Roads & Bridges

1 week ago | roadsbridges.com | Gavin Jenkins

In April, I traveled to Munich for Bauma, the construction industry’s largest trade fair. I would argue too large. One morning, it took me three hours to reach the show because the subway cars on that side of the city were packed to the gills. I was warned the show was massive, but it was hard to understand its size: 193,750 square feet of hall space and over 4 million square feet of outdoor space, with 3,601 exhibitors from 57 countries. These figures meant nothing until I saw it for myself.

1 month ago | roadsbridges.com | Gavin Jenkins

By Gavin Jenkins, Senior Managing EditorMUNICH — Digital twins create real-time models of road systems that include physical data and environmental factors. Artificial intelligence (AI) helps analyze that data, predict outcomes, optimize schedules, budgets, and improve safety. Simply put: Digital twins and AI are transforming the management of road and bridge construction. Cloud-based tools streamline project workflows and communication between teams.

2 months ago | roadsbridges.com | Gavin Jenkins

By Gavin Jenkins, Senior Managing EditorMUNICH — Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to transform the roads and bridges construction industry. This technology could be used to enhance training and safety, while also improving design and collaboration. This week, at the 34th edition of Bauma, attendees can see what it’s like to visit a construction site virtually in the VR Experience Zone, which is held in the Innovation Hall in Munich’s Neue Messe München exhibition center.

2 months ago | roadsbridges.com | Gavin Jenkins

By Gavin Jenkins, Senior Managing EditorMUNICH — At most construction equipment trade shows, manufacturers feature simulators in their booths. It seems impossible to attend a show and miss them. They always have a line of people waiting to sit in the chair and simulate operating heavy machine equipment. Bauma attendees who visit the BOMAG booth in the outdoor lot of the Neue Messe München exhibition center might think they are approaching another simulator. But this is no simulation.

2 months ago | roadsbridges.com | Gavin Jenkins

By Gavin Jenkins, Senior Managing EditorMUNICH — Bauma is a beast. Hailed as the world’s leading trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines, construction vehicles and construction equipment, Bauma kicked off in the Neue Messe München exhibition center on Monday. Held every three years and organized by Messe München, Baum features 200,000 square meters of hall space, 414,000 square meters of outdoor space and more than 3,500 exhibitors from 57 countries.