Roads are the arteries of a city and hence have immense importance in our everyday lives. They connect distant locations with each other and enable us to travel around town conveniently. For that reason, road construction and maintenance are crucial activities to be performed regularly to keep the roads in shape.
There are certain vehicles equipped with sophisticated machines used for constructing, maintaining, and repairing roads. From filling in potholes to smoothening uneven surfaces, they cover a wide range of applications.
Chances are high that we have seen a few such machines but not really paid attention to how they work. Here’s a video showing road maintenance machines in action.
These Machines Make Road Maintenance A Breeze
1. Asphalt preservation vehicle
Asphalt roads are very common throughout the world. Their popularity is down to the fact they cost comparatively less and can be built quicker than other alternatives. However, asphalt doesn’t stay intact for good and would need maintenance every decade or so. To prevent any major maintenance, road authorities employ an asphalt preservation vehicle to replenish the asphalt on a degrading road.
2. Road marking vehicle
You must have seen the parallel lines drawn on either end of a road. These parallel lines demarcate a road and define the boundaries within which a vehicle should operate. Not only does this make sure the pedestrians are safe from moving vehicles but also keeps the traffic from spilling out from the road. These markings are expertly laid down by road marking trucks that create a white strip as they move along a path.
3. Pothole patching vehicle
Due to certain unavoidable factors such as weather conditions, potholes form on a road after some time. If not fixed in time, these potholes can turn bigger, cause inconvenience, and even accidents. A pothole patching vehicle helps repair these small pits on a road surface by unclogging them and then filling them up with bitumen.
4. Infrared asphalt heater
When a road has significantly worn out and needs another layer of asphalt, this machine can be called into action. The infrared asphalt heater relies on raising the temperature of an asphalt road enough to make it malleable. Then, the required amount of asphalt is added, which merges with the existing road as the surface cools down.
5. Hard shoulder milling machine
Road shoulders are the strips of land on either side of a road. In places, such as rural regions, road shoulders may have vegetation that intrudes into a road’s area and obstructs the smooth movement of traffic. A hard shoulder milling machine aids road authorities in clearing such unwanted obstacles. Doing this on a timely basis can prevent soil erosion and ponding which, in turn, can prevent accidents.
For knowing more about road shoulder removal and its purpose, check out our dedicated article. While you are here, check out the American Road Patch which is a quick fix for potholes.
