SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN EQUIPMENT APPLIED TO PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS

USE OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN EFFICIENT AND MORE PRODUC- TIVE EARTH-MOVING EQUIPMENT ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS IS RESTRICTED BECAUSE OF PROJECT DESIGN, SPECIFICATIONS, AND OTHER REGULATORY MEASURES. REMOVAL OR MODIFICATION OF THESE RESTRICTIONS WOULD RESULT IN LOWER UNIT PRICE BIDDING ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS, THUS PASSING SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS ON TO THE PUBLIC. LARGE OFF-HIGHWAY TRUCKS, UNLESS MATCHED WITH APPROPRIATE SIZE SHOVELS, DO NOT IN THEMSELVES CREATE SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS. LARGE FRONT-END LOADERS NOW MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO FULLY UTILIZE SOME OF THE HIGH-CAPACITY TRUCKS WITH ECONOMIES THAT APPROACH THE COSTS OF INDUSTRIAL MINING OPERATIONS. THESE ECONOMIES ARE IN THE RANGE OF 20 TO 30 PERCENT LESS COST THAN THOSE PRESENTLY BEING EXPERIENCED ON SOME PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS. THE APPLICATION OF MORE PRODUCTIVE COMPACTING EQUIPMENT, IN SOME CASES, IS RULED OUT BY RESTRICTIONS OF THE SPECIFICATIONS. END RESULT SPECIFICATIONS ONLY WOULD ENCOURAGE CONTRACTORS TO BIND COMPETITIVELY ON A PERFORMANCE BASIS FOR COMPACTION WORK. MORE ECONOMICAL LARGE-DIAMETER BLAST-HOLE DRILLING AND BLASTING EQUIPMENT APPEARS TO HAVE BROADER APPLICATION IN ROAD-BUILDING IF A MORE LIBERAL "SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE ENGINEER" POLICY CAN BE OBTAINED. PUBLIC AGENCIES CONCERNED WITH THE COST OF PROJECTS THEY DESIGN AND RECOMMEND FOR CONSTRUCTION HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO RECOGNIZE THE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OF MORE EFFICIENT MACHINERY AND MAKE ACCOMMODATION FOR THEM. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1970/316/316-003.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper sponsored by Special Committee on Highway Equipment and presented at the 49th Annual Meeting. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Lee, Olin A
• Discussers:
  • Douglas, James
• Publication Date: 1970

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 33-46
• Monograph Title: Construction and construction equipment
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 316
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compactors; Earthwork; Presplitting (Blasting); Public works
• Uncontrolled Terms: Compaction equipment
• Old TRIS Terms: Front end loaders
• Subject Areas: Highways; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00219405
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Nov 9 1970 12:00AM