AtkinsRéalis joins National Highways in trial of high performance, low carbon asphalt

The innovative surface incorporates a proprietary graphene-enhanced polymeric additive, called Gipave. Graphene is the strongest compound discovered (100-300 times stronger than steel) and acts as a reinforcement to the bitumen film surrounding aggregates in asphalt.

The surface was laid on the A12 northbound between Hatfield Peverel and Witham, east of England, in mid-August. It contained 40% reclaimed asphalt - the highest level used in the UK for asphalt with graphene-enhanced polymeric modifier. Previous studies have shown Gipave has improved stiffness and resistance to rutting compared to conventional asphalt while improving fatigue endurance. The performance of the material on the A12 will be monitored over several years.

This trial is part of a National Highways research project under SPaTS 2 which is testing several emerging, low carbon asphalt products. The trial is adopting both hot and warm mix technologies for comparison studies. It is being conducted with the help of industry partners Eurovia, Jean Lefebvre (UK), AtkinsRéalis, Iterchimica and Directa Plus.

This is the first time Gipave has been applied on the strategic road network and follows ongoing trials in Oxfordshire, Kent, Staffordshire and Essex by councils. This technology has been adopted internationally including at the new San Giorgio bridge in Genova, Treviso Airport runway, Edinburgh and Rome Fiumicino Airport taxiways, the main motorways in northern Italy – the A4 Turin-Milan and the A4 Brescia-Padua - and the F1 Imola circuit in Italy.

Gipave has been developed by Iterchimica which Eurovia UK produced and installed on the A12 surfacing with support from specialist Jean Lefebvre UK for the mix design. AtkinsRéalis will closely analyse the performance of the one-kilometre trial section including its carbon footprint and whole-life benefits, measuring it against a control section of standard polymer-modified bitumen asphalt.

The trial is being coordinated by an AtkinsRéalis-Jacobs joint venture as part of a National Highways research project which University of Nottingham and Jean Lefebvre UK will support with the lab testing.

Umesh Parajuli, Project Sponsor and Senior Pavement Advisor at National Highways said: "We are constantly exploring new ways to improve our road network with a focus on three imperatives: safety, the customer and delivery. It’s encouraging to move innovative road materials from the lab to the real world, as they promise more durability and efficiency, while maintaining road user safety and lowering carbon emissions. 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.”

Michael Wright, Technical Director, Transportation, at AtkinsRéalis, said: “The trial of graphene-enhanced asphalt marks a step towards more advanced road construction in the UK and builds on our work with National Highways to trial emerging technologies. We will closely analyse the performance of this innovative product, which could lead to significant improvements in road durability and reduce environmental impact through a new, sustainable circular economy.”

Lorenzo Sangalli, Gipave Product Manager at Iterchimica, said: “We are proud to have the opportunity to use our innovative technology once again in the UK, alongside prominent players such as National Highways, Eurovia & Jean Lefebvre (UK), AtkinsRéalis and Directa Plus. The combination of Gipave with high percentages of recycled asphalt has already demonstrated higher performances in similar contexts, extending the service life of asphalt pavements and resulting in greater benefits in terms of sustainability and circular economy.”

Jonathan Core, Technical Director at Jean Lefebvre (UK) said: “Eurovia are committed to limiting our carbon impact by moving towards a circular economy. This includes the implementation of professional recycling processes, implementing efficient techniques, adopting effective behaviour patterns, as well as looking at enhancing the durability of our products through the Research and Development of innovative materials and processes, such as Gipave. Collaboration and close coordination with industry experts, such as Iterchimica and AtkinsRealis is an essential component in us achieving our objectives.”

Giulio Cesareo, Directa Plus CEO, said: “The continued use of Gipave demonstrates the growing recognition of its ability to improve road durability and sustainability, aligning with our mission to deliver cutting-edge, eco-friendly solutions to the infrastructure sector. We thank all the partners involved in this project for their commitment and collaboration.”

ENDS

About National Highways

National Highways is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England’s motorways and major A roads. More details are available at: nationalhighways.co.uk

About AtkinsRéalis

Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear and Capital.  News and information are available at www.atkinsrealis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Iterchimica and Gipave

Iterchimica is an Italian company founded in 1967 based in Suisio, Bergamo. The company is one of the international leaders in the development of innovative products and technologies for asphalt pavements to improve their quality and guarantee safety, durability and sustainability.

Gipave® is a patented graphene-enhanced polymeric supermodifier developed by Iterchimica. The product is the result of a six-year research program in collaboration with Directa Plus – producer and supplier of Graphene Plus, G.Eco and the University of Milan – Bicocca. To date, all tests conducted by universities and laboratories have shown excellent results in terms of increased pavement performances, resulting in longer service life and reduced maintenance costs. In late 2021, Gipave obtained the certification Plastica Seconda Vita - “Plastic Second Life”. This registered mark is an environmental product certification system, dedicated to materials and products manufactured by valorising plastic waste. The product has also finalised an EPD® certification (the International EPD® System is a global programme for Environmental Declarations). News and information are available at iterchimica.it/en

About Directa Plus

Directa Plus (directa-plus.com) is one of the largest producers and suppliers of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets. The Company's graphene manufacturing capability uses proprietary patented technology based on a plasma super expansion process. Starting from natural graphite, each step of Directa Plus' production process - expansion, exfoliation and drying - creates graphene-based materials and hybrid graphene materials ready for a variety of uses and available in various forms such as powder, liquid and paste.

This proprietary production process uses a physical process, rather than a chemical process, to process graphite into pristine graphene nanoplatelets, which enables Directa Plus to offer a sustainable, non-toxic product, without unwanted by-products.

Directa Plus' products are made of hybrid graphene materials and graphene nano-platelets. The products (marketed as G+®) have multiple applications due to its properties. These G+® products can be categorised into various families, with different products being suitable for specific practical applications.

Directa Plus was established in 2005 and is based in Lomazzo (Como, Italy) and has been listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange since May 2016. Directa Plus holds the Green Economy Mark from London Stock Exchange which recognises companies that contribute to the global green economy.