$1.2 Million Project Targets Crack Detection
A groundbreaking $1.2 million partnership between Charles Darwin University (CDU), Civiltech Solutions, and the Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC) aims to revolutionise road maintenance in Australia using AI-powered robotic systems. This collaboration will leverage cutting-edge technologies such as LiDAR road scanning, artificial intelligence, robotics, and additive manufacturing to efficiently detect and repair road cracks.
Australia boasts over 800,000 kilometers of roads, predominantly managed by local governments. Early crack sealing can significantly extend pavement life. However, current maintenance practices heavily rely on manual inspection and application, which often overlook early-stage defects, leading to inconsistent repairs. The new system promises to minimise human intervention by using advanced technologies to address these challenges.
The Centre for Asphalt and Road Technologies (CART) at CDU, with its half-million-dollar funding as part of this initiative, will bring its expertise in robotics, materials engineering, and additive manufacturing to enhance Civiltech Solutions’ existing LiDAR-based road scanning platform. Dr. Ali Rajabipour, Director of CART, stated, “This project brings together a range of technologies and industry insights to solve real-world infrastructure problems while building advanced engineering capability in the Northern Territory.”
The collaboration is set to modernise road maintenance. Civiltech Solutions Founder and CEO Leigh Carnall explained, “By integrating AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing, the project aims to detect road defects earlier and repair them with unmatched precision, enabling road authorities to maintain networks more efficiently.”
Additive manufacturing plays a crucial role by enabling the design and production of lightweight, custom components for the robotic dispensing system, allowing for optimisation of operations in harsh environments and remote locations. This innovation showcases how additive manufacturing can be applied beyond traditional factory settings. Simon Marriott, Managing Director of the Additive Manufacturing CRC, noted, “Additive manufacturing allows highly specialised components to be designed and produced rapidly and cost-effectively, which is critical when developing advanced robotic systems.”
This partnership exemplifies how industry and research organisations can collaborate to develop scalable solutions that enhance productivity, sustainability, and capability across Australia’s infrastructure sector. Field trials for this innovative system are scheduled for the second half of 2027, though specific target road networks have yet to be disclosed.
Last updated: 4 April 2026, 7:54 pm
