After Kilauea Volcano erupted in May 2018, the Hawaii Department of Transportation scrambled to find a way to protect Highway 130, a primary mode of transportation for Puna District residents. Cracks had begun to form in the road due to intense heat from volcanic activity, forcing officials to temporarily close the road. HDOT officials used a temporary measure to protect the highway – covering it with steel plates. Once volcanic activity became more subdued, HDOT installed a long-term option, using heat-resistant Calcium Aluminate Cement roadway panels, costing $1 million. The project managed to keep road temperatures around 130 degrees, down from 175 to 275 degrees without the panels.
Read more here.
Photo Credit: Hawaii DOT.
