The Pavement and Surfacings technical discipline is at the forefront of pavement engineering research, delivering economic, environmental and social benefits to the people of Western Australia.

This research and development area is delivering new and innovative pavement solutions and fit-for-purpose use of existing materials that will contribute to lower-cost, high-quality infrastructure specifically geared towards WA’s unique road network including:

• Design of road pavement and surfacings with existing, new or alternative materials and processes (i.e. reclaimed asphalt, recycled crushed glass, etc.);
• Rehabilitation of existing pavements, testing and pavement maintenance;
• Bituminous surfacing design, asphalt pavement design and construction, in addition to spray sealing and associated treatments.

Since the WARRIP’s inception, a selection of major outcomes stemming from the Pavement and Surfacings technical discipline include:

• Structural design of new pavements including a major revision of Main Roads Engineering Road Note 9
  to align with the updated Austroads Guide to Pavement Technology Part 2;
• Evaluation of existing pavements including development of a new Main Roads Engineering Road Note
  aligned with the updated Austroads Guide to Pavement Technology Part 5;
• Use of traffic speed deflectometer (TSD) in network-level assessment and
  project-level treatment selection and design;
• Improved design of modified pavement materials to provide higher modulus
  and rut-resistance whilst managing the risk of reflective cracking;
• Advanced asphalt mix designs including:
  • improved asphalt characterisation and comparison of laboratory tests
    for rut-resistance,
  • crumb rubber modified asphalt,
  • increased use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), and
  • introduction of high modulus asphalt (EME2);
• Bituminous binders:
  • development of crumb rubber modified binders to be used in asphalt and
  • comparing the in-service performance of different PMB grades for asphalt and sprayed seals;
• Updating Main Roads specifications based on national and international best practice and robust research evidence.

Furthermore, collaboration with industry, academia, and government agencies is a key strategy to maximising the benefits delivered to WA.