New Technology: When heal streets themselves – Stuttgart News

Roads and bridges are crumbling, for the maintenance of the road network is missing billions. With new technologies, the decline could stop – when they arrive in time for use.

Aachen / Delft – The bad news <- stz /> STN - Standard Article Body - - paragraph 1!>: It crumbles huge. More than a third of all German roads are according to the Federal Ministry of Transport in poor – 15.1 percent – or very poor condition: 19.6 percent. Only four percent of all bridges received a “very good”. . only on the highways, it looks a bit better

The majority – 70.5 percent – is in very good condition; “Only” eight percent are “very poor”. Where even that is a huge value in absolute terms: from 13,000 km highway thus a thousand miles are dilapidated

To the ailing. save infrastructure, there is only money – it most experts were previously agreed. The set up of federal and state Daehre Commission set 2012 found that the road network is missing 4.7 billion euros annually – and the rail network again two billion. In such sums and the much-debated car toll is hardly noticeable. Even the benevolent calculated estimates of Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) estimate the additional income to a maximum of 700 million euros per year -. A drop in the ocean

scientists and contractors working on new technologies

Now the good news: Nothing is lost. While it is not extra money is to pick up, then the decay can possibly stop in other ways. Across Europe, scientists and builders of new technologies that cracks patched, repaired roads and bridges can be modernized without the buildings have to be demolished. That alone saves millions. And that’s not all. Even pothole forecasts are within reach. Imagine: Rehabilitation troops move out before a blow hole exists at all – and extend the life of a road so much. Or even build a road that requires very little construction

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Erik snakes, a professor at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands, works at exactly this vision. For nine years researching the roadway expert on roads, the repair itself. “In the laboratory, it works perfectly,” says hitting and pulls out a box. In her store samples of material that could cover the European motorways again.

“miracle asphalt” is called a Dutch newspaper the invention, because the black, coarsely porous lumps filled with steel wool and thus holds almost twice as long as normal whispering. Even years after the “miracle asphalt” was published, a special vehicle can drive over it and heat it by induction, such as a stove. “As a result, the bitumen becomes fluid and seals tiny cracks,” says snakes.

With microorganisms concrete structures obtained

The fact that it also works outside the University, shows a test track, the 2010 A 58 was built in Vlissingen. “We have used the induction machine, and the road is still in perfect condition. Normally we would have to fight after this time already with potholes. “He has set ambitious targets for concrete structures yet. With the help of these microorganisms will continue to hold up to a hundred years.

“The bacteria lie dormant in an inactive state. Only when they come into contact with water that penetrates through a crack in the material, wake up. Then they produce lime, which seals the cracks. “In an underground garage, the process was working well. The disadvantage is that the material is about 15 percent more expensive than conventional concrete. “In the long run, however, so can save huge amounts.”

In Germany, where about a quarter of the highways is made of concrete, the Technical University of Munich is working on a similar process. “We are researching three different healing techniques,” says Christian Great, the head of the Department for Non-Destructive Testing. He experiments with hydrogels can absorb water in the concrete and expand it. “The principle is the same as in diapers.” The difference, “The adhesive also increases the strength of the material. So that we can cure concrete almost completely. “But as the scientist remains realistic, fully developed, the process is not yet. “We must ensure that the concrete already glued when mixed together.”

Still, he believes that the mixture is ready for the market in three to four years. After all, his research is a part of the EU project “Healcon”, which has a budget of 5.3 million euros and brings together universities with construction companies throughout Europe

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