University-industry partnership a road to innovation

With CIMIC Group as its major industry partner, the SPARC (Smart Pavements Australia Research Collaboration) Hub is the first university-led research collaboration platform to focus on advancing transport pavement innovations.

CIMIC Group, through our engineering and technical services business EIC Activities, is collaborating with SPARC Hub alongside Monash University, the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) and Austroads, which represents the Australian and New Zealand transport agencies.

Delivering smarter, more sustainable transport pavements

SPARC Hub aims to advance and transform the Australian pavement manufacturing industry by addressing short, medium and longer-term transport challenges. Through high-quality, collaborative research in innovative materials, smart technologies and advanced design, construction and maintenance methods, they are working to make Australia's transport pavements smarter and more sustainable.

Last year, EIC Activities was invited to be a contributor to research topics and facilitated CIMIC Group funding nine research projects.

EIC Activities Acting Managing Director Geoff Sewell said that the collaboration allowed innovation and skill development to future proof the industry.

“We get the benefit out of the research including intellectual property, and the PHD students get to be mentored by our subject matter experts and gain site access which assists with research,” said Geoff.

“As the research projects are completed, we will start seeing new materials, designs and adaptive technologies transform the way we approach projects.”

SPARC Hub Director Professor Jayantha Kodikara said one of the defining features of SPARC Hub is its partnership approach, leveraging knowledge from industry practitioners and academics alike, to provide a unique learning and problem-solving environment for researchers.

“We are excited to have CIMIC Group as a lead industry partner sharing our passion for providing innovative solutions, while enhancing the skill base in the Australian transport pavement sector,” Said Professor Jayantha.

The CIMIC research projects focus on unbound pavements with thin surfacing, advances in bound pavement bases, smart sensing, construction and maintenance monitoring.

Read more about CIMIC Group SPARC Hub research projects:

• Subgrade model incorporating unsaturated soil behaviour, cyclic loading, and climatic effects and test methods.
• Unbound pavement material model incorporating unsaturated soil behaviour cyclic loading, and climatic effects and test methods.
• Temporary (short duration) pavement design parameters based on short durations and relatively low number of standard axles.
• Fibre (plastic/steel/graphene) as potential reinforcement in continuously reinforced concrete pavements (CRCP). Provide a review of graphene as potential reinforcement CRCP.
• Quantifying the benefits of intelligent compaction for unbound/subgrade pavement performance.
• Use of L-band radiometer or other suitable sensing techniques for remote moisture measurements unbound materials and soil subgrades.
• Remote sensing and advanced analysis of measurements of density through the possible use of appropriate sensing techniques, including LIDAR and GPS.
• Enhanced road safety through smart sensing for road construction, planned interruptions/worksites and interaction with autonomous vehicles.
• Microwave dry-back of granular pavements (research project to commence soon)