The objective of this study is to investigate the storage stability and rheological property of bio-oil/lignin composite-modified asphalt. The composite-modified asphalt with different proportions of bio-oil was prepared and cured at 105 °C, 135 °C, and 165 °C for 24 h and 48 h. The storage stability of the composite-modified asphalt was evaluated based on the softening point difference, the storage stability index derived from rotational viscosity, the segregation rate based on temperature sweep, and the non-recoverable creep compliance measured through the Multiple Stress Creep Recovery test. The storage stability of bio-oil/lignin composite-modified asphalt was evaluated through testing and analysis of its infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy before and after thermal storage. The research results indicate that the maximum difference in softening point is 0.9 °C, and the calculated storage stability index is generally below 0.1. The maximum value of the segregation rate is 0.43, indicating excellent storage stability of the bio-oil/lignin composite-modified asphalt. According to the results from infrared spectroscopy, no chemical reactions occurred during the storage process of the composite-modified asphalt. The scanning electron microscope confirmed that the samples became more stable after 48 h of storage.

The massive application of chloride salts has a direct effect on the corrosion of structures and vehicles and decreases durability as well as road pavement damage. A novel slow-release deicer with a core-shell structure was prepared to reduce the salts’ impacts, subsequently characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The conductivity evaluation, moisture absorption, and the snow or ice melting performance of the deicer were also tested. The core-shell deicer with different replacement rates was used to prepare the deicing asphalt mixture based on the equivalent volume replacement method. In this study, the high- and low-temperature performance, moisture damage resistance, and snow or ice melting capacity of mixtures were evaluated in the laboratory. The results show that the low-temperature and moisture stability performances decreased, and high-temperature performance improved, as the content of the core-shell deicer was increased. It is confirmed that the replacement rate of the deicer filler should be lower than 75% to meet the specification requirements. The prepared deicing asphalt mixture has good snow and ice melting performance and can reduce the bonding strength between ice and pavement surface. Durability and cost–benefit analysis are expected in further investigations.

To prevent traffic accidents caused by icy roads in winter and damage to roads resulting from repeated freeze–thaw cycles, this paper proposes an optimized design plan for slow-release anti-icing fog seal. The effects of the dosages of slow-release anti-icing agent, water-based epoxy resin modifier, and penetrant on the ice- and snow-melting properties, mechanical properties, and penetration properties of the fog seal were investigated. Based on single-factor experiments, a Box–Behnken model was established, and the response surface method was employed to optimize the design of the fog seal. Subsequently, wear resistance was assessed using an accelerated loading test, while anti-skid performance was evaluated through the British pendulum test and the sand patch test. The results indicate that the optimal ratio for the slow-release anti-icing fog seal is 13% slow-release anti-icing agent, 20% water-based epoxy resin modifier, and 12% penetrant. This material demonstrated excellent ice- and snow-melting performance as well as good wear and skid resistance in testing, providing valuable insights for the application of the slow-release anti-icing agent in new pavement maintenance techniques.

Winter pavement maintenance faces challenges in balancing large-scale upkeep and driving safety, particularly regarding the application of active slow-release materials. This study proposes a gel-modified salt-storing ceramsite asphalt mixture to enhance ice-melting capabilities through controlled salt release. By replacing a conventional coarse aggregate with salt-storing ceramsite in SMA-10 graded mixtures (0–80% content), we systematically evaluate its mechanical performance and de-icing functionality. The experimental results demonstrate that 40% salt-storing ceramsite content optimizes high-temperature stability while maintaining acceptable low-temperature performance and water resistance. Microstructural analysis reveals that silicone–acrylic emulsion forms a hydrophobic film on ceramsite surfaces, enabling uniform salt distribution and sustained release. The optimal 10% gel modification achieves effective salt retention and controlled release through pore-structure regulation. These findings establish a 40–60% salt-storing ceramsite content range as the practical range for winter pavement applications, offering insights into the design of durable snow-melting asphalt surfaces.

