New STA by-laws adopted

11 January 2018

On 18 December 2017, a signing act formalised the decision adopted during the last STA General Meeting to transfer the association’s headquarters to Brussels, Belgium. Upon approval of the Belgian Government, the statute of STA as an international non-for-profit association (AISBL) under Belgian Law will be officially endorsed.

SMARTI ETN: Training programme for 15 researchers starts23 February 2018

23 January 2018

The network-wide-training programme of SMARTI ETN was launched in 2017 under the Marie Skłodowska Curie Research Fellowship programme (MSCA). After months of hard work and preparation, all 15 researchers started their PhDs across European universities. Fellows will spend the next 3 years working alongside roads and railways experts on the development and improvement of their research projects, embracing the vision of Sustainable Multi-Functional Automated Resilient Transport Infrastructures which ultimately will make people’s everyday lives much easier.

NEWS OF INTEREST

Laura Metaal presents an innovative smart steel barrier at the Transport Research Board convention in Washington DC

On 7-11 January 2018, Laura Metaal presented a new state of art steel barrier SafeZoneTM at the Transportation Research Board convention in Washingtoon DC.

Laura Metaal’s SafeZoneTM is a unique patented and tested steel barrier for work zone protection and lane division. SafeZoneTM is the only temporary barrier on the market that meets MASH TL-3 up to MASH TL-4 Limited Deflection with one single product.

This next generation of road safety barriers is a smart barrier for both permanent and temporary applications which offers optimum safety for road workers, drivers and passengers.

In addition, SafeZoneTM is a multipurpose system based on standard elements that allows for use as a MASH TL-3, TL-3 Limited Deflection, TL-4 and TL-4 Limited Deflection system. This makes SafeZoneTM the ultimate flexible and easiest deployable barrier system on the market.

Its innovative locking system ensure the sections to remain securely fastened at all times while the robust hot dip galvanized high strength steel ensure an expected lifespan of over 20 years.

Fungi can help concrete heal its own cracks

Infrastructure supports and facilitates our daily lives – think of the roads we drive on, the bridges and tunnels that help transport people and freight, the office buildings where we work and the dams that provide the water we drink. But it’s no secret that American infrastructure is ageing and in desperate need of rehabilitation.

Considerations on the Benefits of Using Recyclable Materials for Road Construction

A current worldwide economy problem includes both the responsible management of the planet's non-renewable resources and the waste management. The benefits of using recyclable materials and recycling technologies with asphalt mixtures consist mainly of reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It is well known that oil (from which bitumen is obtained) is a non-renewable resource, hence the its price increase.

Transforming Transportation 2018: To Craft a Digital Future for All, We Need Transport for AllAustralia needs to change the way it assesses potential infrastructure projects, to ensure that governments can better understand which road and rail projects are worth building.

Exponential progress in how we collect, process and use data is fundamentally changing our societies and economies. But the new digital economy depends fundamentally on a very physical enabler. Amazon and Alibaba would not exist without efficient ways to deliver products worldwide, be it by road or ship or drone. The job you applied for through Skype may require travel to London or Dubai, where you’ll expect to get around easily.