Comparative Mechanical and Durability Performance of Roller Compacted Concrete and Conventional Concrete in Burkina Faso

The rapid urbanization of Sub-Saharan African cities has intensified traffic loads and stress concentrations in critical pavement zones, such as roundabouts and parking areas. These facilities are frequently exposed to heavy static and dynamic loads, braking and turning stress, and hydrocarbon spills. These situations accelerate the deterioration of conventional pavement material. This study investigates the potential of Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) as a sustainable alternative to Conventional Concrete (CC) for such applications in Burkina Faso. Both concrete types were designed with a target compressive strength of 25 MPa using locally available materials. The experimental results revealed that RCC exhibited a higher fresh density (approximately 2500 kg/m³) than CC (≈2300 kg/m³). This indicates superior compaction and reduced void content. Despite a 3% lower cement demand, RCC achieved a compressive strength of 27.57 MPa, which is 38% higher than the 20.01 MPa of the CC. RCC nearly doubled the tensile strength of CC (3.12 MPa vs. 1.72 MPa). In addition, its lower sorptivity (0.0964 vs. 0.1632) confirms its reduced porosity and improved resistance to the ingress of water. These findings highlight the suitability of RCC for urban infrastructure subjected to localized heavy stresses. It offers enhanced durability, lower maintenance requirements, and reduced life-cycle costs. The results support the use of RCC as a cost-effective and sustainable solution for roundabouts and parking areas in sub-Saharan Africa.