National Highways is trialling a revolutionary graphene-enhanced asphalt on the A12 in Essex, aimed at extending the lifespan of road surfaces and reducing carbon emissions.
The innovative material, called Gipave, was applied on the A12 northbound between Hatfield Peverel and Witham in mid-August, marking a major step in sustainable road construction.
The new asphalt blend incorporates a proprietary graphene-enhanced polymeric additive, which reinforces the bitumen film surrounding aggregates in the asphalt.
The trial also includes 40% reclaimed asphalt, the highest percentage ever used in the UK for asphalt with graphene-enhanced polymeric modification.
Gipave has already shown superior performance in tests, offering increased stiffness and resistance to rutting compared to conventional asphalt, while also improving fatigue endurance.
Umesh Parajuli, project sponsor and senior pavement advisor at National Highways, emphasized the potential impact of the trial: “This trial of graphene-enhanced asphalt supports our 2040 net zero target for construction and maintenance and could provide significant whole-life benefits, improving the service life of both local and national networks.”
The performance of the material on the A12 will be monitored over several years as part of a broader National Highways research project under the SPaTS 2 initiative, which tests emerging low-carbon asphalt products.
The trial is comparing hot and warm mix technologies and is being conducted in partnership with industry leaders, including Eurovia, Jean Lefebvre (UK), AtkinsRéalis, Iterchimica, and Directa Plus.
This is the first time Gipave has been deployed on the strategic road network, though it has already been used in trials by local councils in Oxfordshire, Kent, Staffordshire, and Essex.
The technology has gained international recognition, having been applied in major infrastructure projects such as the San Giorgio bridge in Genoa, the Treviso Airport runway, and the F1 Imola circuit in Italy.
Developed by Italian company Iterchimica, the Gipave asphalt on the A12 was produced and installed by Eurovia UK, with Jean Lefebvre UK overseeing the mix design. AtkinsRéalis will lead the analysis of the one-kilometre trial section, measuring its carbon footprint and whole-life benefits against a control section of standard polymer-modified bitumen asphalt.
As part of the National Highways research project, the trial will also receive support from Nottingham University and Jean Lefebvre UK, with laboratory testing conducted to further evaluate the material’s performance.
If successful, this graphene-enhanced asphalt could become a key component in the UK’s effort to meet its net zero construction and maintenance goals by 2040, paving the way—literally—for more sustainable road networks.
