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Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation

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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 June 2025 | Viewed by 8585

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Dr. Jiaqi Chen

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Department of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
Interests: multi-scale modelling for transportation infrastructure; pavement–environment interaction
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Dear Colleagues,

The development of sustainable pavement materials in road engineering is crucial due to their abundant advantages over other conventional materials. Sustainable pavement materials could significantly enhance the durability and abrasion resistance, transportation cost, energy consumption, resource utilization, maintenance strategy, and environmental impact of pavement.

In recent years, there has been a surge in research focusing on the development and assessment of sustainable pavement materials. However, a wide range of challenges remain; these include their structural form, design methodology, performance prediction, technology development , etc., which require further investigation and resolution.

The objective of this Special Issue is to gather research articles related to “Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation”. Original research articles and review articles that provide a forum for researchers to discuss progress and future perspectives regarding sustainable pavement materials are welcome. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, recycled pavement materials, modified asphalt materials, the utilization of innovative recycled materials in pavement construction, industrial waste for pavement construction, the life cycle assessment of sustainable pavement, the multi-scale modeling and performance evaluation of road materials, the environmental impacts of pavement materials, and eco-friendly pavement construction. Moreover, experimental and numerical analyses of case studies aligned with the topic of sustainable pavement materials are also welcome.

Dr. Jiaqi Chen
Guest Editor

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Keywords

sustainable pavement materials
recycled pavement materials
modified asphalt materials
industrial waste for pavement construction
multi-scale modeling of pavement materials
performance evaluation of pavement materials
eco-friendly pavement
environmental impacts of pavement materials
industrial waste for pavement construction
life cycle assessment of pavements

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 5778 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Aging and Salt–Alkali Coupling on the Fatigue and Self-Healing Behavior of Graphene Oxide-Modified Asphalt

by Ruixia Li, Wei Zhu, Hailong Chen, Xiao Li, Linhao Sun and Jinchao Yue

Materials 2025, 18(8), 1808; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18081808 - 15 Apr 2025

Viewed by 280

Abstract

The harsh environments in saline–alkaline areas and high-altitude regions with intense ultraviolet radiation pose great challenges to the durability of asphalt pavements. The fatigue performance of asphalt binder significantly determines the actual service life of asphalt pavements. Existing studies have predominantly focused on the impact of individual environmental factors (e.g., aging and saline–alkaline erosion) on asphalt performance, yet there remains a notable research gap in the systematic analysis of asphalt’s fatigue and self-healing behavior under coupled multi-factor interactions, particularly regarding the synergistic effects of UV aging and saline–alkaline conditions. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand the influence rules of the coupling effect of aging and salt–alkaline characteristics on the properties of asphalt materials. In this study, 70# base asphalt and GO-modified asphalt were taken as the research objects. Frequency sweep tests, linear amplitude sweep (LAS) tests, and LAS-based healing tests were conducted using a dynamic shear rheometer. The fatigue and self-healing properties of the two asphalt materials under different aging conditions and aging and salt–alkali coupling effects were analyzed based on the viscoelastic continuum damage theory. The results showed that the degree of aging can increase the stress peak of asphalt materials under small strains and also increase their stress attenuation rate. Except for short-term aging and salt–alkali effects, the aging and salt–alkali coupling effects generally further reduce the stress peaks of asphalt materials. Aging can increase the fatigue life of asphalt and increase the fatigue life attenuation rate of asphalt. The aging and salt–alkali coupling effects will reduce the fatigue life of asphalt and increase the decline rate of the asphalt fatigue life. The self-healing efficiency of asphalt is affected by the degree of aging, and the aging and salt–alkali coupling effects further reduce the self-healing efficiency of asphalt materials. This paper elucidates the influence mechanisms of intense UV irradiation and saline–alkaline environments on GO-modified asphalt, providing theoretical and practical references for its future engineering applications in harsh environmental conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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22 pages, 5598 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal-Ultraviolet-Humidness Coupling Ageing and Regeneration Properties and Mechanisms of SBS-Modified Asphalt Under Hot–Wet Environment Conditions

by Shuo Zhou, Dengfeng Wang, Liuxing Wu, Alimire Maimaitisidike, Zhiqing Wang, Hongbo Zhao and Jiaolong Ren

Materials 2025, 18(8), 1731; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18081731 - 10 Apr 2025

