Monitoring and Classifying Spring Thaw Weakening on Low Volume Roads in Northern Periphery

Abstract

The ROADEX II Project is a co-operation aimed at developing ways for interactive and innovative management of low traffic volume roads in the Northern Periphery Area in Europe. The goal for subproject 2.3 “Spring Thaw Weakening” was to collect information regarding one of the most difficult challenges in low volume road condition management in cold climate areas, managing road condition during the spring thaw weakening period in a way that minimizes the impact of transportation problems on local livelihoods without destroying road structures or reducing the service level of the road for the rest of the year. The survey has followed the Roadex II Project phase II theme of “understanding and analysis” by using new technologies to monitor spring thaw problems and then analysing the problem sections so as to better understand the processes behind the problems. Data collection for monitoring the seasonal changes and spring thaw weakening was done at five test sites in Scotland, Sweden and Finland. This paper presents a summary of the field tests and, based on these results, proposes a new classification for spring thaw weakening periods and typical spring thaw damages that can happen during these periods. This helps engineers to better focus on the problems and find more economical and sustainable solutions in managing spring thaw problems in their low volume road networks.