TECHNICAL NOTE | Weather-driven deterioration of transportation infrastructure earthworks
By Stephanie Glendinning, Newcastle University, and the Achilles team
The Assessment, Costing and Enhancement of Long Life, Long Linear Assets (Achilles) research programme was sponsored by the UK Engineering and the Physical Science Research Council (now UK Research and Innovation). It involved the collaboration of six universities (Newcastle, Loughborough, Durham, Southampton, Bath and Leeds), the British Geological Survey and a large number of stakeholders, including Network Rail, HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd and National Highways.
The research built on substantial foundations from earlier collaborative research and is part of a continuing strategy to evaluate evidence for the long term, weather-driven deterioration of ageing transportation earthworks. In December 2023, the Achilles research programme came to an end, but our efforts to fill in the knowledge gaps will continue.
The research findings have been published in academic publications. Access to these may not always be straightforward and the Achilles team therefore compiled seven reading guides that summarise the main observations and outcomes from the research. These reading guides can be accessed through the Achilles website (https://lnkd.in/dQ6ewcVB).
Reading guide 1 introduces the Achilles conceptual model of deterioration; 2 describes how we have achieved a deeper understanding of deterioration affecting the clay materials that were our focus; 3 extends our understanding of deterioration at the long linear geotechnical asset scale; 4 outlines how we can assess the condition of our long linear geotechnical assets; 5 provides an overview of the design tools that Achilles has developed; 6 explains how Achilles sees data analytics playing a role in addressing deterioration of long linear geotechnical assets; and 7 discusses the complexities of the business case for timely intervention and mitigation.
This article provides a brief overview of these reading guides.
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Ph.D Candidate at Missouri University of Science and Technology
2moInteresting