ABOUT Research & Development Also the conference room and library space is

completed.
Understanding the important role of research and
development in the growth of the country, the The detailed design of the main building its facility is
Ethiopian Roads Authority, ERA, has established a going to be carried out by hiring competent design
Research and Development Directorate (RDD) which consultants and currently the process of selection is
is responsible for conducting researches that can underway. Concept design for the main building and
support the Road Sector Development Program its facility has already been prepared by the
(RSDP) through identifying, investigating and consultant (TRL) who has carried out the preparatory
mitigating road construction and maintenance study.
problems. The scope of the Directorate is not limited
and can also conduct researches that are believed to
support the development of the country at large.

 
Vision:
  “To be an internationally
recognized centre of excellence for
  Road and Transport Research”

  Mission:
“To support the road sector through
 
the provision of independent,
innovative and effective knowledge-
 
based solutions for a safe and
efficient Ethiopian road network”
 

Current Activities
Concept design of the main Research Centre
i. Road Research Centre (RRC) establishment
The main research facility will be a fully established
Recently a preparatory study towards establishment world standard research centre equipped with
of the RRC has been completed. The implementation advanced and routine research laboratory, outdoor
of the study has been started based on the research facility (test tracks), conference halls,
recommendations and developed business plan. One offices, training rooms etc.
of the main activities that have been started is
construction of the temporary facility for the research ii. Research Activities
centre where the Research and Development
There are a number of Research activities that are
Directorate will be housed until the main facility is
being carried out by the Research and Development
finalized. The temporary facility will have road
Directorate and in collaboration with other partners.
laboratory and offices and will carry out research
Most of the research projects are focused on the road
activities.
making materials and their performance and the
Currently the construction of the temporary Research construction project management areas.
Centre is being carried out at Kality where the main
Research Management Committee
Road Research Centre is also going to be established.
The construction of all necessary office and
A Research Management Committee (RMC) in ERA
laboratory buildings are completed and ready for use.
has been established. In the recent reform of ERA

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While establishing the Research and Development
Directorate is to form a Research Management
Committee. The task of this committee is, but not
limited to, review and approve research proposal,
follow up and manage research projects, disseminate
and put in to practice of the results. It is believed that
these tasks are better performed by a group of
professionals collected from different departments
within ERA and responsibilities are well shared
across the organization. In such a way research and
development activities are monitored and well geared
towards solving the problems they intend to cater.
The committee members are:
1. Director General (Chairman)
2. Engineering Operations Department (Member)
3. Planning and ICT Department (Member)
4. Road Asset Mgt Department (Member)
5. Engineering Procurement Directorate (Member)
6. Quality Assurance, Road Inspection and Safety
Management Directorate (Member)
  COLLABORATIONS 
other related subjects. So far the following
Universities have signed an MoU:
i. Addis Institute of Technology (Addis Ababa
University)
ii. Ethiopian Institute of Technology (Mekele
University)
iii. Bahirdar University
iv. Hawasa University
v. Jima University
ERA is sponsoring Master’s Degree program
students in Five programs. These students are
expected to work in the road sector after graduation
and thus it will be important they work on Road and
related projects in their Thesis works. Based on this
RDD has collected and organized a research ideas
that can be used by those students sponsored by
ERA. These research ideas are collected from
practical problems currently occurring during design
and construction of roads. Since most of these ideas
are wide and in some case general each university is
expected to organize it and break in to many phases
to suit the master’s thesis. These research ideas or
topics are listed here under.

The Research and Development Directorate has
established linkages to local and international
academic institutions and research organizations. So
far a collaborative agreement in the form of MoUs 1.
has been signed between ERA and Four International
Research organizations. These organizations are
2.
i. Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), UK 3.
ii. CSIR, South Africa
iii. ARRB, Australia 4.
iv. Korea Transport Institute (KOTI) South 5.
Korea
Local academic institutions are the main research
collaborators and, therefore, strong linkages have to
be there between them and our Research Centre. 6.
Based on this assumption a memorandum of
understanding is signed between Six Universities. 7.
This agreement is to do a collaborative research
activity, training of professionals, conducting
workshops and seminars on research outputs and
ROAD DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND
MAINTENANCE
Evaluation of Productivity rate of Road
construction Equipments in Ethiopia
Causes of poor performance of local contractors
Review of suitability of surface Treatment in
Ethiopia
The causes of cost overrun in ERA works contracts
The selection of appropriate and feasible
technology for road construction and maintenance
(coble stone, Hard packed stone , brick, stone,
WBM, Molasses, low cost surface treatment
options, etc.)
Common design defects prevailing in road
construction industry
Impacts of Budget allocation on Road Asset
Management

