 UltraDrum Portable plant rated at 360 tonnes/h and located in the Taylor pit near Madoc.
    Tomlinson’s site paving train consisted of the familiar Roadtec SB-2500B Shuttle Buggy feeding material to a Caterpillar AP 1000B rubber-tired paver equipped with Topcon System Five automatic controls and achieving an average paving production rate of 200–300 tonnes/h. Compaction was achieved by a Bomag BW205 Breakdown compactor, Caterpillar PS 300B secondary compactor and a Caterpillar CB534C finishing roller, with these units making two passes each to achieve densities of 93.5 per cent. Some 45 000 tonnes of HL4 mix was placed in all, utilising PGAC 58-34 from Bitumar (Hamilton) Inc., fine aggregate from the CBM Aggregates Sunderland pit and coarse aggregate from the Taylor pit.
    Winner of this year’s Southwestern Region Award was E. & E. Seegmiller Ltd. for quality work on Contract 2003–3019. This two-year contract was located east of Sarnia on Highway 402, where Seegmiller was asphalt subcontractor to the Bot Construction Group. Road reconstruction work focussed on the eastbound lanes during year one and the westbound lanes during year two, with detours providing traffic free construction zones.
     Seegmiller’s Les Coulas explains that pavement reconstruction work included removal of all underlying road base earth and clay subgrade in addition to existing asphalt and concrete, making the job particularly weather sensitive while the clay bed was exposed. This required careful materials delivery and staging as site storage space was at a premium and the Granular A gravel for the new road bed was shipped from London, 90 minutes away by truck.
     Coulas adds that “having to schedule trucking to receive aggregates continually through-out the job was a headache while access to and from job site was limited with virtually one-way traffic. Asphalt haulers also had to deal with increased haul distances in the absence of an exit from the job site to Highway 402. On occasion, asphalt haulers had to reverse over 1km with traffic restrictions.
     With limited area for stockpiling and continual haul in, extra care by Bryan Foulem, Seegmiller’s plant foreman and AME Materials Engineering’s Jim Wright on Quality Control helped to minimize any segregation of product stockpiles.” Still on materials delivery, Coulas reports good work by Lafarge Canada’s Ryan Wall and Jim Forbes of Ontario Trap Rock with respect to scheduling of materials into Sarnia docks as well as the loading and off-loading of all materials.
     Hot mix asphalt quantities on the contract totalled 116 000 tonnes, with 32 000 tonnes of Superpave 25 mm, 60,000 tonnes of Superpave 19 mm, 18 000 tonnes of Superpave 12.5 mm FC (Friction Course) and 6000 tonnes of Superpave 12.5 mm. Coulas notes that compaction of the 80 mm deep Superpave 25 mm base cover lift was a challenge at first, with the challenge met by a novel rubber, steel, rubber rolling pattern. A Bomag 20R pneumatic compactor was used in the breakdown position, followed by a Bomag BW205 dual steel drum unit steel unit making two vibratory passes and two static passes.
     The mat was then finished by a second visit by the 20R pneumatic unit. A similar approach was used to compact the Superpave 19 mm mix where two 50 mm lifts were paved in echelon. Here, 93 per cent densities were achieved by initial compaction with the 20R rubber tired unit, followed by three vibratory passes plus one static pass by the Bomag BW205 and final surface finishing with the 20R.
     The 40 mm surface lift of Superpave 12.5 mm FC mix was paved in echelon, with cooler temperatures requiring vigilance by Seegmiller paving foreman Rod Heimpel to achieve the required marking and workmanship. Frequent checks were also made with quality control personnel to ensure proper compaction was being maintained.
     For this mix, Coulas utilised the three vibratory, one static pattern for the Bomag BW205 that had proved successful on the Superpave 19 mm mix. To complete the paving job, the Superpave 12.5 mm mix was paved in a 3 m wide mat to provide fully paved shoulders. Coulas notes that this mat was somewhat easier to compact, thanks to its narrower width and 40 mm depth, with required densities achieved by two vibratory plus one static pass by the Bomag BW205.
     The asphalt mixes utilised Performance Grade Asphalt Cement (PGAC) from the Port McNichol depot of McAsphalt Industries, while aggregates for the Superpave 25 mm, 19 mm and 12.5 mm mixes were supplied via Sarnia docks from Lafarge Canada’s Manitoulin Quarry.
     Aggregates for the Superpave 12.5 mm FC mix included product from R.W. Tomlinson’s Ontario Trap Rock operation at Bruce Mines, also shipped via Sarnia. Hot mix asphalt for the job was produced by a portable CMI PVM 10X drum plant and paved by Caterpillar AP1000B and Barber-Greene pavers fed from a Roadtec SB-2500 Shuttle Buggy.

