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Advances in Road Pavements
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Advances in Road Pavements

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 August 2025 | Viewed by 7157

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Emanuele Toraldo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: pavement design; construction materials; surface treatments; pavement behavior modelling; urban pavements; pavement sustainability; pavement monitoring; pavement maintenance and rehabilitation
Dr. Misagh Ketabdari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: pavement design; construction materials; surface treatments; pavement behavior modelling; urban pavements; pavement sustainability; pavement monitoring; pavement maintenance and rehabilitation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Roads play a crucial role in the development of countries and the quality life of their citizens, which is why this Special Issue aims to explore recent advances in road pavement research, addressing key challenges and opportunities in the field. Despite being a fundamental part of transportation infrastructures, road pavements face ongoing challenges related to durability, sustainability, and performance under varying environmental conditions. This Special Issue seeks to address these challenges by showcasing innovative research and technological advancements in road pavements science and engineering.

We invite original contributions describing new research, case studies, projects, reviews and state-of-the-art discussions on the following and related topics:

  • Advancements in pavement design;
  • Novel construction methods and materials;
  • Pavement-related safety issues;
  • Innovative surface treatments;
  • Pavement behavior modelling and simulation;
  • New mobility challenges in urban pavement design;
  • Pavement surface characteristics and ride quality;
  • Sustainable approaches in pavement design;
  • Pavement monitoring methods;
  • New maintenance and rehabilitation techniques and technologies.

This Special Issue will appeal to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in the fields of civil engineering, materials science, transportation engineering, and infrastructure management. The insights presented in this Special Issue will be valuable for professionals involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of asphalt pavements.

Dr. Emanuele Toraldo
Dr. Misagh Ketabdari
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. Buildings 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 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

  • pavement design
  • construction materials and methods
  • pavement related safety issues
  • surface treatments
  • pavement behavior modelling
  • urban pavements
  • pavement sustainability
  • pavement surface characteristics and ride quality
  • pavement monitoring, maintenance and rehabilitation
  • laboratory and field performance tests

