Insight

Why do many roads constructed

in India fail prematurely?
Prof. Prithvi Singh Kandhal

There is a fundamental engineering requirement with respect to the bituminous mix This means that of the 10 bituminous
used in road construction. The mix should be dense so that water cannot penetrate it. In mixes listed in the MoRTH book, seven are
fact, water can destroy both rural roads as well as national highways as it can penetrate not desirable as they are either semi-dense
both the semi-dense and open graded bituminous mix used in road construction. or open graded, and easily permeated
Despite this knowledge and technical research that dissuades the use of outdated by water during monsoons. But, this book
technologies, such mixes are permitted and are being used widely across India. of specifications, popularly called the
“orange book” because of its orange cover,
unfortunately remains unquestioned by
But why do we permit Road specifications issued by the
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways most highway engineers in India as they
such bituminous mixes? considered it as “Gita” of specifications.
(MoRTH) contain 10 types of bituminous
Though, it is important to consider the
mixes. These can be categorized as That means any bituminous mix listed in this
quality of materials and methods used
dense, semi-dense, and open graded as book (good or bad) is sacred and can be
for road construction, many bituminous
follows: used by anyone with confidence.
roads constructed in India fail prematurely
and develop potholes, especially during • Dense graded bituminous mixes are Initiatives taken to support
DBM Grading 2, BC Grading 1 and BC
monsoons. Today, even the “aam aadmi” the contention
knows that water is Enemy Number 1 Grading 2. DBM Grading 1 is not listed
To support these observations, three
of bitumen but many of our highway as due to large nominal aggregate size
technical papers (authored by Prof. Kandhal
engineers ignore it and use the so-called of 37.5 mm, it is permeable by water and
and Prof. Veeraragavan) have been
“semi dense” or “open” graded bituminous fails prematurely.
published by the Indian Roads Congress
mixes in road construction, which gives an • Semi dense graded bituminous mixes are
(IRC) since 2008, and were also presented
open invitation to water. SDBC Grading 1, SDBC Grading 2 and
as formal papers in IRC annual sessions.
This, despite technical research that Mixed Seal Surfacing (MSS).
The third paper was presented in November
dissuades use of outdated technologies, • Open graded bituminous mixes are BM
2017 at IRC’s Bangalore session. A recent
many new, innovative materials and Grading 1 and 2, and Premix carpet
research work at IIT Guwahati has shown
solutions being introduced by specialized (PMC) with seal coat.
similar results.
companies.

112 NBM&CW MARCH 2018

 Insight

MORTH and IRC
engineers generally
believe in status quo
Unfortunately, engineers in MoRTH and IRC
do not pay any attention to such published
technical papers, and are continuing with
outdated technologies. They are aware
that many open bituminous mixes such as
BM and PMC were developed a long time
ago, and now we have hot mix plants that
are producing dense bituminous mixes.
To justify use of the seven semi-dense
and open bituminous mixes, the engineers
say that these mixes have served the road
construction sector well, and India cannot
afford dense mixes (even though the
relatively cheap bituminous mixes may last
for only 1-2 years), and they are also good
in convincing the government officials to
sanction their usage.
What our engineering
experts opine?
IITs and NITs, should conduct a thorough
research on the bituminous mixes, and the
Central Road Research Institute (CRRI)
should take suo motu cognizance of this
subject after reading the three IRC technical
papers, and give their opinion to MoRTH
and IRC in the interest of the nation’s infra
so that they can get a ‘fat’ road budget year MoRTH/IRC stating the drawbacks of
after year. bituminous mixes based on technical
Engineering experts opine that only facts, have gone unanswered. One can
three dense graded bituminous mixes only hope that the younger generation of
should be used for all types of roads. These upcoming, progressive engineers, who truly
mixes, which are listed in the orange book, believe in strong fundamentals of highway
are as follows: engineering, will bring about a radical
• Base Course: DBM Grading 2 (nominal change in road construction. To quote John
aggregate size 25 mm) F. Kennedy, “American roads are good not
• Binder Course: BC Grading 1 (nominal because America is rich, but America is rich
aggregate size 19 mm) because American roads are good.”
• Wearing Course BC: Grading 2
(nominal aggregate size 12.5 mm)
A finer BC wearing course mix with
nominal aggregate size of 9.5 mm should
also be specified for city streets and rural
roads that carry light to medium traffic. This
mix is used on interstate highways in the
US.
The open graded premix carpet (PMC),
which is being used extensively on our rural
roads, should be replaced by mechanized
surface dressing with pre-coated aggregate.
This will effectively waterproof the road, and
thus minimize potholes. Surface dressing
costs only 40% of what PMC does, and About the Writer
lasts much longer. This process would Prof. Kandhal is Associate Director Emeritus
revolutionize the Pradhan Mantri Grameen of the National Center for Asphalt Technology
Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) program by saving (NCAT) based at Auburn University, Alabama,
thousands of crores of rupees every year U.S.A. NCAT is the largest asphalt (bitumen)

development. But unfortunately, nobody
wants to create any waves.
Most highway engineers in the public
and private sector are also silent on the
subject, even though these mixes are not
used in developed countries. The general
public is of the opinion that highway
engineers intentionally construct bad roads
and increasing the life of rural roads. It
should be noted that NO country in the
world would like to use “water-trapping”
open graded PMC, and they prefer surface
dressing on low to medium traffic roads.
Bad roads are a national problem.
Many people die due to potholes every day.
Representations made to the government/
road technology center in the world.
Prof. Kandhal has been a practicing
highway engineer in India for over 20 years
and in the US for 30 years. Recently he
has drafted many standards for the Indian
Roads Congress including specifications for
dense graded bituminous mixes, stone matrix
asphalt and readymade pothole patching mix.

114 NBM&CW MARCH 2018