The use of prefabricated bituminous surfacing geosynthetic in World War II and beyond

Prefabricated bituminous surfacing was developed during World War II to meet the need for rapid construction of roads and runways in the military context. It was made from bitumen and hessian and commonly referred to as ‘bithess'. The roots of this development are presented, along with a review of its usage during this conflict, with reflections on further developments after 1945. This form of construction found little use subsequently, being displaced by other geosynthetic developments, but could still have a role in developing countries.