The Digital Intelligence Brokerage (DIB) – which had been tasked with collecting potential solutions on behalf of Wiltshire council – said that a consortium of a small and medium-sized enterprises could use this “cutting edge approach” to check the condition of highways in rural and urban areas where infrastructure is sparse. It acknowledged that consideration must be given to the risks of using automated equipment on or above live highway networks.
The DIB also recommended using video streams to inspect the quality of work carried out on highways, and making the shape of pothole repairs circular rather than square to avoid weak points in corners. The DIB has previously proposed graphite nanoparticles in asphalt to reduce cracking, the use of bio-bitumen materials to create environmentally friendly road surfaces, and automated repair operations to minimise risk to road maintenance workers.
It said that its proposed solutions could be used beyond Wiltshire...