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 8. Quality control in unpaved roads construction & SAFETY , ENVIRONMENT & DRAINAGE
maintenance 1. Impact of dust emission from Un paved Roads on
9. Identification of the causes for late completion of surrounding environment
road projects and remedial measures 2. Impacts of Weather and Climate Conditions on road
10. Asphalt concrete on severe conditions construction and maintenance
11. Feasibility of cold mix Asphalt concrete for low 3. Impacts of Weather and Climate Conditions on road
volume roads construction and maintenance
12. Surface sealing of Rural all weather roads: 4. Impact of Driver and pedestrian behaviour on mobility
Economic feasibility Vs Health and safety and traffic congestion in Addis Ababa
13. Determination of minimum Undercut Thickness of 5. Impact of road signs and lane markings on accident
very low strength soils for road construction and mobility
14. Construction Dispute Resolution in Ethiopia 6. Building safe Roads: safety consideration in design
15. Identification of problems and challenges in process to minimize traffic accidents
application of concrete and masonry structures 7. Production and installation of short and medium size
repair span concrete pre-stressed bridge superstructure
16. Failure the three parties (Employer, Engineer and 8. Impact of installation of Erosion control Structures
contractor) to perform their duties and (Physical or Biological) in flood Prone sections of
responsibilities entrusted under the contract during roads
the construction phase leading to excessive delays 9. System development for bridge construction cost
in completion of the project index establishment.
10. Minimum cover thickness for pipes below wearing
MATERIALS (INCLUDING GEOTECNICS
surface for flat terrains.
& SITE INVESTIGATION
11. Impacts of Lack of Motorized Transport in Rural
Areas
1. Evaluation of the suitability of Lateritic soils as road
construction materials 12. Challenges in providing all weather unpaved roads in
Ethiopia: Case study
2. cost effective soil stabilization technology in
13. Comparative study of labour based vs machine based
construction of sub-grade or sub-base (part of the
road construction and maintenance
roads)
14. Investigation of merits of intermediate equipments in
3. The impacts of problematic soils in Ethiopia on road
road construction and maintenance
construction and maintenance
15. Impacts of participation of small and medium scale
4. The usage of Water bound Macadam (WBM) as enterprises in road construction and maintenance
surfacing Material on unpaved roads: A case study in
16. Route selection/location and its traditional and
Dire-Dawa
conventional tools: evaluation and selection of most
5. Soil nature and materials suitability for road appropriate means
construction and maintenance
17. Identification of problems in quality control of
6. Adequate Construction Materials Data and cost unpaved road construction that lead to inferior quality
Estimation during pre - Tendering phase roads
7. Causes and remedial for asphalt concrete pavement 18. Impacts of landslide on road construction and
damages maintenance: case study
8. Use of Gravel as surfacing material: Its adverse and 19. Impacts of road construction on environment and its
affirmative impacts mitigation measures
9. Stabilization of expansive soil with lime or other
materials to be used in improving sub grade or
surfacing of earth roads

