Road Drainage Conveyance Systems – Optimum Selection Approach for Road Schemes in Ireland.

The research presented in this paper outlines an assessment overview of the common road drainage systems adopted on Irish road schemes. Road verge drainage conveyance systems including traditional and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) were analysed to evaluate if system selection can be enhanced through utilising a scoring/weighted based analysis tool. The tool adopted is the Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) approach; commonly employed during highway route selection phases. Three criteria – Engineering, Environment, Economics - were used to govern the MCA assessment. The research was conducted against four existing Irish road projects, each offering potential to address common highway drainage works requirements and design constraints. It is envisaged that the MCA technique will assist in scoping out drainage systems during the decision-making phases for road projects.