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Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques (Second Volume)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 January 2023) | Viewed by 10524

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Orazio Baglieri

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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
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Dr. Pier Paolo Riviera

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Department of Environmental, Land and Infrastructure Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, 24 Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 10129 Torino, Italy
Interests: asphalt concrete; pavements; testing methods; sustainability; recycling; bituminous materials

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 areduction in energy consumption and natural resources, while ensuring adherence to 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. The 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
Dr. Pier Paolo Riviera
Guest Editors

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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 (7 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 5451 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Heat Transfer Analysis of Warm Guss Asphalt Concrete for Mini-Trench Overlaying

by Kyung-Nam Kim, Yeong-Min Kim, Sang-Yum Lee and Tri Ho Minh Le

Materials 2023, 16(7), 2808; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072808 - 31 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1176

Abstract

Conventional hot mix asphalt overlaying on trench infrastructure typically necessitates extended cooling times for further works and can have adverse effects on buried components, such as electricity cables and hot water pipes. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the use of warm guss mastic asphalt (at an installation temperature of 160 °C) as an overlaying material for mini-trenches, which can reduce the cooling time required for traffic opening and improve the efficiency of the construction process. This research involved two stages: first, lab testing and related research results were used to generate the thermal conductivity and specific heat necessary for simulation work. Second, a finite element model analysis was conducted to evaluate the thermal transmission of the overlaying surface and the buried conduit based on the summer pavement temperature distribution through the Korean Pavement Research Program. Afterward, the field test bed was constructed to verify the simulation. The results indicate that the optimal thickness of the overlaying material and the concrete covering should be designed to ensure thermal durability and meet traffic opening requirements. The overlaying depth of the mini trench using warm mix guss mastic asphalt should be less than 100 mm to meet with the traffic opening time, while the thickness of the concrete covering should be designed to be more than 100 mm to ensure thermal durability. Additionally, the findings suggest that the application of warm guss asphalt could reduce the opening time by 30 min to 1 h and 25 min compared to conventional hot guss asphalt materials. When the pavement surface temperature for the traffic opening is controlled at 50 °C, the asphalt mixture requires at least 2 h to 5 h to meet the cooling criteria for traffic opening, respectively. Overall, this research confirms the potential benefits and optimal use of warm guss mastic asphalt in the construction process of mini-trenches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques (Second Volume))

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17 pages, 3007 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting Flexible Pavement Distress and IRI Considering Subgrade Resilient Modulus of Fine-Grained Soils Using MEPDG

by Kazi Moinul Islam and Sarah L. Gassman

Materials 2023, 16(3), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16031126 - 28 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1764

Abstract

This paper highlights the subgrade resilient modulus (M_R), which is recognized as an important parameter to characterize the stiffness of the subgrade soil for designing flexible pavement. In this study, 18 thin-walled Shelby tube samples of fine-grained subgrade soils were collected from two sites in South Carolina (Laurens/SC-72 and Pickens/SC-93) and tested in the laboratory using AASHTO T307-99 to obtain the M_R. In addition, falling weight deflectometer (FWD) tests were performed on the same pavement sections to obtain the back-calculated M_R(FWD) per the AASHTOWare 2017 back-calculation tool. A subgrade M_R catalog was established and used to select hierarchical Input Level 2 for Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical design (PMED) analysis (v 2.6.1). The PMED analysis was run for 20 years. The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) and global calibration values were used to predict asphalt concrete (AC) pavement distresses (e.g., rutting, bottom-up fatigue, top-down fatigue, and transverse cracking) and International Roughness Index (IRI) for each pavement section. The predicted values were compared to the field-measured values to determine bias and the standard error of the estimate to validate each distress prediction model for local calibration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques (Second Volume))

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21 pages, 8406 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Temperature and Aging Effects on the Rheological Properties and Performance of Geopolymer-Modified Asphalt Binder and Mixtures

by Abdulrahman Hamid, Hassan Baaj and Mohab El-Hakim

Materials 2023, 16(3), 1012; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16031012 - 22 Jan 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1598

Abstract

Using geopolymer as a modifier for asphalt binders and mixtures gained momentum for investigation in recent decades. Limited research investigations attempted to link the effect of temperature and traffic loading on the rheological properties and performance of geopolymer-modified asphalt binders. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of fly ash-based geopolymer (GF), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), and the combination of GF with SBS on the rheological properties and performance of asphalt binders at low and intermediate temperatures. The rheological properties and performance of neat and modified asphalt binders (4%GF, 8%GF,12%GF, 2%SBS, and hybrid (2%SBS+8%GF)) were evaluated utilizing dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and bending beam rheometer (BBR) devices. To evaluate the fatigue resistance of asphalt binders, the linear amplitude sweep (LAS) and viscoelastic continuum damage (VECD) models were applied. The dynamic or complex modulus and moisture damage resistance were measured to investigate the influence of modifiers on the performance of asphalt mixtures. The findings demonstrated that for both unaged and RTFO-aged asphalt binders, additives reduced the temperature sensitivity of both G′ and G″. When the binders were exposed to long-term aging using a pressure aging vessel (PAV), it was noticed that the 8%GF binder became more susceptible to temperature changes. The 2%SBS binder had the lowest creep stiffness compared with the neat and other modifiers, while the hybrid binder exhibited the highest resistance to fatigue distress at different temperatures compared with the other binders. The modified asphalt mixes (8%GF, 2%SBS, and hybrid) achieved the maximum tensile strength (

S_{t}

) compared with the neat asphalt binder, with an increase of more than 80%. The

S_{t}

increased from 580.4 kPa to 740.4 kPa, 884.8 kPa, and 917.4 kPa by utilising the 8%GF, 2%SBS, and hybrid binders, respectively. Furthermore, the modified asphalt mixture exhibited more ability to resist cracking, attaining the highest fracture energy in dry and freeze-thaw conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques (Second Volume))

