New tech helping to assess Victoria’s flood-damaged roads

The Victorian Government will use new technology to assess the condition of over 8400 kilometers of Victoria’s roads following recent floods and extreme rainfall.

The Australian Road Research Board’s Intelligent Pavement Assessment Vehicle (iPAVe) will be used to gather a broad spectrum of data. According to the Victorian Government, the data will be used to help plan for upcoming large-scale repairs and road maintenance across regional and metropolitan Victoria.

Equipped with a range of data collection systems, iPAVe is capable of assessing the structural and functional condition of the road, using laser technology developed in Denmark, to look at characteristics including roughness, surface texture and rutting.

Cracking and other surface data is assessed using an automated 3D monitoring system, while cameras mounted to the truck’s exterior will give road maintenance experts a first-hand look at the state’s road network.

Thanks to an on-board ground-penetrating radar, the iPAVe can also collect sub-surface data at the same time, giving experts a better understanding of what’s happening underneath the road surface.

These datasets are collected at the same time, in one trip, at highway speed.

Data collected as part of iPAVe’s most recent assessments will then be compared with similar information collected in 2021 to gauge the full impact of the recent floods.

“We’re using the latest technology to make sure we deliver the repairs needed right across our roads following the devastation caused by recent floods and extreme rainfall,” said Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne.

Over 170 of the state’s roads will undergo inspection by iPAVe, including major freight and tourist routes like the Hume, Western, Midland, Goulburn Valley and Calder highways.

Since mid-October, over 116,000 potholes have been repaired, with emergency repairs also conducted to re-open more than 930 roads.