A new type of asphalt that has been imbued with graphene to improve its resilience is being trialled on British roads by National Highways.

The new surfacing material incorporates a 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 trial surfacing took place on the A12 between Hatfield Peverel and Witham and contained 40% reclaimed asphalt. Previous studies have shown Gipave has improved stiffness and resistance to deformation compared to conventional asphalt while improving its long-term endurance.

National Highways plans to monitor the performance of the material on the A12 over several years before considering whether a wider roll-out will be implemented. The publicly-funded body, which looks after the UK’s motorways and major A roads, said the trial was part of a larger testing regime looking into a variety of different...