The Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has successfully completed a road construction work using cement technology, which is also known as rigid pavement technology in road construction.

The governor is experimenting with this technology in road construction on three roads and has recorded a feat with the completion of the 400 metres, ENUC Road, off Udeagbala in Aba.

Governor Ikpeazu is pioneering this technology in Nigeria in road construction with the construction of three roads in Aba – ENUC Road, Omeni Drive, by Aba Owerri Road and Owerri Road, off Okigwe Road – and says the technology is more durable and more sustainable and will be extended to other roads in Abia in the days ahead.

He said the construction engineers are currently using a mixture of crush rock-based materials and other items to achieve a thickness fill and compaction to the level of 300mm and then cast with concrete reinforcement with 8mm to 10mm high tensil (mash of wires) reinforcement bars over the stabilised base course before treatment with prime coat and asphaltic concrete.

The governor disclosed that though the cost of this technology is higher than the conventional construction methods, he has chosen to experiment on it as a measure to strengthen the load bearing capacity of some roads in Abia and boost the strength and quality of the finished work, adding that roads constructed with this technology has a sustainability guarantee of ten to twenty years.

Ikpeazu further stated that the cement technology will address the challenges raised by the soil examination conducted on the three roads, noting that the process involves soil stabilisation which is a process of introducing materials that have properties which the routine construction materials or naturally occurring materials lack to further strengthen pavement and improve the load bearing capacity of the roads.

While disclosing that the cement technology is used in the construction of airport run-ways, tarmac and places that carry high load bearing capacity machines and equipment, the Governor said it is a good solution for achieving sustainable roads in Nigeria, as it is better and of a higher value than the convention method of using only asphalt.

•Photo shows Gov Ikpeazu.

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