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[[File:ROADEX IV reduced2.png|thumb|ROADEX IV logo]]
[[File:ROADEX IV reduced2.png|thumb|ROADEX IV logo]]
The fourth project<ref>{{cite web |title=ROADEX IV |url=https://interreg.no/prosjektbank/roadex-iv/ |website=interreg.no |accessdate=18 August 2018}}</ref> carried out a programme of demonstrations of the new strategies on live public roads.<ref>{{cite web |title=NPP Achivements 2007-2013 |url=http://www.interreg-npa.eu/fileadmin/Programme_Documents/Achievements_for_web.pdf |website=www.interreg-npa.eu}}</ref> The work was supported by a new consultancy service and web-based knowledge centre. Joint research and development continued in the areas of climate change,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hudecz |first1=A |title=Climate Change Adaptation - A Report on Climate Change Adaptation Measures for Low Volume Roads in the Northern Periphery |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/18494336.pdf |website=core.ac.uk}}</ref> road widening<ref>{{cite web |last1=Varin P |first1=Saarenketo T |title=Road Widening Guidelines |url=http://www.roadex.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ROADEX-Road-Widening-Guidelines-2012.pdf |website=www.roadex.org}}</ref> and driver health issues.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Granlund |first1=J |title=Reducing Health and Safety Risks on Poorly Maintained Rural Roads |url=http://road-transport-technology.org/Proceedings/HVTT%2011/Papers/Granlund%20-%20Reducing%20Health%20and%20Safety%20Risks%20on%20Poorly%20Maintained%20Rural%20Roads.pdf |website=road-transport-technology.org}}</ref> The Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC)<ref>{{cite web |title=The Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC) |url=https://fpinnovations.ca/Pages/index.aspx}}</ref> and [[Coillte]] of Ireland joined as Associate Partners.
The fourth project<ref>{{cite web |title=ROADEX IV |url=https://interreg.no/prosjektbank/roadex-iv/ |website=interreg.no |accessdate=18 August 2018}}</ref> carried out a programme of demonstrations of strategies on live public roads.<ref>{{cite web |title=NPP Achivements 2007-2013 |url=http://www.interreg-npa.eu/fileadmin/Programme_Documents/Achievements_for_web.pdf |website=www.interreg-npa.eu}}</ref> The work was supported by a new consultancy service and web-based knowledge centre. Joint research and development continued in the areas of climate change,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hudecz |first1=A |title=Climate Change Adaptation - A Report on Climate Change Adaptation Measures for Low Volume Roads in the Northern Periphery |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/18494336.pdf |website=core.ac.uk}}</ref> road widening<ref>{{cite web |last1=Varin P |first1=Saarenketo T |title=Road Widening Guidelines |url=http://www.roadex.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ROADEX-Road-Widening-Guidelines-2012.pdf |website=www.roadex.org}}</ref> and driver health issues.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Granlund |first1=J |title=Reducing Health and Safety Risks on Poorly Maintained Rural Roads |url=http://road-transport-technology.org/Proceedings/HVTT%2011/Papers/Granlund%20-%20Reducing%20Health%20and%20Safety%20Risks%20on%20Poorly%20Maintained%20Rural%20Roads.pdf |website=road-transport-technology.org}}</ref> The Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC)<ref>{{cite web |title=The Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC) |url=https://fpinnovations.ca/Pages/index.aspx}}</ref> and [[Coillte]] of Ireland joined as Associate Partners.


30 technical reports on the demonstrations were published at the end of the project. These covered issues such as road drainage methods in different countries and road types, demonstrations of state-of-the-art road repairs and widening, road condition surveys and proposals for forest roads. The project concluded with a summary report on the benefits & savings<ref>{{cite web |last1=Saarenketo T |display-authors=etal |title=ROADEX Benefits and Savings - Achieving More with Less |url=http://www.roadex.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ROADEX-IV-Benefits-and-Savings-2012.pdf |website=www.roadex.org}}</ref> that could be acheived using the new strategies. External usage<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brito |first1=L. |title=Design Methods for Low Volume Roads |url=https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/ntec/documents/theses/leliobritothesis.pdf |website=www.nottingham.ac.uk |publisher=University of Nottingham |accessdate=29 February 2020 |page=4 |format=Doctorate Thesis 2011}}</ref>
30 technical reports were published at the end of the project. These covered issues such as road drainage methods in different countries and road types, demonstrations of state-of-the-art road repairs and widening, road condition surveys and proposals for forest roads. The project concluded with a summary report on the benefits & savings<ref>{{cite web |last1=Saarenketo T |display-authors=etal |title=ROADEX Benefits and Savings - Achieving More with Less |url=http://www.roadex.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ROADEX-IV-Benefits-and-Savings-2012.pdf |website=www.roadex.org}}</ref> that could be acheived using the new strategies. The work on forest roads started to gain wider interest<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brito |first1=L. |title=Design Methods for Low Volume Roads |url=https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/ntec/documents/theses/leliobritothesis.pdf |website=www.nottingham.ac.uk |publisher=University of Nottingham |accessdate=29 February 2020 |page=4 |format=Doctorate Thesis 2011}}</ref>


