A group of researchers backed by a European Union initiative is currently testing recycled tires-made pavements to avoid injuries from falls and accidents. Falls, as well as injuries related to falling, represent a considerable health and safety issue for adults regardless of their ages, specifically the elder adults.
Relatively, fall is considered as the second main reason for accidental, not to mention, unintentional fatalities globally, with adults who are above 65 years old, experiencing the biggest number of deathly falls. This was according to a fact sheet released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Meanwhile, a team of scientists backed by the SAFERUP project which is financially aided by the EU is presently running safety tests in Sweden to display the manner an effect-absorbing roadway surface considerably lessens injuries for the people losing their footing.
In a news report, it was indicated that a road surface that's shock-absorbent and designed for bicycle lanes, comprises the customary rock ingredients fastened together by tarry asphalt. More so, it contains ground-up tires, as well, which make up over 60 percent of the combination.
The said report said the main idea is that about a four- to an eight-centimeter layer of the assortment would slowly be applied to the already-existing cycle lanes and pavements as they turn worn out and need some resurfacing.
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To Save Lives
Dr. Viveca Wallqvist from RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, a partner of the SAFER project said, thousands of lives can be saved by this rubber-made pavement surface, not just in the UK but the other countries, as well.
That is because, she added, "People are less possible to break their hip and eventually, die once they fall on the surface" and will soon be more possible to go out and attend to their healthy activities such as cycling and walking if they don't have to worry anymore about the possible danger of fall.
Falls, according to Dr. Wallqvist, are a primary danger to older individuals so anything that can be done to reduce the severity of any injury they can lead to is undoubtedly worthy to explore.
Notably too, according to the same report, the developers said, the new material's cost is more likely to be the same as the conventional mix. More so, the developers shared they believe that any additional costs are to be easily recovered in savings on health-related services.
The SAFER Project
The current Sustainable, Accessible, Safe, Resilient, and Smart Urban Pavements or SAFER project us set to run up to the end of February 2022. One of the main objectives of this project is to train the ESRs or early-stage researchers in areas such as the durable, smart and recycled paving materials; provision for the protection and accessibility of the susceptible users such as the disabled and the elderly; evaluating the behavior of the user; assessment of life cycle; bioremediation and management of the wash-off water; harvesting of energy and self-sensing techs; and acoustic and tempered pavements.
Incidentally, a key-concentration of the training includes planning, skills and entrepreneurship development in specific communication. In addition, some of the ESRs will concentrate on making more accessible, comfortable, greener and safer urban pavements as another team is to look into the urban pavements from a more wide-ranging perspective compared to what is currently employed.
Essentially, this will apply some research strategies that have already been employed for the other subjects.
