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Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2021) | Viewed by 17447

Special Issue Editor

Department of Environmental, Land and Infrastructure Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, 24 Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 10129 Torino, Italy
Interests: experimental evaluation and modelling of asphalt paving materials; pavement design and performance testing; nano-reinforced asphalt binders and mixtures; self-healing properties of asphalt binders; use of waste and by-products in asphalt pavements; rubberized asphalt mixtures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The construction of road asphalt pavements complying with global sustainability targets represents a major challenge for current and future generations of pavement designers and asphalt technologists.

A sustainable approach in asphalt pavement engineering should focus on materials, design methods, and technologies that contribute to minimizing environmental impacts through the reduction of energy consumption and natural resources, while ensuring all performance standards and requirements. Long-life design solutions and the use of durable materials may also provide a number of sustainability benefits throughout the overall life cycle of pavement.

This Special Issue “Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques” will address recent and relevant advances in this crucial research area. Its aim is to collect original contributions dealing with the development of sustainable asphalt materials and technologies on the one hand, and the use of reliable models, characterization techniques, and evaluation tools (including LCCA and LCA) to measure pavement sustainability on the other.

Research papers, reviews, and case studies aiming at bridging the gap between the state-of-the-art and current practices are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Orazio Baglieri
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • sustainability
  • pavement design and evaluation
  • asphalt mix design
  • performance-related characterization of asphalt materials
  • LCA
  • LCCA
  • recycling of asphalt pavements
  • cold and warm mix asphalt

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 168 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue “Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques” (First and Second Volumes)
by Orazio Baglieri and Pier Paolo Riviera
Materials 2022, 15(21), 7649; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15217649 - 31 Oct 2022
Viewed by 804
Abstract
A sustainable approach in asphalt pavement engineering should focus on materials, design methods, and technologies that can contribute to minimizing environmental impacts through a reduction in energy consumption and natural resources, while ensuring that all performance standards and requirements are met [...] Full article

