International Seminar "Winter operations at high altitude and extreme zones"
4-7 June 2013, Santiago de Chile (Chile)
An international seminar on winter maintenance was held under the aegis of the Chilean Road and Transport Association (Asociación Chilena de Carreteras y Transporte - ACCT) - also National Committee of the World Road Association, the Chilean Road Directorate, the Society of Engineers of Chile and the Technical Committee 2.4 "Winter Service" of the World Road Association.The seminar attracted more than 200 participants from 15 nations and gave them the opportunity to exchange experiences on the issue of «Winter operations at high altitude and extreme zones».
Proceedings of International Seminar
The opening session was chaired by Mr Lucas Palacios Covarrubias, Chile's Secretary of State for Public Works, by Mr. Mario Fernandez, Director of the Chilean Road Directorate, Mr Miguel Ropert, Chairman of the Chilean Road and Transport Association, Mr Didier Giloppé and Mr José Carlos Valdecantos, respectively Chairman and Spanish speaking Secretary of TC 2.4 Winter Service, and Mr David Palmitjavila, representing the Andorra 2014 Congress organizing committee.
Access to the proceedings of the seminar on the website of the ACCT
Mountains and the altiplano account for eighty per cent of Chile's surface area
The Andes mountain range, with an average elevation of 7000 m, is the ideal environment to understand the issues discussed at the seminar. Winter service operations are aimed to maintain roadway safety, remove snow on access roads to ski resorts, to mines and to borders in order to maintain economic activity. Traffic management and providing information to users are also important aspects.
Route 60 linking Chile to Argentina...
Over 40 presentations were given by speakers from various backgrounds. They highlighted how complex approaches can be and also the need for complementarity and partnership between the various stakeholders. Avalanche control is a clear example in that regard; it is absolutely necessary to locate as early as possible the place and frequency of the phenomenon. To evaluate the avalanche risk, based on topology, efforts focus on modeling the nivology and the mechanical properties of snow. The data collected are mapped. Then preventive or curative measures are implemented such as the construction of structures to reduce the impact like avalanche barriers and galleries to protect the road. Other operational solutions consist in avalanche preventive release (gas system) followed by snow removal operations by the teams in charge.
Among the other topics discussed were snow removal and road salt spreading technology, and also more political issues such as the management of international networks. The Chilean army was also represented at the seminar. They made a particularly impressive presentation on the ascent of Mount Everest.
Participants were taken to a technical tour in Portillo at 3 000 m altitude, driving along route 60 which links Chile to Argentina.
International Seminar Program - 04-07 June 2013 | |
First day of the Seminar (4 June) | |
Hour |
Conferences |
16:00 |
Registrations |
17:00 |
Opening Ceremony |
Host : Mr. Miguel ROPERT, President, Chilean Association of Roads and Transportation (ACCT, PIARC-Chile) | |
Introduction : M. Mario FERNÁNDEZ, Director of Highways MOP and PIARC First Delegate of Chile | |
PIARC Activities | |
Andorra 2014 - 14th International Winter Road Congress (Spanish) | |
Second day of the Seminar (5 June) | |
Hour |
Conferences |
11:40 |
Management Challenge for Route 60-Ch on winter operation (Chile) (Spanish) |
Past and Future of Portillo Winter Resort (Spanish) | |
Chilean Police and its role at the border area (Spanish) | |
Rescue and survival at high mountains and extreme conditions (Spanish) | |
International Conectivity - Los Libertadores Border Complex (Spanish) | |
Winter Working Group - WWG Chile (English / Spanish) | |
Winter Research Center and National Road Administration of Argentina (Spanish) | |
Working at high altitude: Health and Prevention (Spanish) | |
Snow conditions data and analysis system (Spanish) | |
Risk Management for High Mountain Mining (Spanish) | |
Connectivity and Road Safety for High Mountain Mining (Spanish) | |
Third day of the Seminar (6 June) | |
Hour |
Conferences |
09:00 |
Session I -Winter operation at high altitude roads and extreme zones. Local and International experience |
Lecture - High mountain and extreme zones connectivity (Spanish) | |
Winter Road Operation, Experience at Extreme Zones in Europe | |
Situation of Road Winter Operation | |
Snow road operation in heavy snowing zones (Spanish) | |
Urban zone, sometimes extreme: the conjunction of high traffic level and bad weather conditions | |
11:30 |
Session II - Technology Winter Road Operation. Local and international experience |
French know how & expertise in Natural Hazards management | |
Management, devices and technology for winter conditions | |
Winter maintenance equipment and technologies. North America experience | |
Materials used in Europe for ice control (Spanish) | |
Example of high mountain operation in France: the road to Andorra | |
14:30 |
Session III - Winter Road Operation at high altitude and in extreme areas. Particular approaches |
Phases and results - Specialized organization for winter maintenance Route 181-Ch (Spanish) | |
Management for winter operation Route 60-Ch - A mountain road (Spanish) | |
Snow drift control method and technology | |
Compact Weather Stations and pavement sensors under a winter operation management framework (Spanish) | |
17:00 |
Session IV - Winter Road Operation at high altitude and in extreme areas. The challenge for Latin America |
Key Elements to Successful Roadway Avalanche Programs | |
Road Winter Operation and Bielsa-Aragnouet Tunnel Traffic Management (Spanish) | |
Chile-Argentina connectivity in the high mountains (Spanish) | |
Fourth day of the seminar (7 June) | |
Hour |
Conferences |
09:00 |
Session V - Winter operation at high altitude roads and extreme zones |
Weather Mapping and predictive tools application on high mountains roads (Spanish) | |
View of the Challenges for Long Binational Tunnels at the Los Andes Mountain Range (Spanish) | |
International Crossing Road Pehuenche (Spanish) | |
Road safety and application at high mountain (Spanish) | |
BAFCO Austral (Spanish) | |
Technology for road opening operation at high mountain (Spanish) | |
Chilean Army at the Everest | |