As record heatwaves continue to affect Europe, countries are turning to innovative solutions to protect their infrastructure. In Norway, workers at Oslo airport are using water to cool down the tarmac, while other countries are utilizing drones, AI-powered sensors, and white paint to mitigate the effects of heat on roads and railways.
Heat-Resistant Asphalt
Norway’s state-owned airport operator, Avinor, is testing a new heat-resistant asphalt to reduce the risk of damage to runways. The fire brigade sprays around 9,000 liters of water on key parts of the runway to prevent it from softening under the weight of aircraft.
Europe’s roads and railways, many of which were built decades ago, are struggling to cope with the rising temperatures. Temperatures across Western Europe are 5.5 degrees Celsius above the average for July 15, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor.
Consequences of Heatwaves
Heatwaves are having a significant impact on Europe’s infrastructure, with railways feeling the effects acutely. An EU report found that over 70% of rail managers are seeing growing disruption from extreme weather, with weather-related interruptions amounting to the equivalent of one to three years of railway service across the region.
The most critical issue for rail networks is not the heat itself, but the thunderstorms, strong winds, and landslides that often follow heatwaves. Italy has already experienced significant disruptions to its railway network, particularly on Alpine routes, as a result of climate-related events.
Northern European countries, such as Britain, face particular challenges because much of their rail infrastructure was designed for a narrower temperature range than networks in southern Europe.
Solutions and Adaptations
Some operators are using traditional methods to reflect heat, such as painting sections of metro track white to reduce the risk of track buckling. Britain’s Network Rail has pledged to invest £2.6 billion between 2024 and 2029 to help its network withstand increasingly extreme weather.
Engineers say that northern European highways were built primarily to withstand damage from freeze-thaw cycles, while southern countries such as Spain use asphalt blends better suited to prolonged summer heat. Finding the right balance is becoming harder as countries contend with both colder winters and hotter summers.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
