Multi-day European heat waves with temperatures topping 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) are increasingly leaving their mark on Germany's famed Autobahn — buckling concrete slabs, deforming asphalt, and forcing temporary speed limits.
In early July alone, seven stretches of the country's highways had to be shut down completely for a time.
"The cause often lies in the bitumen — the petroleum-derived binder in asphalt. It's elastic and can soften at high temperatures, from around 60 degrees Celsius," a spokesperson from Autobahn GmbH, the company that manages Germany's highways, told DW. Bitumen is a component in most of the country's roads.
When outdoor temperatures climb above 30C, the surface of dark asphalt can quickly heat to double that or more in the sun and then deform. Using modern, bitumen-free asphalt mixes lowers the risk of such damage, according to Autobahn GmbH.
So, as heat waves intensify and traffic volumes rise, are Germany's roads built to last?
