make the roads harder!
which might sound strange, from our point of view roads are pretty solid, but to a truck weighing several tons or more the surface is comparatively soft, causing the asphalt to deflect downwards slightly beneath each wheel, as a result,
the truck is perpetually in a state of trying to climb out of an ever-so-slight
depression in the road, this means that it burns more fuel than it would
otherwise, producing more carbon dioxide emissions in the process. According to
MIT researchers Hessam Azarijafari, Jeremy Gregory and Randolph Kirchain, this
problem could be alleviated if roads were made of stiffer materials, so as trucks
would use less fuel on stiffer roads, that would also mean that the carbon
dioxide emissions produced by these big vehicles would be reduced. While the
costs of making the roads stiffer would be initially expensive, it would be a
great investment in the long run, as stiffer roads are stronger and require
fewer repairs, image credit falco/ Pixabay, what a interesting concept, I wonder if stiffer roads will ever become the
norm?
I can't imagine that ever becoming a thing. The reason why roads are no longer made with cement and now use asphalt is because temperature variations cause the surfaces of roads to expand and contract, and asphalt has the ability to expand and contract with extreme temperatures. Cement roads need expansion joints to handle temperature changes, and they still wind up cracking and not lasting long. (Plus there is that annoying "ka-thunk ka-thunk ka-thunk" sound from the tires when driving on cement roads that is no longer heard anymore.)
ReplyDeleteDear Jil, you have burst their bubble! think of all of the grant money they will no longer receive! but might it be possible to cast a harder type of asphalt, to in some way get the lorries on a flatter track? just thinking, best regards, Stan and Diana.
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