Brief 

The University of Surrey pioneers an innovative thermo-active road solution using geothermal energy to reduce potholes, carbon emissions, and enhance road longevity. Discover how this revolution could reshape the future of UK road maintenance.

 

Insight

Researchers at the University of Surrey have developed a novel thermo-active road solution that aims to counteract the formation of potholes instigated by the freeze-thaw cycles during winter. Spearheading the initiative, Dr Benyi Cao has collaborated with National Highways to harness geothermal energy in a bid to regulate road temperatures.

This approach utilises ground source heat pumps, cooling roads during summer and warming them during the colder months.The implementation of this innovative solution could revolutionise how major roadways across the UK are maintained and renovated, especially as climate-induced challenges escalate.

Currently, the average lifespan of motorways and A-road surfaces is approximately 20 years. However, Dr Cao, a distinguished lecturer from the university’s School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering, suggests that modulating road surface temperatures could extend their longevity, reduce roadworks, and offer safety advantages.

With the existing road technologies being responsible for roughly 700,000 tonnes of annual carbon emissions, and an anticipated repair bill of £12 billion for pothole-afflicted roads over the forthcoming decade, thermo-active roads emerge as a viable low-cost and low-carbon substitute.

Since 2018, potholes on England’s primary roads have resulted in 5,000 injuries, with £1.2 billion spent on road maintenance last year alone, an undertaking with a significant carbon impact.

To assess this novel approach, Dr Cao, during his research fellowship, will establish a lab-scale model road section featuring a heat pump in the University of Surrey’s Advanced Geotechnical Laboratory. This will test the thermal efficiency and resilience of roads against regulated climatic and traffic conditions.

Comprehensive field trials will be executed on UK roads, evaluating the environmental and economic implications of thermo-active roads. Additionally, in collaboration with the engineering firm Versarien, Dr Cao will pioneer a graphene-enhanced microcapsule to enhance heat conduction and storage beneath road surfaces.

 

Highlight

  1. This approach utilises ground source heat pumps, cooling roads during summer and warming them during the colder months.
  2. Currently, the average lifespan of motorways and A-road surfaces is approximately 20 years.
  3. With the existing road technologies being responsible for roughly 700,000 tonnes of annual carbon emissions, and an anticipated repair bill of £12 billion for pothole-afflicted roads over the forthcoming decade, thermo-active roads emerge as a viable low-cost and low-carbon substitute.

 

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