The Ministry of Rural Development is piloting a new method of road construction in Kampong Chhnang province. The project employs a technique known as “road stabilisation”, in which a stabilising agent, or “stabiliser” is added to the soil base of a road. 

Originally employed by the Romans, who added volcanic ash and lime to weak soil, it increases strength, enhancing load bearing-capacity and reducing the degradation of the roadway.

The test bed for the project – which will mix a stabiliser with gravel – is a 1.7 kilometre stretch of road near Taing Krasaing commune’s Tbeng Khpos village, in Teuk Phos district.

This technology, which is widely used overseas to make street surfaces more resilient, aligns with the seventh-mandate government’s stated goals of expanding the Kingdom’s roading infrastructure by 30 per cent and improving its quality by 70 per cent.

“We are trialling the use of stabilisers to improve the quality and durability of rural roads, instead of using local materials which are often scarcer, and more expensive,” explained Minister of Rural Development Chhay Rithisen, as he addressed the project’s July 2 ground breaking ceremony, which was also attended by provincial governor Sun Sovannarith.

He noted that Cambodia has 16,674 rural roads, with a total length of around 50,000 kilometres.

The minister said that in order to improve their quality, the rural development ministry is examining new techniques and materials that may improve the cost-effectiveness of maintenance and repairs, allowing for more roads to be constructed with the same funding.

Rithisen added that stabiliser technology is widely used in many other countries.

“Our country is starting to test it. Let's see how strong it can be. There are many types of stabilisers, but the one we are trialling is a liquid that can added to red earth and gravel. Once poured, the road should be as strong as a sealed road, although not quite as strong as one made from concrete,” he said.

“It will reduce erosion a lot, making it more resistant to weight and meaning the foundation of any road can be strengthened. No matter how well the pavement is constructed, if the foundation below it is poor, a road will be easily damaged,” he explained.

He advised anyone involved in road construction to pay close attention to ensuring they implement the correct technical standards, in order to guarantee that new roads are high-quality and suitable for long-term use.

Rural development ministry spokesman Pit Karuna could not confirm the cost or duration of the pilot project, but noted that under the new mandate government, the ministry is paying particular attention to improving the quality of rural roads.

“The use of a stabiliser is a test of how new technologies can make our rural roads stronger and more durable," he said.