Google Cloud’s AI Helps Create Self-Healing Asphalt for Sustainable UK Roads

Researchers have developed a self-healing asphalt using biomass waste and Google Cloud’s artificial intelligence (AI). Supported by Google Cloud, this solution aims to combat the UK’s costly pothole problem by creating more durable and sustainable roads. Researchers from King’s College London and Swansea University, in collaboration with researchers in Chile, have developed a new type of asphalt that can repair its own cracks over time, eliminating the need for manual maintenance, according to Iain Burgess, Director, Public Sector UK at Google Cloud.

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Overcoming Road Maintenance Challenges with AI

The new asphalt, inspired by nature’s regenerative abilities, can repair cracks autonomously. Laboratory tests show that the material can heal microcracks within an hour. This self-healing process is facilitated by natural spore microcapsules and waste-based rejuvenators, according to Google.

A key challenge in road maintenance is the oxidation-induced hardening of bitumen, the sticky black substance in asphalt. To address this, researchers used AI and machine learning to study organic molecules in bitumen, accelerating simulations of its ageing and crack formation.

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AI-Powered Research and Collaborations

“The team used machine learning, a type of AI, to study organic molecules in complex fluids like bitumen. The team developed a new data-driven model to accelerate atomistic simulations, advancing research into bitumen oxidation and crack formation,” Burgess explained in a blog post on February 3, 2025.