Friday, 05 July 2024

Maintenance of gravel roads: Cosmeco has the solution

How to keep dirt roads in perfect condition with the Cosmeco Smasher

Municipal dirt roads are no longer just service roads. Until recently, country roads, mule tracks and paths, commonly known as 'gravel roads', were often used only for work and service purposes. Cosmeco knows this well, being located in one of Italy's most agricultural areas.

From a simple, typically Italian service road, the 'white road' has now evolved into a 'multifunctional infrastructure'. It is often used not only by agricultural or work vehicles, but also by joggers, trekkers, mountain bikers and cyclists. Gravel roads are increasingly used not only for work but also for outdoor activities.

Due to their structural condition and the uses to which they are put, they require increasingly high load-bearing capacity and more frequent and careful maintenance by local authorities. The summer season is the best time to take care of them.

That is why Cosmeco has developed the Smasher rotary tiller, the perfect technical solution for this type of work. But first, let's find out what is generally meant by a 'white road' and why it is important to carry out proper maintenance.

What are gravel roads?

Gravel roads are generally defined as 'unsurfaced country (or mountain) roads'. This means that they have no tarmac, but are covered with gravel or other inert material to prevent mud forming when it rains heavily.

Because of their lack of tarmac and the vehicles that use them - often heavy vehicles or those with treaded wheels, such as tractors - these small roads require constant maintenance. The weight of the vehicles displaces material (gravel, crushed stone) and causes the formation of ruts and potholes, some of which are quite deep. Grass growth along the roadside can also cause damage.

It is not always easy for local authorities to keep gravel roads in good condition. Maintenance is often seen as a cost to be avoided. However, if well organised and maintained, it can take only a few operations to solve the problem.

The importance of maintenance

With the arrival of the summer season, it is the ideal time to take care of the maintenance of gravel roads. This mainly involves levelling the gravel surface (removing potholes and ruts) and cutting the grass at the side of the road. There are different types of maintenance that can be carried out:

• Milling of pavements and road surfaces. This is one of the most common and allows the removal of irregularities such as potholes and ruts, mixing the inert material to restore the correct level of the surface.
• Embankment cleaning. This consists of cleaning the embankment by mowing grass, active or dry vegetation, but also by removing accumulations of debris or inert material displaced by the passage of heavy vehicles. It is essential to prevent weeds from creeping in from the fields, which are often adjacent to the white road, or which could damage the road surface.
• Stabilised soil paving. A slightly more complex technique is to pave the road surface with what is known as 'stabilised earth'. This mixes special catalysts with the usual aggregates to create a more compact and stable surface.
• Confinement and three-dimensional stabilisation systems. These use a plastic 'net' that is fixed to the ground and then filled with inert material. This is then compacted using a vibrating plate.

With the right equipment, it is possible to keep roadbeds in optimal condition. An example? Cosmeco's Smasher: capable of cleaning ditches and even creating rainwater gutters that functionally connect the road to the ditch.

The solution? The Cosmeco Smasher

The Cosmeco Smasher is the innovation in green maintenance.

The Smasher rotary tiller has been specifically designed for the maintenance of roadsides, paths and ditch banks. It does this by mowing and shredding bushes and shrubs, removing plants that could damage the road and levelling the embankment.

It is the perfect solution for the maintenance of gravel roads during the summer period, combining speed of execution, quality of work and durability of the result, thanks to its unique features:

• Versatility of use
• Extendable design
• Robust milling drum
• Efficient and precise work
• Slows down weed growth, reducing maintenance requirements

If you are looking for an efficient, smart and fast solution to get your municipal (but not only) gravel roads in shape for the coming summer season, the Smasher is ideal. And if you need more information, please contact us by filling in the form in the contact section. We will get back to you as soon as possible!