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2013R09EN
MONITORING OF INNOVATION
IN ROAD PAVEMENTS
Technical Committee D.2 Road Pavements
The World Road Association (PIARC) is a nonprofit organisation established in 1909 to improve
international co-operation and to foster progress in the field of roads and road transport.
The study that is the subject of this report was defined in the PIARC Strategic Plan 2008 2011
approved by the Council of the World Road Association, whose members are representatives of
the member national governments. The members of the Technical Committee responsible for
this report were nominated by the member national governments for their special competences.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this publication are
those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their parent organizations or
agencies.
This report is available from the internet site of the World Road Association (PIARC)
http://www.piarc.org
Copyright by the World Road Association. All rights reserved.
World Road Association (PIARC)
La Grande Arche, Paroi nord, Niveau 2
92055 La Dfense cedex, FRANCE
International Standard Book Number 978-2-84060-325-2
Cover: CIMBTON
STATEMENTS
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This report has been prepared by Working Group 4 of Technical Committee D2 Road
Pavements and led by Sub-Committee D2b Flexible and Semi-Rigid Pavements of the World
Road Association (PIARC).
The contributors to the preparation of this report are:
Maria Azevedo (Portugal);
Sunil Bose (India);
Rudi Bull-Wasser (Germany);
Franois Chaignon (Canada);
Santiago Corro Caballero (Mexico);
Richard Elliott (United Kingdom);
Dimitris Evangelidis (Greece);
Marie-Thrse Goux (France);
Adolfo Guell (Spain);
Andras Guylas (Hungary);
David Hein (Canada);
Heikki Jamsa (Finland);
Primo Juravi (Slovenia);
Mali Keita (Malaysia);
Jozef Komacka (Slovakia);
Franois de Larrard (France);
Francis Letaudin (France);
Tony Lewis (South Africa);
Rafael Limon Limon (Mexico);
Aleksander Ljubi (Slovenia);
Sao Ljubi (Slovenia);
Andreas Loizos (Greece);
Renaldo Lorio (South Africa);
Rafeek Louw (South Africa);
Tim Morin (Canada);
Vaclav Neuvirt (Czech Republic);
Rajan Padavattan (South Africa);
Bryan Perrie (South Africa);
Zigmantas Perveneckas (Lituania);
Thierry Sedran (France);
Safwat Said (Sweden);
Saied Solomons (South Africa);
Mike Southern (Belgium);
Jean-Etienne Urbain (France);
Jan van der Zwan (Netherlands);
Mats Wendel (Sweden).
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The editors of this report are:
David Hein (Canada) for the English version;
Marie-Thrse Goux (France) and Francois Chaignon (Canada) for the French version.
Brian Ferne (United Kingdom) was responsible within the Technical Committee of the quality
control for the production of this report.
The Technical Sub-Committee D2b was chaired by David Hein (Canada). Marie-Thrse Goux
(France) and Rafael Limon Limon (Mexico) were the French and Spanish speaking secretaries,
respectively.
The French version is available under the reference 2013R09FR, ISBN: 978-2-84060-326-9.
