BIOBIT - Replacement of bitumen with bio materials

The topic of sustainability with regard to infrastructure and transportation is a central question in current research. However, our societys efforts to use resources more responsibly also raise many new problems and unanswered questions. At the same time, we still want reliable and high-quality roads and transport infrastructure. This opens the door to new fundamental research questions, which are being investigated in this trilateral project. The Weave project BIOBIT examines how traditional, petroleum-based binders (bitumen) used in road construction can be replaced by materials of natural, biobased origin. The aim is to make road construction more sustainable and to reduce dependence on fossil resources. For this purpose, bio-based additives such as plant oils and by-products from industrial processes, like lignin (for example, from paper production), are being tested and characterized. A novel approach of the project is to use these renewable biomaterials not just as additives, but as partial or even complete substitutes for bitumen. In doing so, the research team from the three universities aims to determine the maximum possible level of substitution without compromising the quality, durability, or functionality of the roads. To achieve this, the interactions and compatibility between bitumen and bio-components are analytically examinedfrom the chemical structure up to the asphalt pavement level. Special attention is paid to the long-term durability and environmental compatibility of these new bio-binders. This also includes factors such as aging processes, potential hazardous emissions, and the recycling potential of these new materials. The research is conducted across national borders by scientists from TU Wien, the University of Antwerp, and Warsaw University of Technology, bringing together expertise from several disciplines and regions. The project contributes to the transition toward more environmentally friendly transport infrastructure and provides a foundation for the future application of sustainable construction materials in road building. The insights gained from this project serve as a basis for sustainable innovations that can significantly reduce the ecological footprint of road construction in the long term.