Impact of Mechanized Cold Mix Construction Method for Hilly Region Roads

India's mountainous and hilly regions have limited road connectivity, which severely impedes economic growth. For Himalayan border nations to meet their strategic goals, a robust and durable road network is crucial. However, environmentally fragile hilly regions might not be suitable for typical road construction techniques like hot mix asphalt. The narrow and tough site location creates difficulties in the transportation of materials and construction equipment. Also, space is not available for hot mix plants set up in hilly regions. Construction of hilly roads is generally conducted using a manual method, which leads to poor construction quality. To alleviate the issue, a machine is fabricated which can be used for cold mix production and laying. In the present paper, the effectiveness of the machine is evaluated through actual field trial conditions. Results show that the variability of the bituminous mix is reduced by using the mechanized method compared to manual methods.