200 German-speaking participants at infraTest in-house exhibition on the 30th anniversary.

“Excited, prepared and fine-tuned! The consistently positive response from our customers is the best reward for the intensive preparation phase,” explained Matthias Martus (CEO of infraTest Prüftechnik GmbH) during the in-house exhibition. From 10 to 12 May 2022, infraTest Prüftechnik GmbH hosted a three-day event with expert presentations and many small workshop areas. Asphalt and bitumen testing technology were the focus of the event during this time.

The highlight is our electric road core drill device!

“The highlight is our electric road core drill device! Our first CO₂-neutral product is extremely light and uses new energy sources. The clou: it can also be towed without a trailer licence,” Martus continued as he talked about the programme topics. The industry is passing through a structural change, which is not only expressed in the new sustainability strategy of infraTest. The digitalisation of laboratories and smart cores also complement the new orientation through the company infraTest Digital Solutions, which was founded in January.

Only the feedback of our customers brings us further!

“The personal exchange and suggestions from our customers is the added value of the in-house exhibition for us. It is nice to observe how passionately our employees discuss improvement suggestions, but also long-running topics such as the solvent conversion, with the fair participants,” Martus adds with a smile.

“Our newest family member made its debut during the in-house exhibition. We are proud to present our new brand ambassador – Infro!”, Martus explains. A little robot that launches from Mars and has some adventures this year. Infro is the logical continuation of the infraTest marketing strategy. “After 10 years of Mars, we are taking you on a journey through the universe. What awaits you? We won’t reveal that yet, but it’s worth watching our videos!” concludes Martus full of excitement as he watches the trailer of the Infro campaign.

We would like to sincerely thank our guests and the event partners for stimulating conversations, a competent exchange, the professional cooperation and look forward to seeing you again at BAUMA in October!

Now is the time to make a change! On the topic of “Sustainable use of asphalt as a building material”, we invite Dr. Carsten Karcher (Secretary General of the European Asphalt Association) for an interview.

infraTest: Welcome, Dr Karcher. Thank you very much for taking the time for our interview. As Secretary General of EAPA, you certainly have a lot to do. What are your main tasks?

Karcher: I move around the Brussels scene and collect information on regulations, legislation, initiatives and relevant asphalt information from member companies and countries. I then prepare and disseminate this to the members of the association. I moderate and represent the interests of the asphalt association, trying to harmonise different objectives.

infraTest: An exciting but also demanding field of activity. What insights have you been able to draw from your work regarding the sustainability of asphalt as a building material?

Karcher: Sustainability is a frequently discussed and highly topical issue. That makes it very complex, because there is a lack of a uniform understanding of this term. Asphalt is 100 % recyclable. This makes us fundamentally very sustainable. This understanding has been around for about 35 years. In addition, there are new developments, issues regarding CO2 emissions and the overall CO2 balance, resource conservation and environmental protection. The question is always: Where can we save what?
This would be possible, for example, in the area of asphalt production, asphalt transport or asphalt paving. But we also have to look at the vehicles that drive on the asphalt and emit CO2. It is a question of fuel consumption, rolling resistance and thus CO2 consumption. Roads that are well maintained and level reduce rolling resistance and thus CO2 emissions.
Sustainability is therefore very broad: What raw materials are used, how far are the delivery routes, how much energy is used to produce the asphalt (keyword low-temperature asphalt)? Is the asphalt paved with equipment that is operated electronically or with renewable energies? How durable is the asphalt? All these factors are highly relevant. Finally, it is important to consider how much energy is required by the rolling traffic on this road.

infraTest: Where do you see the greatest potential for implementing the idea of sustainability in relation to asphalt?

