|
|
|
CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW NARC Short Course Brochure 2010
Members Click Here to access the NARC Member pages
Executive Summary
NARC Research Studentships
Members
Management Committee
Background
Objectives
Membership
Consortium Activities
Benefits to Members
Membership Fee
Contact Information
Other Useful Web Sites
Short Courses
Previous Meeting Themes
The Nottingham Asphalt Research Consortium is a research-led collaboration between the Universities of Nottingham and Cambridge and organisations in the asphalt and related industries. The Consortium meets at regular intervals and provides the opportunity for a co-operative dialogue between academia and industry with a view to developing innovative solutions to engineering problems.
The first NARC research studentship was established in 1998 at the University of Nottingham to characterise the visco-elasto-plastic behaviour of typical UK Asphalt Materials. Dr Stuart Dunhill worked on this 3 year project that had funding from NARC, the University of Nottingham, the Institution of Highways and Transportation Mike Hardy Award, and the Worshipful Company of Paviors. Click here for more information on Stuart's project. Executive summary that was prepared for NARC members. Project poster.
The second NARC research studentship was established in 2001 at the University of Cambridge to develop constitutive models of the transient behaviour of idealised asphalt mixtures. Dr Alex Ossa worked on this 3 year project funded primarily from NARC. Click here for more information and project poster. Further information can be obtained from David Cebon
The third research studentship was established in 2002 at the University of Nottingham on Discrete Element Modelling of Asphalt Mixtures. Dr York Lee worked on this 3 year project funded primarily from NARC. Click here for more information and project poster. Further information about this project can be obtained from Andrew Collop.
The fourth NARC studentship was established in 2005 at the University of Cambridge on Fracture Mechanics of Asphalt Mixes. Mr Oscar Portillo worked on this project which was funded by NARC and was completed. Click here for more information and project poster. Further information can be obtained from the University of Cambridge.
Will Goodrum has recently started a new project at the University of Cambridge on Design and Performance of Lightly Trafficked Roads, which is partially funded by NARC as well as the New South Wales RTA. A summary of Will's work can be found here.
The current ordinary members of the Consortium are:
- Acland
- Asphalt Reinforcement Services
- Atkins
- CAPITA Symonds
- Chris Britton Consultancy
- Colas
- Cooper Group
- Excel Industries
- Hanson Aggregates
- Highways Agency
- Jacobs
- Jean Lefebvre
- Lincs County Council
- Maccaferri
- Mouchel Parkman
- NTEC
- Norfolk County Council
- Nynas Bitumen UK
- Scott Wilson
- Shell Bitumen
- Surrey County Council
- Tarmac
- Tensar International
- Total Bitumen
- TRL
- Transport Scotland
- Institute of Asphalt Technology (Observer Status)
Academic Members
Mr Bob Noakes, Norfolk County Council
Mr Steve Biczysko, Atkins
Mr David Lee, Highways Agency
Research in Pavement Engineering has been in progress in the Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre, School of Civil Engineering at University of Nottingham since 1954 and has contributed significantly to developments in this branch of highway engineering. The group is recognised nationally and internationally for its extensive laboratory facilities, and is a leading university research centre in pavement engineering both in the UK and overseas. The current work under Professor AC Collop is concerned with: (i) the mechanical properties of all paving materials, including the use of geosynthetics, recycled materials and bitumen emulsions; (ii) the development of analytically based methods of pavement design, and (iii) structural evaluation of existing pavements. The research team currently comprises 8 full-time members of the academic staff; Professor AC Collop, Professor GD Airey, Professor J Andrews, Mr AR Dawson, Dr T Parry, Dr LD Bennett, Dr R Remenyte-Prescott and Dr J Grenfell, one part-time member of academic staff - Dr NH Thom, one Senior Experimental Officer - Mr BV Brodrick, 6 research fellows, 28 full-time and 8 part-time research students. The centre's research work has been widely supported by UK and overseas bodies through contracts from industry, government research council awards, and co-operative awards such as the LINK scheme. The group has an annual income in excess of £1m. All of the research projects undertaken by the group are linked closely to industry.
