Intelligent road repairs are among what are being described as “revolutionary” technologies being developed in a project being supported from a £60 million fund from the UK Research and Innovation division the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

The project involves a partnership between construction and engineering company Costain, Highways England and the University of Cambridge.

The idea is that, by using a digital twinning system that visualises the road and its condition, it would allow highways agencies and councils to identify when repair work is needed, with roads able to repair themselves using self-healing materials.

The aim is to negate the need for laborious and costly on-site inspections, prevent unnecessary delays to motorists because of road works and reduce the emissions generated by roadworks.

(Picture – UKRI)