World-first technology to map out safer roads

World-first technology is being used to assess the condition of South Australia’s roads and ensure maintenance is carried out more efficiently across the state’s road network.

An Intelligent Pavement Assessment Vehicle, iPAVE, has started collecting vital road data across all state-maintained roads and highways, with the information to be used to help determine future road maintenance and prioritise repairs and upgrades.

Developed in Denmark, the iPAVE technology is fitted to a truck and uses a series of lasers and video cameras to assess road texture, condition and bearing capacity in a single pass while travelling at highway speeds.

The iPAVE truck, deployed in South Australia for the first time, will cover nearly 400 roads across SA, providing rapid data collection without the need for traffic control.

The cutting-edge system will provide a clear insight into what’s happening on the road surface, such as cracking, along with ground-penetrating radar to assess structural conditions underneath – allowing maintenance crews to make faster informed decisions on where works are needed most.

Data obtained will be used to assess the bearing capacity of the pavement, including the impact of flooding and water ponding, pinpointing areas where the pavement may be subject to failure and guiding long-term investment to improve safety.

Findings will also form part of the Minister for Regional Roads’ commitment to conduct an audit of regional roads and ensure local communities’ transport needs are met.

Since its launch last month, the iPAVE has completed 2,500km out of 18,000km as part of a joint survey between the National Transport Research Organisation and Department for Infrastructure and Transport.

Areas covered include Glen Osmond Road, the South Eastern Freeway and parts of Stott Highway and Karoonda Highway. Further surveying will next take place in the Murray and Mallee, Fleurieu and North Adelaide regions.

The survey on South Australians roads is due to be completed in April next year.

This latest system – the third iPAVE truck – follows two previous models which have collected data across more than 400,000 kilometres of Australian and New Zealand roads.

Photos of Minister Brock and NTRO Chief Operating Officer Richard Yeo with the new iPAVE at DIT’s Walkley Heights depot are available here: dropbox.com/scl/fo/3hmy1wm509pq3rjerw3jn/h?rlkey=3w6skc62i9lru9m498h5rsnt2&dl=0

As put by Geoff Brock

This is a road safety game changer for our state and will allow us to assess and maintain roads more efficiently than ever before.

Not only will the iPAVE 3 help our maintenance teams make faster informed decisions, the fully equipped truck will also help us undertake road evaluations safely and without disrupting the flow of traffic.

The survey being carried out will lead to outcomes which benefit all South Australians who use our key metropolitan and regional roads every day.

We are committed to ensuring local communities have access to well maintained, reliable road networks for future generations.

As put by NTRO CEO Michael Caltabiano

The power of the new datasets that the Department for Infrastructure and Transport will have, means that there will be more informed decision-making about road maintenance treatments required, and the best timing for repairs.

Implementing new asset management systems lead to better community outcomes through the more effective use of public funds.

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