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CONTENTS
SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................7
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................9
1. BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................................10
2. INTEGRATION OF INNOVATION INTO ROAD CONSTRUCTION ........................................11
2.1. ADAPTATION/MODIFICATION OF EXISTING SPECIFICATIONS .......................................15
2.2. AGENCY LED INNOVATION .....................................................................................................17
2.3. SPECIAL ORGANIZATION PROCESSES ................................................................................18
2.4. TECHNICAL AGREEMENTS AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS ......................................23
2.5. VALUE ENGINEERING PROPOSALS BY CONTRACTOR BEFORE CONTRACT BID .....26
2.6. VALUE ENGINEERING PROPOSALS BY CONTRACTOR AFTER CONTRACT BID ........27
2.7. END PERFORMANCE AND LONG-TERM WARRANTY CONTRACTS ..............................28
2.8. PUBLIC/PRIVATE/PARTNERSHIPS AND CONCESSION AGREEMENTS ...........................29
2.9. SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................30
3. EXISTING INNOVATION FACT SHEETS ......................................................................................31
4. INNOVATIONS CURRENTLY BEING IMPLEMENTED ............................................................32
4.1. BACKGROUND ...........................................................................................................................32
4.2. WARM MIX ASPHALT ................................................................................................................33
4.3. RECLAIMED ASPHALT PAVEMENT ........................................................................................33
4.4. WASTE AND BY-PRODUCT USE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION .............................................33
5. INNOVATION NEEDS .........................................................................................................................43
5.1. POLICY ON INNOVATION .........................................................................................................44
5.2. NECESSITY TO FOSTER INNOVATION ...................................................................................45
6. CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................................................45
7. REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................47
8. TERMINOLOGY AND ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................47
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APPENDICES ...........................................................................................................................................49
APPENDIX A INNOVATION FACT SHEETS ..................................................................................49
ASPHALT RUBBER IN SWEDEN .....................................................................................................49
ASPHALT RUBBER IN SPAIN ..........................................................................................................50
HIGH MODULUS ASPHALT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ...........................................................51
LENROB MODULE LEV, INTRODUCTION EN BELGIQUE ............................................52
IMPLEMENTING STONE MASTIC ASPHALT IN HUNGARY ......................................................53
STONE MASTIC ASPHALT IN SLOVENIA .....................................................................................54
FOAMED BITUMEN EMULSION IN SOUTH AFRICA ..................................................................56
LOW TEMPERATURE ASPHALT PAVING IN SLOVENIA ............................................................58
WARM MIX ASPHALT IN SOUTH AFRICA ....................................................................................60
WARM MIX ASPHALT IN SPAIN .....................................................................................................61
MICRO-SURFACING IN GREECE ....................................................................................................62
HOT ON HOT ASPHALT PAVING IN GERMANY (COMPACT ASPHALT)..................................63
HOT ON HOT ASPHALT PAVING IN LITHUANIA .........................................................................64
SELF-COMPACTING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL FOR WIDENING
OF LOW TRAFFIC ROADS IN FRANCE .........................................................................................66
REMOVABLE URBAN PAVEMENTS IN FRANCE .........................................................................68
ULTRA-THIN REINFORCED CONCRETE PAVEMENTS (UTRCP) IN SOUTH AFRICA ...........70
ULTRA-THIN CONTINUOUSLY REINFORCED CONCRETE PAVEMENTS (UTCRCP)
IN SOUTH AFRICA .............................................................................................................................71
MANAGING HIGHWAY NOISE IN QUBEC ..................................................................................72
LONG LIFE SURFACES FOR BUSY ROADS ..................................................................................74
APPENDIX B QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE USE OF WARM MIX ASPHALT,
RECYCLED ASPHALT CONCRETE AND BY-PRODUCTS ...........................................................77
Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) .............................................................................................................78
Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) ................................................................................................79
By-Products....................................................................................................................................81
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SUMMARY
In the 2008-2011 cycle of the World Road Association, the fostering, evaluation
and implementation of innovation in road design and construction was explored
by examining all of the innovation policies implemented by road administrations
and agencies with a focus on practical examples and experience in order to assist
others in the development of or their own innovation strategies. The purpose of
the monitoring of innovations strategy was to review the recent changes in
construction and maintenance of road pavements to identify where innovations
have been introduced towards improving roadway durability, recycling and re-use.
In addition an assessment of the developments taking place in road administrations
to foster innovation was completed.
A questionnaire on innovation needs was developed and circulated through the
committee members to their respective countries. The purpose of the questionnaire
was to develop an understanding of innovation needs that in the opinion of the
country representatives were not being adequately addressed.
A total of eight types of innovation policies were identified from the survey and
the basic principles of innovation policies along with their advantages and
disadvantages were summarized. It was found that innovation can pave the way
to making our engineers and contractors competitive on the world market while
cost-effectively extending the service life of our transportation infrastructure and
minimizing the impact of works on the road users. By fostering collaboration
between government agencies, industry and academia, it is possible to partner
to develop new policies, processes, and procedures to reduce time and cost and
improve the safety of our infrastructure. While innovation ultimately leads to a
benefit, which can include a reduction in cost, it is important to recognize that an
investment in innovation is necessary to achieve the ultimate benefits. This
typically requires some basic fundamental research and partners who are willing
to take risks to develop the innovation. These risks can be financial, technological
and commercial.
