Geotechnical considerations of perennial failures of a highway section over a box culvert in a tropical rain forest in Ghana

Abstract

The causes of frequent failures of the Kumasi – Accra highway section at Wiwiso have been investigated to offer remedial measures on future reconstruction works. The study of the highway section at Wiwiso has revea-led that pavements can undergo considerable distress when seepage control considerations are partially or whol-lly neglected in the design and construction. Investigation of a box culvert constructed across the highway has established that the foundation had experienced negligible differential settlements and cracks had not developed in the sub-structures, but drainage control of the shoulders, up-slope sides, culvert/sub-base interface had been partially neglected thus prompting perennial failures of the pavement. It was observed that an inevitable feature of failures of pavements placed over concrete culverts was the development of undulations, cracks and pot-holes of large dimensions which had generated much public concerns. It is concluded that the major factors observed to influence the rate of pavement failures are age, sub-grade and sub-base material quality, inadequacy of seepa-ge conduits, partially surfaced shoulders, disturbed crowns through non-engineered maintenance works and non-appreciation of suitable precautionary measures to mitigate failures.


(Journal of Applied Science and Technology: 2001 6(1-2): 31-39)