Material transfer vehicles for Poland

1252 Roadtec Shuttle buggies are now being used on major road projects in Poland. This follows a decision made by the Polish road authority, GDDKiA, to use material transfer vehicles on highway projects.

The need for a smooth running surface is paramount on highways as in Poland these  tolled links can allow speed limits of up to 140km/h. This is why GDDKiA decided the use of a material transfer vehicle was crucial to optimising mix delivery into pavers, so as to help optimise surface finish.

However, GDDKiA may start to apply similar requirements to some toll-free express roads that have speed limits of up to 120km/h. The response from GDDKiA has been favourable with regard to the quality, with one project seeing 12km of binder being laid in one in one week, using an 11m wide screed paving a 150mm thickness.

Poland’s 1250 Astec Road Machinery dealer, Road Construction Technology, has already supplied a number of Shuttle Buggies to contractors in the country, including Salini, Impreglio and PBDIM Kobylarnia. The first machine supplied was initially driven by Astec's operator who provided operational and maintenance training for the customer's staff, with a second machine being delivered one week later. Shuttle Buggies were also used on a 63km stretch of the key A1 highway project for four months. Contractor Kobylarnia used the machines on the A1 at Ciechocinek, with material supplied by an Ammann plant located about 45 km from the site and able to produce some 3,000tonnes/day. The mix was delivered using 25tonne capacity semi-trailers.

Paving was carried out by an ABG/2394 Volvo Titan 8820 featuring a fixed screed and two hydraulic extensions to lay down the base course, binder and wearing courses to a width of 11.5m.

Remixing the asphalt and feeding the paver through the Shuttle Buggy helped deliver a homogeneous material and allowed continuous paving through each shift. The use of a material transfer vehicle also reduced the number of trucks needed and the turnaround time to the mixing plant and back to the job site. The two Roadtec machines also benefit from automatic cleaning systems, which helps reduce maintenance needs.