Construction and demolition waste material is of great potential for use in pavement engineering. This paper aims to investigate the feasibility of ceramic waste aggregate (CA) used in cooling asphalt pavement through a series of test methods and simulation techniques. Stone mastic asphalt (SMA) containing 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% coarse ceramic waste aggregate (CASMAs) was first designed using the Marshall method. Afterward, the road performance and thermal insulation performance of the five different CASMAs were assessed by a comprehensive lab test, including a wheel rutting test, moisture susceptibility test, bending beam test, fatigue beam test, and indoor thermal insulation test. Finally, a 2D finite-element (FE) model was developed to investigate the transient thermal field and rutting deformation response of the cooling asphalt pavement with CASMAs. Results show that CASMAs experienced degradation of rutting resistance, moisture susceptibility, and anti-cracking performance while still meeting technical requirements with CA content of up to 40%. On the other hand, CASMAs can cool the pavement’s temperature by 11.5 °C at the bottom of asphalt layers. The permanent rutting deformation of cooling asphalt pavement was 45.36% smaller than that of conventional asphalt pavement without CASMAs. Based on the test results and numerical simulation results, the optimum content of ceramic waste aggregate in stone mastic asphalt was recommended as 40%.

The interfacial zone between aggregate particles and asphalt mortar presents a significant effect on the strength of an asphalt mixture. In this paper, basalt, limestone, and diabase were selected, and the influence of these aggregates on the mechanical characteristics and microstructures of the interfacial zone was investigated. Nanoindentation was employed to measure the change law of mechanical behavior in the region of the interfacial zone, and corresponding viscoelastic parameters were deduced; microstructural morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the effect of the mineralogical components on the interfacial zone was analyzed as well. Results show that the mechanical behavior of the interfacial transition zone is complicated. The modulus and hardness of asphalt mortar decrease with the increases in the aggregate surface distance, and then keep stable after the distance is greater than 40 μm. Both the relaxation time and dissipated energy ratio of the interfacial zone affected by the different aggregate types show a similar change law. These states indicate that aggregate types have little influence on the stress dissipation of asphalt mortar. However, creep compliances that quantify the ability of the deformation resistance show a significant difference; microstructure morphologies of the interfacial zone are affected by aggregates obviously, and micro pores present a different distribution and state in the interfacial zone.

The irreversible curing reaction of thermosetting epoxy asphalt mixture (EAM) brings challenges to the construction of epoxy asphalt concrete (EAC) on the steel bridge deck, and the curing reaction degree (CRD) of EAM before compaction has a great influence on the compaction quality. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of excessive CRD condition and uneven CRD condition of warm mix EAC on its field compaction. To achieve this goal, a field compaction model for EAC on a steel bridge deck was developed using discrete-element method (DEM) first. In the DEM model, a two-stage contact model that combined Burges model with the parallel bond model was used to characterize the thermosetting and viscoelastic behaviors of EAM, and the values of the contact model’s parameters under different CRDs were determined by a trial calculation method based on Superpave gyratory compaction test. Subsequently, the field compaction process of cured EAM with different CRDs was simulated by changing the contact parameters’ value, and the effects of excessive CRD condition and uneven CRD condition on the compaction quality were analyzed. Results show that the highly cured EAM is hard to be compacted unless larger compaction loads are adopted in the repeated compaction. Uneven CRD of EAM is prone to generate the mixture agglomeration, and it has negative effects on the compaction quality of the surrounding EAM.

In this paper, the ultra-thin layer (UTL) is defined as the dense framework structure mixture made of asphalt binder, fine aggregate with nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) not greater than 13.2 mm and possible additives (mineral or organic), thickness of 2–4 cm. The study aims to investigate comprehensive performance of UTL asphalt mixture. The method of impact freeze thaw split test and the index of impact freeze–thawing damage degree (IFTDD) are proposed to reflect the durability. The indoor tire-rolling-down test system and accelerated abrasion machine are used to simulate the tire-pavement interaction and test road noise and skid resistance, respectively. Though evaluating the influencing factors (pavement thickness, gradation, asphalt binder type, and the content of KS additive) on durability, the optimum parameters with excellent durability are recommended. Combined with the test of noise and skid resistance, the factors affecting the surface function are analyzed. Moreover, the prediction mathematical model of skid resistance and the long-term safety benefit value E_eff are put forward. Results indicate that pavement thickness is the most significant factor effecting on durability, and gradation is the most significant factor affecting noise. Compared with KS additive, gradation has a greater influence on skid resistance index of Texture Depth (TD), whereas, KS additive is the most significant factor affecting British Pendulum Number (BPN). Furthermore, with the addition of asphalt rubber (AR), IFTDD and noise are reduced by 29.17% and 1.6 dB, and BPN and TD increase by 0.7 and 0.03 mm, remarkably. Compared with different asphalt types, the noise of UTL asphalt rubber mixture with 13.2 mm NMAS (UTL13 AR) is the lowest. Additionally, when KS content increases by 0.6%, the noise increases by 3 dB. Furthermore, on the basis of the calculation results of E_eff, UTL13 AR mixture with 0.5% KS has the best long-term benefit of pavement safety and is recommended for field project.