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Polymers
Special Issues
Multiscale–Multiphysics Modelling and Characterisation of Multiphase Polymer-Based Bituminous Materials
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Multiscale–Multiphysics Modelling and Characterisation of Multiphase Polymer-Based Bituminous Materials

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Analysis and Characterization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 3377

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yangming Gao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
Interests: mechanics of pavement materials; multiscale and multiphysics modelling; resilience and sustainability of asphalt pavements; intelligent transport infrastructure and materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Eman L. Omairey

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Computing, Engineering and Digital Technologie, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3JN, UK
Interests: multiphysics modelling; asphalt ageing; anti-ageing bitumen; recycled waste construction materials; sustainable asphalt additives; green rejuvenators
Dr. Chonghui Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
Interests: pavement engineering; discrete element modelling (DEM); multiscale modelling; pavement compaction; pavement functional behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yuqing Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Interests: renewable construction materials; multiphysics and multiscale modeling; performance predictions of road infrastructures; intelligent and nondestructive road technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bituminous materials used for asphalt pavements are a kind of multiphase composite with complex heterogeneities at different scales (i.e., nano, micro, and macro). Various forms of damage in the bituminous materials are related to multiple physical phenomena such as temperature variation, moisture diffusion, and ageing of materials. Furthermore, polymer materials (e.g., graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), antioxidants, rubber, lignin, epoxy, rejuvenators, biomass, waste plastics, etc.) are increasingly being applied to the traditional mixtures to improve the durability and the recycling of materials, leading to the further complexity of the bituminous materials. Therefore, the extreme complexities of the polymer-based bituminous materials need to be addressed properly for more accurate performance prediction.

Based on the fundamental thermal, chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of the constituent materials and their interactions, the repeated traffic loads, and changeable environmental conditions, multiscale–multiphysics modelling can vastly benefit our understanding of the mechanisms, properties, and performance of the polymer-based bituminous materials. Innovative research in multiscale–multiphysics modelling and characterisation helps civil engineers, researchers, and agencies to identify better underlying views for the selection, design, and evaluation of durable, resilient and sustainable pavement materials.

This Special Issue welcomes submissions with respect to multiscale–multiphysics modelling and characterisation for the polymer-based bituminous materials. The topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Quantum mechanics/chemistry, density functional theory (DFT) calculation, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for understanding the modification mechanisms of polymer-based bitumen;
  • Chemo-mechanical modelling and microscopic characterisation for polymer-based asphalt recycling;
  • Micromechanics/composite theory, finite element modelling (FEM) and discrete element modelling (DEM) for evaluating the functional performance of polymer-based asphalt;
  • Constitutive modelling for viscoelasticity, viscoplasticity, damage, and fracture for predicting the fundamental mechanical performance of polymer-based asphalt;
  • Multiscale and multiphysics modelling for the durability, resilience and sustainability of polymer-based bituminous materials;
  • Artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) modelling for the selection and design of novel polymer-based bituminous materials.

Dr. Yangming Gao
Dr. Eman L. Omairey
Dr. Chonghui Wang
Prof. Dr. Yuqing Zhang
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. Polymers 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 2700 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

  • polymer-based bituminous materials
  • multiphase
  • multiscale
  • multiphysics
  • machine learning
  • modification mechanisms
  • durability
  • resilience
  • recycling

