Conference program
Download the Detailed Conference Program [PDF file, 130kb, version dated 28 July]. This now includes complete listings of all sessions, presenters and papers. For a one-page summary of the conference sessions, download the Summary Conference Program [PDF file, 100kb, version dated 25 July]. Please note that this program may be subject to change.
Please note that these programs will be updated regularly on this page as new details become available.
On this page:
Opening ceremony and invited speaker sessions
Workshops and information sessions
Opening ceremony and invited speaker sessions
The 23rd ARRB Conference will feature Dr Matthew Cuthbertson presenting the keynote address.
Invited speaker sessions will feature the following topics:
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Information about the invited speakers is included on the Invited Speakers page.
Paper sessions
Papers will be presented on a range of topics including:
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Workshops and information sessions
Workshops and information sessions will prompt and facilitate discussion on a range of issues in the road and transport industry. The following workshops have been organised for the Conference.
Road safety engineering risk assessment – findings from a program of research
(Wednesday 30 July, 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm)
ARRB has recently completed an extensive program of research on road safety engineering risk assessment, funded by Austroads. This research identifies the change in crash risk resulting from changes in road design standards, from changes in the condition of road assets, and from the use of remedial treatments. The results will aid policy makers and practitioners in assessing risk and prioritising treatments so as to achieve optimal crash risk reduction for the available budget.
This workshop will present the key findings from the research, as well as exploring with participants ways to address remaining gaps in knowledge and further disseminate the research findings. An overview of the key research results will be presented, and detail provided on example topics by several speakers. These include a discussion of the linkages between road maintenance and safety; examples of output from a new Australian crash rates database; discussion of the risk assessment approach to road safety; and safety on unsealed roads.
Austroads guidelines in traffic and safety
(Thursday 31 July, 11.00 am – 12.30 pm)
ARRB assists in the development of Austroads Guidelines and their dissemination to practitioners across a wide range of government agencies and industry. This workshop covers guidelines in the road/traffic/transport/safety areas in particular. At present, much of the recent revision and development work on those guidelines has been completed, and the focus is turning to the delivery program, future review processes, and associated research needs.
It is a convenient time to discuss issues surrounding the following processes related to technical guidelines:
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Future directions in pavement management decision support systems
(Thursday 31 July, 1.30 pm – 3.00 pm)
The workshop will present a brief overview of the content of the Austroads Guidelines in the traffic management and road safety areas, but will also concentrate on the processes listed above, rather than the content. It is necessary to ensure the best input to the development and subsequent refinement of the guidance prepared for practitioners. Also of particular interest are the publication and dissemination issues, and the potential for utilising electronic tools in these areas.
The workshop will also provide some perspectives from two international colleagues who are involved in the development and delivery of guidelines in related areas. These will include some examples of guideline development and refinement in Norway, and the development of software to assist with delivering guidelines to local government practitioners in Canada.
ARRB would like to invite all road managing practitioners to a workshop targeted at participants exchanging information by means of a short questionnaire and active discussion between all participants regarding the systems/processes employed within their organisations to facilitate the management of road networks. The session is geared towards bringing to light the different ways in which data, systems and reporting is approached within small local government organisations to large road authority operations for the benefit of all. Those looking to informally benchmark their practices against others should gain additional benefit.
The success of the workshop will be largely driven by the willingness and openness of the participants to communicate and share their experiences, so please come along and share with other workshop participants your appreciation of the systems and processes employed within your organisation. The workshop form has been specifically designed to facilitate interchange of ideas in a structured manner which will enable all participants to communicate their experience and knowledge.
Heavy Vehicles: Compliance, charging and the integration of access management and asset management
(Thursday 31 July, 3.30 pm – 5.00 pm)
This workshop will examine the implications of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) decision to move toward mass-distance-location charging for heavy vehicles in Australia and how this reform agenda may interact with two other reforms, Australia's 'Chain of Responsibility' legislation for heavy vehicle compliance and the Intelligent Access Program.
The workshop will examine opportunities in which the management of heavy vehicle access to road networks can be better integrated with the core asset management function of road agencies, and will explore implications arising.
