SAFAWI-IRAQI BORDER ROAD REHABILITATION

Safawi-Iraqi border is an arterial roadway within the eastern part of Jordan, which connects the country with Iraqi borders. In addition to connecting the country with Iraqi borders, this road serves the local traffic along its length. This road comprises of flexible pavement with two lane roadway and asphalt paved shoulders of varying widths. The roadway segment to be rehabilitated is included under a maintenance contract. As per the pavement evaluation report prepared by M/s. Engineering Axis for Studies (EAS) for the client M/s. Ministry for Public Works and Housing (MPWH), this roadway has been constructed in the early 1990’s as part of Azraq-Iraqi borders road project. During the first two decades of its life, this road has been used intensely; serving goods trucks between Jordan and Iraq and tanks transporting fuel from Iraq to Jordan, after then, the mutual traffic decreased significantly due to political implications. As per EAS report, no maintenance or repair records are available for the last 30 years.

Maccaferri Middle East (MME) was approached by the main contractor M/s. Abu Shriekh Contracting Co. (ASCC) and client MPWH to analyze the problem and propose an alternate solution which is economical and fast. Based on the pavement thickness, modulus values and traffic loading details received from client, MME came up with a solution that reduces the overlay thickness from 12cm to 7cm, through the use of Roadmesh L within the asphalt layer over the milled surface. Following the OLCRACK design approach developed by Nottingham university in UK, MME’s design solution forecasts a life of 25 years for the pavement without compromising on the performance & traffic load requirements.