CRRI imparts tech to engineers to repair Pune roads

The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) in Delhi has imparted 'tough terrain road-building technology' to the engineers of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on PMC's road department on June 5. Researchers from CRRI, who visited Pune, said that this technology is used in the northeast and Kashmir. The same technology will be used in Pune city to put an end to the pothole issues.

The PMC engineers were also given practical know-how of the technique. Established in 1952, CRRI is a premier national research laboratory engaged in carrying out research and development projects on design, construction and maintenance of roads and runways. The institute provides technical and consultancy services to various user organisations.

The major change in technique is the use of cold mix to repair roads, instead of hot mix concrete, said NKS Pundir, senior researcher at CRRI. Pundir, who gave training to the engineers, said that hot mix concrete is produced after boiling the asphalt and then drying the aggregate prior to mixing.

While the cold mix asphalt concrete is produced with the blending of asphalt in water and other chemicals before using it. The benefit of cold mix is that it can be used even during the rainy season, when potholes come up in large numbers, said Pundir.