The ROADEX project was listed as one of the five best case studies to show the tangible and intangible benefits to the area in the final summary report of the Northern Periphery Programme 2007–2013 entitled "Achievement".<ref>{{cite web |title=ROADEX IV - Case Study 5 |url=http://www.interreg-npa.eu/fileadmin/Programme_Documents/Achievements_for_web.pdf |website=www.interreg-npa.eu |accessdate=18 August 2018}}</ref>
The ROADEX project was listed as a best case study for tangible benefits in the final summary report of the Northern Periphery Programme 2007–2013 entitled "Achievement".<ref>{{cite web |title=ROADEX IV - Case Study 5 |url=http://www.interreg-npa.eu/fileadmin/Programme_Documents/Achievements_for_web.pdf |website=www.interreg-npa.eu |accessdate=18 August 2018}}</ref>


=== The ROADEX Network since 2012 ===
=== The ROADEX Network since 2012 ===
[[File:ROADEX Network reduced.png|thumb|ROADEX Network logo]]
[[File:ROADEX Network reduced.png|thumb|ROADEX Network logo]]
EU part-funding of the ROADEX projects ended in 2012 at which point the partners undertook to continue to share information and research at their own cost. The present ROADEX Network now has responsibility for the website, knowledge centre, e-learning and reports. Joint research into road management strategies continues<ref>{{cite web |last1=White D |first1=Vennapusa P |title=Low-Cost Rural Surface Alternatives - Draft Final Report, December 2013 |url=https://www.iowadot.gov/research/reports/Year/2013/fullreports/TR-632%20Final%20Report.pdf |website=www.iowadot.gov |publisher=Center for Earthworks Engineering Research (CEER), Iowa State University |accessdate=17 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Saarenketo T |first1=Varin P |title=Effect of Tyre and Axle Configurations on Pavement Durability - A ROADEX Network Prestudy |url=http://www.nvfnorden.org/library/Files/Utskott-och-tema/Vagens-konstruktion/Møter-og-protokoller/Årsmøder/Stavanger-2014/Saarenketo,%20Roadex%20Heavy%20trucks.pdf |website=www.nvfnorden.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Arnold G |display-authors=etal |title=Pavement moisture measurement to indicate risk to pavement life, March 2017 |url=https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/611/611.pdf |website=www.nzta.govt.nz}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Saarenketo T |display-authors=etal |title=The use of Ground Penetrating Radar, Thermal Camera and Laser Scanner Technology in Asphalt Crack Detection and Diagnostics |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lx7J_WxC4GsC&pg=PA144&dq=roadex+project&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU-JL0tOfcAhWrA8AKHW5bB1sQ6AEILjAB#v=onepage&q=roadex%20project&f=false |website=books.google.co.uk |publisher=7th RILEM International Cnference on Cracking in Pavements, p137-145 |accessdate=18 August 2018}}</ref> to keep the collaboration live and sharing information. External usage<ref>{{cite web |title=Constructed tracks in the Scottish Uplands |url=https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/Publication%202015%20-%20Constructed%20tracks%20in%20the%20Scottish%20Uplands.pdf |website=www.nature.scot |publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage |accessdate=28 February 2020 |page=85}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Draft District Strategic Plan North Highland Forest District 2014-2017 |url=https://consult.gov.scot/forestry-commission-scotland/district-strategic-plans/supporting_documents/North%20Highland%20%20District%20Strategic%20Plan%20%20DRAFT.pdf |website=consult.gov.scot |publisher=Forest Enterprise Scotland |accessdate=28 February 2020 |page=49}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Black Isle and Lochaber to trial new roadside ditch maintenance regime |url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/6712/black_isle_and_lochaber_to_trial_new_roadside_ditch_maintenance_regime |website=www.highland.gov.uk |publisher=The Highland Council |accessdate=28 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Timber Transport Forum Written Submission |url=http://www.parliament.scot/S4_InfrastructureandCapitalInvestmentCommittee/Inquiries/Timber_Transport_Forum.pdf |website=www.parliament.scot |publisher=The Scottish Parliament |accessdate=28 February 2020 |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Flexible Pavement Narrow Widening Best Practices and Lessons Learned, CTR Technical Report: 0-6748-2 |url=https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6748-2.pdf |website=library.ctr.utexas.edu |publisher=The University of Texas at Austin |accessdate=29 February 2020 |page=2 and p24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Kolisoja, P |title=Mechanistic design of low volume road structures |url=https://www.ntnu.no/ojs/index.php/BCRRA/article/view/2636/2700 |website=www.ntnu.no |publisher=Ninth International Conference on the Bearing Capacity of Roads, Railways and Airfields, 2013 |accessdate=29 February 2020 |pages=331-340}}</ref>
