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Infrastructures
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Advances in Pavement Engineering: Materials, Performance, and Sustainability
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Advances in Pavement Engineering: Materials, Performance, and Sustainability

A special issue of Infrastructures (ISSN 2412-3811). This special issue belongs to the section "Infrastructures Materials and Constructions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 2927

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiao Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08854, USA
Interests: pavement resilience; electrified pavement; multiphysics modeling; pavement performance evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Guangji Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Interests: asphalt aging; recycling; multiscale characterization; modelling of pavement materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue highlights the latest advancements in pavement engineering, focusing on innovative materials, performance-driven design, and strategies for sustainable development. As transportation infrastructure is increasingly challenged by climate change, rising traffic demands, and resource limitations, the need for resilient, durable, and environmentally sustainable pavement systems has never been greater. Recent progress in this field spans the design and characterization of novel materials, improved mechanistic understanding of pavement behavior under extreme weather events, and the integration of sustainability metrics into maintenance and rehabilitation planning.

A holistic approach to pavement engineering requires synergistic efforts across materials science, structural mechanics, data-driven and multiphysics modeling, and life cycle thinking. This Special Issue aims to bring together state-of-the-art research and practical insights that advance the long-term durability, resilience, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness of roadway systems.

Contributions are invited on, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Innovative and sustainable materials for asphalt and concrete pavements;
  • Advanced performance testing and modeling of pavement structures;
  • Climate resilience and adaptation strategies in pavement engineering;
  • Pavement management systems, maintenance strategies, and decision-making tools;
  • Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) in pavement systems.

Dr. Xiao Chen
Dr. Guangji Xu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Infrastructures is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pavement materials
  • pavement performance
  • pavement design
  • resilient pavement systems
  • life cycle analysis
  • multiphysics modeling

