Overview
Transport is among the main development agents of the European economy and it has a significant environmental impact. Even though the environmental impact of transport is more directly related with energy consumption, it is also associated with other factors depending on the physical and economic sustainability of the infrastructures.
The development of new infrastructure projects are usually analysed only taking into account the minimisation of construction costs, whereas the service costs related with maintenance and rehabilitation are in most cases disregarded. Indeed, the sustainability of infrastructure implies a careful analysis from conception and construction, to the rehabilitation and maintenance requirements throughout its lifespan.
The project's main goal is to create a DURATINET network of excellence to facilitate an efficient exchange and transfer of knowledge to promote the durability, safety and sustainability of transport infrastructures.
Taking into account this context, a work plan was set out including the following actions:
- Production of guidelines for maintenance of reinforced concrete and steel infrastructures.
- Creation of new competences at an infrastructure maintenance level, to identify new requirements from structures' owners on quality control of repair products and rehabilitation processes.
- Development of a DURATINET web platform with the all the project's information and free access for the community in order to maintain the network's results alive.
Funding
Results
Several publications have been produced in the project. Some of them correspond to interim reports and were prepared during different phases of project execution, therefore are not for public dissemination. Some of these interim reports originated final public reports. All public publications can be downloaded from the network website (http://www.duratinet.org/)
- Technical guide on maintenance/repair of concrete and steel transport infrastructure,containing 12 volumes (public)
- 32 interim reports (not public) concerning different subjects developed during the project
- 10 technical reports (public)
- 31 technical papers for Scientific Journals and international or national conferences (public) prepared with DURATINET support
- 7 DURATINET Newsletters (public)
- One project activities summary report (public)
- A booklet for TG dissemination(public)
- Book containing the supporting texts prepared for the technical course (public)
- Power point presentations done by speakers in the 7 workshops (public)
- Several posters, flyers and press news (public)