Sustainable Life Cycle Approaches in Road Construction, Pavement Engineering, and Management
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Engineering and Science".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 37
Special Issue Editors
Interests: road pavements; pavement design; transportation infrastructure; life cycle assessment; circular economy; recycling
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The road infrastructure sector plays a vital role in global development but is also a major contributor to environmental impacts. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the application of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) approaches to road construction and pavement engineering. Traditionally, research has focused on the environmental footprint of pavement materials; however, a truly sustainable transition demands a more holistic perspective.
This Special Issue aims to explore integrated life cycle approaches that encompass the entire lifespan of road infrastructure—from design, material production, and construction to maintenance, rehabilitation, and end-of-life management. By addressing the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability, this Special Issue aligns with the journal’s scope on advancing innovative, interdisciplinary methods for sustainable infrastructure development.
We welcome original research articles and review papers covering (but not limited to) the following themes:
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA), and Social LCA in road engineering;
- Circular economy and decarbonization strategies in pavement design and maintenance;
- Sustainable construction practices and material innovations;
- Resilience and long-term performance in infrastructure planning;
- Digital tools (e.g., BIM, DT) for sustainable infrastructure management.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Konstantinos Mantalovas
Dr. Gaetano Di Mino
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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
- life cycle assessment (LCA)
- sustainable pavement engineering
- road infrastructure sustainability
- circular economy in construction
- life cycle cost analysis (LCCA)
- pavement materials and design
- end-of-life management
- carbon footprint and decarbonization
- infrastructure maintenance strategies
- digital tools for sustainable infrastructure (e.g., BIM, digital twins)
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.