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 4828 KiB  
Article
Rheology of Crumb Rubber-Modified Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA)
by Ghazi G. Al-Khateeb, Alaa Sukkari, Helal Ezzat, Eyad Nasr and Waleed Zeiada
Polymers 2024, 16(7), 906; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16070906 - 26 Mar 2024
Viewed by 595
Abstract
This study explores the impact of adding waste vehicular crumb rubber to the commercially available warm mix additives Sasobit® and Zycotherm® on modified asphalt binders’ physical and rheological properties. Various concentrations of crumb rubber (0%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) were introduced [...] Read more.
This study explores the impact of adding waste vehicular crumb rubber to the commercially available warm mix additives Sasobit® and Zycotherm® on modified asphalt binders’ physical and rheological properties. Various concentrations of crumb rubber (0%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) were introduced to asphalt binder samples with 2% and 4% Sasobit and 1.5% and 3% Zycotherm. The investigation employed conventional tests (penetration and softening point) and advanced mechanical characterization tests, including Superpave rotational viscosity (RV), Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), DSR multi-stress creep recovery (MSCR), DSR linear amplitude sweep (LAS), and Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR). Traditional tests measured the asphalt consistency, while workability was assessed through the RV test. The results showed that the Zycotherm binders experienced a more significant penetration reduction than the Sasobit binders. Additionally, an increased crumb rubber content consistently elevated the softening point and rotational viscosity, enhancing the complex shear modulus (G*) values. Rubberized binders exhibited an improved rutting performance and low-temperature PG grades. Increasing the crumb rubber content enhanced fatigue life, with Z1.5CR20 and S2CR20 demonstrating the longest fatigue lives among the Zycotherm and Sasobit binders, respectively. Overall, Z1.5CR20 is recommended for colder climates, while S2CR20 is suitable for hot-climate applications based on extensive analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multiscale–Multiphysics Modelling and Characterisation of Multiphase Polymer-Based Bituminous Materials)
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16 pages, 4120 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Thermal Stability and Micro-Modification Mechanism of SBR/PP-Modified Asphalt
by Qing Zhang, Dehua Hou, Zhongyu Li, Hainian Wang and Shi Dong
Polymers 2024, 16(4), 456; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16040456 - 06 Feb 2024
Viewed by 686
Abstract
To evaluate the thermal stability of composite polymer-modified asphalt, thermoplastic elastomer styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)/polypropylene (PP) pellets were prepared using a hot-melt blending technique, with butyl rubber powder and waste polypropylene pellets as raw materials. The effects of different evaluation indexes on the thermal [...] Read more.
To evaluate the thermal stability of composite polymer-modified asphalt, thermoplastic elastomer styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)/polypropylene (PP) pellets were prepared using a hot-melt blending technique, with butyl rubber powder and waste polypropylene pellets as raw materials. The effects of different evaluation indexes on the thermal stability of SBR/PP-modified asphalt were investigated using a frequency scan test and a multi-stress creep recovery (MSCR) test, and the compatibility of SBR/PP particles with asphalt was studied using the Cole–Cole diagram and microstructure images. The tests show that, firstly, the performance grade (PG) classification of asphalt can be improved by adding an SBR/PP thermoplastic elastomer to enhance the adaptability of asphalt in high- and low-temperature environments, and the evaluation separation index can reflect the high-temperature storage stability of composite-modified asphalt more reasonably. Additionally, the larger the rubber-to-plastic ratio the worse the high-temperature thermal stability of composite-modified asphalt. Moreover, the addition of additives to the composite particles can promote the SBR/PP particles in the asphalt to be more uniformly dispersed, forming a more desirable microstructure and improving the thermal stability of composite-modified asphalt. Ultimately, the semicircular curve of the Cole–Cole diagram can reflect the compatibility characteristics of the two-phase structure of SBR/PP-modified asphalt, which can be used as an auxiliary index to evaluate the compatibility of polymer-modified asphalt. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multiscale–Multiphysics Modelling and Characterisation of Multiphase Polymer-Based Bituminous Materials)
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26 pages, 9987 KiB  
Article
Influence of Preparation Methods and Nanomaterials on Hydrophobicity and Anti-Icing Performance of Nanoparticle/Epoxy Coatings
by Shinan Liu, Houzhi Wang and Jun Yang
Polymers 2024, 16(3), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16030364 - 29 Jan 2024
Viewed by 799
Abstract
Despite their effectiveness in preventing icing, hydrophobic coatings possess drawbacks such as susceptibility to detachment and limited wear resistance, leading to inadequate longevity in melting ice/snow. To enhance the surface stability and durability of superhydrophobic coatings, nanoparticle/epoxy formulations were developed using three types [...] Read more.
Despite their effectiveness in preventing icing, hydrophobic coatings possess drawbacks such as susceptibility to detachment and limited wear resistance, leading to inadequate longevity in melting ice/snow. To enhance the surface stability and durability of superhydrophobic coatings, nanoparticle/epoxy formulations were developed using three types of nanoparticles, two dispersion techniques, three application methods, and two epoxy resin introduction approaches. Testing encompassed water contact angle measurements, assessment of ice adhesion force, and determination of icing rates on asphalt concrete coated with these hydrophobic formulations. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to analyze the molecular structures of the coatings, while scanning electron microscopy facilitated observation of the surface morphology of the hydrophobic coatings. The findings indicated that nano-ZnO, TiO2, and SiO2 particles could be modified into hydrophobic forms using stearic acid. Application of the hydrophobic coating improved the concrete’s hydrophobicity, reduced ice adhesion strength on both concrete and asphalt, and delayed the onset of icing. Furthermore, optimal dosages of stearic acid, nanoparticles, and epoxy resin were identified as crucial parameters within specific ranges to ensure the optimal hydrophobicity and durability of the coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multiscale–Multiphysics Modelling and Characterisation of Multiphase Polymer-Based Bituminous Materials)
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16 pages, 5562 KiB  
Article
Interfacial Water Stability between Modified Phosphogypsum Asphalt Mortar and Aggregate Based on Molecular Dynamics
by Cancan Liang, Yilang Li, Ponan Feng and Yuanle Li
Polymers 2023, 15(22), 4412; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15224412 - 15 Nov 2023
Viewed by 612
Abstract
The objective of this study is to unravel the modification mechanism of a coupling agent on the water sensitivity of phosphogypsum asphalt mortar. The adhesion process of phosphogypsum asphalt mastic modified with three kinds of coupling agents (KH-550, KH-570, and CS-101) and raw [...] Read more.
The objective of this study is to unravel the modification mechanism of a coupling agent on the water sensitivity of phosphogypsum asphalt mortar. The adhesion process of phosphogypsum asphalt mastic modified with three kinds of coupling agents (KH-550, KH-570, and CS-101) and raw phosphogypsum to the aggregate minerals was simulated based on the molecular dynamics software, Materials Studio 2020, and the water film layer was considered along the simulation. When the three coupling agents were added, the interfacial adhesion work gradually increased with the increase of modified phosphogypsum dosage, and the trends of each model were relatively similar. With the increase of simulation time, the mean square displacement of water molecules of the three interfacial models showed different trends, and the increasing trend rank was unmodified phosphogypsum > KH-550 > KH-570 > CS-101. The diffusion coefficient of the water molecular layer of asphalt mastic modified with CS-101 coupling agent in phosphogypsum shows a significant decrease with the increase of CS-101-modified phosphogypsum (more than 5% mass ratio to asphalt). Compared to raw phosphogypsum asphalt mortar, the addition of coupling agents can significantly limit the diffusion of water molecules and effectively improve the interfacial adhesion work, in which CS-101 coupling agent has the best effect, followed by KH-570 and KH-550. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multiscale–Multiphysics Modelling and Characterisation of Multiphase Polymer-Based Bituminous Materials)
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