Aiming at the problems of serious pavement temperature diseases, low efficiency and high loss of ice-breaking methods, high occupancy rate of waste tires and the low utilization rate and insufficient durability of rubber particles, this paper aims to improve the service level of roads and ensure the safety of winter pavements. A pavement material with high efficiency, low carbon and environmental friendliness for active snow melting and ice breaking is developed. Firstly, NaOH, NaClO and KH550 were used to optimize the treatment of rubber particles. The hydrophilic properties, surface morphology and phase composition of rubber particles before and after optimization were studied, and the optimal treatment method of rubber particles was determined. Then, the optimized rubber particles were used to replace the natural aggregate in the polyurethane gel mixture by the volume substitution method, and the optimum polyurethane gel dosages and molding and curing processes were determined. Finally, the influence law of the road performance of RPGM was compared and analyzed by means of an indoor test, and the ice-breaking effect of RPGM was explored. The results showed that the contact angles of rubber particles treated with three solutions were reduced by 22.5%, 30.2% and 36.7%, respectively. The surface energy was improved, the element types on the surface of rubber particles were reduced and the surface impurities were effectively removed. Among them, the improvement effect of the KH550 solution was the most significant. With the increase in rubber particle content from 0% to 15%, the dynamic stability of the mixture gradually increases, with a maximum increase of 23.5%. The maximum bending strain increases with the increase in its content. The residual stability increases first and then decreases with the increase in rubber particle content, and the increase ranges are 1.4%, 3.3% and 0.5%, respectively. The anti-scattering performance increases with the increase in rubber content, and an excessive amount will lead to an increase in the scattering loss rate, but it can still be maintained below 5%. The fatigue life of polyurethane gel mixtures with 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% rubber particles is 2.9 times, 3.8 times, 4.3 times and 4.0 times higher than that of the AC-13 asphalt mixture, respectively, showing excellent anti-fatigue performance. The friction coefficient of the mixture increases with an increase in the rubber particle content, which can be increased by 22.3% compared with the ordinary asphalt mixture. RPGM shows better de-icing performance than traditional asphalt mixtures, and with an increase in rubber particle content, the ice-breaking ability is effectively improved. When the thickness of the ice layer exceeds 9 mm, the ice-breaking ability of the mixture is significantly weakened. Mainly through the synergistic effect of stress coupling, thermal effect and interface failure, the bonding performance of the ice–pavement interface is weakened under the action of driving load cycle, and the ice layer is loosened, broken and peeled off, achieving efficient de-icing.

The incorporation of waste fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts (WFCs) into asphalt pavements represents an effective strategy for resource utilization. However, the influences of the composition of the waste catalyst and its surface characteristics on the performance of asphalt mortars are still unclear. Herein, five WFCs were selected as powder filler to replace partial mineral powder (MP) to prepare five asphalt mortars. The diffusion behaviors of asphalt binder on the components of WFCs were investigated based upon molecular dynamic simulation, as was the interfacial energy between them. The adhesion work values between asphalt and WFCs were evaluated based upon the surface free energy theory. A dynamic shear rheology test and multiple stress creep recovery test on the WFC asphalt mortar were also conducted. Furthermore, the gray correlation analysis (GCA) method was employed to analyze the correlation between the diffusion coefficient and interfacial energy with the performance of WFC asphalt mortar. The results showed that the asphalt exhibited a low diffusion coefficient and high interfacial energy with the alkaline components of WFCs. The adhesion work values between asphalt and WFCs are higher than those with MP. The addition of WFCs can enhance the anti-rutting property of asphalt mortar significantly. Among the five WFCs, 2# exhibited the best improvement effect on the anti-permanent deformation ability of asphalt mortar, which may be due to its large specific surface area and moderate pore width. The GCA results suggest that the diffusion coefficient and interfacial energy strongly correlated with the performance of asphalt mortar, with an order of adhesion > permanent deformation resistance > rutting resistance. This study provides both theoretical and experimental support for the application of WFCs in asphalt materials.