VIEW: 18-32: Costly Construction Failures

Message-nap off today, this was the first one blocked will send
one per day until caught up. Bob


----- Original Message -----
From: "McDowell, Robert W., Jr., No.2" <abdmcfpi@localnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2018 5:28 PM
Subject: VIEW: 18-32: Costly Construction Failures


VIEW FROM HERE
By Bob McDowell (Born Neil Carson) Number 18-32
COSTLY CONSTRUCTION FAILURES Week of 2018/08/06
It was somewhat bemusing, and concerning to read a headline in the July
25 daily paper that carried the headline: "Segments of Cimarron buckle from
extreme heat". The story was datelined 'Oklahoma City' and credited to
Barbara Hoberock of the Tulsa World, so she must be the Capitol reporteret.
The story begins by saying "Extremely hot temperatures have caused portions
of the Cimarron Turnpike to buckle, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority was
told Tuesday".
For those not familiar with Oklahoma highways, there are a number of
turnpikes that have been built since the first, 'Turner Turnpike' was opened in
the 1950s, to my recollection. The total 'lane miles' is in the several thousand,
a 'lane mile' is one lane of pavement for one mile thus a four lane 100 mile
highway contains 400 'lane miles' of road and in my mind paved shoulders
would be added.
This caught my engineering attention since there are older highways that do
not seem to have that trouble and have lived through much higher temperatures,
in the 'dust bowl' era of the 1930s. In fact, it is in my memory of driving on a
section of old US 66 Southwest of Stroud that my eyes had witnessed being
built in the 1930s with concrete. One difference was that the concrete was
being mixed 'on site' by a self propelled mixer. It was astounding to feel the
road that old to be much smoother than the Turner Turnpike we departed at
Stroud!! If memory serves correct, U.S. 66 was the first highway in the
nation to be fully paved across any state and that was Oklahoma.
In any event the story struck me as furnishing evidence that something
is missing in the construction of highways in the recent 50 years or so.
Admittedly trucks are much heavier, but the roads should be constructed so
as to carry the loads. Most of the non-toll roads in Oklahoma currently are
in poor condition, that is something less than 'velvet rides'. In the recent
Gubernatorial Primary one candidate stressed heavily that he would 'remove
the tolls' to allow and encourage more business along the roads. There was
not a time that I was able to pose the question "without the tolls how could
they be maintained, since the non-toll roads are not kept up to interstate
condition now?" Neither did anyone else to my knowledge.
Another question arises that should be asked to the highway officials
and engineers is: "If you cannot afford to build roads well enough to with-
stand the use, how can you afford to rebuild, repair, or replace them?" It
should be noted that major airport runways handling multi-hundred
thousand pound aircraft landing at over 150 miles per hour seem to last far
much longer, but the paving is as thick as 36" in some, particularly military
and international flight airports. Also the sub-base for the paving must be
well laid and packed in order to prevent cracking and buckling under
stress of weight and weather.
It has been noted that in recent decades the Turnpike Authority has
begun using asphalt as an overlay or replacement paving, which in my
engineering opinion is more like using a 'band-aid'. Given the normal
summer heat in Oklahoma that is not the best material for the job. It
seems that well over 50 years ago a certain powerful politician was
able to achieve rules requiring the use of asphalt for road paving. It is
known to 'rut and ripple' under loads no heavier than a loaded pick-
up when stopping or just repeated traffic in the Summer heat.
In short, if roads are built right, with adequate solid base and
drainage and then maintained properly they should stay in useable
condign for many more years than now experienced. Another
weather related detiorating practice is the use of SALT in winter
months, as it will react adversely with the concrete and then will rust
the reinforcing rods to destruction. There are other materials that will
be more effective melters and will not rust the vehicles using the roads
and streets. Also I have not heard of the environment organizations
ever raising a fuss over the use of salt for roads like they do for other
uses. Maybe those individuals feel it is more important to them to
have the roads salted for their convenience than protect the waterways.
In any event all the extra repair/replacement comes at major
extra expense and thus tax increases and it is my opnion that we are
already overtaxed, particularly those of us in the lower income levels!!
END
Composed July 27, 2018
Robert W. McDowell, Jr. © 2018 841 Lynwood Lane
918-451-1051 Broken Arrow OK 74011-8608
Email: abdmcfpi@localnet.com