Research and development
We understand the importance of research and development. It creates new knowledge to help us understand and improve our performance and meet future network challenges.
We face an uncertain future, with fast developing technology and societal change.
To make well informed decisions that will take us forward, we need the best available knowledge about:
- the way the world is developing
- the risks and opportunities this creates for us
Undertaking research with academia and industry gives us a business focussed, cost effective way to improve how we operate and deliver our business.
Strong ties with academia and research institutions help us achieve our aim of being a top-performing road operator.
More than two dozen research fellows and doctoral students work in partnership with us. Their research spans a range of engineering topics.
Learn more about our research fellows and doctoral students.
"We strongly value research and innovation here at National Highways – as we want to continue to build and operate one of the safest and best performing road networks in the world now and in the future. We are proud that our students and fellows are playing their part to help fulfil the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development goals."Dr Chrysoula Litina, Principal Research Engineer, National Highways
Roads Research Alliance
We have joined force with companies from our supply chain to form the new Roads Research Alliance.
The alliance will lead a £14.5 million programme for the development of innovative projects in the highways industry over the next five years.
Research already under way includes:
- using robots and semi-automation to carry out roadside tasks, keeping workers safe
- maximising the use of waste materials in road construction
- low carbon self-healing concrete roads.
In partnership with the University of Cambridge and Costain, we have received £5.5m funding for a five-year programme supporting research in
- digital roads
- sustainability
- automation
- carbon reduction
Funding has been provided by:
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Engineering
- Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- EU Marie Sklodowska Curie Action (MSCA)
We've also reached out to organisations across the sector to help define the research required to tackle challenges now and in the future.
The alliance was formally launched on 27 September 2022 at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge. The 22 members signed a charter witnessing their joint commitment to the co-operation and support the research programme will require.
Find out more about the research projects at the University of Cambridge.
"Together we can develop ideas that will increase safety on our network as well as improving how we design, maintain, operate and build roads. This is the first time National Highways has formed an alliance like this to deliver research and we are looking forward to seeing the exciting results."Nick Harris, National Highways Chief Executive
Our research publications
We publish the results of our research and collaborations on this site.
A three way collaboration - automated manufacturing of smart concrete components
National Highways and COWI Group are co-funding a highly innovative project at the University of Strathclyde entitled “Automated manufacturing of smart concrete components”. This 4-year PhD project will demonstrate the automated integration of sensors into precast concrete construction elements. Wireless electronic- and skin- sensors will be embedded and surface mounted onto concrete elements using robotics, during off-site manufacturing on a lab-scale production line.
These smart concrete elements will automatically set up ad-hoc, self-repairing wireless networks with neighbouring smart elements. This could support the seamless tracking of elements’ locations, loads and performance throughout storage, transport, construction and utilisation. Unlike manually retrofitted sensors, automatic sensor deployment during manufacturing reduces installation errors and construction project delays.
This approach forms new, distinct UK capabilities in construction manufacturing that have a high global demand. Concrete is the most utilised material in construction, and today, asset managers worldwide are struggling to optimise the maintenance of their growing, ageing concrete population. This is causing infrastructure systems to break down more frequently, for longer, and cost more time and money to recover. This challenge can be addressed by intelligently scheduling maintenance, and by validating and improving structural design, but this demands real-time performance monitoring. Sensors themselves are affordable, but their use in construction is uncommon because sensor installation and data management campaigns pose significant labour costs and risks to productivity. This PhD project seeks to eliminate these risks and make smart, resilient structures the new norm by innovating the off-site manufacturing process.
We will seek to apply successfully developed learning and technologies to our future Major projects Programme.
Centre for doctoral training (CDT) in future infrastructure and built environment
This CDT will develop the next generation of PhD graduates who can create, shape and deliver the national vision for UK infrastructure. They will be equipped with new thinking and approaches to tackle the infrastructure challenges, and exploit opportunities associated with a changing and uncertain world.
It tackles the strategically important theme of infrastructure resilience in the context of five categories of threats (and associated opportunities):
- Infrastructure resilience against technological uncertainty
- Infrastructure resilience against environmental causes
- Infrastructure resilience in a world of economic and political change
- Infrastructure resilience to support urbanisation and demographic change
- Infrastructure resilience in a changing society and culture
The scheme is supported by many successful, strategic and long-term partnerships with industry with strong credentials for resilient infrastructure innovation and global leadership.
The partners include:
- private and public owners
- contractors
- consultants
- technology suppliers and international academic partners with strong engagement in the transport, waste, water, energy, and IT sectors
