Search Results (22)

The escalating impacts of climate change have led to significant challenges in maintaining road infrastructure, particularly in tropical climates. Abnormal weather patterns, including increased precipitation and temperature fluctuations, contribute to the accelerated deterioration of asphalt pavements, resulting in cracks, plastic deformation, and potholes. This study aims to evaluate the durability of a novel pellet-type stripping prevention material incorporating slaked lime and epoxy resin for pothole restoration in tropical climates. The modified asphalt mixtures were subjected to a series of laboratory tests, including the Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) test, Indirect Tension Strength (ITS) test, Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT) test, Cantabro test, and Dynamic Modulus test, to assess their moisture resistance, rutting resistance, abrasion resistance, and viscoelastic properties. Quantitative results demonstrated significant improvements in the modified mixture’s performance. The TSR test showed a 6.67% improvement in moisture resistance after 10 drying–wetting cycles compared to the control mixture. The HWT test indicated a 10.16% reduction in rut depth under standard conditions and a 27.27% improvement under double load conditions. The Cantabro test revealed a 44.29% reduction in mass loss, highlighting enhanced abrasion resistance. Additionally, the Dynamic Modulus test results showed better stress absorption and reduced likelihood of cracking, with the modified mixture demonstrating superior flexibility and stiffness under varying temperatures and loading frequencies. These findings suggest that the incorporation of slaked lime and epoxy resin significantly enhances the durability and performance of asphalt mixtures for pothole repair, making them a viable solution for sustainable road maintenance in tropical climates. Full article

The substitution of virgin asphalt binder with reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has environmental and economic merits, however, cracking susceptibility arises due to the aged asphalt binder within RAP. The objectives of this study are to (1) enhance the cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures containing 50% RAP utilizing recycling agents (RAs) derived from six petroleum-based and bio-based materials, (2) conduct an environmental impact assessment (represented by global warming potential “GWP”) for high-RAP mixtures including RAs, and (3) estimate the cost effectiveness of including high-RAP content in asphalt mixtures. Based on the RAP asphalt binder performance grade (PG), base asphalt binder PG, and RAP content, the RA contents were determined to achieve a target asphalt binder of PG 76-22. A control mixture was benchmarked for comparison, specified for high-traffic volume roads, and contained PG 76-22 polymer-modified asphalt binder. The engineering performance of studied asphalt mixtures was evaluated using the Hamburg wheel-tracking (HWT), semi-circular bend, Illinois flexibility index, Ideal cracking tolerance, and thermal stress-restrained specimen tensile strength tests. It was found that petroleum-derived aromatic oil, soy-based oil, and tall oil fatty acid-based RAs demonstrated a successful restoration of aged RAP asphalt binder without compromising the permanent deformation resistance. The 50% RAP mixtures emitted less GWP by 41% and 42.9% using petroleum- and bio-oil RAs, respectively, and achieved a 31% cost reduction compared to the control mixtures. Full article

Amid the growing demand for sustainable pavement solutions and the need to incorporate recycled materials into construction practices, this study explored the viability of using crushed thermal power plant bottom ash as a filler in polymer-modified asphalt concrete mixtures. Conventional lime filler was replaced with bottom ash at varying levels (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75%), and the resulting mixtures were evaluated using several performance tests. The optimal replacement level was determined to be 25%, based on the results of the indirect tensile strength (ITS) test. Comparisons between the control mixture and the 25% bottom ash-modified mixture were conducted using the dynamic modulus test, Cantabro test, Hamburg wheel tracking (HWT) test, and tensile strength ratio (TSR) test. The findings indicate that the 25% bottom ash-modified mixture demonstrated improved performance across multiple parameters. The HWT test showed enhanced rut durability, with a recorded depth of 7.56 mm compared to 8.9 mm for the control mixture. The Cantabro test results revealed lower weight loss percentages for the modified mixture, indicating better abrasion resistance. The dynamic modulus test indicated higher resilience and stiffness in both high- and low-frequency stages. The TSR test highlighted improved moisture resistance, with higher TSR values after 10 wet-drying cycles. These improvements are attributed to the fine particle size and beneficial chemical composition of bottom ash, which enhance the asphalt mixture’s density, binder-aggregate adhesion, and overall durability. The results suggest that incorporating 25% crushed bottom ash as a filler in polymer-modified asphalt concrete mixtures is a viable and sustainable approach to improving pavement performance and longevity. Full article

