Circular and Connected Pavements for Carbon-Neutral and Digital Roads

Roads are the arteries through which economic and social development pulses, and are one of the most important public services in the world. However, roadway assets are currently made of virgin and fossil-based materials and processes. Additionally, roads are subjected to ever-heavier traffic loads, relentless traffic concentrations and climate change, which will result in much quicker infrastructure failures, and in turn costs. Therefore, the aim of this DN is to create Circular and Connected Pavements for Carbon-Neutral and Digital Roads (CIRCOPAV) through a world-class international, inter-disciplinary and inter-sectorial training programme for ten doctoral candidates. CIRCOPAV DN will complete two key scientific objectives: 1) road network digitalisation to create smart and automated pavements, and 2) pavement sustainability to mitigate carbon footprint and ensure climate change resilience. These targets will be achieved through a consortium of 8 universities, 8 industrial companies and a road administration, across 8 countries and 3 continents, and combine the transportation, construction engineering, sustainability, electronics and data science sectors to create a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative leaders for the next generation of roads. Additionally, these goals fall directly in line with Horizon Europe’s goal to transition to a green and digital economy, the Green Charter and two Horizon Europe Missions. They will be achieved via intelligent and connected (e.g. sensors and IoT networks) and sustainable technologies (e.g. low emission materials and manufacturing and climate change resilient designs and materials). As a result, guidelines and prototypes will be developed up to TRL 6 and designed for exploitation in Europe and developing countries, and will be supported by open-days, open-access publications and seven international external advisory and dissemination entities.