20^th Kerala Science Congress held at Thiruvananthapuram from 27 - 31 January 2008.  Paper accepted for Publication & Young Scientist Award Contest.

Received Young Scientist Award.

PAVEMENT PERFORMANCE Models for Rural Roads

Susan Rose

Lecturer

Department of Civil Engineering

SAINTGITS College of Engineering

Kottayam, Kerala

Co- Authors

Dr. Kuncheria P. Isaac (Principal, Govt. Engg College, Wayanad) & Mrs. Binu Sara Mathew (Lecturer, Department of Civil Engg, College of Engineering, TVM)

Abstract:

Rural roads are the basic infrastructure required for the development of rural areas.  Earlier there was no scientific planning for the development of rural road network.  Improper and inadequate maintenance of rural roads leads to premature failure and later requires high maintenance cost.  The Government of India had launched a major programme of giving all - weather access to rural areas, known as Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in the year 2000. Under this programme the rural roads are properly designed and timely maintenance are provided. The roads have to be managed within the available limited resources, in an optimal manner, by making use of the scientific pavement management tools. Pavement deterioration models, for prediction of pavement condition at a future date, form an important input in a Pavement Maintenance and Management System (PMMS).  Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) has conducted Pavement Performance Study (PPS) in India and developed pavement deterioration models for Indian conditions. But those models cannot be used for prediction of deterioration of rural roads because the construction practice and the traffic conditions of rural roads are entirely different.  In this study an attempt was made to develop pavement deterioration models for rural roads. Nonlinear regression models connecting pavement distresses ( like ravelling progression, pothole progression, roughness progression etc) and their contributing factors were developed and the models were validated.

20^th Kerala Science Congress held at Thiruvananthapuram from 27 - 31 January 2008.  Paper accepted for Oral Presentation & Publication.

EFFECT OF VARYING FINE CONTENT ON

PAVEMENT SKID RESISTANCE

Anju W C

Lecturer

Department of Civil Engineering

SAINTGITS College of Engineering

Kottayam, Kerala

Co- Author

Prof. Satheesh Chandran R (Asst. Professor, Department of Civil Engg, College of Engineering, TVM)

Abstract:

Pavement surface characteristics govern the important aspects of smooth operation of traffic. Changes in pavement texture with temperature, moisture and polishing reduce the available friction and thereby increase the potential for skid related accidents. Every year millions of tonnes of bituminous mix are produced and used for construction of roads and highways in the country. MoRT&H specifications are widely used for the design of Bituminous Concrete in India. Some of the bituminous mixes which meet the design requirements show premature pavement distresses leading to poor riding quality and skid problems. Therefore, it becomes necessary to study the effect due to variation of amount of finer aggregates on the skid resistance of the mix.

Dr P Rajeev Kumar

Associate Professor

Department of Civil Engineering

Saintgits College of Engineering

Kottayam, Kerala

List of Research publications for the year 2007-2008

1. ISTE National Award for Innovative Research Work in Engineering and Technology for the Year 2007

2. International Journal 'Geotechnical & Geological Engineering' October 2007

Title: 'Scaling laws and centrifuge modeling of contaminant transport through soils'

3. International Journal 'Environmental Monitoring & Assessment' June 2007

Title: 'An experimental methodology for monitoring contaminant transport through centrifuge models'

4. Paper presentation - Kerala Swedeshi Science Congress at Calicut November 2007

Title: 'New Trends in Geoenvironmental Engineering Research'

6. Indian Geotechnical Conference 2008 will be held at IISc Bangalore December 2008 - paper accepted.

Title: 'Accelerated physical modeling of contaminant transport through soils'

7. Invited Lecture - National Conference held at TKM Engg College, Kollam, held at February 2008.

Title: 'Modelling of contaminant transport through soils'

8. Kerala Science Congress held at Thiruvananthapuram from 27 - 31 January 2008.  Paper accepted for publication.

Numerical modeling of contaminant transport through clay liners

Abstract: Clay liners are used as barrier system to prevent contaminants entering the groundwater or water supply system. In this paper, an attempt has been done to model the transport of contaminants through clay liners using numerical coding. Different parameters, such as void ratio, porosity, OMC and dry density of soil and diffusion coefficient of the model contaminant are used in this numerical modeling. Validation of the numerical model has been conducted using existing experimental results.