Research

Jump to: Editorial

15 pages, 2762 KiB  
Article
Laboratory Evaluation of the Use of Florida Washed Shell in Open-Graded Asphalt Mixtures
by Mohammad Alharthai, Qing Lu, Ahmed Elnihum and Asad Elmagarhe
Materials 2021, 14(22), 7060; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14227060 - 21 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1679
Abstract
This study investigates the substitution of conventional aggregate with a Florida washed shell in open-graded asphalt mixtures and evaluates the optimal substitution percentage in aggregate gradations of various nominal maximum aggregate sizes (NMASs) (i.e., 4.75, 9.5, and 12.5 mm). Laboratory experiments were performed [...] Read more.
This study investigates the substitution of conventional aggregate with a Florida washed shell in open-graded asphalt mixtures and evaluates the optimal substitution percentage in aggregate gradations of various nominal maximum aggregate sizes (NMASs) (i.e., 4.75, 9.5, and 12.5 mm). Laboratory experiments were performed on open-graded asphalt mixture specimens with the coarse aggregate of sizes between 2.36 and 12.5 mm being replaced by the Florida washed shell at various percentages (0, 15, 30, 45, and 100%). Specimen properties relevant to the performance of open-graded asphalt mixtures in the field were tested, evaluated, and compared. Specifically, a Marshall stability test, Cantabro test, indirect tensile strength test, air void content test, and permeability test were conducted to evaluate the strength, resistance to raveling, cracking resistance, void content, and permeability of open-graded asphalt mixtures. The results show that there is no significant difference in the Marshall stability and indirect tensile strength when the coarse aggregates are replaced with Florida washed shell. This study also found that the optimum percentages of Florida washed shell in open-graded asphalt mixture were 15, 30, and 45% for 12.5, 9.5, and 4.75 mm NMAS gradations, respectively. Full article
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19 pages, 3476 KiB  
Article
Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Asphalt Mixtures Using Composite Admixtures of Lignin and Glass Fibers
by Ahmed Khater, Dong Luo, Moustafa Abdelsalam, Jianxun Ma and Mohamed Ghazy
Materials 2021, 14(21), 6589; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14216589 - 02 Nov 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1969
Abstract
Lignin and glass fiber were used as additives to improve the quality of road pavements and minimize moisture damage and cracking at low temperatures on asphalt pavement, according to a previous laboratory study. The aim of this paper is to make a significant [...] Read more.
Lignin and glass fiber were used as additives to improve the quality of road pavements and minimize moisture damage and cracking at low temperatures on asphalt pavement, according to a previous laboratory study. The aim of this paper is to make a significant contribution to the environmental assessment of the construction of road pavements using four types of asphalt mixtures based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology according to the requirements of ISO 14040, considering the impact of raw material extraction, asphalt mixture manufacturing, transportation, and wearing surface construction. The results of the environmental assessment showed that all studied asphalt mixtures do not offer any improvement in all impact categories, and three modified asphalt mixtures have a slight negative effect in all impact categories. The composite mixture has the highest negative effect of the studied three modified asphalt mixtures in all categories except in the marine aquatic ecotoxicity potential category and freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity potential category, where the lignin modified asphalt mixture has the highest negative effect in these two categories but has the best environmental impacts on most of other impact categories. Furthermore, the negative effect caused by composite asphalt mixtures is minimal and thus can be used to improve the overall performance of asphalt pavement. Full article
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16 pages, 7243 KiB  
Article
An Experimental Study on Properties of Pre-Coated Aggregates Grouting Asphalt Concrete for Bridge Deck Pavement
by Zhicheng Xiao, Wenke Huang, Kuanghuai Wu, Guihai Nie, Hafiz Muhammad Zahid Hassan and Bei Hu
Materials 2021, 14(18), 5323; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14185323 - 15 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1792
Abstract
Epoxy asphalt concrete, mortar asphalt concrete and Gussasphalt concrete are commonly used types of deck pavement materials in bridge deck pavement engineering. However, achieving the high-temperature stability and anti-fatigue performance of the deck pavement materials is still challenging. In order to reduce the [...] Read more.
Epoxy asphalt concrete, mortar asphalt concrete and Gussasphalt concrete are commonly used types of deck pavement materials in bridge deck pavement engineering. However, achieving the high-temperature stability and anti-fatigue performance of the deck pavement materials is still challenging. In order to reduce the rutting and cracking risks of the asphalt mixture, this paper proposed pre-coated aggregates grouting asphalt concrete (PGAC) for bridge deck pavement. Laboratory tests were conducted to determine the optimum grouting materials and to evaluate the mechanical performances of the PGAC material. Test results showed that the mechanical properties for PGAC with grouting material of high-viscosity-modified asphalt binder blending with mineral filler were superior to that of GMA-10 used for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge deck pavement. Microstructural analysis showed that the PGAC had a more stable skeleton structure compared to other typical aggregate mixtures. This study highlights the performances of the proposed PGAC and sheds light on the deck pavement material improvement of both high-temperature stability and anti-fatigue performance that could be achieved. Full article
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24 pages, 3136 KiB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment of Sustainable Asphalt Pavement Solutions Involving Recycled Aggregates and Polymers
by Cristina Oreto, Francesca Russo, Rosa Veropalumbo, Nunzio Viscione, Salvatore Antonio Biancardo and Gianluca Dell’Acqua
Materials 2021, 14(14), 3867; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14143867 - 11 Jul 2021
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4030
Abstract
The pursuit of sustainability in the field of road asphalt pavements calls for effective decision-making strategies, referring to both the technical and environmental sustainability of the solutions. This study aims to compare the life cycle impacts of several pavement solution alternatives involving, in [...] Read more.
