Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has approved the use of one of Lafarge Africa Plc, road cement brand – Roadcem for road construction.
The product is said to be environmentally friendly, while it increases the strength and load-bearing capacity of the highways, reduces the thickness of the pavement structure and modifies the chemical and mineral structure of soil materials.
In Nigeria, there is high variability in the quality of soil that is available across the country. The use of traditional methods of excavating, placing and compacting soil makes it challenging to achieve uniform quality.
According to the firm, the product has proven to be effective on several projects and ensures sub-base/base improvement, fewer breakdowns of the road, long-term durability and cost savings.
It stated that “Lafarge’s RoadCem is produced by inter-grinding cement clinker with a controlled amount of limestone and chemical additives. Roadcem provides better volume stability by controlling swell and shrinkage, and providing better durability, while allowing the stabilised layer to achieve long-term strength.”
The director of Highways, Materials, Geotechnics and Quality Control, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Engr Osita Ezedozie, said following the improved performance observed from the tests, pilot study and evaluation of Roadcem over ordinary Portland Cement in soil (sharp sand) stabilisation, approval has been granted for the introduction and use of Roadcem for stabilisation of soil (sharp sand) in highway pavement sub-base course construction.
“At 5.0 pe cent Roadcem content, the stabilised sharp sand complies with all the specification requirements for a sub-base course and also achieves higher stability at a lower cost than stabilisation with ordinary Portland cement,” Ezedozie said.
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