Asphalt Contractor September 2024

THE LEADER IN PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY

At Gencor®, we’ve led the industry with the most fuel-efficient, environmentally clean and lowest-maintenance design available to the hot mix industry. Gencor Industries remains focused on proactively serving and satisfying its customers from all aspects.

Through improved cost-effectiveness, and quality of its products and services, Gencor’s personnel are dedicated to the principle of providing the highest quality to the industry to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage for Gencor®

Your Trusted Choice!

TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

16 Electric Power Will Displace Diesel Machines

Why will EVs eventually dominate the market?

Whether it comes from gas, diesel, liquid hydrogen or solid state batteries you are buying energy. And pound for pound, ounce for ounce, dollar for dollar – electric means more bang for your buck.

PRODUCTION NOTES 22 Master of Materials

The asphalt industry is born of piles, and better management with data and automation means higher efficiency, accuracy, and profits.

INVESTIGATING INFRASTRUCTURE

Safety

Amy Miller speaks to the industry from her unique perspective.

Removing Suspended Solids in Asphalt Transloading

Automated scraper strainers eliminate high volumes of large, suspended solids.

Large Infrastructure Projects Receive New Funding

The federal Bridge Investment Program grant funding will be used to support 13 nationally significant bridges in 16 states.

Published and copyrighted 2024 by IRONMARKETS. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

Asphalt Contractor (ISSN 1055-9205, USPS 0020-688): is published ten times per year: January, February, March/April, May, June/July, August, September, October, November, December, with an additional Buyer’s Guide issue published in August by IRONMARKETS, 201 N. Main St. Ste 350, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and additional entry offices.

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Blaw-Knox Powers Up with the all-new PF-7110C

The all-new Blaw-Knox PF-7110C tracked paver combines all-around visibility, ease of operation and a new powerful Cummins 235hp engine for the ultimate in dependability and efficiency. The turbocharged diesel engine provides more torque and less weight in a more compact package, letting you power through steep grades with confidence. Coupled with the proven Blaw-Knox durable track and automatic tensioning system, the 7110C ensures smooth and consistent paving power on any terrain.

With over 90 years of proven Blaw-Knox paving technology, the PF-7110C delivers all the power you need and more.

BLAW-KNOX, THE LEGACY LIVES ON.

By the Numbers: Who is Green Asphalt?

Green Asphalt’s Kerianne Melillo, PE, and Jim McMurray give us the key figures that should get you thinking about recycled asphalt and what it can for the earth - and for your bottom line.

Watch the video at: https://asph.link/8g56hl6q

CASE Releases First Electric Backhoe Loader

The new CASE 580EV electric backhoe loader carries over the same dimensional loading and digging specifications and delivers the same breakout forces as the popular fourwheel-drive, 97-horsepower CASE 580SN diesel model.

Read more at: https://asph.link/ bbzyor0d

How the Election Will Impact the Construction Industry

Depending on who is elected, taxes might increase and national investments in various sectors may change.

Strict Safety Rules on Jobsites Reduce Liability Risks

The skilled labor shortage impacts the industry’s ability to conduct business safely, as a the pipeline of complex projects continues to grow.

Telematics Provider FleetWatcher Acquired by Align Technologies

The acquisition extends Align’s product offerings and will allow customers to leverage a single platform to track tools, small equipment, fleet, and materials.

Read more at: https://asph. link/kgph1293

Read more at: https://asph. link/516w8cvm

Read more at: https://asph.link/ mvujwb1j

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NEW IntelliPac ™ Moisture System

Astec paves the way for sustainable, innovative asphalt plants. The new IntelliPac Moisture System is a revolutionary solution that integrates seamlessly with Astec control systems. This provides unparalleled, real-time visibility into virgin aggregate moisture content. IntelliPac empowers operators to optimize mix design, minimize energy consumption, and reduce environmental impact. With Astec, you get superior asphalt production – better for the environment, better for your business.

BUILT TO CONNECT

Brandon Noel, Editor

bNoel@iron.markets

234-600-8983

Data Creep: The Race To Quantify Everything

There’s a trend in the world, not just the asphalt industry, and it’s racing along the same lines. It’s a race to quantify, to capture, and to categorize EVERYTHING. There’s no shortage of companies out there that are willing to help you do that. One such company is even the subject of a featured article in this very issue (see pg. 22).

I don’t want you to get the wrong idea and take my tone the wrong way. Data is very likely the future of this industry, and of every industry, perhaps. It’s like a true-blue digital gold rush. Data in its raw and unrefined form has some inherent value, just like the ore you might dig out of the ground. However, just like with the prospectors of old, the real value is in the refined, processed form, after the impurities have been fired out.

I came of age during the birth and rise of the internet, and I’ve seen how, for a long time, data wan’t paid much attention. It was like a byproduct of everything else we were doing online, and for a while, things like “cookies” were just weird little terms for something happening behind the scenes.

Those days are long gone now, and the incredible value behind measuring, tracking, and, perhaps even more valuable, predicting future conditions is what drives the everincreasing hunger for more data. To follow the allegory all the way through, those who strike first and setup camp will establish some advantages in the marketplace over the latecomers.

As you’ll see in this issue’s Production Notes feature, the future is going to be ruled by more precise understandings of how our industry (and your business) operates. Companies willing to buckle down, capture their

data, and then start using it to plan their future decision making will be the ones who survive in the next era of the asphalt and road building world. Throughout history, there are so many pivotal moments we look back on with hindsight thinking we would have gotten there first. That we would’ve made the right call, but there is often a simple truth.

None of those pivotal moments in history were without risk and uncertainty. They came with steep costs of their own. In order to properly transform your business, or rather, to transform the way your business operates, it’s going to have a high bar to investment. But it is truly an investment in the future of how things will be done. Those operating at the highest levels are already in the process of making this transformation a reality, because it can’t be done overnight.

There are no quick solutions. It isn’t as simple as flicking a switch, which is why, at the very least, you should be having the conversations with your team, your management, and/or your ownership about what you’re doing to secure your data-strong future. If you aren’t sure, find out, ask questions, and kickstart your journey. Maybe you can be the one to lead the charge!

The point is, if your business is operating day-in and day-out, batch after batch, or lift after lift, and they aren’t employing strong data analytics for their materials, labor, quality control, operational methods, safety, etc. then in this data-driven future — you might be flying blind.

See you on the road!

EDITORIAL

Editor Brandon Noel bnoel@iron.markets

Content Director, Marketing Services Jessica Lombardo jlombardo@iron.markets

Managing Editor Gigi Wood gwood@iron.markets

Senior Editor, Equipment & Workwear, IRONPROS Michael Cheng mcheng@iron.markets

Junior Editor Merina Shriver mshriver@iron.markets

AUDIENCE

Audience Development Manager ........................ Angela Franks

PRODUCTION

Senior Production Manager Cindy Rusch crusch@iron.markets

Art Director April Van Etten

ADVERTISING/SALES

Brand Director Amy Schwandt aschwandt@iron.markets

Brand Manager Megan Perleberg mperleberg@iron.markets

Sales Representative Sean Dunphy sdunphy@iron.markets

Sales Representative Kris Flitcroft kflitcroft@iron.markets

IRONMARKETS

Chief Executive Officer Ron Spink

Chief Revenue Officer Amy Schwandt VP, Finance ....................................................................... Greta Teter VP, Marketing & Audience Development Ronda Hughes VP, Operations & IT Nick Raether VP, Demand Generation & Education Jim Bagan

Corporate Director of Sales Jason DeSarle

Brand Director, Construction, OEM & IRONPROS Sean Dunphy

Content Director Marina Mayer Director, Online & Marketing Services .... Bethany Chambers Director, Event Content & Programming Jess Lombardo

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS

P.O. Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605 (877) 201-3915 | Fax: (847)-291-4816 circ.asphaltcontractor@omeda.com

LIST RENTAL

Sr. Account Manager Bart Piccirillo | Data Axle (518) 339 4511 | bart.piccirillo@infogroup.com

REPRINT SERVICES

Brand Manager Megan Perleberg mperleberg@iron.markets | (800) 538-5544

Published and copyrighted 2024 by IRONMARKETS. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

@ASPHALTCONTRACTOR

@ASPHALTCONTRACTOR

@ASPHALT-CONTRACTOR-MAGAZINE

by IRONMARKETS 201 N. Main St. Ste 350, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 (800) 538-5544 • WWW.IRON.MARKETS @ASPHALTCONTRCTR

LEADING THE WAY

Weiler Material Transfer Vehicles lead the way with proven innovations to provide the lowest cost per ton of operation.

