Asphalt and Asphalt Mixtures

In recent years, with the rapid development of the world transportation industry, the proportion of asphalt pavement in road engineering is increasing. Therefore, while the demand for asphalt and asphalt mixture is increasing, the quality requirements for materials are also improving. In particular, new materials and new technologies are constantly emerging, and the application technology, theory, and technical specifications of asphalt materials have made great progress

Enhancing counterfeit tag detection for RFID system using slotted aloha

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that is used for wireless monitoring, tracking and identification of an object. RFID is also used in inventory processes for RFID counterfeit detection and identification to reduce financial loss caused by shrinkage. Counterfeiting is a serious challenge in the current supply chain, resulting in millions of dollars in lost income for the parties involved each year. The recent works on counterfeit detection are based on cardinality contradiction and cloned detection which assumed that both counterfeit and genuine tags most be in the system before it can detect counterfeit. However, this assumption will not work if one of the tags is not in the system. As a result of this research, RMD was proposed, which entails the usage of the SLOTTED ALOHA in order to improve the detection time and accuracy through collision verification and counterfeit detection. The collision verification was introduced at the first stage to increase the status of single slots which gives the system the ability to uniquely detect each tag without arbitration. The track sequence number (TSN) was integrated with the time of arrival (TOA) at the detection stage to check the sequence process for the entire system from one stage to another, thus giving the system the capability to uniquely differentiate between counterfeit tag and the genuine tag. In comparison with FSA- CSS, MAP, and DFSA, experimental results show that the RMD algorithm outperforms other algorithms with high throughput performance of 45 unit/s, an average detection accuracy of 98% and low detection time of 0.10s. This indicates that highest detection accuracy, high throughput performance and lowest detection time (i.e., fast detection) can effectively be achieved by RMD algorithm. The optimization of the counterfeit tags detection algorithm with TSN and TOA is therefore competent and sufficient for addressing the shrinkage of inventory

Waste materials in highway applications: An overview on generation and utilization implications on sustainability

The rate at which the construction industry explores and consumes non-renewable natural aggregates and other industrial products such as bitumen, lime, and cement during construction and rehabilitation of road pavements has over time proven to be environmentally degrading and non-sustainable. This, alongside the issues of high solid waste generation and inadequate disposal, has led to series of studies by various researchers to find methods to integrate these solid wastes as alternative materials in road construction and maintenance. This paper provides a simple yet detailed review of recent relevant studies conducted to understand the alarming rate of generation and the effects of reusing these waste materials in both flexible and rigid pavements. The review further outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the selected waste materials and compare the results with that of conventional materials in accordance with relevant standards while highlighting the performance, and life cycle environmental and economic sustainability implications. The study shows that the adoption of these materials offers efficiency in waste disposal while reducing the demand for natural aggregates and consequently, significantly reducing life cycle impacts and costs. The challenges limiting the effective practical implementation of these waste recycling techniques in the construction industry were discussed and possible solutions were suggested to encourage and ensure its utilization in road construction

Warm Mix Asphalt with Sasobit An Investigation of Performance Improvements

The study investigated both the Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) and Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) mixes. The focus was the comparison of the performance of both mixes using local materials under Western Australia conditions. The study presents the evaluation of the potential benefits of producing WMA with different percentages of Sasobit with the aim to validate WMA with Sasobit as a viable alternative to HMA

Developing Sustainable Road Maintenance Strategies by Integrating Carbon Footprint and Road User Costs

This research aims to develop an innovative framework to evaluate the social and environmental impacts of road maintenance activities and integrate these impacts to enable sustainable road maintenance decision making in Australia. The usefulness of the framework, including the indicators, their calculations and potential implementations, is also presented, using real life scenarios. The road agencies can usefully adopt the results of this study for developing sustainable maintenance activities, such as selecting truly sustainable maintenance activities

Steel slag and recycled concrete aggregates: replacing quarries to supply sustainable materials for the asphalt paving industry

Various researchers are developing efforts to integrate waste and by-products as alternative materials in road construction and maintenance, reducing environmental impacts and promoting a circular economy. Among the alternative materials that several authors have studied regarding their use as partial or total substitutes for natural aggregates in the asphalt paving industry, the steel slag aggregate (SSA) and recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) from construction demolition waste (CDW) stand out. This paper reviews and discusses the characteristics and performance of these materials when used as aggregates in asphalt mixtures. Based on the various studies analyzed, it was possible to conclude that incorporating SSA or RCA in asphalt mixtures for road pavements has functional, mechanical, and environmental advantages. However, it is essential to consider some possible drawbacks of these aggregates that are discussed in this paper, to define the acceptable uses of SSA and RCA as sustainable feedstocks for road paving works.This research was funded by the "Environment, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy Programme-Environment Programme" (EEA financial mechanism 2014-2021) through the Funding Mechanism Commission established by Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Portugal, under the scope of project CirMat-CIRcular aggregates for sustainable road and building MATerials. This study was also supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia through the Ph.D. grants number 2021.06428.BD and 2021.08004.BD

Experimental application of Waste Bleaching Clays in the production of construction materials for Civil Infrastructures

