ISSN 0974-5904, Volume 11, No.

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www.cafetinnova.org February 2018, Editorial Note

Why Numerous Roads Constructed in India Fail Prematurely?

P RITHVI SINGH KANDHAL
Associate Director Emeritus, National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT), Auburn University,
Alabama, U.S.A.
Email: pkandhal@gmail.com
Yes, it is true that many roads constructed in India fail prematurely and usually develop potholes especially
during monsoons. Recently, the author happened to meet a young, conscientious and inquisitive highway
engineer on a road project. The following Q and A ensued, which should answer this question.
Question: Why bituminous roads in India develop potholes prematurely especially during monsoons?
This gives the impression that concrete roads are better.
Answer: Whereas quality of materials and construction are important, there is a fundamental highway
engineering requirement that the bituminous mix used in road construction should be dense so that water cannot
penetrate it. Even the “aam aadmi” knows (many of our highway engineers ignore it) that water is Enemy
Number 1 of bitumen and can destroy the road regardless whether it is a rural road or a national highway. This
means we should not use the so-called “semi dense” or “open” graded bituminous mixes in any road
construction, which give an open invitation to water. However, such mixes are permitted and used across India
on a wide scale.
Question: Why do we permit such bituminous mixes which are obviously prone to water intrusion?
Answer: Road specifications issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) contain 10
types of bituminous mixes which can be categorized as dense, semi dense, and open graded. This book of
specifications is popularly called “orange book” because it has orange colour cover. Unfortunately, this orange
book is considered by many Indian highway engineers as “Gita” of specifications. That means any bituminous
mix listed in this book (good or bad) is sacred and you can use it with confidence. There is no way you can
remove any mix because they all are “good”.
Question: Can you list which mixes are dense, semi dense and open graded?
Answer: Yes, I can.
Dense graded bituminous mixes
DBM Grading 2
BC Grading 1
BC Grading 2
[Note: DBM Grading 1 is not listed because due to large nominal aggregate size of 37.5 mm it is permeable to
water and fails prematurely.]
Semi dense graded bituminous mixes
SDBC Grading 1
SDBC Grading 2
Mixed Seal Surfacing (MSS)
Open graded bituminous mixes
BM Grading 1
BM Grading 2
Premix carpet (PMC) with seal coat
Question: This means of the 10 bituminous mixes listed in the MORTH orange book, seven are not
desirable. These seven mixes are either semi dense or open graded and therefore would easily “invite”
water during monsoons and fail prematurely. Is that correct?
Answer: Yes, that is correct.
Question: Are there any published technical papers in India to support the contention that these seven
semi dense or open mixes are not desirable and therefore should not be used?
Answer: Yes. Three technical papers (authored by Professors Kandhal and Veeraragavan) have been published
by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) since 2008 and also presented as formal papers in IRC annual sessions. The
third one was presented recently in November 2017 at IRC’s Bangalore Session. Recent research work at IIT
Guwahati has shown similar results.

International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering, 11(01), 2018, Editorial Note
Copyright ©2018 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY. All rights reserved.
 Why Numerous Roads Constructed in India Fail Prematurely?

Question: Why engineers in MORTH and the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) do not pay any attention to
published technical papers and delete these undesirable bituminous mixes from their specifications?
Answer: That is a good question! MORTH and IRC engineers generally believe in status quo. Many open
bituminous mixes such as BM and PMC were developed long time ago when we did not hot mix plants which
are capable of producing dense bituminous mixes. Now, we have numerous hot mix plants all over India. But
our “status quo” engineers just want to hang on to outdated technologies just like the telephone models.

