Improving paths to highways in Europe
Developing a sustainable road system for Europe requires planning and research at every level. Roadways and pavements that require excessive maintenance cause inconvenience at the very least and danger and waste of valuable resources at worst. The EU-funded project Samaris organised two parallel research paths to deal with Europe's road shortcomings in one initiative. End-users for both pavements and road structures were recruited to provide advice on priority setting, direction of research and results dissemination. Pavements provided an avenue for a green approach. Alternative materials for pathways and recycling methods came under the research microscope. Also investigated was the use of potentially hazardous materials for paths. Flexible pathways (as opposed to rigid) have to date suffered from inherent problems such as cracking and roughness. Samaris scientists developed models to predict deformation of flexible pavements that give way elastically to loading. Structures research focused on steel reinforced concrete. To avoid the corrosion associated with steel, a comprehensive study on fibre reinforced concrete was completed. This dealt with the rehabilitation of structures including bridges and the use of ultra-high performance reinforced concrete for other highway structures. The Samaris project has prepared for harmonisation of material specification within the next generation of the European committee for standardisation (CEN) standards. Moreover, the research gives support to EU policy to improve road structure maintenance to avoid unnecessary road closure. Project results are poised to translate into better value for public money in Europe's road system. Reduced maintenance, more durable repairs and higher level of safety with an added environmental protection bonus are just some of the potential benefits for Europe's drivers.
