POT HOLES ARE FOR EVER ?

With rainy season in full swing , newspapers / TV channels, are full of reports on pot holes on Mumbai roads

I am sure , situation cannot be much different in other cities

Here are some extracts :

# Times of India ( July 09 )

   A High Court bench asked BMC : How pot holes keep coming back ? Even if material is  expensive , it must be used , as it will sustain for a longer period

Central Road Research Institute had suggested ( to BMC ) , nine methods for road repair . BMC said , two methods failed ; others were either not feasible or expensive

The Bench has directed the BMC to examine the CRRI's methods at its July 13 meeting , The matter is posted for July 15 for an up date

# Mumbai Mirror ( July 08 )

Assistant Municipal Commissioner , Ramakant Bidar writes a letter to Sanjay Darde ( Chief Engineer ) , saying :

" The raw material we are getting for the job ( pot hole repair ) , from the civic body's Worli plant is sub standard ; also there is no standard operating procedure ( SOP ) , for filling pot holes "

BMC has now admitted that the material from its plant is of poor quality and it does not have an SOP

BMC Commissioner , Mehta informed the general body that Rs 1638 crore had been spent on road works this year

#  DNA ( 09 July )

BMC , on friday , informed the Bombay High Court that it is considering bringing home , techniques used in Australia for road repair and maintenance. 

The bench directed BMC to file an affidavit on the steps taken to repair roads and fill up pot holes

#  DNA  ( 11  July )

Union Minister , Shri Nitin Gadkari is going to USA for seeking US help for modernizing infrastructure

Shri Gadkari will seek US cooperation in innovative technologies in highway projects  , material , equipment etc

All of this, when THE SOLUTION is hiding in PLAIN SIGHT ?( read my following email - and blog - to Shri Gadakari )

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Sunday, 21 February 2016

Keep Experimenting !

Shri Nitin Gadkari likes to experiment and take the accompanying risks

He is not afraid to stick out his neck for fear of it getting chopped off 

He is not paralyzed into inaction by  " fear of failure "

He like to tell his officers , " Forget the  history - what is your problem ? "

Then offers solutions such as :

*  Logistic parks around big cities to decongest roads and reduce pollution

*  RFID sensor embedded vehicles , paying toll amount electronically without stopping / needing humans

*  E-rickshaws to be treated on par with petrol driven rickshaws

*  By passing Bharat V emission standards to directly jump to Bharat VI standards for all vehicles

*  Introducing hybrid model of financing for attracting private participation in Highway construction

*  Use of slag cement in construction of highways ( use of waste by-products of Steel Industry )

Dear Shri Gadkariji  :

Allow me to suggest use of " COLD  ASPHALT " technology for building new roads / filling pot holes

Use of hot asphalt requires a very narrow temperature range within which it must be spread on roads before rolling

Any hotter and it will just stick to the roller . Any colder and it just won't set

It is difficult to maintain such narrow range ( of temperature ) after asphalt carrying truck travels hundreds of kilometers - even when that truck has a heating jacket ( consuming lots of fuel ! )

If solidified asphalt ( usually stored in steel drums ) is used at the construction site , then it needs to be heated / melted locally ( usually by creating a wood fire ) - causing pollution and consuming trees !

And hot asphalt would just not adhere to a wet surface , rendering it useless for use in monsoon - especially for repair of pot holes

"  COLD  ASPHALT  " technology overcomes ALL of these problems  !

*  It consists of mixing water ( 90 % ) with hot asphalt ( 9 % ) in presence of a specialty chemical ( 1 % ) , in a

    very simple Mixing Machine which can be transported anywhere on a trolley

*  This liquid mixture can remain stored in steel drums at ROOM  TEMPERATURE for over ONE YEAR !

*  Drums containing liquid can be transported and stored at road construction sites and COLD  ASPHALT mixed

    with sand / aggregates as and when required . No ripping / destroying of drums and breaking of solid asphalt

*  There is no need for ANY temperature control as mixture / aggregate can remain at  AMBIENT  temperature

*  Since Cold Asphalt is basically water ( 90 % ) , it is ideally suited for filling wet pot holes or laying on wet roads

*  After laying / spreading , as soon as a heavy roller is driven over Cold Asphalt mixed aggregate , chemical bond

   between water and asphalt is broken due to heavy pressure and  setting process starts , causing the layer to

   solidify . 

Within a matter of MINUTES , regular traffic can flow over the road  ! or over the filled pot holes  !

*  Use of Cold Asphalt technology results in a HUGE COST SAVING  ( remember , it is 90 % water ! )

*  Cold Asphalt roads are much easier to repair , with no pollution , and very little energy consumption


*  Using Cold Asphalt technology, 3 machines ( leveller /spreader/roller ) can lay 1 KM road in a day  !

I have personally seen NATIONAL HIGHWAYS being constructed with Cold Asphalt technology in France , way back in 1988  !

You may turn around and ask :

"  With these advantages , how come our PWD / Municipalities have not adopted this revolutionary technology ? "

My guess :

Because those responsible for drawing up tender documents , insist on use of Hot Asphalt !

And you know , why  !

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12  July  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs