When it touches rainwater absorbed by the pavement, this putty creates calcium silicates, healing any cracks. (Credit: Dezeen.com)
The Coahuila Autonomous University student's rubber pavement is made of recycled tyres including additives that allow it to self-regenerate when it gets in contact with water. According to an article on Dezeen.com, Carmona began his research in order to solve the problem of rainwater damage to streets, which manifests as potholes and cracks.
"Damage is caused by rain filtering to the base of pavements, weakening it and creating subsidence," said the designer. "This is how the idea that turning the greatest degradation agent into a recovery agent was born."
There are other self-regenerating pavement materials in the world, but his appears to be the only one to harness water as a catalyst and to use waste tyres as its primary component.