Innovative and reliable operator friendly features such as paver hopper management system with distance to paver, storage hopper management and auto chain tensioning.

Clam shell doors and full width drop down floors provide unmatched access for cleanout and maintenance.

Variable speed elevator and conveyors meet production requirements while minimizing wear.

The multiple, incremental improvements to the 4th generation of chains, sprockets and augers are retrofittable to all machines and provide increased wear life.

E1250C

NEW PRODUCTS

CASE 651G Wheel Loader

The CASE 651G wheel loader delivers a breakout force of nearly 24,000 lbs. and lifting capacity of over 16,100 lbs. The loader also features a large hydraulic pump for increased cycle times, a curved bucket for material retention and a high hinge pin for dumping clearance. The 651G is powered by a 172-hp FPT Tier 4 final diesel engine and equipped with a 65-gallon fuel tank. The full-sized wheel loader has a touchscreen display and adjustable electrohydraulic controls that allow the operator to independently set boom and bucket responsiveness to smooth, moderate or aggressive. Operators can weigh loads and track material moved with an integrated onboard scale.

Caterpillar CB10 Asphalt Compactor

The 10-metric-ton CB10 asphalt compactor can be equipped with a combination of oscillatory and vibratory drums. Front drum is available in 2 amplitude, 5 amplitude or Versa-Vibe systems that provides initial compaction. The rear drum with optional oscillatory system utilizes pod-style eccentric weight technology for optimal smoothness and density. The durable power-transmission employs a belt-drive system. Infra-red mat temperature sensors integrated into the front and rear bumpers. The multi-function propel lever with integrated controls for water spray on/off, drum offset, vibratory control, and optional edge cutter height adjustment enables the operator to work with confidence.

Roadtec SP-200 Spray Paver

Combining spraying and laydown produces a high-quality mat with a strong bond between layers. A spray bar just in front of the paver’s auger distributes the liquid through computer-controlled, self-cleaning valves. An onboard microprocessor precisely controls the rate of flow. Valves can also be controlled manually and are arranged in sets of three, providing plenty of spray capacity so you can move fast. To cut down on refill stops, the SP-200 is equipped with a 2,100-gal. tack tank. Oil is heated by a 500,000 btu diesel-fired helical coil heater. The system can operate at temperatures up to 450 degrees for liquid AC. Spray bar extends to the full width of the screed for uniform tack coverage.

Blaw-Knox UltiMat Screed 200

The UltiMat screed utilizes efficient heater bars, which can be changed out easily without removing the screed plate. There are three separate bars in each side of the main screed, so you can keep working, even if one needs to be replaced. The heating system has been improved.

Caterpillar 299D3 XE

TW354

Small to medium tonnage jobs. Great for turns - rear tires will not damage curb. Road shoulders, ramps and widening. Road maintenance. Parking lots and driveways. Municipal and county roads. Tennis and basketball courts. Bicycle paths.

The Cat 299D3 XE Compact Track Loader, with its powerful engine, high output hydraulic system, high lift forces, vertical lift design and torsion axle suspension, provides performance for work tool productivity, digging, truck loading and material handling in a wide range of underfoot conditions and applications. The sealed and pressurized cab option provides the operator with a cleaner and quieter operating environment with work tool visibility. The D3 Series also includes as standard, seat mounted adjustable joystick controls for operator comfort. Power train provides maximum performance and production capability through the Electronic Torque Management system, standard 2-speed travel and an electronic hand/foot throttle with decel pedal capability. Cat Intelligent Leveling system provides technology, integration, and available features such as dual direction self level, work tool return to dig, and work tool positioner. A standard, fully independent torsion axle suspension combined with the optional. Speed Sensitive Ride Control system improves operation on rough terrain, enabling better load retention, increased productivity and greater operator comfort. Maximize machine capability and control with the available Advanced Display, providing on-screen adjustments for implement response, hystat response and creep control.

Keeping the Peace Between Management & Labor, Contractors & Quality Control.

NEW PRODUCTS

Kenworth T480V

When medium duty just doesn’t seem heavy duty enough for the job you havein mind, turn to the new Kenworth T380V or T480V. Serious workhorse solutions for more demanding municipal and vocational applications, these vehicles far outpace other trucks in this category. Each is available in a straight truck or tractor. With full parent rail extensions they offer a solid and durable mounting platform for hydraulic pumps, winches, front stabilizers and snow plows.

Sany SY135C Excavator

The SANY SY135C compact excavator brings power and performance to a design that makes all-day work easy on operators. The cab features visibility for the driver and is fully enclosed with a powerful AC and heating system for comfortable operation in hot or cold climates. With responsive and intuitive controls, positive flow hydraulics, incredible fuel efficiency and a reliable powertrain, the SY135C is the excavator to take on tough jobs. Includes reliable powertrain and hydraulic components for long life in demanding applications. Optimized positive flow hydraulics improve operating efficiency by up to 5% and fuel efficiency by up to 10%.

Deere 944K Hybrid Wheel Loader

The 944K Hybrid has a hybrid-electric drive system that recaptures energy while slowing the loader when the operator lets off the accelerator, lessening engine load and reducing fuel consumption. Brushless AC generators and motors, water-cooled brake resistors and solid-state power electronics coupled with a 536-hp PowerTech Tier 4 Interim engine. ransmission, 12-ft. bucket width and breakout force of 103,388 lbs. Includes enhanced rimpull control, coast control to reduce service-brake wear, dynamic braking and joystick steering

SANY SMG200C-8 Grader

The 44,092-lb. SMG200C-8 is powered by a 250-hp Cummins QSL9 Tier 4 Final engine coupled with a direct drive, powershift transmission that provides quick response to operator inputs. Includes a standard 14-ft. moldboard width. Seat-mounted joystick operator controls with a load-sensing hydraulic system to provide precise control with reduced operator effort. Redesigned, hexagon-shaped cab and rear view camera provide a broad field of view for safer operation.

Wirtgen WR 250i

The recycler of the WR series is particularly suitable for demanding operations.With a working width of 7 ft., 10 in. (2.40 m) and a maximum working depth of 22 in. (560 mm), the WR 250i recycler will tackle the most challenging of operations in soil stabilizing and cold recycling. When it comes to soil stabilizing, the ideal performance range is between 60,000 and 130,000 ft² a day (6,000 and 12,000 m²/day). For cold recycling, the ideal performance range is between 700 and 1,200 square metres per hour and 20 to 25 cm of asphalt thickness.

