Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Materials Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Advances in Asphalt Materials: Preparation, Properties and Characterization

Print Special Issue Flyer
Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
Published Papers

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2026 | Viewed by 3354

Share This Special Issue

Editors

Prof. Dr. Meizhu Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
Interests: cement-based materials; asphalt-based materials; resource utilization of solid waste

Dr. Qi Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China
Interests: functional pavement materials; warm mix asphalt; flame retardant asphalt; anti-icing technologies; salt erosion; solid waste recycling and utilization; molecular dynamics simulation; life cycle assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Asphalt materials play a critical role in modern transportation infrastructure, with billions of tons used worldwide each year. However, the industry faces unprecedented challenges, including aging infrastructure, climate change, resource depletion, and increasing sustainability demands. This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research and innovations in asphalt materials and technologies.

We invite high-quality original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and technical notes covering, but not limited to:

Novel modified asphalt binders (polymer, nanomaterials, bio-based additives);
Sustainable technologies (warm-mix asphalt, recycled materials, circular economy);
Advanced characterization and performance evaluation methods;
Aging mechanisms, durability enhancement, and life prediction;
Functional pavements (self-healing, photocatalytic, anti-icing, energy-harvesting);
Computational modeling and molecular simulation;
Pavement maintenance and rehabilitation strategies.

This Special Issue provides a platform for researchers, engineers, and practitioners to share their latest findings and foster collaboration. We particularly encourage submissions bridging fundamental research with practical applications, contributing to more sustainable, durable, and high-performance asphalt pavements.

We look forward to your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Meizhu Chen
Dr. Qi Jiang
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2600 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

asphalt binder
modified asphalt
pavement performance
sustainable materials
recycled asphalt pavement
nanomaterials
asphalt aging and durability
functional pavements
green technologies
pavement engineering

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

26 pages, 11007 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Regulation of Wax-Based and Bio-Oil-Based Warm-Mix Additives on the Phase Behavior and Rheological Properties of Rubber-Modified Asphalt

by Wenqi Wang, Jiawei Huang, Hongyu Bai, Hongxi Luo, Weian Xuan and Mingming Cao

Materials 2026, 19(17), 3613; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19173613 (registering DOI) - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Two warm-mix modification routes were examined to determine how additive chemistry affects the service-temperature rheology of rubber-modified asphalt. Wax-based and bio-oil-based additives were incorporated at 1–3%, and the resulting binders were characterized by FTIR, dynamic shear rheology, MSCR, LAS, and BBR testing. These measurements respectively provided physicochemical evidence and quantified the phase-related response, deformation recovery, fatigue-related damage tolerance, and low-temperature relaxation. The wax-based system developed a stiffness-oriented response: an intermediate dosage produced comparatively lower J_nr and higher R, but further addition impaired relaxation, with m(60) decreasing to 0.285 at −18 °C for the 3% formulation. In contrast, the bio-oil-based system favored relaxation; at a 3% dosage, the LAS-predicted N_f at 2% strain was 15,200 cycles, while m(60) reached 0.460 at −12 °C and 0.384 at −18 °C. The binder-level evidence therefore identifies different selection priorities: an intermediate wax dosage is advantageous when deformation recovery is emphasized, whereas the bio-oil-based route is more favorable for relaxation and low-temperature response. Additional mixture and workability testing is required before these binder findings are translated into construction-temperature or field-performance recommendations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Asphalt Materials: Preparation, Properties and Characterization)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 32744 KB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Characterization of Organosilicon-Based Asphalt Wearing Course with Enhanced Erosion and Skid Resistance for Low-Carbon Pavement Maintenance

by Yu Song, Jianlin Feng, Wei Liu, Haiqin Xu, Shaopeng Wu and Lei Zhang

Materials 2026, 19(14), 2941; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19142941 - 8 Jul 2026

Viewed by 364

Abstract

Asphalt pavement wearing courses are directly exposed to hydrodynamic scouring, fuel erosion, freeze–thaw action, and traffic abrasion, leading to accelerated surface deterioration, skid-resistance loss, frequent maintenance, and increased life-cycle carbon emissions. To address these challenges, this study developed an organosilicon-based erosion- and skid-resistant asphalt wearing course (OES-AWC) through a stepwise material design strategy. An organosilicon-treated asphalt concrete matrix was first prepared to improve resistance to moisture damage, fuel erosion, and ice adhesion, and its curing behavior and optimal dosage were determined. A skid-resistant surface layer was then designed by optimizing the anti-skid aggregate type, organosilicon-to-aggregate ratio, and surface texture. Finally, waterborne epoxy resin was introduced to enhance aggregate anchorage, and the integrated OES-AWC was evaluated in terms of abrasion durability, rutting resistance, long-term skid resistance, and life-cycle impacts. The results show that organosilicon treatment forms a hydrophobic siloxane network, which improves the moisture damage, fuel erosion, and anti-icing resistance of asphalt concrete by 22.0–41.1%. Emery aggregates and the optimized surface structure enhance friction stability, while waterborne epoxy resin significantly suppresses aggregate stripping under repeated wheel loading. Compared with conventional asphalt wearing courses, the optimized OES-AWC increased wear durability by 148.1% while maintaining stable skid resistance under prolonged abrasion. Life-cycle assessment further demonstrates that OES-AWC can reduce carbon emissions by 47.2% and overall costs by 25.0%, with a probability exceeding 90% according to the uncertainty analysis. These findings indicate that OES-AWC provides a durable, low-carbon, and cost-effective maintenance strategy for asphalt pavements exposed to complex service environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Asphalt Materials: Preparation, Properties and Characterization)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 8761 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Multiscale Characterization and Performance of Basalt Fiber Powder-Modified Sasobit Warm-Mix Asphalt

by Yuhan Li, Zhaoyang Chen, Junwei Bi and Meisheng Shi

Materials 2026, 19(9), 1708; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19091708 - 23 Apr 2026

