Researchers at the University of Surrey have begun installing a network of underground pipes beneath a campus parking lot in an attempt to stop potholes from forming in the first place, rather than repairing them after the fact.
According to Phys.org, the project is called the Thermo-active Roads for Heat Harvesting and Pavement Temperature Regulation trial. It uses a ground-source heating and cooling system to regulate road temperatures throughout the year, helping roads better withstand extreme weather while also reducing the carbon footprint of highway maintenance.
The system works by embedding heat-exchange pipes beneath the road surface, running through both the asphalt and the layers below. During summer, water circulating through the pipes absorbs heat from the asphalt and transfers it to a borehole 100 meters deep, where it is stored underground. In winter, that stored heat is circulated back through the pipes to warm the road surface. That process helps prevent ice from forming and reduces the freeze-thaw cycles that are a major cause of potholes.
Installation has already begun in the Senate House parking lot on the university's Stag Hill campus. The first phase of the trial is underway, with the second phase starting in mid-August 2026. Once operational, researchers will monitor the system over a number of years using underground sensors to assess how effectively it regulates road temperatures.
Project lead Dr. Benyi Cao, a senior lecturer in geotechnical engineering at the University of Surrey and a Royal Academy of Engineering research fellow, described the motivation behind the project. "Rather than reacting to potholes after they've formed, we're asking how we can prevent them in the first place," Cao said. "Potholes are more than an inconvenience — they are a safety hazard; they disrupt journeys and are costly to repair. Our project will explore whether geothermal technology can help prevent that damage from happening at scale."
One advantage the Surrey team points to is the simplicity of the materials involved. Unlike some emerging infrastructure technologies, the system uses standard plastic pipework and water circulation pumps, which are widely available. That makes future large-scale deployment both practical and affordable.
Previous studies in Europe and the United States have explored similar concepts, but Surrey's project is designed to provide detailed real-world evidence of how the technology performs specifically in U.K. conditions.
The research team also plans to measure air temperatures above the test section. The goal is to find out whether cooler pavement could reduce surrounding air temperatures during periods of extreme heat, which would add another potential benefit beyond road maintenance.
Dr. Nikolas Makasis, a lecturer in civil engineering at the University of Surrey and project co-investigator, said the trial will generate the kind of evidence needed to know whether the approach can work outside a laboratory setting.
