Compared to paved roads gravel roads and forest roads are much more sensitive to seasonal changes. This chapter will summarize different techniques and policies to manage them.
10.1 General
This chapter will focus on managing seasonal changes in gravel and forest roads.
10.2 Monitoring and predicting seasonal changes
10.2.1 Monitoring moisture and frost
Introduction about the technologies on how to monitor moisture contents in gravel road structures and subgrade soils.
Static techniques: TDR technique, Percostations, frost probes,
Moving techniques: GPR
10.2.2 Forecasting seasonal changes
How to prepare forecasts
10.2.3 Monitoring road bearing capacity
Presenting techniques on how to monitor bearing capacity of gravel roads during the weakest season. FWD, LWD and DCP will be introduced.
10.3 Traffic management, load restrictions
10.3.1 How to prevent / minimize the impact of seasonal changes
Descriptions of how road owners can prevent or at least minimize the impact of the heavy transport related road damages during the spring thaw. The solutions mainly involve co-operations with industry about logistics, such as early announcements about the roads to be closed and building temporary storage facilities beside the higher class roads.
10.3.2 Managing traffic during critical season
Especially in many gravel roads, road owners need to accept that certain heavy vehicles need to use the roads. This chapter provides a summary of the policies on how road owners can handle traffic during the spring thaw season or during rainy seasons. Discussions will be made on time slots, night time transports etc
10.3.3 Load restriction types and how to control them
Discussions of different types of load restrictions (axle weight, total weight, vehicle type etc). Also information will be given about different legal enforcement policies for load restrictions, ie who does the monitoring and who can give sanctions etc.
10.3.4 When to apply and close load restrictions
This chapter will report on techniques and practices for the decision processes when load restrictions should be implemented and when they can be removed.
10.4 Road friendly vehicles
Introduction to road friendly vehicles and CTI. Good stuff already from other ROADEX elearning.
10.5 Emergency repair techniques
Finally some guidelines of best practices and techniques on what to do in the case of road failures when road structures becomes plastic.