HIGHWAYS RESEARCH STATION

Highways Research station established in 1957.  and is the research and development wing of the Highways Department.  It is located in Sardar Patel Road at Guindy opposite to Raj Bhavan, about 11 kms from Chennai Central Railway Station and 10 kms from Meeenambakkam Airport respectively.  Highways Research Station is the first of its kind at the state level, started for road research and has been a forerunner for such institutions in the country.  The objective  of the institution is to carry out investigation, design and undertake applied research in the field of Highway Engineering.  The main fields of application are soils and foundation Engineering, Bitumen and aggregate, concrete and structures and Traffic and Transportation Engineering.  There are four regional laboratories located at and to undertake applied Research in the field of Highway Engineering. The main fields of application are Soils and Foundation Engineering, Bitumen, Concrete and Structures and Traffic and Transport Engineering. There are four Regional Laboratories located at Thanjavur, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Coimbatore which are  functioning as Regional units of Highways Research Station.                

The Institution has experienced Research staff who are well versed with the specifications to be enforced in various type of works and this Institution is equipped with required testing instruments and facilities for ensuring quality assurance in all road and bridge works.  The activities of this Institution include consultancy services for problem solving and conducting training programme to in service Engineers on quality assurance.  Highways Research Station plays a key role in formulating specification for Roads and Bridges by Indian Road Congress & BIS.

In order to utilise the infrastructure of Highways Research Station in a more competitive way and to render training to the Government Engineers and award degrees, Government  have ordered to create a center of Excellence under the name "Institute of Highways Research and Management", at Highways Research Station under the aegis of Anna University.

1. Sub soil investigation

2. Design of Foundation

3. Soil Stabilization

4. Design of Flexible pavements

5. Design of Rigid pavements

6. Design of High embankments

7. Distress study of pavements, embankments and suggestions of remedial measures

8. Soil reinforcement techniques in the construction of embankments

9. Use of Geo Synthesis in road works

10. Surface and subsurface drainage.

1. Bituminous pavement mix design

2. Evaluation of new bituminous product

3.Collaborative studies with other departments, state and central

4. Improvements of binders using additives, polymers and rubber in different forms

5. Use of alternate binders

6. Evaluation of pavement characteristics.

7. Accident investigation on road stretches prone to slipperiness

8. Pavement failure studies

9. Maintenance Management System / Laboratory circular test track for evaluating new 

    materials

1. Conducting load tests to find stability of structures

2. Suggesting remedial measure to the distressed bridges

3. Use of super plasticisers in concrete for achieving high strength concrete without sacrificing 

    workability.

4. Use of fly ash in conjunction with cement

5. Concrete mix design 

6. Testing of materials used in concrete including water

7.  Mix proportion of hardened cement mortar and concrete

8. Soundness of structures by non - destructive testing

9. Creating database on bridge information system for the state

1. Accident investigation studies

2. Evaluation of pavement riding quality

3. Techno - economic feasibility studies of new road projects

4. Axle load spectrum studies

5. Establishment of Permanent Traffic Count Station and erection of weigh in motion system

1. Conducting various traffic studies for economic feasibility

2. Conducting field survey at the accident prone locations on roads in Tamil Nadu

3.Conducting census of pedestrian crossing roads on vulnerable spots

4. Conducting traffic volume survey and field survey on junctions for improvements

5. Study on design and  installation of signals 

6. Suggesting guidelines to various works for geometric improvements

7. Participating in the formulation of  guidelines by I.R.C., M.O.R..T.H., etc.,

8. Co-ordinating with Police Department for traffic improvement

9. Compilation of traffic census particulars

1. Latest version of computer with terminals in each of the laboratory with appropriate software to meet the growing    demands

2. Pavement management system for identifying the present condition of the Highway network, fixing standards to    maintain the road and assessing problem for road patch

3. Computerising all laboratory work

4. Works related to research paper, seminars and other departmental publications

5. Training to staff in computer operations

6. Desktop publishing of 

         - Research Notes

         - Research Reports

         - Forms and Tables

1. Well-stacked library with about 21,000 books

2. Books on Civil Engineering, mechanical Engineering and allied subjects

3. Latest journals subscribed

4. Institutional member in various Institutions

1. Photostat copies, making slides for demonstration of laboratory and field tests

2. Maintaining records if field condition before and after studies

1. Training to newly recruited Engineers

2. Conducting refresher courses for the Engineers in Service

3. Courses for Engineer of other departments / organisation

4. A proposal for setting up of full-fledged training institute is on the anvil

a) Annual reports are regularly published since the inception of the Institution

b) Research records are published on all research projects completed successfully

c) Research digest, a quarterly news letter, is also released periodically.

d) Technical circulars are issued to the field officers, then and there

e) Review of technical paper of other institutional is carried out and due recommendations are given for publications in leading national journals including IRC.