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  • 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.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 7011 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Pavement Deterioration Rates Due to Flooding Events Using Explainable AI
by Lidan Peng, Lu Gao, Feng Hong and Jingran Sun
Buildings 2025, 15(9), 1452; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15091452 - 25 Apr 2025
Abstract
Flooding can damage pavement infrastructure significantly, causing both immediate and long-term structural and functional issues. This research investigates how flooding events affect pavement deterioration, specifically focusing on measuring pavement roughness by the International Roughness Index (IRI). To quantify these effects, we utilized 20 [...] Read more.
Flooding can damage pavement infrastructure significantly, causing both immediate and long-term structural and functional issues. This research investigates how flooding events affect pavement deterioration, specifically focusing on measuring pavement roughness by the International Roughness Index (IRI). To quantify these effects, we utilized 20 years of pavement condition data from TxDOT’s PMIS database, which is integrated with flood event data, including duration and spatial extent. Statistical analyses were performed to compare IRI values before and after flooding and to calculate the deterioration rates influenced by flood exposure. Moreover, we applied explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) techniques, such as Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) and Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME), to assess the impact of flooding on pavement performance. The results demonstrate that flood-affected pavements experience a more rapid increase in roughness compared to non-flooded sections. These findings emphasize the need for proactive flood mitigation strategies, including improved drainage systems, flood-resistant materials, and preventative maintenance, to enhance pavement resilience in vulnerable regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Road Pavements)
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17 pages, 3569 KiB  
Article
Incorporating Recycled Textile Fibers into Stone Mastic Asphalt
by Carlos Alonso-Troyano, David Llopis-Castelló and Blanca Olaso-Cerveró
Buildings 2025, 15(8), 1310; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15081310 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 185
Abstract
The increasing environmental impact of industrial waste, particularly from the textile sector, has driven efforts to integrate alternative materials into road construction. This study explores the feasibility of incorporating recycled cotton textile fibers into Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) mixtures to enhance their mechanical [...] Read more.
The increasing environmental impact of industrial waste, particularly from the textile sector, has driven efforts to integrate alternative materials into road construction. This study explores the feasibility of incorporating recycled cotton textile fibers into Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) mixtures to enhance their mechanical performance and sustainability. The bituminous mixture SMA 11 surf 35/50 was designed with 0.3% textile fibers, a dosage optimized to prevent binder drainage while maintaining adequate structural properties. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate bulk and maximum density, air void content, water sensitivity, and resistance to permanent deformation. The results demonstrated that the inclusion of 0.3% textile fibers significantly reduced binder drainage, improved moisture resistance with an ITSR of 96.30%, and enhanced stability under traffic loads. Although the WTSAIR value of 0.12 mm/1000 cycles did not fully comply with PG-3 requirements for T2 traffic, slight adjustments in binder content or composition could optimize performance. Beyond technical benefits, this study highlights the environmental and economic advantages of repurposing locally generated textile waste, reducing landfill accumulation, and fostering synergies between industries. Future research should focus on optimizing bitumen content, conducting fatigue and aging tests, and validating field performance under real traffic and environmental conditions to ensure long-term durability and compliance with road specifications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Road Pavements)
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17 pages, 5722 KiB  
Article
Research on the Embedding Behavior of Ceramic Particles on the Surface of Epoxy Resin Anti-Skid Thin Layer of Pavement
by Jiaquan Yuan, Gang Zhou, Chaoliang Fu, Wenhong Duan, Yifan Zhang, Haoyang Huang, Weihong Jiang, Li Xiong, Huimei Li, Xiaohua Yang and Chuanqiang Li
Buildings 2024, 14(12), 3831; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123831 - 29 Nov 2024
Viewed by 662
Abstract
Colored polymer anti-skid thin layers are widely used on urban roads to enhance driving safety, improve road aesthetics, and mitigate the urban heat island effect. However, in thin layers constructed by the spreading method, the adhesion of cementitious material to the aggregate is [...] Read more.
Colored polymer anti-skid thin layers are widely used on urban roads to enhance driving safety, improve road aesthetics, and mitigate the urban heat island effect. However, in thin layers constructed by the spreading method, the adhesion of cementitious material to the aggregate is often weak. This leads to early-stage spalling of surface aggregates, thereby reducing the anti-skid performance of the layer. To investigate the factors contributing to spalling, this study examines the embedding behavior of ceramic particles and assesses how the fluidity of the cementitious material and aggregate shape characteristics influence the embedding depth. Using a rotational viscosity test, it is concluded that a cementitious mix ratio of adhesive/powder filler/sand filler = 1:0.5:1 or 1:0.5:1.5 facilitates effective aggregate embedding. Testing the embedding depth of aggregates with the same particle size across different cementitious materials revealed that higher cementitious viscosity results in a reduced aggregate embedding depth. Geometric parameter data for aggregate particles were extensively collected using an image acquisition device, and quantitative analysis identified the shape characteristics influencing the embedding depth. A gray correlation analysis determined that the impact of the shape characteristics on embedding depth follows the order of roundness factor > prism factor > axial coefficient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Road Pavements)
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21 pages, 5914 KiB  
Article
Modeling and Laboratory Investigation of Tack Coats as Bituminous Pavement Interlayer
by Alessandro Steffanoni, Michel Di Tommaso, Vito Giovanni Gallo, Giuseppe Macaluso, Carmine Rizzato, Misagh Ketabdari and Emanuele Toraldo
Buildings 2024, 14(8), 2358; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082358 - 31 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1175
Abstract
The adhesive properties of tack coats between asphalt pavement layers are crucial for the pavement’s structural behavior. This study first involved numerical analyses to compare stress patterns, deformations, and displacements in the pavement structure under various geometric and mechanical conditions. A rational calculation [...] Read more.