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 2504 KB  
Article
Influence of Horizontal Directional Drilling on Mechanical Properties of Airfield Pavements: An Integrated Study Based on Finite Element Modeling and Field Tests
by Yun Sheng, Wei Huang, Xuedong Fang and Yuxing Liu
Infrastructures 2026, 11(4), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11040114 - 26 Mar 2026
Viewed by 323
Abstract
This study explores the structural safety, mechanical response and optimal construction parameters of the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology applied in airport rigid pavements novelly for navigation lighting renovation. This study adopts a combined research method of three-dimensional finite element modeling (FEM) and [...] Read more.
This study explores the structural safety, mechanical response and optimal construction parameters of the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology applied in airport rigid pavements novelly for navigation lighting renovation. This study adopts a combined research method of three-dimensional finite element modeling (FEM) and field tests (full-scale 4C and 4E class airport runway sections). The reliability of the model is verified by the measured data using a Heavy Weight Deflectometer (HWD). The effects of drilling depth, drilling position and typical aircraft loads on the stress and deformation at the bottom of the pavement slab are systematically analyzed. Then, drilling, grouting and non-destructive testing are carried out in the field full-scale test section to investigate the change in pavement bearing capacities. The results show that minimized influence on the mechanical properties of the pavement can be achieved by using 15 cm drilling depths at either slab center or joints. The pavement stiffness slightly decreases by a maximum of 18.9% after drilling. According to the field grouting test, the Impulse Stiffness Modulus (ISM) of most measuring points can be recovered to the original level before drilling. The use of a 10 cm diameter HDD driller meets the structural safety requirements of airport pavements. The HDD technology induces minimized pavement damage and influence on the bearing capacity of the airport runway structure compared with traditional construction technologies, highlighting its advantages in airfield navigation lighting renovations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Pavement Engineering: Materials, Performance, and Sustainability)
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16 pages, 3204 KB  
Article
Comfort Assessment of Micromobility Infrastructure with an Instrumented Vehicle
by Víctor Just-Martínez, Ana María Pérez-Zuriaga, David Llopis-Castelló, Carlos Alonso-Troyano and Alfredo García
Infrastructures 2026, 11(2), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020051 - 3 Feb 2026
Viewed by 389
Abstract
Micromobility studies sustainable urban mobility. In this area, bicycles have been the most popular vehicle for several years. However, the recent growth of users of alternative mobility vehicles, such as stand-up electric scooters (e-scooters), has raised several questions on how they interact with [...] Read more.
Micromobility studies sustainable urban mobility. In this area, bicycles have been the most popular vehicle for several years. However, the recent growth of users of alternative mobility vehicles, such as stand-up electric scooters (e-scooters), has raised several questions on how they interact with the infrastructure and other users, as well as whether the existing infrastructure is suitable for these vehicles. One of the variables to be analyzed is riding comfort, which can be measured through the vibrations transmitted to users by the pavement. Thus, this paper presents a methodology to assess the comfort of the micromobility infrastructure based on the vertical accelerations registered by an instrumented e-scooter. This methodology has been applied in ten sections of the cycling infrastructure network of Valencia (Spain). The analysis showed that asphalt presented less vibrations than any other material, followed by concrete and square tiling alike, and finishing with transversely oriented cobblestones. This translates directly to comfort, with asphaltic pavements being more comfortable than any other. The analysis also showed that higher speeds mean higher vibrations. This proves to be a useful tool for infrastructure management, where the administrator can place more uncomfortable pavements to lower the riding speed in desired areas (e.g., schools). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Pavement Engineering: Materials, Performance, and Sustainability)
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28 pages, 10782 KB  
Article
Exploring the Root Causes of Wide Thermal Cracks in the Southwestern United States
by Saed N. A. Aker, Awais Zahid, Masih Beheshti and Hasan Ozer
Infrastructures 2026, 11(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11010019 - 8 Jan 2026
Viewed by 900
Abstract
Wide thermal cracks are a common form of pavement distress affecting primary state and county highways, urban residential streets, and parking lots across the Southwest climatic regions. These cracks are primarily caused by thermal fatigue, driven by diurnal temperature variations despite the lack [...] Read more.
Wide thermal cracks are a common form of pavement distress affecting primary state and county highways, urban residential streets, and parking lots across the Southwest climatic regions. These cracks are primarily caused by thermal fatigue, driven by diurnal temperature variations despite the lack of extremely cold events. This research aims to identify and analyze the local factors contributing to the initiation and propagation of thermal fatigue cracks. Field cores are collected from 12 sites exhibiting wide thermal cracks in the Phoenix metropolitan area in Arizona to evaluate their volumetric properties and the degree of binder aging. Advanced finite element (FE) models were developed to examine the influence of pavement structures and local climatic conditions on the development of tensile stresses due to thermal fatigue. The FE analysis indicated a high magnitude of thermal stresses due to cyclic temperature variations in Arizona compared to colder regions in the United States. Based on the forensic investigation and analysis performed, the initiation of wide cracks was shown to be primarily due to repeated localized damage from frequent thermal fatigue events on severely aged pavements. This damage is exacerbated by low air voids in mineral aggregate, an insufficient effective binder volume. and excessive binder aging, which compromise the structural integrity of the pavement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Pavement Engineering: Materials, Performance, and Sustainability)
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Review

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18 pages, 6540 KB  
Review
Pavements and the Urban Heat Island Effect: A Network Analysis of Research Trends and Knowledge Structure
by Fouzieh Rouzmehr and Saman Jamshidi
Infrastructures 2025, 10(12), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures10120344 - 12 Dec 2025
Viewed by 803
Abstract
The urban heat island (UHI) effect is one of the most pressing challenges associated with rapid urbanization. It arises primarily from the replacement of natural vegetation with impervious surfaces, alterations in surface energy balance, and heat emissions from human activity. Mitigating these drivers [...] Read more.
The urban heat island (UHI) effect is one of the most pressing challenges associated with rapid urbanization. It arises primarily from the replacement of natural vegetation with impervious surfaces, alterations in surface energy balance, and heat emissions from human activity. Mitigating these drivers has become a global priority, particularly in fast-growing cities. Pavements play a central role in UHI intensification due to their large surface coverage, low albedo, and capacity to retain heat. This study adopts a bibliometric approach to systematically map the knowledge structure and research trends in pavement-related UHI studies. A dataset of 834 publications from Web of Science was analyzed using VOSviewer to identify leading countries and journals, central publications, the temporal evolution of research themes, and the thematic structure of the field. The analysis revealed three dominant themes: (1) pavement materials and their properties, (2) mitigation strategies that prevent UHI, and (3) cooling interventions to mitigate UHI. This study attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of the field and to clarify its interdisciplinary connections with climate adaptation and sustainability discourse. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Pavement Engineering: Materials, Performance, and Sustainability)
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