Concrete Roads
and Their Construction

22 CONCRETE ROADS Cornwall Padstow Station.—This road is on the Fish Quay at Padstow, on the London and South-Western Railway, and was laid towards the end of 1914. Its length is 107 ft. and width 20 ft. Since it was thrown open it has so well stood the test of prac- tical use that there is no sign of wear. In the formation of this road there was first laid 2 in. of cinders, on this 3 in. of con- crete, consisting of five parts of broken granite f in. and small and sharp sand mixed, to one of cement. Across the roadway on the top of the concrete reinforcement was placed. Covering this was concrete of the same character as previously described to a depth of 3 in., the surface being roughly smoothed over. For three weeks the road was closed to traffic, and for the first nine days the concrete was kept well watered. The illustrations, Figs. 14 and 15, show the road in course of construction and when finished. Latest Report, November, 1920.—Mr. A. W. Szlumper, Chief Engineer of theL. &S.-W. Railway, states that the present condi- tion of the roadway is very good, and the cost of maintenance since the road was opened has been nil. Devonshire The Marine Drive, Exmouth, is one mile in length and has a total width of 65 ft., viz., carriage way 39 ft. 6 in., footpaths 5 ft. 6 in. and 20 ft. wide respectively. The carriage-way is concrete 5 in. thick on a sand underbed between concrete kerbs. Felt expansion joints were placed every 24 ft. The reinforcement is placed 2 in. from the surface. The concrete was composed of six parts of beach gravel, fine and coarse proportionately, to one part Portland cement. A trial portion was laid in May, 1915, and after six weeks was tar-sprayed one coat. Traffic was put on three weeks later and restricted to a width of 8 ft. of the carriage way in order seriously to test the concrete. Considerably more than 1,000 tons passed over this narrow portion between May and November, and there was not the slightest sign of wear.