FuelPro Trailers FuelPro 500 Fuel Trailer

These DOT-compliant fuel trailers allow contractors, farmers and others to refuel equipment on jobsites. The base model is available with fuel trailer only. An optional front box is also available for storage of tools, grease, lubes or other service supplies. The rugged chassis is constructed from 6-in. C-channel for service life. The tank features 7-gauge steel which is double seam welded for strength and durability. Each tank features internal fuel surge baffles and cross bracing, a fuel shutoff valve, a lockable vented fill cap, a tank pressure relief vent and a fuel gauge. A self-priming industrial grade pump rated up to 25 gpm is standard and runs on a deep cycle 12V marine battery. A 40-gpm electric start gas engine pump is also available. Fuel delivery system includes 1-in. hose with auto-trip nozzle. Hoses are available in 18-, 35- and 50-ft. lengths, with auto retracting reel option available for refueling of loaders, dozers, excavators, skid steers, mowers, tractors, trucks and more.

BUILT DIFFERENT BY DESIGN.

The future is connected. That’s why we’ve designed the ALmix Insignia Control System (ICS) around the power of high-speed Ethernet communication. An ethernet-connected facility means our team of programmers have complete visibility into your plant equipment and motor control center for diagnostics and remote troubleshooting. View and control data from your asphalt plants like never before. The Insignia Cloud Platform provides access while you are at the plant, in the office, or on the go. Critical, real-time, plant information is at your fingertips when you need it.

Whether you operate one plant or twenty, the Insignia Cloud Dashboard allows your plant data to be stored off-site and analyzed from any device, anywhere, at any time. Coupled with the ALmix Insignia Control System’s ethernet-connected PLC design and customized by our team of

program engineers, The Insignia Cloud is the most comprehensive plant overview tool on the market.

By Brandon Noel, Editor

ELECTRIC POWER Will Displace Diesel Machines

Why will EVs eventually dominate the market?

Electric means more bang for your buck.

Electric vehicles (EV) and construction equipment are not what you really need to buy right now, but in the not too distant future, you’ll be hard pressed to find a reason not to.

Electrification is a hot button issue, not just in the world of manufacturing and construction, but operators and contractors feel a deep sense of connection to the machines they’ve known, used, and relied on for decades.

That’s even more true for the asphalt industry, where pavers are entwined with the identity of their machines, similar to the way professional athletes are with their shoe brands. With that in mind, when I heard in early 2023 that LeeBoy, one of the most popular producers of commercial pavers of all different sizes, was bringing a prototype fully electric version of their 8520 model – I was intensely curious to see more.

For one of the leading manufacturers to jump in feet first by launching an electric version of the central machine of our industry is pretty exciting, but also risky. So, after seeing it on the show

Matt Stanley demoing the 8520c at the first PAVE/X.

Brandon Noel

room floor, live demoed at PAVE/X by Matt Stanley, and then eventually getting to operate it for myself at the LeeBoy proving grounds in North Carolina; I spoke with the team who developed and manufactured it.

“Every new machine or solution from LeeBoy starts it’s life right here,” said Chris Broome, senior product manager, as he walked me to the physical and metaphoric heart of their plant in Lincolnton, N.C. From

where we stood, I could see a group of employees, including two of the founding Lees, working on a hulking frame of steel for a massive paver. It was explained to me that they were building a large template to simplify the manufacturing process.

“This is our Seal Team Six, these are our problem solvers,” said Broome. “One of the most important things about the electric project was the lessons we learned in its development. Some of those lessons have actually turned around and provided benefits to our diesel machines. Obviously, it’s nice to be the first to do something, but the process itself has had immeasurable benefits that will carry on to the next innovation, and the next, and so-on.”

Other corners of the road industry sector have several electric or hybrid options on the market, like brooms and sweepers, where the efficiency gains by going electric are changing the game.

“With our fully electric model [M6 Avalanche EV] we didn’t just replace the diesel side, we also replaced all the hydraulics with electric motors,” said Jim Adair, director of product management at Schwarze. “We haven’t been able to stallout the brushes, and, whereas, over time your hydraulics will start out at about 80% efficiency and gradually become less efficient over time, the electric system doesn’t really experience that.”

These first-generation electric iterations are just a starting point, and they are important steps for our industry as it moves into the future. They are just the starting point. “Advancements in things like battery materials and density are happening fast,” Adair said. “They’re only going to get more cost effective, safer, and more energy dense.”

THE STATE OF ELECTRIFICATION

While construction manufacturers have slowly introduced many alternative fuel options into the market place in the form of rollers (Dynapac, BOMAG, Volvo CE, HAMM), street sweepers/ brooms (Elgin, Nighthawk, Schwarze, LeeBoy), and excavators (Volvo CE,

CAT, etc) as well as, the boom in electric trucks (Ford, Rivian, etc), it is important to note that these investments aren’t made based on political whims or public opinion.

These companies are built to generate profits, and part of that strategy is to be ahead of the curve on the future of technology and innovation in their markets. Behind closed doors, there’s a sea-change happening and what is driving it is an energy revolution.

Part of the power of this moment in the industry is seeing the various ways the approach to the transition is happening. At the very first Celebration of Construction on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., organized and put on by AEM in May 2023, Volvo proudly displayed their, “carbon free zone,” which boasted the large excavator EC230 as well as a hydrogen powered truck. When I talked to their head of electromobility Lars Arnold, whenever I asked about “charging” the various machines, he never corrected me directly, but he would reframe it back to me subtly as, “fueling,” the machines.

The machines are still doing the same job, they just run on a different fuel. It forced me to stop thinking about EV and traditional machines as two different things. Investing in the conversion of internal combustion engine (ICE) construction equipment isn’t about satisfying a “woke” agenda. Imagine the construction machine industry today is at the same point the cell phone market was between 20052007. With the hindsight of nearly 20 years, everyone wants to be the Apple iPhone, and nobody wants to be the LG Chocolate (you not knowing what that is, is the point of the reference, but I was there). Whoever figures “it” out first might dominate their respective market the way Apple has for the last 20 years.

Investment: Watching the Money

On Nov. 15, 2023, the Biden administration announced via the Department of Energy (DOE) a $3.5

billion investment in the battery and supply chain industry in order to strengthen domestic production, as well as to protect the country from scenarios where imports might be hindered due to unforeseen circumstances. According to the press release from the DOE:

“Batteries are critical to national competitiveness–for grid storage, for the resilience of homes and businesses, and for electrification of the transportation sector. With the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and stationary storage alone projected to increase the size of the lithium battery market by five- to ten-fold by the end of the decade, it is essential that the United States invests in the capacity to accelerate the development of a resilient supply chain for high-capacity batteries, including nonlithium batteries.1

In an article from September 2023, Joanna Glasner, a business and technology columnist covering startup and venture capital trends, wrote about global and domestic battery investments coming from the private sector. She remarked that the projects were likely to be the highest on record.

“Given that global venture investment is down sharply this year (2023), it’s unusual to see any sector even coming close to 2022 and 2021 numbers. To be on track to exceed them is quite exceptional,” Glasner said. “Looking at recently funded rounds, it appears investors pursuing this goal have coalesced around three primary themes: more sustainable battery production, scaled-up EV battery manufacturing, and improved grid storage for renewable energy.”3

Adam Levy, a journalist covering tech companies and investments opportunities, wrote recently that, “Major battery producers are investing heavily to meet rising EV battery demand. Meanwhile, battery technology start-ups are developing new energy storage systems that could revolutionize the industry. It’s an exciting time to consider investing in EV battery stocks.”4

In November 2023, Toyota revealed a battery breakthrough. James O’Neil, writing about the technology for

TopSpeed.com said, “Its solid-state batteries (or SSBs) will allow its EVs to get up to 745 miles per charge. This is a longer range than most ICE vehicles. Perhaps more impressive than the long driving range is the short charging time. Toyota’s solid-state battery can charge in 10 minutes or less.”8

According to a report by GlobalData on EV, over the last three years there have been over 1.7 million patents filed and granted in the automotive industry.9

Innovation: Future Proof

Every technology has a predictable lifecycle, but it isn’t measured in years, it’s measured in phases.5

• Innovation: This is the stage with the highest amount of risk. Here, you invest time, money and resources into a technology that may or may not work out.