Research on vehicle-pavement interaction has been undertaken at the University of Cambridge since 1981. The research group is unusual, in that it investigates both the mechanical engineering (vehicles) and civil engineering (pavements and materials) aspects of the highway system. Areas of specialisation include: the damage mechanisms of asphalt paving materials (research performed in collaboration with experts in the materials, micromechanics, solid mechanics, and soils groups); the response of road surfaces and bridges to vehicle loads; vehicle-road interaction; dynamics of heavy vehicles; and weigh-in-motion. The research team is led by Professor D Cebon, and typically consists of 2-3 post-doctoral research associates, and 4-6 research students. The research is funded by grants from the EPSRC and EC as well as various US sources and the vehicle industry. The group has close contacts throughout the European heavy vehicle industry, with MIRA, TRL, DRA, and other universities world-wide.
The Consortium described in this document is a collaborative venture between organisations involved in the asphalt and related industries and researchers in Nottingham and Cambridge Universities.
The main objectives of the Consortium are to:
- Promote the technical advancement and application of bituminous materials and related products.
- Bring together members of the asphalt and related industries in a co-operative group, in order to research and develop innovative solutions to pavement engineering problems.
- Develop/improve working relationships between the member organisations, with a view to co-operative exploitation of any research ideas and results.
- Improve the transfer of research and technology between the universities and industry.
- Seek collaboration with other research organisations world-wide.
- Identify needs for (and host) short courses and workshops.
Membership is open to organisations in the UK who have an interest in the following areas:
- Aggregate and blacktop production,
- Bitumen production,
- Client organisations (local authorities etc),
- Emulsion manufacture,
- Geotextile and geo-grid manufacture,
- Pavement engineering consultancy.
Membership is not limited to one organisation per area, and care will be taken to protect any proprietary interests. In this way it is hoped to promote open discussions and to enable co-operative implementation of any research results by the members of the Consortium. All work will be undertaken in strict commercial confidence.
Members must bind themselves to pay an annual subscription on joining and thereafter until they resign from the Consortium. Application for membership is subject to approval by the management committee. Each member organisation will nominate a representative through whom the functions and privileges of the Consortium will be exercised.
Core activities
The core activity of the Consortium is to organise a number of research based meetings each year providing the opportunity for informal contact between Consortium members. The content of the meetings will vary ("themed" seminars, technical meetings etc) aiming to provide broad appeal, and cater for those with interests in asphalt and related industries. In addition to their technical content, the meetings provide opportunities for technical discussions that may lead to ‘spin-off’ research ideas. This identification of future research is seen as a primary activity of the Consortium, and is discussed below in more detail.
‘Spin-off’ research
One of the main objectives of the Consortium meetings is to identify possible ‘spin-off’ research ideas. This may result in a sub-set of Consortium members funding (or partly funding) research in a specific area under the general umbrella of the Consortium. This funding will be in addition to the annual Consortium membership fee and, for example, may include "in-kind" contributions. Any research performed in this way will be commercially in confidence by separate agreement of all Consortium members supporting the particular research. Commercially sensitive research results will not be made generally available to other members of the Consortium unless agreed by all Consortium members supporting the particular research.
Informal meetings and seminars
- Members of the Consortium are able to meet together regularly in a co-operative group, in order to discuss problems, develop innovative solutions to pavement engineering problems, and identify (and act on) future research ideas.
- Working relationships between the member organisations will be developed/improved, with a view to co-operative collaboration on research projects, and exploitation of any research results.
- Technology transfer between the universities and industry will be improved. This will include the provision of short courses jointly hosted with industry.
Additional Benefits
There will be several less obvious benefits of the Consortium arrangement. Firstly it is possible for individual members to influence the aims and directions of research in asphalt related materials, without committing large resources. Secondly, the Consortium provides a mechanism which enables organisation engineers to stay in touch with international developments in the field of pavement engineering. The research groups at the universities have excellent international contacts and close links with research groups in the USA and Europe. Thirdly, close contact with the universities provides member organisations with access to top quality engineering students, for future employment.
