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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (26 July 2023) | Viewed by 18556

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mayca Rubio-Gámez

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Guest Editor

Construction Engineering Lab, LabIC.UGR, Construction Engineering Department, University of Granada, 18001 Granada, Spain
Interests: asphalt pavements; design and mechanical characterization; sustainable and smart materials and technologies for transportation infrastructure; fatigue behavior; long lasting asphalt materials; environmental assessment; LCA
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Ana Jiménez del Barco Carrión

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Guest Editor

Department of Construction Engineering and Engineering Projects, University of Granada, 18001 Granada, Spain
Interests: sustainable construction materials; sustainability assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

During the last several decades, the need to preserve natural resources and meet sustainable targets, such as those established in the Paris Agreement, has led us to pay more attention to the inclusion of sustainable criteria in all engineering projects.

The road pavement industry has a great impact on the three pillars of sustainability (environment, economy, and society). Environmentally, the construction and maintenance of roads involves a high consumption of non-renewable natural resources (e.g., aggregates and bitumen) and generates large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. Economically, roads are the main means of transportation worldwide and their correct functionality is essential to ensure the correct development of the economy. Linked to this, the importance of the proper performance of road networks is crucial for the daily lives of the majority of people in society. In this regard, it is the responsibility of civil engineers to establish more sustainable development in the road pavement industry, including the selection of more sustainable pavement materials and strategies for project design, manufacturing, construction, and maintenance.

Thus, this Special Issue entitled “Pavement Materials and Sustainability” aims to publish the latest original and innovative research developed in the field of pavement materials, with special emphasis on sustainability aspects. We encourage authors to submit their research focused on the development of more sustainable materials for pavements, and their life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), and/or any sustainability assessments. Papers including research related to pavement materials and sustainability, considering project design, construction, manufacturing, and maintenance techniques are also welcome.

We are very much looking forward to receiving your work before 30 June 2021.

Dr. Mayca Rubio
Dr. Ana Jiménez del Barco Carrión
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Sustainability 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 2400 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 materials
sustainability
asphalt
recycling
LCA
LCCA
roads

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3225 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Selected Empirical Models for Asphalt Pavement Temperature Prediction in a Tropical Climate: The Case of Ghana

by Simon Ntramah, Kenneth A. Tutu, Yaw A. Tuffour, Charles A. Adams and Emmanuel Kofi Adanu

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15846; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su152215846 - 11 Nov 2023

Viewed by 896

Abstract

Asphalt pavement temperature has several applications, including pavement structural design and evaluation, asphalt mixture design, asphalt binder grade determination and material aging characterization. However, available asphalt pavement temperature prediction models were mostly developed for temperate climatic conditions. Before such models are adopted for use in a tropical climate to facilitate advanced pavement engineering, their applicability must be verified. This study evaluated five empirical asphalt pavement temperature prediction models: the Lukanen (BELLS 3), Park, Diefenderfer, and Taamneh models, all developed in the United States, and the Asefzadeh model, formulated in Canada, to ascertain their prediction accuracy in a tropical climate, using the West African country Ghana as a case study. The results of such a model evaluation study will justify the adoption of existing models for local application or the development of new ones suitable for tropical climates. In this study, in situ asphalt pavement temperature data were measured at two sites for eight months: Kumasi and Tamale in the Forest and Savannah climatic zones, respectively. The measured pavement temperature data were compared with predicted pavement temperatures using the two independent-samples t-test, the coefficient of determination, the line of equality, and three error statistics (mean bias error, mean percentage error and root mean square error). It was found that the Park model provided a more accurate pavement temperature prediction in both climatic zones. The other models either over-predicted or under-predicted asphalt pavement temperature with significant error margins. However, there is a need to improve the prediction accuracy of the Park model as considerable over-prediction occurred at a temperature of at least 47 °C or a local model developed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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17 pages, 3559 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Study of the Effect of Moisture Susceptibility on Polyethylene Terephthalate–Modified Asphalt Mixes under Different Regulatory Procedures

by Diana Movilla-Quesada, Aitor C. Raposeiras, Edgardo Guíñez and Almudena Frechilla-Alonso

