ABUJA – The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, on Sunday said it had undertaken a study on the frequent deterioration of roads in the country.
Prof Danladi Matawal, Director-General of the institute said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the research was funded by the Samuel Olatunde Fadahunsi Foundation.
He said N6.8 million was received from the foundation for the project, which also entailed designing and fabricating an interlocking block making machine and developing ceiling boards using pulp and sawdust.
According to him, the researches have been highly successful, and a number of publications on the subjects have been made.
Matawal said the findings were presented during the 2013 national conference on road failure organised by the institute and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.
“We have also promoted a publication which was sold and distributed to the public and the media.
“This was done so that those who are involved in road construction should see very glaringly some of the reasons for road failure.”
On the interlock block making machine, the DG said it was also successful, and was able to address problems of “overheating and leakages of hydraulic from the valves of the machines”.
Matawal said the institute had developed cooling systems for the machines.
“With the same amount we are making the smaller version of the semi automated interlocking block making machine.
“These projects have been completed. As I am talking to you now our machines are been used successfully to produce quality blocks.
“In addition to these, we have also gone further to bring in some equipment, so that instead of depending on the roadside fabricators, we now have quite a number of components for assembling.’’
The director-general said that the institute was wooing investors to set up industries to fabricate the machine so as to create jobs, generate wealth and alleviate poverty in the country.
He also spoke on the conversion of saw dust to ceiling boards, saying the project was still on. (NAN)