Resources Of Our Country Will Remain In The Country Through More Widespread Use Of Concrete Pavements

In developing and growing Turkey, the need for pavements that have long life, that require lesser maintenance-repair, and that, at the same time, provide a comfortable service is growing day by day. Concrete pavements are being used particularly on the roads that are subject to heavy vehicle traffic and urban road networks, in a widespread manner in the world, thanks to their superiorities like the fact that they are more economical and have longer life than their alternatives, that have low requirement of maintenance–repair, and that they have higher-level endurance.  

Dr. Tamer Saka, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Turkish Cement Manufacturers' Association  (TÇMB), invited attention to the fact that numerous benefits in technical and economic grounds will be obtained through the more widespread use of concrete pavements. Dr. Tamer Saka said, “The fact that Turkey is first in Europe and fourth in the world in cement production provides a significant potential in terms of achieving our targets as regards the sector successfully. The binder of concrete pavements, which is to say their main material, is cement whose production is based entirely on domestic and national resources. Therefore, through the more widespread use of concrete pavements, domestic and national economy will be supported and the financial resources of our country will remain in it.”   

Potential Economic Gains  
Stating that the commencement of domestic and national concrete pavements with long life cycle and low costs to be used as an alternative must be taken into account as a national issue, Dr. Tamer Saka summarized the potential economic and technical gains to be obtained through the widespread use of concrete pavements as follows:   

“With the 50% of the motorways and state roads, 10% of the provincial roads, and 40% of the road network of local administrations in Turkey to become concrete pavements;
• Being 622 million dollar/year (4,4 billion TL/year) in the initial construction cost, and  
• 97 million dollar/year (700 million TL/year) in the maintenance-repair cost,  
• Ppproximately 7,2 billion dollar (51,4 billion TL) savings can be provided in ten years.”  
• Concrete pavements stand out with their low maintenance-repair requirement and long service lives. Concrete pavements of 128 years are present in the US and 66 year-old ones in our country.  
• With the more widespread use of concrete pavements, a road network that serves for 20-25 years in the network of local administrations and 40-50 years in that of KGM (Highways General Directorate) will be acquired and public resources will have been used in a more efficient manner.  
• Concrete pavements are not flammable due to their inorganic structure and therefore, they maximize fire safety particularly in tunnels.  
• They provide material savings by reducing fuel consumption by averagely 0,45 liters in every 100 kilometers thanks to their rigid (non-flexible) structure.  
• They help protection of the environment by reducing approximately 1,1 kg CO₂ emission per vehicle in every 100 km.   
• Concrete pavements require very little maintenance-repair throughout their long service lives. Owing to it, they have lower life cycle costs than their alternatives. In addition, concrete pavements can be %100 recyclable over the end of their service life and this way, they can be used as a sub-foundation in new road constructions or as aggregate in new ready mixed concrete productions.

Concrete Barriers Reduce Accidents With Fatality By 20%  
Mentioning also the concrete barriers produced from ready mixed concrete, Dr. Tamer Saka said, “Concrete barriers minimize the impact of crashing during an accident, keep the vehicle that has the accident on its lane, and prevent head-on bumping. Thanks to it, they reduce accidents with fatality by 20%.” Saka specified that concrete barriers provide our country economy with important contributions thanks to the fact that they have a long life and low maintenance-repair requirement and that they are domestic and national, along with their capability of maximizing traffic safety. Saka said, “By making the use of concrete barriers mandatory at the middle refuges in divided roads, in 10 years, we can save the lives of 15,000 citizens of us, prevent the disability of 50,000 others, and stop our 80 billion-lira material loss.”