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Our Vision

Engineering has no better choice that investing in its sustainable development embracing innovation and new technologies to support healthy society and respecting the environment.

Our vision is built to conceive the transport infrastructures of the future SMARTI: “Sustainable Multi-functional Automated Resilient Transport Infrastructures

Research Areas

SMARTIlab research focuses on engineering the sustainability on each of the phases of the life cycle of road infrastructures:

Pavement materials and technologies

  • Mixing rheometry and rheological characterisation of highly heterogeneous bituminous binders
  • Design and characterisation of bio-based materials
  • Design and characterisation of  conventional and innovative bituminous mixtures and evaluation of their mechanical behavior
  • Technologies and best practices for the development of more sustainable materials and pavements
  • Re-using of secondary raw materials (such as RAP, plastic materials, end of life tires, etc.)
  • Materials and technologies life cycle analysis (LCA, LCC, S-LCA, PEF, EPD etc.)

Pavement construction

  • Support for in-plant production of road materials
  • Materials quality control during construction
  • Pavement management

  • Development of monitoring systems for road infrastructures and support for sustainable management.
  • Sustainability Assessment and Life Cycle Management of road pavements (including economic and social indicators);
  • Pavement end of life

  • Recyclability of road materials
  • Circular pavements
  • Smart road and infrastructures of the future

  • Multi-disciplinary study of new technologies for Smart Roads and the engineering of new scenarios for the mobility of the future
  • Road infrastructures engineering to facilitate the new connected, cooperative and automated mobility (CCAM)
  • Projects

    Teaching

    Since 2019 our research is being introduced within the Civil Engineering  Master Degree Programme (LM-23) of the University of Palermo, specifically in two courses incorporating using project-based learning methods

    SMART ROAD, RAILWAYS AND AIRPORTS (9 ECTS)

    SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE (6 ECTS)

    From 2026/2027, the courses will also be included in the SURPAVE joint Master a unique world-wide programme (http://surpave.eu)

    Events

    2024 Sep – Co-organization of the 2nd Workshop of the BIOPAVING International Association, in Sao Paulo Brazil

    2024 Jun – Co-Chair of the 7th Workshop on Pavement, Bridges, Tunnel LCA in Virginia, USA

    International Symposium Palermo 2022 - Playlist

    Seminario SIIV 2022 - Playlist

    SMARTIlab members collaborate with the following associations and partners

    Contact us

    Davide Lo Presti, SMARTIlab Head

    Associate Professor University of Palermo (IT)
    skype: davidelop
    davide.lopresti@unipa.it