RESEARCH FOCUS
Pavement engineering research makes a
positive impact on livelihoods The Illinois Centre for Transportation in the USA recently invited Prof Wynand Steyn, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Pretoria, to participate – as one of ten speakers from the international transportation community – in a webinar on transportation engineering. He delivered an insightful presentation on pavement engineering research in South Africa titled “7.8 billion customers: Who benefits from my research”. This virtual presentation, held on 11 June 2020, formed part of the Centre’s Kent Seminar Summer Series Around the World. 38
R E S E A R C H
F O C U S
With a global population of approximately 7.8 billion, and a road network of 64 million km throughout the world, roads are the foundation to improving the livelihoods and quality of life of all the earth’s inhabitants, connecting them to social, economic, commercial, safety and many other opportunities that enable them to function. As such, pavement engineers and researchers need to ensure that they can keep the wheels rolling: safely, economically and cost efficiently. Prof Steyn explained the two basic elements that form part of pavement engineering teaching and research by referring to the Janus principle. This principle is named after the Roman mythological god of beginnings and ends – Janus – who faces two directions: the past and the future. This reflects the two most important elements of road use: accessibility in order to reach the opportunities that are essential for human functioning, and mobility to ensure the efficient movement of people and goods. Accessibility relates to the basic principles that form part of the traditional and fundamental training of engineers. It is only with an understanding of the basics of soil and mechanics that engineers can apply advanced analyses, Civiltronics and disruptive technologies to resolve the mobility challenges encountered by the road user as their primary client. Prof Steyn continued to explain the functions of accessibility and mobility by way of two examples. He illustrated accessibility with the example of the nano-silane stabilisation of in-situ material, and mobility with the example of agricultural produce transportation, which provides options that affect the lives of both the agricultural producer and the consumer.
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