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14519; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su151914519 - 06 Oct 2023

Viewed by 718

Abstract

Water damage is one of the main causes of road deterioration during its lifespan, leading to a decrease in the structural and functional qualities of the road surface. Moreover, the management and disposal of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles at the end of their lifecycle are becoming increasingly complex challenges. Hence, this study investigates the feasibility of incorporating crushed PET bottles into the production of asphalt mixtures, considering different PET quantities (6%, 10%, 14%, 18%, and 22%) and two incorporation processes in the mixture design (dry process and modified dry process). PET-modified mixtures‘ volumetric properties, Marshall parameters, and moisture susceptibility characteristics were evaluated and compared with PET-free asphalt mixtures. The results indicated that PET content significantly influences the properties being assessed, and the modified dry process yields a higher resistance to moisture susceptibility. Finally, the obtained TSR (tensile strength ratio) results based on European standards are compared with those obtained using American standards, in an aim to comprehend and assess the testing methods, result reliability, and applicability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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9 pages, 3277 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization and Design of Circular Binders

by Hans C. Hendrikse, Hamza El Khallabi, Thomas Hartog, Aikaterini Varveri and Anthon Tolboom

Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 12853; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su151712853 - 25 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1040

Abstract

The concept of a circular economy, where waste materials are transformed into valuable resources, is gaining increasing attention. However, many waste streams are difficult to recycle due to their mixed composition and broad molecular distribution. This paper explores the potential of repurposing mixed materials, specifically focusing on creating a circular alternative to bitumen, a fossil-based binder used in road construction. The molecular weight and composition of bitumen are analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). This study proposes using waste plastics and bio-based oils to develop a paving binder with similar molecular distribution. Various plastic types, such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), isotactic polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), are examined for their compatibility with different oils. It is observed that the compatibility of both the molecular weight and composition between the plastic and oil is crucial for the successful dissolution and homogeneity of the binder. Additionally, the crystallinity of the plastic plays a role in the flexibility and durability of the resulting binder. It is demonstrated that by carefully selecting waste materials and understanding their molecular characteristics, it is possible to create circular alternatives to fossil-based materials like bitumen. This approach has the potential to reduce waste, lower dependence on fossil resources, and contribute to sustainable and circular construction materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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13 pages, 10776 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Rediset Additive on the Performance of WMA at Low, Intermediate, and High Temperatures

by Majed A. Alqahtani and Rabeea W. Bazuhair

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5471; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15065471 - 20 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1036

Abstract

Utilizing polymers with asphalt mixtures is one solution to improving the performance of asphalt mixtures. Warm mixed asphalt (WMA) technology has begun to be widely used; however, hot mixed asphalt (HMA) is the most common paving procedure worldwide. HMA has some side effects, such as increasing emissions of exhaust gases, which lead to environmental pollution and air pollution and increasing energy consumption. Thus, utilizing WMA would help to improve asphalt mixture performance, reduce mixing and paving temperatures, reduce CO₂ emissions, and save energy. In this study, two WMA additives (Sasobit (M1) and Rediset LQ-1200 (M2)) are used with the control HMA to investigate and evaluate the asphalt mixture’s performance and the effects of WMA additives. Rediset LQ-1200 is a new version of materials classified under chemical additives in WMA. The Sasobit and Rediset LQ-1200 dosages were 1.5 and 0.5 percent by binder weight, respectively. Different mixture and binder tests were utilized, such as penetration, DSR, BBR, IDT, CML, HLWT, and APA. To simulate long-term performance, laboratory conditions of single or combined effects were used. The results showed that M2 had more cracking resistance and durable performance with low rutting resistance, while M1 had more rutting resistance and less moisture suitability, with low cracking resistance and durability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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31 pages, 21184 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Construction and Performance Evaluation of Polyurethane-Bound Porous Rubber Pavement (PRP) Trial Section in the Cold Climate

by Tamanna Kabir and Susan Tighe

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2413; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15032413 - 29 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1502