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18 pages, 6329 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Deterioration of Pavement Skid Resistance Using an Accelerated Pavement Test

by Xiaosheng Wu, Qiwei Chen, Yanqing Li, Niya Dong and Huayang Yu

Materials 2023, 16(1), 422; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010422 - 02 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1716

Abstract

Stone matrix asphalt (SMA) mixture has been widely used in pavement engineering for its preferable in-service performance. However, deterioration of SMA pavement in skid resistance is apparent under traffic loading. There remains lacking attention on skid resistance attenuation of SMA pavement, which in turn is important for skid durability design in practice. Hence, this study aims to perform a thorough investigation to reveal the skid resistance attenuation law of SMA pavement. Multiple types of SMA-13 mixtures prepared by different material designs were selected to conduct a kneading test that simulates real surface states of in-service SMA pavement. Pressure-sensitive film and a 3D laser scanner were utilized for evaluating anti-skid performance and skid durability. The finite element (FE) method is introduced to simulate vehicle braking distance for skid-resistance evaluation. The results show that skid resistance attenuation of SMA pavement consists of two stages: In the first stage, the skid resistance of SMA pavement experiences a short enhancement, followed by a long-term weakening stage. Abundant surface texture of SMA helps to mitigate the impact of traffic load on skid resistance. The FE analysis and pressure-sensitive film results demonstrate the potential of skid durability design of SMA pavement based on the skid resistance attenuation law. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques (Second Volume))

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14 pages, 2873 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aging Characterizations of Modified Asphalt Binders Based on Low Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (LF-NMR)

by Lili Wang, Xinsheng Li, Junan Shen, Jing Li and Wei Wang

Materials 2022, 15(22), 8224; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15228224 - 19 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1053

Abstract

Styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS) and crumb rubber modifier (CRM) are commonly used modifiers to modify asphalt binders. The aging of modified asphalt binders is an important factor affecting their performance. In this paper, the effects of the two modifiers (i.e., SBS, CRM) on the aging of modified asphalt binders were studied by using low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) technology and dynamic shear rheological (DSR) tests. Test results showed that when T2, a parameter of relaxation time from NMR test, was within 2.2 milliseconds, the relaxation peak of both modified and unmodified asphalt binders tested showed two peaks (i.e., “M” shape), and when it was greater than 2 milliseconds, extra peaks appeared only in the modified asphalts. These extra peaks gradually disappeared with increased aging; the modifiers carried signal intensities of their own. The addition of a modifier changes the law of “the greater the viscosity of asphalt, the shorter the T2 relaxation time”. With the aging process, the normalized peak area (NPA) from NMR decreased, and rutting resistance factor from DSR increased. However, the NPA of modified asphalt increased after the PAV test, which may be related to the change of H semaphore. The rheological properties of the asphalt binders before and after aging were well-correlated with the NPA of T2. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques (Second Volume))

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13 pages, 2333 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Zero Shear Viscosity of Hybrid Modified Asphalts and Its Gray Correlation with Other Properties

by Wei Wang, Baomin Chen and Junan Shen

Materials 2022, 15(20), 7056; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15207056 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1267

Abstract

The viscosity of modified asphalt binders is the most important property to ensure the durability of open-graded friction course (OGFC). Zero shear viscosity (ZSV) is considered to be the optimum result to reflect the rutting characterization of high viscosity modified asphalt binders, compared with conventional vacuum capillary viscosity. However, there are few reports on using ZSV to evaluate the material characteristics of hybrid modified asphalt binders and to establish the relationship between ZSV and other properties. In this paper, a high viscosity hybrid modified asphalt binder was prepared with Sty-rene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) and Crumb rubber modifier (CRM). ZSV, three major indicators, 60 °C dynamic viscosity, 135 °C Brookfield viscosity, and a dynamic rheological test were used to determine the properties of the hybrid modified asphalt binders. The relationship between ZSV and other properties was studied by the gray correlation analysis method. Results indicated that: (1) The viscosity of hybrid modified asphalt binders increases with the decreasing frequency. When the frequency tends to 0, the viscosity of asphalt at this time is zero shear viscosity; (2) The values of the ZSV of hybrid modified asphalt binders have a large increase as the dose of both CRM and SBS modifiers were increased; and (3) The ZSV at 60 °C correlated well with the performance properties of rutting factor (G*/sin(θ)), indicating that the ZSV of hybrid modified asphalt binders could be a good indicator of performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques (Second Volume))

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14 pages, 2821 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Sustainable Cold-Recycled Solution for the Surface Finishing of Unpaved Rural Roads

by Leonardo Urbano, Davide Dalmazzo, Pier Paolo Riviera, Orazio Baglieri and Ezio Santagata

Materials 2022, 15(11), 3920; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15113920 - 31 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1376

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation which was carried out with the purpose of assessing the performance-related properties of an emulsion-based cold-recycled mixture to be employed as a sustainable solution for the surface finishing of unpaved rural roads. This mixture contained significant quantities of recycled components (reclaimed asphalt and mineral sludge), and its composition was fine-tuned by following an innovative mix design procedure. Properties of these mixtures were studied by means of laboratory tests which considered key parameters, such as flowability, indirect tensile stiffness modulus, indirect tensile strength, moisture susceptibility and resistance to permanent deformation. It was found that, by means of the proposed mix design procedure, optimal dosages of the recycled components can be identified, thereby ensuring the achievement of the desired properties in terms of high workability and adequate stiffness and strength. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Asphalt Pavements: Materials, Design Methods, and Characterization Techniques (Second Volume))

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