The National DVDC Project (Pavement Lifespan), coordinated by the Institute for Applied Research and Civil Engineering Experimentation (IREX), is a collaborative research program carried out from 2016 to 2023. It brought together 40 partners, representing the full spectrum of road infrastructure stakeholders: network managers, administrations, research organizations, construction companies, and industrial players.
The work combined multidisciplinary and multi-scale approaches, ranging from scientific research to results directly applicable in practice. Contributions from the ANR moveDVDC project (modelling pavement aging and damage for lifespan assessment) were integrated into the PN DVDC, enhancing both the scientific and practical value of the program.
A national project essential for road infrastructure
Road infrastructure naturally ages under external stresses, such as traffic and climate conditions. Maintenance and repair represent a major economic challenge, particularly in times of restricted budgets.
The French road network, valued at nearly €2,000 billion, must be preserved to ensure safety and performance. The PN DVDC provides network managers with reliable indicators on pavement lifespan, allowing for optimal planning and budgeting, while reducing environmental impact.
Project Objectives and Approach
The DVDC project focused on assessing residual pavement lifespan at three levels:
-
Network level: macroscopic assessment of section conditions.
-
Pavement structure: studying crack formation and interface debonding, integrated into damage models.
-
Pavement materials: behavior of bituminous materials, unbound granular layers (GNT), freeze-thaw effects, and selection of surface layers.
Synthèse des résultats
La synthèse publiée est disponible en français, anglais et espagnol, offrant :
-
un panorama clair et structuré des travaux,
-
les résultats scientifiques et pratiques,
-
des recommandations concrètes pour la gestion des infrastructures routières.
En conclusion, le PN DVDC a été un succès, grâce à la mobilisation de nombreux experts et partenaires. Il permet de prolonger la durée de vie des chaussées, en intervenant au bon endroit et au bon moment, et contribue à une gestion durable et maîtrisée du patrimoine routier.
Access the version you need and discover an essential resource for all sector stakeholders.
Project Support and Management
The PN DVDC is supported by
Administrative, financial, and valorization management of the project is provided by :
