FIVE YEARS’ WEAR.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17680, 3 September 1929, Page 4

FIVE YEARS’ WEAR.

ON THE HUTT ROAD.

ANALYSIS OP PAVING. .. ‘ ♦ * Tsie bursting of one-of the water- • mains on the Hutt Road a few weeks . ago gave the Wellington city engineer’s department an opportunity of taking out specimen blocks of the bituminous pavement for inspection and, analysis. This pavement has been down just over five years, and naturally the engineers concerned were curious to see whether there had been any change in the aggregate, chemically or otherwise. A block cut smoothly by Hansford and Mills showed the material to be as perfeot, compact and fresh in condition as the day • it was laid down, the two courses be- * ing as firm and clearly defihed as, when originally rolled out. ,

. To make quite sure that no chemical change had, taken place, the corporation analyst was supplied with a block, and,with the aid of his digestor 'soon separated the various ma-. terials, which were found to correspond precisely with the original percentages. The top course j analysed out as follows:—Bitumen, 7.9; ‘ filler. 3.3; fine sand, 14.8; coarse sand, 23.6; grit, 20.5; fine metal, -29.9. The analysis of. the base course was as. follows: Bitumen,. 3.'7; sand, 33.1; metal, 63.2. '

This examination of pavement laid five years ago, j, and subject to heavy traffic, is most gratifying to the authorities, as it shows that a bituminous aggregate in the proper proportions is likely to stand intact until it wears away—and the wear on the Hutt Road pavement is negligible.