Kazakhstan has begun developing a unique departmental standard, VN RK "Automobile Roads. Engineering Supervision", which is intended to radically change the approach to quality control in the construction, reconstruction, and repair of public automobile roads.
The project, initiated by KazdorNII JSC, will for the first time combine all aspects of engineering supervision in a single document, creating a unified standard for the road industry.
The document establishes the scope of work and operating procedures, the functional responsibilities of technical supervision specialists, requirements for the preparation of executive documentation, the maintenance of a quality control plan, and the provision of appropriate equipment at all phases of road construction, reconstruction, and repair.
The new standard is being developed as a single document covering the entire range of engineering supervision activities. It will replace three existing documents, which will become invalid upon its approval. The regulatory base will become more streamlined, relevant and in line with modern requirements of the road industry.
One of the significant innovations of the standard will be the establishment of requirements for the technical equipment of supervision services, which previously did not exist in Kazakhstan. In addition, the standard includes for the first time a procedure for setting up a “test section” to identify possible errors at the initial stage of laying asphalt concrete mixes. This approach is widely used in European countries and has proven to be an effective quality assurance tool.
The new standard was developed taking into account the experience of leading countries. An analysis of international regulatory and technical documents, including those of Germany, France, and Russia, showed that Kazakhstani practice generally coincides with foreign approaches. Nevertheless, the adopted course of systematization and unification of approaches to control makes the VN RK "Automobile Roads. Engineering Supervision" a fundamentally new step for the industry.
The project is being developed with a clear goal: to ensure that all phases of road works comply with the approved design documentation, to form uniform requirements for the preparation of executive and technical documentation, and to introduce modern, accurate, and reliable equipment into the work process. The document also provides for a higher level of training for specialists through advanced training and increased responsibility for the quality of the tasks performed.
A working group for its development has already been formed. KazdorNII JSC emphasizes that all interested specialists, organizations, and industry representatives are welcome to join the discussion of the project. Participation in the process allows direct influence on the formation of future road supervision standards in the country. All proposals and applications for participation are accepted by JSC KazdorNII.
The adoption of the National Standard of the Republic of Kazakhstan VN RK "Automobile Roads. Engineering Supervision" will be an important step towards harmonizing departmental regulatory requirements with international standards. It is expected that the document will become a practical tool for road industry specialists, as well as a basis for introducing a systematic approach to monitoring the implementation of road projects in the country. This, in turn, will contribute to increasing the country's transport and logistics potential and the qualitative development of transit infrastructure.