Researchers look underground to prevent potholes

Researchers at the University of Surrey have launched a trial in an attempt to tackle the UK's pothole problem from beneath the surface.

The trial uses heat stored underground to keep roads cooler in summer, warmer in winter and less prone to damage.

The project is funded through Dr Benyi Cao's Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship, with support from Surrey County Council's Lane Rental Scheme.

Dr Nikolas Makasis, a lecturer in civil engineering, said: "If the results are promising, road authorities will have the evidence they need to deploy this technology to create longer-lasting roads, reduce maintenance costs and make transport infrastructure more resilient to a changing climate."

The project - officially named the Thermo-active Roads for Heat Harvesting and Pavement Temperature Regulation - will test whether a ground-source heating and cooling system can regulate road temperatures throughout the year.

This would help roads better withstand increasingly extreme weather while reducing the carbon footprint of highway maintenance, improving safety and reducing the inconvenience of roadworks, the university said.

Dr Benyi Cao, a senior lecturer in geotechnical engineering said: "Rather than reacting to potholes after they've formed, we're asking how we can prevent them in the first place.

"Potholes are more than an inconvenience – they are a safety hazard, they disrupt journeys and are costly to repair."

Installation has begun in the Senate House car park on the University's Stag Hill campus, with the first phase of the trial under way and the second phase starting in mid-August.

Once operational, researchers will monitor the system over a number of years using underground sensors to assess how effectively it regulates road temperatures.

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