A study led by Charles Darwin University is using worn-out tyres to build stronger, more sustainable roads that are more adaptable to hotter climates.
The researchers are studying the performance of roads built from bitumen and asphalt modified with shredded tyre waste from trucks and passenger vehicles.
Study lead author Ramin Shahbazi said it is focused on materials that are more suitable in hot places such as the Northern Territory in Australia.
“The hot weather up here means the long-term effects of ageing roads cause different chemical reactions within the pavement, which makes the road harder or more brittle and leads to damaged roads,” Shahbazi said.
“We’re working to match the performance of regular pavement materials by using recycled materials, but I think there’s potential we could surpass that performance.”
Shahbazi noted that using recycled materials is a more cost-efficient option for road development and maintenance.
“Paying for an expensive polymer just to meet the traffic and weather conditions of Territory roads is like adding an environmental cost to the infrastructure’s overall price tag,” he said.
Worn-out tyres are in abundance in Australia. According to Tyre Stewardship Australia’s 2023-24 annual report, 500,000 tonnes of tyres reach their end-of-life stage across the country each year.
Shahbazi hopes that the study would pave the way for the standardised use of recyclables in infrastructure and prompt investment in recycling facilities in the Northern Territory.
The project is part of a partnership between CDU and the NT government’s Department of Logistics and Infrastructure.