The TRL Overseas Road Notes are a series of manuals and guidelines prepared for use by

professionals working in the field of transport in developing countries and countries in transition. The
information contained within the ORNs represents the most up to date thinking on good engineering,
transport safety, environmental mitigation and transport planning practice applicable in such
countries.

The Overseas Road Note series dates from 1981. They are an ad hoc series covering a range of
topics reflecting the types of work being carried out at a particular time. They do not conform to any
‘master plan’ and are therefore numbered simply according to order of publication. The exception in
the numbering system is Overseas Road Note 31. This originated in the TRL Road Note series as
RN 31 and the number became firmly associated with the title. Thus, when the ORN series come into
being and incorporated RN 31, the guide was allowed to retain its original number. Road Note 40,
similarly, is an ‘honorary’ ORN that still carries its original RN number (but see below).

The Overseas Road Notes mostly remain current for many years and do not require regular
updating. However, they are revised when necessary. ORN 3 was recently revised and is now
published in its second edition. RN 40 is currently under revision and will shortly be reissued as ORN
40.
The titles are as follows, but the titles can also be displayed by clicking on the ‘expand’ symbol next
to ‘Overseas Road Notes’ in the screen index.

ORN 1Maintenance management for district engineers

ORN 2Maintenance techniques for district engineers
ORN 3A guide to surface dressing in tropical and sub-tropical countries
ORN 4Field survey techniques and analysis for urban bus operators
ORN 5A guide to road project appraisal
ORN 6A guide to geometric design
ORN 7Volume 1. A guide to bridge inspection and data systems for district engineers
ORN 7Volume 2. Bridge inspector’s handbook
ORN 8A user’s manual for a program to analyse Dynamic Cone Penetrometer data
ORN 9A design manual for small bridges
ORN 10
Costing road accidents in developing countries
ORN 11
Urban road traffic surveys
ORN 12
Design guidelines for busway transit
ORN 13
Use of traffic signals in developing countries
ORN 14
Hydrological design manual for slope stability in the tropics
ORN 15
Guidelines for the design and operation of road management systems
ORN 16
Principles of low cost road engineering in mountainous regions
ORN 17
Road safety education in developing countries. Guidelines for good practice in primary
schools
ORN 18 A guide to the pavement evaluation and maintenance of bitumen-surfaced roads in tropical
and sub-tropical countries
ORN 31 A guide to the structural design of bitumen-surfaced roads in tropical and sub-tropical
countries
ORN 40 A guide to the measurement of axle loads in developing countries using a portable
weighbridge