Viewed by 496

Abstract

Warm-mix asphalt (WMA) technology and basalt fiber modification have been increasingly applied in road engineering. However, conventional basalt fibers often disperse unevenly and tend to agglomerate. In this study, basalt fiber powder (BFP) was incorporated into a Sasobit-based WMA system and systematically compared with matrix asphalt, Sasobit-modified WMA, conventional basalt fiber-modified WMA, and styrene butadiene styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt. Multiscale characterization—including dynamic shear rheometry (DSR), bending beam rheometry (BBR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nanoindentation—was conducted to elucidate rheological behavior and interfacial micromechanical responses. The corresponding Asphalt Concrete-13 (AC-13) mixtures were further evaluated through rutting tests, low-temperature bending tests, and moisture susceptibility tests. Results demonstrate that micronized BFP achieves more homogeneous dispersion within the asphalt matrix and may promote a more effective reinforcing morphology, significantly enhancing high-temperature deformation resistance while partially mitigating the low-temperature stiffness increase induced by Sasobit. Compared with conventional basalt fiber systems, BFP shows better stress relaxation capacity and interfacial mechanical response under the tested conditions. At the mixture level, the BFP–Sasobit system showed the best overall performance, with the dynamic stability increasing by 242.2% relative to the base asphalt mixture and the residual Marshall stability reaching 92.3%, while the low-temperature flexural strain increased by 33.3%. Overall, the findings suggest that morphology-controlled micronization provides a morphology-guided enhancement strategy for Sasobit-based warm-mix asphalt by promoting coordinated improvements across the rheological, micromechanical, and mixture scales. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Asphalt Materials: Preparation, Properties and Characterization)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4475 KB

Open AccessArticle

Physical, Rheological and Microstructural Properties of Asphalt Modified by Low-Molecular-Weight Polyolefin

by Jun He, Binbin Leng, Meizhu Chen, Shijie Guo and Jingjun Yu

Materials 2026, 19(3), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19030571 - 2 Feb 2026

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 587

Abstract

Improving both the high- and low-temperature performance of asphalt is still difficult in modern pavement applications. This performance imbalance has motivated the development of new modification strategies that can enhance temperature stability while maintaining construction workability. In this research, a low-molecular-weight elastic polyolefin (POL) with inherent compatibility was introduced as a novel asphalt modifier. POL was incorporated at five dosages (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by weight of asphalt) to investigate its effects on the fundamental physical, rheological, and low-temperature properties of the asphalt. The rheological behavior was characterized by dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and bending beam rheometer (BBR), while the modification mechanism and dispersion morphology were analyzed through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and fluorescence microscopy (FM). The results reveal that POL markedly improves the high-temperature performance and workability of asphalt, with the rutting factor increasing by two- to eightfold. POL modification improved the thermal stability of asphalt, shifting the maximum decomposition temperature from 455.2 °C for the base binder to 461–463 °C, while the total mass loss remained nearly constant at 80–83%. Microscopic observations confirm that POL forms a physically blended network within the asphalt matrix, exhibiting a green fluorescent structure that becomes progressively continuous with increasing dosage. The most homogeneous dispersion and optimal compatibility occur at a POL dosage of 6%, beyond which phase segregation emerges and low-temperature properties deteriorate. Accordingly, a 6% POL dosage is recommended for achieving balanced performance. These findings provide theoretical and practical guidance for the development of balanced performance and thermally stable POL-modified asphalt materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Asphalt Materials: Preparation, Properties and Characterization)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 3762 KB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding Aging Mechanism of SBS/CR Composite Modified Asphalt Based on ATR-FTIR: Chemical Degradation and Aging Deterioration

by Lin Li, Chen Yang, Lingwen Li, Weiwen Quan, Yuanxiang Wang, Yiqiu Tan, Yunliang Li and Zhenyu Zhang

Materials 2026, 19(1), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19010167 - 2 Jan 2026

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1222

Abstract

To explore the aging mechanism of (Styrene Butadiene Styrene) and CR (Crumb Rubber) composite-modified asphalt in a multi-source environment, the characteristics of functional group changes in the infrared spectroscopy of SBS and CR modifiers as well as their single and composite modified asphalts under thermal, UV, and coupled aging were tested using Attenuated Total Reflection–Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) technology. It was found that SBS and CR modifiers exhibited significant yellowing degradation after aging due to high-energy effects, causing abstraction of α-hydrogen from polybutadiene via oxidation, initiating radical chain reactions. The addition of SBS and CR to asphalt significantly increased the absorption peaks of 966 cm⁻¹ polybutadiene and 699 cm⁻¹ polystyrene. However, certain labile bonds in the modified asphalt, such as the C-H bond, C-C bond, and C=C double bond in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, were easily broken to produce reactive free radicals under aging, which reacted chemically with other components to produce new sulfoxide and carbonyl groups. Overall, the aging reaction of the asphalt was a dual sequential oxidation process. Under normal temperature conditions in the early stage, a large number of sulfoxides were oxidized. In the later stage of the reaction, as the concentration and persistence of active free radicals increased, the oxidation reaction of the asphalt benzyl carbon also enhanced significantly, ultimately generating carbonyls. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Asphalt Materials: Preparation, Properties and Characterization)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Advances in Asphalt Materials: Preparation, Properties and Characterization

Share This Special Issue

Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI