Delayed road maintenance is set to be a thing of the past as inventor and researcher, Dr Samuel Abejide from the Department of Civil Engineering, Butterworth Campus invented a device that utilises recyclable materials to repair potholes.
Known as the Recycled Asphalt Plastic Mini Mixer (RAPMM), this machine is a new approach to the design of an Ultra-Thin Film Asphalt Concrete Porous Pavement for use in pothole sealing/patching, gravel roads and low-density traffic roads within rural settlements.
“This is an alternative pavement surfacing material which is intended for use on gravel roads, low volume roads and for filling potholes. This approach proves to be efficient with minimum cost. The homogenous mixture formed provides a more durable bituminous surface for pothole maintenance work,” said Abejide.
This innovation is a mobile batch plant mixture designed to mix recyclable materials ranging from Low Density Polyethylene to high Density Polyethylene, which aims to reduce the emission of Green House gases.
“This means that the road sector development will be able to maintain and fix potholes at a reduced cost using cheaper labour. Furthermore, the timeline taken before a pothole is repaired will be reduced as the RAPP Mixer is mobile and can be transported to the site for in-situ production and compaction at the designated potholes location”
He described the device as a ‘more economical approach’ to repairing potholes in contrast with cold mix design currently used for road repairs.
Adding that, “The production of the warm mix is towards reduction of Green House Gas Emissions as compared with the Hot Mix Asphalt method of production.”
Abejide said, “In addition to efficient road maintenance, this is an opportunity for growth for both skilled and unskilled workers as the machine presents an opportunity for a wide variety of employment opportunities.”
Recently, the academic invented a road pavement analysis device called Moisture Instrumentation Sensor for Road Analysis (MISRA) for sustainable roads towards reducing the occurrence of potholes is in response to ‘poor riding conditions on our road surfaces in Africa especially within the Eastern Cape.’
– Ongezwa Sigodi