The pursuit of sustainability in the field of road asphalt pavements calls for effective decision-making strategies, referring to both the technical and environmental sustainability of the solutions. This study aims to compare the life cycle impacts of several pavement solution alternatives involving, in the binder and base layers, some eco-designed, hot- and cold-produced asphalt mixtures made up of recycled aggregates in substitution for natural filler and commercial recycled polymer pellets for dry mixture modification. The first step focused on the technical and environmental compatibility assessment of the construction and demolition waste (CDW), jet grouting waste (JGW), fly ash (FA), and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Then, three non-traditional mixtures were designed for the binder layer and three for the base layer and characterized in terms of the stiffness modulus. Asphalt pavement design allowed for the definition of the functional units of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which was applied to all of the pavement configurations under analysis in a “from cradle to grave” approach. The LCA results showed that the best performance was reached for the solutions involving a cold, in-place recycled mixture made up of RAP and JGW in the base layer, which lowered all the impact category indicators by 31% on average compared to those of the traditional pavement solution. Further considerations highlighted that the combination of a cold base layer with a hot asphalt mixture made up of CDW or FA in the binder layer also maximized the service life of the pavement solution, providing the best synergistic effect. Full article
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18 pages, 8251 KiB  
Article
Performance-Guided Design of Permeable Asphalt Concrete with Modified Asphalt Binder Using Crumb Rubber and SBS Modifier for Sponge Cities
by Wentong Huang, Xiao Liu, Shaowei Zhang, Yu Zheng, Qile Ding and Bin Tong
Materials 2021, 14(5), 1266; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14051266 - 07 Mar 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2189
Abstract
The construction of sponge city is a major green innovation to implement the concept of sustainable development. In this study, the road performance of permeable asphalt concrete (PAC), which displays pronounced water permeability and noise reduction that are favorable for sponge cities, has [...] Read more.
The construction of sponge city is a major green innovation to implement the concept of sustainable development. In this study, the road performance of permeable asphalt concrete (PAC), which displays pronounced water permeability and noise reduction that are favorable for sponge cities, has been improved with a two-fold modification using styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) and crumb rubber (CR). Four percent SBS and three different ratios (10%, 15%, and 20%) of CR have been used to modify the virgin asphalt binder. The Marshall design has been followed to produce PAC samples. To evaluate the asphalt binder performance, multiple-stress creep-recovery (MSCR) test, linear amplitude sweep (LAS) test, and engineering property test programs including softening point test, penetration test, and rotational viscosity test have been conducted. Freeze–thaw splitting test, Hamburg wheel-tracking test, resilient modulus test, and permeability coefficient test have been performed to evaluate the asphalt mixture performance. The test results show that the addition of SBS and CR reduces the permeability coefficient, but significantly improves the high temperature performance, fatigue performance, and rutting resistance as well as the resilient modulus. However, the optimum rubber content should not exceed 15%. Meanwhile, after adding CR and SBS modifier, the indirect tensile strength (ITS) and tensile strength ratio (TSR) increase. It indicates that the moisture stability and crack resistance have been improved by the composite modification effect. Full article
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17 pages, 3942 KiB  
Article
Fatigue Resistance of Bituminous Mixtures and Mortars Containing High Reclaimed Asphalt Content
by Alexandros Margaritis, Geert Jacobs, Georgios Pipintakos, Johan Blom and Wim Van den bergh
Materials 2020, 13(24), 5680; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13245680 - 12 Dec 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2331
Abstract
With the increased use of reclaimed asphalt (RA), the ability of bituminous materials to resist fatigue cracking may face a decline mainly due to the aged reclaimed asphalt binder (RAB), especially when RA is used at higher rates and not sufficiently treated. In [...] Read more.
With the increased use of reclaimed asphalt (RA), the ability of bituminous materials to resist fatigue cracking may face a decline mainly due to the aged reclaimed asphalt binder (RAB), especially when RA is used at higher rates and not sufficiently treated. In this study, the bulk scale (asphalt) and its subscale (mortar) were employed to evaluate the effect on fatigue resistance when a RAB is added, by considering three replacement rates: 0%, 40%, and 70% RAB. The fatigue testing of asphalt mixtures was carried out using a four-point bending (4PB) setup, while the mortars were tested using a new column-like geometry utilising a dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). The fatigue properties were further analysed using dissipated energy concepts. The aim of this study was, first, to assess whether the inclusion of a RAB can provide at least similar fatigue properties compared to an all-virgin mix, and second, to evaluate whether the proposed treatment is beneficial for the mixtures with a RAB. The asphalt tests revealed that the inclusion of a 40% RAB led to increased fatigue resistance, whereas the mortar tests showed that the inclusion of RAB has an inverse effect on fatigue life. Full article
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11 pages, 3041 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Moisture Dissipation of Water-Foamed Asphalt and Its Influence on the Viscosity
by Ning Li, Wei Tang, Xin Yu, He Zhan, Hui Ma, Gongying Ding and Yu Zhang
Materials 2020, 13(23), 5325; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13235325 - 24 Nov 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1616
Abstract
Water-foamed asphalt is capable of improving the workability of asphalt mixture. It has been extensively used for its energy-saving and emission-reducing features. Water plays an essential part in improving the workability of water-foamed asphalt mixture. However, there is still lack in profound studies [...] Read more.
Water-foamed asphalt is capable of improving the workability of asphalt mixture. It has been extensively used for its energy-saving and emission-reducing features. Water plays an essential part in improving the workability of water-foamed asphalt mixture. However, there is still lack in profound studies of moisture dissipation of the water-foamed asphalt over time and its influence on workability. In this study, the evolutions of residual water content and rotational viscosity of the water-foamed asphalt with time were respectively measured by the analytical balance and modified rotational viscometer (RV). The atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis was conducted to discuss the mechanism of viscosity reduction of water-foamed asphalt. The results showed that moisture evaporation is significantly influenced by the foaming water content and ambient temperature, which results in the different stabilizing time of water-foamed asphalt. When water-foamed asphalt was stabilized, the residual water inside the asphalt was less than 0.01% relative to the asphalt mass. The AFM analysis showed that the foaming process changed the distribution of wax in the water-foamed asphalt resulting in reduction of viscosity. The viscosity reduction of asphalt is highly related to the initial foaming water content. After the foaming process, the viscosity keeps stable and is independent of moisture dissipation. Full article
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