The second Training Week for CIRCOPAV took place from June 17th to June 21st in Budapest, Hungary, coinciding with the Eurobitumen & Eurasphalt (E&E) 2024 event.
The week began with a welcome dinner on Monday, June 17th, bringing together CIRCOPAV members and key representatives from the E&E management team.
On Tuesday, June 18th, CIRCOPAV hosted a workshop focused on Sponge Cities and the Digitalization of Roads. Experts from academia and industry shared insights on tackling these topics, with discussions structured around three key areas:
- Digitalization and Sensor Technologies: Innovations for next-generation road infrastructu
- Sponge Cities: Designing urban environments to absorb rainwater and mitigate flooding.
- New Materials for Sustainable and Resilient Asphalt Pavements: Advancements in materials that enhance pavement durability and environmental performance.
Wednesday, June 19th, featured CIRCOPAV’s Supervisory & Steering Board meeting, where doctoral candidates presented updates on their research progress.
Following the meeting, CIRCOPAV members attended the first day of the E&E Congress, which focused on:
- High-performance asphalt mixtures
- Low-temperature mixtures
- Binder performance
- A workshop on sustainability challenges with National Road Authorities and the Asphalt & Bitumen industries
On Thursday, June 20th, the congress shifted its focus to future mobility, digitalization, standardization, carbon-neutral pavements, asphalt mixture modification, resilience, and binder modification. This provided CIRCOPAV doctoral candidates with a valuable opportunity to attend high-level discussions on sustainability and digital transformation.
Prof. M. Rubio, the CIRCOPAV Coordinator and a supervisor to one of the Doctoral Candidates, gave a presentation on the advancements made in the implementation of Masai (Materiales Asfálticos Sostenibles, Automatizados e Inteligentes) in the Andalusian road network and on the necessary steps to achieve the roads of the future.
The final day, Friday, June 21st, explored advanced binder testing, sustainability assessment, and cutting-edge asphalt mixture testing and evaluation. The event concluded with a workshop on fostering a more inclusive industry, particularly in supporting women in the sector.
Prof. F. Moreno sharing his advancements on Advanced characterization of asphalt binders through the ElaStyLe protocol.
The attendance to the Eurobitumen & Eurasphalt 2024 Congress was a standout feature of the week. The event provided a platform for intellectual exchange and critical feedback, fostering growth and innovation within the Circopav program.