IIT Gandhinagar Uses AI to Build Climate-Resilient Roads for India’s Future

GANDHINAGAR :Every monsoon, damaged roads are blamed on heavy rainfall. However, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) have revealed that a hidden enemy begins affecting roads much before the first raindrop falls — extreme temperature changes that create stress inside concrete pavements.

To tackle this challenge, IITGN researchers have developed an artificial intelligence-based framework that can help design stronger and region-specific rigid pavements capable of handling changing climate conditions.

Rigid pavements, made using concrete slabs, are widely used for highways, airports and increasingly for urban roads due to their ability to withstand heavy traffic loads. However, repeated heating and cooling cycles caused by sunlight, night temperatures and seasonal changes create internal stress, leading to cracks and reduced road life.

“If rigid pavements in different parts of a state experience different levels of thermal stress, it is not logical to build them using the same design recommendations,” said Dr Sumit Nandi, lead author of the study and former postdoctoral fellow at IITGN.

The research focused on Gujarat, a state with diverse climatic conditions ranging from humid coastal regions to extremely hot inland areas. Researchers analysed weather data from 126 grid locations using the ERA5 climate database and studied temperature patterns from two periods — 1961-1991 and 1992-2022.

Using advanced thermal modelling and machine learning algorithms, the team identified five different thermal zones across Gujarat. These zones showed varying temperature stress patterns, proving that a single road design approach cannot work effectively across the entire state.

“Gujarat does not exhibit one-size-fits-all rigid pavement thermal behaviour. A design suitable for one region may not withstand local climate conditions elsewhere,” said Dr Sushobhan Sen, Assistant Professor at IITGN’s Department of Civil Engineering.

The study simulated concrete pavement designs with different slab thicknesses and surface properties to understand how roads respond to heat. Researchers found that climate-specific designs could improve durability, enhance road safety and reduce long-term maintenance expenses.

The research was published in the ASCE Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part B: Pavements and aligns with India’s infrastructure development initiatives, including PM Gati Shakti and the Bharatmala Pariyojana.

Experts believe the AI-based approach could eventually be expanded nationwide to create customised pavement designs for different climatic regions, helping India build smarter and more resilient road networks.