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Management of the Australian road network is a significant challenge that requires high level research to provide innovative technologies, particularly suited to Australian conditions.
Australia's road network consists of 900,000 km of paved roads worth around 300 billion dollars. About 90% of this network is constructed of compacted unbound materials with thin bituminous seals. These pavements are highly vulnerable to increasing axle loads and changes in climatic conditions.
Much of the network has aged significantly and requires billions of dollars annually for rehabilitation and maintenance. Additionally, the growth of road freight is expected to double between 2000 and 2015, and the industry is demanding ever increasing axle loads to support this growth.
Dr Jayantha Kodikara from the Monash Civil Engineering Department, undertakes research into insitu stabilisation of degraded unbound road pavements, an environmentally friendly technology that recycles old pavement materials and utilises industry by-products such as slag and fly ash as cementitious binders.
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