• Growth: The technology begins to gain wider acceptance and adoption. Profits for early adopters and innovators can be high, but competition can also be fierce.

• Maturity: It becomes more standardized and widely adopted, and growth begins to slow down. The

market becomes more saturated, and companies focus on reducing costs and increasing efficiency, rather than investing in new innovations.

• Decline: Demand begins to decline. Companies may continue to sell the technology but profits are low, and the technology becomes obsolete. If you were to place the modern diesel engine on this timeline, where would it fall? Somewhere at the tail of Phase 3, and not quite yet at Phase 4. Certainly, no where near Phase 2. That versus what is happening in the field of electrification and battery science, you can see clearly that it is somewhere in-between the first two phases.

COST OF DOING BUSINESS

No matter what you choose to power your machines, what everyone is buying is energy. Just like you see on your monthly electric bills, even diesel can be expressed in Kilowatt Hours (KwH). The utility company usually break it down into a long decimal value, and we can do the same with diesel. A single gallon of fuel is equivalent to ~38/KhW, which is really good, except there’s a problem. The engine itself does not

convert 100% of that potential energy into mechanical, useable energy. Diesel engines vary between 30% to 45% energy conversion, depending on age, model, and usage. When you hear companies talk about their machines being, “more efficient,” that’s what they mean. More of the potential energy per gallon is getting turned into power for your paver, excavator, or roller, etc.

Let’s break down what this means:

• 1 gallon of diesel = 38KwH (potential energy) • .40 (conversion efficiency) = ~15KwH of mechanical energy per gallon

• The average cost for that gallon in 2023 was $4.50 / 15KwH = $.30 per/ KwH of useable energy

You can see how much you are paying per KwH, how much it literally costs to power your machine. But how many KwH are you buying a day? Since we began by looking at the LeeBoy 8520c electric paver, let’s begin by analyzing

Chris Broome, senior product manager, LeeBoy (left), Brandon Noel, editor (right).

Kristi Harris

the daily fuel needs for an average commercial paver.

These are meant to be averages, not specific figures, but you could replace my numbers with yours.

• Smaller asphalt pavers can require between 5 to 8 gallons of diesel an hour, depending on use7

• An average workday consists of approx. 10 hours

• 50-80 gallons a day, conservatively, are needed just to run the paver

• 80 gallons of diesel • 15KwH = 1,200

KwH • $.30 = $360 daily energy cost

directly how this impacted your job costing, threw off your profit margins, or forced you to have to go back to customers and seek adjustments based on fuel. Many contractors have added clauses in their contracts with clients to include unexpected fuel hikes, because of how unstable the price can be.

Lastly, every jobsite that I’ve visited has one thing in common. All the machines spend a great deal of time every day idling, waiting for the trucks, waiting for the mat to reach the right temperature before finish rolling, etc.

It’s vital to note that this is not a daily operating cost, because that would also figure in things like regular maintenance. This is purely trying to distill what you are spending on energy to run one paver.

“The 8520c paver battery is 48 KWh. So, basically, I can pave 200-300 tons of material with the same energy that is normally contained in 1.25 gallons of diesel fuel,” said Chris Broome. “If you only had 1.25 gallons of diesel fuel, how much would you be comfortable paving? You would never order the first truck. That’s the difference in efficiency.”

Additionally, diesel costs can be extremely volatile, jumping upwards of $5 -$6 a gallon without warning. I’m sure that many of you experienced

While they are idling, they are still burning fuel. It’s a small amount, but it is still working against you cost of energy wise. You are literally burning money, but getting no mechanical power for it.

TIME IS MONEY IS TIME

When talking about electric motors using these exact same terms, it becomes a little clearer why all these companies are racing to compete in this market. Electric motors have an energy conversion rate of approx. 85% of stored potential energy (battery) into mechanical power. This is nearly double the efficiency of even the most efficient diesel motors on the market. Also, the national averages for commercial

utility electricity are $.13 per/KwH. Let’s plug these numbers into the same cost formula we used above for diesel, and we will use 38KwH as the base unit, since that would equal 1 gallon’s potential energy:

• 1 unit of electricity = 38KwH • .85 (conversion efficiency) = ~32KwH of mechanical energy per equivalent unit

• The average commercial cost for that 1 unit of electricity would be (38KwH • $.13) $4.94 / 32KwH = ~$.15 per/ KwH of useable energy

That’s half of the cost of extracting energy from diesel. Let’s carry that through all the way down, just for fun. We will use the same 1,200 KwH from above as a benchmark for how much energy the paver requires in a day to operate.Then, we will work through what this might translate into across a whole season:

• 1,200 KwH (approximate daily required energy) • $.15 = $180 daily energy cost

• $360 (diesel) - $180 (electric) = $180 approx. daily fuel savings

• $180 • 150 (working days a year) = $27,000 approx. annual energy savings

This is just a scenario for a single paver. We could run similar projections for replacing every machine in your fleet that currently has an EV option. Multiply it out for four or five more pieces of equipment, and you could potentially save six-figures a year.

While the inevitable transition to EV will hopefully have some positive environmental impacts, that isn’t really the driving force. The driving forces behind this change are the same economic factors that transitioned the world away from whale oil and wood as the dominant sources of fuel-energy in their times. Soon, those contractors who transition to the more efficient nonICE machines will have a competitive advantage against the contractors who don’t.

Brandon Noel

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 Current and historical data enable comparison and improvement

 User Levels: limit access for staff to see only a single plant or group of plants

 View information on desktop, tablet, or mobile devices

BUILT TO CONNECT

By Brandon Noel, Editor

Master of

MATERIALS

The asphalt industry is born of piles, and better management with data and automation means higher efficiency, accuracy, and profits.

The data revolution is also a revolution in financial clarity and control. As the tools become more and more powerful, there are fewer parts of the industry left to be digitized, quantified, and understood. In today’s economic environment, the asphalt plant that has a grasp on the benefits of these tools and utilizes them to their utmost advantage are going to enjoy certain benefits over their competition. Slowly, one by one, every aspect of the plant, materials, quarry, and process are falling into a stricter and more regulated system. Heating systems become electric, insulations are improved, production is more automated, energy losses are found and minimized, pile management and storage reduce back-end

inefficiencies, and modern quality controls allow for more precise alterations to mix designs on the fly.

Each one of these, or others, represent a single step improvement that can save you money and/or improve marginal profits in a small but significant way. Independently of each other, they might not make the kind of difference to set one producer apart from their competitor. However, all these technologies, in concert, add up to the kind of competitive advantage that can truly set one company apart from the others in their respective market. On the next horizon for producers, quarries, and crushingrecycling contractors lies major advances in material management.

HOW TO EAT AN ELEPHANT

The famous answer to this brain-teaser is, “One bite at a time,” but when it comes to the massive growing stockpiles of RAP, stone, gravel, sand, and other stockpiles littered across your site, this method doesn’t add up. If you took that approach in our industry, nothing would ever get done in a timely manner.

Teleo-equipped Caterpillar wheel loader operating in the midst of other operations across an Ajax Paving asphalt plant.

Teleo

Asphalt contractors, quarries, and crushing companies need accurate information quickly. For most of the industry’s history, the way to know how much you have was just by estimating, and it relied on the experience of the person doing the estimation.

“The rest of the product world has had decades of automation and optimization. Then you step over into the world of bulk materials, and it’s back to the stone age, quite literally,” said David Boardman, founder and CEO of Stockpile Reports. “The whole industry runs on what I always call hope and heroes. There’s an incredible amount of manual effort going into it, and I saw this trillion-dollar opportunity, because image processing technology is a perfect fit for it.”

