César Bartolomé ADAPTATION OF ROAD NETWORK TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Sonja Bruyninckx Floods Droughts Hurricanes Higher temperatures Increase of rainfall Floods Droughts Hurricanes Higher temperatures Increase of rainfall CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Sonja Bruyninckx CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE NATURAL DISASTERS RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE Myanmar, hurricane May 2 nd, casualties China, hurricane April 17 th, million people affected USA, hurricaneAugust 29 th, M€ cost Germany, floodAugust, M€ cost UK, floodDecember, M€ cost

Sonja Bruyninckx WHAT ABOUT ROADS? ROAD AFFECTION BY CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE Extreme phenomena Extreme rainfall or floods Erosion of foundations, slope instability, ground movement and deterioration of pavements Extreme winds High efforts on bridges Droughts Low affection to roads Low temperatures Road management (deicing salts) and cracking of pavements Peak temperatures Softening and rutting of pavements Permanent phenomena Increase in average temperature Higher intensity of freeze-thaw cycles in the north of Europe

Sonja Bruyninckx WHAT ABOUT ROADS? Non-adapted roads: Disruptions: social and economic loss. Higher maintenance costs. Shorter service life. Current requirements (sufficient) will become more difficult to fulfill, mainly in the long term. Non-adapted roads: Disruptions: social and economic loss. Higher maintenance costs. Shorter service life. Current requirements (sufficient) will become more difficult to fulfill, mainly in the long term.

Sonja Bruyninckx SOLUTIONS? New design criteria: Return periods Drainage systems Wind loads on bridges Use of materials that are less affected by climate effects (concrete, stabilized soils, soil cement, etc.) New design criteria: Return periods Drainage systems Wind loads on bridges Use of materials that are less affected by climate effects (concrete, stabilized soils, soil cement, etc.)

Sonja Bruyninckx Making long-term thinking a mandatory component in public tendering for road building. Considering the resilience of the entire road network in Member State adaptation plans as part of the EU Adaptation Strategy. Making available data for climate projections, so that road authorities can base their decisions on likely climate and weather scenarios for the future. Making long-term thinking a mandatory component in public tendering for road building. Considering the resilience of the entire road network in Member State adaptation plans as part of the EU Adaptation Strategy. Making available data for climate projections, so that road authorities can base their decisions on likely climate and weather scenarios for the future. STRATEGY

Sonja Bruyninckx “Standards are one of the most powerful tools for adapting infrastructures to climate change” (according to the Commission). How should they be modified (if at all)? “Standards are one of the most powerful tools for adapting infrastructures to climate change” (according to the Commission). How should they be modified (if at all)? WHAT ABOUT STANDARDS? HORIZONTAL STANDARDS FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION Sufficiently demanding PRODUCT STANDARDS No specific requirements

Sonja Bruyninckx CURRENT SITUATION 2013, EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change involving European Standardization Organizations. 2014, CEN and CENELEC established the Adaptation to Climate Change Coordination Group (ACC-CG) Buildings and construction (already held) Transport infrastructure (today) Energy infrastructure (to be held at the end of the month) 2013, EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change involving European Standardization Organizations. 2014, CEN and CENELEC established the Adaptation to Climate Change Coordination Group (ACC-CG) Buildings and construction (already held) Transport infrastructure (today) Energy infrastructure (to be held at the end of the month)

Sonja Bruyninckx CURRENT SITUATION Resilience to climate change of roads depends on technical committee CEN/TC 227 (WG5) complemented by CEN/TC 350 (prEN ). CEN/CENELEC has published Guide 32 for addressing climate change adaptation in standards. No standard on this field has been developed so far. A CWA for sustainability indicators for roads (climate change resilience included) was launched in December. Resilience to climate change of roads depends on technical committee CEN/TC 227 (WG5) complemented by CEN/TC 350 (prEN ). CEN/CENELEC has published Guide 32 for addressing climate change adaptation in standards. No standard on this field has been developed so far. A CWA for sustainability indicators for roads (climate change resilience included) was launched in December.

Sonja Bruyninckx CONCLUSIONS Climate resilience of roads is related to the choice of materials, but even more to the structure of the pavement. There is no need to modify the “material standards”. The only standards that deal with the entire structures or works are the ones of TC350. A first step to integrate adaptation to climate change can be taken in the CWA Workshop on Sustainability Assessment of Roads. Climate resilience of roads is related to the choice of materials, but even more to the structure of the pavement. There is no need to modify the “material standards”. The only standards that deal with the entire structures or works are the ones of TC350. A first step to integrate adaptation to climate change can be taken in the CWA Workshop on Sustainability Assessment of Roads.

Sonja Bruyninckx THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION