Transport Infrastructure Engineering

World-class, cost-effective solutions for your road problems

The Transport Infrastructure Engineering research group forms part of the Infrastructure Engineering competence area of CSIR Built Environment. It is a renowned research, development and implementing agency in the road engineering field with over 50 years of experience.

On this page:

• Aim
• Recent research and technology development projects
• Current projects
• Key competencies and services
• Products
• Experience
• Factsheet

Aim

The Transport Infrastructure Engineering Research Group strives to effectively and efficiently deliver practical, innovative, knowledge-based solutions addressing the infrastructure needs of the transport sector. The group plays a leading role in the development, application and transfer of processes and technologies for the design, construction, maintenance and management of transport infrastructure. Its aim is to ensure that anyone can access the CSIR's advanced skills to strengthen their capabilities.

The group consists of a team of professionals specialising in all aspects of transport infrastructure design, construction, maintenance and rehabilitation, including the assessment of materials and pavement behaviour, and performance modelling. The senior engineers and technologists in the team have international standing and are well-known in their areas of specialisation through their contributions to the advancement of transport infrastructure engineering.

Recent research and technology development projects

The CSIR has made a major contribution in establishing South Africa 's pre-eminence in the roads field. The organization has also been instrumental in setting standards for road design and rehabilitation in South Africa and in the SADC region.

Examples of recently completed research and technology development projects include:

• Assessment of the performance of low-volume roads in the Western Cape under accelerated trafficking with the Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS) (2003);
• Assessment of tyre contact stresses of heavy vehicles at the Heidelberg Traffic Control Centre using Stress-in-Motion (SIM) technology (2003);
• Development of the Road Infrastructure Strategic Framework for South Africa (2003);
• Development of performance indicators for metropolitan road authorities (2003);
• Development of mix design, structural design and construction guidelines for foamed-bitumen and bitumen-emulsion treated materials for use as base courses (2004);
• Assessment of load transfer across jointed concrete slabs and determination of the residual life of concrete inlays using accelerated pavement testing with the Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS) (2004);
• Establishment of linkages between Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) and Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT) on behalf of the TRB (2004);
• Development of cold in-place recycling guidelines and specifications for Malaysia (2004);
• Compaction potential of bituminous treated materials (2004);
• Development of Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) evaluation protocols (2004);
• Upgrading of industrial roads using continuously-reinforced thin concrete (2004);
• Development of guidelines for the stabilisation of materials using cement and lime (2004);
• Fit-for-purpose certification of non-traditional road additives for gravel roads (2004);
• Comparative study on the vehicle-pavement contact stresses between the Heavy Vehicle Simulator and the Mobile Load Simulator (model version) (2005);
• "Kalahari sands" (2005);
• Field validation of compaction specifications for cold in-place recycled mixes with bitumen-emulsion and foamed bitumen (2005);
• Study into appropriate instrumentation for Heavy Vehicle Simulator and Long-Term Pavement Performance testing (2005);
• Study into the appropriate use of hydraulic binders in Uganda (2005);
• Development of Agrément South Africa certification criteria for proprietary thin-layer asphalt mixes (2005);
• Appropriate use of sulphanated Petroleum Products (SPPs) in road construction (2005);
• Development of guidelines on asphalt reinforcement (2005);
• Forensic investigation into the performance of hot-mix asphalt wearing courses in the Province of Gauteng (2006);
• Various audits, expert appraisals and forensic studies conducted in Africa (ongoing).

Current projects

The Transport Infrastructure Engineering Research Group is currently involved in the following science, engineering and technology initiatives:

• Study into the performance characteristics of ultra-thin heavily reinforced concrete surfacings;
• Development of mechanistic-empirical design models for unbound granular pavement layers;
• Laboratory and field assessment of the permanent deformation characteristics of hot-mix asphalt;
• Development of nono-particles and -phosphor technology for inclusion into infrastructure in order to provide luminescent properties;
• Study into the use of 3D X-ray computed tomography, micro-sensors and discrete elements to model particulate media;
• Development of agriculture-based binders as an alternative to the use of bitumen;
• Development of wireless and faster instrumentation for use in accelerated pavement testing and long-term pavement performance studies;
• Application of seismic analysis for the identification of pavement specific problems;
• Development of a pavement materials database based on Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM);
• Incorporation of vehicle-pavement contact stresses in finite element modelling systems;
• Application of soil mapping in infrastructure engineering;
• Development of Ghanaian standard specifications for roads and bridge works;
• Feasibility study into the implementation of a roads agency in the North-West Province ;
• Technical audit of construction projects undertaken by the Roads Agency of the Province of Limpopo.

Key competencies and services

Pavement design
Structural analysis, modelling and design of flexible and rigid pavements.

• Structural design methods
  • Empirical
  • Mechanistic-empirical
• Advanced material modelling
  • Modelling the resilient (elastic) response of materials
  • Modelling the distress (plastic) response of materials
  • Combined resilient and distress modelling
• Deflection analysis
  • Deflection basin analysis
  • Back-calculation of layer properties

Vehicle/infrastructure interaction and full-scale assessment
Characterising and modelling of vehicle loading and the full-scale assessment of the behaviour and performance of infrastructure systems (rail, runways and roads) subjected to these loads.

• Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT), Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) and pavement surveillance, and associated instrumentation technology
• Traffic characterization
  • The impact of vehicle dynamics on pavement systems
  • Stress-in-Motion (SIM) technology
• Vehicle operation optimisation
  • Characterisation of contact stresses for the optimisation of tyre designs
  • The balancing of vehicle load distribution (vertical SIM)

Materials design and optimisation
Development of procedures, test methods and specifications to optimise material properties such as bearing strength, flexibility, durability, etc. We offer expertise in characterising and modelling of granular materials, stabilised materials, including cement-, emulsion- and foam bitumen-treatment, hot-mix asphalt, cement concrete, surface dressings and special purpose materials, including waste and recycled materials and innovative materials such as nano-phosphor and organic binders. These are backed up by comprehensive laboratory testing facilities.

Construction and maintenance of infrastructure assets
Developing special purpose construction techniques and appropriate construction specifications for the construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure, and the transfer of best practice to industry.

• Pavement rehabilitation techniques
  • Cold in-place recycling, including bitumen-emulsion and foamed-bitumen treated materials for base courses
  • Hot in-place recycling of asphalt
• Products for routine maintenance
• Re-gravelling and maintenance of gravel roads
• Stabilisation techniques for unbound materials and dust control on gravel roads
• Upgrading techniques and solutions for gravel roads
• Maintenance of mine and forest haul roads
• Performance audits
• Economic analysis and modelling of alternative designs

Material sourcing and management
Identification and management of natural and alternative material sources and the management of hazards associated with massive earth structures.

• Identification of material sources (natural resources & waste materials)
• Management of material sources
• Geotechnical hazard management
  • Probabilistic design, risk of failure and impact of failure
  • Maintenance strategies
• Strategic assessment of sustainability

Infrastructure management
Developing conceptual pavement management systems and decision support systems, including the development of road-specific key performance indicators.

Products

Pavement analysis & design software (pads):

• me PADS : mechanistic-empirical layered elastic pavement structural design;
• fe PADS : mechanistic-empirical layered finite element structural design;
• traf PADS : pavement structural design using realistic load characteristics;
• back PADS : back-calculation of layer moduli from deflection measurements;
• winDCP : analysis of Dynamic Cone Penetrometer measurements;
• COMPACT : Volumetric design of road construction materials.

Heavy vehicle simulator (hvs) and associated instrumentation

• Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS);
• multi-depth deflectometer;
• crack activity meter;
• laser profilometer;
• road-surface deflectometer.

Specialised road surveillance equipment:

• dust monitor (DM);
• water-spray meter (WSM);
• automatic dynamic cone penetrometer (ADCP);
• tyre/road contact Stress-in-Motion sensor (SIM);
• linear displacement integrator (LDI);
• dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP);
• rapid compaction control device (RCCD).

Test equipment (field and laboratory products)

• gravel roads test kit;
• twin-shaft pug mill laboratory mixer;
• Durability Mill Index test apparatus;
• K-mould;
• strain-at-break apparatus;
• mini-falling weight deflectometer (M-FWD);
• erosion tester;
• bitumen-quality test kit;
• vialit adhesion device;
• torsional recovery apparatus;
• Average Least Dimension (ALD) equipment;
• wheel-tracking device;
• concrete cube press;
• walking profilometer;
• Nuclear gauge calibration blocks.

Experience

The group has worked in Africa , the Middle East , Europe , North America , Australasia and Asia , but its roots and primary expertise is in Africa. The CSIR's knowledge of the region is unsurpassed, and its services can be used to identify and solve the problems of clients.

The CSIR's background is research and development, and the organisation has specialized tools and facilities at its disposal to complement its efforts, as well as those of consultants with whom it is working.

Prime among these is the Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS), the most advanced Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT) device in the world. The CSIR's 30 years of unique APT experience has been gained in close cooperation with, and support from, the major road authorities in South Africa , the private sector and academia, through a partnered management approach. The technology has been exported internationally, to the extent that six HVSs are now operating outside South Africa.

One of the CSIR's latest innovations is the Stress-in-Motion (SIM) system that is able to measure tyre/road interface stresses under moving wheel loads. It measures simultaneously the vertical, transverse and longitudinal interface stresses. This information is one of the most important inputs into pavement design systems, and is also of great interest to tyre manufacturers.

The Advanced Materials Testing Laboratories associated with the Infrastructure Engineering Group have, throughout their history, played a vital role in shaping the South African transport infrastructure industry, and have been a significant contributor in establishing South Africa as a world leader in pavement engineering. Their activities have supported the development of appropriate guidelines and specifications (i.e. TRH, UTG, TMH and other industry guidelines such as the Sabita and Asphalt Academy Manuals), and assisted producers and contractors in the development and/or optimisation of new road products. In addition to the above, the Advanced Materials Testing Laboratories have also fulfilled the important function of operating as an independent reference laboratory and/or forensic laboratory for the local and international road construction industry.

The Product Development Centre converts innovative ideas into products and solutions. The Centre is supported by fully-equipped mechanical workshops, as well as by electronic and IT specialists. It is geared to manufacture APT-associated equipment, surveillance equipment and laboratory and field-testing equipment.

The CSIR's advanced instrumentation, including state-of-the-art road and tyre stress transducers, leading-edge analytical capability and in-depth knowledge of road behaviour and performance, enables the organisation to solve a wide range of road problems. As an intrinsic part of its research and development heritage, the CSIR can also impart this knowledge through technology transfer and training courses, in association with the Technology Transfer Centre and the Asphalt Academy, customized for the needs of specific clients.