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Advanced Asphalt Materials and Characterization/Simulation Technologies

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2026 | Viewed by 2054

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wei Cao

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Guest Editor

Road Engineering Department, School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
Interests: asphalt aging and rejuvenation; multiscale experimental characterization; molecular computational modeling; nonlinear material behaviors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yilong Liu

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Guest Editor Assistant

Department of Civil Engineering, Montana Technological University, Butte, MT 59701, USA
Interests: big data analysis and artificial intelligence; pavement materials; finite element methods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The durability and sustainability of asphalt pavements under environmental weathering and trafficking remain critical challenges in modern road infrastructure. Asphalt mixtures are generally susceptible to component degradation (e.g., asphalt oxidation and aggregate crushing), binder-aggregate interfacial weakening (due to moisture penetration), and mesostructural deterioration (as a result of cracking/rutting). This Special Issue addresses these limitations by focusing on cutting-edge advancements in alternative asphalt binders and aggregates, asphalt oxidation mechanisms and rejuvenation pathways, and multiscale characterization/simulation technologies.

Recent innovations in modifiers and recycling agents aim to enhance pavement lifespans and reduce environmental impacts. Meanwhile, multiscale characterizations—from molecular dynamics to finite/discrete element analysis—offer unprecedented insights into material behavior, enabling tailored design for performance optimization. Cutting-edge numerical simulations further bridge experimental gaps, predicting pavement responses under real-world traffic and environmental conditions.

This Special Issue brings together interdisciplinary research to advance sustainable pavement solutions and our multiphysical understanding of this process. Contributions may include, but are not limited to, studies on the following topics:

Novel binder formulations for improved resistance to aging, cracking, and moisture damage;
Mechanisms of asphalt oxidation and rejuvenation strategies;
Multiscale modeling approaches for predicting material properties and performance;
Synergistic applications of advanced characterization and simulation tools.

By integrating fundamental science with practical engineering, this collection will guide pavement engineers, material scientists, and policymakers toward next-generation sustainable road infrastructure.

Prof. Dr. Wei Cao
Guest Editor

Dr. Yilong Liu
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

alternative asphalt binders and aggregates
asphalt oxidation and rejuvenation
multiscale characterizations
numerical simulations

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 2222 KB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Performance Study of Thermoplastic Polyurethane/Graphene Oxide Modified Asphalt

by Jiang Du, Guokai Li, Kezhen Yan and Xiaowen Zhao

Materials 2026, 19(5), 857; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19050857 - 25 Feb 2026

Abstract

To prepare a modified asphalt with excellent road performance, thermoplastic polyurethane/graphene oxide (TPU/GO) incorporating dynamic disulfide bonds was developed as an additive and the synergistic effect of TPU and GO on asphalt was evaluated. Modified asphalts with different TPU/GO contents (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%) were prepared and TPU-modified asphalts were also prepared as control groups. The compatibility between TPU/GO and asphalt was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy (FM) and the dispersion of GO in TPU and asphalt was observed by emission scanning electron microscope (SEM). The road performance of modified asphalts was also assessed in this study. The FM results show that TPU/GO has good compatibility with asphalt, and the SEM results reveal that GO can be uniformly dispersed in TPU matrix, so that GO can also be evenly dispersed in asphalt and avoid the problem of GO aggregation in asphalt. The results also demonstrate that TPU/GO-modified asphalt comprehensively utilizes the respective advantages of TPU and GO. TPU/GO-modified asphalt has excellent low-temperature performance compared with base asphalt. The 5 °C ductility of 8%TPU/GO-modified asphalt is 440% higher than that of base asphalt and the BBR test also showed that the stress relaxation capacity of TPU/GO-modified asphalt is also significantly stronger than that of base asphalt. Moreover, the introduction of GO in asphalt can improve the creep recovery rate and complex modulus compared with TPU-modified asphalt, indicating better high-temperature rutting resistance. Comprehensive performance evaluation indicates that 8% TPU/GO-modified asphalt is the optimal dosage for engineering applications, balancing high-temperature rutting resistance, storage stability, anti-aging performance, and low-temperature behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Asphalt Materials and Characterization/Simulation Technologies)

17 pages, 17938 KB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of High-Temperature, Low-Temperature and Fatigue Performance of Phosphogypsum Warm-Mix Asphalt

by Xiaodong Jia, Li Ou and Hongzhou Zhu

Materials 2026, 19(4), 713; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19040713 - 12 Feb 2026

