THE elevated road method is among several advanced technological approaches implemented by the Public Works Department (PWD) in the construction of roads and bridges in coastal areas with peat soil.
Infrastructure and Port Development Deputy Minister, Datuk Aidel Lariwoo, said this method involves building elevated road structures on peat soil using supporting piles.
“This approach avoids direct contact with the peat soil, reducing the risk of settlement and road damage in the long term.
“Another method is weak soil replacement, which involves excavating soft soil such as peat and replacing it with stronger and more stable fill materials such as sand, gravel, granular fill, or compacted clay.
“The displacement method involves pushing out soft soil horizontally to the sides by adding heavy fill material (such as sand or stones) from above, without the need to excavate or replace the soil,” he said.
He said this during the question-and-answer session at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today, responding to Awla Dris (GPS-Simunjan) regarding the latest technology in constructing roads and bridges in coastal areas with peat soil.
Aidel further mentioned that some of the prime examples of the elevated road method include two projects: the road from Batang Samarahan Bridge to Batang Sadong Bridge, and Teku Road to Pasai Siong, Sibu.
“For the Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Composite (UHPFRC), the related projects are the road from Batang Sadong Bridge to Batang Lupar 1 Bridge, Jalan Sebangan Samarahan, Jalan Klid Medong Leberassau, Dalat Mukah, and the proposed road to Kampung Sungai Ijok, Samarahan,” he added.
Among the advantages of the elevated road method compared to conventional methods, Aidel said, is that it overcomes land constraints and geographical obstacles, minimises land acquisition, and reduces environmental impact.
On another note, Aidel stated that the preloading and prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) methods are among the pre-construction soil compaction and soil strengthening techniques.
“These methods involve the installation of PVDs into the soil, followed by soil surcharge on the surface.
“The combination of these methods accelerates the soil compression process, thereby reducing the risk of settlement after road or bridge construction begins,” he added.
In the long term, Aidel said that the use of new technology in the construction of roads and bridges in coastal areas with peat soil has great potential to reduce long-term maintenance needs.
“For example, the elevated road method using piles is an effective approach to reduce the risk of uneven settlement and the need for high maintenance.
“Furthermore, methods such as PVD and deep soil mixing can improve soil stability, and also reduce the rate of settlement, which is often the cause of road structure damage,” he added.