Karcher: By far the greatest potential can be seen during the use phases of roads. 95-98 % of energy is consumed during the use phase. Not for maintenance, but for the traffic that rolls over it. It is questionable to what extent this can be attributed to the building material. But this is also part of the life cycle of asphalt. The production of the building material is thus almost subordinate. Nevertheless, there are great opportunities here as well. We, in the European Asphalt Association, regularly collect data on the “Asphalt in Figures”. In the course of this, we determine the average, country-specific CO2 emissions for one tonne of asphalt and how these are changing. Further potential savings can be made through recycling, lower temperatures, other construction materials, various logistical aspects and transport routes. In this way, the asphalt industry could already achieve the 50% and 55% emission reductions that the European Commission has announced as targets for 2050.

infraTest: The absolute buzzword of the industry is low-temperature asphalt. Do you think we need to push this aspect further in terms of sustainability or are there other areas where we could achieve faster success?

Karcher: The asphalt industry reuses a lot of asphalt, so we were already implementing the sustainability idea before the discussions. Currently, I would say the biggest potential is in the fuels for the asphalt mixing plants. It has to be checked how sustainable these are, as they are included in the CO2 balance per tonne of asphalt. Possible new options are biofuels.
But low-temperature asphalt also plays a role because it can save energy. Low-temperature asphalt has several aspects, however, and that is not only the CO2 emission. It is also the application possibilities of this building material. Faster cooling, faster opening to traffic and faster implementation of maintenance measures. Lowering the paving temperature of asphalt by 10 K reduces emissions by 50% and thus the fumes that escape from the hot asphalt.

infraTest: Low-temperature asphalt sounds almost like a miracle cure. Does it also have disadvantages?

Karcher: Low-temperature asphalt is normal asphalt produced with a different process. These different production methods mean that predominantly less energy is needed for paving. However, boundary conditions must be taken into account: For sufficient compaction, the asphalt must not cool down too much. Experience is needed for this special handling. But the information we have from other countries shows no disadvantages, and in other European countries up to 40% low-temperature asphalt is being laid. In Germany, some people believe that the durability of low-temperature asphalt suffers. However, other countries cannot confirm this. Therefore, it can be assumed that this construction material, if used correctly, is a further development of asphalt as we currently know it.

infraTest: So why did it take so long to develop the manufacturing process for this asphalt? Was there no need?

Karcher: In my opinion, there was no need and no pressure. It was not about saving energy or reducing emissions, nor was it about earlier traffic clearance. Low-temperature asphalt was developed in Germany and Scandinavia about 20 years ago and then disappeared into a drawer. It was only after a scanning tour by the Americans in Germany in 2007 that this concept became more popular. In retrospect, the developing engineers were 20 years too early.
It is now the same as it was back then with Stone Mastic Asphalt, which was considered a special
construction method for 20 years before it was included in the “proper” set of regulations. It’s the same now with low-temperature asphalt. We Germans just need a little longer in this respect.

infraTest: Is every asphalt mixing plant currently capable of producing low-temperature asphalt or does a changeover have to take place first?

Karcher: That is a question I cannot answer completely. It depends on the machine technology. It is possible to produce low-temperature asphalt with foamed bitumen. This is a water vapour bitumen mixture that reduces the viscosity. Alternatively, the use of additives is an option, which must be dosed accordingly. But conversions are not a hindrance. Low-temperature asphalt is not exotic. Asphalt mixing plant manufacturers have the necessary technology.

infraTest: Previously, you identified the use phase as an important starting point with regard to the idea of sustainability. In your opinion, which measure should be pursued in second place?

Karcher: That is the topic of circular economy. That means that every tonne of asphalt remains a tonne of asphalt in the future and is used again in the exact layer from which it was taken (reuse).  So it remains asphalt in any case and not a subordinate product. Because that would be recycling. Therein lies the advantage of asphalt. When properly taken from the road and processed, it produces an almost 100 per cent replica of the original material. Sometimes rejuvenators have to be added because the material is subject to ageing. If at some point no more additional roads are built, but only existing ones are reprocessed, then the asphalt will be reinstalled at this or another point in the cycle. This means we will not need new bitumen and aggregates once saturation of our infrastructure is reached. This reinforces the circular economy phenomenon. Nothing is thrown away and replaced with something new.
This is also in line with the waste hierarchy, according to which waste is first avoided. If waste cannot be avoided, the product is to be repaired. In this case, asphalt would be rehabilitated or preserved. If this is not possible, at least parts of this product should be used in a similar new product (i.e. asphalt reuse). If this is not possible, the building material contained should be used in a recycling process. Asphalt is therefore to be used in another road construction product as black stone.

infraTest: Thank you very much for this comprehensive assessment. What is your next project? The E&E Congress will take place in a few months. Are you already looking forward to it?

