As of: January 27, 2024, 6:43 a.m
By: Lennart Schwenck
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Mysterious holes in German roads – quality tests or a nuisance for drivers?
The discussion about usefulness and costs sparks heated debates.
Munich – Germany is probably the only country where damage to the road can be declared as a quality feature.
You read that correctly, if a road in Germany has certain holes in the asphalt, it is not only associated with immense costs and a real nuisance for many drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, but there is sometimes more to it than initially appears.
An attentive passerby recently shared a snapshot on the Reddit internet forum.
You can see two strange holes in the asphalt of the road.
He asks the question: “What are these holes in the road surface for?” The answer didn’t take long to arrive.
A gas station sign was also recently discussed on Reddit.
Forum puzzles: What are these holes in the road surface for?
One user seems to be an expert and comments: “These are measuring holes.
The commissioning authority tests whether the road construction work was carried out properly.
There must be compacted base layers and a certain pavement thickness.”
Marvin Olschewski, managing director of the geological engineering office Terra V, confirmed when asked by
IPPEN.MEDIA
: “These holes are created by sinking cores from core drilling.
Core drilling is usually carried out to check road construction.” The expert further explains: “For example, if a public contract is carried out by a road construction company, there are certain technical contractual conditions.
It is then checked whether the execution is correct.
The thickness of the asphalt layer is then measured in detail and it is checked whether the hydraulically bonded base layer (HGT) has been built up.”
The substructure of the roads is also examined closely, explains Olschewski: “It is important that it was installed frost-free or frost-proof.
After the core drilling has been carried out for quality testing, the removed cores are reinserted into the holes and glued.
If the drill holes have not been cleaned beforehand, the cold asphalt cannot set properly, meaning that the cores will sink later.
Water then collects in the holes which, if it freezes, can cause further damage to the road.”
The holes could also have been created by core drilling to examine the general condition of the road.
Sediments are moving due to frost and precipitation, which can affect road conditions.
If the condition does not meet the requirements, the road will be included in the basic renovation program.
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There is also the third possibility that the road should be dismantled, i.e. demolished.
It is then checked whether the asphalt is contaminated with pollutants.
The exact regulation comes from the worksheet of the State Working Group on Waste (LAGA) and serves to ensure sustainable quality assurance on nationwide roads.
Road damage causes high costs and dangers in road traffic every year
Despite their usefulness, the informed internet user does not see the holes positively: “It really annoys me because the things are never closed properly and as a cyclist you get a nasty hit when you ride through them.”
He's not the only one on Reddit with his displeasure.
Motorcyclists also complain about the inconvenience these holes cause.
One user complains: “They also annoy me on the motorcycle when you pick a nice line, look further ahead and then drive through both if necessary.
That irritates me sometimes.” Potholes in the streets also cause trouble in Munich.
The exchange of ideas in the community also revolves around the costs and effectiveness of this method.
A user wonders whether it wouldn't be more cost-effective to have an expert present during construction work to monitor proper execution.
Marvin Olschewski says no: “A drill core examination costs around one hundred euros per core.
Considering the salary, including travel allowance, for a specialist who monitors the construction on a daily basis, it would not be worth it.
Random sampling of the road is therefore significantly more cost-effective.” In addition, the quality can only be checked after construction has been completed.
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