When evaluating an innovation, it should be recognized that there is a variety of
procedures for introducing an innovation and each may have its own benefits and
risks. The alternatives presented provide a basis evolution of the phases to
incorporate innovative policy, design and construction techniques and procedures
into an agencys procurement and delivery process for transportation infrastructure.
There are many lessons learned from the implementation of innovations. These
include:
The need to have committed project managers for the implementation of the
innovation;
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Care must be taken when implementation and innovation from another agency.
What works well in one location, may not work the same for other agencies;
Translation of design procedures and specifcations from one country to another
should be done with care particularly where test methods may not be the same;
Local expertise in implementing an innovation is very important and the lack of
experience of an agency or contractor can lead to signifcant challenges;
Public and private sector collaboration is important to achieve success;
Innovations should be gradually implemented with careful evaluation before
their widespread use;
It is critical to have a champion with standing in the industry and the resources
to drive the implementation of innovative technology until it is accepted by
industry;
It is important to carry out adequate research and testing prior to implementation
of new technologies;
Follow-up monitoring of the performance of innovations is critical to establishing
their success;
Establishing standards and specifcations for the implementation of innovations
will lead to more widespread use; and
Protection of patents and intellectual property is a key factor for fostering
innovation.
Finally, a series of innovation fact sheets was developed describing the specific
innovation, why it was developed, how the innovation was developed or adapted,
information on the implementation plan, progress and success, lessons learned
and contact details for more information.
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INTRODUCTION
In the 2004-2007 cycle, a working group of Technical Committee 4.3 Road
Pavements was tasked with synthesizing information on techniques to reduce
the impact of pavement construction, rehabilitation and maintenance activities on
road users (driving public and construction workers) and the adjacent land use
(homeowners, businesses, etc.).
Information collected as a part of the study included solutions to improve user or
construction worker safety, regulations (e.g. requirements for construction work
to take place during weekends or nights), environmental considerations (e.g. dust
control), quality/performance (contractor incentives to complete a project earlier
to reduce the impact on road users) or special treatments to ensure that local
traffic is not adversely impacted by construction activities, etc.
In the 2008-2011 cycle, the fostering, evaluation and implementation of innovation
in the road design and construction industry was further explored by examining
all of the innovation policies implemented by agencies with a focus on practical
examples and experience in order to assist others in the development of or their
own innovation strategies.
This technical report was developed by Technical Committee D.2 on Road
Pavements and addresses Issue D.2.4 on the monitoring of innovations from the
PIARC Strategic Plan for the period 2008 to 2011. The purpose of the monitoring
of innovations strategy was to review the recent changes in construction and
maintenance of road pavements to identify where innovations have been
introduced towards improving roadway durability, recycling and re-use. In
addition an assessment of the developments taking place in road administrations
to foster innovation was completed.
Information provided in this report was gathered through a survey of agency
practices and by case study contributions from a wide variety of members of the
working group and their member countries.
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1. BACKGROUND
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines innovation as the act of introducing
something new such as a new idea, method or device. Clearly, the introduction of
innovation in the transportation arena, whether in management methods or
construction techniques, can produce considerable benefits when it comes to
improving safety, reducing construction time and costs.
It should be recognized that an agency may have specific interests in the selection or
implementation of a particular innovation. For example, recycling or the use of a
particular by-product such as slag or waste tires in road construction may be of
national interest and therefore they may be implemented widely or even mandated by
law. While the social and environmental costs can be captured in a life-cycle cost
analysis, they are typically balanced against their impact on preserving natural
resources and their potential cost premium before they are widely used.
