The use of groundbreaking nanotechnology could more than halve the cost of constructing Ballarat roads according to council.
The City has recently completed a trial on a 1.6-kilometre section of Gillies Road using a stabilising agent, delivering a more durable road surface that can withstand wild weather and large amounts of traffic.
The technology is also sustainable and non-toxic.
City of Ballarat Director of Infrastructure and Environment Bridget Wetherall said the nanotechnology product more than halves the cost of constructing rural roads.
“This nanotechnology reduces the pavement depth required from between 250 and 350mm – less than half the depth of a conventional 700mm road,” she said.
“It also delivers a road with a bearing capacity between 5 and 10 times’ stronger than that of a conventional road.”
The City of Ballarat will now explore the broader use of the technology in future roadworks and infrastructure upgrades.