An annual Consortium membership fee of £1000 + VAT is charged to all organisations. This will increase slightly each year according to the University costs and will be subject to approval at the AGM. Membership entitles the organisation to: (i) receive all technical communications and periodicals addressed by the Consortium to its members generally; (ii) attend and vote, through a representative at the Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings of the Consortium; (iii) attend all events hosted by the Consortium.
University Research (April 1998)
Recycling (June 1998)
Performance-based Testing (November 1998)
Value Engineering (March 1999)
University Research (July 1999)
Dynamic Vehicle/Pavement Interaction (December 1999)
Geosynthetics in Pavements (April 2000)
Granular and Recycled Aggregates in Road Construction (September 2000)
Future Research Needs (March 2001)
Technology Transfer (July 2001)
Non-road Applications of Asphalt (December 2001)
New Specifications and Standards (April 2002)
University Research (July 2002)
International Developments (December 2002)
Novel Applications of Asphalt Materials (April 2003)
Future Research Needs (July 2003)
Geosynthetics (April 2004)
Versatile Pavement Design (December 2004)
Future Research Needs (April 2005)
Specialist Pavements (December 2005)
University Research (April 2006)
Thin Pavements (June 2006)
Specialist Surfacings (Dec 2006)
CSS/DfT Research (April 2007)
University Research (June 2007)
Climate Change (October 2007)
Cold and Low Temperature Asphalt ( March 2008)
Green Issues (September 2008)
University Research (December 2008)
Cost Inflation (April 2009)
Surface Preservation (April 2009)
NARC Research: The Next Ten Years (December 2009)
Mechanical Empirical Pavement Design (April 2010)
Traffic Counting and Characterisation (Sep 2010)
Go to Top
For further information contact:
Dr J Grenfell Tel: 0115 951 3905
Fax: 0115 951 3909
e:mail: james.grenfell@nottingham.ac.uk
Prof AC Collop
Tel: 0115 951 3935
Fax: 0115 951 3909
email: andrew.collop@nottingham.ac.uk
Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham
NG7 2RD
PREVIOUS SHORT-COURSES
Pavement Foundations (December 1999)
Bridge Surfacings (January 2000)
Mechanical Testing (March 2000)
Developments in Asphalt (April 2000)
Evaluation of Asphalt Roads (March 2001)
Asphalt Mixture Design (May 2001)
Stabilisation Techniques (June 2001)
Recycling (October 2001)
Pavement Foundations (May 2002)
Surfacing Techniques (October 2002)
Surfacing Techniques (April 2003)
Performance Testing Characteristics (June 2003)
Sustainable Road Construction (September 2003)
Reinstatements around Road Ironwork (March 2004)
Water Sensitivity and Durability Issues (July 2004)
PMB's and Performance Testing (September 2004)
Reinstatements around Road Ironwork (June 2005)
New Developments in Pavement Design (July 2005)
Cold Mix Technology (September 2005)
Asphalt for the Specifier (June 2006)
Surface Characteristics (July 2006)
Permeable Pavements by Design (September 2006)
Asphalt Pavement Design and Performance (June 2007) NTEC/NARC Symposium
Unbound Aggregates and Lightly Stabilised/Treated Materials (September 2007)
Cold and Warm Asphalt Technology (September 2007)
Reinforced Asphalt Pavements (June 2008)
Asphalt Life-Cycle Analysis: Theory and Practice (September 2008)
Safety and Sustainability (April 2009)
Asphalt LCA Update (September 2009)
Performance Foundations (December 2009)
Condition Monitoring and Structural Investigation (June 2010)
Road Surface Treatments in conjunction with the RSTA (Sep 2010)
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre
Transportation Research Group, Cambridge University Engineering Department
Institute for Infrastructure and Environment, University of Edinburgh
Pavenet
US Department of Transportation
National Center for Asphalt Technology
Asphalt Institute
University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute
University of Cambridge
AAPT