EU part-funding of the ROADEX projects ended in 2012 and the project continued at the partners' own cost under the new heading of ROADEX Network. Joint research continued<ref>{{cite web |last1=White D |first1=Vennapusa P |title=Low-Cost Rural Surface Alternatives - Draft Final Report, December 2013 |url=https://www.iowadot.gov/research/reports/Year/2013/fullreports/TR-632%20Final%20Report.pdf |website=www.iowadot.gov |publisher=Center for Earthworks Engineering Research (CEER), Iowa State University |accessdate=17 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Saarenketo T |first1=Varin P |title=Effect of Tyre and Axle Configurations on Pavement Durability - A ROADEX Network Prestudy |url=http://www.nvfnorden.org/library/Files/Utskott-och-tema/Vagens-konstruktion/Møter-og-protokoller/Årsmøder/Stavanger-2014/Saarenketo,%20Roadex%20Heavy%20trucks.pdf |website=www.nvfnorden.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Arnold G |display-authors=etal |title=Pavement moisture measurement to indicate risk to pavement life, March 2017 |url=https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/611/611.pdf |website=www.nzta.govt.nz}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Saarenketo T |display-authors=etal |title=The use of Ground Penetrating Radar, Thermal Camera and Laser Scanner Technology in Asphalt Crack Detection and Diagnostics |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lx7J_WxC4GsC&pg=PA144&dq=roadex+project&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU-JL0tOfcAhWrA8AKHW5bB1sQ6AEILjAB#v=onepage&q=roadex%20project&f=false |website=books.google.co.uk |publisher=7th RILEM International Cnference on Cracking in Pavements, p137-145 |accessdate=18 August 2018}}</ref> to keep the collaboration live and sharing information. External usage<ref>{{cite web |title=Constructed tracks in the Scottish Uplands |url=https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/Publication%202015%20-%20Constructed%20tracks%20in%20the%20Scottish%20Uplands.pdf |website=www.nature.scot |publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage |accessdate=28 February 2020 |page=85}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Draft District Strategic Plan North Highland Forest District 2014-2017 |url=https://consult.gov.scot/forestry-commission-scotland/district-strategic-plans/supporting_documents/North%20Highland%20%20District%20Strategic%20Plan%20%20DRAFT.pdf |website=consult.gov.scot |publisher=Forest Enterprise Scotland |accessdate=28 February 2020 |page=49}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Black Isle and Lochaber to trial new roadside ditch maintenance regime |url=https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/6712/black_isle_and_lochaber_to_trial_new_roadside_ditch_maintenance_regime |website=www.highland.gov.uk |publisher=The Highland Council |accessdate=28 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Timber Transport Forum Written Submission |url=http://www.parliament.scot/S4_InfrastructureandCapitalInvestmentCommittee/Inquiries/Timber_Transport_Forum.pdf |website=www.parliament.scot |publisher=The Scottish Parliament |accessdate=28 February 2020 |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Flexible Pavement Narrow Widening Best Practices and Lessons Learned, CTR Technical Report: 0-6748-2 |url=https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6748-2.pdf |website=library.ctr.utexas.edu |publisher=The University of Texas at Austin |accessdate=29 February 2020 |page=2 and p24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Kolisoja, P |title=Mechanistic design of low volume road structures |url=https://www.ntnu.no/ojs/index.php/BCRRA/article/view/2636/2700 |website=www.ntnu.no |publisher=Ninth International Conference on the Bearing Capacity of Roads, Railways and Airfields, 2013 |accessdate=29 February 2020 |pages=331-340}}</ref>


