SPARC Hub provides a platform to transform the road industry
The SPARC (Smart Pavements Australia Research Collaboration) Hub provides an unprecedented university-led research platform for the Australian pavement industry to innovate materials, designs and adaptive technologies, facilitate skill development, and drive commercial benefits.
The ARC Smart Pavements Hub – SPARC provides an unprecedented university-led research platform for the Australian pavement industry to innovate materials, designs and adaptive technologies, facilitate skill development, and drive commercial benefits.
With unprecedented collaborative partnerships in all sectors in transport pavements the ARC SPARC Hub is providing a platform industry to innovate materials, designs and adaptive technologies, facilitate skill development, and drive commercial benefits.
SPARC Hub brings together some of the best and bright minds in various fields, including pavement and transport engineering, geotechnical and materials engineering, structural health monitoring, remote sensing, geophysics, data science and machine learning, optimisation, asset management and urban planning.
ARC SPARC Hub is undertaking transformative research to future-proof and future ready the Australian pavement industry to make pavements smarter, longer lasting, safer and more economical with a lower environmental footprint.
SPARC Hub Headquarters is located at Monash University, Clayton Campus, Australia.
News & Events
PhD Positions in SPARC Hub
We are currently calling for expressions of interest for several PhD positions in SPARC. This is an unprecedented opportunity for recent graduates to establish their postgraduate career in various engineering fields and to work in an intellectually exhilarating and vibrant environment towards excellence.
SPARC Hub Webinar Training Sessions
SPARC Hub organised two webinar training sessions in partnership with IPWEA Victoria and City of Monash. The tiles of these sessions are as follows.
Part 1 – Unbound and Subgrade Materials Characterisation
Part 2 - Australian Flexible Pavement Design Approach and Climatic Effects
Part 1 session was held on the 25th of May 2020 from 2.30 pm to 4 pm. It covered the basic properties of unbound and subgrade materials, pavement material requirements, compaction behaviour for different soils, strength and stiffness of the materials and associated laboratory testing and distress mechanisms under traffic. Click here to watch the recorded video of the Part 1 training session.
Part 2 session was held on the 25th of June 2020 from 2.30 pm to 4 pm. It covered an overview of estimating the design traffic, design of unbound granular layers with thin seal using the empirical chart and mechanistic design of flexible pavements. Also, likely climatic effects were discussed briefly. Click here to watch the recorded video of the Part 2 training session.
SPARC Hub's 3rd IAB Meeting
The Australian Research Council Smart Pavements Hub (SPARC) held its third Industry Advisory Board (IAB) meeting (via ZOOM) on the 1st of April, 20 with the participation of eminent experts representing industry partners of the Hub. The meeting was co-chaired by Ms Madeleine McManus OAM (Director of Industry Engagement, Faculty of Eng, Monash University) and Mr Michael Caltabiano (ARRB CEO).
SPARC Hub Director Professor Jayantha Kodikara updated the progress and status of the Hub particularly in relation to the current COVID19 management. Subsequently, Theme Leaders, Professor Jayantha Kodikara (Theme#1), Professor Jeffrey Walker (Theme#2), Professor Jay Sanjayan (Theme#3), Professor Hai Vu (Theme#4) and Professor Sujeeva Setunge (Theme#5), gave presentations on the progress of their theme to date. Also, Dr Didier Bodin from ARRB gave a background to the sensing work undertaken in a test pavement that will be subjected to Accelerated Loading Facility (ALF) trafficking.
The IAB members provided excellent feedback on the progress of research projects and offered recommendations on the engagement of the industry partners into the hub research activities.
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