Boardman sees the digitization of the industry’s countless stockpiles as the first step into a paradigm change for how material management can be transformed in the future.

“If you can digitize all the stockpiles in the supply chain, then you can start optimizing and, eventually, automating,” said Boardman. “No matter how good a person is on the ground estimating, eventually, the difference between what’s supposed to be there and what is actually there get very far apart. That can lead to catastrophe, like running short on materials at very inopportune times.” The variances in tracking perpetual inventories get more pronounced over time.

Stockpile Reports had a Tik-Tok post go viral earlier this year of their technology being implemented through the use of an Apple Vision Pro headset, but the tools work on a variety of platforms.

“We are device agnostic. We can take

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Silo cone opening is 36” wide for ef cient material ow.

Safety gates on all silos, including long-term and standard options.

Recessed tub liners prevent silo wall wear, avoiding bulging issues.

Silo bin top batchers feature secure long-term seals.

Recessed wireways on silo tops eliminate trip hazards.

Meeker drag conveyors are larger, allowing slower chain speed and reduced wear.

Hydraulic chain adjustment on slats maintains asphalt entry point, minimizing wear.

Visual chain tension indicators on Meeker slat conveyors aid operators.

All silos prewired with top and bottom junction boxes.

images from just about anything.” said Boardman reassuringly.

What really informs how you want to submit the visual data for calculation depends upon your frequency. How often do you want to update the information about what you have in your inventory?

They built one of their first constant monitoring system using a pair of stationary cameras that could constantly record and monitor for road-salt stockpiles. However, they’ve used everything from drones, cable-camera systems like they use for sport events, all the way down to an iPhone 4. In the future, they want to start using wearable technology, adjacent to tools like the Vision Pro or Meta’s smart Ray Ban sunglasses, in order to passively collect the visual data.

A large portion of users and potential users are buying inventory counts for financial valuation, and there is another segment of the market that is starting to buy into faster, cheaper counts for operational use cases. Some asphalt plants have implemented the volumetric technology for their monthly and/or quarterly counts. How does the average customer use this type of volumetric tool? It’s kind of shockingly simple to try it out and get started.

HANDS ON: MOVING YOUR MATERIALS

Obviously, managing your stockpiles digitally is only one part of the massive equation. At the end of the day, and maybe several times over and over again throughout that day, your stuff still has to get from one place to another. Various loaders, excavators, and other heavy iron is used to transport sand, recycled asphalt pavement (RAP), other virgin aggregates, and a host of other materials.

“If you’re looking to go the manual method [not using stationary cameras systems], you just download the app to a smartphone, use it as you walk around the pile you want to measure, and it automatically computes everything for you,” said Boardman. “If you are flying a drone, you would upload the photography to our website. However, if someone wanted the realtime data, we have an online portal to [initiate that process].”

This can require companies to have multiple trained operators on hand, and that need increases in cases where an asphalt manufacturer has multiple plant locations. Such was the case with Ajax Paving and their operations in Florida. They have eight manufacturing plants, and are experiencing the same labor shortages as everyone else.

with just local folks, but we can do remote working from other places.”

Teleo emphasized how this can be a way to attract new candidates to jobs.

“Attracting new people is very important to us,” said Mark Piotto, vice president of sales at Teleo. “Whether a candidate is physically able to get into a machine or not, this opens the door for some, because they might be able to work in an office-type environment. That’s an opportunity where we can bring new people into this role to perform these much needed tasks.”

And there are additional benefits for workers when it comes to things like heat exposure and physical safety.

“Safety is our priority, especially when you’ve got live traffic,” said Piotto. “We have obstacle detection, human detection, and collision avoidance technology. We have the safety procedures and processes in our autonomy stack, and that’s the beauty of us owning the entire solution. It’s, also, way more comfortable, ergonomic, and I think a lot of the old school skeptics were pleasantly surprised with how that additional sensory inputs improved things, like the sound, vibration, and the increased visibility. We actually see underneath the bucket when you’re loading the hopper, and there’s no blind spots to the left, right, or rear of you. The experience is all customizable.”

From the original press release:

They’ve since turned to an unconventional solution to help bridge the gap. Ajax sought out Teleo to retrofit some of their equipment for remote operations with their Supervised Autonomy technology. They installed the tech on new Caterpillar 966XE loaders, stationed about eighty miles apart at two different plants, making Ajax the first in the industry to use remote operations like this at an asphalt plant. This allows for one operator to instantly switch back and forth from Ajax’s command center.

From a press release about the innovative approach:

“We’ll be using Teleo at two of our asphalt facilities to remote-operate the loader which feeds the plant,” said Andy DeCraene, executive vice president of operations at Ajax Paving. “This is going to allow us to not only staff the facility

“One of the perks of integrating Teleo’s technology is that it takes operators out of the cab, making their lives easier,” said Ajax Paving President Vince Hafeli, a vocal advocate for mental health in the construction industry. “By removing the physical aspects of doing this job, the mental demand automatically decreases. It’s a welcome benefit of the technology.”

Unlike built-in brand specific solutions, Teleo can be adapted to almost any equipment situation.

“It’s a brand agnostic solution. Any loader, any make, any model, and we’ve done loaders with 10,000 to 11,000 hours on them, as well as brand new loaders,” Piotto said. “The retrofit kit can go from machine-to-machine. The wiring

SR Measure

SR Measure

harnesses are specific to the machine model, but our kit is truly universal.”

STAYING SAFE

Everyone has had experiences when their smartphone dropped a call or a Zoom meeting froze up, but in those cases you’re not in the middle of carrying a few ton of stone. What happens if there’s an interruption of service on either end of the remote connection?

“We communicate from the machine via Wi-fi mesh network that is our own software and hardware,” Piotto explained. “And we have multiple watchdog [systems] that are in the roof mounted machine kit that are constantly looking at whether or not we’ve got internet, multiple times in milliseconds, to ensure we have all of the things that we need to run.”

And it’s not just looking for disconnections, even if the internet connection is intact, but slowly down past a certain point, it can trigger the safety fail-safe.

“Machine latency is very important for us, because when you’re traveling at 15 miles an hour, it might not sound like a lot, but it is,” Piotto continued. “If our system detects that we are beyond a certain threshold than what we’ve requested, we will bring that machine to a safe stop.”

BACK INTO PLAY

There’s a marriage waiting to happen between these two material management solutions. Mastering the data side of your stockpiles, and then autonomously managing the physical piles. The power to know what you have, at all times, and being able to take it where it needs to go, and track use rates and costs more efficiently and accurately.

“Moving material around and around, moving it incorrectly, and moving it multiple times,” Boardman said. “Just reducing those wasted efforts would have a measurable impact.”

LiDAR measurements have been

considered the industry gold-standard, but the photogrammetry Stockpile Reports uses has been verified by third parties to be within 1.6% margin of LiDAR. Measurements based on GPS sticks are, on average, within 6% of laser scanners. And what Boardman refers to as “Beerbelly technology” can get to within 5% accuracy just by guessing, however, that is only when a stockpile is within 3,000 cubic yards.

“As soon as you exceed 3,000 cubic yards, the human estimation only averages between 12-15% of laser scanning,” explained Boardman. “If you got a bunch of small piles and you just need to guess once a week, great, just do that. But if you need to know something much more accurately, and much more often, then you probably need to start looking at lasers or photogrammetry.”

For more information visit https://asph.link/ materialman

This isn’t your typical topical.

Invigorate Plus® sealcoat penetrates deep down to restore more of every road. Since this sealcoat is a polymer-modified solution, a single application both restores oxidized asphalt and seals the pore structure. It also goes on clear, so there’s no need to re-stripe the road.

