Perbena Emas builds back better roads with eco-friendly CIPR technology

It bagged the Construction Technology - Materials & Construction award at Malaysia Techonology Awards 2021.

Sustainability is an often elusive concept in the world of road construction and management, two activities that have resulted in environmental degradation and pollution over the years. One company in Kuching is aiming to turn things around with innovative technology using local materials, starting with a gravel and earth road in Ulu Suai, Miri.

Perbena Emas is upgrading 19km of the road using Cold In-situ (or in Place) Pavement Recycling (CIPR) and Cold In-situ (or in Place) Ground Recycling (CIGR) technologies with recycled and locally sourced materials. They are the first company in Sarawak to use CIGR with locally-sourced as well as materials excavated from local ground, an advanced and environmentally friendly technique that also reduces construction costs.

Techniques similar to CIPR and CIGR have been in existence for many years, the technology has gained increased attention in many parts of the world. CIGR works by breaking up the locally sourced materials, blending and recompacting them to make a new pavement, and adding a binder to improve strength and material properties.

Traditionally, deteriorating roads are repaired only when the pavement shows visible defects. At this point, the costs of reconstruction and management will have bloated significantly. CIPR can already be implemented as soon as signs of the following are observed: alligator cracks, rutting or the emergence of a wheel path due to asphalt accumulation, and patched or dry graveled roads.

CIPR presents a sustainable solution as it focuses on energy saving, takes less time and manpower to apply, and can be used to rectify a wide variety of pavement problems. The entire process takes up 30% less time, saves 40% in costs of structural pavement, and results in a significant reduction of carbon emissions. It is best used in pavements where there is a huge volume of traffic, especially trucks, without significantly disrupting the usual flow of vehicles.

“Being an environmentally conscious company has always been important for Perbena Emas Sdn Bhd. For this project, Perbena Emas uses Chip Seal. With many distressed road pavements around rural Sarawak, CIPR and CIGR technology assists in making stronger and safer roads for its people. By using recycled materials, we are able to minimize imports, and it requires fewer trucks on the road network, which reduces fuel and therefore minimizes pollution, ” said Samir Derviskadic.

The road in Ulu Suai is an ongoing 18-month projects supported by the Chief Minister of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who witnessed the CIPR technology in August 2020, In his speech, he praised the new technology, saying that it will improve road structure and help create stronger roads compared to others. Roads constructed with CIPR and CIGR technology can last longer, compared to traditional overlays.