Page 185 - RoadCem Manual - PCT BV

7. Epiloque
TODAY’S SOLUTIONS ARE TOMORROWS QUESTIONS!
‘ACCEPTANCE OF NEW TECHNIQUES REQUIRES OPEN MINDEDNESS AND A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN FROM PLANNERS AND ENGINEERS WHO MUST APPLY IT. IT ALSO REQUIRES THE POLITICAL WILL TO RESIST PRESSURE FROM VESTED INTERESTS AND MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE AT THEIR DISPOSAL’
7.1 General
There has been a very strong motivation for preparing this Guideline on RoadCem used in Road Construction. In essence:
• Many aspects of road provision have stemmed from technology and research in Europe and the USA, in environments very different from those prevailing in the other regions where RoadCem based approach is surely more appropriate. Even in developed world RoadCem offers many advantages.
• Whilst changes have inevitably occurred in the recent past, much of the basic philosophy concerning road provision remains unchanged, as have many of the norms and standards to be found in guidance documents, which have not been revised for many years.
• A significant amount of research work spanning some 20 - 30 years has been carried out in different parts of the world by a number of specialist organizations, collaborating country agencies and, in some cases, by country agencies themselves.
• Much of the research has been aimed at new approaches to road provision including planning, appraisal, design, and use of local materials, surfacing techniques, construction methods and finance for maintenance.
• Where implemented, the results of this research have invariably been highly beneficial and cost-effective.
• Unfortunately, there is still a general tendency to use a conventional approach to provision of roads that is often perceived to be “safe”. As a result, few of the results of relevant research have been put into practice and the potential benefits of so doing have not been gained.
Table 6.2 Road Safety, Road Users Costs and Life Cycle costs.
185