A road project comprising the replacement of an 8km section of the A11 in Norfolk has been completed by UK contractor Morgan Sindall. The refurbishment is expected to have a 40-year lifespan.

Working on behalf of the government-owned National Highways, Morgan Sindall said it removed the old concrete surface, as well as some of its foundations, before undertaking reconstruction work, using 60,000m3 of recycled concrete. The newly-laid concrete surface was then overlaid with 147,000t of asphalt.

In addition to using recycled materials, the project incorporated various eco-friendly measures, such as solar-powered speed cameras and a work compound equipped with kinetic paving stones that generate energy when stepped on, the firm stated.

The contractor noted that one of the challenges it faced during the removal phase was that the existing carriageway was constructed with continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP), which were reinforced with steel bars. There were concerns that planning might not be possible for surface removal, but a multi-head pavement concrete breaker was ultimately employed to break up the surface initially, before specialised planning machines were brought in, the contractor explained.

Morgan Sindall said the newly-constructed carriageway marks a significant milestone in the effort to revitalise the UK’s concrete road infrastructure.