Road construction
Road construction across Algeria, from earthworks to asphalt
Road construction is the original activity of SARL ETAHG. The company’s fleet of excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, motor graders, vibratory rollers, bitumen distributor and tankers, asphalt pavers and trucks was assembled mainly to build roads, and ETAHG has completed road projects in many regions of Algeria. It can take on a complete road scope or work as a subcontractor for earthworks, pavement layers, paving and aggregate supply.
01Method
How a road is built, layer by layer
A road is a layered structure. Each layer spreads traffic loads to the one below, so each must be built on a sound base, with suitable materials and proper compaction.
Clearing and setting out
The alignment is cleared of vegetation and debris, and the road is set out on the ground from the design.
Earthworks
Cuts and embankments are formed with bulldozers, excavators and trucks, balancing cut and fill wherever possible.
Subgrade preparation
The natural ground is shaped by grader, treated where necessary and compacted with rollers to carry the pavement.
Sub-base course
A granular layer, made of crushed aggregates or suitable local materials, is spread and profiled by grader and compacted; it spreads loads and drains the structure.
Base course
A layer of higher-quality crushed aggregate, unbound or treated, gives the pavement its bearing capacity.
Surfacing
The bitumen distributor sprays a prime or tack coat; asphalt is then laid by paver to line and level and compacted with rollers; surface dressings are used where the design calls for them.
Drainage and finishing
Ditches, culverts, shoulders and finishing works protect the road and extend its life.
02Integration
A complete asphalt road-building chain in one company
Road construction consumes large quantities of aggregates, in the granular layers and in the asphalt itself. Because SARL ETAHG produces fine aggregates at its own crushing plant and operates its own trucks, the supply of materials and the pace of the works can be planned together.
The fleet covers every step of an asphalt road: excavators, bulldozers and loaders for earthworks; motor graders to shape the layers; vibratory rollers to compact them; a bitumen distributor, supplied by our bitumen tankers, for prime and tack coats and surface dressings; and asphalt pavers for the wearing course. With graders, compactors, bitumen distribution and paving in one company, each phase is carried out by machines and teams used to working together, and a main contractor has fewer interfaces on the critical path. See our fleet for the equipment categories.
- New roads and access roads
- Widening and rehabilitation of existing roads
- Access roads to industrial, mining and energy sites
- Platforms, yards and site roads
03Terrain
Adapting road building to the terrain
On the coastal Tell, clay soils and winter rainfall make drainage and subgrade treatment the priority, and works often run alongside live traffic. In the Atlas mountains, rock cuts, embankments and slope stability demand heavy dozing and excavation. On the High Plateaus, long straight alignments reward productivity and a steady flow of aggregates, while cold winters and hot summers call for careful seasonal planning; around the salt flats (chotts), soft and saline soils need particular attention.
In the Sahara, sand, heat and distance shape every decision: drifting sand must be kept off the alignment, asphalt must tolerate high surface temperatures, and local materials such as calcareous tuff are widely used in pavement layers. Crews and supplies must be planned to be self-sufficient. ETAHG has built roads in many regions of Algeria and knows the terrain of those regions; more about our road-building experience.
04Subcontracting
Scopes we take on for main contractors
On large road projects, ETAHG can work under a main contractor, including international contractors, on a defined part of the works.
- 01
Earthworks
Clearing, cuts, embankments and subgrade preparation with our own dozers, excavators, loaders, graders, rollers and trucks.
- 02
Granular layers
Sub-base and base courses spread by grader and compacted with our rollers, with aggregate supply and haulage organized by ETAHG.
- 03
Bitumen and asphalt paving
Prime and tack coats with our bitumen distributor and tankers, then paving with our pavers and rollers, coordinated with the asphalt supply.
- 04
Aggregate supply
Crushed fine aggregates from our quarry and plant at Oued Sdeur, delivered to the site or to the asphalt and concrete plants.
- 05
Haulage
Trucks and semi-trailer trucks for materials and for moving machines along the alignment.
- 06
Access and diversion roads
Temporary tracks and diversions that keep the main works and local traffic moving.
05Quotation
What to send for a road project
- Location, start and end points, and approximate length
- Project stage: tender, award or works in progress
- Scope requested and your role (owner, main contractor)
- Drawings, specifications and bill of quantities, if available
- Planned start date and duration
- Who supplies the materials, including aggregates and asphalt
07FAQ
Questions about road construction
Does ETAHG have experience in road construction?
Yes. Road construction is the original activity of SARL ETAHG: its fleet was mainly used to build roads, and the company has completed road projects in many regions of Algeria.
Which parts of a road project can ETAHG carry out?
SARL ETAHG can carry out earthworks, grading, compaction, sub-base and base courses, bitumen spraying, asphalt surfacing with its own pavers and rollers, aggregate supply and haulage, either as a complete scope or as a subcontract for part of the works.
Can ETAHG work as a subcontractor on a road project?
Yes. SARL ETAHG can work for a main contractor, including a foreign contractor, on a defined scope such as earthworks, granular layers, paving or aggregate supply.
In which regions has ETAHG built roads?
SARL ETAHG has completed road projects in many regions of Algeria and knows the terrain of those regions. Information on past road projects can be discussed with prospective partners.
Can ETAHG supply the aggregates for a road project?
Yes. SARL ETAHG produces high-quality fine aggregates at its own quarry and crushing plant at Oued Sdeur, near Aïn El Ibel south of Djelfa, and can deliver them with its own trucks, so material supply and road works can be planned together.
What equipment does ETAHG use to build roads?
SARL ETAHG builds roads with its own hydraulic excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, motor graders, vibratory rollers, bitumen distributor and tankers, asphalt pavers, trucks and semi-trailers: a complete asphalt road-building chain, supported by aggregates from its own quarry and crushing plant.
Have a road project in Algeria?
Share the location, length and scope. We will tell you how we can contribute.