Double bituminous surface treatment (DBST) has been a widely utilized pavement maintenance material due to its capability to restore the surface roughness of existing pavement and provide a layer of protection against weathering, aging, and moisture. However, DBST is highly prone to aggregate loss at an early stage, which is a very common problem experienced by surface treatment. Therefore, to lessen the aggregate loss and prolong the service life of DBST, fiber additive can be incorporated to strengthen the adhesion between the asphalt emulsion and aggregates. This study investigated the performance of glass fiber-reinforced polymer-modified DBST against aggregate loss by conducting laboratory tests using typical DBST as the benchmark of the test results. Four laboratory tests were chosen to represent different loading applications on the surface of the pavement: the bitumen bond strength (BBS) test, the sweep test, the Hamburg wheel-track test (HWT test), and a one-third-scale model mobile load simulator (MMLS3) model. Furthermore, the curing time of the asphalt emulsion was considered in the BBS test and sweep test. Based on all results from the conducted laboratory tests, polymer-modified DBST with glass fiber reinforcement presented an increased resistance to aggregate loss compared with typical DBST. Moreover, it was found that a longer curing time of the asphalt emulsion, whether it was typical or modified, strengthened the surface treatment’s resistance to aggregate loss. Full article

This research investigated the suitability of using sludge from the treatment of drinking water in hot mix asphalt (HMA) as a filler material. The storage and environmental impact of sludge is an enormous problem, especially for countries with large populations. Two different types of sludges, ferric chloride (FC) and aluminium sulphate (AS), were used as a filler material in HMA. The Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT) test, which correlates with rutting, and the Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS) test, which indicates the moisture sensitivity of HMA, were carried out at the optimum bitumen content of the mixes to investigate the usability of sludge in HMA. The test results indicate the usability of FC and AS in HMA compared to the reference mixes. However, the AS type of sludge has better rutting resistance than the FC type. Although the results support the usability of both sludges in HMA, it should be noted that the increased cost of the mix containing sludges due to the combustion process and the increased bitumen content during application should be considered. Full article

This manuscript presents a comprehensive study on the sustainable optimization of asphalt mixtures tailored for regions prone to flooding. The research addresses the challenges associated with water damage to asphalt pavements by incorporating innovative additives. The study centers on incorporating recycled Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and a tailored Carnauba–Soybean Oil Additive, advancing asphalt mixtures with a Control mix, LDPE (5%) + Control, and LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil + Control. A critical aspect of the research involves subjecting these mixtures to 30 wetting and drying cycles, simulating the conditions prevalent in tropical flood-prone areas. The incorporation of innovative additives in asphalt mixtures has demonstrated significant improvements across various performance parameters. Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) tests revealed enhanced tensile strength, with the LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil-modified mixture exhibiting an impressive TSR of 85.7%. Dynamic Modulus tests highlighted improved rutting resistance, showcasing a remarkable increase to 214 MPa in the LDPE (5%) with a 3% Oil-modified mixture. The Semi-Circular Bending (SCB) test demonstrated increased fracture resistance and energy absorption, particularly in the LDPE (5%) with 3% Oil-modified mixture. Hamburg Wheel-Tracking (HWT) tests indicated enhanced moisture resistance and superior rutting resistance at 20,000 cycles for the same mixture. Cantabro tests underscored improved aggregate shatter resistance, with the LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil-modified mixture exhibiting the lowest weight loss rate at 9.820%. Field tests provided real-world insights, with the LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil mixture displaying superior stability, a 61% reduction in deflection, and a 256% improvement in surface modulus over the control mixture. This research lays the groundwork for advancing the development of sustainable, high-performance road pavement materials, marking a significant stride towards resilient infrastructure in flood-prone areas. Full article

Writing is an important carrier of cultural inheritance, and the digitization of handwritten texts is an effective means to protect national culture. Compared to Chinese and English handwriting recognition, the research on Mongolian handwriting recognition started relatively late and achieved few results due to the characteristics of the script itself and the lack of corpus. First, according to the characteristics of Mongolian handwritten characters, the random erasing data augmentation algorithm was modified, and a dual data augmentation (DDA) algorithm was proposed by combining the improved algorithm with horizontal wave transformation (HWT) to augment the dataset for training the Mongolian handwriting recognition. Second, the classical CRNN handwriting recognition model was improved. The structure of the encoder and decoder was adjusted according to the characteristics of the Mongolian script, and the attention mechanism was introduced in the feature extraction and decoding stages of the model. An improved handwriting recognition model, named the EGA model, suitable for the features of Mongolian handwriting was suggested. Finally, the effectiveness of the EGA model was verified by a large number of data tests. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed EGA model improves the recognition accuracy of Mongolian handwriting, and the structural modification of the encoder and coder effectively balances the recognition accuracy and complexity of the model. Full article

