During last Tuesday night’s forum at Frederick Smith Secondary School, Santia Bradshaw, Minister responsible for Transport, Works and Water Resources, conveyed that the Cabinet had recently given its approval for the constructing two roller-compacted concrete roads.
Roller-compacted Concrete can be a game-changer in the construction of roads in Barbados, but what do we know about RCC?
Roller-compacted concrete is no ordinary road building material. Its unique composition, consisting of cement, aggregates, and water with a lower water-to-cement ratio, allows for efficient compaction using heavy rollers. Its rapid strength development means faster construction progress, translating to significant savings in time and the cost of labor. Moreover, the use of RCC also eliminates the need for formwork and reinforcement, further streamlining the road construction processes
RCC can be mixed directly at the construction site, minimizing waste and eliminating time consuming transportation challenges.
From the construction of towering dams to sprawling highways, roller-compacted concrete has been used for them all. Its impressive compressive strength and resistance to cracking make it the material of choice for a wide range of applications including major highways, ports, industrial facilities, military runways and aprons for military aircraft.
Hopefully the use of RCC will herald a new era of road building in Barbados.