Making best use of local materials – demonstration of field test tool kit
(Friday 1 August, 11.00 am – 12.30 pm)
Low volume rural roads comprise about 700,000 km of Australia’s road network and play an important role in providing access to many local communities and contributing to the economic viability of the rural sector. They are predominantly two-lane two-way roads. Most are unsealed while the remainder generally have a spray sealed surface.
Obtaining suitable road pavement materials for the effective construction and maintenance of the road network, particularly in rural and remote areas is an ongoing challenge for local practitioners, as the better quality materials are become increasingly scarce or less accessible. Increasing use of readily available local materials, often of marginal quality, will be required to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the construction and maintenance of low volume roads. However, making best use of local materials may not always be achieved because of limited objective details of the materials being used. Many practitioners are not employing appropriate soil testing procedures to determine the key soil characteristics of a given material and thereby have insufficient objective data to establish whether local materials meet the desired material specifications or how to modify or use various stabilisation techniques to maximise the potential of using locally available pavement materials.
In recognition of this need ARRB has developed a portable field test tool kit for practitioners to determine objective soil properties of local materials used for both sealed and unsealed roads. The kit provides a step by step approach on how to test locally available materials from which other important soil properties are derived based on a performance model established from a comprehensive data base of soil tests.
The use of the prototype tool kit, results obtained and implications of test results will be demonstrated at the workshop. Feedback from delegates will be sought as to its practicality and effectiveness in making better use of local materials.
Traffic congestion
(Friday 1 August, 1.30 pm – 3.00 pm)
ARRB representatives will present major findings of Austroads project NS1203 (estimating road network congestion and associated costs) literature review.
Speakers from various jurisdictions will present their current initiatives on traffic congestion, including a QDMR congestion initiative and a VicRoads-ARRB congestion research initiative.
Trade exhibition
As part of the 23rd ARRB Conference, delegates will be able to attend a trade exhibition with suppliers of products and services relating to the roads and transport industry. The trade exhibition will include a number of demonstrations, competitions and 'hands-on' activities to learn more about current best practice in Australia and overseas.
Technical tours
Technical tour of Resourceco
ARRB is pleased to announce a technical tour of Resourceco will take place on Friday 1 August 2008. Resourceco is South Australia’s largest recycler of inert construction and demolition waste, processing over 500,000 tonnes per year of materials into a wide range of pavement materials. Resourceco has been on their current site for over 10 years and have worked very closely with government departments to develop specifications for recycled pavement materials. They have also developed a range of materials using crushed asphalt into several products including a cold emulsified bitumen sold as Bitumix™.
More information on Resourceco can be found at the website
The tour will leave the Adelaide Convention Centre at 1.15pm, Friday 1 August and will return to the Convention Centre at 2.45pm. The tour is strictly limited to 30 delegates, so it will be ‘first come - first served’. A signup sheet will be located at the registration desk – please sign this sheet if you are interested in visiting Resourceco.
Technical tour of the South Road Upgrade – Anzac Highway Underpass project
The construction of the South Road Upgrade – Anzac Highway Underpass project is well underway as the first step in the State Government’s broader plan to provide free flow traffic on South Road between the Southern Expressway and the Port River Expressway.
This short tour will visit the site located at one of Adelaide’s busiest intersections and participants can see the underpass taking shape. The excavation is reaching the half-way mark and traffic is now travelling on one half of the new bridge to be constructed over South Road. The need to keep traffic moving on South Road and on Anzac Highway during all phases of construction as well as the need to manage all community expectations during this complex project have presented significant challenges to the construction team.
A consortium comprising Thiess Pty Ltd and Leed Engineering and Construction is undertaking this project and was the Department’s second project undertaken using the ECI (Early Contractor Involvement) procurement strategy. Works have been underway for some 12 months and are expected to be completed by the end of 2009. No open toe shoes please.
More information can be found at the website www.dtei.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/south_road_upgrade/content
The tour will leave the Adelaide Convention Centre at 3.30 pm, Friday 1 August and will return to the Convention Centre at 5.15 pm. The tour is strictly limited to 40 delegates, so it will be ‘first come – first served’. A signup sheet will be located at the registration desk – please sign this sheet if you are interested in visiting the project site.
This page will be updated with further information as the program evolves.