Question: Why not these “status quo” engineers prepare a technical paper to justify the use of the seven
semi dense and open bituminous mixes in the specifications?
Answer: I do not think they can. The fundamentals of highway engineering are not on their side.
Question: Then how do they respond when asked?
Answer: They just give vague answers such as follows:
 These mixes are good for India; they have served us well.
 I have tried these mixes, they really work.
 India cannot afford dense mixes. [Although the relatively cheap bituminous mixes may last for 1-2 years,
which is bad economics]
Unfortunately, these engineers are very good at convincing their bosses: both bureaucrats and politicians to
maintain the status quo.
Question: Why our IITs and NITs do not conduct research on these 10 bituminous mixes? That appears
to be the need of the hour.
Answer: That is a good question. I believe many of them are more interested in trying exotic or strange
materials in bituminous mixes. Even the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) should take suo motu
cognizance of this subject after reading our three IRC technical papers and give their frank, technical opinion to
MORTH and IRC in nation’s interest. Unfortunately, they have not. Nobody wants to create any waves.
Question: What about Indian highway engineers at large both in public and private sector? Do they
support this cause?
Answer: I believe a “silent majority” does. But most of them (including the academia) appear to be afraid to
come out in the open and support this technically justified cause which is truly in India’s interest. I do not
understand why they are so afraid in writing to MORTH and IRC.
Question: Are semi dense or open graded mixes used in developed countries?
Answer: No. Those countries concur with Indian “aam aadmi” opinion that water is Enemy Number 1 of
bitumen and eventually destroys it.
Question: “Aam aadmi” in India believes our highway engineers intentionally construct “bad” roads so
they can get “fat” road budget year after year. Your comment?
Answer: I have no comment.
Question: Based on your experience as a practicing highway engineer (over 30 years in the US and over
20 years in India), which bituminous mixes you recommend for India?
Answer: I recommend the following three dense graded bituminous mixes only for all types of roads; these
mixes are already in the orange book (no options or exceptions should be permitted):
Base Course DBM Grading 2 (nominal aggregate size 25 mm)
Binder Course BC Grading 1 (nominal aggregate size 19 mm)
Wearing Course BC Grading 2 (nominal aggregate size 12.5 mm)
One finer BC wearing course mix with nominal aggregate size of 9.5 mm should also be specified for city
streets and rural roads carrying light to medium traffic. This mix is used even on interstate highways in the US.

International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering

ISSN 0974-5904, Vol. 11, No. 01, February, 2018, Editorial Note
 P RITHVI S INGH K ANDHAL

Open graded premix carpet (PMC) is used extensively on our rural roads such as Pradhan Mantri Grameen
Sadak Yojna (PMGSY). It should be replaced with mechanized surface dressing with precoated aggregate,
which effectively waterproofs the road, thus minimizing potholes. Surface dressing costs only 40 percent of
what PMC does and would last much longer. This step would revolutionize the PMGSY program by saving
thousands of crores of rupees every year and increasing the life of rural roads. It should be noted that NO
country in the world would like to use “water-trapping” open graded PMC; they prefer surface dressing on low
to medium traffic roads.
Question: Bad roads are a genuine national problem. So many people are dying from potholes everyday
what to talk about the inconvenience and crores of rupees being wasted by using undesirable bituminous
mixes. Have you written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this?
Answer: Yes, I have. I do not think PM Narendra Modi’s “own eyes” have seen my letter. The PM Office
informed me that my letter has been sent to MORTH for “information and necessary action”. Obviously, it went
to the “status quo” engineers in MORTH and IRC for “necessary action”. You can guess the fate of that letter, it
was rejected!
Question: Do you have any hope under such circumstances?
Answer: Yes. I am an optimist. I am hoping young, progressive engineers like you who truly believe in the
fundamentals of highway engineering would arise one day and will bring about the radical change we have
discussed. We have this malignant cancer in our road system, which requires “radical surgery” rather than a
band aid.
“American roads are good not because America is rich, but America is rich because American roads are
good.” - John F. Kennedy
About the Author

Prof. Prithvi Singh Kandhal is Associate Director Emeritus of the National

Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) based at Auburn University, Alabama,
U.S.A. NCAT is the largest asphalt (bitumen) road technology center in the world.
Prior to joining NCAT in 1988, Prof. Kandhal served as Chief Asphalt Road
Engineer of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for 17 years. He is the
first person born outside North America, who has held the following three national
and international very prestigious positions in the asphalt road technology area:
 President, Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists (with members from
all continents in the world)
 Chairman, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International Committee on Road Paving
Standards (responsible for over 200 standards used worldwide)
 Chairman, US Transportation Research Board Committee on Asphalt Roads
Prof. Kandhal has published over 120 technical papers and has co-authored the first ever textbook on asphalt
road technology, which is used by more than 25 universities in the U.S. He has travelled to various countries in
Europe, South America, Middle East, China, Vietnam, Japan, Singapore, and Australia to provide training and
consulting services in asphalt (bitumen) technology.
Prof. Kandhal has been a practicing highway engineer in India for over 20 years and in the US for 30 years.
Recently he has drafted many standards for the Indian Roads Congress including specifications for dense graded
bituminous mixes, stone matrix asphalt and readymade pothole patching mix. He was also instrumental single-
handedly in introducing viscosity grading of bitumen in India in lieu of penetration grading in 2005. He has now
published in July 2016 the first ever textbook cum reference book, “Bituminous Road Construction in India”.
In August 2011, Prof. Kandhal was inducted on the “Wall of Honour” established at the largest asphalt road
research center in the United States. In April 2012, he received the “Lifetime Achievement Award in Asphalt
Road Technology” from the International Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists during their annual
banquet held in Austin, Texas, USA

International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering

ISSN 0974-5904, Vol. 11, No. 01, February, 2018, Editorial Note