Jaipur-Mahua Tollway, Rajasthan, India

Introduction

The city of Agra, home of the world-famous Taj Mahal, is a booming tourist destination in India. Agra is located only 240 km (150 mi) from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan state. The two cities are connected by Jaipur Mahua Tollway and, along with New Delhi, form what is known as the west Golden Triangle of tourist destinations.

Challenge

Due to the heavy traffic fueled by the booming local economy, the Jaipur Mahua Tollway is experiencing severe rutting issues. Each truck carries almost double the allowable load! The monsoon-fueled hot semi-arid climate with summers approaching 50°C (122°F) and an average annual precipitation above 63 cm (25 in) has only exacerbated the pavement distress problem.

Resolution

To solve the problem, tollway concessionaire Cube Highways collaborated with Kraton to provide a long-lasting and cost effective solution. The partnership resulted in the implementation of HiMA technology at a tollway section in 2018, featuring a 4 cm (1.6 in) thin layer of HiMA-enabled dense graded wearing course laid upon ~23 cm (9 in) of combined unmodified dense macadam binder course and dense graded wearing course.

AR Thermosets Pvt Limited produced and delivered the HiMA binder designed upon PG76E-28 specification. Markoline Pvt Limited conducted the asphalt mixture production and construction. The company produced HiMA mixture at a temperature of 165°C (329°F) using batch plant technology. The haul distance was approximately 15-30 km (9-19 mi). The team managed to achieve excellent pavement density while compacting at 115°C (239°F) using a combination of vibratory compactors and pneumatic tire rollers. The crew observed that the HiMA mix was highly stable during compaction, unlike conventional mixes.

To date, the HiMA section is showing excellent performance and no defects despite being under water for few days due to a monsoon. The success resulted in the Gold Award for Cube Highways from the Indian Ministry of Road Transportation and Highways under the Innovation Category.