Recent noteworthy projects involving strategies developed by the project include: research into the effects of the new generations of heavy trucks on [[Road surface|road surfaces]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Varin |first1=P |title=New Heavy Trucks and Pavements - Experiences from Finland, High Capacity Transport årskonferens, Örebro, 28 Aug 2015 |url=https://closer.lindholmen.se/sites/default/files/content/PDF/2_erfarenheter_finland_petri_varin.pdf |website=closer.lindholmen.se |accessdate=28 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Varin |first1=P. |title=Impact Analysis of Kaunisvaara – Svappavaara Road Iron Ore Transportation Options |url=http://road-transport-technology.org/Proceedings/HVTT%2012/Varin%20-%20Impact%20Analysis%20of%20Kaunisvaara%20.%20Svappavaara%20Road%20Iron%20Ore%20Transportation%20Options.pdf |website=road-transport-technology.org |publisher=HVTT12: 12th International Symposium on Heavy Vehicle Transport Technology, 2012 |accessdate=29 February 2020}}</ref>; and the PEHKO<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tapio R |display-authors=etal |title=PEHKO Project 2015-2025, increasing the productivity of paved road management in Finland |url=http://www.h-a-d.hr/pubfile.php?id=981 |website=www.h-a-d.hr |publisher=6th Eurasphalt & Eurobitume Congress 2016, Prague, Czech Republic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Saarenketo |first1=T |title=PEHKO Project – Hur upståren en skadeskuldinom väganläggningar |url=http://www.nvfnorden.org/library/Files/Utskott-2016-2020/V%C3%A4gteknologi/Sommarmoten/2017-Sverige/Seminarium/9_FIN_NVF%20STOCKHOM%202017%20TimoS.pdf |website=www.nvfnorden.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kolisoja P |first1=Saarenketo T |title=Effects of super heavy trucks on the condition of road infrastructure |publisher=CRC Press |location=Bearing Capacity of Roads, Railways and Airfields: Proceedings of the 10th Conference, Athens, 28–30 June 2017 |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=csItDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA701&dq=pehko+roadex&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjf37untufcAhXQNcAKHdrcAKEQ6AEILjAB#v=onepage&q=pehko%20roadex&f=false |accessdate=18 August 2018}}</ref> 2015-2025 project in Finland. Further details on this last named project is given in a separate section below.
Recent noteworthy projects involving strategies developed by the project include: research into the effects of the new generations of heavy trucks on [[Road surface|road surfaces]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Varin |first1=P |title=New Heavy Trucks and Pavements - Experiences from Finland, High Capacity Transport årskonferens, Örebro, 28 Aug 2015 |url=https://closer.lindholmen.se/sites/default/files/content/PDF/2_erfarenheter_finland_petri_varin.pdf |website=closer.lindholmen.se |accessdate=28 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Varin |first1=P. |title=Impact Analysis of Kaunisvaara – Svappavaara Road Iron Ore Transportation Options |url=http://road-transport-technology.org/Proceedings/HVTT%2012/Varin%20-%20Impact%20Analysis%20of%20Kaunisvaara%20.%20Svappavaara%20Road%20Iron%20Ore%20Transportation%20Options.pdf |website=road-transport-technology.org |publisher=HVTT12: 12th International Symposium on Heavy Vehicle Transport Technology, 2012 |accessdate=29 February 2020}}</ref>; and the PEHKO<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tapio R |display-authors=etal |title=PEHKO Project 2015-2025, increasing the productivity of paved road management in Finland |url=http://www.h-a-d.hr/pubfile.php?id=981 |website=www.h-a-d.hr |publisher=6th Eurasphalt & Eurobitume Congress 2016, Prague, Czech Republic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Saarenketo |first1=T |title=PEHKO Project – Hur upståren en skadeskuldinom väganläggningar |url=http://www.nvfnorden.org/library/Files/Utskott-2016-2020/V%C3%A4gteknologi/Sommarmoten/2017-Sverige/Seminarium/9_FIN_NVF%20STOCKHOM%202017%20TimoS.pdf |website=www.nvfnorden.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kolisoja P |first1=Saarenketo T |title=Effects of super heavy trucks on the condition of road infrastructure |publisher=CRC Press |location=Bearing Capacity of Roads, Railways and Airfields: Proceedings of the 10th Conference, Athens, 28–30 June 2017 |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=csItDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA701&dq=pehko+roadex&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjf37untufcAhXQNcAKHdrcAKEQ6AEILjAB#v=onepage&q=pehko%20roadex&f=false |accessdate=18 August 2018}}</ref> 2015-2025 project in Finland. Further details on this last named project is given in a separate section below.