Karcher: Yes, tremendously! I’m happy when it finally starts. You can’t imagine how much work and heart and soul has gone into this project. Because after the postponement due to the pandemic, we changed the format to a virtual congress. I am most curious to see how our event will be received. So far, over 500 participants have already registered and we have a full virtual exhibition. Both in terms of exhibitors and lectures. We’ve invited top-notch speakers again and have informative booths that set new standards with innovative and smart technology. But our highlight are the live sessions. There will also be live Q&A after the presentations, so everyone is welcome to interact with us. At our E&E Congress, virtual visitors are not just passive participants. Take an active part and immerse yourself in a new world. I look forward to welcoming you online from 15 to 17 June!

The strong women of our industry continue to go full throttle! In the past weeks, different women have given us insights into their professional lives. For our last power woman interview, we welcome Dr.-Ing. Elena Rudi (Head of the Central Laboratory at Basalt AG’s Technology Centre).

infraTest: Good morning, Ms Rudi. When I look at your CV, it seems to have gone perfectly. Did you have a plan from the beginning?

E. Rudi: I already knew in the 11th grade that I wanted to study civil engineering and also at which university. Architecture would certainly have been interesting, but I recognised the advantages of studying engineering after I informed myself more thoroughly. So I resolutely set out on my path.

infraTest: The degree programme consists of different modules. Which subjects were you most enthusiastic about?

E. Rudi: I really liked the road design module. It’s a great feeling to be able to plan and design a road from the very beginning. Mathematics, mechanics and statics were also very interesting. Surprisingly, building physics was also one of my favourite subjects. I would never have guessed that during my school days.

infraTest: After graduating, you started your professional career at Basalt AG. Have you worked towards a management position since then?

E. Rudi: No, it just happened. In addition to sound specialist knowledge, a bit of luck is also part of it. I was at the right time, in the right place and got the chance to prove myself as a manager because my predecessor was devoting himself to new challenges.

infraTest: You have been employed at Basalt AG for 8 years and have already gained a lot of professional experience. What do you enjoy most about your job?

E. Rudi: It’s the variety! My work is a colourful mix of field appointments at construction sites, office work and research. In our central laboratory, we carry out various performance tests on asphalt and I evaluate the results.

In addition, the exchange with other colleagues is very inspiring. There are many different personalities in our industry. So I always learn something new or get to know something new.

infraTest: And what could you no longer do without in your working life?

E. Rudi: Technical discussions are incredibly exciting and enrich my everyday life. Without communication with my colleagues, I would only enjoy my job half as much.

infraTest: Your consistent diligence has paid off. Looking back, which decisions led to your success?

E. Rudi: I am very happy that I chose Basalt AG at that time. Here I was able to develop steadily and have now found my place. In addition, the doctorate paid off, so that I was now able to take on a management position. In the end, all my decisions came together to form a coherent overall package with which I am very satisfied.

infraTest: How clearly does it feel as a woman to work in a male domain? Do young women have to do more for their success?

E. Rudi: No, I don’t see it that way! Thanks to great pioneer women, like Mrs. Hunstock, we can rather talk about a fundamental generation conflict today. Young people are growing up in a digital world. This inevitably leads to differences of opinion between the established leadership and the ambitious newcomers. Both men and women have to prove themselves. If you do excellent work and appear self-confident, this should be rewarded regardless of gender.

infraTest: In which areas of our industry do you think you meet more women? At least on construction sites I hardly see any women.

