Research on the effects of extreme weather impacts on European transport systems is under way

EU has launched a research project which studies the effects of extreme weather events on the safety and reliability of traffic systems. The EWENT project, which is coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, will also estimate the cost effects of weather-related disruptions. The project is motivated by the concern over the increase in extreme weather events caused by climate change.

The EWENT project supports ways of mitigating the effects of extreme weather events on the transport of people and goods. The study will focus on the safety and reliability of air, ground and water transport as well as on the cost effects of traffic disruptions.

The project will identify dangerous extreme weather events and estimate their probability and effects. It will also estimate the cost effects of traffic disruptions, such as costs associated with human casualties, material damages and discontinued supply chains.

“A lot of information exists about the effects of weather events, but this is the first project which intends to estimate their cost effects methodically,” says EWENT Coordinator Pekka Leviäkangas from VTT.

The main purpose of the project is to support adaptation to climate change. In addition to the authorities, the project results may be useful for businesses, project financers and insurers. The results can be leveraged in various ways, such as in creating sizing criteria of infrastructures, pointing out needs for enhanced maintenance capabilities, development of cooperation between authorities and preparedness for exceptional conditions. The pre-engineering of co-European and national risk management methods and processes is one of the project’s key tasks.

The project will be carried out between 2010 and 2012. The total project budget is approximately 2 million euros.

The participants of the EWENT project coordinated by VTT are: German Aerospace Center (Germany), Institute of Transport Economics (Norway), Foreca Consulting Ltd (Finland), Finnish Meteorological Institute (Finland), Meteorological Service in Cyprus (Cyprus), Österreichische Wasserstrassen GmbH (Austria), European Severe Storms Laboratory (Germany) and World Meteorological Organisation (UN).

The Consultative Board of the project consists of representatives from the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications, the European Investment Bank, OECD, insurance company Allianz and the Polytechnic University of Turin.

For more information, please contact:

VTT
Chief Research Scientist Pekka Leviäkangas, EWENT Coordinator
Tel. + 358 20 722 2058, pekka.leviakangas@vtt.fi
VTT
Senior Research Scientist Anu Tuominen
Tel. +358 20 722 4976, anu.tuominen@vtt.fi
VTT
Research Scientist Riitta Molarus
Tel. +358 20 722 3480, riitta.molarius@vtt.fi
Further information on VTT:
Sakari Sohlberg
Tel. +358 20 722 6744
Sakari.sohlberg@vtt.fi
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is the biggest contract research organization in Northern Europe. VTT provides high-end technology solutions and innovation services. From its wide knowledge base, VTT can combine different technologies, create new innovations and a substantial range of world-class technologies and applied research services, thus improving its clients' competitiveness and competence. Through its international scientific and technology network, VTT can produce information, upgrade technology knowledge and create business intelligence and value added to its stakeholders.

Media Contact

Sakari Sohlberg VTT info

More Information:

http://www.vtt.fi/?lang=en

All latest news from the category: Transportation and Logistics

This field deals with all spatial and time-related activities involved in bridging the gap between goods and people, including their restructuring. This begins with the supplier and follows each stage of the operational value chain to product delivery and concludes with product disposal and recycling.

innovations-report provides informative reports and articles on such topics as traffic telematics, toll collection, traffic management systems, route planning, high-speed rail (Transrapid), traffic infrastructures, air safety, transport technologies, transport logistics, production logistics and mobility.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Lighting up the future

New multidisciplinary research from the University of St Andrews could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting. Researchers at the Organic Semiconductor Centre in the School of Physics and…

Researchers crack sugarcane’s complex genetic code

Sweet success: Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants….

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Partners & Sponsors