'Self-healing' roads aim to solve pothole crisis

Self-healing asphalt roads could soon offer a solution to the UK's pothole crisis, according to a new study.

Designed with artificial intelligence (AI), a new type of asphalt made from biomass waste can repair its own cracks without the need for maintenance or human intervention.

Scientists at Swansea University in London have found methods to "stitch" asphalt back together, hoping to create more sustainable roads, the Telegraph reports.

Also known as bitumen, asphalt is a sticky black substance derived from crude oil, widely used to build roads, highways, and airport runways.

As it hardens through oxidation, it becomes prone to cracking, but researchers have developed methods to "stitch" asphalt back together, creating more durable roads.

Lead researcher and expert in self-healing asphalt at Swansea University, Dr Joe Norambuena-Contreras, said the approach would help road development as carbon emissions on roads can be largely linked to asphalt production.

He has called on the UK government and the private sector to invest in the initiative to meet the objectives.

Dr Francisco Martin-Martinez from King's College London, said the research aims to mimic the healing properties observed in nature.

"Creating asphalt that can heal itself will increase the durability of roads and reduce the need for people to fill potholes," he said.

He added that the study will also use sustainable materials in the new asphalt, including biomass waste, reducing dependence on natural resources.

While still in development, the research team said it has the potential to improve infrastructure and advance sustainability globally.

The conditions of local roads in England and Wales were at an all-time low in 2024 due to “decades of underfunding”, according to an annual survey by the Asphalt Industry Alliance.

He estimated it would cost more than £16 billion to address the backlog of repairs.

Several communities in the Wrexham district recently took steps to make their crater-filled village a tourist attraction, calling it "pit land".

Fed up residents say conditions have become so bad that visitors and delivery drivers refuse to drive to their homes. /Telegraph/