The mitigation of traffic noise is essential for the development of sustainable and livable urban environments, a goal that is directly contingent on addressing tire-pavement interaction noise (TPIN) as the dominant acoustic pollutant at medium to high vehicle speeds. This comprehensive review addresses a critical gap in the literature by systematically analyzing the damping properties of pavement systems through a unified, multi-scale framework—from the molecular-scale viscoelasticity of asphalt binders to the composite performance of asphalt mixtures. The analysis begins by synthesizing state-of-the-art testing and characterization methodologies, which establish a clear connection between macroscopic damping performance and the underlying viscoelastic mechanisms coupled with the microscopic morphology of the binders. Subsequently, the review critically assesses the influence of critical factors, such as polymer modifiers including rubber and Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS), temperature, and loading frequency. This examination elucidates how these variables govern molecular mobility and relaxation processes to ultimately determine damping efficacy. A central and synthesizing conclusion emphasizes the paramount importance of the asphalt binder’s properties, which serve as the primary determinant of the composite mixture’s overall acoustic performance. By delineating this structure-property-performance relationship across different scales, the review consolidates a foundational scientific framework to guide the rational design and informed material selection for next-generation asphalt pavements. The insights presented not only advance the fundamental understanding of damping mechanisms in pavement materials but also provide actionable strategies for creating quieter and more sustainable transportation infrastructures.

The waste crumb rubber (CR) has been utilized to improve asphalt performance but it shows poor compatibility with matrix asphalt. The approaches of desulfurization and degradation of rubber are proposed to solve the above difficulties. The modified asphalts were prepared with using crumb rubber and desulfurized rubber as modifiers, and matrix asphalt was taken as control group to evaluate the physical properties, high-temperature rutting resistance and low-temperature crack resistance of three asphalts. The results show that both CR and DCR contribute to the positive modification to matrix asphalt, CR modified asphalt exhibits excellent high-temperature rutting resistance and low-temperature cracking resistance. The desulfurization of crumb rubber improves compatibility in asphalt due to the declined molecular weight, thereby enhancing the low-temperature performance of asphalt.