With so many options available, purchasing a new piece of equipment that meets your needs is not an easy decision. If you’re in the market for a tandem roller, however, this is your best resource. Here, we’ve complied the industry’s only Tandem Roller Spec Guide, featuring equipment specifications for nearly 180 models. For an even easier way to compare, visit the exclusive, interactive and customizable version of this spec guide at http://www.forconstructionpros.com/ specguide/roller to sort and compare models based on your requirements.

HYUNDAI CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AMERICAS

The Hyundai HR series tandem-drum rollers offer hydrostatic vibration system at both drums and automatic vibration mode (double / single vibration) – combined with front and rear scrapers to keep the drums free of material buildup.

SAKAI

Sakai America specializes in asphalt rollers, soil rollers and light compaction equipment for the road paving and construction site preparation markets. Sakai is one of the compaction industry’s most experienced manufacturers and is known for its Japanese reliability, quality and operating simplicity. Long-life drum isolators, heavy-duty center-pin hitch and gear-driven drums limit down time for operators. 4,000 vpm high frequency vibration in both drums available.

Model

HAMM (WIRTGEN GROUP)

HAMM compaction technology boosts paving contractor productivity and profitability. The new HD+ 120i V-VIO and HD+ 120i VIO-2-HF rollers come with the new VIO compaction system which combines vibration and oscillation all into one system – allowing the operator to switch easily between the two while in motion.

*specs are for front vibratory drums only. See additional oscillation drum specs on website for more detail

VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

Double-drum asphalt compactors from Volvo Construction Equipment offer features that support productivity, accuracy and sustainability. Many models have optional 8-amplitude settings for added precision. The DD25 Electric is an emissions-free machine with performance greater than or equal to its conventional equivalent. Compact Assist, the Volvo Intelligent Compaction System, provides real-time density calculations as well as pass and temperature mapping. ActiveCare® Direct, Volvo’s advanced telematics program, focuses on simple case alerts rather than complex fault codes.

Oscillating drum;

BOMAG AMERICAS, INC.

BOMAG offers a diverse range of tandem asphalt rollers, designed with a focus on durability, productivity, and efficiency. The heavy tandem range offers three choices in vibration: standard, TanGO oscillation, and Asphalt Manager. The Asphalt Manager system integrates fully automated amplitude control to achieve density faster while preventing over-compaction, and also features an oscillation-only mode. BOMAG has a solution to fit your needs.

CATERPILLAR, INC.

Caterpillar has a wide range of compaction products designed to make customers more successful. An extensive Cat dealer network gives customers the best lifetime value from their equipment allowing them to focus on getting the job done. We build the machines that build a better world. For more information visit CAT.com.

Rear drum oscillation system for CB7,

Caterpillar,

DYNAPAC NORTH AMERICA

Dynapac tandem asphalt rollers are built for consistent uniform compaction on the job and consistently achieving required density. The operators station is safe, comfortable and have all needed controls easy to access and use.

SEISMIC Asphalt for the heavy tandem roller segment is a game changer with automatic adjustable vibration frequency to insure optimal compaction, fuel savings and operator comfort with quieter operation.

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CASE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

CASE E Series vibratory rollers feature a completely redesigned operator interface for intuitive operation and improved ergonomics. New control features include an electronic travel lever with an extended range of functions right at the operator’s fingertips, including RPM settings, drive settings, sprinkler system controls, parking brake and more.

Contractor

Brandon Noel, Editor of Asphalt

and Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, visits real-life contractors nationwide, to join the crew, help out with on-site jobs and learn all about the day-to-day work.

WACKER NEUSON

Wacker Neuson’s Pro-roller family includes the RD45 which offers a variety of operator-friendly features including an ergonomic work platform designed for low vibration and comfortable operation, excellent line of sight to the drums and work site, intuitive operator’s display with all functions clearly labeled and activated with the push of a button, and dual operator control lever for right or left hand operation of drive and activation of vibration/oscillation energy.

Prioritizing Workzone Safety Must Be Top Priority

This is a call to action for protecting Florida’s road workers.

Not long ago, I was stopped at a red light, in a school zone, watching children cross the road. The crossing guards were very diligent in their whistle blowing, walking to the middle of the intersection to ensure those children crossed the road carefully, signing them across and focusing on the surrounding traffic. I imagined these same children 10-15 years later working in one of our work zones. There will be no flashing lights on signage, vehicles will not nearly come to a screeching halt, and drivers will not be reverent and respectful of human life within feet, sometimes inches, of their vehicles. Where are their crossing guards? At what age does human life become less valuable? We innately recognize the need to protect children, and we should be reminded that the workers in our work zones are the adult versions of those children: someone’s spouse or partner, some family’s provider, and some mom and dad’s child. People in work zones need proverbial crossing

guards. Who is actively making sure they are protected so they can go home to their families’ every night? They need advocates. They need us.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WORK ZONE SAFETY

The importance of safeguarding our workers and those passing through our work zones cannot be overstated. Around the country, measures are slowly being taken to increase safety. Changing driver behavior is important and with the technology available today, this can be done. That man or woman you pass in the workzone was once that little boy or girl walking to school with lights, officers, and people in place to alert the driving public and to protect them.

Let’s keep protecting them. The commitment to workzone safety transcends regulatory compliance—it embodies our dedication to valuing human life and ensuring that every worker returns home safely. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reported in their work zones in 2022: 96,000 work zones crashes, 37,000 work zone injuries, and 891 total work zone fatalities. While 2022 saw a reduction

A photo from the SWIFTT event. The FDOT secretary is at the podium with the participants in the past (except Dan Hurtado, FDOT, second from left).

ACAF

from an all-time high of 956 total fatalities the prior year, these numbers are more than data – they are lives and a call to action.

THE SWIFTT CHALLENGE: A FORWARD-THINKING INITIATIVE

As the President of the Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida (ACAF), I’m deeply invested in advocating for workzone safety measures. I’m proud to represent the state of Florida and appreciative of the work being done by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to protect workers and the traveling public. Their “Target Zero” initiative focuses on reducing the number of transportation-related serious injuries and deaths across Florida to zero. In response to protecting both workers and the traveling public, ACAF

worked with the FDOT to launch the SWIFTT (Safety Workzone Innovations for Today and Tomorrow) Challenge (www.SWIFTTChallenge. com) in June, 2024 one day before the Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida’s annual convention. This FDOT developed idea was established as a competition for companies to present their work zone safety products and innovations to a group of industry and FDOT judges. The highest ranked presentation was given the chance for their idea to be developed with FDOT.

The call for presentations produced many submittals which were vetted and pared down to a short-list. The short-list of vendors provided product presentations and discussed cuttingedge technology and practical solutions. Vendors appreciated the opportunity to share their safety technology with the Department and with industry. Some vendors felt their technology and products could work well together and as a result of the Challenge, are

now working together to capitalize on synergies between products to develop even more robust product offerings.

The SWIFTT Challenge represented a significant step forward in sharing technology advancements and practical solutions to enhance work zone safety and proved to be a stepping-off point for ideation of future work zone enhancement opportunities between the combined efforts of the asphalt industry and the FDOT with the perpetual goal of continued safety improvement in the work zone for workers and the traveling public.

