From calculating pavement thickness with radar to building roads on fresh lava flows, the NVF Road Technology Annual Meeting 2025 offered a unique glimpse into the evolving world of road infrastructure in the Nordics. Held in Reykjavík, Iceland from 3 to 5 June 2025, the seminar brought together national road authorities, researchers and industry professionals to share what’s next in road technology. Discussions moved from underground to digital, from fungi-based binders developed in labs to full-scale infrastructure built in some of the world’s most geologically active terrain.
Presentations explored how data is transforming the way we design, build and maintain roads through tools like digital twins and radar-based pavement analysis. Others focused on the materials we build with: concrete foam for lightweight insulation, bitumen-stabilised base courses, and even bio-based binders made from fungi. These innovations speak not only to engineering progress, but to a wider shift toward sustainability and climate resilience.
Country updates revealed how procurement strategies are evolving to support low-carbon construction, with each administration sharing practical steps and policy directions.
The programme culminated in a site visit to the Reykjanes Peninsula, where participants witnessed first-hand how roads have been built on top of lava fields from recent volcanic eruptions. It was a dramatic and fitting conclusion – a reminder of the powerful forces shaping both our environment and the infrastructure we build to navigate it.
Site visit on the final day of the seminar on the Reykjanes Peninsula, where lava and road technology meet.
Seminar participants in Reykjavík.
Thank you to all who contributed to the discussions and to the Nordic exchange of knowledge and experience. Collaboration continues!