The Primary aim is to serve as national center for road research in the country.

• To ascertain the nature and extent of research required.
• To correlate research information from various organizations in India and abroad with a view to exchanging publications and information on roads.
• To co-ordinate and conduct correlation services.
• To sponsor basic research through universities and research organizations.
• To collect and disseminate results of research.
• Any other matter related to road research.

• Learn field problems and to pass on information based on research or experiences of other States, industry or educational institutions.
• Learn fully research activity underway or contemplated and take steps to avoid duplication.
• Set up Committees consisting of experts who are concerned with the problems of roads and road transport. The members of the Committees will work in honorary capacity. These Committees will:
  • Identify highway research needs and study of major research problems for inclusion in National co-operative or individual programmes keeping in view the needs of the country especially the need for appropriate technology for road construction. It is necessary that all programmes are evaluated before any research projects are initiated;
  • Recommend priorities and schedules of research;
  • Recommend specific research problems of proven importance for study to specific organizations/institutions as part of long term and short term programmes;
  • Stimulate highway research;
  • Evaluate, monitor, interpret and disseminate highway research findings;
  • Review Papers submitted for annual research meetings;
  • Prepare bibliographies and State-of-the-Art Reports;
  • Digest the wealth of information pouring in from research projects abroad and tailor the results to the needs of the country;
  • Provide for a mutual exchange of information on the latest technological developments among the Committee members themselves.

  The work of these Committees will be co-ordinated by the Board. The Indian Roads Congress Secretariat will give necessary assistance to these Committees in their work.

• Act as an Advisory Organisation to suggest to the Central and State Governments and Research Organisations programmes of research and also assist various agencies in selection of research projects. Process and transmit to the Central and State Governments for the consideration such requests as may be received by it from various organizations seeking funds for Highway Research.
• Select outstanding Papers on Research for awards and medals to be instituted by the Board.
• Hold Periodical Research Sessions/Seminars where research problems and research Papers are discussed in detail.
• Give advice on technical enquiries regarding roads and road transport problems.
• Publish:
  • Research Papers presented at Annual meetings, Seminars, etc.
  • Special Reports
  • Highway Research Abstracts
  • Bibliographies
  • State-of-the-Art Reports
• Undertake special studies relating to roads and road transport.
• Keeping liaison with outside agencies for exchanging research information and for obtaining support for special projects and programmes.

The Research problems posed to the Indian Roads Congress at the Committees and during the annual meetings or otherwise by the Central and State Governments will be processed by respective research Committees and thereafter entrusted to different laboratories as may be considered necessary. The research work will be processed through the Highway Research Board constituted as under:

(i) Chairman : Director General (Road Development) & Special Secretary to the Govt. of India (Ex-Officio) (in the event of DG(RD) not being in position, the President, IRC may function as Chairman of HRB)

(ii) Members:

1. President of the Indian Roads Congress
2. Director, Central Road Research Institute
3. Additional Director General (I), M/o. Road Transport & Highways, Govt. of India
4. Additional Director General (II), M/o. Road Transport & Highways, Govt. of India
5. Director General Border Roads
6. Member (Technical), National Highways Authority of India
7. Director General, NRRDA
8. Director, NITHE
9. Five Members from State Research Laboratories/Institutes
10.Ten Members from the Chief Engineers of Central/State Highway Departments
11.Five Highway Experts from Universities, Engineering Colleges and Institutes of Technology
12.Six members from the Business Sector
13.One Member from User Organsiation/State Road Transport Undertakings/IRTDA
14.Five Chief Engineers from the States where PMGSY is being implemented
15.Ten Co-opted members

(iii) Secretary : Secretary General , Indian Roads Congress

The Council of the Indian Roads Congress will nominate personnel against (ii) 9, 10, 11, 12,13 and 14. Their tenure will be for a period of three years or till such time the Council nominates new members. The Executive Committee shall fill up any vacancy that might arise in between the Council meetings.