A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

As I speak to my peers around the country, there are many variations of work zone safety that are transcending. Many companies have implemented safety requirements that are making a difference (note the decrease in total fatalities nationwide mentioned previously). Embracing and implementing the latest technological advancements such as smart traffic management

systems continue to reduce the risk of accidents. Increasing public awareness and promoting change in driver behavior is also playing a role in reducing risk. Some states are taking to policy changes through stronger regulations and policies that support work zone safety, including automated speed cameras in work zones with workers present. Whatever steps states are taken, those affected by work zone accidents are honored and we all actively contribute to a safer environment for those working in and traveling through the work zone. As we continue to strive for greater improvement in safety in work zones, let’s move forward with the same dedication that protects our children, and apply it to safeguarding our workers, ensuring that every person in a work zone is valued, protected, and safe.

by Amy Miller, PE, President, Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida, Inc

For more information visit https://asph.link/ua4llzom

INNOVATION IN PRESERVATION

Removing Suspended Solids in ASPHALT TRANSLOADING

Automated scraper strainers paired with macerators eliminate high volumes of large, suspended solids from slurries for “set it and forget it” approach.

In the asphalt industry, industrial strainers are used to separate unwanted suspended solids from liquids and slurries for efficient transloading, in which asphalt is heated to a liquid form and transferred from tank cars to trucks or from trucks to tank cars at rail facilities. However, conventional strainer methods can prove to be unreliable and lead to extensive maintenance, particularly in cases where the debris or solids are of substantial size and there is a significant amount of suspended solids present.

Fortunately, the utilization of a novel blend of industrial wastewater technologies now allows for the efficient removal of solids without the need for extensive manual labor, worker exposure to messy or potentially hazardous substances, or constant maintenance. Specifically, the design involves a one-two punch combination of a macerator, which breaks down large solids into smaller fragments, and an automated scraper strainer flexible enough to efficiently filter out larger debris along with tiny particles. This innovative solution can even accommodate high solids loading without clogging.

The combination of these two established technologies is already being applied to some of the toughest, dirtiest straining applications including asphalt transloading, wastewater debris, power plant boiler water slag, and meat processing waste streams.

OVERCOMING

TRADITIONAL LIMITATIONS

Duplex strainers are often used in continuous flow processes that cannot be shut down for cleaning purposes. Duplex basket strainers employ two distinct chambers that function independently. When one chamber needs cleaning, the flow is seamlessly diverted to the alternate chamber, enabling the removal and cleaning of the first basket.

Cleaning is a messy, laborious process that involves equalizing pressure between the baskets, diverting flow to the off-line chamber, opening the cover, manually removing the clogged basket, and cleaning it before refitting the basket, ensuring the seal, and tightening the fasteners.

If an operator fails to adequately clean the basket strainers for any reason, both strainers can become clogged at the same time. This compromises the filtration process, resulting in quality issues or unexpected downtime until the problem is resolved. For many processors, this can occur simply due to having

Adapting strainers for the specialized filtration of uncommon liquids and slurries requires not only expertise but also collaboration with the processor as well as some design iterations. AEPI

insufficient personnel to keep basket strainers clean along with their other duties.

“As an alternative, a combination of established complimentary technologies such as a macerator and an automated scraper strainer can essentially ‘knock out’ even the toughest problems related to large solids and high solids loading in an automated way,” said Robert Presser, vice president of Acme Engineering Prod., Inc., a North American manufacturer of industrial self-cleaning strainers. The company is an ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer of environmental controls and systems with integrated mechanical, electrical, and electronic capabilities.

In this configuration, a macerator would be installed upstream to reduce

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large solids down to a manageable size. The capabilities of the automated strainer are crucial to the process as well, according to Presser.

“Although the macerator cuts up the biggest solids, the strainer must still be able to separate both relatively large pieces and tiny particles while handling high solids loading without becoming obstructed,” explains Presser.

In the case of Acme, the OEM’s automated scraper strainer is designed to continually remove both very large and very small, suspended solids from liquids and slurries. Cleaning is accomplished by a spring-loaded blade and brush system, managed by a fully automatic control system.

Four scraper brushes rotate at 8 RPMrpm, resulting in a cleaning rate of 32 strokes per minute. The scraper brushes get into wedge-wire slots and dislodge resistant particulates and solids. This approach enables the scraper strainers to resist clogging and fouling when faced with large solids and high solids concentration.

Blowdown typically occurs only at the end of the intermittent scraping cycle when a valve is opened for a few seconds to remove solids from the collector area. Liquid loss is well below 1% of total flow.

If additional pressure is required to clean the screen, Acme Engineering can add an inexpensive trash pump to the blowdown line to assist in removing the solids from the strainer sump.

“Since the solids are small, a little trash pump can pressurize the blowdown line to evacuate solids from the strainer. The combination provides quick ROI because operators no longer have to monitor and clean out heavily loaded basket strainers, resulting in substantially less labor and downtime,” says Presser.

Alternatively, the sump can be replaced by a cylinder bracketed by two gate valves that open and close as needed to remove the solids waste.

“When you are ready to empty the cylinder, you close the top gate valve momentarily and open the bottom one by depressing a button to dump the accumulated solids into a receptacle like a dump truck or a conveyor bucket so there is no manual handling required,” says Presser.

According to Presser, Acme has worked with operators and managers at rail facility intermodal terminals to implement a wide range of specialized straining systems for difficult

A novel blend of industrial wastewater technologies now allows for the efficient removal of solids without the need for extensive labor, worker exposure, or constant maintenance.

An automated scraper strainer like that from Acme Engineering is designed to continually remove both very large and very small suspended solids from liquids and slurries.

AEPI

applications with exceptionally large solids or very high solids loading.

In one example, the OEM installed equipment to strain asphalt slurries at intermodal terminals providing railto-truck and truck-to-rail transloading services. One application involved using multiple cylinders with gate valves to strain liquid asphalt to the correct specification for rail to truck loading.

According to Presser, adapting strainers for the specialized filtration of uncommon liquids and slurries requires not only expertise but also collaboration with the processor as well as some design iterations.

“For unusual applications, it may take a few attempts to get it right. You may have to adjust the timing and frequency of cleaning as well as adjust the screen slot size. There are quite a few variables involved,” concludes Presser.

by Del Williams, a technical writer based in Torrance, Calif.

For more information visit https://asph.link/susolids

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Large Infrastructure Projects Receive Funding

The federal Bridge Investment Program grant funding will be used to support 13 nationally significant bridges in 16 states.

More than $5 billion has been awarded to large bridge projects across the country, through a federal grants program. These infrastructure projects will keep many construction companies busy for years to come.

The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) competitive Bridge Investment Program grants will fund the reconstruction, repair, and restoration – using American-made materials – of 13 nationally significant bridges in 16 states. The funding is intended to improve the safety of these bridges, as well as make them more resilient to extreme weather events.

Below are the 13 Large Bridge Project Grants awarded in this round:

• The Oregon Department of Transportation (DOT) will receive $1.4 billion for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, connecting Portland and Vancouver, Wash., to replace two aging vertical lift bridges that carry I-5 over the Columbia River. The modern, seismically resilient, and multimodal replacement bridges will provide safe

and accessible options for driving, walking, biking, rolling, and riding transit. The project will help reduce travel times and congestion along this critical corridor, improve safety and quality of life, and lower carbon emissions. The Massachusetts DOT will receive $993 million for the Sagamore Bridge Replacement Project in Cape Cod to replace the bridge, which experiences high crash rates and congestion, and improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of people and goods over the Canal. This project was also awarded a $372 million Mega grant earlier this year.

• The Alabama DOT will receive $550 million for the I-10 Mobile River Bridge Replacement and Bayway Multimodal Project in Mobile to improve safety, reliability, and mobility for residents in the project area. The improved bridge will support local small businesses and the national economy through a more efficient movement of goods along Interstate 10, a critical corridor for the country.

• The Pennsylvania DOT will receive $500 million for the I- 83 South Bridge Replacement Project in Harrisburg, to replace a bridge originally built in 1960, and widened in 1982, that carries more than 125,000 vehicles per day over the Susquehanna River. The bridge is the major cross-river connection in Downtown Harrisburg and is key to intermodal connectivity – ultimately linking Pennsylvania’s capital region with Baltimore.