Revision as of 15:58, 25 March 2020


The ROADEX Project was a EU funded collaboration of northern European roads organisations from Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Scotland and Sweden that aimed to improve the condition of rural road networks. It is still active, now as the ROADEX Network, and currently comprises 13 partners: 6 national roads administrations, a government department, 3 government agencies, 2 local authorities and a roads district. Local road networks in northern Europe are vital social arteries for rural communities, as well as being major transportation routes for their internationally important timber, mining and fishing industries.

Map of the ROADEX countries

The project started as a pilot in 1998 to:

  • Share best practice
  • Research and develop new knowledge
  • Implement and test new solutions

It has now been running for 22 years and over that period it has become a centre of information for all things concerning the management of rural roads. Its website averages over 5,000 hits per month from around the world seeking information and strategies for dealing with issues of poorly performing roads, and outputs of the project's research are already being cited in Wikipedia[1][2][3][4][5]

The project was awarded a European Union RegioStars special mention in 2009[6] and in 2018 its strategies and technologies were recognised internationally in a Global Road Achievement Award by the International Road Federation for ″Asset Preservation and Maintenance Management″ [7]

The project became self-funding as the ROADEX Network in 2012 when EU funding ceased.


History

The EU ROADEX projects 1998-2012

The pilot project, 1998-2001

File:ROADEX pilot reduced.png
ROADEX logo

The pilot project (ROADs Information EXchange = ROADEX) was set up between the roads districts of Finnish Lapland, Troms County of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, the Northern Region of The Swedish National Road Administration and the Highland Council of Scotland. This created the forum to enable the exchange of information. It proved that co-operation could work despite the differences in languages, currencies and climates. It was 50% funded by the European Union and also received support from The Scottish Executive and The Icelandic Road Administration.

The pilot identified 5 common problems across the countries, and these issues still form the basis for all considerations today.

  1. Road drainage
  2. Heavy trucks and permanent deformation (i.e. rutting)
  3. Poor quality road materials
  4. Roads on peat
  5. Widened roads

ROADEX II, 2002-2005

File:ROADEX II reduced3.png
ROADEX II logo

The second project[8] continued to be part-funded by the EU and aimed at developing new ways for the management of rural roads. The four members from the pilot were joined by two new organisations from Scotland: Forest Enterprise of Scotland and Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar and six associate partners: The Norwegian Hauliers Association,[9] The Finnish Road Administration Lapland District, Metsähallitus Forestry, Stora Enso Metsä, Metsäliitto Osuukunta, and The Forestry Centre of Lapland.[10] The new associate partners from the forestry and paper industry brought experience of using forest gravel roads to the project and extended its considerations into all road surfaces. This allowed the project to consider the challenge faced by roads organisations everywhere and how they could meet the growing expectations of modern production and logistic chains in times of reducing budgets.

The formal outputs of the co-operation included a DVD Focussing on low volume roads in the Northern Periphery and 11 technical reports.

ROADEX III, 2006-2007

File:ROADEX III reduced.png
ROADEX III logo

This third project was designed as a Dissemination and Implementation project to show how the strategies and practices developed under the previous projects could be used in practice and what benefits could result. This was aided by a variety of means including translating the reports into the partner languages; presentations at conferences, seminars and workshops; e-learning training packages, web based information; and trials of prototype solutions on local roads.

Five new organisations joined at this time: The Icelandic Road Administration, The Swedish Forest Agency, The Department of Transport and The National Roads Authority from Ireland, and The Municipality of Sisimiut of the Greenland Home Rule Government. The Swedish Board of Forestry, Dalarna/Gävleborg and The Association of Regional Road Authorities (RADOR),[11] Russia joined as Associate Partners.

An important new area of research at this time was the measurement of daily vibration in drivers of heavy vehicles caused by poorly maintained road networks. This vibration cannot be mitigated by modern trucks with modern suspension systems. It arises wholly as a result of the condition of the road. This was an important finding of the research.