The Board may co-opt upto Ten experts as members and they will be treated as regular members of the Board. Their tenure will be for a period of three years or less as the Board may specify.

Secretariat of the Indian Roads Congress, New Delhi.

• Deputy Secretary – One (Officer of Superintending Engineer’s Rank)
• Assistant Secretaries – Two (Officers of Executive Engineer’s Rank)

The establishment and Secretariat expenses shall for the time being be met by the Indian Roads Congress. The Central and State Governments will be approached to make annual contributions to the Board for sponsoring research schemes.

• To take follow-up actions on the decisions of the Highway Research Board
• To examine suggestions emanating from HRB Identifications, Monitoring and Research Application (IMRA) Committee and suggest appropriate action thereon.
• To monitor utilization of research pertaining to roads, bridges and transportation matters by different Highway Departments/Organisations /Institutes.
• To recommend priorities and schedule of research.
• To consider the General Report on Road Research Work Done in India as approved by the IMRA Committee and to identify four or five disciplines/thrust areas for discussion at the time of the Annual Session of the IRC.
• To make suggestions for Presentation of Research Topics for the IRC Sessions.
• Any other issue that the Group may like to consider arising out of the deliberations/decisions of IMRA Committee.

• To identify subjects on which research has lagged behind in this country and on which research is considered to be of vital importance to the country.
• To identify areas of research where duplication of efforts takes place by studies being conducted on a single subject at many institutions.
• To draw up a list of schemes where research should be recommended to the Highway Research Board and to recommend Priorities.
• To recommend as to who should sponsor and finance the Research Projects and where specific research work should be undertaken.
• Evaluation and Monitoring of the road and bridge research schemes with a view to
  • suggesting suitable modifications;
  • disseminate information flowing from them;
  • recommend further research;
  • suggest modification of existing specifications, etc. and
  • make suggestions for their application in field.
• To monitor research and finalise the General Report on Road Research and to create email, website, phone number.
• To suggest topics State-of-the-Art Reports on selected topics.
• To prepare or review research abstracts containing brief summary of various research Papers published in India and abroad. (Indian Highways)
• To identify and publish list of available Consultancy Services, Research Schemes and Research Equipment sources.
• To tender advice on research or other problems when sought by members.
• To collect information on various research schemes, experiments, tests, findings and latest technological developments in India and abroad pertaining to Road and Bridge Planning Design, Construction, Maintenance and Operation.
• To consider findings and suggestions arising out of the General Report on Road Research in India relating to roads and bridges and to make recommendations to Highway Research Board thereon or for affecting modifications in specifications and codes of practice.
• To disseminate information on road and bridge research projects by way of bringing out reports and or application packages, etc. to be published as Special Publication of IRC under the aegis of Highway Research Board.
• To review all the reports available on roads and bridges and discussions thereon for selecting, recommending topics of immediate importance and interest to the road and bridge engineering for being presented as an item for Panel Discussion at the IRC Session.
• Any other related activity.