E. Rudi: No, construction site work is heavy physical work. Not every body can do it in the long run. I think that this work also does not correspond to a woman’s usual sphere of interest, although of course there are always exceptions and that is a good thing! Many of my former female fellow students now work for public authorities or in engineering offices. In my year of study, a relatively large number of women studied structural engineering and bridge construction.

infraTest: What do you wish young women who are now entering our industry and what advice would you give them?

E. Rudi: Stay true to yourself. If you really want it and fight for your goal, you will achieve it. Develop passion for your work and burn for what you do. Then success will come almost by itself. Weigh your strengths and weaknesses. That way you will find a position in which you feel comfortable.

infraTest: Thank you very much for these concluding words and the open conversation. With your interview, we have reached the end of our Power Women Month.
We would like to thank all the women in our industry once again for their commitment and look forward to repeating our women’s roundtable soon, even if this is only possible online for the time being.

Insight from research and the university is provided by our guest today: We welcome Dr.-Ing. Plamena Plachkova-Dzhurova from the Institute for Road and Railway Engineering (ISE) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

infraTest: Ms. Plachkova-Dzhurova, was it clear to you as a young girl what path you would take?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: No, not at all. I really wanted to become a military pilot and had also prepared myself for that. As luck would have it, no women were accepted in the year I graduated from school, so I looked around for an alternative.

infraTest: A special career aspiration. I can imagine that your parents are more appreciative of your current career choice.

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: My parents both work in road construction. My father was employed at the civil engineering office for a long time and now works for a construction company. My mother has gained many different insights into civil engineering and quality assurance. That’s how I grew up with our industry. My parents were happy when I discarded my wish to become a pilot. However, I now live over 2,000 km away from them.

infraTest: Which station in your professional career did you like the most and which did you find the most challenging?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: I am still deeply involved in almost all stations. My field of work consists of many facets such as research, teaching and working in the RAP Stra testing centre. I love the diversity and find it a luxury to be able to pursue a holistic activity. All these areas are challenging and complement each other. Findings from practice can be transferred to research and teaching and vice versa.

infraTest: You came to Germany as a young woman. Did you have the feeling that it is more difficult for young people to arrive in our industry?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: During my studies, I was able to gain various insights into road construction through internships and student jobs, but much more into hydraulic and structural engineering. After my studies, however, things really took off. It is always difficult at the beginning – you are new, come straight from university and have no contacts in the industry. It’s important to fight for every opportunity and to learn quickly. But I found nice colleagues, both at the institute and outside, who supported me and made the work fun.

infraTest: How were you able to gain respect?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: Through patience and perseverance. Respect and recognition are not earned overnight. Basically, it is something you have to work at all the time. If you have a solid expertise, it will pay off sooner or later. There are many paths that lead to the goal. You just have to keep going.

infraTest: You cover many areas. As a result, you spend a lot of time working. Does your circle of friends and private life also form accordingly after a while in our industry?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: Work already occupies a central place in my life. But I also have a great family and above all a partner who supports me very much. With time, the friends in the industry become more, but of course there are also others. Some of my private contacts date back to a time before my professional career began. Of course, we don’t see each other that often anymore, we’ve all moved on in different directions. As soon as we meet again, we can pick up where we left off. I am grateful for such long-term friendships.

infraTest: What fascinates you most about your profession?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: The idea of creating something that lasts. I don’t build roads directly, but everything I do serves to make them more durable and better in one way or another. In the end, the whole of society benefits from my work. It makes me proud when I drive over a road that I have contributed to.

infraTest: If you had three wishes for our industry, what would they be?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: First of all, I would wish that our industry would be more appreciated by society. Often it is not even known what exactly lies behind our work. Secondly, I would like to see more young people discovering our profession and more of them becoming interested in research. Finally, I think it would be great if more women dared to complete their training and studies in our industry.

infraTest: What do you wish young women who are now entering our industry and what advice would you give them?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: Our fields of work are many and varied. Have self-confidence and work tirelessly on your skills. Keep your eyes on the goal and don’t let setbacks drag you down.

infraTest: Thank you very much for the exciting interview. You do a great job at your university. We are sure that your students are also very satisfied with you.

