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Award Winning Research in New Zealand


Our team is dedicated to delivering innovative research solutions that incorporate the needs of New Zealanders. From our origins in the New Zealand Ministry of Works through to today, WSP has provided research that informed the design and construction of major infrastructure projects across Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Today our researchers work in multi-disciplinary teams to address challenges including movement around cities and places, zero-carbon alternatives to traditional roading materials, and community resilience in the presence of major natural hazards. We bring together a team of experts from diverse fields to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our communities in Aotearoa, New Zealand. 

Our Research Team

Our team includes behavioural scientists, human factors experts, social scientists, engineers, chemists, physicists, materials scientists, environmental scientists and geographers. Our expertise extends beyond Aotearoa New Zealand, providing innovative solutions to clients internationally.

We also provide specialist consultancy services and materials testing and analysis for engineering construction materials. Our management and operating practices are accredited to the International Quality Management System; ISO 9001, and many of our laboratory services have ISO 17025 accreditation.

Research Testing and Material Analysis

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Mode shift

Mode shift from private vehicles to other modes including walking and cycling can be achieved when neighbourhoods prioritise infrastructure improvements such as dedicated bike lanes, and pedestrian crossings.

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Kapiti slope tech

WSP worked with KiwiRail to install sensors to monitor a slip-prone rail line. The system provided real-time monitoring of the rail line and alerts staff to slips that may have damaged infrastructure.

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High wind and kiwi houses

The built environment needs to cope with climate change. It's important to understand how increasing wind speeds may impact the design and construction of houses including timber-framed buildings.  

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REPORT

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Research Accolades

In 2022, WSP was recognised by the ACE awards for achieving excellence with a silver recognition for our work on the KiwiRail innovation project – rail corridor scanner. This project developed an assistance system to help ensure railways are clear from obstructions. Work achieved through the human factors and instrumentation team resulted in the development of an inexpensive prototype system with three key components: a rotating LiDAR scanner, a central processing device, and a combined visual aid light with a control button. This design successfully detected obstruction on the tracks and used visual alerts to inform the rail inspector. The outcome of the project improved the efficiency of the rail corridor inspections and reduced the likelihood of damage to rail vehicles, and interruptions to train services.
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Cycling Safety at Urban Intersections

People who cycle are 10 times more likely to be involved in a serious or fatal injury crash than people who drive. This increased risk discourages people from cycling. Urban intersections are busy areas requiring more attention from road users to ensure safety. The AA research foundation and Waka Kotahi equally saw merit in better understanding the interactions between people who cycle and people who drive at urban intersections.

Analysis of video footage at four intersections resulted in several important outcomes for the client firstly by providing better evidence to underpin the business case study for intervention solutions and creating discussion around a wider set of novel intervention solutions that could reduce the risk of injury for people who cycle. This research contributes to the wider research area by creating a consistent approach to compare and rank intersection intervention priorities as well as providing an effective method to quantitatively monitor the success of implemented improvements. 
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An Evaluation of Modal Shift in the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport

The Government Policy Statement on land transport outlines the government’s 10-year strategy and helps guide land transport investment. In 2018, the policy statement placed greater priority on activities that contribute towards mode shift. An evaluation was needed to help understand the extent to which this heightens priority for mode shift impacted the number of projects being submitted with a mode shift component. This work involved analysis of project applications prior to the change (2015), when the change was introduced in 2018 and in the most recent 2021 policy statement proposals. The findings suggested relatively small margins of change since the shift prioritises and outlines the limited capacity within the sector and council budgets, as well as challenges for planning and funding the complex, network-based transport systems required to support increases in mode-shift. A number of recommendations were made, and the results of the evaluation were used to support the development of the Government Policy Statement on land transport for 2024.
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Innovative chip seal

The Waka Kotahi project explored the safety implications of bitumen tracking. The results found tracking causes the road surface to become slipperier in both wet and dry conditions, leading to reduced skid resistance.

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Sustainable road surfacing

Biomass provides a sustainable and renewable alternative to petroleum-based bitumen. The program aims to convert woody biomass into a stable, recyclable bitumen substitute that has potential to reduce the carbon impact of road surfaces.

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Roadworks revelation

A survey of Temporary Traffic Management workers highlighted safety concerns on roadworks sites, with over half experiencing driver aggression and many witnessing near-miss incidents. The research explores implementing a 'risk-based' approach to address these issues.

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Built Environment

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Environmental Effects

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Human Centered Design

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Laboratories

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Materials Testing and Analysis

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Measurement Devices

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Instrumentation Monitoring

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Research Design

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Resilience to Hazards

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Socio Economic Research

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Transport Safety

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Wind Tunnel Testing

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Safety interventions and their contribution to mode shift

Working within Waka Kotahi’s Land Transport Benefits Framework, work is underway to reduce the need for person vehicle trips to more sustainable modes of transport including walking, cycling, and public transport. To understand what safety interventions are most effective at shifting people into these sustainable modes more research was needed. Some research has suggested that safety interventions, particularly for cycling, walking and public transport can increase use of these transport modes. Our team identified this research as an opportunity to investigate co-benefits, meet multiple objectives, and address knowledge gaps in areas that are currently not well understood such as perceived safety when travelling at night. The benefit to the clients included evidence-based recommendations that have resulted in safer transport systems and increased mode shift to walking, cycling, and public transport use. This knowledge was then able to be incorporated into decision making and existing frameworks to ensure investment decisions are optimised. 
 

People

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Wendy Turvey
Director - Research and Instrumentation
New Zealand
img_profile_Louise Malcolm
Louise Malcolm
Research Manager People
New Zealand
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