Recent Advances in Novel Roadbed and Pavement Materials: Theory, Technology, and Engineering Applications

The continuous expansion and aging of global road networks are accompanied by the dual pressures of carbon emission reduction targets and frequent extreme weather events. Conventional roadbed and pavement materials (cement, asphalt, natural aggregates) are characterized by high energy consumption, high carbon emissions during production and construction, and a growing shortage of high-quality aggregates. Meanwhile, the annual output of industrial solid waste exceeds 30 billion tons, posing enormous disposal pressure and an urgent need for high-value utilization pathways. In recent years, the convergence of materials science, fluid mechanics, and digital technologies has given rise to novel low-carbon road material systems, including solid waste-based cementitious materials, foamed asphalt, warm mix asphalt, and self-healing functional materials. However, the multi-scale understanding from microscopic mechanisms to macroscopic service performance remains incomplete, and the lack of systematic theoretical frameworks, reliable preparation technologies, and standardized engineering application guidelines restricts the large-scale deployment of novel materials.Currently, research on novel materials exhibits a fragmented landscape — theoretical models are disconnected from process parameters, laboratory performance differs significantly from field service behavior, and interdisciplinary dialogue platforms are lacking. Many promising materials (such as solid waste-based cementitious materials and foamed asphalt) perform excellently in the laboratory but struggle to achieve large-scale adoption due to the absence of reliable construction specifications and long-term performance data. At the same time, key scientific issues — including hydro-mechanical coupling mechanisms, fluid-assisted processing dynamics, and data-driven design methods — remain insufficiently explored.This Research Topic aims to achieve the following objectives: first, to gather theoretical innovations that deepen the understanding of multi-scale material behavior and failure mechanisms; second, to showcase advanced preparation and processing technologies that facilitate the engineering translation of low-carbon processes; third, to share full-scale validation and field case studies, establishing a reliable bridge from the laboratory to the field; and fourth, to promote cross-disciplinary integration among materials science, fluid mechanics, geotechnical engineering, and data science. This Research Topic endeavors to provide scientific support and technical reserves for sustainable transportation infrastructure construction, contributing to the achievement of carbon neutrality goals in the transportation sector.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:• Preparation and properties of novel cementitious materials (geopolymers, carbonation-cured cement, solid waste-based low-carbon cementitious materials)• High-value utilization of industrial solid wastes (steel slag, red mud, phosphogypsum, coal gangue, construction and demolition waste) in roadbeds, bases, and pavements• Modification of asphalt materials (warm mix, foamed asphalt, self-healing, phase-change temperature regulation, conductive/piezoresistive functional materials)• Hydro-mechanical coupling behavior and pore fluid effects (frost boiling, scouring, softening mechanisms)• Fluid-assisted processing technologies (foaming processes, slurry rheological control, low-energy mixing)• Multi-scale characterization (from atomistic simulation to macroscopic fracture mechanics) and accelerated durability testing• Data-driven design, machine learning-assisted performance prediction, and digital twins• Engineering application case studies, construction specifications, and full-scale validation of novel materialsStudies combining theory, experiment, simulation, and field validation are prioritized. Purely commercial product reports are not accepted. Topic editors: Zhanqi Wang, Panpan Guo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81452/recent-advances-in-novel-roadbed-and-pavement-materials-theory-technology-and-engineering-applications