For us, International Women’s Day is not just once a year! We dedicate March to our power women and publish an interview every Friday. Today we welcome Katrin Hunstock (Consulting Engineer at Eurovia Germany).

infraTest: Hello Ms Hunstock, you are a consulting engineer at Eurovia Germany. After leaving school, did you immediately know what profession you wanted to learn?

K. Hunstock: Yes, I approached my career in a very structured way. It was already clear during high school that I wanted to study civil engineering. Insights into practice have always been important to me. That’s why I did several internships while still at school. The impressions from the engineering office, road construction laboratory and traffic planning office helped me to find out which field I wanted to specialise in. In the end, it became road construction because the internship in the laboratory convinced me the most. I think it’s great to see what we can create. My career choice was a very conscious decision and I am still very happy with it! I have found my place at Eurovia Germany.

infraTest: Are there any subjects in the degree programm that you should particularly enjoy and what was the distribution between men and women?

K. Hunstock: I think you should definitely have an affinity for maths. You have to do a lot of calculations during your studies. In terms of the distribution of men and women, there used to be a male preponderance. I would estimate that there were 10% women in my degree programme. That has probably changed by now.

infraTest: What does your field of work involve now?

K. Hunstock: I advise branch offices and mixing plants on technical issues. This also includes support with tenders, planning and subsequent processing. In addition, I am responsible for technical training from the columns up to the branch manager. I particularly enjoy the variety in my job. I always learn something new. Designing interactive and exciting web seminars in this day and age was new to me, but I was happy to take on this task.

infraTest: You are in a managerial position. What qualities do you think a good manager should have?

K. Hunstock: Definitely social competence! Not every technical specialist also has leadership skills. It is important to be honest with yourself and to have the courage to admit your weaknesses. That way you can concentrate on your strengths and find the path that suits you.
In addition, self-reflection and self-confidence are important qualities, as is the ability to appreciate and honour work done. Not only strategic tasks are important for a company. Operational site work deserves just as much recognition.

infraTest: What makes us women? A widespread cliché is that women are sensitive. If that is so, would we be predestined for leadership positions because we would have a better sense for interpersonal issues?

K. Hunstock: I think our main motivation is rarely prestige. You can’t generalise anything and from my experience I would say that women first and foremost have to identify with their work and enjoy it. We decide some things on the basis of our gut instinct. But not without having informed ourselves in detail beforehand. However, this depends on character and not on gender. Self-confident women know where their limits lie and what their strengths are.

infraTest: How clearly do you feel it as a woman to work in a male domain? Do young women have to do more for their success?

K. Hunstock: I started in the construction industry 18 years ago and at that time it was still difficult for a woman to gain a management position. Women are also clearly outnumbered at events in our industry. You can’t deny that our industry is a “men’s club”. But I have gained insights into the most diverse areas through internships and my work experience, so I was able to convince with my know-how.

infraTest: Would you like to see more women in our industry?

K. Hunstock: It certainly wouldn’t hurt. I am convinced that more women would work in our industry if we had more applicants. Maybe it is a matter of education, social image, a marketing issue or a question of training content. The fact is that significantly fewer women apply for our field.

infraTest: Are there any prejudices that men particularly often confirm?

K. Hunstock: It is human to think in pigeonholes. Nevertheless, we notice it more often when a man serves a cliché. The fact that many men previously reacted differently quickly recedes into the background. We should not generalise. The upcoming generation in particular stands for openness and proves that it is time to break down rigid ways of thinking.

infraTest: Many educated young women strive for a successful career and still want a family with children. The urge for self-realisation is becoming stronger among the upcoming generation. How can both wishes be fulfilled?

