Ventilated ground slabs are used to eliminate the problems caused by humidity and radioactive gases released from the earth below. The system allows the passage of pipes and drains beneath it and when constructing the system it is imperative that the cavity is linked to the exterior of the building via tubing. In this study the IGLU modules created by Daliform were used to create the reinforced concrete ground slabs. The study focused on three main parameters consisting of differently sized IGLUs, different concrete toppings and different types of reinforcement. Two types of IGLU modules were used namely the 45cm and 20cm high modules, whilst the concrete toppings used were a 6cm and a 100cm topping. Fabric and steel fibre reinforcement was used for the tests which were carried out on 8 slabs each 150cm by 150 cm in size. Each slab accommodated nine IGLUs. Each of the samples was submitted to a concentrated load which was applied to the top of the central element using a compressor with dimensions 22cm by 22cm. The results proved that the slabs consisting of the 45cm modules and the 10cm concrete topping could withstand a larger load whilst the fibre reinforced and the fabric reinforced slabs produced varying results when compared, depending on the steel fibre to concrete ratio used. The results were also compared to those carried out by Daliform at the University of Padova and conclusions were drawn up in order to gain a better understanding of how the modules work.

Road engineers and users are concerned with the safe passage of vehicles that operate over them. One aspect of this safety is that there be adequate traction or friction between tyre and road surface to sustain driving forces and to allow stopping within safe limits. This aspect of safety is tackled under the general designation of skid resistance. The skid resistance of the surface of a pavement is one of the major factors in determining the overall safety of a road. Slippery pavements are known to be the cause of many road accidents and fatalities. The critical aspect of skid resistance is when the pavement is wet, since almost all pavements have more than adequate friction for safe vehicle maneuvering in dry conditions.

The phenomenon of pavement surface friction or skid resistance involves the complex interaction of pavement, vehicle, and environmental factors. The problem for those who design, build, and maintain roads is to know enough the factors that contribute to skid resistance to allow the latter to be maintained at an adequate level under all conditions of traffic and environment.

The study of skid resistance has been scrutinised for many years abroad, but increases in traffic density, vehicle speed, and the rapid rise in accidents, has placed added emphasis on this subject in more recent years. Awareness in this field has, however been lacking completely the local scene until very recent years. It has been only within very recent years that concern in this field has been given. There is an obvious awareness of the problems of poor skid resistance in Malta as illustrated by the cautious driver behaviour when the road surfacings are wet.

It has been pointed out in the “Masterplan for the Roads of Malta and Gozo - Volume 2” published in 1999 by Professors Müller and Semar, that the local networks suffer from insufficient wet skidding resistance, adversely affecting the overall traffic safety. An important aspect referred to in this Report is the issue regarding the relation between skid resistance and the mixture composition of bituminous surface courses. The question of whether the loss of skid resistance experienced locally could be reduced by an improved surface texture was specifically addressed. All these aspects form part of a thorough study of this dissertation.