Introduction

A constant objective of the Belgian Road Research Centre is to offer high-quality assistance to road contracting firms and road authorities in order to improve infrastructures and promote innovations in the sector. The research programmes are prepared in consultation with a "Research & Development Programme Committee", which includes representatives from road contractors and public authorities.

BRRC cares to maintain its reputation as an impartial, highly qualified Belgian expert centre in the field of road construction. This expertise is acquired and improved through its own research activities and by knowledge transfer at international level, allowing it to be first and foremost at the service of contracting firms and road authorities.

Besides research and/or development activities carried out at the request of members or other "clients", as well as the development of BRRC products or services, the Centre also carries out special tests and specific studies and takes part in external working groups that allow the transfer of research results to practitioners.

In recent years, more importance has been given to the practical implementation and valorization of results. The ever increasing effort made for practical implementations leaves less room for research and development. This phenomenon is compensated as far as possible by a better knowledge transfer and a broader cooperation at the international, and particularly European, level. International cooperation is encouraged by increasingly close links between the main European road research laboratories in the framework of FEHRL (Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories).

Finally, it should be noted that the trend towards more specific, more client-oriented efforts leads to more but smaller projects.