K. Hunstock: It’s not easy, but it can be done. My job involves a lot of travelling. So I am rarely at home under normal circumstances. Without a strong and understanding partner, it will be a challenge to reconcile children and job. Every woman has to be clear in advance about her goals and coordinate them with her partner.

infraTest: How much private time does an executive have at all?

K. Hunstock: That depends on the situation. There are phases when you also work on weekends or holidays. Not only because you have to, but also because you are intrinsically motivated, interested in a topic or want to complete a task. On the other hand, a management position has more freedom and, of course, holidays belong to private life. It is not always necessary to do extra work, but it is part of it.

infraTest: What experiences would you not want to miss and what are you particularly proud of?

K. Hunstock: I would do everything the same way again and wanted to experience both my glory days and defeats. We learn from difficult situations and know how to do things better the next time. Maybe we women are a bit more self-critical or tend to be perfectionists.

infraTest: What do you wish young women who are now entering our industry and what advice would you give them?

K. Hunstock: You don’t have to be able to do everything right away. We grow with our challenges and that’s how self-confidence can grow. Don’t make yourself small, but still be self-reflective. Don’t give up and believe in yourself!

infraTest: Thank you very much for the inspiring interview. You are a role model for our next generation.

infraTest Prüftechnik invites power women of the asphalt industry for an interview

Approximately 51% of the German population are women. Reason enough to show them our appreciation on International Women’s Day and say THANK YOU! Because only a few work in male domains. infraTest admires the strong women of our industry and has invited three representative power women for an interview.

We welcome Dr.-Ing. Plamena Plachkova-Dzhurova (Head of the Department of Road Construction Engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), Elena Rudi (Head of the Central Laboratory at Basalt AG) and Katrin Hunstock (Consulting Engineer at Eurovia Germany).

infraTest: Good morning everyone! Thank you very much for welcoming us to our women’s round table. Ms Plachkova-Dzurova, did you already know as a young girl what path you would take?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: No, not at all. I really wanted to be a military pilot and had prepared myself for it. As luck would have it, no women were accepted in the year I graduated from school, so I looked around for an alternative.

infraTest: Military pilot – that’s a really special career aspiration! Ms Rudi, what was it like for you? When I look at your CV, it seems to have gone perfectly.

E. Rudi:I already knew in the 11th grade that I wanted to study civil engineering and also at which university. Architecture would certainly have been interesting, but I realised the advantages of studying engineering after I had done more research. So I determinedly set out on my path.

infraTest: I see, but what about the studies? Are there subjects you should particularly enjoy and what was the distribution between men and women?

K. Hunstock: I think you should definitely have an affinity for maths. You have to do a lot of calculations in your studies. In terms of the distribution of men and women, there used to be a male surplus. I would estimate that there were 10% women in my degree programme. That has probably changed by now.

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: I can confirm that. When I look at my courses now, the distribution is almost even.

infraTest: How clearly do you feel it as a woman to work in a male domain? Do young women have to do more to succeed?

K. Hunstock: I started in the construction industry 18 years ago and at that time it was still difficult for a woman to gain a management position. Women are also clearly outnumbered at events in our industry. You can’t deny that our industry is a “men’s club”. But through internships and my work experience, I have gained insights into the most diverse areas, so that I have been able to convince with my know-how.

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: In my everyday work, I don’t notice working in a male domain. Yes, at the beginning of my career it was difficult and I had to work for my position. But I don’t want to claim that this was exclusively due to my gender. Maybe it was also a generational conflict that contributed to it.

E. Rudi: I agree! Thanks to the great pioneer women, like Mrs. Hunstock, we can rather talk about a fundamental generation conflict today. Young people are growing up in a digital world. There are bound to be differences of opinion between the established leadership and the ambitious newcomers. Both men and women have to prove themselves. If you do excellent work and appear self-confident, this should be rewarded regardless of gender.

infraTest: Many educated young women strive for a successful career and still want a family with children. The urge for self-realisation is becoming stronger among the next generation. How can both wishes be fulfilled?