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Asphalt show breaks records

By Robert L. Consedine, Editor

     The World of Asphalt 2006 Show and Conference set attendance and exhibit space records during its run March 13-16 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
More than 4,145 asphalt, highway and maintenance industry professionals from over 50 countries attended the show, a 26 per cent increase compared to the last event, held in 2004, and more than 250 per cent over the attendance at the inaugural 2001 World of Asphalt. Among the attendees were approximately 340 Canadians who made up the largest number of international visitors at the show.
     A record 6391 m2 of space was used by 221 exhibitors to showcase the latest equipment models, product innovations and services. Show officials report that this is a 26 per cent increase in the amount of space taken at the 2004 show. The five largest exhibitors in terms of exhibit space were: Terex Roadbuilding (446 m2); Roadtec (348 m2); Bomag (334 m2); Ingersoll Rand (278 m2) and, Astec Industries (260 m2).
     “More than numbers, this year’s World of Asphalt had such positive energy and was truly an industry gathering place where we could exchange experiences and learn from each other,” noted R. Wayne Evans, World of Asphalt 2006 Chairman and Senior Vice President of Business Development for Hubbard Construction Company in Orlando, Florida.
     “Attendees found all they needed to keep up to speed on what’s happening in the asphalt industry today – from the latest equipment on the show floor to the latest trends discussed in the education sessions and live equipment demonstration event,” he added.
     The education sessions also set records, with 4,185 tickets sold for the People, Plants and Paving Training Programs and the Asphalt Paving Alliance’s (APA) Asphalt Paving Conference. This represented a 62 per cent increase compared to the last show and a 74 per cent gain compared to the first World of Asphalt educational programming, in 2003.
     The live equipment demonstration involved a wide range of paving machinery that included milling machines, material transfer vehicles, sweepers, asphalt sprayers, rubber tire and tracked pavers, vibratory compactors and quality control testing systems. The machinery operated across six lanes of the convention center’s parking area and attendees got a close-up look at some of the real-life problems associated with asphalt paving projects when several technical glitches created some minor production bottlenecks during the event.
     The next World of Asphalt will be held March 19-22, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia.

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The price of not knowing costs

     As more customers switch from prioritizing purchase price to life-cycle costs, knowing how to calculate the total financial burden of operating equipment is increasingly important. Volvo CE’s Dr. Govi Kannan explains ‘cradle to the grave’ arithmetic.
     Construction equipment is often the biggest investment many operations make. But knowing quite how big an investment is not always easy. If a study of construction equipment by Virginia Tech in the U.S. is to be believed, then owners on average spent the same on repairs during the life of their machines as they spent on the initial purchase price. The problem is that many of these costs lie obscurely hidden under a raft of operating cost variables.
     Knowing the real cost of owning machines is of interest to more people than just the company accountant. It can also help answer such dilemmas as: ‘How should I pay for my machine – savings or finance?’, ‘How long should I keep it?’, ‘What do I need to charge for it to make money?’, and: ‘What should my maintenance strategy be?’
     The fact is that having the optimal equipment policy in place can play a significant part in determining profitability and competitiveness – and yet few users of construction equipment are sufficiently aware of their costs to do it effectively. It’s easy to see why: equipment managers have to juggle lots of variables, such as asset management, job costing, analysis of fleet performance (age, cost, reliability), ownership period and economic decisions (repair, replace, rebuild, retire), financing methods, preventative maintenance programs and repair guidelines. Added to this, the only aspect of this mix that is known with certainty is the purchase price. All other costs, such as residual value, repair, maintenance and wear parts are, at best, guesstimates.

Total cost of ownership
     As can be seen, working out all the costs of a machine ‘from cradle to grave’ is not easy - but it can be done. Likely costs in the future can be discounted back to give a present value, so that units of work such as production per hour (tonne/hr or m3/hr etc), cost per hour ($/hr etc) or unit cost ($/tonne etc) can be calculated. Establishing the unit cost is especially useful as it can compare dissimilar machines (gauging cost with output) – so it can compare small loaders and small trucks against large loaders and large haulers, etc.
     The costs of a machine can be classified as either ‘fixed’ or ‘variable’. Things like purchase price, depreciation, and interest are fixed, as they arrive when the machine is bought and vanish when it is sold. In-between these two points you need to pay these costs regardless of whether the machine is being used or not. On the other hand operating costs are those incurred only when the machine is put to work (e.g. fuels, tires, wear parts, repairs etc). Unfortunately, it is often only fixed costs, such as purchase price that tend to be considered when deciding the type and brand of machine to buy. But with equipment costing tens, and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars, operating costs as well as fixed costs need to play a part in the evaluation process.

