Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CIRCUIT (Holistic approach to foster CIRCUlar and resilient transport InfrasTructures and support the deployment of Green and Innovation Public Procurement and innovative engineering practices)
Reporting period: 2023-05-01 to 2024-10-31
The overall objective of CIRCUIT is to develop a holistic approach, supported by digital solutions, material developments, and guidelines, to foster the introduction of innovative engineering practices throughout the entire construction supply and value chain. This will enable the creation of circular, sustainable, resilient, and smart transport infrastructures, both at urban and interurban level, and foster wider deployment of GPP and IP. This will be achieved by:
(1) developing and deploying an innovative open-source digital platform (with advanced Circularity analytics and Supply/value chain matchmaking tools) interoperable with traditional engineering/design, BIM and Digital Twins tools and with open-source LCC, LCA, traffic simulation tools;
(2) introducing modular solutions, ecodesign and reusing concepts as alternative to traditional designs;
(3) maximizing the use of biobased, Secondary Raw Materials (SRM) and Secondary Construction Elements (SCE) as alternative to traditional ones;
(4) including in the decision making process of transport infrastructures design and route planning, information from updated traffic simulation tools to reduce incidents, accidents, congestion and future scenarios with autonomous vehicles). New elements and technologies for Smart, Resilient and Sustainable transport will be included in the design process to facilitate infrastructures upgrading and a quick adaptation to smart mobility and operations.
CIRCUIT is structured around four main pillars: Digitalisation, Recycling, Reuse, and Energy, and providing knowledge and technical solutions to consider properly the whole life cycle of transport infrastructure, limiting the overall emissions and energy consumption associated to construction, maintenance, operation and decommissioning of infrastructures. Different technologies are being validated in each of the pillars to deliver a holistic approach suitable for different transport modes, the urban and interurban environment, and the different stages of the life cycle of infrastructures. This potential is going to be proved in five demonstration pilots to be implemented in different EU countries, covering roads, embankments, tunnels, and bridges infrastructure.
(1) developing and deploying an innovative open-source digital platform (with advanced Circularity analytics and Supply/value chain matchmaking tools) interoperable with traditional engineering/design, BIM and Digital Twins tools and with open-source LCC, LCA, traffic simulation tools;
(2) introducing modular solutions, ecodesign and reusing concepts as alternative to traditional designs;
(3) maximizing the use of biobased, Secondary Raw Materials (SRM) and Secondary Construction Elements (SCE) as alternative to traditional ones;
(4) including in the decision making process of transport infrastructures design and route planning, information from updated traffic simulation tools to reduce incidents, accidents, congestion and future scenarios with autonomous vehicles). New elements and technologies for Smart, Resilient and Sustainable transport will be included in the design process to facilitate infrastructures upgrading and a quick adaptation to smart mobility and operations.
CIRCUIT is structured around four main pillars: Digitalisation, Recycling, Reuse, and Energy, and providing knowledge and technical solutions to consider properly the whole life cycle of transport infrastructure, limiting the overall emissions and energy consumption associated to construction, maintenance, operation and decommissioning of infrastructures. Different technologies are being validated in each of the pillars to deliver a holistic approach suitable for different transport modes, the urban and interurban environment, and the different stages of the life cycle of infrastructures. This potential is going to be proved in five demonstration pilots to be implemented in different EU countries, covering roads, embankments, tunnels, and bridges infrastructure.
In the period M1 to M18 within WP1 following objectives have been achieved:
- Co-creation of the CIRCUIT holistic framework for circular, smart, resilient, and sustainable transport infrastructure management.
- Definition of Key Performance Indicators for Resilience, Circularity, Economy, Sustainability, etc. and the contribution to the digital transformation and innovative and green procurement.
- Setting up the scope, indicators, supply/value chain roles and the requirements and functionalities of the associated digital platform.
- Development of Circularity Analytics Tool (CAT) for estimating the environmental impacts of design, maintain and end-of-life alternatives for transport infrastructure materials and components.
Work is on-going on the analysis of data requirements for the Common Data Environment, identification of query requirements for end-users, and development of digital platform structure using open-source Graph database.
Regarding the work on innovative technologies validation, the first materials formulations have been defined for both asphalt and concrete materials. Site visits and geophysical tests were undertaken as part of the soil stabilisation use case, and after the acquisition of organic soils samples, their mechanical performance was assessed, and preliminary tests have started to assess the use of SRMs as alternative hydraulic binders. There was a significant progress on the design of the solutions for the reuse pillar, defining the use of flood debris as an alternative backfill material for the abutments, and after exploring different solutions to reuse structural elements, the preliminary design of the bridge includes the use of two longitudinal steel trusses and transversal I-beams. Finally, site visits were undertaken to clarify the needs and requirements for the solutions for the full adaptive lighting and ventilation systems for tunnels, and the preliminary designs of the systems are almost defined.
