Roadmender Reinstatement Trial
The use of RoadMender and the propriety reinstatement material, will help in the reduction of road congestion, reduce pollution with fewer vehicle movements, whilst improving the quality of reinstatement and thus reducing the volume and cost of reinstatement failures.
Project-on-a-Page summary
Project data
Start date: 01/01/2016End date: 29/12/2017
Budget: £493,106
The project aims to demonstrate alternative reinstatement technique to the traditional method so as to reduce process cycle time, waste and cost, whilst improving quality of reinstatement and customer satisfaction, within the three UK Power Networks DNO areas. The project will:
- Prove the consistency of material type mixes against the appropriate BS EN standard
- Ensure that the material has the correct ware resistance
- Trial the reinstatement technique at a number of sites involving different work types and surface reinstatement materials over a period of 3-6 months.
- Carry out comparison evaluations between existing and new reinstatement method.
- Invite local authorities to comment on the reinstatement method and material
The project will trial the use of emerging technology and materials for producing all types of asphalt locally at the work site in the required volume and mix for the job in hand, along with the durability of the mixed material to comply with the Specification for Reinstatements of Openings in Highways (SROH).
The main activities will be:
- Test material for compliance with the SROH, engaging Transport Research Laboratory (TRL)
- Carry out accelerated wear test
- Compare speed and cost effectiveness of ‘RoadMender’ equipment compared with existing methods of reinstatement
- Develop best transport method
- Compare end to end time to do work between existing and new processes
- Gauge customer satisfaction
- Gauge ease of use by reinstatement teams
- Development of an evaluation pro forma to assess the performance of each trialled replacement technique.
- Peer review undertaken of results with other DNOs.
This project supports the core of UK Power Networks Innovation Strategy, looking at improving fault performance by ensuring that we can complete work associated with fault repair as quickly and efficiently as possible. It fits within the “Develop commercial solutions and products” innovation capability theme that provides benefits to many areas of work on our HV and LV underground networks. The project also supports the following areas of UK Power Network’s vision:
- Sustainably cost efficient:
- Through reducing the costs associated with reinstatement works following electrical works.
- Employer of Choice:
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- Through more efficient and higher quality reinstatement works.
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- Reduced time on site will lead to reduced risk of lost time incidents.
- Respected Corporate Citizen:
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- By minimizing the duration our electrical work impacts on the travelling public.
The main learning that will be shared with other DNOs and ground works contractors is expected to include:
- Material compliance
- Speed of reinstatement versus conventional methods
- Compliance with SROH
- Cost benefit
- Process cycle time
- Number of days of disruption reduced