A bio-based composite material for enhancing the sustainability in road infrastructures

A high amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) associated with roads is related to the upstream emissions embodied in the materials used. Each ton of produced asphalt requires 300 kg emission of GHG. In Sweden, yearly road maintenance causes 50 tons of GHG accounting for 10% of the total GHG emitted by the country.

Our project is exploring the possibility of replacing some of the traditionally used road materials with novel bio-based materials that can enhance sustainability and reduce the long-term dependency on fossil-based materials.

The project’s focus will be on the applicability of lignin, the rigid, waterproof ´cement´ that helps give plants their structural strength, and a (rest) product from the wood (paper) industry.

The successful replacement of parts of the bitumen and polymer modification by a lignin-based product will result in enhancing sustainability, both through a reduction of GHG as well as increased moisture damage resistance, one of the major road problems.

The team´s target is to study lignin-modified asphalt mixtures through a synergetic combination of 3D imaging techniques, based upon X-ray and neutron radiation sources, multi-scale chemo-mechanical testing, and computational modeling.

The project aims to design a new bio-based asphalt material that 1) is more sustainable and eco-friendly while 2) being still highly performant.