Fugro pavement structure surveys for Highways England

For the first time as part of the routine network-wide survey of England’s strategic roads, Fugro has started scanning structural pavement condition data from lane 2 using Highways England’s Traffic Speed Deflectometer (TSD).

The global asset integrity specialist has been carrying out Traffic Speed Structural Surveys (TRASS) since autumn 2014 under a 3-year, £1.3M contract (TRASS 3), Highways England’s largest ever outsourced contract for pavement structural condition data. TRL, the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, is providing quality assurance and technical advice.

To date, Fugro operators have collected and processed TSD data on pavement strength from slip roads and lane 1 of the main line of the primary network.

Fugro achieved a faster survey rate than anticipated for the first half of the slip roads programme, enabling network-wide completion in the same year. This has accelerated the delivery of TSD data to Highways England to support the assessment and planning of slip road maintenance.

Also for the first time, integrated collection of ground penetrating radar (GPR) data is underway across all 14,000 carriageway-km of England’s primary roads to provide a continuous record of pavement structure and thickness.

The TSD data, with GPR data planned to follow, will be fed into Highways England’s Pavement Management System (HAPMS), enhancing the ability to monitor the condition of pavement assets, prioritise maintenance and improve cost forecasting. The GPR data will be used to interpret deflectometer readings, and for improved quality control and comparative analysis in HAPMS.

The TSD is a 20 tonne articulated survey lorry which assesses the structural condition of road pavements using state-of-the-art, contactless Doppler laser technology.

The progressive technology replaces traditional deflectograph surveys carried out at walking pace with a fully automated, computer controlled process working at traffic speed (80kph). As well as improving safety and survey rates, it brings improved repeatability and quality control to pavement strength assessment.

Fugro undertook the accreditation of the TSD as part of TRASS 3, a vital step in its application for network-wide coverage and delivery of data into a national asset management system.

Road testing of the TSD was carried out in two earlier contracts, TRASS 1 in 2011 followed by TRASS 2 in 2012 which was awarded to Fugro alongside two other contractors.