2013 - Africa - Low Volume Rural Road Surfacing and Pavements

This guide is for those involved with the planning, design, construction or maintenance of low-volume rural roads in developing and emerging regions, primarily in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of Africa, Asia and, possibly, South America.

The guide provides information on a range of tried and tested road surfacing and paving techniques that are relatively low cost and offer sustainable solutions for road works. The techniques focus on the optimal use of local resources, in often challenging physical and operational environments.

Recent pavement research highlights the importance of locally-oriented solutions, based on available local resources and the local road environment, in developing local 'good practice' to support the development of affordable and sustainable rural road infrastructure.

The document deliberately avoids extensive technical detail, but provides reference to technical methodologies available for adaptation to local conditions and resources. An online strategy was adopted to increase flexibility and enable easier access to review and update information.