It’s good to guess
     ‘The way equipment is operated has the largest impact of all on operating costs’
     The only certain way to calculate the hourly owning and operating cost of a machine is to wait until you have sold it, add up all the money spent on it and divide by the hours worked. However, it is better if you can estimate what the costs may be rather than what has happened (and the money has been spent). Good estimating requires the use of data, realistic assumptions as to what may happen, and an understanding of the uncertainties involved. Fuel consumption, tire wear and preventative maintenance can be estimated using modern tools and techniques. You can use auction results to establish the fair market value. Even repair costs can be estimated, on the basis that they rise as the machine grows older and are a function of application and environment.
     The ideal ownership period is one based on costs (ownership and operating) rather than physical condition. How long you keep a machine should include a discussion on the likelihood of component failure versus average lifespan. But one of the most important factors is the role played by the operator. The way equipment is operated has the largest impact of all on operating costs. How well an operator uses the equipment is a function of knowledge and commitment – do they know how to use the machine properly and are they motivated enough to do so?
     Preventative maintenance is an unalloyed good, and should be seen as an investment rather than a cost. It acts as ‘the eyes and ears in the field’ and helps avoid breakdowns. The worse thing about breakdowns is the collateral damage it causes. A $500 bearing can ruin a $7,000 transmission – and then there is also the cost of lost production through the machine’s unplanned downtime. It is hard to measure this collateral damage but its impact is undoubtedly huge. When it comes to preventative maintenance: “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” becomes “Change it before it gets broken”!

The calculation
     Despite the fact that there are many variables, when it comes to creating an actual calculation we find that we are not ‘data poor’ but rather lack a structure of turning the available data into the information we need. A lot of useful information is captured by machines’ on-board computers and manufacturers can also help provide the necessary data. By using a computer it becomes easy to create a simple but very useful spread sheet.
     It is important to collect data on ownership and operating costs separately, and when creating the spreadsheet to use well known categories (depreciation, fuel, insurance, tires etc). Also, don’t always assume the ‘worst case scenario’, as bidding for work on such a conservative basis may mean the resulting costs leave you uncompetitive when tendering.
     Here is an example of how to construct a total cost of ownership spread sheet:

A Purchase price (inc. options, delivery & set up costs). Often these are the only cost known with certainty.
B Purchase price minus tires/tracks (best estimate). Tires and tracks are operating costs and so should be removed from the owning costs.
C Ownership period. The intended life of the machine in the fleet is the period over which depreciation is divided. This can be based on economic life or physical life, or a compromise of the two.
D Residual value. The future market value of the machine – discounted back to a present value. Here, trade magazines and auction results can help to find a reasonable estimate of final realizable value.
E Annual depreciation cost. This is calculated by deducting the residual value from the purchase price and dividing the remaining amount by the number of years the machine is to be kept.
F Interest rate – used to work out the cost of capital. (Can vary depending on whether own funds are used or borrowings).
G Calculation of interest cost based on average annual value.
H Machine tax, if any.
I Insurance costs (annual).
J Fuel cost (e.g. per litre/gallon). Assume the present cost of fuel – as it can vary wildly over the lifetime of a machine and is almost impossible to predict accurately. It can be changed easily once the spreadsheet is created.
K Fuel consumption per hour. (Based on application, environment, operator skill/commitment and machine design.)
L Preventative maintenance cost. (Including material, labour, travel time and mileage.)
M Interval in hours (corresponding to cost as stated in ‘L’).
N Tires/tracks (the cost of a complete set).
O Lifetime of tires/tracks for a given application (in yrs).
P Repair cost for the intended life. (This is worked out by setting up a separate spreadsheet showing all major components’ lifespan, parts and labour costs). The life of components and wear parts typically depend on the environment, application and competence of the operator. The rise in repair costs is the single most important factor in determining how long to keep a machine.
Q Operator cost (on an annual basis). These can be left out if only a machine cost is needed.
R Expected use in terms of working hours per year.

