PRACTICAL HIGHWAY PRODUCTS: RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS FROM THE US STRATEGIC HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM

From 1988 to 1993, Australia participated in the US Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). SHRP was the largest program of its type at the time and targeted specific research needs in the areas of bituminous materials, pavement performance, concrete and concrete structures, highway maintenance and work zone safety. A key objective of SHRP was to develop practical products that could be used immediately by highway agencies. The products of SHRP's Asphalt Program have had a significant influence on Australia's asphalt research and development program to date. The SHRP concrete products have attracted great interest, as have some of the pavement performance products. The major benefits of the pavement performance program will come when data and analyses from SHRP's Long Term Pavement Program are produced. The challenge now is to adapt appropriate SHRP technology to Australian needs. The benefits of implementing SHRP products in Australia have been conservatively estimated as a saving of some $9m annually. (a)