Climate & Transportation R&D program conducted by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration , cca 2,5 mill € Update design, construction, operation and maintenance of road structures a response to climate change.

Cooperation partners: Norwegian State Railway Norweian Geological Survey Norwegian Geotechnical Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute + Continues work carried out in NPRA since 2004 and aimed at adjustments to climate change.

Climate changes in Norway 2002 report for National Transportation Plan - main features of the climate change and their effects on transportation milder winters, warm and dry summers in the SE of Norway, higher precipitation, especially W coast, higher storm and wind frequency

Climate changes in Norway 2002 report for National Transportation Plan - main features of the climate change and their effects on transportation Examination of the drainage systems along roads Examination of increased expenses for road management Improvement of alert systems (emergency release) Investigate the effect on ground water Consequences for traffic safety

Climate changes in Norway 2002 report for National Transportation Plan - main features of the climate change and their effects on transportation 2007: report being updated based on recent research results

Effect on roads Higher ground water levels, higher threat from floods and erosion; Change in flood and slide pattern: higher frequency of slush avalanches, debris slide and mud flow. Also – other locations of slides; Potentially incorrect premises for choice of structural solutions and dimensioning of physical protection; Potentially insufficient safety level of existing slide protection More exposure to freezing and thawing in some areas; Reduced regularity of roads and railways Need for improved preparedness systems

Effect on roads … all this assuming the planed level of maintenance is being carried out >> focus on maintenance – requires organizing efforts and /or better budgets

Challenges for Norwegian Roads Weather data Good documentation of land slides, floods and avalanches + Relation between measurements and observations Design (choice of sollutions and dimensioning): draianage, foundation, land slide protection Susceptibility analyses, alert systems Maintenance

Topics of research - Work packages 1 The effect of climate change on transportation Literature survey with the aim to describe the climate changes and their effect on roads, railways and air transportation: temperature changes, precipitation, wind, rising of the sea level, land slides – changes in types and locations, increase in ground water level, freezing & thawing etc.

Topics of research - Work packages 2 Data - gathering and processing Weather (meteorological stations – equipment and location, type of data, format, frequency of measurements, automatic logging etc.) Registration of events: land slides, erosion, reduced friction, reduced bearing capacity etc. Road authorities’ own routines Requirements to contractors

Topics of research - Work packages 3 Flood and erosion Design and maintenance and their adjustment to new climate conditions New standard values Storm water Wave erosion Drainage Erosion of artificial slopes

Topics of research - Work packages 4 Land slides, avalanches and rock falls … adjustment to climatic conditions Risk assessment: probability, consequence, acceptance criteria Mitigation and protection plans for land slides, priority models Methods of physical protection, design premises Quick clay

Topics of research - Work packages 5 Preparedness Alert systems, warning, threshold values of critical parameters criteria for emergency action, Automatic methods (closure in cases of risk of erosion or land slide for roads, strong wind or waves for bridges) 6 Consequences for winter operation Traffic in extreme conditions concerning snow and wind Winter friction

Topics of research - Work packages 7 Bearing capacity of roads due to the effect of changes in frost conditions and frequency of freeze-thaw cycles 8 General vulnerability Alternative routes or ferry connections in cases of road closure

* Climate issues relate to almost any activity in NPRA >> coordination with ongoing work is important! * Strategy – what do road authorities choose? * Huge interest from all sides requires a dynamic dissemination of results

Research programs and efforts RegClim : scenarios for regional climate change in Northern Europe, bordering sea areas and major parts of the Arctic, ACIA - Arctic Climate Impact Assessment – 4-year project carried out through collaboration between 8 countries i the Arctic region: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, USA. Extensive evaluation and analysis of consequences of climate change for environment and social aspects of development. NorACIA – Norwegian follow-up

Research programs and efforts International Centre for Geohazards hosted by the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute: research on the assessment, prevention and mitigation of geohazards, including risk of landslide in soil and rock, flooding… Geoextreme – (4 year project by ICG) establish relations between meteorological conditions and geohazards, climate and geohazard scenaria for the next 50 years, socio-economic consequences, policy

Research programs and efforts Clim Runoff (Norwegian University of Life Sciences): evaluating runnoff situations along roads by coupling global climate models, local hydrology models. Guidelines for road structures!! University of Bergen, NTNU in Trondheim: preparing project proposals