Tribune News Network
Doha
Ever wondered why the road near the iconic Souq Waqif was painted blue? The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has come out with the answer: It’s a pilot cool pavement project to ‘beat the heat’.
Ashghal on Monday completed the implementation of a pilot cool pavement project with an asphalt-cooled substance that has adverse effects on solar radiation. The asphalt cryogenic material was piloted on up to 200 metres of vehicle lanes on Abdullah Bin Jassim Street by Souq Waqif, and was also tested on 200 metres of pedestrian and bicycle paths in front of Katara.
The study of the project will be for 18 months, and based on the outcome, it will determine its wider applicability.
Special devices and sensors have been installed to measure the effectiveness of the material in reducing asphalt temperature. This project was carried out in cooperation with the Japanese Oriental Company.
Cooling pavement reflects UV rays and absorbs solar radiation to a lesser extent and can have a positive effect on overall temperature reduction.
Besides, its protective material reduces vehicle tire friction and increases life of roads.
Research findings by experts in the field of environment and sustainability suggest that the use of cool pavement can reduce overall temperature and thus reduce emissions.
Research works also suggest that cool paving material reduces heat-related illnesses, slows smog formation, enhances pedestrian ability to use the road and promotes traffic safety, as light coloured pavements reflect street lights and front car lights better, making vehicles more visible to their drivers.
Furthermore, by lowering air temperatures in residential areas, cool pavement can slow chemical reactions in the atmosphere that cause smog.
Cooled paving material can be made from traditional paving materials, such as concrete. The new coating of the concrete asphalt layer, reflecting about 50 percent of sunlight, consists of four layers of the primary layer, followed by three consecutive layers that reduce heat absorbed by solar radiation.
Doha
Ever wondered why the road near the iconic Souq Waqif was painted blue? The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has come out with the answer: It’s a pilot cool pavement project to ‘beat the heat’.
Ashghal on Monday completed the implementation of a pilot cool pavement project with an asphalt-cooled substance that has adverse effects on solar radiation. The asphalt cryogenic material was piloted on up to 200 metres of vehicle lanes on Abdullah Bin Jassim Street by Souq Waqif, and was also tested on 200 metres of pedestrian and bicycle paths in front of Katara.
The study of the project will be for 18 months, and based on the outcome, it will determine its wider applicability.
Special devices and sensors have been installed to measure the effectiveness of the material in reducing asphalt temperature. This project was carried out in cooperation with the Japanese Oriental Company.
Cooling pavement reflects UV rays and absorbs solar radiation to a lesser extent and can have a positive effect on overall temperature reduction.
Besides, its protective material reduces vehicle tire friction and increases life of roads.
Research findings by experts in the field of environment and sustainability suggest that the use of cool pavement can reduce overall temperature and thus reduce emissions.
Research works also suggest that cool paving material reduces heat-related illnesses, slows smog formation, enhances pedestrian ability to use the road and promotes traffic safety, as light coloured pavements reflect street lights and front car lights better, making vehicles more visible to their drivers.
Furthermore, by lowering air temperatures in residential areas, cool pavement can slow chemical reactions in the atmosphere that cause smog.
Cooled paving material can be made from traditional paving materials, such as concrete. The new coating of the concrete asphalt layer, reflecting about 50 percent of sunlight, consists of four layers of the primary layer, followed by three consecutive layers that reduce heat absorbed by solar radiation.