Viewed by 182

Abstract

To explore the potential of phosphogypsum for resource utilization in asphalt pavements, this study evaluated its feasibility as a warm-mix asphalt (WMA) additive and investigated its influence on the rheological properties of asphalt binder. Phosphogypsum warm-mix asphalt was prepared by incorporating varying dosages of phosphogypsum warm-mix additive (PGWA) into both base asphalt and styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt. The high-, medium-, and low-temperature performance of phosphogypsum warm-mix asphalt was evaluated using rheological tests. The results revealed that the complex modulus of PGWA-added base asphalt was higher than that of the base asphalt, with only minor changes in phase angle. The incorporation of the SBS modifier significantly enhanced the stiffness and elasticity of the asphalt binder. Compared with the control asphalt, PGWA-added asphalt exhibited lower creep strain and accumulated strain, higher creep recovery rates, and smaller non-recoverable compliance under the same stress level, indicating an improved resistance to high-temperature permanent deformation. PGWA increased the cumulative damage capacity and extended the fatigue life of the asphalt binder. Although the PGWA slightly reduced the low-temperature performance, the SBS modifier effectively compensated for this drawback. The Burgers model accurately captured the low-temperature rheological behavior of PGWA-added asphalt. Overall, PGWA-added asphalt demonstrated excellent rheological performance and high application potential, offering a promising pathway for the resource utilization of phosphogypsum and the development of sustainable, eco-friendly pavement materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Asphalt Materials and Characterization/Simulation Technologies)

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16 pages, 8869 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multiscale Viscoelastic Analysis of Asphalt Concrete

by Marek Klimczak

Materials 2025, 18(24), 5536; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18245536 - 10 Dec 2025

Viewed by 325

Abstract

Numerical modeling of asphalt concrete and other asphalt mixes used in road engineering is an actively developed research field. In this study, a framework combining the following aspects is presented: (1) reliable reconstruction of the real samples; (2) using realistic material models of the microstructure constituents; and (3) providing high numerical efficiency. Asphalt concrete microstructure was reconstructed using image processing. The Burgers material model was applied to the subdomains identified as the mastic, and the linear elastic model was used for the aggregate particles. In order to increase the numerical efficiency, the developed homogenization method was used to accelerate the finite element analysis. The main novelty of this study is the integration of the Burgers material model with the numerical homogenization in the small strains range. A homogenization error measured in the maximum norm was smaller than 7% in the presented numerical examples (6.8% for the elasticity and 6.9% for the viscoelasticity problem, respectively). Simultaneously, the observed reduction in the number of degrees of freedom was larger than 510 times. The obtained results confirmed the applicability of the developed methodology to the analysis of the viscoelastic materials in the range of the small strains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Asphalt Materials and Characterization/Simulation Technologies)

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25 pages, 8938 KB

Open AccessArticle

Mesoscopic Perspective into the High-Temperature Triaxial Dilation of Asphalt Mixtures via PFC–FLAC Coupled Simulation

by Bin Xiao, Wei Cao and Liang Zhou

Materials 2025, 18(8), 1722; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18081722 - 9 Apr 2025

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1110

Abstract

The high-temperature rutting performance of asphalt mixtures is strongly dependent on the aggregate skeleton and particle movement under loading. Such mechanisms were addressed in the present study by a combined experimental and simulation approach based on the triaxial strength test. A single type of asphalt with two different aggregate gradations (dense and gap) was incorporated to highlight the role of gradation in resisting shear dilation. The simulation was carried out by coupling the discrete and finite element methods considering the realistic three-dimensional aggregate shapes and gradations as well as the flexible boundary prescribed by latex membranes as routinely employed in triaxial testing. In order to represent contact failure-induced cracks within the virtual specimens, the linear parallel bond model was mixed with the Burgers or linear model through random distribution at contacts involving the mortar units. Model verification was achieved by comparing the resulting stress–strain data against those from the laboratory. The calibrated model provided a platform for systematic investigation from the perspectives of particle movement, crack development and distribution, and interparticle contacts. The results showed that the gap-graded mixture yielded lower triaxial strengths and yet softened at a lower rate and exhibited smaller volumetric expansion in the post-peak region. A faster loss of internal cohesion was inferred in the dense-graded mixture based on the higher accumulation rate of cracks that were concentrated at the middle height towards the perimeter of the virtual specimen. Contact analysis indicated that aggregate skeleton was more influential in the strength and stability of gap-graded mixtures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Asphalt Materials and Characterization/Simulation Technologies)

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