Prior to the implementation of a particular innovation, agencies/industry will
evaluate the technical, cost and environmental aspects of their potential
implementation. These evaluations may consist of performance based such as:
monitoring and evaluation of the experience of other agencies;
simulation and modelling of innovation performance;
laboratory testing and validation of material properties;
accelerated testing of laboratory or feld test sites or samples (may include test
sections, tracks, etc; and
full-scale construction and long-term monitoring of performance.
Each of the techniques above has costs, benefits and risks associated with them.
Market conditions may also dictate the speed and extent of the implementation of an
innovation. For example, if the implementation of an innovation is desired or
mandated by an agency and there is an expectation that a reasonable quantity of work
will be programmed from year to year, industry will readily invest in the equipment
and expertise to provide that innovation.
Once an innovation has been thoroughly mastered, it culminates in standardization.
Standards must not be perceived as obstacles to innovation, but rather as the outcome
of the process. Standards reflect the state of the art, as determined by consensus.
They enable the transportation agency to clearly state objectives in terms of expected
results. Contractors and suppliers can then refer to them in order to clearly define the
goal that the agency wishes to attain.
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A few specific methods can be considered in order to encourage innovation, such as
performance specifications. However, in meeting these specifications, innovations
must have reached a very advanced stage of development or evolution in order to be
used, due to the guarantees associated with this type of contract mechanism.
Competition, the competencies of each party, and sound risk-sharing are also
preconditions for the use of performance specifications.
Many other means of a more general nature can be adopted by agencies that are interested
in stimulating technological progress in pavements, regardless of the development stage
of a particular innovation. Examples of potential forms of action include:
properly manage commonly used techniques and tools, or in other words, tightly
control design standards and construction quality, with a view to building longer
lasting pavements and planning the reuse and recycling of materials from existing
pavements and existing structures; and
adopt laws, regulations, and contractual requirements that foster the emergence
of innovations and their market launch so that they remain competitive after
introduction.
The aim of technological progress is not simply to help reduce the direct costs of
pavement maintenance and rehabilitation but rather also to contribute to sustainable
development and to reduce the impact of construction work on the travelling public,
construction workers and to people living adjacent to the roadway.
2. INTEGRATION OF INNOVATION INTO ROAD CONSTRUCTION
This chapter deals with the basic principles of the policies set up by agencies in their
country to foster innovation by way of an example. In some situations, a road agency
may have special organizational processes or procedures that drive innovation. For
example, with a higher emphasis on sustainability agencies focus on recycling and
reuse of pavement materials. For obvious reasons the road industry, as a major user
of raw materials, is often seen as an option to utilize secondary or waste materials.
Taking into account the character of the market, it is quite clear that entrepreneurs
are looking for all opportunities to utilize these materials provided that there is a
financial gain. For a road owner other responsibilities apply. Their responsibility
goes far beyond the time frame of the contract. The choice of materials used now
could also affect maintenance and rehabilitation decisions during the life-cycle of
the contract as shown in figure 1, following page [Rijkswaterstaat 2009].
In the 1970s and 80s in Canada, steel slag, a by-product of steel production, was used
extensively as an aggregate for surface course asphalt mixes. After about 10 years of
service, asphalt mixes containing steel slag were found to have extensive cracking
which required removal and disposal of thousands of tonnes of materials. While the
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steel slag aggregate had excellent frictional properties, its lack of long-term durability
was questionable. While the technical issues with the performance were eventually
addressed, the financial cost of improving the aggregate made it more expensive
than conventional resources and it is no longer commonly used in Canada.
Choices made in the past might have high cost consequences in the future because
environmental and occupational conditions may have changed. Products such as tar
and asbestos that were used in the past as asphalt additives resulted in huge expenses
to agencies to remove them due to their health effects. The likeliness of changing
conditions should remind road owners on their responsibilities. As an example: in
the Netherlands a very severe environmental system of regulations applies regarding
the leaching of materials. For tar (containing asphalt), as a carcinogenic product, the
policy is to destroy the product by incineration. The Netherlands is the only country
in the world where this policy has been implemented. In Europe, the EC Regulation
No. 1907/200 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction
of Chemicals (REACH) will likely impact some recycling decisions.