- With an ambition to transform road construction, the Ethiopian Roads Administration (ERA) aspires to import latest technology, which determines the right characteristics of soils along the routes of construction sites.
ERA stressed that advanced soil testing equipment is essential for the construction of quality roads that have reliable foundations.
ERA Deputy Director General Eng. Hirut Yohannes told journalists that her office is executing road construction by using its own laboratory while striving to import advanced soil testing equipment.
According to her, ERA is working to own latest soil testing equipment and laboratory to execute successful road projects.
The incoming equipment is important to test soil characteristic for upcoming road projects including soil, asphalt and gravel roads, she said.
"This testing equipment not only related to road construction, but also the construction sectors in general. Latter, we will have laboratory arrangement that help more,"she noted.
The new advanced models the Administration are looking for also important to check the physical properties of modified asphalt and mixtures, Hirut expressed.
"Technology transfer is one of key objective in the area. We are preparing technology transfer guidelines. Thus, based on this parameter, we will bring new technology in the sector," she said.
The Deputy Director General expressed that ERA has already constructed a laboratory in its ERA's Road Research Center (RRC).
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Soil test laboratory for road constructions needed to have quality roads in the nation and help how to use construction material, she stated.
ERA's road research center, as to Hirut, serves as a reference for central laboratory testing institute.
The RRC testing laboratory is equipped to perform general tests required for pavement construction such as aggregate tests, mixing tests and field tests, she said.
The research center is also established in order to resolve road related problems, she added.
"We are working with domestic universities and foreign research institutes. We are doing research with Addis Ababa University regarding landslide and in this regard the university is mapping areas prone to landslide to protect the society from hazards. Capacity building is another area, Era is working to develop competent and skillful experts. So we are recruiting and providing training for the professionals in the sector."
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2024