     Once the spread sheet is constructed, you can quickly see a variety of useful information; such as real ownership costs per hour, real operating costs per hour – as well as a total overall hourly cost for owning and operating the machine. The sensitivity of individual variables can then be identified, by adjusting the assumptions and noting the impact changes have on costs (e.g. what happens if the price of fuel rises by $0.10 per litre?). By focusing on the elements that have the biggest impact on results, and taking extra effort to ensure these figures are as accurate as possible, users can make investment decisions with a good deal more confidence.
     Knowing the true cost of running a machine allows customers to have the most appropriate fleet for their need, bid more accurately for jobs and also choose their optimum point for replacing equipment. It is possible to lift the shroud of uncertainty regarding total cost of ownership and make the ambiguous seem – if not quite crystal clear – then at least a lot less foggy.

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What's new in asphalt pavers

Spray paver offers unique capabilities

     Roadtec has unveiled its latest innovation, the SP-200 asphalt spray paver. The unit is a new paver which gives the contractor the ability to spray asphalt cement or emulsion (tack) directly in front of the asphalt mix before it is laid for NovaChip® applications or traditional paving. NovaChip (sometimes called ultrathin HMAC wearing course application) paving can be used on asphalt or concrete pavements as preventive maintenance or as a surface rehabilitation treatment.
     Equally useful in conventional, thicker-lift paving, Roadtec says that the SP-200 spray paver solves the problem of truck traffic on tack coats because the tack and hot mix are applied in one operation by the paver. The SP-200 is claimed to perform equally well in the construction of thicker lifts, and the spray function can be switched off all together for jobs where no tack coat is needed.
     The gravity-fed SP-200 has a heated 7949-litre capacity asphalt cement/emulsion tank and three rows of spray nozzles for delivering A/C or emulsion, giving it the largest tank capacity of any spray paver available today. An onboard microprocessor controls the rate of flow or it can be manually controlled. The SP-200 can be equipped with an Eagle 10™ extendable 3.0 m screed as well as any of the other available Roadtec® and Carlson® 3 m screeds.

Vögele updates paver line

     Within the last year, Vögele America, Inc. has completely updated its lineup of “lane-width” asphalt paver models with product improvements, new model numbers, and external paint schemes.
     The renewed line features two main-line pavers, two commercial-class pavers, and one utility-class paver that can double in commercial work. All of these models are built at the company’s manufacturing facilities in Chambersburg, Pa.
     These five models replace five existing models, and are being introduced with improvements in reliability and durability, new model nomenclature. and new paint scheme.
     The lineup includes two 2.44 m rubber-tired machines, the 2111W (replacing the 780 WB), and 2116W (replacing the 880 WB); and one 3 m rubber-tired machine, the 2219W (replacing the 1110 WB).
     Rounding out the line are 2.43 m and 3 m rubber-tracked machines, the 2116T (replacing the 880 RTB), and 2219T (replacing the 1110 RTB), respectively.
     Vögele America’s prime commercial-class models are the 2.43 m 2116W (replacing the 880 WB), and 2116T (replacing the 880 RTB). The utility-class paver, the 2.44 m 2111W (replacing the 780 WB), can do double-duty as a commercial paver.
     To ensure a longer and more reliable life in the rubber track bands, Vögele America has beefed up the size of the cables, increasing track strength by 50 per cent. Likewise, the track frame was bolstered to enhance rigidity, longevity and alignment.
     In addition, the drive motors are mounted on the outside ends of the torque hub. Should a leak in a seal or hose occur, it will be immediately detected before it has a chance to damage the machine or ruin the asphalt mat.
     Also, if a problem occurs, the unit can be serviced without removal of the track.Vögele America telescoping pre-strike-offs, on screeds with rear-mounted extensions, maintain flow of material to the complete screed extension width, regardless of width. This is unique to Vögele America.
     Unlike the single drive motors used on the final drives for most competitive pavers, Vögele employs two hydraulic motors on the 2219T. The use of a single drive motor limits other pavers to a two-speed hydraulic shift, or two-speed mechanical shift. When a paver is shifted mechanically, the paver must be halted. But for the 2219T final drive, all four shifts may be done hydraulically, permitting smoother and more efficient shifting, including shift-on-the-fly at any speed.
     In addition to the paver tractor models, four Vögele America-manufactured screeds were introduced in the last year, including the first electric-heated screeds from Vögele America. They are:
• HR500E, an electric-heat, 3 m main screed with hydraulic-extendable rear-mount extensions.
• HR500D, a diesel-heat, 3 m main screed with hydraulic-extendable rear-mount extensions.
• HF400E, an electric-heat, 2.44 m main screed with hydraulic-extendable front-mount extensions, and the
• HR400D, a diesel-heat, 2.44 m main screed with hydraulic-extendable rear-mount extensions.
     Depending on the size of the screed mounted on a paver, all models from Vögele America will pave 3 m wide sections. Large doors allow instant ground-level access for all major serviceable components, daily maintenance items, and check points.

