10. EATA2019 Conference at LabIC.UGR

Hi everyone,

While I write this blog, I should say that I am feeling really tired but actually at the same time really glad for what I want to talk to you all this time: the 8th European Asphalt Technology Association Conference (EATA2019).


The EATA2019 took place between 3th and 5th of June at my host institution: the University of Granada! And I had the privilege to be involved as a part of the organizing committee, which was composed by the teamwork of the LabIC.UGR.

I should say that as a team, we are very satisfied because the activity was a complete success. We attended around 248 people from different countries at the event!

The topics of the event were related with (https://www.eata2019.com/):

• Mechanical, thermal, chemical, or physical properties and characteristics of bitumen, additives, bituminous mixtures, asphalt concrete, as well as mixture design. 

• Sustainability environmental aspects of bituminous materials used for road and other transportation infrastructures (railway, ports, airports…).

• Design and modeling of pavement behavior and performance, structural evaluation, stress/strain and thermal characterization and calculation, vehicle/road interaction, climatic effects and numerical and analytical modeling for the different bituminous layers of roads and other transportation infrastructures (railway, ports, airports…).

• New mixtures and mixture components, including smart and innovative asphalt pavements.

• Construction and rehabilitation procedures, as well as asphalt production technologies. 

The best papers were selected to be published in a Special Issue of the Journal of Road Materials and Pavement Design, as well as the three of the best poster presentations who won the EATA2019 award. 

I want to tell you here that I won one of the three best poster presentations! It is really satisfying to know that with dedication, persistence, and daring to take the associated risks you can improve in those areas you are not confident yet.  

I also have a moment during the event to show the prop of the pavement and the scooter I am working with for the proposal of the roads as part of the platforms required to achieve the implementation of the autonomous vehicles. 

Particularly I should say that this event was one of the most challenging activities of SMARTI, but also, where I had learned more. Professor Luis Loria from Costa Rica was here and it was a kind of a bust for me to have him here, it is always really comforting to know that you have people who support and believe in you, professor José Pablo Aguiar (from Costa Rica) and professor Fabricio Leiva (also costarrican, but now working at NCAT) were also here, so I have not words to say as good was to see to them again! Lilly Xu, an ex-coworker from LanammeUCR came with them too.

SMARTI was also here! Maria (http://esr2smartietn.blogspot.com/) and Domenico (https://roadinnovations.blogspot.com/) did a great oral presentation of their work. Gaspare (https://comp2rheo.blogspot.com/) and Kostas (https://lcsa4transport.blogspot.com/) also did it with their posters!

MSCA fellows of the SAFER UP were also here! It was great to meet them!

Next EATA2021 will be in Vienna, so, stay tuned!

Keep in touch, 

ESR14-PLP.