About this Research Topic
The construction and rehabilitation of road pavements and embankments require large quantities of resources and energy. Nowadays, circular economy policies promote the use of recycled and secondary materials from waste and by-products to reduce the exploitation of non-renewable materials; despite this, contractors, road agencies, and professionals are often reluctant to put policies into practice. To contrast this problem and promote a widespread use of recycled material from waste and by-products, their technical, environmental, and economic benefits should be emphasised. Several researchers are putting extensive efforts in developing and promoting unbound, stabilized, and bound road materials including construction and demolition waste, crushed concrete, reclaimed asphalt materials, plastic scraps, crumb rubber, foundry sands, crushed glass, rock waste, marble dusts, industrial slags, red muds, bottom and fly ashes, lignin, etc. Other research is focused on the efficient use of these recycled materials when combined with low-impact binders to produce bound and stabilized materials.
The use of recycled materials and waste by-products is one of the most common strategies for achieving the sustainability goals of pavements and road constructions. However, a number of important technical, environmental, and economical barriers have to be faced. The challenge for researchers and practitioners dealing with recycled materials is to provide similar or acceptable engineering properties compared with those of conventional materials, while limiting both environmental impacts and costs.
In this Research Topic, studies focusing on the development of recycled materials and their optimization in composite mixtures are welcome. Environmental- and economic-related issues should be addressed throughout the entire life cycle of a product. This integrated approach is designed to overcome the general mistrust regarding the use of recycled products by contractors, road agencies, and professionals, thus allowing the full implementation of principles of the circular economy in road construction.
The scope of this Research Topic focuses on the technical, environmental, and economical assessment of innovative materials for road and pavement constructions, with particular emphasis on recycled products and mixtures from waste materials and by-products.
Original research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, and case studies manuscripts are welcome on the following (not limited) topics:
• recycled low-carbon materials from waste and by-products for road construction
• efficient use of recycled materials in composite mixtures
• mix-design methods for composite mixtures containing recycled and innovative products
• advanced laboratory and field characterization of recycled and innovative materials
• innovative stabilization techniques
• pavement structural design which considers recycled materials
• life-cycle environmental impact assessment and life cycle cost analysis
• quantification of embodied carbon in highway materials and reduction strategies
• environmental compatibility of recycled materials containing waste and by-products
The use of recycled materials and waste by-products is one of the most common strategies for achieving the sustainability goals of pavements and road constructions. However, a number of important technical, environmental, and economical barriers have to be faced. The challenge for researchers and practitioners dealing with recycled materials is to provide similar or acceptable engineering properties compared with those of conventional materials, while limiting both environmental impacts and costs.
In this Research Topic, studies focusing on the development of recycled materials and their optimization in composite mixtures are welcome. Environmental- and economic-related issues should be addressed throughout the entire life cycle of a product. This integrated approach is designed to overcome the general mistrust regarding the use of recycled products by contractors, road agencies, and professionals, thus allowing the full implementation of principles of the circular economy in road construction.
The scope of this Research Topic focuses on the technical, environmental, and economical assessment of innovative materials for road and pavement constructions, with particular emphasis on recycled products and mixtures from waste materials and by-products.
Original research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, and case studies manuscripts are welcome on the following (not limited) topics:
• recycled low-carbon materials from waste and by-products for road construction
• efficient use of recycled materials in composite mixtures
• mix-design methods for composite mixtures containing recycled and innovative products
• advanced laboratory and field characterization of recycled and innovative materials
• innovative stabilization techniques
• pavement structural design which considers recycled materials
• life-cycle environmental impact assessment and life cycle cost analysis
• quantification of embodied carbon in highway materials and reduction strategies
• environmental compatibility of recycled materials containing waste and by-products
Keywords: recycled material, innovative mixtures, road construction, sustainable pavement and road materials waste by-products
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