The respect for the environment and the saving of natural resources are current problems, which affect all the sectors within a modern society. In the civil engineering field, the main action to overcome these issues is related to the research on innovative solutions, able to combine the environmental benefits with the reduction of costs. As a consequence, the recycling and reuse of wastes and industrial-by products for the production of new materials represent the new frontier in the constructions sector. In the light of the above, the present work shows a laboratory study on the application of a waste digested bleaching clay for the production of materials within civil infrastructures field. The final aim of the project is to give scientific evidence of the use of this industrial-by product as construction material. Furthermore, to combine the dual effect of reducing the quantities of material disposed to landfill with the definition of a functional intended use for this waste. The research project was divided in four macro-activities, each of which is focused on a specific sector of the civil infrastructures. In every activity, the validation of the possible experimental application was given through a full laboratory characterization and by the comparison of results with the requirements imposed by the most common technical specifications for building materials

Review of advanced road materials, structures, equipment, and detection technologies

As a vital and integral component of transportation infrastructure, pavement has a direct and tangible impact on socio-economic sustainability. In recent years, an influx of groundbreaking and state-of-the-art materials, structures, equipment, and detection technologies related to road engineering have continually and progressively emerged, reshaping the landscape of pavement systems. There is a pressing and growing need for a timely summarization of the current research status and a clear identification of future research directions in these advanced and evolving technologies. Therefore, Journal of Road Engineering has undertaken the significant initiative of introducing a comprehensive review paper with the overarching theme of “advanced road materials, structures, equipment, and detection technologies”. This extensive and insightful review meticulously gathers and synthesizes research findings from 39 distinguished scholars, all of whom are affiliated with 19 renowned universities or research institutions specializing in the diverse and multidimensional field of highway engineering. It covers the current state and anticipates future development directions in the four major and interconnected domains of road engineering: advanced road materials, advanced road structures and performance evaluation, advanced road construction equipment and technology, and advanced road detection and assessment technologies

Advanced Testing and Characterization of Bituminous Materials, Two Volume Set

Bituminous materials are used to build durable roads that sustain diverse environmental conditions. However, due to their complexity and a global shortage of these materials, their design and technical development present several challenges. Advanced Testing and Characterisation of Bituminous Materials focuses on fundamental and performance testin

Sustainable pavements for rural scenarios: laboratory and in-situ characterization of recycled materials and innovative construction solutions

Growing need for infrastructure has led to expanding research on advances in road pavement materials. Finding solutions that are sustainable, environmentally friendly and cost-efficient is a priority. Focusing such efforts on low-traffic and rural roads can contribute with a significant progress in the vital circulatory system of transport for rural and agricultural areas. An important alternative material for pavement construction is recycled aggregates from solid wastes, including waste from civil engineering activities, mainly construction and demolition. A literature review on studies is made; it is performed a planned set of laboratory testing procedures aimed to fully characterize and assess the potential in-situ mechanical performance and chemical impact. Furthermore, monitoring the full-scale response of the selected materials in a real field construction site, including the production, laying and compaction operations. Moreover, a novel single-phase solution for the construction of semi-flexible paving layers to be used as alternative material to common concrete and bituminous layers is experimented and introduced, aiming the production and laying of a single-phase laid material instead of a traditional two phases grouted macadam. Finally, on a parallel research work for farming pavements, the possible use of common geotechnical anti-erosive products for the improvement of soil bearing capacity of paddock areas in cattle husbandries of bio-farms is evaluated. this thesis has clearly demonstrated the feasibility of using the sustainable recycled aggregates for low-traffic rural roads and the pavements of farming and agriculture areas. The pavement layers constructed with recycled aggregates provided satisfying performance under heavy traffic conditions in experimental pavements. This, together with the fact that these aggregates can be available in most areas and in large quantities, provides great impetus towards shifting from traditional materials to more sustainable alternatives. The chemical and environmental stability of these materials proves their soundness to be utilized in farming environments.La Trovare soluzioni innovative che siano sostenibili, rispettose dell'ambiente ed efficienti in termini di costi è oggi una priorità. Concentrare tali sforzi sulle strade a basso traffico e rurali può contribuire ad uno sviluppo significativo nel sistema dei trasporti per le aree agricole. Un importante materiale alternativo per la costruzione di pavimentazioni è l’aggregato riciclato, compresi i rifiuti provenienti da attività di ingegneria civile. L'utilizzo di tale materiale alternativo richiede l'adozione di metodi tecnici e procedure di valutazione adeguati, in particolare per le applicazioni su strade rurali a basso traffico. In questa tesi, viene inizialmente effettuata una revisione completa della letteratura sugli studi precedentemente svolti su specifiche, analisi, test e casi di studio di aggregati riciclati. Viene eseguita una serie pianificata di test di laboratorio volte a caratterizzare e valutare le potenziali prestazioni meccaniche in situ e l'impatto chimico/ambientale. Il monitoraggio della risposta su vasta scala dei materiali in cantiere reale, comprese le operazioni di produzione, posa e compattazione, è stato effettuato sperimentata e introdotta una nuova soluzione monofase per la realizzazione di manti semi-flessibili da utilizzare come materiale alternativo ai comuni manti cementizi e bituminosi, finalizzata alla produzione e alla posa in opera di un materiale prodotto in un’unica fase, invece di un tradizionale macadam stuccato in due fasi. Questa tesi ha dimostrato la fattibilità dell'utilizzo di aggregati riciclati sostenibili per strade rurali a basso traffico e pavimentazioni di aree agricole.Questo, insieme al fatto che questi aggregati possono essere disponibili nella maggior parte delle aree e in grandi quantità, fornisce un grade risultato per incentivare il passaggio dai materiali tradizionali ad alternative più sostenibili. Oltre alle notevoli prestazioni portanti, la stabilità chimica e ambientale di questi materiali, sulla base delle misure di lisciviazione