• The Tennessee DOT will receive $394 million for the America’s River Crossing Project in Memphis and West Memphis, Ark., to replace the 75-year-old I-55 bridge over the Mississippi River. This is a nationally significant corridor for commerce and serves as a critical connector for residents, workers, and freight movement between Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The new structure will add capacity and improve geometric design.

• The Rhode Island DOT will receive $251 million for the I- 95 15: Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s Economy Project in Providence to improve the condition of 15 bridges critical to the local economy. The project will support the safe movement of goods and travel of residents, connecting them to key neighborhoods throughout the city of Providence.

• The North Carolina DOT will receive $242 million for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement Project in Wilmington to replace a 54-year-old structure that carries US 17/US 76/US 421 across the Cape Fear River between New Hanover and Brunswick Counties – the fastestgrowing counties in the state.

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• The South Carolina DOT will receive $175 million for the I-95 over Lake Marion Bridge Replacement Project in Santee to replace four bridges that were constructed in 1968 over Lake Marion as part of I-95 – a nationally and regionally significant corridor and a major north-south artery.

• The Oklahoma DOT will receive $124 million for the Roosevelt Memorial Bridge Replacement Project in Byran and Marshall counties to replace the structure that carries US-70 over Lake Texoma. The bridge was constructed in 1942, with a design that is now outdated to meet current traffic needs and future traffic demand. The project will improve the efficiency and reliability of the movement of people and freight, increase resiliency to flooding, and increase safety.

• Miami-Dade County will receive $101 million for the Venetian Causeway Bridge Replacement Project in Miami, Fla., to replace 11 Venetian Causeway bridges that were originally built in 1926, with newer, more resilient infrastructure anticipated to last 50 years, meeting updated design codes and improving safety.

• The West Virginia DOT will receive $88 million for the Market Street Bridge Replacement Project in East Steubenville, W.V. and Steubenville, Ohio, to replace a historic bridge built in 1904. The damaged bridge cannot meet current capacity and is at the end of its useful life. The replacement bridge will allow for the safer and more efficient movement of people and goods along this regionally significant route, connecting communities in the region and supporting its economic livelihood.

• The New Mexico DOT will receive $72 million for the Nogal Canyon Bridge Replacement Project in Socorro County, N.M., to replace the two bridges that carry Interstate 25 over Nogal Canyon in Socorro County. The existing truss bridges are deteriorating rapidly and are at the end of their useful life. The replacement bridges will be the signature bridges of New Mexico’s interstate system, ensuring continued efficiency and mobility along this nationally significant corridor and supporting the economic competitiveness of the region and state.

• The Kansas DOT will receive $63 million for the 18th Street Bridge Replacement Project in Kansas City, Kan., to replace a major river crossing built in 1959 that has undergone numerous rehabilitations over its 60-year life, including emergency repairs to extend its service life. The replacement project is the most cost-effective solution, saving public dollars that would have gone towards costly repairs to the original bridge. The new bridge will provide accommodations for active transportation.

The Large Bridge Project Grants under the Bridge Investment Program are available for bridges with total eligible project costs over $100 million, with minimum grant awards of $50 million and a maximum award of 50 percent of the total eligible project costs. Priority consideration is given to projects ready to proceed to construction. The program also funds projects that require pre-construction work and benefit from a multi-year grant agreement.

The Bridge Investment Program invests $40 billion over five years. More than 10,200 bridges are being rebuilt, repaired, or modernized.

Additional information on FHWA’s Bridge Investment Program, including Large Bridge Project Grants and Bridge Planning Grants, can be found here.

“For too long America let bridges fall into disrepair, which left people less safe, disrupted our supply chains, and cost people time and money - but now the Biden-Harris Administration is changing that with the biggest investment in our bridges since the Eisenhower era,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “There are currently about 3,000 fewer bridges in poor condition than when our administration began, and today we are proud to announce funding to repair or replace 13 of America’s largest and economically significant bridges.”

“Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Bridge Investment Program, we are reinvesting in our infrastructure and ensuring vital connections for Americans who need to get to a job, a class, or a doctor,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “These grants are helping to advance critical bridge projects across the nation that will improve overall quality of life and ensure this country’s infrastructure works for everyone.”

For more information visit https://asph.link/laborshortage

Worker safety is an area where confirmation bias can have the most disastrous effects, exposing workers to all types of potential dangers.

SmartPM Technologies

Overcoming Confirmation Bias in Project Management

Confirmation

bias can be particularly problematic in project and schedule management.

Ef fective project and schedule management is critical for the success of any construction project. These management tasks are complex, requiring a blend of technical skills, experience, and soft skills. Yet, there’s a psychological element that’s overlooked but significantly influences project outcomes: confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is the tendency to favor information that aligns with our existing beliefs, while ignoring information that doesn’t. In the high-pressure environment of commercial construction, where every decision can have substantial impacts, succumbing to confirmation bias is easier than many realize.

WebMD defines confirmation bias as “the human tendency to only seek out information that supports one position or idea.” It is a common psychological tendency that affects how we gather, interpret, and remember information. It causes people to give more weight to evidence that confirms their existing beliefs. Then, subsequently undervalue, ignore, or disprove evidence that contradicts their beliefs. For example, let’s say you believe the earth is flat. If you went looking for sources to justify that position, then that’s all you will be looking for. Thus, it’s all you will find. What’s more, despite the fact that the earth is, in fact, round, there is no shortage of sources that will claim otherwise. In short, if you

want data or an expert opinion to confirm even the most nonsensical theory or position, it’s not hard to find. This bias can be particularly problematic in project and schedule management, where decisions must be based on accurate and comprehensive information.

STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE CONFIRMATION BIAS

1. Diverse Teams

Encouraging team diverwsity can bring multiple perspectives, reducing the likelihood of groupthink and confirmation bias. The diversity can take many different forms, as teams can include workers with varying degrees of experience on a wide spectrum of projects; workers who have come from other construction companies and can bring new methods to the table; and people who tend to embrace innovation.

2. Encouraging Skepticism

Promote a culture where questioning and skepticism are valued. Encourage team members to challenge assumptions and provide evidence for their claims. Having a group of “yes” individuals might create a positive feel in the work environment, but in the long term, the failure of the team to deliver the project on time and on budget will produce far more negativity.

3. Regular Review Processes

Implement regular and rigorous review processes where schedules, budgets, and safety protocols are reassessed. The fact is, you can never check your work or your schedule too many times. But it’s also crucial to review these items with an open mind; if one of them is sending

a warning that something may be off, don’t try to ignore or sugar-coat it. Instead, believe it.

4. Training and Awareness

The funny thing about bias – any kind of bias – is that many people don’t even know they engage in it until it’s pointed out to them. It may be unconscious, or it may even be that some people don’t even know what confirmation bias is or that it even exists. Educate staff about confirmation bias and its impact. Training can help individuals recognize and counteract their biases.

5. Feedback Mechanisms

Establish clear channels for feedback and concerns. Encourage workers at all levels to speak up if they notice potential issues. Too many companies claim they want their people to speak up, but then those people get shut down, dismissed, or even chastised when they offer input. Don’t just present opportunities for workers to voice their opinions; create a safe environment where workers believe that honest criticism is valued.w

Confirmation bias in construction project and schedule management can lead to a range of problems, from minor inefficiencies to major project failures – even lapses in worker safety. By understanding and actively working to mitigate this bias, project managers and teams can make better decisions, leading to safer, more efficient, and more successful construction projects.

Michael Pink is CEO of SmartPM Technologies.

For more information visit https://asph.link/bias

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