The PIARC World Road Association has announced that the call for abstracts is now open for its inaugural World Bridge Conference, “Managing Bridges for Society” (BEAM2027), to be held in Marrakech from 14-16 April 2027. 

The event will bring together international experts, practitioners and policymakers to share knowledge and best practice on the management, resilience and future development of bridge infrastructure. The event is hosted and supported by the Ministry of Equipment and Water- Morocco and the BEAM2027 PIARC Committee, co-organised by PIARC and by the Moroccan Permanent Association of Road Congress and aims to address the growing challenges facing bridge assets worldwide, including ageing infrastructure, climate impacts and increasing mobility demands.  

The conference will focus on a range of topics, including: 

• Innovation and digital transformation in bridge management  
• Advances in bridge design and construction  
• Rehabilitation strategies balancing engineering and societal needs  
• Enhancing resilience and structural redundancy  
• Risk assessment and decision-making for existing bridges  
• Strategic bridge projects supporting connectivity and economic growth  

Authors are invited to submit abstracts of up to 400 words in English or French via the official conference platform.  

Key dates include: 

• 1 June 2026: Abstract submission deadline  
• 1 September 2026: Notification of acceptance  
• 30 November 2026: Full paper submission deadline  
• 15 February 2027: Paper acceptance notification  

The conference is expected to provide a significant platform for advancing global collaboration and innovation in bridge engineering, supporting safer, more resilient and sustainable infrastructure for communities worldwide.