Bitumen (foamed bitumen and bitumen emulsion) stabilisation has been successfully deployed across some of Australia's most flood-prone road networks, helping road agencies improve resilience, reduce maintenance demands, and minimise disruption to communities.
Join us for this NTRO Edge Online session as we explore how this proven technology is being applied in practice and the benefits it is delivering across the transport sector.
Dr Didier Bodin, from the National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO), will provide an overview of bitumen stabilisation, explaining the science behind the technology, where it is most effective, and the conditions that make it a successful resilience treatment.
We will then hear from Damien Volker of the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), who will share the department's experience implementing bitumen stabilisation across its network. The presentation will cover the impact on maintenance and operational programs, budget outcomes, and the development of supporting specifications that have enabled broader deployment.
Finally, Allen Browne from HIWAY will provide an industry perspective, discussing the practical journey from early adoption to routine delivery. Allen will share insights into equipment commissioning, workforce capability development, construction practices, and the lessons learned in successfully integrating the technology into day-to-day operations.
Why Attend?
Gain Practical Insights: How bitumen stabilisation is being successfully applied across Australia's road networks to improve pavement performance and resilience.
Real-World Case Studies: Hear directly from transport agency and industry leaders about the challenges, successes, and lessons learned from network-scale implementation
Strategies to Reduce Potholes and Maintenance Demand: Understand how stabilised pavements can reduce recurring defects, lower maintenance requirements, and improve whole-of-life asset performance
Better Asset Management Outcomes: Discover how transport agencies are using this technology to extend pavement life, optimise maintenance budgets, and improve service levels for communities
Technical Knowledge You Can Apply: Gain a deeper understanding of the science, design considerations, specifications, construction practices, and operational requirements that underpin successful projects.
Future-Focused Resilience Planning: Explore how bitumen stabilisation can support climate adaptation objectives and help road owners build more resilient transport networks capable of withstanding increasingly challenging operating conditions.
Whether you are responsible for designing, delivering, maintaining, or managing road infrastructure, this session will provide valuable evidence, practical experience, and actionable insights to help improve the resilience and performance of your network.


Damian Volker is the Director of the Pavement RehabilitationSection within the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR).
Damian joined TMR over 20 years ago as a Cadet MaterialsTechnologist and spent the first half of his career working in TMRlaboratories, undertaking detailed pavement investigations and working as anasphalt Roadworks Inspector. This practical foundation established a strongunderstanding of pavement materials, their behaviour and failure mechanisms.
With a strong focus on innovation and environmentallysustainable pavement solutions, Damian has extensive experience across allaspects of pavement stabilisation, with particular expertise in foamed bitumenstabilisation. His experience spans pavement investigation, design, laboratorytesting, construction, training, performance research, and the development ofTMR specifications and technical guidance.

As Executive General Manager Technical for HIWAY, Allen leads the professional services team on both sides of the Tasman, focusing on design and delivery excellence while maximising recycling and developing innovative processes and equipment. A particular area of interest is navigating the myriad differences in materials, design protocols and specifications across Australia and New Zealand. Allen sits on the National Pavements Technical Group in New Zealand and is a member of the AustStab Executive Council and Technical Working Group in Australia.
Allen is a Chartered Fellowof Engineering NZ and registered with Engineers Australia and RPEQ in Australia,with more than 40 years spent in civil engineering.

Dr Didier Bodin is a Principal Engineer at NTRO and an eminent specialist in pavement technology, with extensive expertise in pavement design, materials characterisation and performance evaluation for new and rehabilitated road infrastructure. He has been with NTRO since 2010 and has more than 25 years of international research and engineering experience across Australia, France, East Africa and the UK.
His research spans unbound and recycled granular materials, foamed bitumen stabilisation and asphalt pavements, combining laboratory testing, accelerated pavement testing, network performance analysis and advanced modelling. For more than 15 years, Dr Bodin has led major Austroads research projects focused on improving the characterisation, performance and structural design of pavement materials.
Before joining NTRO, he spent 10 years as a researcher with France’s Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées (LCPC), where his work focused on asphalt fatigue characterisation and modelling. He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a member of the Australian Geomechanics Society and the RILEM interlaboratory network, and an active member of the Austroads Pavement Structures Technical Group.