Part 1, Information and communication technologies (IuK-Technologies) for the optimization of road maintenance management: Information and communication technologies (IuK-Technologies) are used in many work and organizational processes of road maintenance to make operating procedures easier and safer, to increase the quality of the performance, as well as, to provide full data and information for the administrative and political leadership, for road users and the public. The potential of IuK-Technologies is often not fully used the in road maintenance. The analysis of requirements and possibilities of IuK-Technologies was the purpose of this RD-project. The requirements of road maintenance regarding the use of IuK-Technologies consider the current practice as well as future developments, for example, the introduction of economic management of the road maintenance. In order to ensure a successful introduction and operation of IuK-Technologies, beside functionality and quality of the technical components, the consideration of organizational and operational processes in road maintenance is of great significance. The investigations regarding the mobile voice and data communication indicated that in case of the discontinuance of the existing radio communication, the use of commercial mobile communication should be taken into consideration besides an independent build up of digital radio networks. Economic management essentially needs automatic field data recording, as well as, full network data management, in which objects can also be identified by RFID-devices. In winter maintenance, the use of non-contact sensors should be increased for the measurement of the road surface temperature and -condition. Salt management systems offer (among other things) the monitoring of the stock of spreading salt at unmanned sites, as well as, superior logistics in case of a supply shortage. Systems that support the drivers of winter maintenance vehicles are also important. With this aid, the maintenance can perform more complementary to the requirements and more flexible. New and innovative IuK-Technologies which reveal a high potential in road maintenance have been analyzed. E. g.: the mobile determination of road conditions for winter maintenance through vehicles of maintenance or those of individual drivers, alternative channels of communication for warning the road users of work zones in roadway areas, and the autonomous driving of mobile traffic signs. The latter can significantly reduce the risk of accidents for personnel of maintenance in roadway areas. However, further research and development activities are needed in order to apply IuK-Technologies efficiently in road maintenance, as well as, to be able to fully evaluate their benefits. Part 2, Autonomous Driving for the Road Maintenance Service: Employees of the maintenance service are exposed to a large number of hazards when working on motorways. Securing short-term work places requires a high number of man-hours. In the framework of FE-project ” Information and Communication Techniques for Optimising Maintenance Service Management” it became clear that the use of autonomous vehicles in the maintenance service can offer extensive possibilities for reducing the dangers to staff working in traffic areas. In an ancillary investigation, the approach to development “Autonomous driving for the road maintenance service” was substantiated. The concept of a minimal solution was investigated in which an autonomously driving closure vehicle could be realised, which follows a leading vehicle on the motorway. In a 2nd. comprehensive overall concept, the automation of an entire protective convoy with closure and advance warning vehicles including an unmanned approach to the motorway on non-public roads is envisaged. In its technical implementation, this concerns driving in formation or follow-up runs on the motorway during the operational scenarios of the unmanned vehicles. Unmanned vehicles with displayed functions can offer a clear increase in safety for maintenance service employees. A first assessment revealed that 70 % of accidents concerning employees in vehicles in short-term work places on motorways can be prevented by safeguarding places of work with unmanned technologies. This corresponds to about half of the overall accidents of third-party responsibility in short-term work places on motorways. There is a clear need for research to clarify technical and legal questions regarding the implementation of unmanned safety vehicles, especially in respect of prognosis and early detection of malfunctions. For the implementation of the two proposed systems, it is necessary to have authorisation for regular daily operations. For this, many legal questions still remain unsettled. Therefore, the implementation of unmanned safety vehicles in the maintenance service can serve as an extensive pilot project for unmanned driving in general or for implementation in other industries. (Author/publisher)
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