Paving Our Ways
A History of the World’s Roads and Pavements
John Metcalf author Maxwell Lay author Kieran Sharp author
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:23rd Nov '20
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This hardback is available in another edition too:
- Paperback£37.99(9780367520786)
Paving Our Ways covers the international history of road paving in an interesting, readable and technically accurate way. It provides an overview of the associated technologies in a historical context.
It examines the earliest pavements in Egypt and Mesopotamia and then moves to North Africa, Crete, Greece and Italy, before a review of pavements used by the Romans in their magnificent road system. After its empire collapsed, Roman pavements fell into ruin. The slow recovery of pavements in Europe began in France and then in England.
The work of Trésaguet, Telford and McAdam is examined. Asphalt and concrete slowly improved as paving materials in the second part of the 19th century. Major advances occurred in the 20th century with the availability of powerful machinery, pneumatic tyres and bitumen. The advances needed to bring pavements to their current development are explored, as are the tools for financing, constructing, managing and maintaining pavements.
The book should appeal to those interested in road paving, and in the history of engineering and transport. It can also serve as a text for courses in engineering history.
"I found much of interest from a heritage perspective in the changing technology across the world from China and Mesopotamia, Europe, Britain, Australia and North America, stretching from biblical times to the present
day. . . . The book should provide a comprehensive reference for civil engineering students and practising engineers,
and will be interesting from a history and heritage perspective for more general readers."
-- Keith Baker, Engineering Heritage Australia Magazine
"This is an excellent and very well documented history of road pavements. It provides a bonanza of information to any reader interested in the early roads, built millennia ago, as well as those constructed during the Industrial Revolution. It tells the story of the struggle to find a perfect an engineering solution to a complex problem: how to build durable and economical roads. The book is a joy to read. It presents in detail engineering principles, research trials and innovations, along with portraits of several major contributors to road pavement design and construction. Everyone interested in the history of road transport should buy this book; it is the best on the topic."
-- Stefan A. Romanoschi, Professor, University of Texas at Arlington
ISBN: 9780367520809
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 453g
300 pages