An independent technical evaluation was required for the Karuma-Olwiyo road section in Uganda so that the quality of construction and expected lifespan of the pavement could be determined.
The Karuma–Olwiyo road, approximately 45.5 km in length, is a segment of the larger 237.7 km Karuma–Pakwach road, which forms part of Uganda’s North-West trunk road system. This key transport corridor connects to Gulu, Nebbi, and Arua districts, and extends toward the eastern and southern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, playing a vital role in regional trade and mobility.
Although reconstruction and rehabilitation of the road were funded by the World Bank, concerns were raised by engineers of Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). In response, a reputable consulting firm was required to provide an unbiased assessment.
Tahal Consulting Engineering Ltd. Was appointed by World Bank to carry out this role, bringing the necessary expertise to evaluate the construction quality and deliver a reliable opinion on the performance and durability of the completed road section.
As this was a World Bank funded project, there was a need to bring in unbiased consulting firm that would independently review the designs, work reports, and pavement design materials and deploy non–destructive testing.
An engineering evaluation was performed along Karuma- Olwiyo road. The evaluation included a thorough review of existing engineering designs and reports along with field investigations to verify pavement layer thickness. In addition, a traffic–count study and Light Falling Weight Deflection (LFWD) test was carried out on the ungraded roads. Data analysis of the results was required to evaluate both homogeneity of the works and expected lifespan of the rehabilitated and upgraded pavement structure.
The collected data was analyzed to assess the homogeneity of the pavement structure and to estimate the remaining service life of the rehabilitated road. This evaluation was critical to ensuring that the construction met the required standards and would provide the intended long-term performance.
AnyWay was retained to conduct the LFWD testing and to analyze the results to provide value engineering insights related both to the quality of works and the longevity of the rehabilitated and upgraded pavement structure.
AnyWay’s Engineers conducted a desktop review of the engineering information provided on the project. A technician was sent to the project to conduct deflection tests of the 45.5 Km long section and AnyWay’s experts analyzed the results combined with all other information related to the engineering designs, the construction works, the materials used, and real time traffic counts.
The post Construction Evaluation of Pavement Lifespan and Determination of Quality of Works is a comprehensive engineering opinion report of the 45.5 Km long section of the Karuma-Olwiyo road section. The report includes the characterization of the subgrades soils as well as the pavement materials of the Section. In addition, an evaluation of the lifespan of the pavement was calculated according to AASHTO method to determine a structural number (SN) of the constructed road pavement.
To determine homogenous sections, an LFWD test was performed along Karuma-Olwiyo by AnyWay. The measurements were taken approximately every 500 m, and elasticity modulus was calculated based on the central deflection from the tests results. Complex calculations of the information gathered through LFWD tests indicated that the variance value ranges to determine the performance of the construction of the pavement structure and the quality of construction works.
Added value from AnyWay Solutions
With advanced engineering and analytical capabilities, we brought significant value to this critical infrastructure project by providing independent, data-driven validation of construction quality and long-term performance. As an unbiased consulting firm, we enabled key stakeholders to make informed, evidence-based decisions that protect public investment and support sustainable infrastructure planning.
Overall, this project reinforced the importance of transparent, high-quality infrastructure oversight, improved risk management, and ensured that the Karuma–Olwiyo road will continue to deliver economic and social value in the years ahead.
