This week, Milestone Infrastructure begun a resurfacing trial on a key route in Oxford, using a more durable and carbon-light material.
Following the success of the first Gipave trial in the UK in 2019, Milestone Infrastructure has continued working with Oxfordshire County Council, Aggregate Industries and Iterchicmica to develop the use of innovative materials to improve roads while reducing whole life carbon outputs. This has led to the team now trialling the material on Marsh Lane in Oxford, which carries around 10,000 vehicles a day and is a key route to the John Radcliffe hospital.
Developed by Iterchimica, Gipave is a patented graphene-plus enhanced material which can offer a more carbon and cost-effective road surface lifecycle. The asphalt mix contains not only Gipave, but also waste plastics, all of which can be entirely recycled, ensuring the sustainability of this solution.
Initial design calculations estimate Milestone Infrastructure’s use of the Gipave material can deliver at least a 35 per cent increase in durability compared to other high-performance materials, and also has the potential to reduce carbon by 17 per cent over a 40-year life span. This potential carbon saving equates to travelling 2,000 miles every year in an average petrol car, which further demonstrates the long-term carbon saving properties of Gipave.
Phil Raven, Head of Technical Design at Milestone Infrastructure, commented: “This is an important trial to further test the benefits this innovative material can bring. As we look for new ways to reduce carbon emissions within highways maintenance, developing materials that last longer is an important part of our plan towards achieving Net Zero by 2040.
“Our use of this material will also bring tangible benefits to local residents and road users through reduced need for future maintenance. This trial project demonstrates the benefits of industry collaborations with a highway authority committed to trialling new innovations.”
Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “We are committed to improving the quality of the county’s roads as best we can within the limited budget we get from the government. That’s why we’re so keen to be at the forefront of innovation by using new materials such as Gipave, which will keep our road surfaces in a better condition for longer – meaning better value for money for our council taxpayers and smoother road surfaces for motorists.”