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Related to sponsorship of the Master’s students, ERA
has planned to reward best thesis written by students.
Accordingly, a criteria and procedure for selection of
best thesis is prepared and ready to be used. ERA is
expecting to reward the first graduates in this
sponsorship and this has been communicated to
Universities. The selection criteria and procedures
can be shown here.
Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE) has also
signed collaborative agreement with ERA to work on
research and development works including training
and information sharing.
ONGOING RESEARCHES 
Research and Development Directorate have
currently active research projects that are being
carried out either collaboratively or by own research
staff. The research activities focus on the following
major areas:
• Rigid pavements
• Construction managements
• Asphalt concrete pavements
• Surface treatments
• Construction materials (for sub base, base
and surfacing)
Currently a number of research ideas are being
forwarded to the RDD based on the actual problems
faced during the design and construction of the roads.
This shows that the RDD capacity shall be built to be
able to respond to the requests to solving problems
related to road design and construction.
LANDSLIDE COUNTERMEASURE CAPACITY 
BUILDING  •
The Japanese Government through JICA is financing
a capacity building project on countermeasure of
Landslide in Ethiopia. This project aims at building
the capacity of Ethiopian Roads Authority in
identifying landslide problems, investigation, design,
construction and maintenance of countermeasure
works throughout the country. This is five Year
project divided in to three phases and currently the
second phase of the project is undergoing. A Joint
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Coordination Committee (JCC) is formed to oversee
the progress of the project with members composed
of:
• Ministry of Finance,
• Road Fund Office,
• Geological survey of Ethiopia and
• Relevant Directorates in ERA.
So far 4 meetings have been successfully conducted
by the JCC the first and second phases of the project.
In this project training in Japan on the experiences
and technologies used associated with landslide is
also one of the programs. So far 9 engineers in two
trips have trained in Japan and the third group
(composed of 5 engineers) is due to travel to Japan in
August 2013.
Annual seminar prepared for consultants and
contractors is also one of the main forum where
gained knowledge and skill is presented by trainees
in ERA. This a very important session where
awareness is created among engineers in the road
industry about the landslide problems and their
countermeasures.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER 
A number of technologists from abroad are
communicating ERA to introduce their technologies
to the road industry. ERA has a clear procedure in the
transfer of technology and trying to use it when
communicating with any foreign technology
owners/developers. The procedure in general is as
follows:
The technology shall be a proven and
licensed technology
• ERA will make a two stage investigation of
the technology:
9 Testing the technology in a laboratory
(depending on the type of product)
9 Making a demonstration/trail sections
to monitor the performance once it
passes the lab test
 • Based on the result of monitoring of the trail PUBLICATIONS 
sections for the performance, a decision will
be made whether the technology is suitable. There are research activities that are being done in
• The company is always advised to present ERA in collaboration with TRL. Most of the research
their technology to road industry through activities are undergoing and final reports are not
workshops where technical issues are produced yet. So far two research output reports are
discussed produced jointly by TRL and ERA.
• In the case of chemical stabilizers a special
attention is given to the Environmental 1. “Improving the Performance of Limestone
Impact before a demonstration. Wearing Course and Low-Cost Surfacing
in Ethiopia Southern Region”
• In some cases ERA may make visits to other
2. Performance criteria and Life-Cycle
countries to see the performance and
Costing for Unpaved Roads – Ethiopia
experience sharing on specific technology
Country Component.
applications
These reports can be obtained up on request from
So far companies with road material stabilization
Research Development Directorate.
chemicals and enzymes, geotechnical solutions, and
other sort of technologies have contacted us and
Recently a best practice manual is produced on “Best
RDD tried to respond to this accordingly. RDD
Practice Manual for Thin Bituminous Surfacings”.
always respond to this requests bearing in mind any
This maul forms part of the series of roads and
technology which can enhance our road bluing and
bridges design documents. This manual is to be
maintenance without affecting the environment and
released officially very soon here in Ethiopia. The
has value for money.
manual is produced based on the trainings provided
to the Local road contractors and consultants in
Workshops are being organized for ERA Engineers,
Ethiopia by Roughton International and was aimed
consultants and contractors. The seminars mostly
at enhancing the knowledge and skill of
focus on the transfer of technology and were
professionals. A series of training for more than 400
organized in collaboration with international firms.
professionals across the industry including Engineers,
Recently the following workshops were organized
technicians and operators was given and the best
and delivered to engineers from across the industry
practice manual is based on this training activity. The
have participated
manual in hard copy can be obtained from Research
1. A half day workshop on the “Research out put on and Development Directorate.
Rubber Asphalt Technology”; in collaboration
with Addis Ababa Institute of Technology.
2. A half day workshop on “Geotechnical Solutions
in Civil Engineering” in collaboration with
ADMIR Technologies.
3. A half day workshop on “Use of nano-technology
in road and bridge construction and maintenance”
in collaboration with ICP Global Green.
4. Half day symposium on “Towards Better Road
Transport System” with Korean Institute of
Transportation (KOTI) etc.
5. A half day workshop on “Permanent Steel Bridge
technology” in collaboration with UNIBRDIGE

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