Highways and Railways Maintenance

Construction materials and the basics of technologies in the road sector.

The Theoretical-practical classes have expository and discussion components associated with the learning of technologies and to problem solving. This is carry out in an environment of interaction with students, conducted in a guided way.
Group learning is achieved by solving specific project problems with some complexity. Students also carry out activities of discussion of a conference paper, including its public presentation.
In field works the students perform laboratory tests, under the supervision of the teacher, or measure parameters of constructed pavements, and make reports related with the used procedures.
Seminar presentations concerning certain subjects are made by experts. These sessions include a period of questions and answers.

Objectives: Developing students’ skills regarding construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, design and management of pavements; increase the students’ understanding of common bridges maintenance and rehabilitation technologies as well as maintenance and rehabilitation technologies of railway infrastructures (basic aspects).
Generic skills: Application of knowledge and understanding; Judgment accomplishment and decision making; Communication; Self-learning.
Specific skills: Designing of transport infrastructure pavements, knowing the applicable construction, maintenance and management techniques; Acquiring knowledge on laboratorial techniques concerning the study and quality control of pavement materials; Knowledge of materials and techniques of their use concerning common bridges and viaducts; Understanding of the main techniques and materials use in railway maintenance.

1. Constitution, behaviour and distresses of road pavements, flexible, rigid and semi-rigid pavements;
2. Technology and paving materials: unbound and bound materials and their constituents, quality control, technology and non-traditional paving materials;
3. Design of flexible pavements and overlay: mechanistic-empirical design of pavements, evaluation of the bearing capacity and design of pavement overlay;
4. Pavement evaluation: evaluation of the bearing capacity; surface surveys (evaluation of roughness, texture and friction);
5. Maintenance and rehabilitation of flexible pavements: rehabilitation of surface and structural characteristics; regular treatments and repairs;
6. Railways (basic aspects): elements and structure, construction and maintenance;
7. Maintenance technology and management of common bridges (basic aspects).
8. Pavement management: conception and implementation of road PMS; application to existing cases.

NAO