What are the main challenges and opportunities for innovation and technology in pavement engineering?

1 Challenge: Traffic loading and deterioration

One of the main challenges for pavement engineering is to design and build pavements that can withstand the increasing traffic loading and prevent premature deterioration. Traffic loading refers to the amount and type of vehicles that use the pavement, which can cause different types of distresses, such as cracking, rutting, potholing, and fatigue. Deterioration refers to the loss of pavement function and serviceability over time, which can affect the safety, comfort, and efficiency of the users. To address this challenge, pavement engineers need to use advanced methods and tools to analyze the traffic loading and deterioration patterns, and to select the appropriate materials, designs, and maintenance strategies for each pavement project.

3 Challenge: Climate change and extreme events

Another challenge for pavement engineering is to design and build pavements that can resist the effects of climate change and extreme events, such as floods, droughts, heat waves, cold snaps, or earthquakes. Climate change and extreme events can affect the pavement performance and lifespan in various ways, such as causing thermal expansion or contraction, moisture infiltration or evaporation, freeze-thaw cycles, erosion, or liquefaction. To address this challenge, pavement engineers need to use reliable and updated data and models to assess the climate change and extreme event scenarios, and to incorporate the resilience and adaptation principles into the pavement design and management.

4 Opportunity: Digital and automated technologies

Another opportunity for innovation and technology in pavement engineering is to use digital and automated technologies that can improve the efficiency, accuracy, and safety of pavement construction and maintenance. Digital technologies are those that can collect, store, process, and communicate data and information about the pavement condition, performance, and usage, such as sensors, cameras, drones, or geographic information systems (GIS). Automated technologies are those that can perform tasks or operations without human intervention, such as robots, machines, or vehicles. For example, some digital and automated technologies can monitor the pavement quality and defects, optimize the pavement maintenance schedules and costs, or execute the pavement repairs and rehabilitation.

5 Challenge: Stakeholder expectations and regulations

A final challenge for pavement engineering is to meet the stakeholder expectations and regulations that govern the pavement construction and maintenance. Stakeholders are the individuals or groups that have an interest or influence on the pavement project, such as owners, users, contractors, consultants, regulators, or communities. Regulations are the rules or standards that define the pavement requirements, specifications, or criteria, such as codes, laws, policies, or guidelines. To address this challenge, pavement engineers need to communicate and collaborate effectively with the stakeholders and regulators, and to balance the technical, economic, social, and environmental aspects of the pavement project.

6 Opportunity: Education and training

A final opportunity for innovation and technology in pavement engineering is to enhance the education and training of the pavement engineers and workers, and to foster a culture of learning and innovation. Education and training are the processes of acquiring and developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are necessary for the pavement engineering profession, such as engineering fundamentals, pavement design and analysis, material science, construction methods, maintenance techniques, or project management. To seize this opportunity, pavement engineers and workers need to access and use the available and emerging resources and platforms that can facilitate the education and training, such as online courses, webinars, podcasts, blogs, or forums.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?