How can Europe transform its transport infrastructure into a truly circular, low-carbon and sustainable system?
This was the key question at the heart of the session “Circularity: from methods to infrastructure” during the 11th February afternoon programme of RTR Conference 2026, where the coordinator David García Sanchez presented the latest results of the LIAISON project.
Among the showcased results were industrialised geopolymer concrete solutions — achieving nearly 77% lower CO₂ emissions compared to conventional concrete — circular railway track systems with 100% material reuse and significant reductions in noise, vibration, and maintenance costs, and smart energy optimisation tools such as the ZJET monitoring system for tunnel ventilation, that confirms energy savings of up to 42.7% while maintaining air quality standards of traditional ventilation systems.
The presentation also introduced upcoming demonstrations, including the bioasphalt solution recently implemented in Cantabria and a photovoltaic guardrail to be deployed in Rome, alongside AI-powered pavement distress detection tools.
The project’s contribution underlined how circularity, digitalisation, and smart operation&manteinance solutions can jointly accelerate the transition towards greener and more resilient European transport infrastructures.
