KUALA LUMPUR – Shoddy workmanship and poor-quality materials are among the reasons why Malaysian roads continue to be riddled with potholes.
Universiti Putra Malaysia engineering department Assoc Prof Fauzan Mohd Jakarni told The Vibes that potholes are formed due to the road surface not being filled in and compacted properly.
Substandard materials used for road resurfacing, too, contribute to the issue, he said.
“Other reasons include the surface of the road not being thick enough to handle the traffic load, and water seeping into the pavement layers.”
To prevent potholes from occurring, he said, the authorities must regularly monitor cracks that form on the road surface.
“If the cracks are small, the authorities should patch them up accordingly.
“If the cracks are major, the surface of the road must be removed in a process called milling, and be repaved in its entirety.
“If the maintenance and repair works are carried out with the right methods, procedures and materials, cracks or potholes will not recur within a short period.”
How to spot shoddy work
Infrastructure engineer Murali Dass shares Fauzan’s view on bad workmanship and the improper use of materials for road resurfacing.
“What we use for the road surface is called premix, and if you don’t use the right ratio of materials, potholes will invariably happen.”
When carrying out repairs, he said, the authorities must ensure that the volume of the premix and materials used for patching exceeds the volume and depth of the pothole.
“Usually, if you see a square patch on the road, it means they patched up the pothole properly. But if the patch is the same shape as the pothole, it is usually a sign of subpar work.”
Civil engineer Ahmad Azwan Al-Bakri, however, said even with the right premix, potholes and cracks will appear on roads over time.
This is due to changes in the weather and temperature, and the continued use of the road by all sorts of vehicles, he said.
“From my experience, premix can last about three years before degrading. But the authorities should resurface the roads when this happens.”
The engineers’ comments come after a spate of accidents involving potholes that saw two motorcyclists killed on Sunday and Monday, and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin injured last week.
According to statements by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and Public Works Department, policies are in place to ensure potholes are patched up within 24 hours of a complaint being filed.
MBPJ and DBKL yesterday told The Vibes that special teams are in place to attend to complaints on potholes. – The Vibes, January 6, 2021
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