• The Expert Committee shall be constituted under the aegis of Highway Research Board (HRB), specifically to recommend usage of patented/ accredited new materials/techniques in the ongoing road and bridge works, on experimental basis. The duration of the temporary usage shall be 2 years from the date of approval.
• The proposals shall be addressed by the interested manufacturer/promoter to the Secretary General, Indian Roads Congress (IRC) supported by technical specifications, Test reports from approved test houses, together with performance reports from user departments.
• A processing fee of Rs 50,000 for each product to be accredited is to be levied, on the receipt of which the product would be placed before the Committee for consideration.
• The Expert Committee would examine the proposal, obtain further information, if necessary and give its decision. The Secretary General, IRC would notify approval of any material or technique for adoption on the IRC Website and also in the Indian Highways.
• The Client / user department shall monitor the performance of the patented / accredited new material / technique for its compatibility and durability in Indian environment and furnish detailed report to HRB indicating their experience and satisfactory / un-satisfactory performance periodically. The Committee could, henceforth, also cancel the accreditation of any product in case of non receipt of six-monthly Performance Reports.
• The temporary permission / accreditation issued by IRC Secretariat shall automatically terminate at the end of period notified, unless renewed. .
• The HRB shall advise the relevant committees of IRC for considering / recommending the usage of accredited new material / techniques based upon satisfactory performance report from the client and Head of user department, from their experience.
• For renewal of already accredited materials/techniques, a processing fee of Rs 50,000 would be charged. The Expert Committee would re-examine the proposal in depth and give its decision and could also get additional Performance Reports from other user agencies, to judge the credibility of already accredited material/ technique
• The usage of an accredited new material / technique would be included in the code of practice, special and other publications issued by IRC, only after fulfilling the step 7 and approval of the IRC Council. The Right to reject any claim would be with the IRC.
• The temporary approval, trial usage in any work shall not entitle the manufacturer/vendor, to use it as a “Certificate” for marketing purposes either in India or in other countries.
• The IRC as a body shall not be responsible for adverse performance or failure of a stretch of road or part of bridge where the accredited new material / product has been tried on experimental basis.
• The Expert Committee would preferably meet within a period of one month.
• The Expert Committee would dispose of the applications within one month from the date of receipt after discussing the proposal.

(a) HIGHWAY RESEARCH BULLETIN / JOURNAL

Highway Research Bulletin published upto No.77,October 2007

Highway Research Journal - Published upto Vol 4 – No. 2, July - December 2011

(b) HIGHWAY RESERACH RECORD (General Report on Road Research Work Done in India During the Year)

Highway Research Record - Published upto No.38, November 2011

(c) STATE-OF-THE- ART REPORTS

• HRB Special Report No.1, 2000 (Rev.)
  “State-of-the-Art : Lime Soil Stabilization – 2000”
• HRB Special Report No.2, 1976
  “State-of-the-Art : Pavements, Slipperiness and Skid Resistance”
• HRB Special Report No.3, 1978
  “State-of-the-Art : Compaction of Earthwork and Sub-grades”
• HRB Special Report No.4, 1984
  “State-of-the-Art : Graded Concrete”
• HRB Special Report No.5, 1984
  “State-of-the-Art : Dynamic Behaviour of Highway Bridges”
• HRB Special Report No.6, 1985
  “State-of-the-Art : Rock Aggregates for use in Road Construction”
• HRB Special Report No.7, 1986
  “State-of-the-Art : Surface Dressing”
• HRB Special Report No.8, 1987
  “State-of-the-Art : Determination of Live Load Surcharge Behind Abutments”
• HRB Special Report No.9, 1987
  “State-of-the-Art : Expansion Joints”
• HRB Special Report No.10, 1989
  “State-of-the-Art : Behaviour of Concrete Under Sea-Water and in Marine Environment”
• HRB Special Report No.11, 1992
  “State-of-the-Art : Granular and Bound Bases and Sub-Bases”
• HRB Special Report No.12, 1994
  “State-of-the-Art : Application of Geotextiles in Highway Engineering”
• HRB Special Report No.13, 1994
  “State-of-the-Art : High Embankments on Soft Ground, Part A – Stage Construction”
• HRB Special Report No.14, 1994
  “State-of-the-Art : High Embankments on Soft Ground, Part B – Ground Improvement”
• HRB Special Report No.15, 1996
  “State-of-the-Art : Landslide Correction Techniques”
• HRB Special Report No.16, 1996
  “State-of-the-Art : Reinforced Soil Structures Applicable to Road Design & Construction”
• HRB Special Report No.17, 1996
  “State-of-the-Art : Non Destructive Testing Techniques of Concrete Bridges”
• HRB Special Report No.18, 1996
  “State-of-the-Art : Corrosion and Corrosion Protection of Prestressed Concrete Bridges in Marine Environment”
• HRB Special Report No.19, 2001
  "State-of-the-Art : Underwater Scanning and Repairing of Bridge Components”
• HRB Special Report No.20, 2004
  ”State-of-the-Art : Development of Bridge Bearings”