Cement and Concrete Institute

Concrete roads

The Cement and Concrete Institute, based in Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa, was established in 1938 for the purpose of 'promoting the interests and general advancement of the Portland cement and construction industries as a whole'.

Low-volume concrete roads
The true cost of a road is the total of the initial construction cost as well as all maintenance costs over the whole  lifetime of the road.

Low-volume roads offer you: 
Economy

• Lower life-time costs for comparable designs.
• Comparable initial costs for equal designs in other materials.
• Very low maintenance and user disruption costs.
• Reduced lighting requirements due to excellent surface reflectivity.
• Reduced fuel costs for trucks.
• Reduced need for storm water reticulation.

Performance

• Long service life.
• Strength increases with age.
• Resistance to oil and fuel spillages.
• Ability to withstand heavy axle loads.
• Resistance to rutting, shoving and corrugations.
• Unaffected by high temperatures and water.
• Better performance under heavy loads and stop-start traffic.
• Easy upgrading of existing deteriorated roads by overlaying.
• Easy repair and maintenance.

Design

• Competitive designs for South African conditions.
• A locally developed design guide.
• Can be used for all levels of traffic
• Can be used over a range of support conditions.
• Surfaces that can be dished to carry storm water.

Construction

• Labour friendly
• Ideally suited to labour intensive and labour based construction methods.
• Can be fast tracked if necessary.
• Existing subgrade and alignment can be used.
• Can be built with integral kerb and channel.
• Requires only simple inexpensive equipment.
• Construction handbook available.

Safety and environment

• Can be textured, patterned, coloured and shaped to create a more pleasant environment.
• Excellent reflection and greater visibility.
• Long lasting skid resistance and traction for safer driving.
• Can be grooved to improve run-off.
• No rutting creating conditions for aquaplaning.
• Integral rumble strips can be varied to warn motorists of hazards.
• Use local materials - cement, sand, stone and water.
• Can be completely recycled.

Social responsibility

• Local relatively unskilled labour can be used.
• Ideally suited to the development of SMMEs.
• Skills acquired are not limited to road construction but are transferable to the wider building and construction industry.