Cold recycled mixes using asphalt emulsion (CRME) is an economical and environmentally-friendly technology for asphalt pavement maintenance and rehabilitation. In order to determine the optimum range of cement contents, the complex interaction between cement and asphalt emulsion and the effects of cement on performance of CRME were investigated with different contents of cement. The microstructure and chemical composition of the fracture surface of CRME with different contents of cement were analyzed in this paper as well. Results show that the high-temperature stability and moisture susceptibility of CRME increased with the contents of cement increasing. The low-temperature crack resistance ability gradually increased when the content of cement is increased from 0% to 1.5%. However, it gradually decreased when the content of cement is increased from 1.5% to 4%. Cold recycled mixes had better low-temperature cracking resistance when the contents of cement were in the range from 1% to 2%. The results of microstructure and energy spectrum analysis show that the composite structure is formed by hydration products and asphalt emulsion. The study will be significant to better know the effects of cement and promote the development of CRME.

Salt storage asphalt pavement has been considered as a functional pavement that could effectively and actively melt snow on the road. Based on the previous studies, the macro melting snow and ice mechanism on the salt storage road is studied, high performance salt storage materials have been developed, as well as to analyze pavement and anti-freezing performance of salt storage asphalt mixture. Although some studies have evaluated salt storage asphalt mixtures and salt storage materials, there still remains many issues related to the slow-release effect of salt storage materials and road performance. Therefore, the article tries to review the key contents: mechanism for ice-snow melting of salt storage asphalt pavement, salt-storage materials design, salt-storage asphalt mixture-mix design. Additionally, key points concerning the road and anti-freezing performance of salt storage asphalt pavement were assessed. Finally, a series of important proposes for further investigations in this field have been presented.

Although it is widely recognized that freeze–thaw cycles have a great influence on the properties of asphalt pavement, a quantitative understanding of how freeze–thaw cycles affect cold recycled mixtures with asphalt emulsion (CRME) is so far still lacking. The main objective of the paper was to investigate the performance and microstructure of CRME under freeze–thaw cycles with different water saturation conditions. For this, air voids, high-temperature stability, low-temperature cracking resistance, and moisture susceptibility of CRME were analyzed based on laboratory tests. The micro-morphology and chemical composition of cement asphalt emulsified compound mortar were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed air voids of CRME increase as freeze–thaw cycles increase; the high-temperature stability, low-temperature cracking resistance, and moisture susceptibility of CRME decrease as freeze–thaw cycles increase; the asphalt strips from the surface of hydration products, and the composite structure mainly consists of hydration products as freeze–thaw cycles increase; the microstructure of CRME is destroyed. The freeze–thaw cycles have a negative effect on the CRME performance and microstructure.

The climate regionalization of asphalt pavement plays an active role in ensuring the good performance and service life of asphalt pavement. In order to better adapt to the climate characteristics of a region, this study developed a multi‐index method of climate regionalization of asphalt pavement. First, meteorological data from the research region were statistically analyzed and the major climate variables were identified. Then, a principal component analysis (PCA) was used to eliminate any correlation between the major climate variables. Three principal components were extracted by the PCA as cluster factors, namely, the temperature factor, precipitation factor, and radiation factor. The research region was divided into the following four asphalt pavement climate zones via the K‐means clustering algorithm. Those zones are affected by the climate comprehensively: an inland zone with high temperatures, little rainfall, and radiation, a coastal zone with high temperatures, and a rainy mountainous zone. The results of the climate regionalization were compared with the results of on‐site investigations. The pavement degradation in each climatic zone was related to the climate characteristics of the region. Probabilistic neural network (PNN) and support vector machine (SVM) climate regionalization predictive models were established with MATLAB. The clustering factors were used as the input data to identify the climate zones, and the identification accuracy rate was determined to be over 90%. The climate regionalization of pavement can provide reference and guidance for the selection of reasonable technical measures, parameters, and building materials in highway projects with similar climatic conditions.

The utilization rate of reclaimed asphalt pavement is significantly low in the sustainable design process of asphalt roads. Numerous researchers have extensively investigated the recycling and utilization of reclaimed asphalt pavements from various perspectives. Molecular dynamics simulations could elucidate the diffusion phenomenon occurring at the molecular scale between virgin and aged asphalt interfaces. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the simulation methods and applications of molecular dynamics simulation in the interface diffusion problem between virgin and aged asphalt. Diffusion theory and model testing methods are discussed. The review proposes the basic steps of molecular dynamics simulation and summarizes the molecular models with the corresponding parameter settings of virgin asphalt and aged asphalt. Moreover, the current influencing factors on the interfacial diffusion problem of virgin and aged asphalt are discussed. The paper explores the validation parameters including density, viscosity, radial distribution function (RDF), glass transition temperature, and solubility parameters based on the existing research. Molecular dynamics simulation could simulate interface diffusion at a micro-scale and clarify the diffusion depth and influence range of different asphalts. The purpose of the study of molecular dynamics is to solve interface issues and advance optimization of reclaimed materials.