We carried out a research project on intelligent asphalt pavements
The MECATRIC project (Research and Development of New Asphalt Materials for Smart Road Construction) aims to develop new asphalt materials for manufacturing smart roads, with new capabilities such as self-repair, improving road safety, and reducing maintenance tasks and costs. To achieve this, the road is equipped with magnetic/electrical characteristics that react to or can be detected by devices associated with magnetic fields.
This Project/Program is funded up to 80% with resources from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) allocated to the Institute of Development of the Region of Murcia under the Global Grant Decision C (2015)3408, from the Commission, approving the Operational Program of community intervention ERDF 2014-2020 within the framework of the investment objective in growth and employment in the Autonomous Community of Murcia, as a Region qualified in transition.
In recent years, the concept of smart roads has emerged. It is a broad and inclusive concept that incorporates all aspects and efforts to improve the road sector, such as environmental improvements, traffic management technology, life cycle analysis in construction and operation, and road design improvement. These roads are intended to be characterized by advanced technology in safety, vehicle load, and connectivity; therefore, the main objectives are to increase driving efficiency, improve safety, and reduce pollution.
The project aims to study different waste materials that can be incorporated into asphalt mixtures and provide roads with intelligent properties.
During the project's execution, various materials have been included in the mixture to give it intelligent properties, such as graphene and metallic materials. Different self-repair methods have been studied: microwave, induction, and infrared, successfully repairing existing cracks and fissures.
CTCON has carried out the complete development of all the work in each of the stages and tasks defined throughout the project. Additionally, given the complexity and magnitude of some tasks, this project has benefited from the collaboration of UPCT (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Materials, and Manufacturing) due to their proven experience in image analysis for material characterization.
