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.

Related Content

  • New software aids traffic studies
    January 7, 2013
    New software from the PTV Group enables users to carry out traffic studies necessitated by planned housing schemes or shopping centre construction, which could have a substantial influence on traffic management. According to PTV, its PTV Vistro software simplifies traffic studies and allows users to quickly create networks, while at the same time enabling them to optimise traffic signals. The user can specify the geometry of the network, add data from traffic counts and specify traffic control rules for in
  • Liberty Electric Cars participates in ‘Deliver’ project
    April 27, 2012
    Liberty Electric Cars has been selected to become one of the major partners of the project thanks to its extensive experience in electric commercial vehicle engineering and design. Its team of experts played a crucial role in the development of the Modec truck, a range of 5.5t commercial vehicles that have been sold to a wide variety of customers across Europe. Operators of the Modec truck include global companies like FedEx, UPS, Tesco’s and Veolia. Their unique team of engineers have created EVs that have
  • Europe’s EasyWay project accommodates political requirements
    May 29, 2013
    The EasyWay project has evolved to take account of political developments at the European level. By Jason Barnes The European Union’s (EU’s) EasyWay ITS deployment project has its roots in the ambitions of former European Commission President Jacques Delors with regard to truly international networks for energy, information and for transport. Definition of what became known as the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) began back in 1994 with seven working groups. They produced an R&D and policy framework
  • ASECAP report details division of concession risks in EU
    April 1, 2015
    ASECAP, the association of European tolling companies, has published a report which outlines the challenges facing authorities and tolling companies in the European Union in complying with the Directives 2014/23/EU and 2014/24/EU. The new directives come into force in April 2016 and refine and strengthen the definition of a concession and establish procurement rules for contracting authorities in respect of public contracts. One of the key areas in defining a concession is that the concessionaire must b