Researchers use Google Cloud AI to make ‘self-healing asphalt’ for lasting roads in UK

Researchers have used Google Cloud AI to develop asphalt that is capable of healing itself as a measure to reduce road damage in the UK.

Google shared the breakthrough on 3 February, which shows that researchers from King’s College London and Swansea University worked with others from Chile to achieve the feat.

The new asphalt is able to “stitch” itself back after cracking, thus preventing major cracks and potholes from forming on roads built with it.

Making asphalt from plants 

According to the details, the researchers made the self-healing asphalt by combining materials science with advanced modeling techniques using Google Cloud AI capabilities.

The process involved blending of natural spore microcapsules and waste-based rejuvenators to form a mixture of tiny plant spores filled with recycled oils containing. 

Tinier than a hair strand,, the microcapsules are designed to rupture when cracks begin to form in the asphalt.

That way when traffic on the road creates compression, the microcapsules release their oil, softening the bitumen and allowing it to flow back together, making it possible to heal small cracks in an hour.

The researchers first analyzed the bitumen using machine learning for insights into the molecular structure and behavior of asphalt materials.

They also developed data-driven models that accelerate atomistic simulations and advance research into the crack formation processes, and used AI to identify chemical properties that contribute to self-healing capabilities.

Similar to drug discovery

The scientists used a technique similar to one used in drug discovery to create virtual molecules. 

Drug discovery is one area where AI has excelled. Just recently, scientists discovered that AI-designed drugs hold potential cure for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

These use cases point to the countless ways that AI can be used to improve human society. The asphalt is still in development, but the scientists see hope of improving roads in the UK and globally.