Rehabilitation of a steep farm track

Switzerland | Castiel

Paving asphalt to a high standard of quality is a demanding task in itself. But projects in mountain regions such as the Swiss Alps present additional challenges. Extreme slopes, narrow roads and steep precipices place high demands on the paving team and the machine technology alike. In the mountain village of Castiel, located in the Arosa district in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, HEW Bauunternehmung AG rehabilitated a combined base and surface course using a VÖGELE SUPER 1803-3i wheeled paver. The project involved rehabilitating a farm track with an extreme gradient of up to 11% designed for vehicles up to 18t, while working at an altitude of 1,200m. The basic parameters thus corresponded to a typical application for the SUPER 1803-3i.

The high traction and manœuvrability were key on the job site in Castiel. With the SUPER 1803-3i, “working on extreme slopes is almost as simple as on flat terrain,” says Oliveira Rodrigues Hugo, a paver operator. The wheeled paver’s powerful drive and material handling system made it easy for the team to complete the job in one shift. According to the HEW paving team, the paver’s short set-up times were also a contributing factor.

VÖGELE sensors for grade and slope control, for instance, can be connected according to the plug&play principle: the VÖGELE Niveltronic Plus System for Automated Grade and Slope Control detects the connected sensor automatically. The screed operator then just defines the specified values using the quick set-up function – and the work can begin. When the job is done, the SUPER 1803-3i also makes a quick exit: it can travel at up to 20km/h under its own power.

Rehabilitation of the combined base and surface course on a steep farm track in Arosa, Switzerland