Research themes
- Road Asset Management
- Railway Asset Management
Research activity
Road Asset Management
1) CRISPS (2020-22) – Climate resilient sustainable road pavement surfacings.
Principal investigator. This 24-month project, sponsored by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) under its High Volume Transport Programme, is assessing the suitability of three global best practice types of road surfacing technologies for use in low income countries to counter the impacts of climate change. The methodology consists of assessing the life cycle costs of the three technologies, developing quality control approaches and trialling the technologies in Ethiopia. A team of world leading academic institutions, practitioners and an international road membership organisation is undertaking the work. The consortium is led by the University of Birmingham (UoB) in collaboration with the University of Auckland (UoA), the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and the International Road Federation (IRF) Geneva.
2. Resilient Sustainable Roads for Ethiopia (2015-2021).
Principal Investigator.
This road research project for the Ethiopian Road Authority (ERA) is addressing the following specific issues:
- Evaluation of different types of road pavement surfacing (AC, Sprayed seals, Concrete etc.) in terms of resilience to climatic impact via an analysis of life cycle cost benefit
- Defining and developing appropriate financing and maintenance strategies for Ethiopia’s Road Networks
- Assessment of causes and remedial measures for road failures in the road network of Ethiopia
- Development of appropriate recycling technologies for road construction and maintenance in Ethiopia
- Investigation of the practice domestic contractors in managing risks: Focus on contractors involving in Federal Road Construction Projects
- Evaluation of preservation activities on performance of road pavements in Ethiopia terms of life cycle costing
The project is also supporting capacity building and dissemination within the ERA and local universities whereby staff are trained in research focusing on the above areas.
3. Implementation of road asset management system for Gambia National Roads Authority (2018 – 2021).
Principal Investigator.
This research and capacity building project for the Gambian National Roads Authority (GNRA) involves researching, developing and implementing a pavement management system for the GNRA to manage the maintenance of the Gambia’s entire road network. This is allied to developing and delivering a programme of research needs assessment allied to bespoke training in road management and geotechnical engineering for roads.
4. A Systems Approach to Air Pollution in East Africa (ASAP-East Africa)
Co-Investigator.
ASAP brings together leading UK and East African researchers in air pollution, infrastructure asset management, urban planning, economic geography, public health, social sciences and development studies to provide a framework for improved air quality management in East African cities. This timely and responsive programme of activity will enhance local decision-making abilities to improve urban air quality, reduce the effects of air pollution upon human health, and allow for sustainable development to proceed without further deterioration in air quality. ASAP applies a rigorous approach to diagnosing the integrated urbanisation challenges facing East African cities, with a focus on the development of a holistic diagnosis that places the causes and impacts of air pollution in the context of the city’s interlinked systems. It seeks to address the numerous development issues associated with poor air quality, and initiate a new framework for deconstructing cities, fostering a more liveable and sustainable urbanisation.
5. Knowledge for Development (K4D) (2016-2021)
Infrastructure Theme Lead.
The £7.5 m K4D FCDO funded project supports learning and the use of evidence to improve the impact of development policy and programmes. The programme is designed to assist FCDO and other partners to be innovative and responsive to rapidly changing and complex development challenges.
The evidence of what works in the challenging and uncertain contexts in which we work is highly complex. Without this evidence, programmes would not be designed for maximum impact and could be poor value for money. K4D provides an integrated approach to linking organisational learning processes with the use of evidence from research.
K4D is implemented by a consortium of leading knowledge institutions based in the UK, led by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), with the University of Birmingham, International Development Department (IDD); Education Development Trust; Itad; the University of Leeds, Nuffield Centre for International Health & Development; Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM); and the University of Manchester, Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI).
Railway Asset Management
1. Use of innovative low maintenance materials for drainage components (2020-2021).
Principal Investigator.
This Network Rail funded research project is developing an innovative drainage product proof of concept based on a synthetic evapotranspiration system. The research consists of a horizon scan of drainage products and materials, the development of a proof of concept and testing the proof of concept.
2. Railway Track Fixity (2020-21).
Principal investigator.
The project is developing a process, which can be used by Network Rail to provide a track fixity parameter to every profile on the railway network.
To achieve this the project is:
- Identifying and reviewing the factors which affect track fixity.
- Gathering a comprehensive data set that includes historical track movement values as a function of the associated factors affecting track fixity.
- Developing a machine learning based probabilistic tool which can assign track fixity values to individual track profiles.
- Using and applying the tool to explore the sensitivity of track fixity to the factors affecting track fixity.