Swiss contribution to Eureka Project Logchain Footprint E!2486

The European cooperative project Eureka Logchain Footprint E!2486 is an ongoing project that begun in 2001 and it has been extended until 2008. This interim report has been prepared to document the status of Swiss participation in the project as of January 2007. The Footprint project aims to develop an innovative and cost effective method to identify road and rail vehicles by means of their environmental "footprint" as characterised by dynamic load, noise, ground borne vibration and gaseous emissions induced by the vehicle. There by producing a method for a 'true' bottom up allocation of effects of vehicles on infrastructure and environment. An important part of this project is the installation of road and rail Footprint Monitoring Sites (FMS) throughout Europe. The first road FMS in Europe was built in June 2005 on the A 1 motorway in Switzerland on a flexible asphalt pavement. This report presents the results of monitoring from this FMS and the data analysis using a finite element model. Additional information on Footprint Monitoring Sites in Austria and UK as well as information on other work groups working on the project such as cost modelling and policy options are summarized. It is clear from analysis of the data that the heaviest vehicles are not necessarily the ones with the highest axle loads and causing the most damage to the pavement nor are they the noisiest or the ones causing the most vibrations. It is imperative that each vehicle is assessed separately for the various parameters that it causes. These parameters then should be compared against the environmental friendliness thresholds currently under discussion with other European partners.