K. Hunstock: It’s not easy, but it’s doable. My job involves a lot of travelling. So I am rarely at home under normal circumstances. Without a strong and understanding partner, it will be a challenge to reconcile children and job. Every woman needs to be clear in advance about what her goals are and coordinate them with her partner.

E. Rudi: In a management position you have more responsibility. A regular 8-hour day is therefore rather the exception.

infraTest: What do you wish young women who are now entering our industry and what advice would you give them?

P. Plachkova-Dzhurova: I would be happy if more women had the courage to enter our industry. Our fields of work are many and varied. Have self-confidence and work tirelessly on your skills. Keep your eyes on the goal and don’t let setbacks drag you down.

K. Hunstock: You don’t have to be able to do everything right away. We grow from our challenges and that’s how self-confidence can grow. Don’t make yourself small, but still be self-reflective.

E. Rudi: Stay true to yourself. If you really want it and fight for your goal, you will achieve it. Develop passion for your work and burn for what you do. Then success will come almost by itself. Weigh your strengths and weaknesses. That way you will find a position in which you feel comfortable.

infraTest: You are all three strong, emancipated power women who are paving the way for our upcoming generation. I thank you very much for that! I also notice similarities between you, which are perhaps part of your “recipe for success”: Determination, discipline, perseverance, authenticity and competence. You inspire and encourage young women so that in a few years they will be standing next to you at the top.

Thank you very much for your time and the pleasant conversation! We look forward to seeing you again soon and hope that our contribution will encourage more women to realise their dreams.

Eberhard Gienger and infraTest discuss the use of porous asphalt

Bundestag member Eberhard Gienger finds out more about porous asphalt from road testing technology manufacturer infraTest Prüftechnik GmbH.

What is porous asphalt?

“For me, it is particularly interesting to get a holistic picture of the paving and the properties of porous asphalt. Thank you for the invitation, Mr Martus ”, Gienger introduces. “Grandpa or whispering asphalt is a special form of asphalt surface layer that consists of relatively large grains and thus has a porous structure,” explains Matthias Martus (managing director of infraTest Prüftechnik).

The Brackenheim-based company is the world market leader for road testing technology and explicitly specializes in asphalt. Almost all well-known building material producers, universities and colleges as well as various test laboratories, private as well as state institutions, belong to the infraTest customer base as well as the big “global players” in the construction industry or the petrochemical industry.

What are the benefits of silent asphalt?

“The increasing noise pollution from increased traffic is a problem for residents, especially in the Neckar-Zaber constituency. I hear the silent asphalt can help. Isn’t it the case that the asphalt absorbs noise due to its special structure, asks Gienger, and doesn’t the high cavity of the whispered asphalt also lead to lower tire noises and doesn’t the surface water seep away very quickly?

What are the disadvantages of porous asphalt?

“That’s true! At first glance, the silent asphalt is a very promising solution. The question is what the objective is. So the silent asphalt would be less suitable for the inner city area. Because the asphalt can only absorb a limited amount of water and requires special drainage systems, which often cannot be guaranteed there. On the other hand, it is well established on motorways and expressways, ” explains Martus.

Investment decisions always take costs into account. “It can be stated that the acquisition and maintenance costs for silent asphalt are significantly higher than for conventional asphalt. Damage can only be repaired over a large area and the maximum useful life is 10 years, ”continues Martus. The responsible use of resources has a high priority for politics and must also be reflected in environmental protection. “Consider the use of road salt in winter. As you can imagine, the asphalt swallows large amounts of salt, aided by its open pores, so that more has to be spread, ”explains Martus.

What is our recommendation?

“In summary, the situation must be weighed up. The whispered asphalt fulfils its purpose. However, due to its special nature, it presents us with financial and organizational challenges. There are always two sides of the coin, ”summarizes Gienger. “I see it very similarly. Thanks for your visit. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us, ”concludes Martus with a smile.

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