MAKING ROADS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30529, 26 August 1964, Page 18

MAKING ROADS

Use Of Odd Materials By using cement to stabilise natural materials, not only was it possible to build strong pavements out of the usual materials, but also out of materials previously considered quite unsatisfactory, said Mr M. A. Craven, general manager of the New Zealand Portland Cement Association, in an address to the cement stabilisation symposium in Christchurch yesterday. Mr Craven said New Zealand’s roading expenditure had grown from £16.5 million in 1954 to £41.91 million in 1963-64, and it was still difficult to get all the work done to cope with the traffic.

Programmes had to be continually revised. Already there was evidence that cement stabilisation could help. No-one could claim that it was the complete answer, but it had an important role. Mr Cravsn said the interest shown throughout New Zealand in the symposium clearly demonstrated that there were many individuals and organisations anxious to learn about the new means of making better use of the country’s natural materials to form pavements of greater strength and durability. He said New Zealand had a wide range of clays, silts, sands and gravels and rocks which could be effectively stabilised with cement. Even where the conventional roadmaking materials were • available cement stabilisation could result in better pavements, or alternatively thinner pavements of the same strength. There was little doubt that New Zealand needed better pavements to carry the traffic loads of the future, and more consideration needed to be given to the question of maintenance, which was related so closely to pavement strength and durability. “There is little doubt,” said Mr Craven, “that cement stabilisation will play an important and increasing role in thia development.”