Abstract

Porous pavements are designed and used in current construction practices to address environmental and safety issues related to wet weather. Porous rubber pavement (PRP) is a novel porous pavement material consisting of recycled crumb tire rubbers, stone aggregates, and polyurethane binders. The higher permeability (up to 45% of air voids) of PRP and its composition offers excellent benefits to the urban hydrological system and environment. Due to its recent outset in the Canadian climate, its properties and performance are not yet investigated. This research investigates PRP’s properties and performance as pavement material through the construction of two trial sections incorporating three newly developed PRP mixes along with a Control Mix. Samples were obtained from the field and tested in the laboratory to determine the mechanical and durability properties, including indirect tensile strength, moisture-induced damage due to freeze-thaw cycles and permanent deformation. A field evaluation was also performed three times: right after construction, three weeks later and after seven months to determine stiffness, frictional properties, roughness and permeability. The results revealed that all PRP mixes exhibited excellent permeability and retained more than 68% of tensile strength after five freeze-thaw cycles. Although PRP showed significantly lower initial elastic modulus than conventional pavement material, ranging between 28 MPa to 59 MPa, in the springtime none of them went below 23 MPa. Material composition, site geometry and subgrade conditions were found to be the main factors influencing the field performance of PRP pavement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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25 pages, 9278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ageing of Crumb Rubber Modified Bituminous Binders under Real Service Conditions

by Francisco Javier Sierra-Carrillo del Albornoz, Fernando Moreno-Navarro, Miguel Sol-Sánchez, María del Carmen Rubio-Gámez and Leticia Saiz

Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11189; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141811189 - 07 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1111

Abstract

Due to their environmental advantages, crumb rubber modified asphalt binders constitute an interesting alternative to conventional binders for road surfaces of a more durable and sustainable nature. However, in practice, they remain less commonly used than conventional polymer modified binders. This research aims to study the real ageing of crumb rubber modified asphalt binders during their service lives when exposed to various factors, including temperature gradients, the presence of water and oxidation. To this end, research was conducted on a selection of highways built with these binders and located in regions with severe climatic and traffic conditions. The binders from cores of highway surface layers were recovered and tested using the DSR (Dynamic Shear Rheometer) to determine the evolution of the rheological parameters. Crumb rubber modified asphalt binders were studied in comparison with traditional polymer modified bitumen. The analysis of the complex modulus and phase angle was conducted based on frequency and temperature sweep tests, while the evolution of the elastic recovery, Jnr, L-Index and T-Index were assessed from the multiple stress creep and recovery test. The results obtained indicate that crumb rubber modified binders show similar ageing and rheological parameters to those of conventional polymer modified bitumen, even under severe traffic and climate conditions. Furthermore, it was observed that, at high temperatures, the effect caused by real service life ageing was different to that obtained in the laboratory through the RTFO and PAV tests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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21 pages, 4466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Bitumen Production Process and Mix Heating Temperature on the Rheological Properties of Hot Recycled Mix Asphalt

by Emiliano Prosperi, Edoardo Bocci and Maurizio Bocci

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9677; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14159677 - 05 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2288

Abstract

Heavy traffic loads require the replacement of damaged pavements, so a huge amount of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) material is now available and must be recycled in order to avoid landfill and to achieve both environmental and economic benefits. The most common and profitable solution to reuse RAP is associated with the hot recycling technique, as it allows recovering both solid and binding components of RAP. Several factors influence the performance of hot recycled mix asphalt (HRMA). Among those, this paper focuses on the role played by the origin of the virgin bitumen, i.e. the oil-distillation process, and by the mixing temperature adopted during HRMA production. The objective was to evaluate the rheological properties of mixtures produced using a high amount of RAP (50%), two different rejuvenators, two mixing temperatures (140 °C or 170 °C) and two neat bitumen types derived from different distillation processes (visbreaker and straight-run). The results showed that the addition of RAP led to an increase in the dynamic modulus and a decrease in the phase angle, while the use of rejuvenators partly tended to rebalance these characteristics. The visbreaker bitumen showed a higher sensitivity to short-term aging than the straight-run, determining higher mix stiffness and lower viscous features. The higher mixing temperature also determined an increase in the complex modulus and a reduction in the phase angle as a result of the higher mobilization of the aged bitumen from the RAP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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18 pages, 45965 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Strength Development and Shrinkage of Superabsorbent Polymer Concrete with Calcium Sulfoaluminate Clinker and Shrinkage Reducing Admixture

by Sung-Il Jeon, Dong-Hyuk Jung, Jeong-Hee Nam and Jae-Myun Nho

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8362; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13158362 - 27 Jul 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1591

