Friday 29 November 2019

Skanska trials innovative materials for ‘greener’ roads

Skanska trials innovative materials for ‘greener’ roads

Construction company Skanska is trialling new materials that aim to reduce potholes as well as carbon for more durable and future-proof road surfaces in the UK.

Earlier this month, it laid fully recyclable, graphene-enhanced asphalt on a busy main road in Curbridge for Oxfordshire County Council, in what is said to be a first in the country.

It involved the removal and reinstatement of the existing carriageway to a depth of 150mm over a 750m long section by Aggregate Industries, with one lane replaced using conventional materials while the opposite ‘trial’ lane resurfaced using the asphalt.

Skanska also laid an asphalt surface course between junctions 25 and 26 for the first time on the M25 in Essex, containing 50% recycled asphalt pavement – claimed to be five times more recycled material than any other motorway surface.

The work was carried out in partnership with Connect Plus and suppliers Toppesfield and FM Conway on behalf of Highways England.

Jim Daughton, Skanska’s Operations Director, said: “Exploring these new materials is about taking a new approach to tackling two of the biggest issues facing the highways industry and UK drivers – reducing potholes and improving the quality of our infrastructure for the future while driving down carbon.

“We’re always looking for new ways to provide best value and our innovative approach enables us to deliver better and more effective projects for our customers and their communities so we’re delighted to be the first to trial graphene asphalt in the UK and increase use of recycled materials.

If successful, these innovative products could transform highways maintenance in the UK, extensively extending the life of key highways infrastructure affected by significant traffic loads, while reducing carbon, which is key as we work with our supply chain to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045.”

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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