Russian Scientists Create Breakthrough Road‑Repair Material
A new bitumen suspension and a digital control tool developed in Russia may transform road maintenance, allowing crews to repair potholes even in freezing conditions
A Year‑Round Solution for Harsh Climates
Researchers at Perm Polytechnic University, together with specialists from the Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI), ROSDORNII, and the Russian Academy of Transport, have unveiled a new material designed for all‑season road repair. The polydispersed bitumen suspension can be stored for up to 40 years and used at temperatures as low as –15 °C, offering a fundamentally different approach to road maintenance in cold‑climate regions.
Seasonal limitations have long constrained Russia’s road‑construction sector. Traditional hot asphalt must be applied at high temperatures, narrowing the construction window to a few warm months each year and driving up costs. Existing cold‑mix formulations can be used in winter but have short shelf lives and slow strength gain.
According to project lead and Perm Polytechnic professor Andrey Kochetkov, the new suspension solves these issues by encapsulating microscopic bitumen particles inside a mineral‑powder shell. This prevents clumping and keeps the material pliable even during long‑term storage. To activate the mix, crews simply add water, sand, and gravel.
From Emergency Patching to Strategic Maintenance
The material’s strength comes from its engineered polydispersity—the bitumen particles vary in size from 0.4 to 100 micrometers. Like spheres of different diameters densely filling a container, this multi‑scale structure creates a durable, coherent matrix capable of maintaining performance for decades.
To ensure long‑term reliability, the researchers also developed a digital control tool that analyzes particle size distribution in the suspension. This parameter is critical to maintaining stability during storage and achieving consistent results during application.
A Global Opportunity for Road Infrastructure
The technology has significant potential not only in Russia, which maintains 4.4 million kilometers of roads, but also in countries worldwide with severe winters. It supports the transition from emergency patching to planned maintenance, enabling strategic stockpiling of repair materials and ensuring resilient transport infrastructure year‑round.
The project represents a meaningful step forward in the digital transformation of the road‑construction sector, integrating advanced materials science with data‑driven quality control.