New spreading and auger design for RaodMix MTV

     Terex/Cedarapids has introduced a new generation Remix System for its CR662 RoadMix material transfer vehicle (MTV). According to the manufacturer, the updated system generates a more aggressive reblending of material, delivering a homogeneous asphalt mix to the paver to virtually eliminate material and thermal segregation.
     Inside the CR662RM’s receiving hopper, two sets of two counter-rotating auger assemblies incorporate a constant 30 mm diameter shaft with variable-pitch flighting, in which the pitch increases toward the rear of the hopper. This design enables the augers to draw down material from directly above the entire shaft length, resulting in a more uniform pull from all areas of the hopper. The interleafing auger sets aggressively reblend material as is moves from the hopper, through the feed tunnel and into the conveyor system.
     Positioned at or below hopper wing level, the augers offer a three-inch slope downward from front to rear, ensuring more efficient material flow and eliminating material build-up in the feed tunnel. The larger, 305 mm diameter augers provide 42 per cent more carrying capacity than 254 mm augers and turn slower for reduced wear. Completely filling the hardened steel-lined feed trough, the auger design minimizes material build-up, reduces wear and facilitates clean-up.
     Asphalt is immediately channelled from the 15-tonne receiving hopper to the rear of the machine, providing reduced handling time and virtually eliminating the temperature losses common with other MTV designs. Material passes through a stationary 940 mm wide lift conveyor to a 762 mm wide swivel conveyor. This second conveyor swings 55 degrees to the left or right of center and offers a hydraulically variable discharge height from 1859 to 2942 mm. A sonic sensor at the end of the swivel conveyor senses mix height in the paver’s hopper and automatically stops and starts the hopper augers and transfer conveyor system as needed.
     The CR662RM RoadMix is powered by a new 260 hp Cummins QSB6.7 diesel that features the latest in emissions control technology. A single-width, triple-element radiator efficiently cools engine water, charge air and hydraulic oil.
     Equipped as an MTV, the CR662RM meets all requirements for continuous, non-contact and off-set paving. The machine’s rubber track drive system evenly distributes RoadMix’s 24 495 kg over a larger area, resulting in a relatively low ground contact pressure.

New pavers deliver more power, few emissions
     The new Terex/Cedarapids CR500 Series mainline pavers from Terex Roadbuilding feature a new Cummins diesel engine that boosts power ratings to 260 hp, while meeting stringent Tier 3, C.A.R.B. Tier 3 and Stage IIIA emissions standards. The 6-cylinder, 24-valve engine varies the fuel stream to use only the amount of fuel needed, resulting in a significantly quieter engine. Increased power enables the new pavers to more efficiently handle full-width paving applications and delivers the required power to keep electric screeds at operating temperatures while working.
     A significantly quieter new cooling fan design boasts a deeper blade curvature for improved air movement, so the engine and hydraulic systems run cooler. Air is drawn from above the hood rather than ground level for cleaner air quality. The system’s variable-speed fan runs only when necessary, further reducing noise levels and fuel consumption. A single-width, triple-element radiator efficiently cools engine water, charge air and hydraulic oil.
     The CR500 Series consists of the rubber tire CR552, rubber track CR562 and steel track CR562S pavers. Base hopper capacity for these 3 m pavers is 15 tonnes. Available hopper inserts provide up to a 22.7-tonne capacity, delivering the extra surge necessary to effectively tackle mainline paving.
     The CR552RX and CR562RX Remix Anti-Segregation System pavers feature two sets of two counter-rotating augers in the hopper to aggressively reblend material. The augers uniformly draw down material from all areas of the hopper to reduce occurrences of both particle and thermal segregation. This, claims the manufacturer, leads to a more homogeneous texture and consistent temperatures across the mat, allowing rollers to readily achieve final spec densities.