Abstract

In this study, we analyzed the strength and shrinkage properties of concrete with three additives, superabsorbent polymer (SAP), calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) clinker, and shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA), to verify the internal curing and shrinkage reduction effects. According to compressive strength tests, the use of SAP as an additive resulted in a slight decrease in compressive strength, whereas using 10% CSA clinker as an additive resulted in a compressive strength 8 MPa higher than that of ordinary concrete. In the shrinkage tests, we observed the shrinkage behavior at the surface and in the middle of the concrete while exposing the surface to ambient air for 80 days. According to the results, SAP and SRA had greater shrinkage reduction effects on the concrete than CSA clinker. In particular, the shrinkage reduction rate achieved by adding SAP to the mixture was approximately 32% compared with ordinary concrete. Based on this result, we concluded that the shrinkage of the mixture reduced due to the internal curing effect (humidity adjustment within the concrete) of the SAP. In addition, the shrinkage reduction effect was maximized when we added these materials simultaneously. In particular, the shrinkage reduction rate achieved by adding SAP and SRA together was found to be approximately 69% compared with ordinary concrete. When we added CSA, SAP, and SRA to the concrete mixture, the shrinkage reduction rate was approximately 96% compared with ordinary concrete, making this the best shrinkage reduction effect achieved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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15 pages, 1943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Physical, Chemical, and Environmental Properties of Biomass Bottom Ash for Use as a Filler in Bituminous Mixtures

by Jorge Suárez-Macías, Juan María Terrones-Saeta, Francisco Javier Iglesias-Godino and Francisco Antonio Corpas-Iglesias

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4119; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13084119 - 07 Apr 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1768

Abstract

The road construction sector is one of the most raw material-intensive sectors in existence. As a result, it has a significant impact on the environment. For this reason, there are several research projects in which industrial by-products are used as raw materials. In turn, energy production from biomass combustion is considered to be one of the most promising energy sources. However, this type of energy produces a number of wastes that need to be treated, such as biomass bottom ash. This research evaluates the properties of biomass bottom ash for use as a filler in bituminous mixtures and quantifies the environmental advantages of its use. For this purpose, the chemical composition of the ashes was analysed and their properties were physically characterised to confirm their suitability as a filler. Subsequently, the advantages of its processing compared to limestone filler, lime, or cement were calculated with SimaPro software. The results showed acceptable properties of biomass bottom ash for use as a filler, as well as a drastic reduction in the environmental impact of its processing. In short, this research presents the basis for the development of further bituminous mixtures with biomass bottom ash, reducing the extraction of raw materials and avoiding landfill disposal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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Review

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12 pages, 1343 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Systematic Review of the Hydrological, Environmental and Durability Performance of Permeable Pavement Systems

by Mariacrocetta Sambito, Alessandro Severino, Gabriele Freni and Larysa Neduzha

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4509; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13084509 - 18 Apr 2021

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4959

Abstract

Due to urbanization, large portions of vegetated territory have been replaced by waterproof surfaces. The consequences are greater outflows, lower infiltration, and lower evapotranspiration. Pavement systems made with permeable surfaces allow the infiltration of water, ensuring reduction of runoff volume. In this paper, the methods of analysis of the hydrological and environmental performance of the pavement systems are reviewed in the context of urban drainage and regarding their durability. The purpose is to present an overview of the studies published during the last decade in the field. The Pubmed and Web Science Core Collection electronic databases were used to conduct the scientific literature survey. This generated 1238 papers, of which only 17 met the criteria and were included and discussed in this review. The evidence drawn from the knowledge on which the document is based provides useful critical interpretations of existing studies to progress the current understanding on hydrological performance and environment impacts in terms of conventional pollutant removal efficiency and the current permeable pavement systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pavement Materials and Sustainability)

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