NHAI studies cement pavement
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur for research project on Laboratory and Field investigations on Paneled Cement Concrete Pavements for Highways.
NHAI has paid Rs.1.25 Crore for the three-year project.
The project follows a recent policy on increased concrete pavements on all major highways due to their longevity and maintenance free life, replacing the damage-prone bituminous (asphaltic concrete).
The NHAI-IIT Kharagpur collaboration will develop a technology to construct Panelled Cement Concrete (Pre-fabricated in a small panel size) which can replace the design of construction of existing cement concrete road, said a government media release.
The Panelled concrete pavement laid on a lean concrete base will be maintenance free and reduce road-construction and material costs.
A few places have been tested out with these slabs but an extensive study is required to formulate the design practices for its use in wider perspective.
Currently, highway construction requires a monolithic (in-situ) layer of cement concrete normally 300 mm thick laid continuously over the prepared surface. But the policy calls for innovation to optimize the design of concrete pavement in its traditional form which can facilitate faster construction at much cheaper cost. fii-news.com
