Saving Lives, Money and Resources through Innovation
Main Roads’ collaborative research initiative, the Western Australian Road Research and Innovation Program (WARRIP), was recognised with both a state and national Innovation Award during 2020. The awards, from the Australian Flexible Pavement Association, acknowledge the program’s role in introducing and helping implement new technologies in industry.
With almost 40 projects completed – WARRIP has provided novel outcomes and ground-breaking solutions for us and our contractors. The program focuses on road pavement and surfacing, structures, asset management and implementation of innovative materials engineering.
The research program is the cornerstone of a collaborative research agreement, commenced in 2015, with the Australian Road Research Board. The agreement aims for capital cost savings and an improved rate of return through targeted investigation, development and knowledge transfer of new technologies and practices in road transport infrastructure.
WARRIP has worked closely with the flexible pavements industry since its inception. It enlists our own experts working with the Australian Road Research Board, academia and industry to evaluate these advancements for use in building, maintaining and operating our largely remote and expansive road network that crosses varying climatic zones and geographical regions.
Examples of WARRIP contributing to our state’s road network becoming safer, more cost-effective and having a reduced environmental impact include:
- exploring the use of asset inventory data to automatically generate Australian Road Assessment Program and Australian National Risk Assessment Model risk ratings for quick and efficient identification of below-standard road sections
- reducing the design thickness of asphalt pavements through improved characterisation of material properties, based on the operating conditions in Western Australia
- developing opportunities for beneficial recycling of waste material from other industries to improve the properties of products used in roadbuilding, such as using crumb rubber from tyres in the manufacture of bituminous binders to improve durability, reduce demand for petroleum-derived products and divert waste materials from landfill.
WARRIP recognises that innovations are constantly emerging and have the potential to enhance the performance, safety, sustainability and durability of Western Australia’s road network. To find out more about the program or to get an update on what its currently pursuing, visit its dedicated website.
