At the ICBMPT 2026 international conference, which brings together researchers, innovators, and industry professionals to shape the future of construction, researchers and students from the Faculty of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at Riga Technical University (RTU) are presenting their research on ultra-high-performance sprayed concrete, as well as the development of sustainable wood-based biocomposites.
Andrejs Kavlaks, a doctoral student at the Institute of Sustainable Building Materials and Engineering Systems, Faculty of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, discusses the influence of dynamic compaction and chemical admixtures on the mechanical performance of sprayed ultra-high-performance concrete. Meanwhile, master’s student Rūta Anna Kinta shares findings on superabsorbent polymers as viscosity modifiers for sprayed ultra-high-performance concrete.
Currently, as part of the Swiss-Latvian cooperation program «Applied Research» project LACHMAT, researchers from the RTU Faculty of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, with the involvement of students, are developing ultra-high-performance sprayed concrete; which in the future could be used to reinforce roads, bridges, and tunnels, as well as buildings and even shelters.
Ģirts Būmanis, Associate Professor at the RTU Institute of Sustainable Building Materials and Engineering Systems, also participates in the conference. He draws the attention of researchers, innovators, and industry representatives to the developments and In-Situ monitoring of sustainable wood-based biocomposites from industrial by-products.
ICBMPT 2026, taking place in the Czech city of Brno, is dedicated to building materials, sustainable construction, innovative technologies, and modern engineering solutions. The conference brings together researchers, students, and industry professionals from around the world to share knowledge, present research findings, and discuss the future of the construction industry and its ability to respond to global challenges – from the raw materials crisis and the circular economy to the development of artificial intelligence and the creation of smart, alternative, and low-carbon materials. More information. https://www.icbmpt.com/schedule/
The participation of RTU researchers and students in the conference, by facilitating knowledge transfer, promotes the development of a safer, more sustainable, and more resilient international construction environment.
The LACHMAT project at RTU, part of the Swiss-Latvian cooperation program «Applied Research», is being implemented in close collaboration with the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) to promote research and innovation in the field of advanced materials, focusing on innovative approaches to smart concrete and asphalt, data-driven extension of the asphalt pavement life cycle, and advanced pavement material solutions, as well as the development of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete and 3D-printed concrete from local raw materials. The «Applied Research» program is part of Switzerland’s contribution to European Union member states to strengthen the knowledge base for research excellence and innovation in Latvia, and to promote economic transformation and sustainable growth. The program allocates more than 12 million euros for the development of science and research in Latvia, of which 85% – or approximately 10.5 million euros – is Swiss funding, while 15% is co-financing from the Latvian budget.
