Higher resistance and longer durability of asphalt pavement — these are the main goals of the new SeHePa project, carried out by Budimex in cooperation with the Warsaw University of Technology. The developed technologies, based on innovative microcapsules in mineral and asphalt mixes, will be used for constructions performed by the company.

The main assumption of the project is to develop an innovative technology for the production of an intelligent additive for road asphalt. During the daily use of the road surface, it will be in a standby state, activating only as a result of damage and initiating its repair. Stopping the development of micro-cracks in the asphalt mix will prevent larger problems — macro-cracks that occur naturally and are caused by vehicle traffic or changes in temperature. As part of this innovative project, technology based on so-called microcapsules will be developed and then implemented to increase the durability and life span of constructed roads.

“Mechanical degradation of pavement can be significantly reduced by refining mineral and asphalt mixtures. One of the innovative solutions in this respect is the use of so-called microcapsules made of a rigid cover filled with a liquid agent for repairing micro-cracks in asphalt. It is an absolute novelty in the road industry, never used before in Poland”, says Dariusz Blocher, President of the Board and CEO of Budimex SA.

Various types of microcapsules will be tested, varying in sizes, and wall thickness, made of different materials, and containing fillings with repair agents.

Not only laboratory tests are planned, but also the introduction of test sections to confirm the properties of the developed technology.

The project is co-financed from the national resources of the National Centre for Research and Development.

Project value: PLN 4,020,928.27
Amount of funding: PLN 2,588,343.21