Alternative Pavement Project Moves Ahead

Above Image: (from left to right) Dr. Reed Ellis, Dr. Cristina Zanotti, Mr. Rushat Agarwal, Dr. Nemy Banthia, Dr. KRS Narayan, Dr. Manikandan Rajakannu, Ms. Sue Roppel, Dr. Vivek Bandaganavile, Dr. Amir Abd El Halim, Dr. Suresh Narayana

Industrial members, academic experts, and scientific researchers from both Canada and India came together in Vancouver, Canada and helped move the IC-IMPACTS Alternative Pavements project forward. This meeting marked the second international planning meeting, the first being held in Banglore, India in 2013.

The Alternative Pavements project aims to build a road near Thondebavi Taluk, Karnataka that desperately in need of better road infrastructure. IC-IMPACTS has brought together industrial and academic experts to build a road using new techniques in highly durable thin-film pavements, as well as water capture and treatment technologies from the road surface. If successful, these unique pavement technologies may be widely adopted into thousands of other pavement projects in both Canada and India.

Road details such as the use of specific materials, technologies, and resources were outlined and planned. Other technical details such as the collection of sensing and geotechnical data, rainwater harvesting, and drainage were discussed. Necessary permits and approvals were outlined, and a community engagement strategy was created for technology uptake and social impacts.

A great deal of progress was made throughout the planning workshop. Stay tuned as more details unfold.