At a meeting with students and young scientists in Almaty in November 2022, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that the richest and most capitalized companies in the world produce and provide services based on fintech, artificial intelligence, IT and other advanced technologies. Science has turned into a gigantic industry. This industry is emerging as a sector that takes the entire economy to a new level. This suggests that the world has entered a new era where human capital is more important than natural resources.

In this sense, Kazakhstan has encouraging potential: we have many talented young people of a new generation who are increasingly choosing technical professions. In addition, the republic has notable achievements in the IT and fintech fields. The President emphasized that Kazakhstan needs to keep up with the global trend, support youth and apply new approaches to the development of science with an emphasis on strengthening the relationship between the scientific, technological and economic policies of the state.

We talked about the development of domestic science with an emphasis on new technologies with a young Kazakh scientist, director of the research center of “KazdorNII” JSC Assel Nugmanova.

— Assel, we know that a team of young scientists and engineers has gathered at your research institute. In what direction have they managed to prove themselves?

— “KazdorNII” is one of the oldest scientific institutions in the republic, but in recent years our staff has become significantly younger. Yes, through the efforts of the leader, we have formed a large group of progressive and creative specialists. Last year we focused on the topic of digitalization and the implementation of IT systems. We presented the Unified Database of Road Construction Materials and New Technologies, the RNMS Road Asset Management System and the BOMS Bridge Operation Management System.

These information systems were created for the first time in the country. They are aimed at digitalizing the road industry, simplifying and accelerating processes, as well as ensuring transparency and predictability in the construction and maintenance of roads and road infrastructure.

The unified database of RCM and NT has already been put into trial operation. Based on the results of long-term laboratory and practical research, after the approval of an expert technical commission, new road-building technologies are introduced into it that are truly high-quality and suitable for the unique climatic and engineering-geological conditions of the country’s regions. The IS also indicates the stone quarries closest to the road construction sites with qualitative and quantitative characteristics of their reserves.

This database will help contractors achieve high quality roads and save time and money when delivering essential construction materials.

Our BOMS system attracts a lot of attention from specialists and society. There are more than 3.5 thousand bridges in Kazakhstan. Our task is to digitize them and provide a modern tool for predicting repairs and possible deformations. All received data will be consolidated in a single system, which will help balance holders monitor the technical condition of bridges online. The digital system will also be useful in the field of transport and logistics. For example, dispatchers will be able to quickly and remotely analyze which bridges and overpasses will be encountered along the route, as well as whether their geometric and technical parameters are suitable for the passage of vehicles with large cargo.

RNMS is a platform with an electronic passport of roads, road and roadside infrastructure. Like a computer game, it displays in detail streets and roads, as well as everything that is on them: road surfaces, traffic lights, curbs, curbs, manholes, etc. In the system, you can view the current state of the road network, potholes, ruts, analyze wear and deformation, measure slope, distance from object to object, width and length of the roadway and traffic lanes, and much more. The most important thing is that RNMS allows you to do this remotely and at any convenient time.

Our employees are also developing a database of qualified road industry specialists and digital modeling solutions.

Such an integrated approach greatly surprises our colleagues from the most developed countries, since their digital systems are developed in individual areas and as needed.

In their opinion, complex, extensive solutions are very complex and expensive. In this we repeat the success of the Kazakh banking and financial sectors, which are known in the world for their comprehensive, non-standard approaches. Therefore, today “KazdorNII” is considered one of the world leaders in the field of digitalization of the road industry.

— In the autumn, an international scientific conference on the development of new technologies for the road construction industry was held in Astana with the participation of the strongest scientists and experts from different countries, including the USA, Western Europe and China. You moderated the conference and listened to all the presentations and discussions. Tell us what foreign projects are of interest to Kazakh specialists?

— Everyone was particularly interested in the project of American colleagues, who presented technologies of structural monitoring, testing and numerical modelling to ensure the reliability and durability of road structures.

The study focuses on the use of optical sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) for monitoring the condition of road structures. In the study, FBG sensors were embedded in asphalt pavement to monitor changes in strain and temperature. Testing was carried out in two scenarios: in a controlled environment using a falling weight device and in real traffic conditions.

The results showed the effectiveness of FBG sensors in measuring strain and temperature, which provides valuable data for assessing the condition of pavements and optimizing road design and maintenance. This significantly improves road safety through early detection of surface wear and efficient road management. If we consider the possibility of applying such a scientific approach in our republic, I believe that this will help reduce the cost of road maintenance and repair, increase the safety and sustainability of transport infrastructure, and also contribute to the development of scientific and technical research in Kazakhstan.

The project of Chinese colleagues also aroused interest, who presented the concept of a “smart hospital”, in which they consider the road as a patient in need of “treatment”. In particular, the history of the road is maintained, analysis data from sensors is taken, a forecast of the "disease" is made, tactics of preventive work, etc. It is a network platform that provides digital support throughout the entire life cycle of the highway. In Shandong Province, all roads are already equipped with robots and digitized. This was done by combining GIS and BIM technologies. It took them about 20 years to work on this project.

— Which of the presented technologies can benefit the road construction industry of our country?

— The scientific conference has one important goal - the exchange of opinions, experiences and best practices. But there is also an indirect influence. Being among colleagues and getting acquainted with their knowledge and point of view, you involuntarily enrich and transform your consciousness, you begin to see familiar things from a different perspective. Listening to each presentation, you notice something important for yourself, gain inspiration, and begin to look outside the box.

Therefore, each technology presented has value and can find practical application in one form or another.

But, if we talk about those things that can have direct application, then it is worth highlighting the speech of a professor at the University of California at Berkeley, who presented additional information about smart strain sensors for asphalt pavement, using a composite material of graphene plates and carbon nanotubes in an epoxy matrix for asphalt covering. The main focus of the research is to study the interchangeability and synergistic effects of graphene plates with carbon nanotubes in epoxy composites.

The experiments assessed the morphological, electrical and mechanical properties, as well as the characteristics of the stress-electrical resistance response of the composites. As Professor Takhirov said, the results of the study showed that hybrids of carbon nanotubes and graphene in composites provide better distribution due to the size effect and synergistic effect, and also improve the electrical and mechanical properties of materials. An important conclusion of the study is that the developed composites can become effective stress sensors for monitoring asphalt pavements.

It is worth noting that at the moment the path of close cooperation with American colleagues has already been paved. Our scientists, together with a professor at the University of Berkeley, published an article “Application of multi-sensor detection and mapping of road objects in Kazakhstan and the development of a procedure for detecting and analyzing curbs,” which was presented at the 7th International Symposium on Innovative Approaches in Smart Technologies (ISAS).

The use of multi-sensor detection and mapping of road objects in Kazakhstan ensures accurate detection of objects, improves traffic safety, optimizes transport infrastructure, promotes traffic flow management, promotes the development of intelligent transport systems, and also saves time and resources when maintaining the road network.

— Thank you for your time and detailed story. We wish your team success and hope that new developments will benefit the country and contribute to improving the quality of our roads!