The adhesive properties of tack coats between asphalt pavement layers are crucial for the pavement’s structural behavior. This study first involved numerical analyses to compare stress patterns, deformations, and displacements in the pavement structure under various geometric and mechanical conditions. A rational calculation method based on the theory of elastic multilayer systems was used to quantify the impact of layer properties such as thickness, stiffness modulus, and Poisson’s ratio on interlayer bonding. Three bonding conditions—Full Friction, Partial Bonding, and Full Debonding—were analyzed to understand the tack coat’s effect between the top two layers. The second phase involved characterizing the mechanical behavior of the interface through shear strength tests (Leutner shear test) on both laboratory-prepared specimens and samples from a 10-year-old highway. Specimens were prepared using a Roller Compactor and tested under different interface conditions: hot-on-hot (H/H), residual bitumen 200 g/m2 (RB 200), and residual bitumen 400 g/m2 (RB 400). The tests examined the bonding effects in terms of tangential force and shear displacement at failure, as well as the impact of vehicular traffic on rutting and fatigue failure. Finally, this study investigated the long-term aging effects of the binder on interlayer bonding and sought to correlate the results of numerical calculations with those of the laboratory tests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Road Pavements)
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21 pages, 9241 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Interlayer Reinforcement Effectiveness in Road Pavement Rehabilitation Using FEM Modeling and Fracture Mechanics Analysis
by Arianna Antoniazzi, Gianluca Ravizzoni, Cecilia Schiavone, Maurizio Crispino and Emanuele Toraldo
Buildings 2024, 14(8), 2264; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082264 - 23 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1440
Abstract
In this paper, the effectiveness of reinforcements for flexible pavements is evaluated through an analysis of reflective cracking. Different stiffness and thickness reinforcements are considered for the rehabilitation of an already cracked pavement. The effect of the reinforcement is assessed from two different [...] Read more.
In this paper, the effectiveness of reinforcements for flexible pavements is evaluated through an analysis of reflective cracking. Different stiffness and thickness reinforcements are considered for the rehabilitation of an already cracked pavement. The effect of the reinforcement is assessed from two different perspectives: (i) the ability to reduce stresses in the rehabilitated pavement layers, and (ii) the capacity to mitigate the crack propagation from deeper layers. A finite element model (FEM) is adopted to study the stress and strain state of the pavement layers. The pavement model has been properly validated, transitioning from a simply supported beam scheme to an elastic multilayer model. In addition, to represent crack propagation, fracture evolution is analyzed using Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFMs) and Paris’ law. The effect of different reinforcements on the pavement is then simulated. The results show that the reinforcement performance is strictly dependent on the interlayer thickness and stiffness. In particular, high stiffness reinforcements (geomembranes) show increasing effectiveness with stiffness, both in terms of reflective cracking and stress reduction. Conversely, low stiffness reinforcements (SAMIs) show a variable trend with the stiffness modulus. In fact, extremely low stiffness is effective in slowing down crack propagation but is detrimental to the wearing course’s stress condition. However, as the stiffness increases, the likelihood of cracking in the wearing course decreases, though only a small beneficial effect is registered for crack propagation in the base layer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Road Pavements)
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17 pages, 7703 KiB  
Article
Effects of Wetting–Drying Cycles on the Macro and Micro Properties of the Cement-Stabilized Soil with Curing Agent
by Wenjun Hu, Kun Li, Wenhao Yin, Han Zhang, Yi Xue, Yutong Han and Pingyun Liu
Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1716; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061716 - 7 Jun 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1665
Abstract
Cement-stabilized soil is a commonly used pavement base/bottom base material. Adding a suitable curing agent to cement-stabilized soil can effectively reduce the dosage of cement, meet the strength requirements, and also greatly improve its water stability. In this paper, three kinds of cement [...] Read more.
Cement-stabilized soil is a commonly used pavement base/bottom base material. Adding a suitable curing agent to cement-stabilized soil can effectively reduce the dosage of cement, meet the strength requirements, and also greatly improve its water stability. In this paper, three kinds of cement dosage (6%, 8%, and 10%) of cement-stabilized soil were selected to add a 0.04% organic liquid curing agent, and then compared with high-dose cement (10% and 12%)-stabilized soil. The influence of wetting–drying cycles on the mechanical properties of the five stabilized soils was discussed. The mineral composition of cement-stabilized soils before and after the addition of a curing agent was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the microscopic morphology of 10% cement-stabilized soils with a curing agent was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The macroscopic test shows that the unconfined compressive strength of solidified cement-stabilized soil can be divided into three stages with the increase in the times of the wetting–drying cycles, which are the rapid decay stage, stable enhancement stage, and stable decay stage. The wetting–drying stability coefficient first increases, and then decreases with the increase in the times of the wetting–drying cycles. The microscopic test shows that the addition of a curing agent can enhance the content of hydration products in the cement-stabilized soil specimen; at the curing age of 28 d, with the increase in the times of the wet–dry cycles, the structure of the solidified cement-stabilized soil gradually broke down. The surface porosity P and pore diameter d showed an overall upward trend but decreased at the fifth wetting–drying cycle. The pore orientation weakened. The results show that the resistance of cement-stabilized soil with a curing agent is obviously better than that of cement-stabilized soil under wet–dry conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Road Pavements)
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15 pages, 5967 KiB  
Article
Advanced Recycling of Modified EDPM Rubber in Bituminous Asphalt Paving
by Daniela Laura Buruiana, Lucian Puiu Georgescu, Gabriel Bogdan Carp and Viorica Ghisman
Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1618; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061618 - 1 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 880
Abstract
One of the environmental problems worldwide is the enormous number of surgical masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the measures imposed by the World Health Organization on the mandatory use of masks in public spaces. The current study is a potential [...] Read more.
One of the environmental problems worldwide is the enormous number of surgical masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the measures imposed by the World Health Organization on the mandatory use of masks in public spaces. The current study is a potential circular economy approach to recycling the surgical masks discarded into the environment during the COVID-19 pandemic for use in bituminous asphalt pavement. FTIR analysis showed that the surgical masks used were made from ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber modified with polypropylene. The effects of the addition of surgical masks in bituminous asphalt on the performance of the base course were demonstrated in this study. The morphology and elemental composition of the bituminous asphalt pavement samples with two ratios of surgical mask composition were investigated by SEM-EDX and the performance of the modified bituminous asphalt pavement was determined by Marshall stability, flow rate, solid–liquid ratio, apparent density, and water absorption. The study refers to the technological innovation of using surgical masks in the formulation of AB 31.5 bituminous asphalt base course, which brings tremendous benefits to the environment by reducing the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Road Pavements)
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