Viewed by 264

Abstract

Styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt, a widely utilised binder in pavement engineering, is susceptible to ageing due to the coupling effects of thermo-oxidation, ultraviolet radiation, and humidness. Due to the limited availability of high-quality asphalt resources, recycling aged asphalt has emerged as a vital strategy for addressing resource shortages and reducing environmental pollution. This study investigated the effects of thermal-ultraviolet-humidness coupled ageing on the pavement performance of SBS-modified asphalt, with a specific focus on the hot–wet climates of Guangzhou and Chengdu. Beijing’s standard climate serves as a reference for this study. Additionally, industrial animal oil was chosen as a rejuvenator for aged SBS-modified asphalt. The mechanisms underlying hot–wet coupling ageing and regeneration of SBS-modified asphalt were analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Fluorescence Microscopy (FM). The findings indicate that thermal-oxidation and humidness accelerate sulphide formation, resulting in a marked increase in sulfoxide groups and facilitating the migration of lighter components, ultimately leading to asphalt hardening. Under high-temperature and humidness conditions, the butadiene index (BI) of asphalt decreased by 5.96% in Chengdu and 15.78% in Guangzhou compared to Beijing. The sulfoxide index (SI) and aromaticity index (CI) increased by 3.74% and 3.89% in Chengdu, and by 9.39% and 8.54% in Guangzhou, respectively, confirming the exacerbating effect of humidness on ageing. During the regeneration process, industrial animal oil effectively diluted polar molecules in aged asphalt, resulting in reductions in SI by 38.88%, 36.74%, and 37.74%, and in CI by 63.77%, 62.54%, and 63.11% under ageing conditions in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Chengdu, respectively. Rejuvenation is achieved by replenishing lighter components, thereby promoting the aggregation and swelling of the degraded SBS chains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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21 pages, 8396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Ionic Soil Stabilizer on Cement and Cement-Stabilized Iron Tailings Soil: Hydration Difference and Mechanical Properties

by Hongtu Li, Jian Jia, Xiaolei Lu, Xin Cheng, Jiang Zhu, Lina Zhang, Peipei Guo and Gongning Zhai

Materials 2025, 18(7), 1444; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18071444 - 25 Mar 2025

Viewed by 217

Abstract

The ionic soil stabilizer (ISS) can synergistically enhance the mechanical properties and improve the engineering characteristics of iron tailings soil in conjunction with cementitious materials such as cement. In this paper, the influence of ISS on the cement hydration process and the charge repulsion between iron tailings soil particles was studied. By means of Isothermal calorimetry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance microscopic analysis methods such as (LF-NMR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Non-evaporable water content and Zeta potential were used to clarify the mechanism of ISS-enhanced cement stabilization of the mechanical properties of iron tailings soil. The results show that in the cement system, ISS weakens the mechanical properties of cement mortar. When ISS content is 1.67%, the 7 d compressive strength of cement mortar decreases by 59.8% compared with the reference group. This retardation arises due to carboxyl in ISS forming complexes with Ca²⁺, creating a barrier on cement particle surfaces, hindering the hydration reaction of the cement. In the cement-stabilized iron tailings soil system, ISS has a positive modification effect. At 0.33% ISS, compared with the reference group, the maximum dry density of the samples increased by 6.5%, the 7 d unconfined compressive strength increased by 35.3%, and the porosity decreased from 13.58% to 11.85%. This is because ISS reduces the double electric layer structure on the surface of iron tailings soil particles, reduces the electrostatic repulsion between particles, and increases the compactness of cement-stabilized iron tailings soil. In addition, the contact area between cement particles increases, the reaction energy barrier height decreases, the formation of Ca(COOH)₂ reduces, and the retarding effect on hydration weakens. Consequently, ISS exerts a beneficial effect on augmenting the mechanical performance of cement-stabilized iron tailings soil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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15 pages, 8619 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Properties of Sulfur-Modified Alite Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement

by Xiaodong Li, Guodong Kang, Shang Dou, Bing Ma, Jin Tang, Hao Zhou, Houhu Zhang, Jiaqing Wang and Xiaodong Shen

Materials 2024, 17(24), 6258; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17246258 - 21 Dec 2024

Viewed by 698

Abstract

Alite calcium sulfoaluminate (ACSA) cement is an innovative and environmentally friendly cement compared to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The synthesis and hydration of ACSA clinkers doped with gradient sulfur were investigated. The clinker compositions and hydrated pastes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), isothermal calorimetry, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze its mineral contents, hydration products, heat release, pore structure, and microstructure. The compressive strength and linear expansion of ACSA mortars were tested for their mechanical properties. Results showed that clinkers doped with 2 wt.% MgO can offset the hurdle that SO₃ caused to the formation of C₃S (tricalcium silicate). Clinkers with varying ratios of C₃S and C₄A₃$ (calcium sulfoaluminate) were obtained, achieving 58–70% C₃S and 2.0–5.6% C₄A₃$ in ACSA through adjusting the KH (lime saturation factor) values and SO₃ dosage. ACSA cement showed better early mechanical properties. The 0.93 KH value with 3% SO₃ dosage in the raw meal, which contains 63.9% C₃S and 2.98% C₄A₃$ in the clinker, reached an optimal compressive strength level at 1d (26.35 MPa) and at 3d (39.41 MPa), marking 30.45% and 18.70% increases compared to PII 52.5. The excellent early strength of ACSA cement may offer promising applications t increasing the incorporation of supplementary cementitious materials, thereby reduce pollution and carbon emissions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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15 pages, 2266 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Cement Content in Controlled Low-Strength Soils: Effects of Water Content and Hydration Time

by Yilian Luo, Liangwei Jiang, Libing Qin, Qiang Luo, David P. Connolly and Tengfei Wang

