Oleksandr Shevchenko: The industry is constantly changing
"PBS" specialists continue to improve their expertise level by studying European road-building experience. Some of them recently returned from Germany, after taking part in a seminar on asphalt concrete mixtures manufacturing. Styding the experiece of "WIRTGEN GROUP", the leading company in the field, "PBS" representatives visited "BENNINGHOVEN" asphalt concrete plants , capable of manufacturing any type of modern asphalt concrete mixtures.
"The wheels of industry are turning. Technologies are constantly being improved. Cast asphalt concrete is now considered to be the most advanced technology in the world, if we talk about roads and bridges. The domination of new asphalt types on Europe's market is increasing day by day. The best Ukrainian companies should study and implement the latest technologies and wall toe-to-toe with world's leading players", - Oleksandr Shevchenko, People's Deputy of Ukraine.
Some highly-technologic asphalt concrete mixes are efficient to be deployed even at minus 10 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the mix exceeds 200 degrees Celsius. Those mixes often contain expensive materials, including natural Trinidad and Tobago bitumen, which is extracted from lakes in America.
"Liquid asphalt concretes have good waterproofing properties, they are highly resilient and plastic. When applied, they don't require any rollers, immediately assuming the final shape. They are perfect for asphalting bridges", - Mykhailo Lytvynyiuk, director's assistant at "PBS" company.
Cast asphalt concretes have a long history, up from the late 19th century. Due to high cost, they had to be replaced by more accessible technologies. There is only one company In Ukraine that is capable of working with those materials. They see almost no use in our country. The price of cast asphalt concrete is at least 50% higher than gravel-mastic solutions. German specialists, however, are advocating the newer technology, as the existing cast-asphalt-concrete roads show almost no exhaustion, despite being in heavy usage for more than 50 years.
"PBS" specialists are looking forward to improve the production and installation technology of cast asphalt-mineral mixtures, in order to test the performance of those innovations on Ukrainian roads, bridges and parking lots.
"As usual, TC "Bukovel" will be the proving grounds for innovative technologies, future ones and already existing. Our road infrastructure is being improved, striving to reach high-level European standards. Cast asphalt concrete mixes will be tested here, first and foremost. We have a path to follow", - Oleksii Pasternak, director of "PBS".
In the nearest future, "PBS" representatives will again travel to Germany, in order to learn the technology of cast asphalt concrete installation.
