The job of chairman is not always easy, but in the case of WATMOVE it has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with a wonderful team of experts drawn from engineering, environmental and geological backgrounds across 18 European countries. Their hard work can be seen in the pages that follow. Every member of the WATMOVE project has contributed in some way or another. Most have authored and/or edited parts of the text and you will find the names of the chapter co-ordinator and the contributing authors at the head of each chapter. Many have provided raw information. Some have contributed nationally developed research findings. All have entered into developing a mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s viewpoints. By this method this book is more than a summary of individual contributions, it is truly a state-of-the-art-and-practice on subsurface road drainage. Mention should also be made of the many scientists and engineers who contributed indirectly by providing information and, in the case of a few, even contributed text.
The team, listed at page xiii, wish to thank their employers for actively supporting their contributions and the European Science Foundation’s COST office in Brussels for all their support and funding. In particular we would like to single out the COST office’s scientific and administrative secretaries, Jan Spousta, Marcu Zisenis, Thierry Groger, Isabel Silva and Carmencita Malimban for their understanding and responsive assistance in so many matters, great and small. This publication has been supported by COST.
It’s their overall aim that the relevant and useful aspects of modern (and not-so — modern) research be implemented into practice. So this book is directed towards practitioners — engineers, environmentalists and hydrogeologists who have to provide for pavement and earthworks drainage — and those who will soon become practitioners — students taking advanced courses in pavement engineering, hydrogeology and geo-environmental engineering. Inevitably some will find some sections
more pertinent and accessible than others___ but we hope that readers will find
this a valuable resource from which to learn and to which they will often turn for reference. If you still want more then you may find some other resources at our web-site — www. watmove. org
So, finally, a really big “thank you” to everyone in the WATMOVE team and also to you, the reader. If the contents of this book prove useful to you, the the efforts of the team will certainly have been worthwhile!
Nottingham, UK October 2008