Materials 2024, 17(23), 5915; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17235915 - 3 Dec 2024

Viewed by 875

Abstract

The Ethylene Diamine Tetra-acetic Acid (EDTA) titration test is widely used for determining cement content, but its reliability is influenced by the hydration process of cement, which is affected by factors such as water content and hydration time. Despite their importance, these factors have received limited attention in existing research. This study explores the relationships between the volume of titrant required for stabilization, cement content, water content, and hydration time. Using a regression orthogonal test, the primary and secondary relationships, as well as the interdependencies among these factors, are analyzed. Results reveal a negative linear relationship between the titrant volume and both water content and hydration time. Cement content, water content, and hydration time are identified as the most significant factors, with minimal interdependencies observed. Within the test parameters, calculated values exhibit an error margin below 2.4%. Deviations of 2.9% in water content and 86 min in hydration time correspond to an approximate 0.5% change in cement content. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing cement content detection in Controlled Low-Strength Material (CLSM) mixes, promoting more sustainable construction practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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14 pages, 3409 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Synergistic Effect of Calcained Coal-Series Kaolinite and Limestone on the Hydration of Portland Cement

by Jin Tang, Yue Yu, Yuanqing Bu, Bing Ma, Hao Zhou, Rong Zhou, Jiaqing Wang and Houhu Zhang

Materials 2024, 17(18), 4512; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184512 - 13 Sep 2024

Viewed by 1143

Abstract

Limestone calcined clay cement (LC³) presents a promising alternative material due to its reduced CO₂ emissions and superior mechanical properties compared to traditional Portland cement (PC). This study investigates the synergistic effect of calcined coal-series kaolinite (CCK) and limestone (LS) on the hydration behavior of cement, specifically focusing on varying mass ratios. The combination of CCK and LS promotes the formation of strätlingite and carboaluminates, which enhances early-age strength development. Additionally, the inclusion of CCK facilitates the formation of carboaluminates during later stages of hydration. After 56 days of hydration, the content of carboaluminates is over 10%wt. This stimulation of secondary hydration products significantly refines the evolution of pore structure, with the harmful large pores gradually transformed into harmless medium pores and gel pores, leading to marked improvements in compressive strength from 7 to 28 days. Replacing 45% PC with CCK and LS at mass ratio of 7 to 2, the compressive strength of blends reaches 47.2 MPa at 28 days. Overall, the synergistic interaction between CCK and LS presents unique opportunities to minimize the CO₂ footprint of the cement industry without compromising early and long-term performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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14 pages, 5679 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Stöber Nano-SiO₂ Particles on the Hydration Properties of Calcined Coal Gangue-Blended Cement

by Nan Zhang, Hao Zhou, Yueyang Hu, Jiaqing Wang, Guihua Hou, Jian Ma and Ruiyu Jiang

Materials 2024, 17(17), 4218; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17174218 - 26 Aug 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 770

Abstract

This study focuses on the calcined coal gangue (CCG)-blended cements containing Stöber nano-SiO₂ (SNS) particles. The effects of SNS particles on the workability, hydration behaviour, mechanical properties and microstructure evolution of the blended cements were comprehensively investigated at curing ages ranging from 1 to 28 d. The hydration behaviour was studied via isothermal calorimetry test, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric (TG) tests. The microstructural evolution was studied using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the incorporation of SNS led to a significant reduction in fluidity, particularly at an SNS content of 3%. The SNS significantly increased the compressive strength of the CCG-blended cement at all curing ages, and the optimum SNS content was found to be 2%. SNS significantly accelerated not only the early cement hydration but also the pozzolanic reaction of CCG at later curing ages, resulting in a decrease in portlandite, as evidenced by the isothermal calorimetry, XRD and TG analysis. Microstructural analysis shows that the incorporation of SNS effectively refined the pore structure of the CCG-blended cement, resulting in the formation of a dense microstructure. All these beneficial effects of SNS provides advantages in the development of the compressive strength of the CCG-blended cement at all curing ages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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18 pages, 11327 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Study on the Texture of Exposed Aggregate Concrete (EAC) Pavements Using Different Measurement Techniques

by Pawel Gierasimiuk, Marta Wasilewska and Wladyslaw Gardziejczyk

Materials 2024, 17(16), 4147; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17164147 - 22 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1017

