The aim of R&D is to achieve macroeconomic optimisation of surfacing maintenance. Maintenance in Sweden costs about SEK 2000m annually. Costs to road users are determined by functional properties of surfacing. R&d problems are: how are road user costs affected by properties of road surface; how are maintenance costs affected by maintenance strategies. Owing to abrasion, degradation and ageing, functional properties of the road/road surface change. This can be counteracted by surface dressing. Little is known of degradation processes. Effects must be evaluated. Greater attention must be given to comfort. Traffic parameters e.g. use of studded tyres and proportion of heavy vehicles must be determined.
Abstract