ATTEMPT AT OPTIMIZING THE LONGITUDINAL PROFILE OF A SECTION OF THE E40 MOTORWAY

THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE WORK OF A SEMI-INDEPENDENT ROAD RESEARCH GROUP BELONGING PARTLY TO THE OECD. THE GROUP WAS SET UP FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON THE OPTIMIZATION OF THE LONGITUDINAL PROFILE OF A SECTION OF THE E40 MOTORWAY BETWEEN LAVAUX SAINTE-ANNE AND TRANSINNE (LUXEMBOURG-BELGIUM PROVINCE). IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT WOULD USE ONLY PROCESSING TECHNIQUES COMMON TO THE PROGRAMS TESTED. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PROGRAMS ARE ANALYZED AS REGARDS THE WAYS DATA ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND THE OPTIMIZATION METHOD. OPTIMIZATION RESULTS ARE DISCUSSED AND COMPARED, AND THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) OPTIMIZATION WITH A COMPUTER PRODUCES SAVINGS IN THE ORDER OF 25 TO 35% IN EARTHWORKS COMPARED TO A NON-OPTIMIZED PROFILE; (2) ALL THE PROGRAMS TESTED GAVE SATISFACTORY RESULTS; TO MAKE A SELECTION, THE USER WILL HAVE TO EXAMINE WHETHER THE PROGRAM SELECTED FULFILS THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED; (3) A GREAT DIFFERENCE EXISTS BETWEEN THE PROFILES OBTAINED EVEN BETWEEN THOSE OF SIMILAR COSTS.