Abstract

This paper presents issues related to the assessment of the texture of aggregate concrete (EAC) surfaces using various methods for its verification. Microtexture was assessed using the British Pendulum Tester (BPT) and Dynamic Friction Tester (DFT). Two laser profilometers were used to assess macrotexture, circular texture meter (CTM) and stationary laser profilograph (SPL), as well as the commonly known volumetric method. Measurements were carried out on left and right tracks and in between them on five test sections of expressways. Based on the analyses performed, it was found that the results obtained by the DFT were less sensitive to changes in microtexture between individual tracks compared to the results obtained by the BPT. The BPN values in the left track were lower than those in the right track. However, the difference between the DFT20 results in these spots was insignificant. Both MPD and MTD values did not show significant differences between the right and left tracks. However, some differences were observed between the MPD parameters obtained using the CTM and SPL. This resulted from the different frequency and length of the scanned surface profile. However, the differences were at an acceptable level. A very high linear correlation was obtained in the case of BPN and DFT20 values (r − 0.719), and in the case of MPD and MTD values, the correlation was almost certain (r above 0.900). Based on a comparative analysis of the models estimating mean texture depth (MTD/ETD), a significant difference was observed between models based on EAC pavement results and those based on asphalt surfaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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19 pages, 4423 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Foams—Polypropylene Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Mixtures Dedicated for 3D Printing

by Magdalena Rudziewicz, Marcin Maroszek, Kinga Setlak, Mateusz Góra and Marek Hebda

Materials 2024, 17(16), 4106; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17164106 - 19 Aug 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1413

Abstract

The continued global urbanization of the world is driving the development of the construction industry. In order to protect the environment, intensive research has been carried out in recent years on the development of sustainable materials and ecological construction methods. Scientific research often focuses on developing building materials that are renewable, energy-efficient, and have minimal impact on the environment throughout their life cycle. Therefore, this article presents research results aimed at developing a concrete mixture using cement with reduced CO₂ emissions. In the context of increasing ecological awareness and in line with European Union policy, the development of a mixture based on environmentally friendly cement is of key importance for the future development of the construction industry. The article compares the physical properties of two mixtures, their foaming possibilities, and the influence of the added polypropylene (PP) fibers on the strength properties of the produced composites. It was found that bending strength and compressive strength were highest in the material with silica fume and aluminum powder at 5.36 MPa and 28.76 MPa, respectively. Microscopic analysis revealed significant pore structure differences, with aluminum foamed samples having regular pores and hydrogen peroxide foamed samples having irregular pores. Optimizing aluminum powder and water content improved the materials’ strength, crucial for maintaining usability and achieving effective 3D printing. The obtained results are important in the development of research focused on the optimization of 3D printing technology using concrete. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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20 pages, 3819 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Negative-Temperature Cement Emulsified Asphalt Spraying Materials Based on Spraying Performance and Rheological Parameters

by Yitong Hou, Kaimin Niu, Bo Tian, Junli Chen and Xueyang Li

Materials 2024, 17(13), 3137; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17133137 - 26 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1127

Abstract

To develop a cement emulsified asphalt composite (CEAC) that can be sprayed under a plateau negative temperature environment, the effects of the water–solid ratio, calcium aluminate cement substitution rate, emulsified asphalt content, sand–binder ratio, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber content on the spraying performance and rheological parameters of CEAC were explored through the controlled variable method. Additionally, the correlation between the spraying performance and rheological parameters of CEAC was established, and the optimal proportion of CEAC was determined. Then, the difference in frost resistance and pore structure between the cement slurry (CS) without emulsified asphalt and CEAC at the optimum proportion was analyzed. The results showed that the optimum proportions for sprayed CEAC were 0.14 water–solid ratio, 0.5 sand–binder ratio, 25% substitution of calcium aluminate cement, 5% emulsified asphalt content, and 1.5% PVA fiber volume mixing. The yield stress and plastic viscosity of CEAC were positively correlated with the build-up thickness, whereas the rebound rate and the latter showed a negative correlation. The spraying performance may be described by the rheological parameters; the ranges of yield stress and plastic viscosity of 2.37–3.95 Pa·s and 77.42–108.58 Pa, respectively, produced the best spray ability. After undergoing an equivalent number of freeze–thaw cycles, CEAC exhibited lower mass and strength loss rates compared to CS, thereby demonstrating superior frost resistance. In addition, the pore structure analysis showed that the difference in capillary and macropore contents was the main reason for the variability in frost resistance between CS and CEAC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Pavement Materials: Design, Application and Performance Evaluation)

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