Unpaved rural roads in low-income municipalities in Bolivia suffer from severe structural deterioration, mud accumulation, and erosion during the rainy season, leaving agricultural communities isolated. Conventional methods for dust mitigation and road hardening often rely on expensive asphalt or petroleum-based polymers, which carry the risk of leaching harsh chemicals into sensitive local watersheds.
Following a successful preliminary field test that confirmed the structural viability of chemical stabilization, this project is launching a second, larger-scale demonstration. We are evaluating a non-polluting formula composed of salts and biodegradable surfactants mixed directly in situ. By automating the application process using an alkali-resistant chemical transfer pump, we aim to standardize a low-cost, highly replicable engineering solution that ensures year-round road connectivity while preserving the chemical integrity of surrounding soils and local freshwater ecosystems