Reuse of Local Materials in Arid Areas. The Case of the Skhour Rhamna – Marrakech Highway

The highway Skhour Rhamna-Marrakech (84km), located in an arid area, with a hot and dry climate, is mostly embanked and required about 4 Mm3 of local materials of loan. The materials issued from excavation or borrow pits are in a very dry state (1 to 2% water content) and their percentage of thins (gravel with diameter < 2 mm) becomes very high after extraction, which does not allow their use in embankments, according to current technical norms and guides. The humidification or the search for “skeletal” materials was technically necessary. The rare ground waters had to be saved for the local population, and the impact on the landscape was to be minimized (limitation of depots and borrow pits). The remote transportation of 1.5 Mm3 of water was economically unjustified. The protection of the environment, as well as the absence of any adaptable reference, led to the construction of 10 Mm of embankments in unseen technical conditions--thins placed in the core, and protected with lateral layers composed of skeletal elements (providing stability and protection against erosion) ; and minimization of water infiltrations in the embankment with a water-tight central reservation. The minimization of the environmental impacts seems to be achieved, and the construction costs and deadlines respected.

• Corporate Authors:

  World Road Association (PIARC)

  La Grande Arche, Paroi Nord, Niveau 5
  F-92055 La Defense Cedex,   France 
• Authors:
  • Serghini, I
• Conference:
  • Choice for Sustainable Development. Pre-Proceedings of the 23rd PIARRC World Road Congress
  • Location: Paris , France
  • Date: 2007-9-17 to 2007-9-21
• Publication Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 13p
• Monograph Title: The Choice for Sustainable Development. Pre-Proceedings of the 23rd PIARC World Road Congress

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arid land; Embankments; Erosion control; Excavation; Highway design; Landscape architecture; Materials
• Uncontrolled Terms: Borrow pits; Semi-arid regions
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Materials; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01080964
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 26 2007 9:54AM