BRRI to produce more viable road construction materials

Fumesua (Ash), July 28, GNA - The Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI) will soon outdoor a more viable and cost-saving road construction material, which it developed from "Pozzolana" cement to strengthen marginal base materials (gravels). Pozzolana cement was developed by the BRRI using 100 per cent local raw materials.

Mr Kwaku Amoa-Mensah, Director of the BRRI disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Fumesua near Kumasi on Monday. He said the Institute had already submitted proposals to the Ministry of Roads and Highways, seeking "the green light" to commence a pilot project to ascertain the effectiveness of the material.

The Director said if the pilot proves successful, the technology would be made available to road contractors on the country's roads. Mr Amoa-Mensah said the technology would help in reducing cost involved in the procurement of natural gravels for construction of roads.

He explained that even though gravels were accessible at road construction sites, they do not meet the approved standard and specification for use as road construction materials.

"This situation compels most road contractors to travel long distances to locate and haul requisite materials to their construction sites at very exorbitant cost".

The Director said with the new technology from the BRRI, the contractor could derive quality bitumen from a mixture of Pozzolana cement and gravels for construction work.