Project Summary

In summer 2009 I had completed my third year research project; ‘Compare technologies of low-cost roads in developing countries.’ I wanted to apply the theoretical knowledge I had learnt to a practical situation whilst also collecting research for my fourth year project; ‘Develop a methodology to choose between labour-based and mechanised road construction.’ With the help of my university tutor I organised a seven week trip to Uganda working with the Ugandan National Roads Authority (UNRA) and Mount Elgon Labour-based Training Centre. On contact with UNRA I discussed my objectives. They were very welcoming and provided me with a packed program experiencing an array of activities. I was able to compare and contrast labour-based and mechanised road building methods; bitumen-surfaced roads against gravel roads; and private versus government funded roads. I learnt about the problems that Uganda faces with regards to road infrastructure and saw first hand how road construction can contribute to gender equality and HIV reduction. The Ugandan people were very friendly. I was found a host family to stay with and regularly socialised with my colleagues. I learnt about the Ugandan culture and fully experienced working in a non-western environment. The project was invaluable and extremely rewarding.

Employment-Intensive Construction

Employment-intensive technology (EIT), also referred to as labour-based, is a term used to describe technologies giving precedence to manual methods with simple tools, while supplementing it with appropriate equipment when needed, taking into account quality and cost. EIT promotes fair, local employment, as well as producing and maintaining infrastructure to a specified standard in a cost-effective manner.

Rural Ugandans building their own road with simple tools

Advantages of employment-intensive construction
Employment-intensive technology has huge socio-economic benefits; it gives the rural poor an opportunity to gain basic skills and earn a income; creation of local enterprises; and gives a means for better HIV education in rural areas. Importantly, satisfactory quality standards can be achieved and better maintenance achieved with the local community involved from the offset. Local resources can be used, it requires a low capital investment and labourers can more easily adapt to adverse weather conditions.

Disadvantages of employment-intensive construction
Construction is slower than mechanised construction and it is not usually suitable for highly trafficked roads. Not necessarily suitable to funding programs or as wide a range of technologies e.g. bitumen sealing.

Some tasks are better suited to men, e.g. excavation. Simple tools are often supplemented with basic tractors, trailers, hand-pushed rollers etc.

The soil from the drains being used to create the camber.

Culvert in construction

Simple, locally made templates to check the gradient of the camber

Socks 'n' sandels

I got my socks, sandals and camera out for safaris, trips to the river Nile and waterfalls etc.

My host family taught me to pray, cook and dress.

Mzuuuungo... wedding engagement party

Dinner time at the Reverend's house

Bridge Inspection: no steel reinforcement.

Sipi Falls with Ronald my neighbour

Learning to cook, Ugandan Style

Mechanised Construction

Mechanised technology is using heavy machinery such as motor-graders and bulldozers, which require trained operators and fuel. This type of technology is generally used in developed countries and is often replicated in the developing countries. It is generally capital intensive.

A water bowser and a grader mixing in lime cement at the optimum water content level before compaction. These machines are typical of mechanical construction and are often second hand from developed countries.

Advantages of mechanised construction:

Mechanised road construction is cost effective for and suit roads subjected to a high traffic volume (generally sealed roads e.g. bitumen). They have quick start up times and serve political interests such as producing immediate results and suit foreign donors funding. The majority of engineers are educated and skilled in these technologies.

Disadvantages of mechanised construction:

In the long term there is often a lack of funding to maintain roads mechanically. They have a high capital cost and the requirement of fuel and spare parts is a drain on foreign expenditure. Broken machinery waiting for spare parts to be imported cause severe delays and machines can sit idle in poor weather conditions as they cannot adapt to different jobs.

A bitumen pump from 1983, used to spray the sealant onto the road.

Due to difficulties in getting the mechanical sprayer to work, it was quicker to use buckets to spread sealant. 

Lime cement mixed into natural soil to provide a more stable sub-surface

Marking pot-holes prior to filling them.

Road Trippin'

ME N SUM FRENDS IN HI-VIS

PROJECT SUMMARY:

In summer 2009 I had completed my third year research project; ‘Compare technologies of low-cost roads in developing countries.’ I wanted to apply the theoretical knowledge I had learnt to a practical situation whilst also collecting research for my fourth year project; ‘Develop a methodology to choose between labour-based and mechanised road construction.’ With the help of my university tutor I organised a seven week trip to Uganda working with the Ugandan National Roads Authority (UNRA) and Mount Elgon Labour-based Training Centre. On contact with UNRA I discussed my objectives. They were very welcoming and provided me with a packed program experiencing an array of activities. I was able to compare and contrast labour-based and mechanised road building methods; bitumen-surfaced roads against gravel roads; and private versus government funded roads. I learnt about the problems that Uganda faces with regards to road infrastructure and saw first hand how road construction can contribute to gender equality and HIV reduction. The Ugandan people were very friendly. I was found a host family to stay with and regularly socialised with my colleagues. I learnt about the Ugandan culture and fully experienced working in a non-western environment. The project was invaluable and extremely rewarding.

