Transforming the future of highways through the Structures’ Moonshot Project

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The Structures’ Moonshot Project, initiated by National Highways and led by the AtkinsRéalis and Jacobs Joint Venture, is helping reshape how ageing highway structures are inspected, monitored and maintained. Through the programme, AtkinsRéalis is supporting the development and testing of innovative non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies that could improve the way critical infrastructure assets are managed while reducing disruption, cost and environmental impact.

With more than 20,000 structures across England's strategic road network and over half of the country's bridges expected to exceed 50 years of age by 2030, National Highways faces a growing challenge in maintaining ageing infrastructure safely and efficiently. The project was established to identify new technologies capable of detecting hidden defects earlier and supporting a more proactive approach to asset management.

Addressing the challenges of an ageing network

Many highway structures contain critical components hidden within concrete, including post-tensioning tendons and reinforcement within half-joints. Assessing the condition of these elements typically requires intrusive investigations that can be costly, time consuming and disruptive to road users.

National Highways wanted to identify technologies that could provide more accurate insights into asset condition while reducing the need for invasive inspections and unplanned interventions. The ambition was not only to improve safety and reliability but also to lay the foundations for more automated approaches to inspection and monitoring in the future.

Creating a global testbed for innovation

Building on research first led by Atkins in 2001, AtkinsRéalis has provided specialist technical consulting support through National Highways' SPaTS2 framework, helping drive one of the largest studies of advanced NDT technologies undertaken anywhere in the world.

Since 2023, the project team has conducted more than 60 detailed trials across 20 different testing technologies, working with more than 20 specialist companies from around the world. Technologies have been tested using purpose-built bridge mock-ups and sections of decommissioned infrastructure, including elements from the former A14 Huntingdon Viaduct.

One particularly promising innovation is muon tomography, developed by Estonian company GScan. The technology uses naturally occurring cosmic particles to create detailed three-dimensional images of a structure's internal condition, helping engineers inspect hidden components without damaging the asset.

As our structures continue to age, innovation will play an increasingly important role in how we maintain the network. Structures Moonshot is helping us better understand emerging technologies that could improve safety, reduce disruption and support more sustainable asset management long into the future.

Colin George

Deputy Head of Structures, National Highways

Delivering smarter, more sustainable asset management

The project has already delivered significant advances in understanding how emerging technologies can support infrastructure management. It has accelerated industry knowledge of advanced NDT techniques, contributed to the development of digital twins that combine multiple inspection technologies, and helped create a clearer evidence base for future adoption.

By enabling earlier detection of defects and reducing the need for intrusive investigations, the technologies being developed have the potential to improve safety, reduce maintenance costs and minimise disruption for road users. They could also help extend the operational life of critical assets, supporting a more sustainable and resilient strategic road network.

Now in Phase 3, the programme is focused on validating these technologies on operational National Highways assets and building the evidence needed to support wider deployment across the network.

Structures' Moonshot is helping shape a more sustainable and resilient future for highway infrastructure. By enabling earlier, less intrusive interventions, these technologies could extend asset life and support better long-term performance of the road network.

Chris Mundell

Technical Director, AtkinsRéalis

Key facts

60 +

advanced NDT trials completed since 2023

different technologies evaluated

Input from 20 +

specialist companies worldwide

Supports management of 20 k+

structures across England's strategic road network