ABSTRACT
Following on from the general principles of Chapter 13, and the consideration of bituminous sealed roads in Chapter 14, this chapter deals in detail with non-bituminous pavement options. Non-bituminous pavement options range across a wide spectrum from earth or gravel options through to unsealed stone roads, brick, or block roads to various concrete options. Each of these non-bituminous options have appropriate physical environments together with an envelope of traffic to which they are best suited. This chapter describes these options in detail and summarises general design approaches. It provides references where further detail may be found for specific project advice. Traditionally, rural road networks in LMICs have been dominated by unsealed earth or gravel roads. However, there has been a significant focus on upgrading of rural networks to paved status, although the majority of LMIC rural roads remain unsealed. The advice in this chapter takes account of recent advances trialling and specifying a wider range of rural road pavements in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, which are now included in many current rural road design manuals.
