Assessing the Cost-effectiveness and durability of Asphalt Pothole Patching Techniques in Kampala City

Abstract

The evaluation of the pavement pothole patching methods plays vital roles in the life of any road network system. It is needed to identify appropriate maintenance methods to adopt because performance of a pavement is greatly affected by the type, timeliness, and quality of maintenance it receives. Appropriate pavement maintenance methods can slow the rate at which a pavement deteriorates from traffic loads and climatic conditions. Nationally, pavements are deteriorating faster than they are being restored because maintenance funds have not been sufficient to take care of the needs. Kampala city roads are the major roads that links different locations in the city. There have been several maintenances on the road specially patching but the road pavement kept failing. It was observed that there has not been a cost-effective pothole patching assessment on the road to suggest appropriate maintenance methods. This study, therefore, carried out the evaluation of pavement pothole patching techniques with the view to identify its performance and providing suitable maintenance methods. Information was obtained from relevant stakeholders such as engineers from transportation agency (KCCA) and other construction professionals in construction companies such as quantity surveyors, construction managers to understand the frequency of maintenance and maintenance methods deployed on the road. The 26 respondents cut across professionals working in relevant agency and construction companies. It was gathered that the road is of economic value to the people of Kampala and damage frequently despite routine maintenance. The outcome of the assessment of the effectiveness of pothole patching techniques indicated that hot mix patching was the common method used on the roads with 92.3% of responses followed by cold mix asphalt patching with 26.9% of responses. Different maintenance techniques were then suggested depending on the distress obtained. It is important therefore that such studies are carried out in order to timely inform people in charge when they are supposed to carryout maintenance and which strategy/techniques to employ economically.