In Green & Innovative Procurement Models, a survey and an interview among pilots was performed. Firstly, the survey aimed at collecting information about the state of art (legislation at national/regional/local level) in the 5 pilot countries. Furthermore, the survey allowed to collect information on the most relevant barriers to the deployment of IGPP, the most relevant stakeholders at pilot level and ideas for the future deployment of IGPP, The interview allowed to deepen some of the topics of the survey. In addition, a mapping of the most relevant stakeholders on procurement in the 5 pilot countries was conducted. All the results are summarised in the report, “Manual for a successful deployment of GPP in pilot countries”.
Two out of the five pilots have formally started (Spain and The Netherlands). In Spain, work activities have commenced with initial discussions on the technical details of the Hoz tunnel infrastructure and installations, involving MITMA’s lead team in Cantabria and the tunnel's contractors. In month M9, an on-site visit by MITMA assessed the tunnel's status and coordinated ongoing activities with all parties involved. The Spanish Government is concurrently conducting works to ensure compliance with national and European regulations, which requires aligning Circuit's installations with these activities. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of potential services, such as energy and signage upgrades, is ongoing, though no decisions have been made.
For the N-623 road, the deployment of circular and high-performance asphalt solutions is underway. With the government’s recent approval of a full rehabilitation project, initial activities have focused on defining compliance procedures and determining testing locations for the innovative sections.
In the Netherlands, at the Oostmolendijk site, detailed geotechnical and geophysical investigations have been carried out to support soil stabilization efforts. These analyses have enabled the development of a site characterization model and a review of national design codes, providing a solid foundation for the application of innovative stabilization methods.
- Co-creation of the CIRCUIT holistic framework for circular, smart, resilient, and sustainable transport infrastructure management.
- Definition of Key Performance Indicators for Resilience, Circularity, Economy, Sustainability, etc. and the contribution to the digital transformation and innovative and green procurement.
- Setting up the scope, indicators, supply/value chain roles and the requirements and functionalities of the associated digital platform.
- Development of Circularity Analytics Tool (CAT) for estimating the environmental impacts of design, maintain and end-of-life alternatives for transport infrastructure materials and components.
Work is on-going on the analysis of data requirements for the Common Data Environment, identification of query requirements for end-users, and development of digital platform structure using open-source Graph database.
Regarding the work on innovative technologies validation, the first materials formulations have been defined for both asphalt and concrete materials. Site visits and geophysical tests were undertaken as part of the soil stabilisation use case, and after the acquisition of organic soils samples, their mechanical performance was assessed, and preliminary tests have started to assess the use of SRMs as alternative hydraulic binders. There was a significant progress on the design of the solutions for the reuse pillar, defining the use of flood debris as an alternative backfill material for the abutments, and after exploring different solutions to reuse structural elements, the preliminary design of the bridge includes the use of two longitudinal steel trusses and transversal I-beams. Finally, site visits were undertaken to clarify the needs and requirements for the solutions for the full adaptive lighting and ventilation systems for tunnels, and the preliminary designs of the systems are almost defined.
In Green & Innovative Procurement Models, a survey and an interview among pilots was performed. Firstly, the survey aimed at collecting information about the state of art (legislation at national/regional/local level) in the 5 pilot countries. Furthermore, the survey allowed to collect information on the most relevant barriers to the deployment of IGPP, the most relevant stakeholders at pilot level and ideas for the future deployment of IGPP, The interview allowed to deepen some of the topics of the survey. In addition, a mapping of the most relevant stakeholders on procurement in the 5 pilot countries was conducted. All the results are summarised in the report, “Manual for a successful deployment of GPP in pilot countries”.
Two out of the five pilots have formally started (Spain and The Netherlands). In Spain, work activities have commenced with initial discussions on the technical details of the Hoz tunnel infrastructure and installations, involving MITMA’s lead team in Cantabria and the tunnel's contractors. In month M9, an on-site visit by MITMA assessed the tunnel's status and coordinated ongoing activities with all parties involved. The Spanish Government is concurrently conducting works to ensure compliance with national and European regulations, which requires aligning Circuit's installations with these activities. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of potential services, such as energy and signage upgrades, is ongoing, though no decisions have been made.
For the N-623 road, the deployment of circular and high-performance asphalt solutions is underway. With the government’s recent approval of a full rehabilitation project, initial activities have focused on defining compliance procedures and determining testing locations for the innovative sections.
In the Netherlands, at the Oostmolendijk site, detailed geotechnical and geophysical investigations have been carried out to support soil stabilization efforts. These analyses have enabled the development of a site characterization model and a review of national design codes, providing a solid foundation for the application of innovative stabilization methods.
The CIRCUIT project has developed a new holistic approach for transport infrastructure management implemented by IMs.