Development and Application of Polyurethane as a Sustainable Pavement Material

As a major part of transportation infrastructure, pavements are expected not only to carry more traffic load (longer durability), but also to provide additional sustainable functions (permeability, noise reduction, low emission and energy conservation). Porous asphalt (PA) with open-graded structure and large air void content is a functional pavement material, which offers various attractive benefits, such as reducing tire-pavement noise, decreasing water splashing and hydroplaning on rainy days, improving pavement surface friction, and alleviating urban heat island effects. However, as the pore structures of PA are often exposed to the moist environment, PA pavement usually has relatively short service life because of early-age moisture damage. To improve the resistance of PA to moisture damage, substitution, or modification of the asphalt binder by a thermoset material, polyurethane (PU), has been found effective without compromising its sustainable properties. However, as a novel pavement material, the fundamental modification and deterioration mechanism of PU pavement materials in various loading environments has not been fully understood yet. A comprehensive evaluation and prediction system for the polyurethane paving materials is still lacking. Hence, in this webinar, Dr. Lu aims to introduce the engineering performances of PU pavement materials and further discuss the modification and deterioration mechanism by considering various service conditions