DIPA2008
A one day conference addressing topical issues surrounding pavement assessment
15 July 2008
Agenda
PART ONE
9:50 Chairman’s introduction
10.00 Pavement condition surveys: making the choice
Peter King, Associate Director, Halcrow There are a number of survey and assessment options available to highway engineers to try to determine the condition of carriageways. The information may be required for mandatory reporting, local maintenance decisions, scheme selection and design, and asset management. The trick is to choose the most appropriate survey or combination of surveys for the purpose.
10.25 Asset inventory – same bed, different dream
John Yeaman, Managing Director, Pavement Management Services Pty (Australia) In our quest for perfection through standards like SCANNER we may have missed the fundamental ‘end game’ of highway condition monitoring – will it trigger a response? Technology cannot and should not replace the Engineer and the synthesis of data to information will always require engineering judgement. The pursuit of technology for marginal improvement in resolution is a noble quest but does it improve our engineering decision making? Experience in Australia on performance specified maintenance contracts has indicated that notions like ‘appropriate level technology’ and ‘fit for purpose’ are far more useful in managing networks.
10:50 Questions
11.05 Refreshments and exhibition
11.35 A fundamental analysis engine for PMS modelling
Ed Thorpe, Business Solutions Director, Exor Corporation PMS asset deterioration and treatment modelling capability is used to evaluate budget scenarios and prepare work plans for pavement treatments. The input is infrastructure inventory and condition data, and the output is a prioritised work plan. A Fundamental Analysis Engine is critical to the effective assessment of PMS data. Such an engine allows the road network to be segmented based on user defined criteria so the results can be fed into a modelling process.
12:00 Practical application of the SCANNER edge deterioration parameters
Dr Tunde Bammeke, Strategies Development Manager, Hertfordshire County Council / Hertfordshire Highways and Dr Andrew Gallagher, SCANNER Implementation Project Manager, Halcrow Group Limited Feedback on a report on the results of a technical investigation of the practical application of the new SCANNER edge deterioration parameters, including the edge deterioration indicator, on minor roads in Hertfordshire, comparing the results of SCANNER surveys and visual inspections, and suggestions how they might be used in practice.
12:25 Maximising the value of your data
Chris Britton, Director, Chris Britton Consultancy Ltd Good decision making requires good data but this is not achieved without overcoming certain challenges. This paper provides guidance and practical advice to help maximise the value practitioners get from their data.
12:50 Questions
13:00 Lunch and exhibition
PART TWO
14:00 Chairman’s introduction
14:05 Towards a sustainability index for highway projects
Steve Biczysko, Head of Technology for Sustainability, Atkins If sustainable development is defined as ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need’ how can an engineering toolkit be used to evaluate the sustainability of highways schemes? The presentation describes an index for renewal and maintenance schemes which evaluates differing design and construction options and considers four key criteria.
14:30 Linking GIS to pavement maintenance
Brian Williams, Project Director, Network Management and Stuart Evans, Systems Analyst, Neath Port Talbot Borough Council Using GIS for highway maintenance in Neath Port Talbot CBC to get the most from the data most of us collect. Finding practical and cost-effective ways to analyse and display the various survey data sets including SCRIM, GripTest and footway condition to aid decision making. The benefits to network management, including use of the validation work for route based weather forecasts.
14:55 Questions
15:05 Coffee & exhibition
15:35 Geophysical investigation of pavement sub-layers
Dr Rod Eddies, Chief Scientist, Fugro Aperio An update on developments in non intrusive ground investigation methods that can provide the engineer with a better understanding of the pavement sub layers and therefore overall pavement performance. Key areas are moisture mapping, contamination identification and delivery of geotechnical properties such as stiffness.
16:00 Addressing the challenges of proactive highways drainage assessment
Andy Bailey, Strategy Development Manager, TPS Team, Hertfordshire Highways Highways engineers have never been more aware of the challenges of flood damage and failed drainage and their impact on pavement condition and network performance. No magic wand to find, let alone control, the wet spots has emerged, but there are a number of practical steps that highways managers can take to compile and assess the inventory and condition data that are already being collected in most areas. Andy will summarise the approaches taken by several authorities regarded as innovation leaders in this area.
