Dr. Aikaterini (Katerina) Varveri is an Associate Professor of Chemomechanics of Infrastructure Materials at the Engineering Structures department in Civil Engineering and Geosciences at Delft University of Technology.
Her research focuses on the interactions among environment, infrastructure materials and structures. By investigating the intricate relationships between the chemo-rheological properties and mechanical performance of paving materials, and exploring how these relationships evolve under complex and interacting environmental conditions, she aims to improve the long-term performance of road infrastructure. Her team integrates advanced physicochemical characterization and modelling tools, multivariate statistics, and chemometrics to predict and enhance the durability of pavements. In 2020, she was awarded with an NWO Talent Programme VENI grant from NWO-AES (NL) on this topic.
Dr. Varveri’s research extends to exploring the potential of biobased materials as substitutes for traditional bitumen in pavement construction, using a chemomechanics-based material design approach. Her research into bio-based materials and innovative binder designs not only aims to meet industry standards but also intends to reduce the environmental impact of road building. This includes integrating recycled materials and low-temperature asphalt production methods.
Dr. Varveri actively contributes to the pavement research and engineering community, serving as the Secretary of the Academy of Pavement and Science and Engineering (APSE) and as Deputy Chair of the RILEM Technical Committee 295-FBB, where she contributes to develop recommendations and standards for fingerprinting paving binders.