The Ministry of Transport and Roads of Kyrgyzstan told where the cracks on a new alternative North-South road came from.
According to the ministry, during an inspection of Kyzyl-Zhyldyz — Aral project site (183–195 kilometers) on construction of the alternative North-South highway, consulting engineer detected longitudinal cracks up to two centimeters wide on the asphalt concrete surface after the autumn-winter period of 2016-2017 in 11 locations.
According to the results of research and testing of the lower layers of road structures and materials, it turned out that the cause of the cracks was a large difference in daily temperature during the winter period.
«This negatively affected the asphalt concrete pavement. We note that bitumen does not withstand large temperature changes under such climatic conditions. In addition, in these places, groundwater is close to the surface of the earth,» the Ministry of Transport stressed.
Under the terms of the contract, the entire scope of work, where road pavement cracks have been detected, has been removed from the payment certificate for a total amount of about 12 million soms by an engineer-consultant.
In addition, this project site is within the responsibility of the contractor. Therefore, any defects detected will be eliminated by and at the expense of the contractor in 2019 construction season.
«Further, these cracks were filled with bitumen mastic in the construction season of 2018. The emergence of new and the state of existing cracks in these areas are under the constant supervision of an engineering consultant and a contractor. Today, the ministry is creating an interdepartmental commission. According to the results of the study of the state of the asphalt concrete pavement, the relevant decisions will be made,» the message says.
Considering that the problem may not be the only one, a comprehensive inspection of other sections of the alternative North-South road along its entire length will be carried out.
Ministry of Transport
