Wednesday, 18 October 2023

Dear Shri Chahal : Please consider COLD ASPHALT

Context :

Civic chief sees 5-year roadmap for pothole-proof trips in Mumbai / TNN / 12 July 2022

Extract :

“ The intensity of the downpour enables water to seep into the pores of bitumen topping the road , thereby dislocating even the best surfaces. The only solution to this is concretising every kilometre of road surface

The possibility of getting a pothole on a concretized roads is almost reduced by 90 per cent, I feel . Therefore we have drawn up a master plan of concretizing all roads by 2027 – 28 “, said Chahal

A concrete road usually has a longer life (15-20 years) but requires almost double the time needed to lay an Asphalt road.

Cost is 300 times more as it involves laying a new drainage line alongside, plus more men and material

Context :

Make Civic Engineers Accountable For Potholes, Say Ex-corporators | Mumbai Information / 13 July 2022

Extract :

A day after BMC commissioner I S Chahal ( mc@mcgm.gov.in )

blamed the “brutal” rain that batters the town yearly for the deteriorating situation of roads, former corporators retorted that enough supervision by civic officers at each stage would guarantee the town will get good roads that last

Additional Municipal commissioner P Velrasu,[ amc.projects@mcgm.gov.in ]

in charge of the civic roads division, said the issue was with the asphalt roads constructed in the past.

However, Velrasu pointed out that if concrete roads develop potholes, there’s a big problem

“ We need to ensure that at every stage of constructing concrete roads, adequate time is given for mixing and curing. This would ensure that in the long run the city gets good high quality roads,” he stated.

Context :

{ source : https://www.civillead.com/concrete-road-vs-asphalt-road/#:~:text=Based%20on%20the%20initial%20cost,costly%20as%20compared%20to%20concrete }

Extract :

# COST

Based on the initial cost of the pavement, concrete roads are reported to be over 20 % costlier than asphalt roads. However on life cycle cost basis, concrete roads are estimated to be around 20 – 25 % cheaper than asphalt roads

Whereas asphalt is still less costly as compared to concrete, Asphalt dries faster hence it takes less time to build an Asphalt road as compared to a Concrete road

# REPAIR

Concrete roads do not require frequent repair for patching work like Asphalt roads but if the Concrete road breaks, the whole slab needs to be replaced.

On the other hand, Asphalt is a CHEAPER and FASTER solution for short term projects

# MAINTENANCE

Concrete roads are maintenance-free, or we can say they require very minimum maintenance if they are laid properly

In contrast, maintenance of Asphalt roads is easy or we can say they require very minimum maintenance if they are laid properly

# POLLUTION

Asphalt produces lots of high polluting gases at the time of melting it for paving – also petroleum is required to produce asphalt , which is an expensive product

{ My observation > Isn’t Asphalt, a by-product of petroleum refining ? }

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Dear Shri Chahal,

I urge you to get the experts at the Indian Road Congress to examine the feasibility and economics of using COLD ASPHALT , as suggested in my following 6 YEAR old email :

Ø Keep Experimenting ……………………………[ 21 Feb 2016 ]

Extract :

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 kilometer - 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 !

With regards,

Hemen Parekh / hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 13 July 2022