Expert in Sustainable Pavement Engineering | Department Chair | Research Leader at SuPAR

Prof. Wim Van den bergh,  Industrial Engineer in Civil Engineering (1997) with a postgraduate degree in Human Ecology (2002), has dedicated his career to innovation in road engineering. His research journey began at Hogeschool Antwerpen, where he pioneered the development of aged-bitumen bound base—an asphalt mix incorporating recycled roofing materials and reclaimed asphalt pavement.

In 2011, he earned his PhD from TU Delft’s Road Engineering Section, focusing on the impact of recycling on the self-healing properties of asphalt mixtures. Since 2013, he has been a faculty member at the Faculty of Applied Engineering, leading the Road Engineering Research Section  within the SuPAR (Sustainable Pavements and Asphalt Research) group. As a professor, he teaches Asphalt Technology, Road Construction, and Pavement Design & Materials, while also coordinating courses on Construction Materials Testing, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Systems Engineering, integrating sustainability with digitalization.

Since 2024, he has served as Chair of the Civil Engineering Department. Currently, he coordinates the SURPAVE consortium (www.surpave.eu) to establish a joint master’s program in sustainable pavement engineering, launching in September 2026.


Collaboration & Industry Engagement

Prof. Van den Bergh actively participates in national and international projects and committees as an expert in sustainable road engineering, asphalt innovation, recycling, and bitumen technology. Since 2019, he has organized the Annual Asphalt Innovation Symposium, providing a platform for industry-academic collaboration and showcasing cutting-edge research.


Research Focus

His research addresses key challenges in road engineering, including:

    • Advanced Asphalt Modeling: Developing an integrated deformation model incorporating aging, self-healing, cracking, and climate effects.
    • Recycling & Bio-based Materials: Assessing their impact on mechanical properties and life cycle analysis (LCA).
    • Digitalization in Road Construction: Leveraging IT to enhance quality, sustainability, and innovations in heavy-duty asphalt solutions for ports and airports.
    • Climate-Resilient Pavement Structures & Materials: Designing infrastructure for long-term durability in changing environments.

Most projects are conducted in collaboration with industry partners, research institutes, and government agencies, ensuring real-world impact and applicability.

Global Engagement & Academic Leadership

As a driving force behind international networking and Erasmus Mobility in civil engineering, Prof. Van den bergh organizes Blended Intensive Projects and frequently lectures abroad on road engineering innovations. He is also the principal investigator for MSCA (EU), FWO, and VLAIO-funded research in bitumen technology and asphalt pavements.

📩 Interested in collaboration? Let’s connect to explore research, industry partnerships, or educational opportunities!


Current doctoral research projects (main supervisor)

  • Danai Maria Kalama: Assessing the potential of bio-modified bitumen with lignin and waste cooking oil
  • Ecem Nur Barisoglu: Exploring the Physicochemical Bonding Mechanism in Fibre-reinforced Bitumen-Foamed Aggregate Matrix (FIFA) 
  • Isabeau Kokken: Fate of Polymers in Recycled Asphalt Mixtures

Completed doctoral research 

  • Mohammadtaher Ghalandari (2024): Structural analysis and feasibility study for heavy loaded roads containing a heat exchanging asphalt layer
  • Ben Moins (2024): Ontwikkeling van een ecologisch-economisch beslissingsmodel voor de toepassing van asfaltgranulaat in de wegstructuur.
  • Georgios Pipintakos (2022): Towards a mechanism-based oxidative aging model within a thermodynamic framework
  • Juliana Oliveira Costa (2022): Using geopolymers in base materials for road construction
  • Alexandros Margaritis (2020): Maximising asphalt recycling: challenges and variability in fatigue and healing.
  • Joke Anthonissen (2017): Bituminous Pavements in Flanders: quantifying the effect of RAP on the environmental impact.