Much more info.......................................


Main outputs:
After having completed my third year research paper titled ‘Compare and contrast various technologies of low-cost roads, particularly in developing countries’ and before going on to produce my fourth year project: ‘Develop a methodology to choose between labour-based and mechanised road construction,’ experiencing the roads first-hand was an invaluable experience.
I was able to identify problems that Uganda faces with regards to improvement of road infrastructure, which was almost impossible to fully comprehend from academic study.
With thanks to this trip I will be able to continue with my study with a much more realistic approach, particularly with respect to appreciating the problems of timescales, corruption, health and safety and faulty machinery.

The trip allowed me to collect information on:
* How labour-based road building techniques compare to mechanised.
* The compliance of engineering standards and what prevents this.
* Appreciation of road building timescales and progress.
* The problems associated with budget and politics.
* The technical structure, materials and construction techniques of low-cost roads.
* The influence road construction can have on HIV reduction and education.
* Gender equality within road construction
* The benefits to rural communities due to labour-based schemes rather than mechanised processes.


Difficulties faced:
For the majority of the trip I did not come across any problems. However, occasionally I faced communication difficulties when obtaining information. At first I found I was receiving answers that did not match my questions. I just had to be patient and re-phrase the question. As time progressed I learnt to use different language that was better understood. I also found
obtaining information from reading documents was sometimes easier than asking people directly.

Use and expand engineering knowledge:
I was based in a district with lots of road-construction activity therefore I was able to see and learn about practical aspects road construction. The work I experienced included lime stabilisation, priming, patching, grading, compaction, re-gravelling, laboratory tests and road alignment techniques. I experienced activities from both a labour-based and mechanised point of view. I was able to put skills to use, including surveying skills learnt at the EWB-UK Clare Farm course.
I put into practice soil mechanics knowledge for example in laboratory tests such as maximum dry density tests and on-site testing for optimum moisture content.
My third year project was largely based on modern technologies, such as ionic stabilisers and enzymes. In Uganda I was surprised to see how much emphasis was on gravel roads, as in my study gravel it is described as a ‘wasting’ material, therefore I realised how different an academic study can be from the current real-world situation.


How the communication with your partner organisation and local communities helped to shape your research:
My university tutor arranged a meeting with the director of the roads authority (UNRA) while he was attending a course in Birmingham. I continued to discuss with him via email, indicating my current knowledge and objectives for the trip. From this UNRA did an amazing job of providing me with a weekly timetable allowing me to learn about a variety of technologies.
I lived with a host family in the local community, this allowed me to get a varied point of view of the quality and problems of the road network. It also enabled me to experience roads from a locals point view. This included seeing the dangers that poorly maintained roads possess and damage they cause to vehicles.
Working with a variety of people from head engineers to mechanics and woman labourers allowed me to gain a wide perspective of the work being done.


Main benefits:
The trip provided me an invaluable experience, enabling me to understand the real problems associated with engineering and road construction in developing countries, before I continue with my research project. There are problems, which while I read about, I could not understand the full impact they have on road construction, hence they would not have been properly addressed in my further study without this trip.
When in Uganda I realised that University of Birmingham is closely linked with Ugandan road engineers as it runs a popular Masters course. I believe it is important to share knowledge between countries and I hope to accommodate Ugandan engineers when they come to the UK.
The trip provided me with many valuable contacts and I hope to return in the near future as a qualified engineer to apply my knowledge to a worthwhile project.
I am giving a talk at an ICE and EFOD event in Birmingham and at an EWB-Birmingham event on my experience. I hope this will encourage others to become involved in EWB and engineering development.


Experiences outside work:
I think the best part of travelling is experiencing the culture and during my Ugandan experience I certainly had the opportunity for this. I lived with a Reverend and his family and was able to experience a spiritual way of life, attending church, prayer meetings and gospel singing were regular and exciting activities. The Ugandan people could not have been more friendly, people from work and people I met on buses would take me to local treasures such as beaches, bars, sports matches, weddings, waterfalls and weigh bridges. I also got in contact with an EWB-placement volunteer for the regular tourist activities such as safaris, rafting and golf.
All in all the outside of work experiences were incredible and fitting in time to wash my clothes and myself was a struggle.


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I would like to thank everyone who made my trip such a great experience. These include, but are not limited to, Peter Ssebanakitta, Godfrey Kaaya and family, Stephen Kisubi, John Simon Otemo, bitumen attendants, security guards, plant operators, painters, secretaries, mechanics, engineers, Reverend Masaba and his family, the drivers, laboratory workers, casual labourers including on Tororo road, Kumi road and, the MELTC model road, Cementers, Arch Designs, accountants, social workers, industrial placement trainees, the MELTC trainees, technical staff, MELTC kitchen cooks, the staff at the UNRA headquarters and at the Kampala station, the staff at weighbridges at Kenyan border and UNRA ferries, Peter Bentall, Engineers Without Borders-UK and Jennaro Odoki.