Future roads in Tanzania will be built with paper, feature invisible weigh bridges and wireless electricity

Some clever students in Arusha have come up with scientific innovations that can totally transform Tanzania’s construction industry, including the new idea of building roads, highways and other transport infrastructure using wastepaper.

The new innovations currently in the process of being patented will also see the paper roads, installed with invisible weigh-bridges and ‘flying’ electricity which eliminated the use of roadside posts and dangling wires.

Those and other inventions were presented by the clever students during the First Arusha Technical College Research, Innovation and Career Guidance Week held at the ATC Campus.

Emmanuel Laurent came up with the innovation of partial replacement of cement by using waste paper sludge ash (WPSA) in soil stabilization during road construction projects, which will totally remove cement from the equation.

Wastepaper sludge ash (WSA) is generated during the recycling of paper, which is an industrial by-product.

From experts review on Wastepaper Sludge Ash, it was discovered to have good potential as one of the important materials in the construction industry especially in the production of concrete, brick, mortar, soil stabilizing additive, rigid pavement and controlled low-strength materials (CLSM).

Still on alternative construction, another student, Baraka Magosha made an assessment on the performance of concrete produced by partial replacement of sand with crusher dust.

The first ATC Research, Innovation and Career Guidance Week also featured a presentation by Emma Marandu who came up with the new idea of the suitability of penetration grade bitumen with kerosene and diesel to produce medium curing cutback bitumen.

On her part, Regina Mlay tabled the innovative recycling of plastic waste into sustainable and environment friendly building materials.

On the other hand, a team of four Arusha Technical College students, Ang’ombwise Chavala; Gilbert Mwakivike, Mohammed Juma Othman and Musa Mwasembo designed a concept and simulation of an automatic weighbridge system model for super highway roads in Tanzania.

While it seems the future roads in Tanzania will be made of paper and plastic materials, featuring invisible weighbridges, another young scientist in Arusha, Philips Athanas decided that electric posts on the road sides won’t be needed either.

During the innovation week, Athanas brought to the public his design of future power transmission wirelessly in what he described as ‘Flying Electricity!’

The Director of Academic and Support Services at the Arusha Technical College, Dr Baraka Kichonge said the ATC will assist the students to patent their innovations.

“Our scholars are a living example on how students can translate what they learn in class into actual products and services,” said Dr Kichonge adding that the innovations on display will be officially documented.

On her part the ATC Lecturer, Winifrida Mbowe who is also the coordinator of the college’s career development department, revealed that the technical institution is working to ensure that all students accomplish their dreams and reap benefits from their work.