Modern Roads

MODERN ROADS - 1919 -- PREFACE. soar excellent books have been written during the last few years, emanating from the United States, dealing from an American point of view with road construction and maintenance, but, owing to the Great War and other causes, very few have been written by authors in this country. I have endeavoured, in this book to deal with the subject of roads in as comprehensive a manner as is possible, bearing in mind the constant improvements in methods of modern road construction that are now taking place. Criticisms will undoubtedly be forthcoming as to some of the statements, but it is only by trial and error that real progress is effected, and if this book becomes a medium by which such criticisms can be ventilated it will not have been written in vain. It will be observed that no references are made to costs . They have been purposely omitted in view of the constantly changing prices of materials. Any such reference could only have been misleading. It will be observed also that there are very few illustratiols or drawings. A book on roads does not lend itself to ijlustrations, and although some books on this subject are interlarded with photographs of roads in various stages of disrepair or of excellence, they are of little practical value, and I have therefore refrained from being tempted to adorn this book with these artistic embellishments. October, 1919. H. PERCY BOUI, NOIS, iii LIST OF PLATES. PLATE IACING YAGK I. TEDDINGTON ROAD TESTING MACHINE . . 62 111. TEDDINGTON ROAD TESTING MACHINE. APPARATUS ING WAVES . . . FOR MEASUR- IV. TEDDINGTON ROAD TESTING MACHINE. APPARATUS FOR MEASUR- VI. CROMPTON THREE-AXLE ROLLER . VII. GRIT SPRINKLING HAND MACHINE . VIII.TYPE OF PRESSURE TAR SPRAYING MACHINE . VAN. IMPROVED GRAVITY TAR SPREADING MACHINE . . . IX. TYPE OF GRAVITY TAR SPREADING XI. PLANT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF BITUMINOUS ROADS . XII. TAR MACADAM MIXING MACHINE . TYPE OF XIII. LIVERPOOL SYSTEM OF HAND CONCRETE MIXING . . . TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. The dust nuisance in 1907-Attempts to restrict motor traffic-Formation of the Road Board-Its powers and activities-Importance of the road question-Highway engineering a new profession . . . page I CHAPTER 11. TRAFFIC. Weight and amount of traffic-Statistics-Necessity for roads to meet increas- ing traffic-Diameters and tyres of wheels-Heavy Motor Car Order, 1904- Damage by locomotives--Motor omnibuses-Mr. Mallocks views on effect of traffic-Prevention of shock -Widths of roads-Gradient- Camber-The Local Government Board Departmental Committee, 1915-18, on Road Locomotives and Heavy Motor Cars-Obstruction caused to traffic by varying speed of vehicles . . . .page IS CHAPTER 111. WATER-BOUND MACADAMISED ROADS. Necessity for continuance of this class of road-Bad roads and reasons for failures-Suitable rocks for road metal-Desirable qualities-Tests-Road- testing machines--Road Board directions for strengthening and re-surfac- ing-Road rolling-Types of rollers-Methods of rolling-Foundations- Repairs-Re-surfacing-Nomenclature of road stones . . . page 51 CHAPTER IV. TAR TREATMENT OF ROAD SURFACES. Rlotors and the dust nuisance-Dust palliatives-Early attempts with tar paint- ing-Recommendations of the Roads Improvement Association-A county surveyors instructions on tar painting-The Road Boards directions-Fish poisoning-Sprinkling with grit or chippings-Methods of tar treatnent- Gravityv...