Independent Testing and Evaluation of HRS in Verona, Italy

Hydro Road advances independent testing and evaluation through the NATO DIANA programme
A significant milestone in the continued development of Hydro Road Stabiliser (HRS).
The Hydro Road team recently travelled to Italy to undertake the latest stage of independent testing and evaluation of Hydro Road Stabiliser (HRS) at Fondazione SAFE’s testing facility in Verona, as part of Hydro Road’s continuing work through the NATO DIANA programme.
The programme brings together full-scale field deployment and controlled laboratory evaluation, providing an opportunity to generate further technical data on the performance and application of HRS.
Independent testing in a controlled environment
The latest phase of the programme combines real-world field deployment with laboratory testing against recognised ASTM test methodologies.
This approach is intended to build a broader evidence base around HRS performance, while also providing valuable insight into how the material behaves under controlled testing conditions.
For Hydro Road, independent evaluation is an important part of the technology development process. It allows performance data to be generated, reviewed and developed alongside the practical experience gained through field deployment.
From locally available material to stabilised infrastructure
HRS is designed to transform suitable locally available material into durable, stabilised infrastructure.
By working with material already available at or close to the project site, HRS has the potential to reduce reliance on imported aggregates and conventional road-building materials, while also simplifying some of the logistics associated with infrastructure construction.
This approach can be particularly relevant in locations where transporting large quantities of conventional construction materials is difficult, costly or constrained.
Potential applications for defence and resilience
The development programme also has relevance to defence and resilience infrastructure, where the ability to construct, repair or improve ground quickly can be an important consideration.
Potential applications include:
- Rapidly constructed or repaired access roads
- Logistics routes
- Forward operating locations
- Helicopter landing areas
- Temporary or semi-permanent infrastructure
- Other critical access and ground infrastructure
In environments where conventional construction materials and established supply chains may be constrained, technologies that can make use of locally available material could provide an alternative approach to infrastructure delivery.
Field deployment completed
The field deployment element of the programme in Italy has now been completed, with the laboratory phase continuing as the next stage of the evaluation.
Each deployment also provides more than performance data. It creates an opportunity to learn from the practical realities of preparation, application, site conditions and operational requirements.
That learning is an important part of developing a technology that can ultimately be applied consistently across different environments and project requirements.
Building the evidence for scale
The objective of the programme is not simply to demonstrate that HRS can work.
It is about building the evidence, methodology and repeatability required to support its development and potential deployment at scale.
The combination of field experience, independent testing and continued technical development is helping Hydro Road move HRS from an innovative technology towards a more established operational capability for civil and defence infrastructure applications.
The latest work in Verona represents another
important step in that journey.







