In collaboration with Kent County Council and Amey, our graphene-enhanced polymeric supermodifier Gipave® has been trialled in Dartford, Kent.
The trial, which has involved the resurfacing of an existing road on East Hill, took place as part of the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) Smart Places Live Labs programme funded by the Department for Transport.
Works were carried out in late June 2020. Asphalt containing the graphene-enhanced supermodifier was laid on a 350m-long stretch of road, while another 350m-long stretch was paved with traditional asphalt. Both sections are constantly tested and monitored in order to compare durability and performances.
All tests carried out so far on road surfaces have shown that Gipave® allows to significantly improve the performance of asphalt pavements, especially as regards the increase in the resistance to load cycles and thermal excursions. The improvement of structural performances allows to extend the pavement’s service life, obtaining road pavements that can be two or three times more durable than those paved with conventional asphalt, thus reducing maintenance needs and the related costs over time.