Outputs of the project included 3 DVDs and 14 technical reports on the management and maintenance of roads, including the socio-economic benefits of rural roads to communities. HITRANS of Scotland was one of the first organisations to recommended the adoption of the new strategies[12]

The project received a RegioStars award[13] in 2009 by the Northern Periphery Programme[6].

ROADEX IV, 2009-2012

File:ROADEX IV reduced2.png
ROADEX IV logo

The fourth project[14] carried out a programme of demonstrations of strategies on live public roads.[15] The work was supported by a new consultancy service and web-based knowledge centre. Joint research and development continued in the areas of climate change,[16] road widening[17] and driver health issues.[18] The Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC)[19] and Coillte of Ireland joined as Associate Partners.

30 technical reports were published at the end of the project. These covered issues such as road drainage methods in different countries and road types, demonstrations of state-of-the-art road repairs and widening, road condition surveys and proposals for forest roads. The project concluded with a summary report on the benefits & savings[20] that could be acheived using the new strategies. The work on forest roads started to gain wider interest[21]

The ROADEX project was listed as a best case study for tangible benefits in the final summary report of the Northern Periphery Programme 2007–2013 entitled "Achievement".[22]

The ROADEX Network since 2012

File:ROADEX Network reduced.png
ROADEX Network logo

EU part-funding of the ROADEX projects ended in 2012 and the project continued at the partners' own cost under the new heading of ROADEX Network. Joint research continued[23][24][25][26] to keep the collaboration live and sharing information. External usage[27][28][29][30][31][32]

Recent noteworthy projects involving strategies developed by the project include: research into the effects of the new generations of heavy trucks on road surfaces[33][34]; and the PEHKO[35][36][37] 2015-2025 project in Finland. Further details on this last named project is given in a separate section below.

The E-learning suite

A major output for the project has been the suite of four web-based e-learning packages.[38] These packages were developed in response to demand form the partners and address the four main concerns for northern European road organisations.

  • Drainage of roads
  • Causes and solutions for deformations in roads
  • Road construction over peat
  • Environmental considerations for roads

The packages have received excellent reviews since they were released, and are now being used as self-learning undergraduate training packages in universities. All four are also available in the main partner languages of Icelandic, Finnish, Greenlandic, Norwegian and Swedish to make the learning experience easier for non-English readers. The English suite continues to be regularly reviewed and updated to keep the material valid.

The PEHKO Project (2015-2025)

Figures from the PEHKO project: LHS - Point Cloud screenshot showing rutting on the road surface. RHS - Survey vehicle equipped with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Laser Scanner, 3D accelerometer and digital video

The PEHKO Project is the first comprehensive application of the ROADEX strategies on a 10 year main road maintenance programme. The Finnish Transport Agency commissioned the long-term exercise in 2015 on two tests areas on the Kemi-Tornio and Karstula road networks to take place over the 10 year period to 2025.

The work involves using ROADEX strategies and analyses to formulate the maintenance plan for the test areas with the aim of reducing maintenance costs, whilst at the same time improving the condition of the network. The key operations being carried out are improved drainage maintenance, pro-active snow removal[39] and targeted repair of road sections that need action.

Early results in 2016[40] already showed clear benefits using the new strategies in the two test areas. In this knowledge the trials were extended to a third test network in the Uusimaa area outside Helsinki in 2018.

The PEHKO project was awarded the 2018 Global Road Achievement Award for ″Asset Preservation and Maintenance Management[7] by the International Road Federation. The project publishes results its results internationally[41][42]

The ROADEX website

The project website, www.roadex.org, contains everything that the project has done since 1998 as well as holding the elearning suite and knowledge centre. It is fully open accessOpen access icon and free to use by all. As of 2020 the project website was averaging over 5,000 users per month from around the world seeking information and solutions, including such countries as India (18%), USA (13%), Philippines (8%), Malaysia (5%), Nigeria (5%).

References

  1. ^ "European Campaign for Safe Road Design". Wikipedia. Wkimedia Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Banked turn". Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Cross slope". Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Traction (engineering)". Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Drainage gradient". Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  6. ^ a b "ROADEX receives special mentions RegioStars 2009". www.northernperiphery.eu.
  7. ^ a b "2018 Global Road Achievement Awards" (PDF). www.irf.global.
  8. ^ "ROADEX II". interreg.no. Interreg.no. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Norwegian hauliers association".
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Category:1998 establishments Category:Road transport in Europe Category:Northern Europe