WP2 - Road assessment and monitoring
Since, in the New Member States, financial resources for road maintenance and rehabilitation are very limited due to extensive motorway construction programs, the optimum allocation of financial means is of high importance. Sophisticated Pavement Management Systems can, if used properly and if the output results are analysed and evaluated by experts, be used to obtain results upon which long-term optimum decisions can be made. So the research will focus on gathering the proper input parameters (which shall be scientifically based and reliable) and analysing them in order to develop expert systems. The research will concentrate on:
- analysis of the deterioration caused by various road vehicles on pavements (different axle loads, suspensions, pavement structures),
- measuring and visual condition evaluation techniques for pavement quality characterisation,
- development of a systematic methodology for the selection of optimum intervention techniques for pavement management.
The results of the research will be used for the introduction, adaptation and improvement of a more effective road-related decision-making process in the New Member States. This will result in economic benefits, i.e. in lower material and maintenance costs and shorter road closures.
Several milestones and foreseen to track the scientific progress of the work. |
