The citizens of eMalahleni or ‘pothole town’ (as I’m sure we’re called by some), are no strangers to a few holes in the road.
We’re use to our bumpy rides and long detours to avoid them.
But what is a pothole?
A pothole is a structural failure in a road’s surface due to water in the underlying soil structure and traffic passing over the affected area. Water first weakens the underlying soil; traffic then fatigues and breaks the poorly supported road surface. Continued traffic ejects both the road surface and the underlying soil material to create a hole.
Where do potholes come from?
1. Insufficient thickness of the road’s surface to support traffic during freeze/thaw periods (perhaps a lesser problem in eMalahleni).
2. Insufficient drainage that leads to a build up of water on/under the road’s surface.
3. Failures at utility trenches and castings – such as burst pipes under the road’s surface.
4. Road surface defects and cracks left unmaintained and unsealed which allows water to penetrate through the road surface and seep into the ground beneath it.
What can be done to prevent potholes?
1. Road surveys – by keeping an eye on the road surface’s condition, local authorities may be able to stop the development of potholes before they happen. Road surveys would reveal areas that are at risk due to seasonal flooding, heavy traffic and heavy utility usage (i.e. lots of water pipes running under the road).
2. Drainage – by increasing drainage on and around our roads, we’d minimise the occurrence of potholes. Potholes are born from two factors; water and traffic.
3. Preventative maintenance – by maintaining the road’s structural integrity by topping up the road surface every now and then is highly recommended.
4. Utility cut management – becoming aware of burst water pipes under roads, for example and turning off the flow of water to this point until the pipe and road have been fixed.
