A good asphalt mixture is very important to maintain the triangle of sustainability. Many accidents occur due to pavement damage such as permanent deformation caused by the external loads induced by heavy traffic. Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) has a low resistance to moisture and other performances. Many researchers have conducted on SMA using various types of fiber. However, not much research has been done using steel fiber in the SMA mixture and has analyzed the result obtained using a statistical approach. The objective of this research was to identify the optimum amount of steel fiber in a modified asphalt mixture and characterize the performance of steel fiber in the SMA mixture using the statistical approach of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in Design Expert Software. In this study, various steel fiber proportions of 0 percent, 0.3 percent, 0.5 percent, and 0.7 percent by the total weight of the SMA mixture were used. The Marshall stability and flow test, dynamic creep and moisture susceptibility test, and ultimately, RSM analysis were used to evaluate the properties and performance of the steel fiber-modified SMA, which contained 6.2 percent of PEN 60/70 asphalt binder content. The testing findings unmistakably demonstrated that the addition of steel fiber greatly improves the SMA mixture’s resistance to moisture and permanent deformation. An amount of 0.3 percent was found to be the most optimum steel fiber content from the optimization by using Response Surface Methodology, thus proven with additional steel fiber in the SMA mixture enhancing the performance of the mixture. As a result, it can be determined that the addition of steel fiber to SMA asphalt mixtures has improved the properties and performance in the construction of asphalt pavements, and the RSM method is an efficient statistical method for producing an appropriate empirical model for relating parameters and predicting the best performance of an asphaltic mixture.

The transition to a hydrogen economy is vital for achieving sustainable transport in Malaysia, particularly in mitigating the environmental impact of heavy-duty mobility. This paper proposes a preliminary methodological framework to evaluate hydrogen's potential as a transformative solution for decarbonizing the transportation sector, focusing on key areas such as hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and vehicle integration, with an emphasis on green hydrogen from renewable sources. Our assessment reveals the significant potential of hydrogen to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants, positioning it as a viable alternative to fossil fuels and battery-electric vehicles, especially in heavy-duty applications. The study assesses the technological feasibility, economic viability, and environmental benefits of adopting hydrogen in Malaysia, considering current infrastructure, production capabilities, and regulatory frameworks. Key challenges identified include the high costs of hydrogen production and infrastructure, technological barriers in storage and vehicle integration, and gaps in policy and market readiness. To address these, we propose strategic recommendations for stakeholders, highlighting the need for government support, public-private partnerships, and international collaborations. This framework aims to guide Malaysia’s transition to a hydrogen-powered transport sector, aligning with the nation’s sustainability and energy security goals while positioning Malaysia as a leader in hydrogen technology in Southeast Asia.

Hot mix asphalt (HMA) is the most prevalent technique that used road pavements as surfacing. However, recently, the quality of the conventional flexible road surface has been questionable as a number of road surfacing deteriorated extensively. Researchers are aggressively looking up for new solutions to improve existing conventional asphalt mixtures. One of the possible solutions to improve the mixes is to use polymer s as modifier/additive in the mixture. The goal of this study was to see how natural rubber latex (NRL) affected the modified asphalt binder on the performance of hot mix asphalt mixture. Commercially produced bitumen PEN 50/70 modified with 5% NRL by weight of bitumen was used for the asphalt mixes. Dense asphaltic concrete AC14 specimens were then prepared using the modified bitumen. After that, the moisture susceptibility, resilience modulus, and rutting resistance of the asphaltic concrete specimens were assessed. The moisture susceptibility was evaluated using the Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS) test, the resilient modulus of the asphaltic specimens was evaluated using the Universal Testing Machine (UTM), and the rutting resistance was assessed using the asphalt Pavement Analyzer (APA). The results revealed that adding NRL to dense asphaltic concrete mixes improved the resilience modulus value and decreased the rutting depth while maintaining the required moisture resistance. According to the findings, the addition of NRL to bitumen upgrade the performance of dense asphaltic concrete mixtures.