Pavement Performance and Maintenance: Smart Technologies and Sustainable Practices

Dear Colleagues,

As pavement infrastructure around the world continues to age under increasing traffic loads and environmental stresses, the need for advanced tools and strategies to monitor and maintain pavement performance has become critical. Timely and effective pavement maintenance not only extends service life, but also ensures road safety, sustainability, and cost-efficiency in transportation systems. Recent developments in materials science, sensor technologies, and data-driven modeling have opened new opportunities for accurate assessment and proactive management of pavement conditions.

This Special Issue brings together cutting-edge research, practical innovations, and case studies in the field of pavement performance evaluation and maintenance. Contributions should focus on novel methods, technologies, and materials that improve the durability, monitoring, and lifecycle management of both flexible and rigid pavement structures. Submissions highlighting interdisciplinary approaches—such as non-destructive testing, AI-based condition prediction, and climate-resilient maintenance strategies—are especially encouraged.

Potential topics include but are not limited to:

• Advanced pavement evaluation technologies: ground-penetrating radar (GPR), Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD), Traffic Speed Deflectometer (TSD), infrared thermography, LiDAR, and other non-destructive testing methods.
• Data-driven pavement analysis: applications of machine learning, deep learning, and artificial intelligence for pavement performance prediction, distress detection, and deterioration modeling.
• Smart monitoring systems: integration of sensors, Internet of Things (IoT), and wireless networks for real-time pavement condition monitoring.
• Material innovation and performance: use of recycled materials (e.g., RAP, rubber), warm mix asphalt, and modified binders for improved pavement durability.
• Climate-resilient pavements: evaluation of pavement responses under extreme weather conditions, moisture damage, freeze–thaw cycles, and temperature-induced distresses.
• Lifecycle performance and sustainability: life-cycle assessment (LCA), life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA), and environmental impact evaluation for pavement systems.
• Maintenance and rehabilitation strategies: development and optimization of maintenance plans based on performance data, including preventive and adaptive techniques.
• Case studies and field implementation: practical experiences and lessons learned from full-scale pavement monitoring and maintenance projects.

Authors are invited to submit original research papers, reviews, or technical notes on pavement performance and maintenance. Submissions should present novel methods, data-driven approaches, or practical applications that advance the field. Interdisciplinary work and real-world case studies are especially welcome. All papers will undergo rigorous peer review. This Special Issue seeks to foster innovation and collaboration in pavement engineering.

Dr. Zifeng Zhao
Dr. Jin Li
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

• pavement performance
• pavement maintenance
• non-destructive testing
• asphalt and concrete pavements
• sensor-based monitoring
• predictive modeling
• sustainable materials
• climate impacts
• life-cycle cost analysis
• smart infrastructure management