Skip to main content

EU project identifies critical road transport infrastructure

The results of the US3.2 million European Union (EU research project Security of Road Transport Networks (SeRoN) have been published by software and consulting services provider PTV Group and its seven partners. The report presents a methodology which allows planners to identify critical bridges and tunnels and to develop appropriate protection measures. As part of the EU’s 7th Framework Programme, the SeRoN project investigated the security of tunnels and bridges. To this end, the project partners develop
March 21, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
The results of the US3.2 million 1816 European Union (EU research project Security of Road Transport Networks (SeRoN) have been published by software and consulting services provider 3264 PTV Group and its seven partners.  The report presents a methodology which allows planners to identify critical bridges and tunnels and to develop appropriate protection measures.

As part of the EU’s 7th Framework Programme, the SeRoN project investigated the security of tunnels and bridges. To this end, the project partners developed a four-step approach: In a first step, the users identify and classify the tunnels and bridges that are relevant for the risk assessment within the selected study area. In step two, the network importance of the previously filtered infrastructure object is determined by means of a transport model (e.g. PTV Validate). Step three assesses the risk on the basis of a quantitative risk analysis (QRA). The risk assessment is based on specific scenarios (e.g. a truck fire in a tunnel) in order to be able to assess the impacts of an incident on the road user, the infrastructure object and the surrounding transport network. In a final step, the cost-effective protection measures are analysed.

"We have developed an innovative methodology for the analysis and assessment of road networks and infrastructure objects as part of the SeRoN project," says project manager Dr Ing. Georg Mayer, PTV Group. "This method provides road network operators and owners with a holistic approach to the identification of critical road infrastructures, thus allowing them to strengthen the security and resilience of their infrastructure."

"A major advantage of the four-step approach is the modular structure of the methodology, which means it can be implemented step by step," says Ingo Kaundinya, head of division, Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt/1938 German Federal Highway Research Institute), which supported the project. "Moreover, the methodology was tested thoroughly by our research institute. For the validation, we had access to a wealth of technical data on roads and infrastructure objects throughout Europe." BASt now wants to introduce this methodology to both road construction authorities and private operators.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Healthy prospects for floating vehicle data systems
    February 3, 2012
    Elmar Brockfeld, Alexander Sohr and Peter Wagner from the German Aerospace Center's Institute of Transport Systems look at the prospects for floating vehicle data systems. Although Floating Vehicle Data (FVD) or probe vehicle fleets have been around for about a decade, the idea behind them is of course much older: from probe vehicles that flow with the traffic it should be possible to get a precise, fast and spatially near-complete picture of the prevailing traffic flow conditions in an area under surveilla
  • Cybersecurity isn't infrastructure? Like hell it isn't
    December 9, 2021
    This recent quote by the Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans is instructive. The transportation industry has made significant strides in awareness of the cyber vulnerabilities of traffic systems. Despite these improvements, we’ve yet to see the majority of DOTs take sufficient cybersecurity actions.
  • Europe’s heavy trucks ‘no more fuel-efficient than ten years ago’
    December 4, 2015
    A study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) claims that trucks in the European Union are no more fuel-efficient than they were a decade ago. The study, which analyses data from the European commercial trucking market, looking at key member states, manufacturers and fuel consumption trend, found that heavy-duty vehicles represent only four per cent of the on-road fleet in the European Union, but are responsible for 30 per cent of on-road CO2 emissions. In contrast, the study cla
  • Success of first eCall tests in Greece
    October 2, 2012
    Greece has successfully completed the first tests of its automatic emergency call system, eCall, within the framework of the eCall pilot national research project, a European initiative intended to bring rapid assistance to motorists involved in a collision anywhere in the European Union. eCall uses a device installed in vehicles that will automatically dial 112 (the pre-assigned European emergency number) in the event of a road accident and wirelessly send airbag deployment, impact sensor information and G