This research takes on a scientific problem originating from the pervasive deterioration observed in the pavements of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, which presents formidable challenges to their durability and imposes significant financial burdens on BRT organizations. While wear and tear on BRT pavements is a widely recognized concern, there exists a pronounced deficiency in sustainable solutions to address this issue comprehensively. This study endeavored to bridge this scientific gap by exploring the option of incorporating waste plastic aggregate (WPA) and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) into the pavement material. The series of comprehensive investigations commenced with an assessment of modified binders. We identified a 25% extracted RAP binder as the most suitable candidate. Our research next determined that a 4% WPA content offers optimal results when used as an aggregate replacement in a stone-modified asphalt concrete mix, which is further refined with a 13 mm nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) gradation, resulting in superior performance. Under double-load conditions of the Hamburg Wheel Tracking test, rutting in the 10 mm NMAS mixture rapidly increased to 9 mm after 12,400 HWT cycles, while the 13 mm NMAS mixture showed a more gradual ascent to the same critical rutting level after 20,000 HWT cycles (a 61% increase). Real-world application at a designated BRT station area in Seoul reinforced the findings, revealing that the use of 13 mm NMAS with 4% WPA and RAP significantly improved performance, reducing rutting to 75 µm and enhancing pavement resilience. This configuration increased Road Bearing Capacity (RBC) to 5400 MPa at the center zone, showcasing superior load-bearing capability. Conversely, the 10 mm NMAS mixture without RAP and WPA experienced severe rutting (220 µm) and a 76% reduction in RBC to 1300 MPa, indicating diminished pavement durability. In general, this research highlights the need for innovative solutions to address BRT pavement maintenance challenges and offers a novel, environmentally friendly, and high-performance alternative to traditional methods. Full article

Due to the lack of fault data in the daily work of rotating machinery components, existing data-driven fault diagnosis procedures cannot accurately diagnose fault classes and are difficult to apply to most components. At the same time, the complex and variable working conditions of components pose a challenge to the feature extraction capability of the models. Therefore, a transferable pipeline is constructed to solve the fault diagnosis of multiple components in the presence of imbalanced data. Firstly, synchrosqueezed wavelet transforms (SWT) are improved to highlight the time-frequency feature of the signal and reduce the time-frequency differences between different signals. Secondly, we proposed a novel hierarchical window transformer model that obeys a dynamic seesaw (HWT-SS), which compensates for imbalanced samples while fully extracting key features of the samples. Finally, a transfer diagnosis between components provides a new approach to solving fault diagnosis with imbalanced data among multiple components. The comparison with the benchmark models in four datasets proves that the proposed model has the advantages of strong feature extraction capability and low influence from imbalanced data. The transfer tests between datasets and the visual interpretation of the model prove that the transfer diagnosis between components can further improve the diagnostic capability of the model for extremely imbalanced data. Full article

This article explores the effectiveness of the Pull-off Tensile Strength (POTS) test as a tool for evaluating the moisture damage resistance of asphalt mixtures. Currently, indirect tensile strength (ITS) and the Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT) test are used, but they have limitations such as expensive equipment and being heavy. The POTS test is a low-cost and portable alternative. This study investigated the effect of curing time and resting time on the POTS of asphalt-aggregate systems by subjecting samples to different curing times and resting times before testing their tensile strength under dry and wet conditions. The results show that the tensile strength decreases with increasing curing time or exposure to water, indicating that the debonding process between asphalt and aggregates occurs more rapidly with aging. The tensile strength ratio (TSR) of the POTS test for all three asphalt binder types increases with resting time and curing time, with the highest values observed at a curing time of 2 h and a resting time of 5–15 min. Additionally, this study found a strong linear relationship between the tensile strength ratios of ITS and POTS tests, regardless of curing time and resting time. Overall, the POTS test is a promising alternative for evaluating moisture damage resistance in asphalt mixtures. Full article

Temperature segregation during the paving of asphalt pavements is one of the causes of asphalt pavement distress. Therefore, controlling the paving temperature is crucial in the construction of asphalt pavements. To quickly evaluate the road performance of asphalt mixtures during paving, in this work, we used unmanned aerial vehicle infrared thermal imaging technology to monitor the construction work. By analyzing the temperature distribution at the paving site, and conducting laboratory tests, the relationship between the melt temperature, high-temperature stability, and water stability of the asphalt mix was assessed. The results showed that the optimal temperature measurement height for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with an infrared thermal imager was 7–8 m. By coring the representative temperature points on the construction site and then conducting a Hamburg wheel tracking (HWT) test, the test results were verified through the laboratory test results in order to establish a prediction model for the melt temperature and high-temperature stability of y = 10.73e^0.03x + 1415.78, where the predictive model for the melt temperature and water was y = −19.18e^−0.02x + 98.03. The results showed that using laboratory tests combined with UAV infrared thermography could quickly and accurately predict the road performance of asphalt mixtures during paving. We hope that more extensive evaluations of the roadworthiness of asphalt mixtures using paving temperatures will provide reference recommendations in the future. Full article

