A groundbreaking collaboration between Swansea University, King’s College London, and Chilean scientists is paving the way for roads that repair themselves—a innovation poised to tackle the UK’s £143.5 million annual pothole crisis
The team lead by Dr Norambuena-Contreras a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering at Swansea University, UK, and a member of the Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute developed a bio-inspired asphalt capable of autonomously “stitching” cracks without human intervention, using cutting-edge AI, sustainable materials, and biomimicry. This breakthrough, alongside a parallel advancement in dynamic polymer-modified asphalt, could redefine the durability and environmental footprint of global infrastructure.
Traditional asphalt cracks when its bitumen—a petroleum-derived binder—hardens due to oxidation. While the scientists are still not totally able to resolve exact mechanisms of this degradation, the researchers leveraged machine learning to model organic molecules in bitumen, accelerating atomistic simulations to decode oxidation and crack formation. Having successfully done this they resolve to using Google Cloud, harnessting AI tools like Gemini and Vertex AI to simulate bitumen behavior computationally, enabling rapid optimization of healing strategies .
The team’s solution embeds microscopic plant-based spores (smaller than a human hair) into asphalt. These spores, filled with recycled oils, rupture under mechanical stress from cracks, releasing rejuvenators that soften oxidized bitumen and “stitch” gaps. Lab tests demonstrated complete microcrack healing in under an hour, potentially extending road lifespan by 30%. Central to this innovation is its sustainability. The asphalt incorporates biomass waste—such as brown algae and recycled cooking oil—reducing reliance on petroleum.
One of the team member, Dr. Francisco Martin-Martinez of King’s College likened the technology to biological healing, where roads mimic the regenerative properties of trees and animals .
With asphalt production contributing significantly to carbon emissions, this shift to bio-based materials aligns with the UK’s 2050 net-zero targets. The team urges government and industry investment to scale the technology, which could save billions in repair costs and reduce maintenance-related traffic disruptions .
In a complementary advancement, recent research published in *Journal of Polymer Research* highlights self-healing asphalt enhanced with dynamic polymers . These polymers integrate reversible chemical bonds that respond to external triggers like pressure, temperature, or pH changes. For instance, lignin-based vitrimers (derived from plant biomass) enable asphalt to autonomously repair cracks through bond reconfiguration, akin to “melting and re-solidifying” at stress points. This method, validated in lab trials, offers a dual advantage: extended pavement life and reduced reliance on fossil-fuel-derived additives .
Unlike the spore-based approach, which relies on encapsulated rejuvenators, polymer-modified asphalt achieves healing through intrinsic material properties. This innovation could complement existing methods, offering a multi-faceted defense against road degradation.
While promising, both technologies face hurdles. The spore-based asphalt’s real-world performance under heavy traffic and extreme weather remains untested, and scaling production of biomass-derived materials requires infrastructural adjustments . Similarly, dynamic polymers demand cost-effective synthesis and long-term durability studies.
However, the potential is undeniable. The UK produces 20 million tonnes of asphalt annually, and transitioning to self-healing variants could slash emissions while addressing a backlog of £16.3 billion in road repairs. National Highways has already endorsed the spore-based technology as a game-changer for minimizing disruptions
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