     Aggregates & Roadbuilding Magazine was among the international construction publications from nine countries invited to attend the global launch of Volvo CE’s new G900 motor grader range in Goderich, Ontario.
     All models in the new range were designed from scratch and, according to Volvo Construction Equipment, their design integrates field proven components such as Volvo engines and transmissions with the results of extensive operator input. The G900 range is built on two distinct but integrated platforms, with seven models designated G930, G940, G946, G960, G976 and G990, including two all-wheel-drive machines.
     Graders are one of the most sophisticated pieces of earth moving equipment and place unique engineering demands on their designers. Versatile performance must combine heavy earthmoving power with the precision to finely grade road pavements within strict tolerances. Graders are also the traditional home of some of the most senior, skilled and demanding equipment operators in the construction business. Recognising this, Volvo hosted numerous “Voice of the Customer” clinics where experienced operators were asked to comment on and rank a number of grader attributes including visibility, “feel” of the hydraulic controls, performance and operator comfort. The result is said to be a grader that meets the requirements of customers and users worldwide.
     The four smaller models were engineered with Volvo’s 7.2-litre D7E engine, while the three larger models are equipped with Volvo’s 9.4-litre D9B engine. All models have three-range engine power control, depending on the transmission gear selected, as standard equipment. Both engines are EU Stage IIIA and US Tier 3 compliant and utilise Volvo Advanced Combustion Technology (V-ACT). These engines reportedly run cleanly without the service requirements of additional equipment or after treatment of exhaust gases.
     A grader’s transmission plays a central role in the machine’s ability to transfer engine power into useable traction and control across a wide range of operating duties and speeds. G900 owners have the choice of Volvo’s HTE840 or optional HTE1160 transmission. The HTE840 transmission has selectable manual, autoshift (optional) and travel modes. In autoshift mode, the operator selects the target gear and the transmission shifts automatically through turns and grades as needed. In addition, the transmission’s shuttle shift feature allowing shuttling between selected forward and reverse gears in a single motion without clutching or pausing to reduce both cycle times and operator fatigue. The HTE1160 transmission offers the industry’s first 11-speed motor grader drive train and comes with autoshift and travel mode as standard equipment. With its eleven forward and six reverse speeds, the HTE1160 transmission offers more control at low speeds, more efficient travel at high speeds and more precision in normal working speeds.
     The G900 range has two all wheel drive models, the G946 and G976, with the latter described as the industry’s largest all wheel drive grader. On both machines, the all wheel drive system provides three drive systems in one, including four wheel tandem drive, six wheel drive for traction and snow clearing, together with Volvo’s exclusive front-wheel creep mode for exceptional fine-grading control. The creep mode allows the operator to grade using only the hydrostatic front-wheel drive, delivering smooth starts and stops while the rear wheels roll freely behind to minimize scuffing and rework.
     Company literature states that the G900’s wide stance blade lift cylinders coupled with the low angle side shift cylinder provides the most stable grading platform in the industry. Proportional Demand Flow (PDF) intelligent load sensing hydraulics and a powerful twin-gear, direct drive circle turn system result in a precise, instantly responsive earthmoving tool. It also provides high strength to hold or turn the mouldboard (blade) smoothly while moving under full load. This accuracy of control and performance results in more “one pass” finishes for improved productivity and cost saving. To extend machine duty, available attachments for the new graders include a dozer blade, front mounted scarifier, mid mounted scarifier, rear mounted ripper/ scarifier and a front mounted push block.
     For operators, expansive glass areas offer exceptional visibility from the ground up, aided by six mirrors. Extensive noise and vibration suppression, abundant filtered air, slide and tilt adjustable centre pedestal, low effort pedals and short throw levers are all designed to maximise operator comfort and productivity. Safety features include illuminated steps and handholds as well as ground level refuelling. There is no daily greasing or weekly servicing, as the standard oil change interval on the G900 is 500 hours. Tandem and final drive sight glasses provide fast level checks.
     Volvo’s motor grader manufacturing plant in Goderich is the sole source of the company’s grader line. This plant is a vertically integrated operation that takes the product from plate steel to finished machine under one roof in only eight working days. The 32 000 m2 facility has over 650 employees, and has a steel throughput of 13 600 tonnes annually with 2 700 parts on average per grader.
     Volvo Motor Graders is a division of Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE), itself part of the worldwide Volvo Group. The Volvo Group is a publicly held company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden with 2005 sales of $31 billion. Volvo’s business areas include heavy trucks, buses, construction equipment, marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace and financial services.

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March/April 2006 issue

Aggregates and Roadbuilding Magazine
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