There are various postharvest treatments currently available in the market. Among these, heat-based treatments are very effective. Several hot water treatment (HWT) protocols at various temperature regimes and time durations have been developed for different mango cultivars and varieties. However, many concerns have been raised regarding the quality of fruits subjected to HWT, particularly on physical and biochemical properties. The purpose of this study was to generate empirical evidence on the effect of the HWT protocol currently recognized and accepted by the EU for Apple mango cultivar from Africa. We subjected mango to HWT at 46.1 °C for 68, 75, and 84 min and evaluated various physical and biochemical properties at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days post-treatment. Conventional methods of analysis were used to test acidity, antioxidants, minerals, nutrients, and physical properties of treated mangoes, and comparisons against untreated controls were made. We found no significant differences in pH, various acid content, total carotenoids, β-carotene content, vitamin A, aromatic volatiles, total phenolics, total antioxidant activity, various minerals, electrolytic leakage, crude protein, total carbohydrates, total sugars, crude fat, moisture content, dry matter, total soluble solids, firmness, or weight between treated and untreated mangoes. We conclude that HWT presents a viable alternative for postharvest treatment of export mangoes provided that quality attributes are maintained from preharvest, harvesting, transportation, treatment, and post-treatment handling. Full article

Neuropathic pain is characterized by mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia to heat, and it affects some 20% of European population. Patients suffering from several neurologic diseases experience neuropathic pain, often finding no relief in therapy. Transgenic mice expressing the gene encoding the human mutant (hMT) or the human wild-type (hWT) torsin A represent a preclinical model of DYT1 dystonia which is the most common form of early-onset inherited dystonia. Baseline thermal sensitivity and hyperalgesia to heat have never been studied in models of dystonia. Therefore, the aim of this research has been to characterize thermal sensitivity in baseline conditions and hyperalgesia to heat after the induction of neuropathic pain through the spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model in mice overexpressing human wild-type and mutated torsin A in comparison to non-transgenic C57BL/6 mice. According to our results, the paw withdrawal latency time to heat in the Hargreaves’ test is significantly lower in the hMT mice (Kruskal–Wallis test = 6.933; p = 0.0312*; hMT vs. hWT p = 0.0317*). On the other hand, no significant differences in SNL-induced thermal hyperalgesia was found among the three strains (Friedman test = 4.933; p = 0.1019). Future studies are needed to better understand the role of torsin A in sensory processing of heat stimuli. Full article

Cold In-place Recycling (CIR) has been widely used in the world since it is easy to apply it in the field at a low cost. However, it is not normally used as a surface layer as a result of its inconsistent quality due to an excessive amount of fine aggregates pulverized during the milling process. Hot In-place Recycling (HIR) can retain the original shape of the aggregates, but it often produces a large amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Therefore, a third in-place recycling technique is introduced in this paper: Warm In-place Recycling (WIR). The WIR technique overcomes the limitations of both CIR and HIR techniques by lowering a heating temperature while adding a Tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA)/Soybean/SBS additive. To identify the effect of the additive on the RTFO-aged binder, viscosity and dynamic modulus values were measured at different temperatures. Based on Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT) and Disc-Shaped Compact Tension (DCT) tests, the additive improved the moisture susceptibility and low temperature cracking resistance. The indirect infrared heating equipment reduced the emission by lowering the pavement surface heating temperature by 20 °C from 140 to 120 °C. Compared with the heating at 140 °C, the LPG usage for heating at 140 °C was lowered by 21%. The proposed WIR equipment with an additive would revolutionize the in-place recycling practices. Full article

Hollow-fiber membrane filters (HFMFs) for household water treatment (HWT) can efficaciously remove disease-causing organisms in laboratory settings. However, lower effectiveness in use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and humanitarian contexts (HCs) has been observed and attributed to membrane fouling and the associated cleaning. In LMICs/HCs, it is not possible to prevent and control fouling using commonly known methods (e.g., testing influent water, maintenance regimes), and the literature on fouling/cleaning of HFMFs distributed in LMICs is scarce. As such, controlled laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of locally available (in LMICs/HCs) backwashing solutions at removing fouling using different influent waters and HFMF types. Four commonly distributed HFMFs were selected; fouling layers were developed by filtering three influent water compositions, representing LMIC/HC waters, for 10-days, and bleach, water, or vinegar backwashing solutions were used for daily backwashing. Filter performance indicators included: fiber mechanical properties (strain at break, break force), water quantity performance (flow), water quality performance (turbidity, E. coli), and imaging. The study found fouling developed rapidly and altered mechanical properties and water quantity indicators within 200 h of filtration. Fouling did not decrease water quality indicators. Backwashing improved the filter’s mechanical properties and water quantity performance, but it did not fully recover the initial performance. Additionally, recovery differed between backwashing solutions, and no universal cleaning recommendation appropriate for HFMFs in LMICs/HCs was identified. Overall, fouling development and control depended on HFMF type, influent water quality, and backwashing solution type; thus, caution before distributing HFMFs for long-term use in LMICs/HCs is recommended. Full article